Sunday 15 February 2015

Storytime

Storytime was part of the colored pencil magazines challenge for this month and what a task!  All that texture and detail took quite a while!  I couldn't resist the cute image though especially as i haven't been feeling well recently, it was the perfect tonic!
"Storytime", Polychromos Pencils on Strathmore Bristol smooth paper, 9" x 12", 2015.
Reference photo curtesy of Sally Ford.

Thursday 5 February 2015

Portrait Commissions

I am currently taking orders for pencil portraits either of people or pets. Please see my website for further details!  http://www.christineheyworth.co.uk/price-list.html

Wednesday 4 February 2015

Self Portrait

After drawing the Snow Baby artwork i just couldn't get the idea of doing a self portrait out of my head!

So here it is!  This is me in pencil form!  It was very weird looking at myself for hours on end!  There were times when i forgot who i was drawing and periods when it didn't even look like me because i was so drawn in to the different areas, it was all a blur to me!

Now i step back and stop fiddling with little bits (I could have gone on forever), i am really happy with the likeness and my first successful self portrait!

"Self Portrait", Polychromos pencils on Strathmore Bristol smooth paper, 9" x 12"

Monday 2 February 2015

Twitter!

There is now another way you can keep up to date with my artwork!  I have joined Twitter!  Check out my twitter feed and follow me at https://twitter.com/Heyworth_Art

Thursday 29 January 2015

New Workshops for 2015!

I am delighted to say that i am introducing two brand new workshops to 2015 at The Cloud 9 Gallery in Bacup!  Following on from the popular Introduction to acrylic painting workshops, i am now running an advanced painting workshop for those who would like to develop their skills further with new techniques and more challenging subjects to paint!  I am also offering drawing and shading workshops for those who would like to learn how to draw or would like to develop their own drawing style.  We will be drawing and shading with graphite and coloured pencils and creating a lovely drawing to take home.  To book or find out more please visit my workshop page on my website.



Tuesday 20 January 2015

Beddgelert

Beddgelert is my newly finished oil painting on canvas.

Inspiration came from one of my own photographs taken whilst staying on holiday in the little picturesque village of Beddgelert in 2013.

Beddgelert  is a village in the Snowdonia area of Gwynedd, North Wales.  The old stone bridge with it's two arches stands in the centre of the village and crosses the River Colwyn.

The little village was thriving with visitors the day i took the photo!  Most of them queuing up for ice cream at the fantastic ice cream shop with it's many flavours!  Yes, we did visit once or twice whilst we were there! :)

Painting this scene really took me back there, i can hear the sounds of the river water, birds tweeting, and of course the chatter of the people as they decide on which ice cream to have!




Wednesday 7 January 2015

Snow Baby

For years i have been avoiding the dreaded portrait!  They need to be so precise, so accurate and well executed in order to be truly accepted as a representation of that person.  Well i had conflicting feelings when the January challenge was announced by Colored Pencil Magazine and that challenge was to be a portrait!  I fancied the challenge, to really push myself and to see where i could take my art.  Could i take it into the unknown, way out of my comfort zone and produce the elusive portrait?  Well i just had to find out!  


I had to approach this one in a completely different way by using a grid to accurately sketch the face first, this was the daunting bit, even planning out the grid was a challenge in itself never mind sketching as accurately as i possibly could!  One line slightly out of place could jeopardise the whole thing and it was a nervy, tentative start for me!  The rest of it just seemed to come together naturally, i was used to the shading part and everything was in it's place from the sketch!  It was very strange once the eyes were in, i was being observed from the paper itself!


Today i finished my Snow Baby portrait, and i must say i am very pleased with myself!  Maybe i won't be so frightened of the portrait from now on, who knows maybe i'll even do one of myself!

"Snow Baby", Polychromos pencils and white gel pen (for highlights) on A4 paper.

Reference photo curtesy of Sally Ford as part of Colored Pencil Magazine's art challenge