Welcome to my Studio.
Developed over the past 20 years I employ techniques of pure airbrush work and a combination of airbrush with convensional paintbrush work. I tend to use almost 100% airbrush for my human portrait studies and about 80% airbrush with 20% paintbrush for my wildlife and pet portraits. Enjoy your visit.

STEP BY STEP-'Swim Hudson Swim'

The following is a overview of the techniques used for a black labrador painting commission. The painting was produced using 100% aibrushing. A limited palet of just 6 colours was used.

0-3 hours

The first step is to create an accurate drawing of the subject onto the board. When using an airbrush it is essential that the media surface is free of grease and dirt. I always clean the canvas surface with a little lighter fluid applied to a soft cloth before I make the initial drawing. There is nothing worse than ending up with a thumb print on your finished master piece! Here I've already completed the head using a simple frisk mask and free hand airbrushing.

3-5 hours

I've continued to freehand airbrush the dogs body in black mixed with a small amout of blue. Note that I've started to define some of the water ripple shadows in the same colour as the dog.

5-8 hours

With the bulk of the dogs base colour completed, I've started to sketch in the water ripples using a mix of semi transparent blue and opaque black. I've also started to define the underlying seaweed and colour tone of the water in a mix of transparent yellow/green/sepia.

8-10 hours

The distant ripples are further enhanced with thin glazes of transparent yellow/green/sepia until the required tonal depth is achieved. Further application of blue and black layers have defined the forground ripples.

10-11 hours

Details of the pebbles and seaweed have been created using the yellow/green & sepia mix

11-14 hours

The final touches to create the water reflections have been created using thin layers of opaque blue over the pebble under painting. The last touch is the addition of the water speckles around Hudsons body using opaque white and adjust some of the colour balance

CLICK HERE FOR A LARGER IMAGE OF THE COMPLETED PAINTING.