Hello bloggers

Just a very quick blog to let you know I've a couple of paintings looking for a loving new home this Christmas. So I won't stop long, cos I haven't even done my teeth yet.

Original Cat Kitten Painting by Laurel Moore.

Isn't she a gorgeous kitty? I'm not going to say pussy, because I'll only set my husband off again: giggling like a schoolboy! I hope you like the eyes. I really tried to make them glitter with light. She's a ginger kitten licking her paws in the sunshine. I tried to make her really soft and cuddly looking. She's fine with small children. I would keep her myself, but I'm allergic to cats, that's why I can't keep any cat paintings in the house!! It's true though, it starts fairly innocently with a sniffle, then before ten minutes its like asthma! Horrible. It's the same for me with rabbits, too!

You'll find me on www.boundlessgallery.com

Original Puppy Painting by Laurel Moore.

This is cuddly-wuddly painting, too. Of a teenager in adoration of her puppy. And can yo blame her? Doesn't he look a cuty-pie. Full of mischief, no doubt,too! I bet she's forever cleaning up little puddles, though I don't expect she minds really. This painting is also looking for one loving owner for Christmas, from my www.MooreThanArt or www.boundlessgallery.com site, where you will find a better photo.

I'm getting excited about Christmas now! Looking forward to putting up my Christmas tree. I'll take a little photo of it for you, when its all looking nice, though I expect you'll think it just looks like any other Christmas tree. Hope yours is nice, too, if you celebrate Christmas of course.

questions@moorethanart anytime.

Hello me again.

Having a very bad hair day. Still, at least no one can see me.  Except just you of course!

Yes....... now where were we, before we were so rudely interrupted by the perils of housework. And, yes, it still looks a mess.

Anyway, EYES.  Yes; eyes have a filmy layer of liquid protecting them. So, the only real success I have found is treating them how I would reflective water. Thankfully, water is one of my most favourite things to paint, because you can splodge around, letting your paintbrush fly, in a watery manner, without it looking strictly 'wrong'.

The thing to notice about water, is that many many different colours seem to miraculously appear in a reflection: some that don't seem to even be physically present. It is the same with eyes, the eyes are reflecting the colours surrounding the subject. So, brown eyes may have very subtle other colours playing in them, depending on what those eyes are watching. Is the dog playing is the grass, what greens can you see reflected in his eyes? Oooh, sounding like a teacher again.

I usually start, by really making sure I can see those eyes well. For example, if I am painting from a photograph, sometimes I use a magnifying glass: to really have a close-up inspection of the colours. Remember, your painting will only be as good as all the colours and detail that you can actually see, so don't scrimp! I now have one of those head magnifying glasses, which sit on the crown of your head. It's great for getting out splinters, too!

So; if the base eye-colour is brown, add just a few varied colours to that brown on your palette: a dot of red into the brown, or make a green-brown, depending on the eye you are painting. Try to get the feeling of reflection when you are painting your eye. NEVER use just black (except for mixing). Black, just seems to deaden anything it touches.  I do however readily mix dark brown with black, for really dark areas. Even better: try deep blue with rust brown for a really lovely (and surprisingly) dark colour, which just misses being black. This is a great colour for dark woods.

She's not quite finished yet, but is coming on nicely. "Woof!" I really like the softness of Bonnie. I am very happy with the taughtness/stretch of movement in the neck, too. She looks as though she really has turned to look at something interesting, doesn't she? I think it's a ball, don't you? It's a very subtle painting, and since she is sitting in white snow, I may not do much more to it. Are you happy with it?

Often, you get one or more very white points of light, reflected in the eyes. These are always great fun to paint, because they always bring the eyes to life. However, be careful here, check all those points: are they all bright white, or are they an off-white: with a little brown, or a little black?

I think you'll be surprised how well it all comes out: if you took the time to check your measurements. I hope these tips help. For myself, I am still learning all the time. I never try to copy any subject 'exactly', so I don't advocate being so accurate as to paint an eye perfectly. Somehow, creating an exact copy of something, always loses something illusive: just as a card-board cut-out does for a human being. It also somehow crops your creativity; your natural flow. By painting, you are creating something new, something not yet seen before!

