Pyramids

Pyramids
Acrylic On Canvas Board
16 x 20"

     I found this painting in a folder from a few years ago. This was when I was experimenting with abstraction around 2012. I still like it so thought I would share it with you. Painting on a white Gesso background with thin layers of paint I was able to make it glow and keep some of the white space. I think it helps create a hazy desert feel.

Grazing Sheep

Grazing Sheep
Monotype On Paper
8.3 x 11.7"

     Another fun little monotype (little is now A4 to me and A3 just doesn't seem that big either). Sheep are great fun to work from and the black and white makes them interesting subjects from a graphic point of view. Sometimes its ok to just make art that looks nice and doesn't have a message.

Charcoal Self Portrait II

Charcoal Self Portrait II
Charcoal On Watercolour Paper
16.9 x 12.6"

     As I mentioned in my previous post I am working on portraits and people right now. I will be doing several self portraits as well as works featuring family and friends as they are the people I have easiest access to. So here's another charcoal self portrait. This time of my face just to see if I could capture my likeness.
     I was quite happy how this one turned out and it does look like me. Its interesting when you have to examine yourself close up, all the lumps and bumps and curves that make up you. Its almost a spiritual experience or a frightening one. Anyway I now feel more confident about my portrait work so expect to see the results of this soon.

Wanderer

Wanderer
Graphite On Paper
11.75 x 16.5"

     I have the intention of drawing and painting more horses and maybe attending a race to get some good reference material one day. For now though I am committed to human portraits and will be so probably to the end of the year. So this will have to do for now but I think he has a lot of character compared to those race horses.

Pineapple And Tomatoes

Pineapple And Tomatoes
Wax On Watercolour Paper
16.9 x 12.2"

     I struggled to get the lighting right on this one. It was very bright on the light side but using white made it look very washed out and flat. So I just worked into it with pale yellows and greens until it looked right. I'm a perfectionist so the last part of a painting always takes the longest. Making sure everything is the right colour, shade, hue as well as straight and correctly proportioned can make you feel a  little crazy. In the end you just have to accept its made by hand and so can never be perfect. Yes sometimes art can be really stressful.

Free Movement

Free Movement
Papercutting
16.5 x 11.75"

     Another one of my lovelies. For anyone interested, this one is for sale along with my other artwork. I thought it was about time I tried to sell my work and see what happens. So go here: http://www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/shaunmichaeljones to check out my other stuff.

Mother And Child

Mother And Child
Collage On Paper
11.75 x 16.5"

     I'm always looking for new techniques to try with my art and I don't know why I didn't think of collage sooner. I saw a Matisse documentary on television not long ago and was inspired to work with paper as well. As you know I already make papercutting's but this is a little more chaotic. Its actually like being a child again, cutting and sticking and it feels raw.
     So here is my first attempt. I was trying to get a more realistic interpretation but decide against this as the nature of the paper meant it would always be imperfect anyway. After all why would I try to hide the medium I was using when it was an integral part of the work.
     I already have another one planned but it will have a sci-fi twist. So keep watching this space.

Self Portrait

Self Portrait
Ink, Acrylic And Watercolour On Paper
23.4 x 16.5"

     Self portraits are something I have avoided in the past. This is partly because I don't really paint people. The other part is that I'm not that fond of myself. Painting for me is an escape from everything, including myself. When I'm working on a piece I'm no longer me but just some entity that is nameless and formless, that only cares about the art. In truth I'm running away from myself through my work.
     However I do need the practice as I have decided to start creating more paintings with people in them. I hope this will add more life to my architectural work and pave the way to more portrait related stuff.
     So here I am in mostly ink form. Now its a close likeness I think but there are lots of things wrong with it and so I must make more and improve. If I had access to models or willing family members I would use them but I don't so I guess I will have to do for now.

Chinese Lantern

Chinese Lantern
Monotype On Paper
11.7 x 8.3"

     Another monotype. I found this interesting plant on a trip to Cannon Hall and thought it might make a good subject to work from. After some searching on the internet I discovered it was call Physalis alkekengi. Its more commonly know as a Chinese lantern for its colour and texture however. Anyway it made a great print which is really vibrant. I also used a better quality watercolour for this one which probably helped.

The Leopard

The Leopard
Acrylic On Canvas
24 x 30"

     This one was a labour of love. It's the longest I have ever worked on a painting everyday and so I could be nothing but disappointed in the results. It's not a bad painting but when you put so much effort into a piece you expect the result to be epic. So here is a decent example of my current artistic level.
     Of course all creative types feel this way and why should I be any different. We push ourselves constantly and strive for improvement. Sometimes it comes in leaps and other times small steps but we do improve even if we think we don't. I've decided in my next life I will pick an easier thing to do with my life like brain surgery.
      On a side note whilst I was painting this one the outside was redecorated so it looks a little cleaner now and is a slightly different colour. So consider this a document of what was rather than what is. Sounds like art to me.

Belly Dancer With Fans

Belly Dancer With Fans
Papercutting
16.5 x 11.75"

     Another belly dancer papercutting. I'm going to be doing a lot of these now I know they work well. Also in the future I plan to do some with layered colours. I have wanted to make some belly dancer pictures for  along time and now I have a good way of doing it so I will continue to pursue this beautiful subject.