This is Merlin, our 5 year old Ragdoll cat. He mostly likes cuddles, walks, eating and sitting in unlikely places. His favourite thing to do is have cwtches (Welsh: cuddles) at every opportunity. I’m cwtching him here, but really I’m his second choice and he much prefers cwtches from his Mum (my wife). Merlin likes […]
Merlin – The Art Studio Cat Read More »
Foxes are my favourite British animal, so much so, I built a dedicated fox watching hide at the back of my garden in the first covid lockdown, just so I could watch and photograph our local population. We live in rural west Wales, where we’re fortunate to have farmland behind our house, and most days
Photographing Foxes In The UK Read More »
My latest commission, finished for Christmas 2024. A large red kite painting inspired by Wales’ national bird. Painted for a client with a passion for Wales’ red kites and to remind him of seeing these wonderful birds in and around south west Wales. My client and I designed it together, adjusting and fine tuning the
Red Kite Painting Commission Read More »
I had the pleasure of being invited back to Skokholm Island Bird Observatory, off the coast of Pembrokeshire, this year (May 2023) to paint the latest ‘rare bird’ to turn up on the island. The Tennessee Warbler was, as the name suggests a long way from home, when it was seen on the Welsh island
New Skokholm Island Bird Paintings Read More »
As is the tradition on Skokholm Island, where I spent 7 wonderful days last week (May 2022), the finder of rare birds paints them for posterity on the toilet wall (These days, due to renovations and modernisation of the observatory buildings, the ‘toilet wall’ is a removable board that hangs on the original toilet wall,
Skokholm Island Bird Observatory Paintings Read More »
Good oil paint is expensive, and the last thing you want to do is waste it because it dries out on your palette in between painting sessions. Your paint drying out is wasteful and expensive, but the very fact that you know it will dry out can stop you from squeezing out enough paint onto
How To Stop Your Oil Paint Drying Out On Your Palette Read More »
Whether you paint with oils, acrylics or watercolours, having to leave that last bit of good paint in the tube because you simply can’t get it out, is annoying. Even if paint was cheap, which it isn’t, it always seems very wasteful to me to start a new tube and abandon that last bit of
How To Get All The Paint Out Of A Tube Of Paint Read More »
Filmed on my painting adventures, short plein air pochade box painting videos – Visit my Youtube channel to subscribe and watch more videos. Filmed on a blustery west Wales late summer’s day, high up in Pembrokeshire’s Preseli Mountains, near Dinas, which is not far from Newport Pembs. I have a clever little bracket that is fitted
Oil Painting Videos, Painting Outdoors In Wales Read More »
No matter how careful you are you’re probably going to hit or knock your canvases at some point and get a dent in them. As much you push the dent back out from the underside it won’t work, that’s because the fine canvas threads have been stretched in that area. Even if you fit the
How To Get A Dent Out Of A Painting Canvas Read More »
This exhibition at Stiwdio 3 Gallery was by a group of local artists who form the Cardigan Art Society, including myself – “The Albion Exhibition” was to help mark Cardigan town’s commemorations of it being 200 years since the emigrant ship Albion left Cardigan for Canada in 1819. The exhibition opening was on Monday, 15th
Stiwdio 3 Art Exhibition | Cardigan Read More »
I was recently commissioned by the outdoor clothing company Berghaus to produce some original artwork for their 2018/2019 #timetogetout advertising campaign. They needed four original oil paintings featuring mountainous landscapes, to be used across all types of advertising media. Here’s the campaign as described by Chris Tattersall, head of brand management at Berghaus: “A major
Berghaus: Outdoor Clothing & Equipment Artwork Read More »
No matter how careful we are with our artwork, canvas paintings can get damaged. Some of the most famous paintings in the world have sustained damage over the years and have needed repairs made to the canvas. What at first can seem like a complete disaster, is in fact usually repairable, so let me show
How To Repair A Damaged Or Ripped Canvas Painting Read More »
