saw the one with the lady who does Taxidermy.
Polly Morgan - queezy.
went to school with Frank Quietly, he's featured
in the series. His Dad was the PE Teacher (died young).
his name was different then. Very small child,
quite unfriendly - I don't know why he changed his
name? He always wanted to be an artist. Was
getting advice from our art teacher about taking
more advanced art course options. I never realized
art was an option as a career. Working Class
comprehensive education. Went down the mines for twelve
years  before I hit the surface again.
big in the scottish comic book industry.
All very Alan Moore inspired work.

Another I don't recognise unfortunately zorro although I'm sure many do.

This picture is two in one, the battered door in the top half and the excited kids waiting for the school bus at the bottom, but it seems to work.
I gave the painting to my brother-in-law and it's now in New York but I still have the photograph. Will probably paint it again one day.

That's a very good portrait Zorro. Was it done with a palette knife?

I recall that Lowry said he used oil paints straight from the tube. He also said he only used certain colours from W&N but that was apparently not always the case.
Well I've bought some Galeria acrylics which were on special offer so will try those first.
Have you tried water dilutable oil paints? Might be worth a try but no offers someone will tell us they are total carp before long.

just a square brush.
saw the Lowry investigation prog with
Fiona Bruce, fake or fortune. Found pictures of
him with different variety of white than he said he
used. Its all ballz. you use whats handy at the
time. Sometimes they reduce in sales and you grab a
batch. they made a good show about a forger. a few
years ago who did Lowry forgeries. He was in the Fake or
fortune show. (artful codgers).
That guy was brilliant, really talented. made fake
antique statues. paintings etc. Should have stuck with the
statues though. getting a million a sculpture.
he tried to sell paintings that were still wet?

I think you are right Jollyswagman. I googled images of the lady as it's the first I've heard of her. I go to a pub quiz where they have a picture round consisting of photos of "celebs". I'm amazed that most people can instantly put a name to them. I'm lucky if I recognise even one and then it's either a cricketer or politician.

I think it was the same programme Zorro. Lowry preferred using flake white which contains lead carbonate pigment but the analysis of the paint on the picture showed the presence of titanium white. Titanium white has greater covering power and is a "whiter" white and is consequently a harsher tone than lead white. As you say, it's often a case of what comes to hand.

Here is a quick sketch from a magazine photo using soft pastels. They really are versatile and can be used to knock out pictures faster than using paint. This one took half to three quarters of an hour.

Surreal, I like the middle one.

I think they are talking about 11 dimensions now.

Hadn't heard of McKean so looked up images but can't find one which corresponds. I found this free diving image which is something like but from a different angle.
http://images.beyazgazete.com/fotogaleri/2012/2/7901_dunya-serbest-dalis-sampiyonu-sahika-ercumen_686932.jpg
I was attracted by the surface turbulence which looks like a roller and needed to do it quickly to capture the spontaneous movement although there are obvious inaccuracies in the figure. I don't think these matter.

Used to love swimming in the sea when we holidayed in warmer climes. The extra buoyancy is great.
Don't care for the chlorine in public swimming pools, haven't been for years.
Might take it up again though since my knees are giving out and I can't walk as far as I used to. Will still need the exercise.

Very well observed Zorro. I like the way light catches the calf and the heel, nice touch.
I did a high diving pic in pastels a few years back, will see if I can find it.

Used to be a cross country runner too and still try to walk 2 miles every day but climbing stairs is becoming painful and can hear the joints grinding. Onset of arthritis I think, nothing much to be done about it.

I've used the salt technique myself in watercolour.
the swimmer was probably my last watercolour.
moved onto oil painting. I did buy a watercolour pad
last month intending to get back to it - but i've
lost the feel for it. Forgotten a lot.
I used to crunch up a carrier bag and use it as a
blotter to give pattern to large empty areas.
you had to lift it up after pressing and use a
clean bit each time. I remember using glycerine
to retard the drying process in watercolour.
got it in boots the chemist. I tried to get
good watercolour papers years ago - buying cotman?
300 gsm - I should have kept a note of what papers
were best. I remember trying to get the same paper
as Russel Flint used? Maybe look that up?
I wrote that down somewhere.
I found using the back of mounting board was
quite good too. It held the water without warping.

Watercolour paper varies quite a lot not just the texture but the sizing too. Some I can't get on with because the paint won't flow very well.
A good low cost paper is Bockingford although I sometimes use Saunders Waterford. Usually use cold pressed but some of my best work was done on hot pressed paper although the paint is more difficult to control. Scrunched up plastic film is useful for special effects, don't always get what you bargained for, but it's the occasional pleasant surprises which are most satisfying.
I use kitchen paper quite a lot for controlling paint density on the picture and it's become a very useful tool with practice.
I don't bother with additives and never use masking fluid although wax resist comes in handy now and then.

Found my diver. Soft pastel on paper. Not one of my better pieces but hey ho.

really really like the diver.
very bold solid colours.

i remembered what paper Russell Flint used.
Arnold - don't know if they still make it.
tried googling it last night - maybe I didn't
search right. I rate him as the best I've seen
so far, so you try to figure out what he was
doing.
watercolour is very tricky - best one i did
was very spontaneous and quick. I think maybe
if i were a little drunk it would come out better.
don't drink at all - not got the constitution for it.
tried throwing it at the paper, but it didn't come out
the way I wanted it - somewhere inbetween.
here is that experiment - not the good one.

Are you going to post a few of yours Vel?

Have seen paper being hand made using a frame. Looks easier than it probably is.

think i painted over this? not sure why?

will look at Walter Langley - gaps in my art history.

always like to see new good stuff.

- found an artist last month
ali cavanaugh - nice watercolours - nice being awesome.

beautiful rendering. Faces have three dimensional quality.
with the abstract staining to make shapes.
very jealous of her style.

Thelma and Louise - brad pitt makes an appearance.
must be one of his first roles.

That's it. Memorable film although I couldn't recall the title.

Loving this thread

Foinavon - I'm building shelves and all my photo-files are in the garage. I've got nothing on the desk top. I've got some old photos from the 1980s that I could scan. I'll try to post something anyway. Keep the thread going.

I did loads of copies of Whistler, Sargent and Scottish Colourists. A local framer used to sell them for me...copies of famous paintings. Still the best way to learn.

Velasquez, you have just reminded me of Mr Bean and Whistler's Mother