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.

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

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"

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

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.

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!

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

One Shot Two Takes

I am collaborating with a fab photographer Alex Taylor, he takes the photos and i interperate them onto canvas. It's a very challenging process to be part of.  It is interesting to see how two artistically minded people can approach the same image in different ways.


There is now a new section on my website dedicated to One Shot Two Takes and we also have our brand new Facebook Page!

Please do stop by and have a browse, like and share too if you like what you see!

Workshop

We had a lovely arty afternoon down at the cloud 9 gallery on my beginners workshop to acrylic painting. Everyone did so well and produced fab paintings. It was very interesting to see the individual takes and styles achieved on the same image. Well done everyone! Thank you to Alex Taylor Photography for giving us permission to paint his beautiful landscape photograph.

My "Patchwork Landscape" Painting (A4 Size)

Work produced during the workshop

Painting Workshop

Only a couple of weeks until the first of my acrylic painting workshops!  Limited spaces available, please contact Cloud 9 Gallery book your place!

Wainhouse Moon

Here is my latest finished painting "Wainhouse Moon". Oil on canvas 16" x 20".  

This is my version of a photograph taken by Alex Taylor which he has kindly given me permission to use as reference. You can see Alex's original photograph here of which my painting is based: https://www.facebook.com/alextaylorphotos/photos/pb.164049740408753.-2207520000.1413203547./399398863540505/?type=1&theater

Please do also check out his fab page at Alex Taylor Photography

For more information on the Tower please check out my blog at: http://www.christineheyworth.co.uk/blog/wainhouse-moon

Make it in design Brief 2

The second intermediate brief for the summer school was titled Animal Print and was to bring different prints together to create a confluent clash.  I tried out different ways of approaching the design but in the end decided that merging the patterns into a stripe suited the finished product better. Colouring the design into the palette given was quite challenging as it was difficult to get away from the traditional animal colours.  I found that by keeping the background quite subdued i could add splashes of the brighter colours as highlights.  This worked perfectly on this particular design and has created a pleasing looking final product.

Find out more about the summer school or see galleries of work produced here at: www.makeitindesign.com/summer-school

Make It In Design!

This Summer i have joined in with lots of creative designers in the Make it in design summer school. 3 briefs will be sent out to us all during the course of the summer.  We have to submit one design and the design also mocked up on a product.  I chose the Intermediate track.  The first brief was entitled Retro Geometric.  A style i love as i was able to merge my love of art into the theme together with a design style i also admire.  I took the form of Mondrian's work and gave it a Pucci twist.  I used Pucci colours and twisted the Mondrian shapes in different directions, the heavy outlines working beautifully as they are a common factor between both styles.

Here is my design mocked up on swimwear!

Autumn In Paris!

Here is my finished oil painting!  Autumn In Paris!  It will be available to buy soon at www.christineheyworth.co.uk

W.I.P 4!

After the madness of getting everything ready for the art market last week, i finally got back to my oil painting today!  There is definitely more life to it now!

Cloud 9 pre-launch market

Yesterday was the Cloud 9 Gallery's pre-launch art market at Hebden Bridge and i had my own stall there!

It was a really enjoyable day.  I met some lovely talented people, got excellent feedback and the sun was shining!  My stall looked fab and i unveiled my new collection of mounted prints which will soon be available to buy at the cloud 9 gallery and also on my website soon!

Thank you to cloud 9 gallery for putting on a great event!

Thank you also to Urban Gypsy Crochet for this video of a quick look around the market on which i make an appearance!

On Cloud 9!

A selection of Christine Heyworth's original paintings will be available to see and buy in the brand new Cloud 9 Gallery arts and crafts store.

The store will be opening on 7th June 2014 and is in Bacup, Lancashire and to celebrate, they are having a pre-launch arts market which i am proud to say i am taking part in!

I have been a busy bee preparing my stall and deciding which paintings to take.  I also have a few more additions which i will be unveiling on the day!  It's all very exciting and i hope you can join in the celebration with me by popping by and saying hello at the art market which takes place on Saturday 17th May 2014 at the Holme street art centre, in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.

See you there!

Here is my work in progress, stage 3!  I have added more shading to the Eiffel Tower and blocked in the tree in the foreground!  I plan to add more vibrant colours to the tree to create a bit of sparkle but i had to leave it at this stage today due to the colours starting to become muddy!  The hazards of wet oil paint!

The Beginning Of A New Oil Painting!

I started my next oil painting today!  Having been away from the easel for far too long it was great to get back to my old friends the paintbrushes and to splash some colour around!

Painting Development!

I have done quite a bit more work on my oil painting today.  It's nearly at the stage where i can stop working on it but i think i might like to add a bit more colour to the background!  I'm going to live with it and see.  The paint will take quite a while to dry as i have applied it very thickly in places with a palette knife!