SO GO GET EM arty farties!!

Ps. A good alternative to Turps (for cleaning your oily brushes) is alcohol. It is a solvent, after all. Leave your brushes to soak for a while, then use washing-up-liquid. Hmmmm Cognac! However, if you are tempted to drink it; please do so before, not afterwards!

www.boundlessgallery.com and www.moorethanart.com or questions@moorethanart anytime

Hello everyone

Thankyou Switzerland for granting us a little warmer weather, even though that inevitably must mean RAIN!

I've just started a labrador oil painting, and since I have so much interest from you in my 'How To Paint' pages on my boxer dog, I thought I'd repeat the process, since I think so many people want to improve their painting skills; I should know, because I do, too. I'm sure painting must be the winter occupation of many. Even though the light is a little difficult now.

Being a self-taught artist myself, I've never seemed to 'get' what the painting books were trying to say. Somehow, it all just seemed to go through a big hole, somewhere at the back of my head. So, about six years ago, I decided to teach myself: mostly by trial and a lot of error. Luckily, I'm VERY self-critical, so I couldn't let myself get away with anything. This also helped me progress very quickly. I think this way, I found my own style of painting, which makes me very happy.

Anyway, hence, I decided to show you my palate of colours, since odds are, being of an artistic inclination, you work better with pictures anyway.  Also, I find when I buy my colours, often they go by different colour names. So, here you can SEE the basic colours (described in my own way ) : so; like reading a book from left to right, it's diarreah brown (sorry), navy blue, rust brown, dark brown, white, red, dark rust brown, and black.

Often, I chose a good photo, and often the end result is only as good as that photo: so it's important to chose really well. There are some great photo sites online now, where you can purchase credits for photos: this means that the owner is happy for you to use their photo, and there are no copyright issues if you follow their basic rules of usage.

Underpainting Of Dots

Can you see which way round my Labrador is??

Impressive eh? Honestly, this is what I start with. But each of those dots is completely accurate: from the ear to the nose etc. Sometimes you may wish to paint your painting far larger than the photo, so you must multiply your measurements, so that they all follow the same pattern. For example, if you want to paint 2.5 times the size of the photo: all your measurements must be times by 2.5 (yes, I know it's obvious to you! But it might not be to someone else) 

Honestly, this is probably the most important part of the painting: since there is nothing like putting in hours of your valuable artistic time, only to discover his leg is in the wrong place!  So, force yourself to plan it; soon you get much quicker at it anyway; until it easily becomes a formality. You'll really be surprised just how good it is when it's finished!  I am!  

Labrador Under Painting

Where you correct? Did you guess which was the nose? So; here I've added approximately correct colours to flesh out the shape of the dog. I usually start around the ear, nose, eye of an animal. I keep working between those areas with my colours, still checking my calculations a bit. Because sometimes, even when I calculate, I get it wrong  

Labrador Painting.

It is actually of a Labrador dog, in the snow. So, it will be a lovely subtle painting, quite lightly done, since it's a yellow labrador. It looks more golden than it actually is here; since on the day, I had very dingy light conditions. Once I am happy with the distance between the nose, eyes and ear, I usually move downwards to the rest of the body. As said before, I only ever use Linseed Oil with which to mix the paints and to clean off my brushes; since I find Turps always makes me feel very ill. It's far too strong a chemical to be breathing in on a daily basis, even in a well-ventilated room.

Dog, Animal Oil Painting

He's a lovely boy, isn't he? The soft, gentle colours give a really soft, sentimental feel to the painting already. When I first started teaching myself painting, I used to think the more primary the colours used, the more it would come to life. I was wrong. I've since learnt that the most subtle of colour changes actually brings a painting to life. So, try it: mix a tiny dot of  red, into the brown nose, see what happens! Or a tiny drop of orange onto the top of the ear. With the labrador's light coat, I have used colours just off- white: so poo-brown with a little white, yellow with a little white - keeping the colours very faint and subtle is far more effective than darker strokes. How many different off-white colours can you mix?

