Saturday, June 21, 2014

Dr Oz digital caricature

 Dr Oz Senate hearing digital caricature
Dr Oz in the headlights
Digital caricature sketch.
Original 830x975px
© 2014, Andy Dolphin

After reading a few recent news reports from the US, I quickly knocked up this preliminary caricature sketch of TV personality and cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr Oz.

Nicknamed "America's Doctor", Dr Oz found himself in front of US Senator Claire McCaskill, and facing some heavy questioning about his enthusiastic promotion of "miracle" weight loss products on his show.

Video of the doctor's testimony resulted in some "roo in the headlights" moments ("deer in the headlights" moments, if you're in the US. Others can insert their own local variant.) as the much-adored surgeon tried to answer the Senator's questions.

Those moments were the inspiration for me to finally caricature Dr Oz, something I've been planning for a while.

NOTE: Permission is NOT granted to use this image for any purpose. Sorry.

Small floral oil painting

My latest painting is a 9 by 5 inch oil on plywood panel and will be donated to the Plantagenet Community Art Centre to be auctioned in a fundraiser for the facility.

Several local artists and community members have been invited to participate, with all works presented on a similar 9 x 5 panel. Entries will include 2D and 3D work.

The "9 by 5" has a special place in Australian art history as it was the approximate size of cigar box lids favoured as painting surfaces by some artists in the mid-late 1800s. In 1889 the "9 by 5 Impression Exhibition" was held in Melbourne and featured such luminaries as Tom Roberts and Arthur Streeton.

floral fireworks still life painting in oil by Andy Dolphin
Floral fireworks
12.5cm x 22.5cm oil on ply panel.
© Andy Dolphin

My aim here was to produce a fast, loose explosion of bold colour. I already had the image in my mind before I arranged the flowers in the set-up. Set against a dark backdrop and facing in different directions the flowers look, to me, like fireworks.

The 9x5 exhibition opens on Friday night, July 11, and runs for a week at Mitchel House in Mt Barker, WA. Purchase is by silent auction and, with opening prices starting at just $25, I imagine there will be many bargains to be had.

Monday, June 2, 2014

On the easel - Brass & Bear

Here's my latest still life oil painting in progress. It is the third in a series of paintings featuring polished brass.

Still life oil painting with brass jug pitcher and ceramic bear by Andy Dolphin
Brass & bear - stage 1
25x30cm oil on board. 
 © Andy Dolphin

This isn't too far from a finished product but I do want to get in and make some refinements. I'll give it a few days to dry then get stuck into it again.

I am loving the reflective brass with the brilliant red tablecloth.

The ceramic bear was found last week in a local op-shop. The rose is synthetic and is one of a bunch that came from a secondhand shop, along with another brass vase that will no doubt show up in a painting soon.

My collection of brass and other oddments is growing quite fast.

Object collection for still life paintings

All I need now is the time to use them all in paintings.