Previously on Hex Tech Tuesdays I’ve created something ordinary – lighthouse, windmill, sun catcher – but this one is a bit abstract, I think.
The concept is of freedom, with grey butterflies gaining their full colour once they escape from the gilded cage.
Again it is based on Tando Creative’s Hexagon set, and built from them with the help of some room diffuser sticks and a card board tube. For the full description head over to the Tando Creative Design Team Blog.
This piece is for Tando’s Hex Tech Tuesday. Like the Lighthouse earlier, it is based on the hexagon shapes, a cereal box, and plenty of glue. Other random found bits, like coffee stirrers and air freshener sticks were included in the construction.
For full details of the windmill check out Tando Creative Design Team Blog. And for a bit of light reading I’ve written a short story to go with the windmill (Dusty’s Demise).
This caricature was commissioned ages ago, but I’ve held on to publishing it as it was intended as a Christmas present. So, with the celebrations over I can now reveal a house in south Wales.
But, a caricature is not just for Christmas! Let me know what you think, and contact me if you want your house to look a bit special.
Sometime ago I drew ‘The Old Cottage’ at Burnards House, in Devon. One of the techniques I’ve wanted to experiment with is adding colour. I’ve tried before and not been pleased with the result.
This time I used Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours in tubes. The ink has dried completely (well I drew it over two months ago!) and is Daler Rowney FW Acrylic, Black 028.
So what do you think? Colour, or no colour?
I’m not sure which I prefer. I enjoy the drawing and the detail. May be each picture will tell me what is best for them.
We don’t have any pets. Don’t want one really. We’ve got our son, he keeps us amused. We do get visits from Casper, the cat next door. He’s a ginger tom, and must be the friendliest cat around, but unfortunately his owners aren’t so keen now they have a new dog. So, when he’s in need of a little love and attention he comes to us. Aaah!
I’ve never drawn an animal portrait before so I thought I’d make use of him while he was sleeping in the studio …
This is a project I’ve wanted to try for ages. Some time ago I found an old, traditional French bread bin – huche de pain – and thought that the front panel is crying out for a little trompe l’oeil.
The huche is finished in DecoArt Americana Decor Chalky Finish in ‘Serenity’, discretely distressed (as opposed to thoroughly traumatised, as is the want of some upcycle-ers), and treated with clear wax.
The picture is in DecoArt Americana acrylic paints, with DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics for shadow.
Details shown below:
Manelle’s Challenge.
It is too hot for me, so today I gave up and I’m sat in a darkened room, which is only about 5 degrees cooler than out side – but it is good.
So, it is a good time to accept a challenge – a ‘draw this in your style’ challenge.
On Instagram, Manelle from Utah, on her site @talesfantastic, has set a challenge to draw her mermaid in our own style. Her mermaid is one of a series that can be found in her new book, ‘Mermendium’. This mermaid reminds me of the tale of the fairy, Melusine although there is no connection.
She has used watercolours. Mine is using an Artline pen and Karismacolor pencils. I’ve put the two together so that you cam compare. What do you think?
Check out my Instagram page: @kpm.illustration
Manelle’s beautiful original
My version
I’ve called this one ‘Unstrung Hero’, for obvious reasons. See the previous post for a full 
explanation, but basically my daughter wanted her old acoustic guitar ‘steampunked’, as nobody in the family can play it.
It went through many phases on its transformational journey using a range of products from DecoArt, such as Media Fluid Acrylics, Texture Sand Paste. Full details of the project will appear in The Decorative Folk Artist, newsletter for BADFA* members.
Here is the finished guitar. No longer a musical instrument, I have seen to that, but a hero to have survived, and unstrung, to boot!
A bit closer for the details …
(* BADFA is the British Association of Decorative and Folk Art)
“Steampunk it!” she said. “Nobody in the family can play it, so it might as well look good!”
So it begins. I have been the custodian of a rather knocked-about acoustic guitar for a few weeks, and now I’ve cleared the backlog of ‘things-I-gotta-do’, this musical monster has emerged from its lair.
I confronted it, head-on, grabbed it by the neck and ripped out its vocal chords. Now it lays mute on the bench as I scour its glossy skin with sandpaper …
Well, that’s the prep work done. I’ll keep you updated as things progress.
My other blog, Twitter account, and Instagram all use ‘scratchypen’ in their name – read the Why? page on my blog for a full explanation.
As it is about time I added to this blog, using my scratchy pens seemed to be a good idea. So here is a quick doodle / sketch of my house and its immediate neighbours, just for fun.
For info, the initial layout was on cheap sketching paper, with HB pencil, the large writing nib, with black FW Acrylic Artists Ink, for the outline, and the small mapping pen for the detail. Final shadows and shading with 4B pencil.
I hope you approve. Let me know what you think.
Kim - splash it! 