The wonders of oils, mean that you can use pure colour  (i.e. not diluted with Linseed Oil: used straight from the tube) to bulk up the hair of the coat, to lend a realism to a painting. I love the life oils give to a painting. So, although I enjoy watercolours, I always seem to come back to oils. Because I can always change my paintings, too; in the first few days, before it begins to dry. That's great really: like being able to do an exam, go home, think about it; then change your answers  

Then everybody gives you top marks!!

Anyway; as you can see, he's not yet finished. He needs a few other sessions. So, I shall continue these tips on my next blog (just to keep you enthralled!) That's annoying, isn't it? Kind of like telling a story, and not giving the ending. Grrrrrrrr!

I promise he'll be back soon though. I have to do some housework now, anyway. You don't want the dishes to remain dirty, do you? Or let the bin start smelling. 

I think I've decided on a name: I think I'll call her 'Bonny', since I've just decided she's a girl, after all. Do you think it suits her? I once knew a Labrador called Bonny, too. Very bouncy thing she was. Always in and out of the sea, with a kind of wild abandon. Labradors are great dogs, aren't they? You never hear of a Labrador attack, do you?? They're far too busy, rolling on their backs.

Hey; I've just realized I haven't got on to the eyes yet! (despite the title) Whoops. Although, I hate to leave a dog without proper eyes, I promise I will amend this next time. I will just mention that the biggest thing to remember about eyes, is that they are covered in a film of liquid! This means that they are 'reflective'. This, I have found in my discoveries to be the key to painting eyes. Hmmm! Interesting eh!

Bye bye for now painters. C U soon............. www.MooreThanArt.com

*I must just add one further comment about 'fat over lean' With oil paints, if you tend to paint more than one layer of paint over another, make sure each additional layer has a little more oil in it than the first. This ensures that you painting won't crack in years to come.

www.boundlessgallery.com and www.moorethanart.com or questions@moorethanart anytime.

Hello all  Did you enjoy your chocolates?

Big-Handed Woman

Hey, this really made me giggle. Look at the size of my hand!! This is me taking a photo of me with my phone, via the wing-mirror, just in case you're confused. Glad they're not really that size, that would be horrible, people would be forever looking at my hands. Rather inconvenient, too, especially when trying to fasten a button.

Well, bought some lovely woolly jumpers this weekend, or sweaters for you Americans (though, that's not really a nice word, is it? A sweater! Sounds very moist and smelly to me) Mind you, not sure why we call it a jumper, perhaps you jump to find it, cos you're bloody freezing! Anyway, they're very nice thankyou, very cosy. Now, when my husband says "should we turn the heating up?" I can just smile smuggly, and say " no need".

We're really enjoying our new sofas, though we have nearly managed to ban our son from them. Well; he keeps sprawling, in his usual manner! I'm really horrible now, and even ask him "have you had a shower?" sometimes, before he sits on it! He calls me "anal", I think he's probably right.  Still, it's worth it, to lie out on my 'chase long' bit, like a real lady. Sadly, when my husband relaxes on the chase long, he gets a neck ache, well that's awful!!! That's means, it's left all for me then  

Found a beautiful puddle to show you, on our recent walk. What, you don't think puddles are beautiful? Well, I'm going to prove you wrong!

Ice Puddle

See, isn't it gorgeous? Told you, I'd prove you wrong! Honestly though, it was really beautiful; this pic. doesn't really do justice to it. But there were layers of unmelted water running through it, giving it those lovely striations (not sure that's a word) Unfortunately, as you can probably guess, it has to be pretty cold to make a puddle in a field do that. So, yes, it probably has been going down to about -5 degrees, or 'moins cinq' as they say here.

I did spend quite a while ooing and aahing over this puddle: enough to bring Axle, our dog to wonder what all the fascination was about. When, he discovered it was hard and slippy, he realized. So, he started attacking it ( or ripping it to pieces, is probably a better description). Sadly, it didn't stay like this for long after that. He began running off with great chunks of ice, or dropping them in front of me for me to throw for him. Wouldn't you think a great lump of ice in the mouth would hurt? Well, it didn't seem to bother Axel. He was very funny. I'm sure he has a very strong sense of humour. And they say animals don't laugh!

