There's not much difference compared to the last sample but this is the completed watercolour including the painted leaves. It took me most of the day to paint the border. After the first three or four leaves it bacame tiring and repetitve but worth it as I think that the border does improve the picture. I slightly altered the eyes too. She was a little cross eyed.

The ‘Wood Spirit' is trying to help restore the balance of nature by encouraging new growth. She's not too happy about the felled tree and the fact that her undertaking is becoming an increasingly difficult task but she is determined. I wanted this to be evident in her intense expression and piercing stare.

The leaf border isn't painted on (yet). I wasn't sure whether or not painting on the Ivy would add anything so I did a mock-up with real leaves and superimposed them onto the painting scan. I think the Ivy border helps frame the wood spirit and also adds more of a forest feel. When I get the chance I'll paint the border on.

Painting Details

• Original Painting
• Paper, Saunders Waterford 200lb
• Painting Size approx. 55cm by 37cm/21.5in by 14.5in
• Painted in watercolour

I intended my next painting to be a darker, gothic style picture but I've been inspired by our late spring to paint something greener. The colour theme in this painting was also partly inspired by the renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli's ‘Birth of Venus'. I don't know whether it's the result of centuries of ageing but I love the subtle washed out blues and greens in that painting and thought that similar colouring would work well on a hazy/dreamy forest background. I wanted the curves of light emanating from the fairies hands to represent or signify light and growth. Perhaps she's a Spring Fairy 'kick-starting' spring. If so, we need her around here - its mid April and I woke up this morning to snow!

Painting Details

• Original Painting
• Paper, Saunders Waterford 200lb
• Painting Size approx. 51cm by 41cm/20in by 16in
• Painted in watercolour with a little watercolour pencil

"Sunflower Fairy", Original Watercolour Painting.

I've been working on Sales and haven't had too much time for painting although I did manage to finish "The Sunflower Fairy" last week. As well as fantasy art I enjoy painting flowers so this painting was a particular treat to plan and paint.

I wanted to be bold with the background but in the end I ended up using too many colours and I think that this made the background too vibrant and fragmented as well as distracting from the Fairy. I solved this problem by applying a thin glaze of cobalt blue over the entire background. I think that this softened the contrast between the colours and helped make the background less of a feature.

   Painting Details

• Original Watercolour
• Paper, Saunders Waterford 200lb watercolour paper
• Painting Size approx. 43cm by 35cm
• Entirely watercolour  

"Moon Flight" Original Watercolour Painting

I enjoyed painting the background of this painting as it allowed be to quickly cover most of the paper with a few broad washes as well as set the tone and atmosphere of the scene. Having said that the large size of the sky washes and the quick drying time of watercolour made it tricky to control the shape of the clouds. I'm pleased with the way that the flow of the rider's hair leads to the silhouette of the fairy in the moon. I think that this helps to tie the main elements of the painting together.

I hope that this painting captures some of the enchantment of the moonlit night that I imagined. I would like to have a go at painting a similar scene with an ethereal rider that would more closely match the ghostly elegance of the owl.

 Painting Details

• Original Painting
• Paper, Saunders Waterford 200lb
• Painting Size approx. 57cm by 32cm/22.5in by 12.5in
• Watercolour