One of the biggest costs when exhibiting your artwork is the cost of the framing. High quality professionally made frames, which are exactly what you want, don’t come cheap. There are however some simple things you can do to keep those costs down and make the most out of your money. Tip 1) Paint on
6 Tips That Will Save You Money When You Frame Your Paintings Read More »
When I moved into my home in 2008 I decided one of the bedrooms was going to be my art studio. I was having carpets fitted throughout the house, and I spent a while thinking about whether I should carpet my new studio or not, or just leave the bare floor boards uncovered. In the
How To Protect Your Carpet/Floor When You’re Painting Read More »
Life Line The new art student walks into the college studio and is confronted with a naked person. Here is nude person standing in the middle of the room, staring out the window and surrounded by about a dozen easels, occupied by some familiar people who are drawing intently. “Draw what you see,” says the
The Importance of Life Drawing | Guest Post by Artist Bern Ross Read More »
Let me start by saying, there is no actual need to varnish a completed oil painting if you don’t want to. Oil paintings dry to a very robust finish, and I know many professional artists that sell all of their paintings un-varnished. However, varnishing a painting can make a considerable difference to it’s final appearance; enhancing its darks and lights, evening
How To Varnish A Painting Read More »
Looking to start out with acrylic paints and not sure what you need or where to start? This article offers advice to those looking to start out with Acrylics and also offers further help and advice for taking your paintings up a notch. Acrylic paints are a versatile medium being able to mix them to
How To Paint With Acrylics, Starting Out | Guest Post by Artist Karen Berisford Read More »
Last night I had arranged to give my daughter’s best friend some tuition. She’s crazy-keen on art and had been given some acrylic paints but didn’t really know what to do with them. I work in oils and watercolours. I have some acrylics but they remain unused in a drawer at the moment. I hoped
The Painting Glass Is ALWAYS Half Full | Guest Post by Artist Ian Holtedahl-Finlay Read More »
Over the last 10 years Youtube has become increasingly popular worldwide, and is now the second largest search engine, after Google. For artists, Youtube in an invaluable source of information and education about every aspect of painting, drawing, sculpture, and every other art form there is. I’m sure that as you’re reading this blog post,
3 Youtube Painting Videos Every Artist Should Watch Read More »
In the northern hemisphere, northern light is said to be the best light in which to create art, and this is true, but why is that? Initially, we might think light is light, right?! …so how can one direction of light be so much better than another? Here are a few reasons: Northern Light Southern
Why Is Northern Light Best For Artists? Read More »
Instead of painting today, I spent the morning trying out some new software called Youtube Movie Maker. This is FREE software that anyone can download, and enables you to create/make/edit YouTube video from your own videos/movies, pictures/photos, audios/musics, texts, lyrics, subtitles, etc. Get the software here. Once you’ve made your video, you can upload it straight to
How To Make Your Own Painting Video Read More »
Inspired by a family of foxes I’ve been watching playing and feeding in the field behind my house here in Cilgerran, I created this fox painting. It’s quite a large painting at 30×20 inches, and painted on stretched canvas. I’ve included the different stages the fox painting went through here as photographs, so you can
Fox Painting, Step by Step Demo Read More »
There’s nothing quite like painting outdoors, immersed in nature with the sun of your face as you paint. It’s a very different experience to painting indoors. One of the things you quickly learn when you paint outdoors is that you have to speed up. It’s all too easy when you paint indoors to take a long time thinking
Outdoor Painting in Wales (Plein Air) Read More »
Do you know, laughter is widely considered good for you and boasts a range of physical, mental, and social benefits. So following on from my other posts where I’d gathered lots of funny art images together, below are 20 more funny quotes, memes, cartoons and thought provoking images that I’ve come across on the web.
