A couple I forgot .....

Charlie
8''x 6'', Pencil on Mellotex
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

I’ve been sorting through all my photos trying to tidy everything up and save them in various folders and came across two recent(ish) drawings that I realised I hadn’t shared here on my blog. Guess that’s what happens if you don’t keep your blog updated! Anyway, here they are …….. both were commissions so have sold and gone to their new homes.

Sky

12''x 10'', Pencil on Mellotex
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

Gift voucher anyone

10^th December and only 15 more sleeps to Christmas, I swear it’s creeping up faster this year! I really must make a start on Christmas shopping and writing those cards that have yet to be bought. Another year where my promise of being more organised never quite happened! Glad to say I’m more organised with my work however and have all orders needed before the 25^th drawn and posted so I can now hopefully concentrate on other things.

If you’re like me and looking for last minute ideas for what to get your loved ones then why not give them a gift voucher for one of my drawings ……… or maybe a Limited Edition Print. Just a thought I wanted to throw out there :)

NEW Limited Edition Prints

'Gentle Giant'

Limited Edition of only 50
Image Size: 26cm x 39cm

Mounted Size: 37cm x 49cm

£75

He’s been a long time coming but I’ve found him – no, not the man of my dreams sadly but a fine art printer ……....... in Edinburgh! You would think in a city like Edinburgh, and with Google at my fingertips, this would be a relatively easy search but it wasn’t. More a frustrating one. Anyway, search is over and I now have two new Limited Edition Prints available to purchase and ready to go to good homes.

'Serene Splendour'
Limited Edition of only 50
Image Size: 27cm x 36cm

Mounted Size: 38cm x 46cm
£75

Probably a bit early to mention the 'C' word, I try and wait until December for that, but they would be a great present for someone or why not treat yourself. For further details on both please email me. 

The Clydesdale

Serene Splendour
27cm x 36cm
Coloured Pencil on Strathmore Bristol Smooth paper
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

It. Is. So. Cold!! Definitely starting to feel the colder weather now. I’ve had to stop working for the day as finding it hard to draw with half frozen fingers but typing my blog post I can do.

A subject I am loving to draw just now is the Clydesdale horse - I have a huge soft spot for these gentle giants and always look forward to seeing them at the Royal Highland Show each year, where I get most of my reference photos. I finished two coloured pencil drawings recently of Clydesdales, both of which I am happy to say have sold - one is currently making its way to the USA as I type.

The Gentleman
28cm x 33cm
Coloured Pencil on Strathmore Bristol Smooth paper
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

And on my drawing board just now …………. another Clydesdale :)

Should I stay or should I go.......

Gentle Giant

26cm x 39cm, Pan Pastel on Pastelmat

Original SOLD
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

Please do not use without permission

Have been thinking a lot recently on whether to keep my blog going or not - I’m terrible at keeping it updated for a start and wonder if, because of that, I actually still have people looking in and seeing what I’m up to on here. Do I still have readers out there? I’m sure there are ways I can check stats to give me such information but, being the technophobe that I am, wouldn’t know where to start on that. Note to self, I really must try and embrace technology more instead of shying away from it. Been told on numerous occasions, for one example of many, that I should be tweeting on Twitter but always assume it will be complicated and frustrating to get my head around so avoid it. Anyway I digress.

I blame Facebook. Totally. Since having my page on there I’ve spent my time keeping that updated with new work and information and neglected my blog. I’ve also sadly neglected reading other blogs as I follow so many artists now on Facebook. It definitely appears to be the way most artists communicate with the world outside their studio. Staying on the subject of Facebook, if you haven’t yet seen my page and would like to follow my work there, I have a link to it on the sidebar to the right. Would be nice to see you there.

But then there is a big part of me that doesn’t want to scrap my blog. I’ve had it for seven years now and it’s nice to have that record of all my goings on both at the drawing board and away from it. It’s a bit like a diary in that way. So for that reason alone I’m going to keep it going – for now anyway.

Was just reading over my last post and see that I mentioned working in Pan Pastels and that I had started a drawing with them. Well, it’s finished and I can now share it with you, see above. I’m really pleased with the result considering it’s my first. I’m familiar with pastels and have used them on numerous occasions but never the Pan Pastels and it was the huge, fat sponge tool applicators that took a lot of getting used to for me. I say ‘huge’ and ‘fat’ because compared to the fine points of my pencils that’s exactly what they were and felt like. I thought there was no way I was going to get any sort of detail using them but the more I worked and played with them the more I learned and liked (also had the help of a couple of pastel pencils for the finer details but that’s allowed:)) Was really enjoying myself at the end and I’m looking forward to using them a lot more in my work.

