Sketch Marathon Day 1: Morning, 25 December
Apr 29, 2016
Morning, 25 December. 8x8, oil and cold wax on linen panel. 2016 I remember this morning like it was yesterday. We'd had a light snowfall overnight and the morning was cold and slightly misty. The light was so captivating that I grabbed my camera and ran outside to take some photographs. We could of...
A Painting Taken Down from the Shelf
Apr 28, 2016
Retired. 20x24, oil on linen. 2015-16 Finally! I managed to finish a painting that has been sitting around in my studio for ages. This was originally posted as a WIP here: http://www.portraitsbysimonbland.com/blog/post/retired-a-horse-at-little-fiddlers-green I started wok on this last summer. When ...
David and Max
Apr 21, 2016
Here's the final version of a portrait that I've been working on over the winter. The painting is based on a photo taken by Smiley's Studio in Fort Worth, Texas, and used with permission. I changed the setting considerably, removing most of the setting and props in order to promote a feeling of ligh...
How Do I Make My Own Painting Panels?
Apr 21, 2016
Some tips and techniques for making linen and canvas painting panels for a fraction of the cost of store-bought....
The Meadow
Apr 18, 2016
The Meadow. 5x7, oil on linen panel. 2016 Following on from my previous post on making your own canvas. Before starting any kind of substantial painting on a new linen, I think it's a good idea to try it out and see how it performs. This afternoon I did a small painting to test it out. Overall, the ...
Grazing
Apr 18, 2016
Grazing. 11x14, oil on linen. 2016 It has been a long time since I started a larger-size landscape (if I remember correctly, the last one didn't turn out so well). I based this on one of the color studies that I recently posted, adding a couple of horses that I rustled from another locatio...