20 MORE Funny Art Quotes, Cartoons and Memes Read More »
Barn owls aren’t as widespread in the UK as they once were, diminishing suitable hunting habitat as a result of modern intensive farming methods being just one of the reasons. However, if you go to the right place at the right time of day, you have a very good chance of seeing them, and it’s always
Kingfishers are mesmerising little birds, usually only seen flying past at break-neck speed. Our local wildlife centre here in Cilgerran in west Wales has a healthy population of kingfishers and we’re lucky enough to see them regularly. I’ve painted kingfishers before, but this kingfisher painting was a little different and an exciting challenge. See below the stages as the oil painting progressed from start to finish…
Kingfisher Painting in Oils Read More »
I’m thrilled to have some of my work on display in New Zealand at the Marlborough Art Society’s Members’ Holiday Exhibition 2015/16. Exhibition Season: 19th December to 3rd January (closed Christmas Day and New Years Day): Open 10.30am – 4.30pm. Contact The Marlborough Gallery: 204 High Street P.O.Box 1136 Blenheim Marlborough Telephone : 00 64 (0)3
New Zealand Art Exhibition – Xmas 2015 Read More »
Cardboard postal tubes are great for posting anything that can be rolled, we’ve all seen them or have bought things that were delivered in them, but if you use tubes as a delivery method for your business, although they certainly do the job, the one big down side is that they take up so much room
How To Post Prints & Paintings Safely Read More »
We’ve all seen those art based funny images, memes, and info-graphics as we surf the internet. Some make us laugh, some make us sad, some inspire us, …and some just make us cringe. Below are 30 of the funniest and most thought provoking I’ve seen, gathered in one place for your perusal, enjoy! 1) 2)
30 Funny Art Cartoons, Memes, Images and Art Quotes Read More »
I bought a couple of Winsor & Newton brushes once, they cost me about five pounds each and I ruined them in a week. Oil painters don’t need expensive brushes, watercolour painters yes, it definitely helps, but oil painters, no. That said, an oil painter does need clean brushes. If you use a dirty brush
Stainless Steel Brush Washer – Why It’s The Best Brush Cleaner You Can Get Read More »
Commissioning your own painting is easier than you think, and the term ‘commissioning’ simply means that you contact an artist and ask them to create a painting specifically for you, whether that painting is a landscape, animal, portrait, or pet portrait e.t.c ..rather than buying a pre-existing painting that an artist has previously painted. 1) Why Commission
How to Commission a Painting Read More »
Kingfishers ( Alcedo atthis ) are surely one of Britain’s most beautiful birds, and the Teifi valley here in west Wales has a very healthy population. Of all the UK’s birds the kingfisher is perhaps the most unmistakable for any other species, no other UK bird has the iridescence or blue turquoise colouring of a kingfisher.
Kingfisher Photographs & Video Read More »
As an artist I love painting wildlife, but you can’t beat just watching wildlife and being immersed in nature. I’m lucky, in that I live within a couple of miles of one of the best places I know to do just that; The Welsh Wildlife Centre here in Cilgerran, I’ve seen otters in the wild
Otter Watching in Wales , UK Read More »
This year the Pwerdy Powerhouse in Llandysul, Carmarthenshire is having it’s first large summer art exhibition, where over 100 local artists, including myself, are exhibiting their artwork for a month. It’s the biggest art show west Wales has ever seen, and was opened by local girl and Welsh celebrity, Sara Edwards. The exhibition is open Monday
Pwerdy Powerhouse Llandysul – Summer Art Exhibition Read More »
This year the Cardigan Art Society are holding their summer exhibition at the Mwldan theatre in Cardigan. It’s a amazing show, with many talented artists taking part and a wide variety of styles, subjects and mediums on display. Some of the artists exhibiting are: Myself, Glenn Ibbitson, David Clinch, Dick Evans, David Beattie, Carole King, Helen Rowlands, Lyndon Thomas & Marion Vare… amongst
Cardigan Art Society Summer Exhibition Read More »
The one thing I would recommend every artist use is a glass palette. You can buy one from a art suppliers, or like me, make your own for free. Find out more below: A glass palette is superior to a wooden or paper palette in many respects: You can of course buy a purpose-made glass