I've also finished a couple of Clydesdale Horses using coloured pencil and will share those in my next post.

Finished foals

Foalmates
32cm x 24cm, Pencil on Mellotex
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

Feeling restless on the art front! I have an urge to paint but can’t decide on watercolour, acrylics or oils. I also want to do some pastel work using Pan Pastels - have actually given into this urge and started something with them which I’ll share soon. Then there is inks, collage and mixed media I’d love to play around with if I could find the time. Definitely feeling inspired and in need of a change I think. Still love my pencils but my drawings take sooo long to finish and it would be nice to have something quicker to work on in between. So watch this space.

Finished the foals and if you saw my last post may notice that I cropped the original composition - thought it worked better. ‘Foalmates’, as it is now called, is for sale, please email if interested. 

Cassie and two babies

Cassie
10''x 8'', Pencil on Mellotex
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

So here I am playing catch-up with my blog yet again, will I ever change I hear you ask! Must admit I’ve been spending quite a bit of time away from the drawing board with my camera getting lots of reference photos that I can hopefully work from over the winter months. And it’s mainly horses and more horses if I’m honest, as I seem to be drawn (please excuse the pun) to them more and more these days. Just LOVE drawing them so have been trying to get to as many shows and fairs as I can. The Edinburgh Festival is also on just now which is great for photo opportunities – not going to miss it this year.

But it’s not all been about my camera, I have been busy drawing too. I finished Cassie, the Cocker Spaniel (above) for a long lost relative. We met for the first time a few months ago and I have since met other family members which has been really nice. More so because I have such a small family and always wished it was bigger. Now it is. And, I just have to mention, he lives 5 minutes or so from Ingliston Equestrian centre – yes, I have been already with my camera :)

A drawing I have in progress is this one of two foals. My plan was to have it finished by the end of July so I could enter it, along with two other drawings, into the SEA Exhibition. As it turned out, I couldn’t get it finished in time and my other ‘entries’ sold which was great news for me but does mean I won’t be entering work this year. Definitely next year though. Oh and I have another drawing that’s still to be finished but will share that in another post.

My thanks to Ashleigh Campopiano for allowing me to use her photo.

Keeping busy

12''x 10'', Pencil on Mellotex paper
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

July has snuck up on me somehow (in fact, where has this year gone!) and I now find myself just weeks away from entry deadlines to an exhibition I want to submit work to with nothing to enter! Didn’t help I stupidly managed to get the dates wrong as I was convinced I had to the middle/end of August. So now I am literally stuck to my drawing board, commissions put to one side, working all hours in the hope I can produce something show worthy in the little time I have. Means I have been missing all this (rare) lovely sun we’ve been getting too ….. ok, so I may have succumbed a couple of times but I did make up for it later.

The ‘secret’ commission mentioned in my previous post made it safely to Italy, so I can now share it with you. Was good to have a horse commission to work on as I want to build my equine portfolio and concentrate more in this area in the future if I can. That's the plan anyway.

Beau

Beau

10''x 10'', pencil on Mellotex paper
Original sold

What a past week it has been!! Lots of good, nice, happy things happening and then some not so good. But not going to dwell on the not so good for now thank you very much – it can sod off and karma can deal with it.

Finished the ‘secret’ commission I’ve been working on and I can hopefully share it here next week. Needs to make its way to Italy first – still get excited when I think of my drawings making their way to homes around the world. So now I am trawling my way through hundreds of photos taken at the Royal Highland Show last week, which incidentally was fantastic as ever and a great two days was had, to decide which is going to make it onto paper first. It’s not often I’m spoilt for reference choice. 

‘Beau’ was drawn from photos taken at last years show and it was my intention to do a limited run of prints from this but being the pernickety, perfectionist I am when it comes to my art they just didn’t match up enough to the original drawing in my eyes and so no prints ……. except that is for 5 artist proofs I still have. I didn’t have the heart to throw them out and felt they were too good, again in my eyes, to bin so I have signed, mounted and wrapped them ready to sell at a one off price of £25 plus p&p. Image size is 10’’x 10’’ and mounted, 14’’x 14’’. I’ve also mentioned this over on my FB page so I’d be quick if interested, sold three already!

Still working but ........

22cm x 33.5cm, pencil on Mellotex paper
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

My thanks to Francesca Morrison for allowing me to use her photo

I’d be a terrible boss so I would, or a great one depending on how you look at it, first bit of sun and I’d have everyone out enjoying it. Which is exactly what I’ve been doing lately, my reasoning being that this could be it, this could be our summer so best make the most of it. And it is so good to have some sun at last, thought it was never coming. Thankfully the nights are long and it’s getting dark late so I can make up my drawing time in the evenings. My camera is often out with me during the day so really I am still working in a way, she says convincingly.

