A chuisle ..... and a novel giveaway

Good morning friends,

I haven't been around much, but wanted to show you my latest and pass on some news about a giveaway.

This is my latest painting

A Chuisle 

painted on Saunders Waterford 140Rough, size 15 x 11

and the Giveaway news is this:

If you go HERE there is a chance to win a copy of my novel All in the Leaves

Good luck - and if you don't want to leave it to luck, you can buy the novel at any of these stores HERE

The Night Watch ... and In The Beginning..

Here are my two latest paintings.

The Night Watch

and a glass ink bottle, which because I write novels, I have called


In The Beginning

and if you'd like to take a look at my latest novel, All in the Leaves, you can find that HERE

Leaves Launch.... a floral painting

This is a painting of a floral gift, given to me to mark the launch of my novel, All in the Leaves.

I wanted to paint the roses and vase, so that I could always remember the flowers and my launch party - with a smile!

Leaves Launch

The  paper is Saunders Waterford, 140 rough - and the size is quarter sheet.
Many thanks to Lynne and Stuart for the flowers and the support.

Getting ready for Christmas ...... and the Morning Commute

Good morning my blogging friends!

Isn't the run up to Christmas hectic? I haven't painted anywhere near as much as I usually do - although that is also in part due to the fact I was catching up on all the things I hadn't done, because of writing and publishing my novel - All in the Leaves.

We put our tree, decorations and the lights on the house up, yesterday.
Now there are ordinary cards to write, presents to wrap and food shopping to be done. I have a feeling that painting will take a back seat until I break up for the holiday after this weekend.

So here, my last post of this year  - the Morning Commute
I hope you enjoy it.

A few painted cards

Good morning my blogger friends!

Gosh, it's been hectic round here. There's been a book launch and birthday party (see HERE ) and now I'm posting out some thank you cards.

So what have I got to show you on the painting front?
I've got a few painted cards that I made, that I can show you, because they have arrived at their destination. I have no non card related paintings. I do hope you'll enjoy these - and once Christmas is all over, I hope to get back into my blogging routine!

This card was made as a 'thank you' to the ebookpartners, Matt and Diana Horner, who helped me get my novel out there, ready for sale.

and a thank you card for my editor, Diane

a birthday card for a good friend, Hayley

Then, a Christmas card for the wonderful illustrator, Teresa Palomar Lois, who designed the cover of my novel, All in the Leaves.

and finally, a card for my Painting Friend - in our Christmas card exchange.

I hope you've enjoyed viewing my recent artistic efforts. I'm looking forward to seeing yours, soon x

Trying new techniques and having fun!

Usually when I go to art club, I do my own thing, even though the tutor demonstrates weekly. That's not bad manners, he is fine with that and demonstrates to help those who have lost inspiration.
But this time, he was demonstrating techniques that were new to me, so I decided to watch and learn!

We learned how to paint wet on wet, let it dry, then paint layers of wet on dry to give a fun result.

This is my attempt at that:

Meerkat

Then we painted a wet on wet, let it dry and painted some wet on dry colour blocks. This is my attempt on that:

and finally, because I'd finished way before everyone else, I had a play with the meerkat, coming up with something of my own - wet on wet with salt background and the kat painted in Chinese Ink, using a brush!

This week has been hectic, I'm getting prepared for my book launch/birthday party. I am delighted that some of you have read and enjoyed my book - and even reviewed it. Thank you so much. If you'd like to get the links to the stores selling my book, 'All in the Leaves' - then please look HERE

Interrupting the painting to tell you - Novel is on sale!

Here we are, All in the Leaves is out for sale.

The first store to list it is Apple's iTunes! Well done Apple :)

and this is the link!

HERE

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/all-in-the-leaves/id751048942?mt=11&uo=4

as soon as it appears in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Sony, Waterstones - I will let you know!

STOP PRESS! Now on Amazon UK and Amazon US .. direct links on my website http://www.patelliott.co.uk
The live links will be added there, so please, keep checking!

All in the Leaves



A tea-leaf reading.
A prediction of a fabulous life to come.
Can your future really be told in a cup?

Anna is feeling down in the dumps. She's nearly thirty, painfully shy and has no boyfriend. She's still living at home and has a boring job. Can this really be all there is?

A chance bout of tears leads to a tea leaf reading which predicts a wonderful future for her.
A future which promises a new career, a new home and a husband. All by the following Christmas.

Join Anna as opportunities arise, calamity strikes and the battle for happiness begins.

Chesterton's Donkey .... and a Rainy Day Sunday

Two paintings for you to enjoy today - firstly, there's the finished donkey painting. Inspired by a poem (see HERE)

Chesterton's Donkey

and then, when it was raining fit to bust yesterday, I painted this:

Rainy Day Sunday

and if you haven't seen the cover of my novel, All in the Leaves, you can find that, HERE 

Book news, a painting in progress.... and a quick sketch.

Good morning friends!

I've been a bit lax on the painting and blogging front this week... with a good reason. I've been making the final changes to my novel, All in the Leaves! It will be going off to the publisher this week - and should be out for sale by the end of the month!
It's very exciting.

So, what I have to show you this week is a work in progress and a quick sketch I made as I was waiting for the sky wash to dry.
The work in progress was inspired by a favourite poem of mine, by G.K. Chesterton, called The Donkey. You can read the poem HERE

In these four quick sketches, I worked out my placements for all the parts, so it would feel like a cohesive painting.

Having decided on number two, I drew the picture and started on the washes; painting the sky, the mountains, the blood red moon, the river and the first layer on the field,

then I painted the figs on thorn, some reflections, the colours on the fish, and some of the background trees.

Here's the quick sketch I made whilst waiting for the sky to dry:

The painting has been left at this point, because the novel took over - I'll show you the rest of the stages next week, because I should get to finish it on the second half of this week.

From next week, I should have time to visit your blogs- and I am so looking forward to that relaxation and enjoyment. I never knew how much time and energy writing, editing and polishing a book would take. I don't regret it, but would like a few more hours in each day!
Hope you have a good week.

Summer paintings

Hello friends, it's nice to be back after the summer break.
I've only got three paintings to show you from my month off, because I was rather busy with getting my book of short stories out - and then working on my forthcoming novel- All in the Leaves - which should be available for sale at the end of October.

Here are the three paintings, newest first:

Chloe

 15x11

Saunders Waterford 140 Rough

She was a little outside of my comfort zone, but I'm happy with how she turned out. 

Lifeboat

15x11

Saunders Waterford 140 Rough

Lifeboat was made using techniques I've come to love, pouring and spraying! 

Brushwork was centred around the lifeboat and a few wave shadows.

Life

Life is.. a bowl of cherries, so I've heard :) 

This one is 11x8 and was the first of my holiday paintings. 

I hope you've enjoyed them all. 

Be round to visit your blogs soon.