ILXOR Gallery

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(Have to admit that last one, the levels were auto corrected and colours have gone ever so slightly more 'colourful', but it's not far off)

Yowza! Was that last one painted (or initially sketched) on location?

It's painted from a photo I found online, unfortunately.

Never mind! Drawing or painting from life is great if you get the chance but nothing wrong with using photos.

How did the oil painting go?

Ah the course two years ago? Went ok but stalled afterwards, doing another portrait course now and getting into it more, hopefully will keep it up after the course finishes. Here's my piece from the last session:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7473/15522143749_5005786d2c_b.jpg

And a couple of watercolour sketches of Venice, one on location and one from a photo after I got back. More illustrative, I didn't pluck up the courage to throw away the pen and just rely on tone & colour.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3942/15698795131_20315caf98_b.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5601/15702290732_e44401dee6_b.jpg

wonderful, keep it up for sure.

Love watercolours + black pen. What kind of pen have you used there?

just an unfancy hard tip liner pen. need to get a dip pen for more exciting & energetic lines.

I was hit with redundancy a couple of months ago, so I decided to use the opportunity to get serious with painting. Enjoying all the experimenting and finding my style but struggling with sources.

One thing I realised after rifling through my truck load of photographs for sources is, as you mentioned, how much better it is to paint from live. Also it made me understand the importance of taking a decent photo (looking at composition especially) if it's going to be used for painting. Literally had nothing to go on.

The painting above of the colourful buildings on the coast is the first one I've sold.

I only ever tried oil painting once, I was fairly young and just recall someone had given me some unwanted oil paints and tools. Had no idea and just got them out and started to paint. Yeah got messy very quickly. Scared me off.

Good on you for making a go of the painting, I foolishing and/or courageously chucked it all in last year (!) to try and become an illustrator, success and clients have not been beating a path to my door yet. I struggle to inspire and motivate myself tbh, have not done as much work off my own bat as I could have. But hey this is ilxor gallery not ilxor artists' therapy. If I may be forgiven the self promotion, I have a portfolio site at http://tom.ledger.name/

Difficult isn't it.

Love your "Der Trommler" btw

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(last one is partially complete btw)

How did I not know how many super talented ILXors there are?

Those of you who sell things should post links to where you sell those things.

dope, ste!

whoa, those are bomb. I would buy one.

yea those are rad!

Thanks guys, really appreciate the feedback. Trying to do more of the star wars droid things, something that people recognise. And generally looking at droids and spaceships from other famous movies/tv shows.

I'm dying to do a painting of the red dwarf ship, hard to find a decent image that has the detail though.

Great stuff, Ste. Here's the final portrait from my class, she looks a bit too mean, hair is too flat, etc etc. Definitely want to get more impressionistic in future.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7526/15937099675_9cf4695b8e_b.jpg

I do have some stuff for sale on Artfinder, mostly drawings: https://www.artfinder.com/tomledger

I like that a lot Ledge, the face is very strong.

i was quite pleased with this recent watercolour:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B3ayhpRCYAERtDA.jpg:large

Yeah, I like it.

That dog knows how to live.

Part way through my sci fi theme, going to do more of my own creations. The Tie Bomber is not finished btw

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B5I20CoCIAAZlVp.jpg:large

digging it.

good stuff ste. something about your style reminds me of the simon bisley end of 2000ad art.

Yep, big influence.

Particularly Judgement On Gotham, which was the first time I'd seen his work, and then further on his Doom Patrol covers. So slick and natural.

judgement on gotham was the first time i saw bisley too. got it for xmas and it blew my 11-year-old mind.

I've watched some fascinating interviews with Simon, where he talks about how when he paints it's almost subconscious, and that if he comes out of that trance then the lines he's drawing just lose their power.

Totally on board with that.

Hey Ledge, did you ever get that dip pen you mentioned? Been practising with one myself this week.

A little bit scratchy, probably a cheap nib, but really impressed with the type of natural line it produces. Also wanted to use better ink, not keen on those design pen inks (always say their waterproof but hmm not sure) and my fountain pen (with converter-cartridge) just struggled to get the ink flowing and always clogged up.

ugh
they're

No, I should do. Guess I'm wary of accumulating yet another medium that I may end up not using enough and feeling guilty about but hey why break the habit of a lifetime.

first show in a loooooooong time
https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7378/15829451884_45a5a8fe91_c.jpg

wow!

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urgh, any chance a mod can make that the correct size?

i have a new net art project:

https://www.flickr.com/opsothers/sets

and

instagram @opsothers #opsothers #otherpeoplesslides

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