This painting, made in summer 2016, depicts a Humboldt penguin colony. It is based on reference photos taken on a trip to Gweek Seal Sanctuary in Cornwall on a beautiful summer’s day in May 2013. Three of the penguins occupy themselves on dry land whilst their friend takes a dip. The painting was made in…
Category: Alkyds
Over-ambition and Over-expectation
Prior to painting workshops I endeavour to produce example paintings. Photographing such work throughout their production, I then compile step-by-step guides for students to help them through the reproduction of the painting. In doing so I hope to demonstrate a logical path from start to finish and hopefully introduce students to some new ways of…
Dreaming of Amaryllis
I’ll be taking part in the Oxton Art Fair at the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum in Birkenhead in late November, which is a splendid chance to exhibit my paintings in an august venue. My work has previously been exhibited at the Williamson, in Wirral Society of Arts shows and the like (and my cards…
Over There, from Over Here
This panoramic painting, which depicts the Liverpool Waterfront, was completed in a couple of sessions today following a prolonged hiatus post-inception. It was painted from photographs taken on a late winter/early spring day in 2013 at a vantage point somewhere between New Brighton and Birkenhead, looking over the Mersey. I had a couple of sessions…
In Praise of Alkyds
These days I like to vary the media with which I paint, in turn embracing the unique qualities of oils, acrylics and alkyds respectively. I’ve been working with Winsor & Newton alkyd paints for over 20 years; most of my pre-2010 work (and around half subsequently) labelled ‘oils on canvas’ on my website (www.birtall.co.uk) was…
Drawing Upon Life 