new work- folk art style designs

It has been ages since i painted, but i have been mulling over some designs in my head for a while . i started making some candy skull and owl designs out of clay, to make into pendants, buttons, brooches. I’ve felt for a while a bit stuck about where to start, plodding along with a list of un-creative jobs as long as my arm. I took time out away from the computer one day this week to take the dog a wee walk & had one of those inspirational moments pottering along looking at the trees and birds. I dashed back to the desk and started digitally doodling. these are the first 4 designs. I’m aiming at a) doing things that please me. b) safe highland themed designs to sell locally c) more alternative weirdness to sell via the internet. I have never really liked skulls, too deathy, but the images around the mexican day of the dead are pretty amazing, so i thought i’d play with some sugar/ candy skull ideas and see if i could pretty up a basic skull & make it slightly less scary. the first one came out quite summery, I drew up various layers and subjected them to colour shifts and effects. The next skull was very midwintery, they’re all rather feminine and not very metal!Next came owls, these stylised folk art kind of owls seem to be quite fashionable at the moment. I certainly enjoyed doing my versions.

Next up was this fox, it took me ages to get a basic design i liked, then i went a bit mad with the folk art patterns. I’m loving doing all of these, it ticks all the boxes for me, doesn’t hurt my bad arm as much as traditional drawing/ painting, and the possibilities are a bit infinite really!  I am working towards having a good range of these, then i’m going to set up a print on demand type web shop for cards, t-shirts and art prints. I don’t usually bother with watermarking my work, but it seemed sensible to do so with these. I will have cards for sale with these on in the lochcarron iGallery christmas fair this next week. If anyone wants mail order cards at £2.50 a pop, please just e-mail me. I hope you like this new direction!