"Dandy Walrus" finished

This guy's finished. He found his hat and seems to fit more snugly on the canvas now. Moving on to some more puffin paintings...perhaps.

I'll be at the St. John's Farmer's Market tomorrow. Unfortunately it's calling for rain so if the weather is poor, I'll have to cancel.

Dandy Walrus
Oil on canvas
18"x24"

Walrus portrait (progress 2)

So here's where the walrus stands after last night's progress. Unnecessarily purple, I suppose, but hey -- walruses don't usually wear suits, either. (Unless they've got an important social engagement, of course.) Still debating a top hat and/or monocle. Going to let him dry for a few days before tackling him again.

Walrus portrait (progress)

Started this fellow the other day. Going to take another crack at him tonight. So now I have two unfinished walrus paintings. As I mentioned on FB, this guy is a welcome distraction from the number of hours I've been spending in front of my Mac these past few weeks. Not that I'm complaining! The freelance work pays my mortgage... walruses, not so much.

NEAT cartoon, June edition

This is my cartoon for the June Northeast Avalon Times. Pick one up! Always great read brought to you be Kathryn Welbourn and her cast of mad scribblers. Quite happy to still have a toe dipped in the newspaper industry... even if it’s just a monthly cartoon.

Biker gangs moving into St. John’s was in the news last week and again this week. Also some questions raised as to whether or not it’s just an over-hyped story. Either way, people are talking about it.

Between the weekend markets and my freelance work, there’s been no art-making the last week or so. But the ideas are percolating madly. Anxious to get the next painting underway as soon as the schedule clears a little.

Gentleman walrus

I had a busy few days and couldn’t be arsed to work on the walrus painting tonight. I became one with the couch. The best I could do was grab the iPad and push a few pixels around in the direction of this guy.

Charles Puffin linocut

I posted the linocut plate last week but neglected to post the final result on the blog so here he is, in all his stamp-like glory, Charles Puffin.

Hand-pulled prints are available at my Etsy shop. (Which is gradually filling up with personified puffins.)

Walrus study

I started this walrus a few weeks ago. Last night I had another crack at it. Went a bit crazy with the purple which is not realistic but I’m liking it nonetheless.

I’ve got a large piece in mind for this character so this is essentially a small study to help me get sense form and colour. And it’s still in progress. Among other issues, his snout is still a bit wonky which is causing problems with his lower lip and tusks. Poor fellah.

In line with my personified puffins, I’m imagining a burly, Victorian barkeep behind the bar cleaning glasses or pulling a pint. And with a fat handlebar moustache, the size and shape of his snout. So that might be the next big painting.

Below is another progress shot from the very early stages when I was just blocking out the shape. It isn’t pretty, but you’ve got to start somewhere, right?