I’m working on a commission just now that I can’t share just yet, end of June hopefully. But I did finish the horse from a couple of posts back and can show this. I’m really happy with how this drawing turned out and had intended entering it into a show later in the year but, I’m delighted to say, it has been sold. And I couldn’t be happier with where it is going. Still need to come up with a title though, something else to think about in the sun tomorrow perhaps ;)

Cassie

Cassie
12''x 10'', Coloured Pencil on Canson Mi-Teintes
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

Can’t believe it’s the middle of May already – where has the year gone! It’s around about this time that I start panicking about competition/exhibition pieces for shows I want to enter later in the year and deciding what I want to do for what, if I’ve done enough and if not will I have the time to do them. Trying to fit in a photography course I have started, and thoroughly enjoying, as well as Bella who is still very much a handful is making me panic that bit more. And of course I have my commissioned work to do. But it’s good being busy and I’ll get everything done. Staying positive at least.

I’m back working on the horse in my last post after taking a break to complete this coloured pencil portrait of Cassie, a Great Dane. I love Great Danes but will admit to being very slightly intimidated by their size when I first meet them. And you couldn’t get a better natured dog, very noble looking too.

Please do not use without permission from the artist

Ouch!!

Work in progress
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

Feeling a bit sorry for myself as I had a slight accident over the weekend that resulted in the middle finger of my right, aka drawing, hand being badly sprained/bruised – I don’t think it’s broken anyway. Still wincing at the thought of the pain when it happened *shudder* but then I’ve never done pain very well. Shot right up my arm it did! Anyway, it’s day 5 now since accident and while I still can’t bend or straighten it there is some movement coming back and the swelling has gone down. And best of all the pain is bearable – couldn’t have anyone, or thing, near it for days for fear of it being knocked or touched in any way. Drawing has also been out of the question which has been both frustrating and annoying …… can’t my finger appreciate I have lots to do, deadlines to meet and bills to pay!

I was really enjoying working on this drawing before things came to a halt. It’s one of those drawings where I find it really hard to stop, wanting to finish this bit first …… then another …… and another ……… yes, I’ll put tea on in a minute, just let me finish this bit …… oh and that bit …… have to do this bit first then I’ll take the dog out – you get the idea :) My thanks has to go to thank Francesca Morrison for allowing me to use her photo for this piece. If you have a spare moment or two, do have a look at her work.

Thoroughbred

Currently without a title!

15''x 7'', graphite pencil on Mellotex paper
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013
Please do not use without permission

Sitting here typing this post and the sun is shining which is such a welcome sight after all this awful weather we've been having recently – Spring might yet be on its way after all! What is it about the sun that makes facing the day that much better. Even my huge, never ending to-do list doesn’t look daunting and is more than doable and I can fit in some sun time with Bella. Don’t know why I have an urge (and it’s a big one) to do some baking though – that is not like me at all.

I’ve been working on a few drawings, this thoroughbred horse being one of them. I photographed her at Musselburgh Racecourse cooling off after a race and waiting to be washed down. The Thoroughbred truly is a beautiful animal and don’t think I’ll ever tire of drawing them. I loved getting lost in all that muscle and form while ignoring everything else around me. Still need to come up with a title and always seem to struggle with this bit - will give it more thought.

Now what shall I bake ……….

Been a while ...

Having a day of playing catch-up starting with my blog as it’s been a while since my last post. Life is still very much revolving around Bella in many ways. My vision of me at the drawing board with my adorable puppy napping peacefully at my feet while I worked was, I think, a bit naïve of me. Ok, obviously I knew it wouldn’t be quite like that, well for a good while anyway, but don’t think I was quite prepared for the force that is Bella, my headstrong, determined (oh how she is determined), beautiful girl.

Trying to work for any length of time was quickly becoming a distant memory for me with my ‘little bundle of joy’ demanding more and more of my time. It didn’t help that she had tummy problems for the first 3 weeks where my days more or less consisted of cleaning up poop 24/7 while in between I would be removing things from her mouth that shouldn’t  be there or removing her from no-go areas, that mainly being the couch ……… numerous times! My vocabulary was more or less ‘no’ and ‘leave it’ to the point I wondered if she maybe thought ‘No’ was her name! Glad to report she does respond to Bella and her recall is very good – we’ve been off lead a number of times now for a good run about and even played with other dogs and come back when called *proud mummy hat on* 

Hard work, headstrong, determined, naughty and mischevious she might be but she really is a good puppy and never fails to make me laugh.  Already I can see the amazing dog she will grow up to be and looking forward to all the fun times we’ll share. And of course I had to share a few of the many photos I have taken over the past 6 weeks.