Why A Glass Palette Is The Best Palette You Can Get Read More »
Skomer Island’s reputation as a sea bird paradise is world renowned, and although I’ve lived in West Wales most of my life I’d never managed to make the short boat trip over to see the puffin, until this summer, when I have been lucky enough to visit twice. In June and July the puffins come
Skomer Island Puffin Watching Read More »
I was recently commissioned by the Elenydd Wilderness Hostel Trust to paint ‘Ty’n Cornel’, one of their hostels high up in the Cambrian Mountains of Mid Wales. Ty’n Cornel has been called the most remote hostel in Wales. It lies next to a stony track across the mountains, from which there is little sign of
Elenydd Wilderness Hostels Painting Commission Read More »
I’m thrilled to now have a selection of my original artworks and fine art prints permanently on display and for sale at the Welsh Wildlife Centre in Cilgerran, Pembrokeshire – you’ll discover local welsh landscape paintings as well as welsh wildlife paintings, including my recent Skomer puffin paintings. This stunning centre in the peaceful Teifi Marshes
Welsh Wildlife Centre | Art For Sale Read More »
I’m thrilled to now have my work exhibited at the Pendre Art Gallery in Cardigan. Situated at the top of the main shopping street in Cardigan, the Pendre provides a window on the world of contemporary art in West Wales, and is a stylish gallery and café. Pendre Art Gallery in Cardigan, West Wales. Exhibiting
Pendre Art Gallery in Cardigan Read More »
We recently took a boat trip to wonderful Skomer Island, an island off the coast of Pembrokeshire, here in west Wales. Skomer is known as one of the best places to see puffin worldwide, and we weren’t disappointed; there was literally 10’s of thousands of nesting pairs. Suitably inspired, I’ve been busy painting puffins ever since, using
Puffin Painting in Oils, Stage by Stage. Read More »
With all the advanced camera equipment around today you’d think taking high quality photographs of your paintings would be an easy thing to do, in fact it’s more difficult than it first appears. The quality of your final image is going to be somewhat dependant on the quality of your camera equipment. However, you do
How To Photograph Your Artwork And Get Professional Results Read More »
What is a pochade box? Unless you paint, you’ve probably never heard of one, but the term ‘Pochade’ is derived from the nineteenth century French verb Pocher, meaning to sketch. A pochade box is essentially a small box, usually made of wood, that has 3 unique properties. 1. It has a hinged lid that acts
How To Use A Pochade Box, And Where To Get One Read More »
Working in a messy, dirty, cluttered art studio might feel a bit ‘arty’, but if you’re trying to run a successful business, create your best work and keep your paintings, and your painting gear, in top condition, it’s probably not the best way to go. Jackson Pollack at work in his studio. Could you work
Why You Need To Keep Your Art Studio Tidy Read More »
So you’ve just taken the most amazing photograph of a Tiger at the zoo and you would quite like to paint it – great! Now if only there were an easy way of transferring your tiger photo onto your canvas/paper so you can, and that didn’t involve a lot of maths or drawing lots of
How To Transfer A Photograph To Your Canvas or Paper For Painting Read More »
Getting your artwork on display to the public for the first time can seem very daunting, and the thought of wandering into a art gallery carrying some of your prized paintings, only to have the proprietor give them a cursory glance and turn you down, can be very demoralising. Fortunately, with a bit of forward planning,
10 Great Tips That’ll Help You Get Your Art Accepted Into A Gallery Read More »
Like most other professions, hobbies or pastimes, oil painting comes with a overwhelming array of extra equipment, accessories and latest must-haves, that the art magazine advertisers will say you need if you’re serious about making great art. But like most other professions, hobbies or pastimes, you need very little of it. In fact, you can
How To Start Painting With Oils – 3 Things You Need Read More »
Hi Everyone, and a warm welcome to my painting blog. You may have gathered from elsewhere on my website, that I was overseas painting in New Zealand for a few months over Christmas and New Year. I’m back in my studio in West Wales now, and although as keen as ever to get back into it,
How To Paint Loose Paintings. Read More »
