New Animal art..Kangaroo plus my PG Tips..

I'll put it up on my animal art site later on for sale of cards and prints..
www.petergrayanimals.co.uk

Spy asked me for some of my tips in art he said I should call it PG Tips!...well here are some of my thought process and ideas..

The Kangaroo above is drawn using two photos from different books..the original photo of the kangaroo had a blurred background...I found a picture of Ayres Rock which fitted perfectly with the drawing..the grasses I added also helped to highlight the babys head...also like the distance I've created..the rock also has a similiar shape to the kangaroos curved body..the grasses also are like the fur on the kangaroos body...its useful in a drawing to have similar shapes throughout..like the shadow on the rock and on the kangaroos back..

Another thing I do is I try not to draw everything and leave spaces so the eye can move around...I don't draw every bit of fur for example..
I often draw right up to the edge of the picture partly as I like drawing the animals face best and not so keen on drawing feet:)..But also it does make it more dramatic and has more impact then if this kangaroo was smaller with more landscape..

My biggest difficulty is when to colour and when to keep it black and white has my customers..friends and family all like different ones..so I do both...this kangaroo is more of a detailed drawing I decided not to colour it...though would love to paint some nice reds on Ayres rock..so I will in the future draw another kangaroo art and in colour another time..
I also try to make each picture different...partly because I want to experiment with new ideas..colours..a new animal..and to keep pushing myself..
John K's blog has really helped me with his animation advice...he is often going on about making the negative space interesting and clean..which I try and do..and other useful tips..

My art is expressive..childlike..and has character..
and you can see the cartoonist of me in my art..as well as my love of the Mr Men when I use bold outlines and bright flat colours..

I stick to drawing animals has drawing people in my mind is a lot harder..
I draw a picture a week...5 a Month..normally one of them is not working so I just move on to the next..when I try to correct one thats not working it can make it even worse...and be overworked..
I draw on my lap in my chair or in the library..when sunny on a bench in the park..
I use watercolour pencils and a bit of acrylic paint on top...so mixed mediums..
I always use photos But try to make it different to what I'm seeing...so it becomes my image..

Its important to show your art to lots of people it always useful to get feedback..
I of ccourse enjoy drawing..though it can feel intense when working on a piece I do a lot of staring at it and keep fiddling with it to try and get it to what I want.
..it can be hard to stop..

I've started doing a speadsheet for the first time and it is tough seeing how much you spend..rather than make...But I'm slowly getting there and doing well in selling prints which have improved my profits greatly than just selling cards..

I am working hard to make this work and take off..I will get there one day..

Has Spy has said in his comments I've learnt a lot from studying comic art like Jack Prout who is an amazing artist..
also Tony Hart 'Hart Beat'...Rolf Harris Cartoon Club tv programs have been very inspiring and some good episodes are up on youtube.....I even say watching an episode of Hart Beat in September 2009 is what inspired me to give it ago...Tony had drawn this amazing elephant...so this is what got me started..

My new animal art now ready to buy online.Meercat face....White horse running..Giraffe and Baby..Brown Horse and pony running..Two Donkeys

Now ready to buy as A3/A4 Mounted prints and cards
www.petergrayanimals.co.uk
so you can buy prints and cards of these new designs..
Drawn a Kangaroo and Roo this week as well..
:)

Happy 60th Dennis the Menace!!

A very early Dennis from The Beano book 1954


A nice one by David Sutherland..








This is the annual I bought at a jumble sell at Northmead middle school Stoughton Road Guildford...I was first in line and ran to the book section (I loved old comics even then)and got this gem...this is where I discovered David Law's Dennis...what a effect it had on me..Dennis was less happy for a start unless he was causing bother trouble...the art work was more darker..quickly drawn But full of life..








Gordon Bells take on Dennis...he also had a bit of Davy Law in his take on Dennis..


Nigel does a great Dennis in this era...it has lots of energy!!


I love this long tiger story which Tom drew each week..


A nice strong cover by Jim Hanson




A nice 80's Beano..
My era of Dennis when he didn't have teeth:)
Love David Sutherlands take on Dennis the Menace and I think the best artist to draw Gnasher..


I've changed my bear picture..after my Mum said what was wrong with it...which I agreed...here is the new changes I've made and it looks a lot better..

Two new animal pictures..Tiger face and Cow

Two new animal cards and A3 and A4 Mounted Prints are up to buy..

http://petergraycartoons.blogspot.com/

New Animal art up to see..

I always liked the tv series Lassie watching in the early 80's..


I'd thought it would be interesting to just do a few spots of colour on this cat..making the eyes stand out..


Just like the lion one I've zoomed right into the face..I'm going to do a series of these..drawing a close up of a Cow face next..:)




This one was just too good to be a Christmas card for my Wife only, so now other people can have this as a card or prints..got permission from her.

Buy these as Cards,
A3 and A4 Mounted Prints at
www.petergrayanimals.co.uk using Paypal

My new Career!

Easter Bunny NEW!





Three new Animal drawings

I'm relaunching my website from www.pgcartoons.co.uk
to www.petergrayanimals.co.uk (It should change by tomorrow..my friend Paul is doing this for me) and made some big improvememnts..also Paypal is set up..

