Crocodile Communications

Some years ago there was a company called Crocodile Communications. I did quite a lot of work for these guys, which I enjoyed. I did this crocodile for them.

Cross

30cm x 35cm oils on canvas.

Cross detail

Rob

40cm x 40 cm painting of Rob.

Rob detail

Painting Cassidy Ballerina

This is a painting of my daughter Cassidy who is studying ballet and related dance styles like contemporary dance at the Munich Ballet Academy in Germany. I do accept commissions for portrait work as it is one of the more enjoyable aspects of working as an artist. I particularly like capturing the subjects engaged in something they are good at, like dance, or doing what they have a passion for.

Painting detail.

Even the Demons Know.

A comment Jesus' brother James made in his New Testament letter (2:19)...'You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder.' (NIV). The book of James is pretty straight talking, like the man. It leaves me feeling rather exposed at times. I guess that is it's purpose.

1950's Bushell's Tin Illustration.

So here is another of the Bushell's heritage tin illustations that I enjoyed doing so much. Once again I needed to research the uniforms and the truck, and once again I found all that I was looking for in the Fire Brigade Museum in Melbourne. The old guys there were a bit surprised when I started asking questions about their careers as fireies. As I was the only visitor there, they soon warmed to the task and were extremely generous with any information I wanted. I was there for hours listening to their stories, being made cups of tea and taken on a detailed guided tour of the exhibits. These are the times when I love my job.

Norco Ice Cream

Another illustration for Norco Ice Cream, this time a woman at the beach in Victorian dress. It's one of the things that illustrators have to do is research the subject matter. So for this one, I needed the right dress for the occassion, a Sunday stroll along the beach. You learn about all sorts of things as you gather your reference. Sometimes I get so engrossed in it I forget that there is a deadline that should be observed. I do like learning new things. This illustration also used the custom oil brush that I made in Painter that mysteriously vanished.

Oils for Norco

I love oil paint, but advertising deadlines being what they are, I usually can't take the risk, and with the inevitable amendments that usually come my way, it is hard to justify using the medium commercially. But then along comes a program like Painter, and I am able to get at least close to the look I want with all the advantages of a digital file. I made a custom brush for this one illustration for Australian Dairy Company Norco's new Ice Cream range. Unfortunately I lost it, or deleted it by accident. I have never been able to quite recreate it.

1950's Bushell's Tin Illustration.

Once again this is something I absolutely love...illustration of the 40's and 50's. I was fortunate to again be asked by designer Arnie Grainger to do a series of heritage illustrations for Bushell's tins. I did six in total. This was the first one. I had trouble finding appropriate Ferris Wheel reference. As it happens, I was in Melbourne for the week and right next to Federation Square was the Ferris Wheel I was looking for. Also a big thank you to the very cute and lovely Samantha Coulson for modelling for me. Also done with a paintbrush. I think I was born a little late as I really enjoy the artists and their work from that era. I think it just has a certain romance that is missing today.

Bushell's Decanter Tea Tin.

Well this one was a joy to do. Commissioned by Red Star design's Managing Director, David Croston, using the medium I love best....paint. The idea was to depict an Aussie farm in winter....hence the grey skies. I did originally do the rough as a sunset, but it was thought the colours were too warm. To gather the appropriate reference, I packed the wife and kids into our 4x4 and took off for four days to the country and outback of New South Wales. With camera in hand I drove all over the place trying to find what I was looking for, but nothing quite fit with my vision. My passengers were getting increasingly restless and so we called in to see some friends in Orange. I left the family to play and catch up and I took off to the Molong area. The final is really a combination of three farms I found around Crookwell, Oberon and Wellington in mid NSW. Eventually arriving back in the studio I began the underpainting and about a week later delivered the final to the design firm. The client requested various minor changes and as it is a panorama, I decided to scan the image and make the amendments digitally...a good move in the end as colour adjustments took some doing and matching up the join. The whole thing was a pleasure.

Fisherman

Everyone loves the water....being on it, in it or near it, particularly if you live in Australia like we do. It's no accident that water and water based activities find its way into my work frequently. This painting is of a fisherman in his boat I saw one morning on Sydney's Port Hacking. I love to depart from the tight renderings required for my commercial work as often as I can and paint something loosely. It's a bit more spontaneous and is much more fun.

The Romance of Paint

I love the paint brush and use it as often as I can. This illustration for Sun Health Foods gave me the opportunity to once again use the paint brush in my work. I was quite happy with the result.