www.michewatkins.com This is a relatively small painting 35 x 25 cm and is on block canvas so doesn’t need a frame. I can never decide whether a frame helps a painting or not. If chosen well it can indeed add a lot, but I have seen so many paintings ‘imprisoned’ within a small frame and for me it deadens the whole effect. It is worth going to a good framer and getting their advice as they have the knowledge. Framing is not cheap but it can make or break a work. Having said that, this sort of block canvas really does let the painting stand alone and can work equally well, so good if you are on a budget. As to the painting, my girl now has a mouth! Not perfect yet, and I am itching to get onto the detail, but that is for next week. As usual I am very impatient….. I have work to do on the mirror frame, it is not the correct shape yet and am looking forward to adding a few dashes of colour and glazing on the walls – a bit of spontaneous inspiration is needed I think! The fireplace is coming along…
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www.michewatkins.com So a new painting and a new title to think of again. At the moment I go with ‘Practising Her Moves’. Ideas from Twitter friends always VERY welcome. I decided on a cropped painting this time, as I don’t think I always have to paint a detailed face. People can decide for themselves what the woman looks like, the human eye usually works it out anyway. I feel the woman here is getting ready go out for the evening and is having a little dance in her new red shoes, feeling happy. It is a smaller painting 25 x 35 cm, and on block canvas so does not necessarily need framing. I have been taken to task for always painting pretty women and pandering to men. When I said that women also seem to like my paintings, I was again taken to task for pandering only to a certain type of woman. Thinking about this, I can say, hand on heart, that I have always drawn and painted women, ever since I was a young girl, drawing princesses, never handsome young princes, and I am not sure why this is so. I do paint men and this can be…
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‘Elation’ finished and new Line Art – 15 April 2015
www.michewatkins.com I have finished ‘Elation’ which is actually slightly darker in real life. I use Photoshop to try and replicate accurately the colour of the original painting, but in this instance I don’t think it is quite right. I use Photoshop quite a lot to enlarge certain areas of any photos I use such as eyes, mouth or a certain flesh tone and it’s a great tool. In an ideal world I would always paint from life, but a one bedroomed flat and work commitments elsewhere means I just have to resort to photos most of the time. I have much enjoyed this painting and think I will use the triptych effect again at some stage. I also enjoyed the use of a palette knife for the back wall which enlivened what could have been a boring wall. The size of the painting is 60 x 50 cm/ 24 x 20″ and is up on the website. On a different note, for anyone in London this weekend, I shall be exhibiting my Line Art paintings at the Affordable Art Fair in Chelsea through Neville Contemporary Art. Line Art is something that I evolved as the complete opposite of my figurative…
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