Also new email
info@petergrayanimals.co.uk

This is to be my job from now on..a full time animal artist..
I do the Maltings at Farnham the first Saturday of the Month
and Midhurst Craft Fair The Grange mid Month Saturday..19th Feb for example

My cards are selling in Kim's Bookshop Chichester
Today I've got an order for University of Surrey book shop..:)
Also selling in Guildford House..

Still waiting for other ones..

Animal art by me old and new..

Mother and Baby Cheetha ..Sept 2009..This is the first drawing I liked and started me off as an animal artist. My sister loved it and owns the original which I gave to her..it really encouraged me to do more. So glad to finally get this up to show and make cards and prints from it soon..





















This meercat one is not starting at print number 1 as I've sold 2 A3 ones already..
The A4 one starts at number 1..


If you want to own any of these prints at number 1 please email me to book in and be the first..
thejeep2000@yahoo.co.uk
A3 Print mounted £34
A4 Print Mounted £19
Prints are limited to 50..
Price will go up after print number 5..

Anyway soon I'll have paypal set up for these new prints to buy at my main website..
www.pgcartoons.co.uk
Please check to see where the print number is at..

http://petergraycartoons.blogspot.com/2010/07/a4-prints-now-available.html

Hope you like them...:)

Art by me
A rough order
Started September 2009

September 2009

1) A running Leopard b&w
2) Baby Leopard in the snow leaning on tree b&w

3) Cheetah and baby being licked b&w Jayne owns it..This is where it properly starts..

4) Panda and Baby on tum b&w
5) Tortoise first colour watercolour First one SOLD for £15.(today I sell my originals for £70):)
6) Snow Leopard whole body colour
7) Close up of Crocodile colour
8) Harvest Mouse in the Blackberries colour

October 2009

9) Tiger helping Cub in snow colour
10) Three Meercats colour SOLD....... owns it bought for £45
11) Leopards in love colour SOLD.......... for £45
12) Leopard with three cubs colour
13) Baby Giraffe sitting down colour SOLD...... for £45

Nov/December 2009

14) A golden mane lion colour
15) Fox being covered in snow colour
16) Girl and dog sledging colour Nov
17) Kitten in summer colour
18) Laughing and not funny kitten colour
19) Three Penguins family colour
20) Robin on Father Christmas boot colour
21) Seal smiling colour .........SOLD for £30
22) Snow Leopard close up colour
23) Tiger licking cub (two cubs) colour


January/Feb 2010

24) Yellow Dog with brown eyes colour
25) Elephant b&w ... Carol's Sister Christmas Present
26) Wolf in woods b&w
27) Lop-eared Rabbit b&w MY BEST ONE!!!! My best seller!!
28) Two cats under the white covers of a bed colour
29) Black cat colour SOLD £45
30) Pug dog standing on tartan colour SOLD for £70
31) Snow hare b&w

March 2010
32) Carol on her Wedding day colour
33) Daffodils Mothers day colour
34) Baby Elizabeth laughing colour
35) Dalmatian dog b&w
36) Three Piggies in colour
37) Turtle colour smaller than A3
38) Spring lambs smaller than A3

April/July 2010

39) Hedgehog smiling (b&w)
40) Hedgehog close up b&w small card for Jayne's Birthday July
41) Two Beagle dogs in Christmas stockings (b&w)
42) Gorillas in love (b&w)
43) Sheep dog (b&w)
44) Cat with Christmas hat (b&w)
45) A close up of the three piggies b&w gift to Lesley Martins Petworth Art shop
46) Bassett Hound in Christmas hat
47) Brown bear and cub colour
48) redrawn lop-eared bunny grey tones didn't work very well..
49) Panda sitting b&w
50) Baby Elizabeth sleeping small drawing Birthday card
51) Meercats two one sitting colour

July 2010
52) Carols Mums cat colour
53) Horse b&w
54) Shetland Ponies one colour drawn on back of Horse picture
55) Red Squirrel facing on b&w


August 2010

56) Otters in love b&w
57) Red Squirrel holly colour
58) Fox close up blue/red grass colour SOLD ..... for £70

Sept/October
59) Scottish Wild Cat Black and White
60) Badger in Bluebells Colour
61) Swan and Signets Colour SOLD to ...... and .... for £70

November
62) Snowy Owl colour sunset
63) Tiger smiling colour for Naomi Christmas Present
64) Staffordshire Bull Terrier b&w

December
65) Baby Elephant Carol's Brother Christmas present b&w
66) Penguin and young snuggling up Colour
67) Jack Russell dog b&w (need to show this sometime...)
68) Small Christmas card White Horse for Mum
69) Small Christmas card Marmalade cat for Carol
70) Small Christmas card Baby Penguin for Jayne
71) Small Christmas card Seal for Aunty
72) Two Brown Foxes

January 2011
73) Scotty Terrier b&w
74) Red Setter dog b&w

So you can see I've been busy..:)

Happy Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Here are my one off cards I drew for my family this Christmas..
Have a great New Year folks!!

Snowy Owl retouched..the last 1 hour and half

I showed it to various people and one lady who works in art suggested the sky looked a bit flat and in two halves..also she said it needed some yellow in the sunset and dark ground..so I normally take advice very seriously and decided she was right..now I've done her suggestions it works..
So this picture is finally finished..;)



This original art of a tiger is for my Step Daughter for Christmas..I'm really pleased how friendly I've made the tiger..you know when a picture goes well..
Also will later make these two into cards and A4 and A3 limited prints..