Pepper number. two Photoshop study

Pepper 2

This is a still life study in Photoshop.  Took about 2 hours.  It turned out OK but I should probably do a few more of these lower light studies.  The green work in this is definitely poorer.  I used some subdued lighting as all the speed painting work had been in a direct strong light. The good news is that my trusty pepper plants have kept producing.  I will have at least two more larger peppers this year before the plant rests. 

Troy Still Photoshop study

 

Troy Still Photoshop study

Thought I would take advantage of some free time to do another detailed study so in keeping with the theme already established, I copied a still from Troy. This took about 8 hours in total. The rendering on the armour was tough and still had to take a few shortcuts with it.

Roman Helmet Photoshop Study

I completed a study in photoshop of a brass roman officer helmet.  The reference image on the right was obtained from the website Wulflund.    There site had some really great high resolution images of their products.  They offer a range of items from ancient and medieval times. If your into re-enactment they have got a lot of really good looking kit. 

This was a study to practice rendering materials.  This was the first time I had tried to make an image approaching photo realism. This image took between 10-12 hours over a few days.  It seems edge control was the key to creating the illusion. It is 29 X 29 cm but only at 72 dpi.  The 72 dpi was a rooky mistake.  It should have probably been 300 dpi. 

The lower resolution made representing the small details to a high finish not possible.

I guess I learned something which was the whole point of the exercise.

Last in speed oil painting series- a camera

Camera

This is the last from the series of fast oil painting studies I did. This one really got away from me as I struggled to get the perspective.  It ended up going beyond the canvas.  I had planned to go back and work it further the next day but I didn't.  I will go back and do another series of these but since then I concentrated on Photoshop stuff and the more finished oil painting.  I am a bit behind in the posting so I will be putting up more recent stuff and talking about where I am with this work. 

Autumn oil hedgerows oil painting

Autumn Hedgerows

Had some holidays and choose to send some time working on some images.  This one is oil on canvas about 20 X 20 cm.  I decided not to fill it and I think it worked out OK.  This is the view from the back of my house but I used a photo I took during a rain shower for colours in an attempt to mute them.

Window Cleaner

Window Cleaner

Another quick study.  The reflections are tough to capture. 

Red Pepper

Red Pepper 

A painting of my homegrown bellboy pepper.  I have one plant producing these on my windowsill beside my computer.  I got 3 peppers off it over the growing season.  It is flowering again but don't think that I will get any more this year.  Will keep you posted.  

 

Lemon Sherbert Sweet

Lemon sherbert sweet

This was a quick effort at capturing the esence of what it means to be a lemon sherbert sweet.  I think I just about got as deep as the wrapper. 

Lizard glow

Lizard

Did this quick and derty and I guess it shows. Ah well. 

Strongbow and Aoife

The painting Marriage of Strongbow and Aoife (Daniel Maclise in1854) has recently undergone restoration by the National Gallery of Ireland.

This large picture depicts the marriage of Strongbow (a Norman lord, Strongbow cider is named after him) to Aoife the daughter of an Irish chieftian and took part in Waterford. It captures the start of Norman rule in Ireland and a period of foreign rule which continued until the early 20th centuary. The wedding was arranged in return for militatry assistance. In some respects foreign rule has returned to Ireland in the form of the Troika due to financial cataclysm that has occurred here and freedoms have been exchanged for loans.

A representation of Reginalds tower is visible behind the couple. You can visit Reginalds tower. The galleries website has a lot of information available on the background and restoration of the painting.