About Me
I studied painting at Loughborough University graduating in 2005.My preferred medium is oil paint on canvas sized with rabbit skin glue. I find the finish and depth of tone achievable is far greater than with acrylic paints. Saying that, I love experimenting (like thousands of my contemporaries), with different paints and mixtures of, watching the reactions and finding favourable ones that work for the finish I'm trying to achieve.
I'm also happy to paint on anything that comes my way, be it wood, MDF, canvas, paper, fabric or concrete.
I like to use a combination of powdered pigment and pre-mixed tube paint, preferring to mix my own, if only for the process itself. Oil paint, I find, is a little more unpredictable than acrylic, although I always feel I have more control over it.
Rabbit skin glue is a fantastic size, really fantastic! It gives such a tight, smooth surface to work on with which I have developed many detailing techniques using a combination of paints, drawing tools and mediums.
Also, I absolutely adore the smell of it all! Whilst studying at University I loved the chicken, stuffing and mayonaise sandwiches sold there and ate one most days. For some reason, my brain has linked the smell of linseed oil to the taste of a 'delicious' sandwich and consequently I always get hungry when I paint.
As far as drawing goes, I will draw on anything. I work in catering and whenever we get a delivery of new plates or bowls they arrive in boxes, each item seperated by a thick sheet of brown paper. I sometimes get the job of unwrapping these and I save all the paper, take it home and press it until it is flat again.
I have collections of odd papers, old files, out-dated electrical diagrams, A1 whiteboard throwaways, yellow pages, vintage newspapers, pieces of card...
Often I'll do a series of drawings then make them into an artist's book.
Artist's books are one of my favourite things, they're like little treasures.