Dog Playing With Ice

Here he is, launching his attack. I think it remined him of when we used to live in Neuchatel, Switzerland: when he used to dive bomb heaps of snow. He seemed to get immense pleasure out of doing all manner of things to snow: from rolling in it, to running it it, to chasing after balls of it, to attacking it. Will he have his wish this year, and get a tonne of snow falling in Fribourg, Switzerland? Help!!  

Well, we came to the end of our walk around a farmer's field, to bump into this. I wonder what the farmer was thinking of, when he made these mounds. Any ideas?

Wear your woolly sweaters. www.boundlessgallery.com  and www.MooreThanArt.com or questions@moorethanart.com anytime.

Hello everyone. Brrrrrrrr

My, my, my, you are throwing some wintry weather at us Switzerland! So early too! Every day the snow on the Jura Mountains descends further upon us. Only a week ago, there was snow just at the summit of the mountains. Now all the pine trees are swathed in snow. They look like iced trees.

Axle and I found some very frosty apples under an apple tree. And Axle, our dog, being in a chirpy mood - thanks to the appearance of the fresh snow, no doubt - decided to see if he could throw one up into the air. He could, and he did. He then proceeded to try to bowl it along the snowy grass with his paws: like a football. So, I then began kicking it around, like a ball. Which of course, he had to chase. Then; everytime he caught it, a little piece of apple fell off, which he licked, thoughtfully. As each next piece fell off it was licked then chewed about, until Axle discovered the taste of his first apple. And it was good. I've never seen him eat fruit before, so it was very funny.

Then, today, he decided to finish the chips on my plate. He's lately decided that anything being offered on a human plate, must be good. So, he tried not to waste it anyway. It was funny watching him chew chips

Have you ever seen a golden chocolate tower? Would you like to see one?

Go on, have one if you want! This was the display at our local supermarket. Not surprisingly, the Swiss are rather proud of their chocolate (it is gorgeous!) This one was actually a Ferraro Rochet stand ( I don't think I've spelt that correctly though) My husband can't eat chocolate, it was a wonder I didn't have to hold him back! Fortunately, (though a hardened chocolate lover myself), I don't actually like these chocolates. Just as well.

Snow is all around us now, on the hills and the surrounding mountains. And the skies have been so moody and filled with sleet and ice. Could be a long winter  We have a real fire though, which is always great, especially at Christmas time (though we still don't seem to have the knack of lighting it) We are lucky to have a beautiful view of the Jura Mountains from our window. Do you want to see it now?

Jura Mountains, Switzerland.

Aren't those clouds beautiful? This was one moment where the sun broke free of the clouds to shine on the Jura Mountains, causing a wonderful cloud-shadow to appear, in darker blue. Very picturesque, don't you agree?

It's getting very hard for the garden birds now. Sometimes, I don't know if it's best to feed them too regularly: in case they lose their foraging skills. Talking of foraging, a flock of woodpeckers flew into my next-door neighbour's garden this morning! Big buggers, they were, too. There were about ten of them. Normally, they keep to the seclusion of the big pine trees, so they must've been very hungry. Usually, they are very shy; so it was a rare treat having them for a visit. They were hanging-out together on the apple tree: which still has many frozen apples clinging to its branches. They were also pecking hungrily at the softer apples on the ground. Couldn't get a photo, sorry. Didn't want to scare them.

I got the distinct impression, that those apples were the woodpeckers' last resort, when all their other food resources run dry. There was a kind of 'reluctant determination' to their pecking. Actually, that photo above, is terrible, isn't it? You can't really see what it is (it is an apple tree, from which their are lots of hanging apples; and snow, too, please believe me )

Must just tell you I caught Axle licking cow-pats yesterday  Arrrrrrrrr! Shame I forget later, when he gave me lots of kisses.

I wonder what a cow-pat tastes like!!!  www.MooreThanArt.com and www.boundlessgallery.com or questions@moorethanart.com

Hello everyone brrrrrrrr

So, my husband and I began sorting out our veg patch for the winter. If I tell you that we had to tackle it with the hedge-trimmer, I probably don't need to say anymore. It's a machine that makes me very nervous. I don't know whether it's worse watching my husband doing it, or myself. I keep seeing a limb going flying (in my imagination) Anyway, no limbs went flying, just a few old tomatoes and cucumbers, hidden in the tangle.

