Wednesday 25 March 2009

Elephant Painting Complete


"Face to Face - African Elephant"


Well elephant oil painting is finished! I'm pleased with it, I've tried not to go overboard with the detail as I wanted to give a slightly impressionistic feel to the background. This is a small scale oil - 10 inches x 12 inches canvas.
If you are interested in purchasing this painting just drop me an email at joelmerriner@hotmail.com

Monday 16 March 2009

Elephant oil painting part two...


Latest in-progress pic of my new elephant painting. Coming along nicely I think, especially enjoying rendering the gnarly old fallen tree in the background. Plenty of painting still to do on the elephant itself...so many wrinkles!

Wednesday 11 March 2009

New elephant oil painting in progress


Here's a sneak preview of my latest small scale oil painting of an African elephant. Early stages yet, just blocked in the basic colours in readiness for more detailed brushwork to come. Size is 10 inches x 12 inches
Should be finished in several weeks. Watch this space for further pictures. If you are interested in purchasing this painting just drop me a line at joelmerriner@hotmail.com

Friday 6 March 2009

Lizard RIP

A sad footnote to the previous visiting common lizard post. I came downstairs the very next morning and there was the little guy in the middle of the floor again but this time stone dead. How had he got there, how did he die? Who knows...I thought initially it might have been our dog but the lizard was totally unmarked, hadn't shed his tail and was simply deceased. Maybe it was just his time to go. A mystery.

Tuesday 3 March 2009

An Unusual House Guest

Had an intriguing visitor in our front room last night, a little common lizard sat on the slate floor. I didn't see him myself(although I have several times before and once nearly stood on him in the dark!) but my wife did. She watched him for a while but didn't fancy the idea of picking him up and taking him outside so he eventually sneaked under our sofa and vanished. As far as we know he's still under there, so we await his next visit...

Monday 2 March 2009

Under the Bridge

Interesting little discovery the other day. A friend of mine who lives just down the road(about 200 yards) in a place called Berrio Bridge, directed me to an interesting little nest he had discovered under one of the arches of said bridge(a very picturesque and several hundred years old granite structure). It was made of moss, domed with a little entrance hole and perched just above the fast flowing waters of the Lynher. Ironically as I clambered down the bank to have a look, a dipper flew out from under the arch and sped down the river. Sure enough, it turns out this little chap was the owner of the nest. My mate assures me the nest has been there for a good while, so I can only assume a bit of a renovation was taking place in preparation for the new breeding season to come. Wouldn't be my ideal choice of location for a home hanging over the surface of a fast flowing moorland river, but dippers are made of sterner stuff than us, so long may they remain there I say.