Some paintings and drawings

[Eric_Methven]

I was looking for inspiration for a new painting I was about to attempt so I dug out my art folder from the loft. Most of these go back a few years.

Red Squirrel

Mountain Gorilla

Native American Girl

A bit of calligraphy and illuminated lettering

A close up of the lettering

When I drew this, the Mujahadin were fighting the Russians in Afghanistan and he was seen as a freedom fighter and hero. Nowadays he'd be seen as a terrorist. How times change eh?

Girl and Baby

Shy Tibetan Girl

Man and Baby

Old Woman

Old Soldier


It's good to look back on stuff you've done in the past. I find it helps me to focus on the future and I'm going through a time of changes right now. I need to find a new direction and make some serious decisions.

Eric

 

[firebreather]

Great stuff as usual. Love the squirrel.

 

[Matt Weir]

Very nice Eric, get the crayons out mate!

 

[g4ghb]

They are stunning Eric! :notworthy - you are a VERY talented man!


I detect Red will be along in a mo asking if he can change his avatar again!

 

[Toadflax]

Very impressive. When I first looked I thought that the squirrel was a photo - but I assume it's a painting.


Geoff

 

[weaver]

Eric,

Being an old time sign painter I recognize the brush strokes in your calligraphy. Brush work that fine is ten times as difficult as pen work of the same quality. You are a master my friend!

The portraits are beautiful as well. Have you ever thought about doing character studies in watercolor at the fairs?

 

[BorderReiver]

Particularly like the Gorilla.

 

[naylor b]

very nice like your pencil sketches
naylor

 

[SOAR]

I really like the native american girl Eric. in fact there all good. Faces and hands are always the hardest to replicate, I think you have them sussed.

Simon.

 

[Robby]

I would just like to say that I've had the priviledge of seeing the originals. Though they look fantastic on here Eric, the Originals are better. Superb work.

 

[hanzo]

Brilliant work Eric. They are all lovely and if I had 1/10 th of your drawing talent I would be happy.

The first one reminded me of British Red and the second one reminded me of me.

 

[fishfish]

love the caligraphy and illumination,realy stylish!

 

[ganstey]

All I can say is..."WOW" :notworthy I've just started drawing after a lifetime of being told by various people I can't draw. I'm not sure whether these are inspirational or depressing The squirrel and the Indian girl are my favourites. Now where's that lump of charcoal...

G

 

[Tony]

You're a gifted bloke Eric:notworthy

 

[jon r]

They are stunning Eric! i particually like the squirrel and the Native American Girl! You can see every hair in her head! What paint did you use for those two? are they on canvas?

Truely inspirational!

have you painted them from photos?

have you studied art at college or is this what youv'e managed to produce in your spare time?

Hey Tony, have you thought about having an art section on the website? That would be great! Like the photo gallery but for art work instead! I think it would be a great idea!

 

[gregorach]

Blumin' 'eck Eric - is there no end to your talents?

 

[xylaria]

You are really good.

You obviously have a real anthropological bent and feel for people. i get an obsessive drawing thing every couple of years, i find it helps me work through 'stuff'' and helps change. The results are nowhere near as aesthetically pleasing as yours but it saves me a fortune on counseling.

 

[Eric_Methven]

Thanks all for the kind words.

have you painted them from photos?
have you studied art at college or is this what youv'e managed to produce in your spare time?

No and no. They were made from preparatory sketches done through real life observation. I haven't been to art school but I have done a graphic design course which had an art element in it.
The paintings are airbrushed. The paper is a material called CS10. It has a very hard surface and will tolerate scratching and rubbing back. The paint used is guache and I get the effect of every hair by overspraying then scratching back with the tip of a scalpel blade. Some of the highlights are achieved by rubbing away at the paint to reveal lighter areas.

Blumin' 'eck Eric - is there no end to your talents?

Dunno! there must be summat out there I can't do.

You obviously have a real anthropological bent and feel for people. i get an obsessive drawing thing every couple of years, i find it helps me work through 'stuff'' and helps change. The results are nowhere near as aesthetically pleasing as yours but it saves me a fortune on counselling.

Same here. It stops me from cracking up, helps me focus and as I progress through the creative process ideas usually start to develop which often leads on to help me make informed decisions about life changes, and that's where I am right now.

Eric

 

[jon r]

what do you mean by airbrushed Eric?

 

[Eric_Methven]

what do you mean by airbrushed Eric?

Airbrushing is a means of applying paint in thin liquid form to a medium (paper in this case).

The airbrush is like a mini spray gun. Here's a picture of one like mine.

It works in conjunction with a compressor.

The compressor type is a diaphram compressor which pumps air through a tube into the airbrush. The paint goes in the cup on top of the airbrush and it's the action of the compressed air passing out of the nozzle at the front that causes low air pressure around the paint nozzle that sucks the paint out in a fine jet and onto the paper. That allows you to get seamless edges without brush strokes being apparent.

You can change the pressure and alter the spread of the paint to achieve wide lines with blurry edges or fine lines like hairs.

I also use water soluble coloured pencils for detail work and when these are over sprayed with the airbrush, it absorbs the pencil lines into the fabric of the drawing. There's a lot of technique in airbrush painting. I also use masking film and masking fluids to resist parts I don't want sprayed.

Hope that answers your question,

Eric