Our garden looks very tidy now, thanks. But, towards the last half hour, it began to snow. The wind then began to swirl it round into a blizzard. And, by the time we'd finished it was just a white whirl. Cold too!

Just as well that I woke up that morning and the cows had gone. How do those farmers predict the weather so well? They had just disappeared, and I still didn't manage to get a really good photo of any of them  But I did manage to write a song! I do like to write and sing the odd song, not too odd I hope, though, so sing along :

Blues Moood.

"I woke up this morning,

 And the cows, they were all gone.

 They'd disappeared, Lord only knows where they belong,

 It'd started snowing, the day before they left.

 My field is empty, dear Lord I'm so bereft!

 So gone are the jingles, and the jangles too.

 The distant mooing, that made me feel so blue.

 Woke up this morning, and all the cows were gone,

 Especially Gertrude, cos I know she was the one."

Hey! Did you like it? Sing your own tune to it, if you like. I may put it to music myself one day, and sing it on Itube for ya! Great isn't it? My husband, described it as "different"! Can you do better than that?

Shake your booty!

Did you shake your booty? I love a bit of blues, don't you? Here's me shaking my shadow booty. Luckily it's not really that gigantic.

We were going to go "patting" yesterday, too. Do you know what "patting" is? (Actually,  I don't really think it's a real word) I'll give you a clue: it's something to do with cows. Any ideas? Yes; you're right, it's collecting cowpats! Obvious those healthy cows have left some lovely examples for my veg. patch. Can't beat a good cowpat, can you? My husband said: " I'll drag a bag and a spade around there with you, if you like?" Now, you don't often get a better offer than that, do you? Unfortunately, it peed down, soon afterwards, probably making it all a bit too squelchy and smelly - splatpats!!  How long do you think they'll take to disappear, do you think?

We had our first hard frost last night, too. Now I must run round bagging up my delicate plants with that net-protection-cloth, before they have a huff with me and all their leaves fall off. I woke up this morning, and everything was white with frost. Very pretty though, from the inside. Kind of like a frosted Christmas cake.

keep warm bloggies  www.MooreThanArt.com and www.boundlessgallery.com or questions@moorethanart.com anytime.

Hello gang

Camouflaged Autumn Dog

Yes, here's Axle in his camouflage army gear. He blends very well, doesn't he? Merging very well with the surrounding landscape, just like a winter white bunny.

Well, I've just woken up to find the contents of a bin racing around the garden, in a violent gusty wind. It's COLD at 7.am you know, wearing your pyjamas and welly boots! So, managed to chase everything back into it's rightful bag. We recycle everything plastic here, which is great; but doesn't plastic fly well, in a good wind? Actually I found  one Nivea shampoo bottle, with distinct bite marks on the corner. That's suspicious isn't it? Me thinks our local foxes have been having a little night entertainment with the wind. They do like to run off with our dogs' balls, if we leave them in the garden  (ouch!). They are very cheeky.

BIG UP to Nivea and Revlon by the way, who DO NOT experiment on animals with their products . Most others do, though they keep that very quiet (bad babies! ) I remember when I was at college I went on one of those anti-hunting protests. In a deep dark wood somewhere in deepest England. It was fun, because we spend most of the day running around spraying urine in the hedgerows, since it distracts the hounds. We really stank.  But it was fun. At least the Swiss just shoot their animals! Well, that's got to be more humane hasn't it? I think they shoot wild boar too. It's often on the menu, here. I know, because my husband has eaten it. I hope they don't shoot me and Axle, in our camouflage gear. You'd never hear from me again then, would you? Would you miss me?  Of course you would. Whose blog would you read then? Thousands of others presumably

Anyway, enough of this morbidity, is that a word? It's probably because I dreamt I was being killed last night. I was being stalked like an animal  Very scary. But then, I was also driving a Harley Davidson motorbike, sooooo, it was almost worth it. I do looooooove motorbikes, but I wouldn't like to risk being on a motorbike here in Switzerland. My brain can't seem to process the road signs in French. Something just doesn't seem to work, I'm sure there's something lose and rattling at the back of my brain. And if I got stopped, (the police are very stern here, and always stop to check you) what would I say to their barrage of French questions? "Slow down please, I'm English?"  They have been known to throw the odd Englishman off the top of the odd bridge (with a river under it) if he were pissed. Who is this 'odd Englishman' anyway?