I’m even getting more hours at the drawing board (yay:)) and finished my secret portrait, the one I can’t share quite yet as it’s to be a surprise for someone, and this carbon pencil drawing of a Lab I started back in January.

Approx. 10''x 8''
Carbon Pencils on Fabriano 5
Original available
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

It’s been a good few years since I’ve used carbon pencils and I do like them just not as much as graphite. They are a lot quicker to work with which I like a LOT, completing this drawing in almost half the time I would had it been in graphite. Think I’d like to do a lot more sketches using the carbon pencils ….. that’s my plan anyway.

Meet Bella

Bella at 8weeks

I’ve been a bit quiet on here lately and my reason for this is all down to our new addition to the family, Bella, a small mischievous, bouncing, bundle of fun and cuteness. There is also a lot of misbehaving, madness and naughtiness there too I might add! But obviously to be expected. 

It was a 6 and a half hour journey in the car to get her and the same back which was really quite an achievement for me being someone who doesn’t like Motorways and having never driven out of Edinburgh before – I left all long distance driving to my, now ex, husband. But every mile was worth it and it wasn’t too bad a drive as it turned out once me and ‘James’ the Sat Nav understood each other. 

So there has not been much in the way of drawing this past week or two while helping Bella settle in and it’s been a case of stealing the odd hour here and there when possible. But it’s back to work Monday before I get too far behind with commissions and Bella knows this :)

Cards and Prints

Greetings Cards
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

I haven’t shared my cards and prints yet here on my blog – I think deep down I was waiting until I had better photos of them but that could be a couple of months away and it will be old news by then. You can see what I mean by my photos and can only apologise! I’m actually really excited as I’ve signed up for a photography class that I start in March and I’m hoping it will not only improve my camera skills but encourage me to get out and about more with my camera and take lots of photos. I promised myself I was going to record more of my year by way of photos so it’s at least a start. Anyway, I digress, back to my cards and prints.

I currently have 5 of my drawings made into cards - ‘Seriously’, ‘Devotion’, ‘Beau’, ‘Want to Play’ and ‘The Look’. Blank inside for your own message they are professionally printed on 350gsm smooth silk white card, and include an envelope (of course) and are sealed in a clear bag. Cards are £2.25 each or 5 for £10. Great to give to family or friends or why not keep them and put them in a 5’’x 7’’ frame. Think that covers my cards but any questions please let me know.

Clyde
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

I was really excited about my ‘Clyde’ prints as not only is it one of my favourite drawings, I couldn’t be happier with how the prints turned out. Printed on 315gsm archival, acid free paper the image size of the print is 28cm x 24cm (mounted size: 41.5cm x 38.5cm). I am limiting this print to just 15 copies and all will be signed and numbered - £65 and one could be yours.

Daydreamer
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

‘Daydreamer’ is one of my older prints that I still have available, though I only have three that I could post straight away. This one is printed on the same paper as ‘Clyde’ so I wont go repeating myself here and image size is 19.5cm x 27.5cm (mounted, 30.5cm x 39.5cm). All are signed and numbered and cost is £60. This is a scan of Daydreamer to give you a better idea of how your print will look.

Daydreamer
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

 Both prints are available to purchase direct from myself so if interested in owning either one, or both, please message or email me.

Boxer

Hector
10''x 8'', Pencil
Copyright Laura Hardie 2013

Plumbers, boilers, joiners, tax returns, paperwork, car, puppy searching, daughters 18^th – I’m sure there’s more - have all kept me away from the drawing board this past week so have been stealing minutes here and there to work on my latest drawing when I can. Not the most productive start to the new year I had hoped for but, fingers crossed, it’s back to normality tomorrow. I am working on two drawings just now, one I can’t share with you as it’s to be a surprise for someone and the other, a horse, I can and will in my next post. It’s still very much in the early stages but hoping to get lots done over the next few days. That’s the plan at least.

Hector, above, was a Christmas commission so I can now safely show him. He has to be, no, is the most adorable Boxer that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and I could very easily have taken him home with me. I want me a Hector!

And before I forget (as if I could:)) - you can now view this years winners of the Ex Arte Equinus VI competition online and I seriously recommend you do if you can. But make yourself a coffee first as you could be there sometime! ‘Time Out’ is there with it’s rosette in the Drawing category along with ‘Pep Talk’. Genuinely couldn’t be happier to be amongst such talented artists.