New painting - garlic bulbs

Yet another new painting completed. I feel a bit self-conscious at the supermarket when going through the vegetable section looking for interesting subjects to paint. Each bulb is an individual! The beauty of these still lifes is that once they have been painted I can eat the subject. I'm now looking at recipes for garlic lamb. Click image for larger version.

Four garlic bulbs, Oil on Dibond, 150mm x 300m, (c) Mike Todd 2011

New painting - boxes

Just completed a new oil painting of cardboard boxes. I used a seductive cerulean blue (provided by the very expensive Schmincke Mussini Manganese Cerulean Blue) as a complementary to the orange boxes. Click image for larger version.

Cardboard boxes, Oil on canvas, (c) Mike Todd 2011

New painting - onion string

Just completed a new still life oil painting of a string of onions. This is on Dibond, an aluminium composite panel. I paint on the coated side which has a modified polyester lacquer which is smooth and hard. To prepare the panel I rub down the surface with an abrasive pad and then coat with Acrylic gesso primer. Panel size is 300mm x 150mm.

String of onions, Oil on Dibond, (c) Mike Todd 2011

Life drawings

A couple of drawings made at the life class in Stamford Arts Centre this week. One in pencil and one using 'trois crayon' (we were talking about Watteau in the break). This was the same pose from different angles. I really liked the way the head was turned showing the neck muscles. I'm learning that if there is something that captures my interest in a pose or a model then I tend to produce better drawings. As usual click on images for a larger version.

New painting - Mandarin Oranges

Just completed a new painting, a still life with mandarin oranges. This is an oil painting on 150mm x 300mm board. Needs a month plus to dry before varnishing and framing.

Still life with mandarin oranges, Oil on board, (c) Mike Todd 2011.

Life drawing

Back in the UK, I drew this at the Stamford Arts Centre life drawing class. This is drawn using coloured pencils and conte chalks on brown Ingres pastel paper. Click on image to zoom.

Berlin drawings

I've just returned from a week in Berlin, including a day trip to Dresden. I had time to do two drawings from statues in the Bode Museum in Berlin. These are in pencil on white paper.