The big news is........our new sofa has arrived. And how adorable and CLEAN it is. Gone is the doggy smell of wet paws, too many doggy chews and cheesy feet. Here's a photo for you.

We feel this is quite an achievement really, to have successfully ordered a sofa in French. Everything went well, thanks for asking. Makes the place look very posh. Perhaps it will raise us up to its level now and banish all cheesy dirty feet.

I'm listening to some Yoga music at the moment, it's very.........bland.

Look, here's my lovely paintings on the wall, and don't they look nice now, with our new fresh sofa?

It's great having your own paintings to furnish your house, too. Because I have a collection of at least 40 originals in a big box. So I can just say: "Hmmm, which one would suit this spot?"

The only disadvantage in renting this lovely house, is that it has those scratchy walls, so often used in rented accomodation. You know the kind to deter all touching of any kind, for fear of injury; keeps them clean, you see. Cos no bugger wants to risk losing their skin.

Anyway better go, because a lightening storm is brewing on my new Yoga Cd. Baton down your hatches! www.MooreThanArt.com and www.boundlessgallery.com or questions@moorethanart anytime

Hello everyone

My husband and son have recently returned from a trip to New York, husband on business, son on a food-marathon, by all accounts. It's the first time our son's been to America, I think his eyes were on stalks the whole time. It was a nice opportunity to purchase his birthday pressie. He chose a lovely watch ( a little bling), but very nice. He also stocked up his wardrobe of baggy jeans and baggy tops (I'm sure that's not what he calls them)

Anyway, they shared a room together. But it turned out, our son must have felt a little protective over his new possessions; since he spent much of the night sleep-shouting phrases like: "you're not having it"! Leaping out of bed, too! My poor husband didn't get a lot of sleep. So, our son kindly did spend a few hours sleeping in the bath!!

Sounded like he ate like a horse, too. Trouble is, that's all he's done since he's returned! Has his stomach stretched beyond shape, do you think? Anyway; my husband returned with a lovely selection of oil paints for my collection oooh, aaahh! Yes, they're lovely. Let's see if I can find you a photo, so you can ogle, too.

No; sorry, that's a bit beyond my computer expertise at the mo. Shame. It was funny though, because my son also bought his first suit. A gorgeous designer name. It looked fab. on him, too. I have a photo somewhere. You know when you see those programmes where folk meet their identical twin, in a parallel dimension. Well; that's what it was like seeing our teenage son in a suit.  It was one of those 'Oh my God' moments! He keeps getting his suit out, too, and strutting around in it. I don't think even he quite believes how good it looks. So, you can see why he was a little over-protective in his sleep, can't you?

He used to be prone to a little sleep-walking, too. I once found him in his wardrobe. Honestly; it's true. I think he thought it was the toilet. No, he didn't do anything nasty there though.

Anyway, I've become a little side-tracked today. This blog was supposed to be all about my 'winter jaunt' with my amazing new camera. It's your fault. I blame you, for putting me off.  I was going to show some lovely colours of autumn, here in Switzerland for you. Because we had one wonderful sunny day recently. Well, I suppose it's not yet too late.

Autumn Leaves

There, isn't that nice? It's funny in our neighbours gardens, because those 'pommes' (apples) are still hanging on the trees, even though virtually all the leaves have blown away. It all looks a bit surreal.

Not Rose Hips by Laurel moore.

This is my favourite snap. At first I thought they were Rose Hips. But, honestly, I've no idea what they are, let me know campers, if you know? They could be a flower, or maybe a seed pod. Lovely colour of pink though, against the Swiss blue skies, aren't they? Maybe they're even poisonous. No idea. So, must go soon, on another jaunt into the Swiss countryside, with my new camera.

Happy snappies  www.MooreThanArt.com and www.boundlessgallery.com or questions@moorethanart.com anytime