Finished Portrait Miniature 'Dasha and I' plus, Future Paintings...

There has been some delay in my updates...  This was due to the frantic painting, in the lead up to Tuesday 29^th March (deadline for my portrait miniature submission ’Dasha and I’ to The Royal Academy – Summer Exhibition).

Since the ‘hand in’ date, I spent over a week recovering with sleep.  In the last 3 days to the deadline, I had only managed to get 12 hours sleep.  I was functioning on energy drinks and packets of crisps.

Nevertheless, on the day of my visit to London, I was extremely nervous.  Whilst handing the painting in, it was over and done within 5 minutes... and my heart sunk.  All of the stress and build up of anxiety was dissolved within a few moments.

So, for your viewing pleasure, please see the updated images of the portrait below.  It measured at 5.4cm x 6.6 cm.

PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGES TO GET FULL SIZE DETAIL.

Actual size (after you click on image)

This image is to give you an idea of scale (10p coin same size as 25c)

Close up on detail

Overall I was happy with the painting.  I would have liked 1 more day of painting time, but that was to ‘brush up’ on extremely fine finishing touches.

I will update more portrait shots later...

Now, what am I to do with this portrait miniature over?..  Start the next one.

My tattoo by Nikko Hurtado

Whilst I was getting tattooed by the great, Nikko Hurtado in California last year, I spoke to him about portrait miniatures and promised him, that as a thank you, for what a beautiful job he had done on my tattoo, I would paint him a portrait miniature.  Last night I started this miniature painting and it is such an amusing image I’m pretty sure it will make Nikko smile.  I am also making a bespoke frame for this miniature painting.  Nikko and his brother collect gorgeous unique frames and have an array in their studio, so, it is well fitting that I get a bespoke frame created...  A while back in my blog, I showed you two Bakelite plaques that I got from the boot sale?  These are what I will be turning into frames, I need to get a casting formula and then cast from that.  It will be tricky as I have never done this before, but that’s what I love about art, experimenting.

I will be making a cast frame this.

Unfortunately I cannot update photographs of this miniature painting, as it is a surprise for Nikko and he now knows that I have started painting it :)

However I will keep you updated with the progress of the frame, so it’s worth staying tuned. 

On other news, I have just registered to exhibit at a local Christmas Craft Fair in Suffolk at the end of the year.  This looks like a very successful event, so I will start planning for that, as well as Art on The Prom on 4^th September 2011.

Link to my profile on Art on The Prom website:

http://www.artontheprom.org/artist-details.php?at=1&aid=284

I am trying to stay extremely focused on my art and I really have a desire to explore my abilities as an artist.

Thank you for reading.

:)