My submission for ‘sky arts portrait artist of the week’. This weeks sitter was the actor / singer-songwriter Will Young.

It’s a bizarrely intimate experience to sit for 4 hrs and study someone’s nostrils, ears and lips in such detail! You feel like you’re invading their privacy somehow! I hope I caught something of his intellect and inquiring mind. 

The idea is to post a collage of yourself surrounded by your art. 

This one started in a wonderfully wacky way... but I managed to reign myself in!

The legend that is: Mr Porkpie! A natural model... well-groomed and carries himself with poise and confidence. He knows his best angles and how to use them.

It was really interesting to see how a black schnauzer would turn out compared to a white one.  And how they look next to their original photographs.

I’ve been putting off painting Freddie because he’s all black and I had no idea how to tackle him. 

I consider it a great compliment that people are prepared to put their faith in me to produce a painting of their beloved pet when neither they nor I really know how it’s going to turn out! That’s what makes it exciting in a way as both the artist, giver and receiver.

I was rebelling against the feeling of oppression and having just completed a commission where I had to reign myself in, I was revelling in the fact that I could approach this one exactly as I wanted!

‘Seeing red’ is this week’s Instagram artdare theme... and this painting of a foxhound seemed very fitting.

I never thought I’d be posting a montage of dogs’ noses that’s for sure! But these are crazy times we are living in!

I’m going to do this one in 2 sizes – one to keep and the other to give to the owners as a joint 50th birthday present.

Harry with his ‘I’ve been really naughty’ face on! I can’t help thinking that this dog looks like Billy Connolly (Scottish comedian) with his little goatee beard!

This time I experimented by under-painting loosely in acrylics in pastel tones that I intended would show through the brush marks made in oils over the top.

“I found the clue to her character on the crossword puzzle page… from that point onwards she developed a ‘Sherlock Holmes’ / detective kind of persona! It seemed to fit with her intense quizzical stare.”

Mysia is polish for mouse! Isn’t she beautiful? I was really happy with the looseness of this painting.  Once I’d done the eyes, I switched to a ¾” flat brush and just went for it!

Those curves! - like the French curves used for technical drawing- they are all different radius’s and blends.

Wise, Gentle, Performer

My sister has a soft spot for this little guy...he’s old, blind and deaf...his name is Paddy (she calls him Paddy-Wack!) ...she describes him in three words as having a ‘lust for life’.

Described in three words as a ‘handsome trouble-maker’!