I'm Really Stoked I Got Mentioned

I have been following Ten Hundred, a graffiti artist for some time now. I love the styles of characters he uses and his whole attitude to creating art. He put out a call to review art from his subscribers with the theme "Masks and Mischief". So I sent him some images of my bots in a box. To my surprise, I got a mention in this video.

Memories From A Ditch

I recently returned to New Plymouth in the Taranaki, one of my favourite New Zealand destinations. While there, I stayed at the Fitzroy beach park with some friends from Australia. I had anticipated their trip "across the ditch" as the journey from Australia to New Zealand is known, and I painted a scene of New Plymouth for them to remember their stay. I am happy that the painting made the journey without any fuss from customs. It now sits pride of place in their home within view of their TV.

I also gave them this sketch from Fitzroy beach I did while there.

I'm Calling This My "White" Period

I have taken to using a new technique that uses a textured base of white. This white is made by laying down a negative that has lines drawn in it with a point. Then a layer of coloured recycled plastic is spread over the top to slowly fill out the negative spaces, in this case "white". This is then peeled back and laid flat to take the coloured layers. When dry I go back over the shapes to highlight the outlines. 

The results are stunning.

It Took Seven Years

Back in 2012 I finished a painting of a leafy canopy. It was both abstract and impressionist, and one of the pieces that formed the groundwork for my recycled plastic style of painting. Recently, I've had to reinforce it with plasterers tape and a second layer of plastic to strengthen it as it was some what brittle. I have also found the perfect frame, one of the antique Art Nouveau frames I picked up a couple of years back. It's exactly the type of frame it needed. After seven years I feel this artwork has been completed by its frame.

I'm Amazed How The Brain Does It.

To paint a portrait is one thing. To create something in ones mind from the assemblage of mixed found Items is totally another. A portrait is the attempt to capture the existing personality of the sitter. It is often referred to as a technical and drafting skill. But if you assemble items together, you can often see a face with its own personality and character. Something other than technical portraiture must be going on. Seeing recognizable objects or patterns in otherwise random or unrelated objects or patterns is called pareidolia.

Another DigiBot Blue Lips

Again I am uploading new digital versions of my bots in a box created with recycled plastic stuff and then digitally enhanced and uploaded to my online store ready for other people to enjoy.

New Digital WodeBot

I've created this digital image from the pictures I took of the WodeBot I made for a friend. I love how it looks in the frame. A collection of these is building and I'll order these as gifts for friends in the future.

New Bots In A Box

It's been some time since I made one of the bots in a box artworks. But a conversation about the old ones with a friend recently has renewed my interest in them and I decided to start making these on a more regular basis. So here is two I made this weekend. They will be fine additions to the bot family.

Abstract Urban Landscape

Another abstract urban landscape finished yesterday. I've started two others in the same style this morning.

And Now For Something Completely Different

Once a month, I enjoy taking a trip to the market via train and coming back with an abundant haul of fresh produce. As I don't own a car and solely rely on public transportation, having a sturdy grocery trolley is a must. In the past, we used to use a standard-sized trolley we affectionately named "Aunty Vi" after its vivid violet colour. However, the wheels of Vi deteriorated due to the heat of the concrete and the strain of lifting it over curbs and navigating trains and buses.

After some contemplation, I decided to upgrade and looked to the robust, durable cross-country prams used by families jogging with their kids. I was envious of their wheels and wanted to enhance my trolley. I found a second-hand pram at a thrift shop for $40 and got to work on my design. After a few weekends of sawing, sewing, and riveting, I proudly present "Pramula Anderson." Now, I'm the one turning heads with my wheels as I navigate the market.

Urban Views - Landscape

The area I live has some great abstract qualities. Various layered textures from rooftops to the flat sidings of buildings. All cascading upwards toward thick pine forests, and dotted about by garden plants and shrubs. It has inspired a style I often use that works well with my recycled plastic paintings.

The Quiet Bend

This little painting I've done today called the quiet bend, almost perfectly fit into one of my antique frames. It had a small overhang of plastic which I heated and cut away from the edge. The fit was so snug and the decorative look was so perfect for the subject matter. It's like they were meant to be together. I used a new technique yet again for this painting of a quite bend in a stream, overlooked by a small blue roofed cottage, in amongst pines and autumn colours. I'll probably do another before long and fill the last 2 remaining frames that I have like this.

A Character I'm Building

I am an ex-Disney animator, I like animation and have played and worked in that industry since the 90's. Yesterday I had a great idea for a character I could develop over time into some short animated pieces. I call her Goth Mum. I can imagine lots of little scenarios for her and her chums / kids / pets. I am tweeting about her and have a few Goth mothers who follow me and help with ideas about makeup, jewelry and clothing. This is going to be an after hours hobby in the winter .

New Digi Bot

Another image that I have put online as a print for sale. This guy is called Green Squeeze Bot.

You can buy this print at this Website

New Contemporary Styles

I've been looking at my 'Bots in a box' series of work with a new eye. I've decided to run some digital filters over a bunch of them to start creating some print designs to sell online. The results so far have got me a little excited and wanting to return to the original series and start creating more of them. I'll post more in the future and provide links to where they can be purchased.

A Little Like Australia

I have finished a little painting that unintentionally ended up with more Australian landscape colours. You do get some parts of New Zealand looking like Australia especially in dry conditions. There are also gum trees here dotted about the country. This view is one from my imagination, the trees can be any type. I have also started using a little square signature block on my finished pieces.

Quick Product Creation

Digital art can sometimes be so quick. I spend days even weeks sometimes making my recycled plastic artworks. On rainy and blustery days like today I like locking myself away in my digital world to find new ways to create, purely for the fun of it. Today I played a bit and created this little artwork. I reckon it will sit well on a phone case or even a card.  I even think it works in monochrome.

Light Through Leaves

I love the way light through translucent leaf canopies looks. I know of several magical places in Wellington that this happens with spectacular effect. I have tried to capture this in this little painting finished today using the technique I talked about previously. The painting started as a yellow ground onto which I layered many different plastic colours, building up the image and lightening here and there with acrylic paint. The recycled plastic medium I use, while still wet, seems to allow the paint to adhere to it. This painting is now one of my favourites. I am hoping to get a nice chunky antique gold frame to compliment its colours and textures.

Tawa Ridge

This is a new approach I am trying. This painting started as a ground colour of red and I built the image up in layers, which is different to the pools technique I use for most of my paintings. I have been inspired by the work of John Russell of the impressionist art movement. The rough daubs of colour he used were very expressive and carried a lot of depth and meaning. This painting simply called Tawa Ridge will be followed by several others I have on the go. I hope you like.

New Plymouth Inspiration

Paritutu rock is easily one of the most picture worthy monoliths. I have enjoyed painting it in many mediums. This is one recently done from a photo I found I had taken from its southern side. I have a box of these shadow frames and I thought the textured plastic painting would look best in one.

Over the Christmas Break I Painted

I have been traveling about New Zealand and have taken many photos. Over the break I went through my photos looking for some suitable subjects for a painting or two. I found a few of Castle Rock Lighthouse. So as inspiration demanded, I created a small artwork of the lighthouse and found a suitable little frame.

Large Blue Pot With Bamboo

Of the two sketches I created before I decided the pot and green jug would be nice to experiment with. The final image didn't suit the old frame so  I've opted to put the finished plastic work in another reclaimed frame I put a patina to. The final image is OK but it may need a little work here and there as it came out a bit dull.