I am Sue

My photo
I am Sue Mochrie. An ever opening flower, waiting for sunlight to warm the rain drops. My creative thoughts and Art will be recorded in words and pictures.....

Saturday 31 July 2010

Painting tutorial





Artists all have their own way of planning their painting, to get a pleasing result and I'm no exception. I have developed my own formula which I find works for me.
First, I do a few rough sketches of my idea. Then I meticulously plan the main characters and get the sizing correct. This is especially important for me as most of my work is illustrative and figurative. So I plan the main characters facial features and draw them up on tracing paper, until I'm happy. In this case, I'm showing my wisteria tree. The first bit of actual painting is of the background, which I layer up using acrylic paint, then build up with home made stamps, such as bubble wrap and raised wallpaper. I usually end with spraying paint through lace. I then use carbon paper to transfer my main figures onto the background. These are always very basic, as the complex details will then be painted in. If I'm using collage papers, I add them as I go along where I feel it's appropriate. If I'm selling the art as prints, which I always do, I then photograph it and store the images in the computer. Et voila!!!

Sunday 25 July 2010

" The Lemon Beach"


I love going to the beach and looking into the beautiful world of rock pools.
I can't wait to go back to Cornwall in September and enjoy being by the sea again x

Saturday 24 July 2010

Yay, new banner!!





I just made my new banner, it took me about four hours in photoshop. I still don't know all the short cuts yet, but I'm getting there!! Here's a painting of my tawny owl to celebrate. Tawny owl can be bought encased inside an Art locket. Twit twooo!! Many thanks for viewing ♥

Friday 23 July 2010

Spanish eyes


I just wanted to show the last of my small paintings, completed on our trip to Cornwall in June.
I can only make very small artwork on these trips, as our Mini Cooper S has a tiny boot!!
This pretty lady looks rather Latin, with her brown eyes and so I am calling the painting, "Spanish eyes". She will be available as a mini 4 x6 print and a mini wood art block, when I get around to making them!!

Tuesday 20 July 2010

Tangerine dreaming


I only acquired my first camera a couple of years ago. I could only get to grips when digital cameras arrived, as they are so easy to use.
It must be the artist in me that makes me want to take a shot, such as this one and manipulate the colours, adding the vintage boarder, to get a hazy summery dream like effect. I took this flower shot in my back yard. The sun was so bright, I couldn't see what I was taking. I just clicked away many times and luckily, caught the flower with the sun bursting through the clouds. I take my camera everywhere now, just in case, though many of my best photo's have been captured in my own street. My photo collection is for sale as prints and cards in redbubble.

Sunday 18 July 2010

" Sunny Sunflowers"



Rain rain rain!! We've had plenty in the UK this week! Well they do say " The great British summer, blink and you'll miss it!". Never mind, hopefully the weather will calm down and give us a few more halcyon days. To cheer us all up, I will show you a couple of sunny sun flower collage pictures, I painted on my recent trip to Cornwall. As the paintings are small, they are available as "mini prints", you can find them in my etsy and folksy shops as part of my mini print sets. More arty products will be coming soon!
Many thanks for looking ♥

Sunday 11 July 2010

"Tiny worlds"





When I decided to start making ART jewellery, everything was so overwhelming and I ended up buying far too many pendant bases, chains and other bits and pieces.
Now after much research, I am in love with these vintage style brass lockets.
I have placed a teeny glossy photo of my painting behind the magnifying glass cabochon. The results are stunning!! My images shine out from their "tiny world" giving a very intimate feel to the artworks. I love them and have already started giving them as gifts to friends.
The lockets are all available in my folksy and etsy art shops, with new designs coming up soon. Many thanks for viewing ♥

Friday 9 July 2010

happy birthday to me!!!


Oh no it's my birthday again already. Why does it come around so quickly?
I'm just getting ready to be a lady who lunches with my pal Maggi and only have a moment to spare. Rather than think of presents I'd like to open, I will think of places I'd like to be, so let me show you one of my favourite places on earth.
This is a picture I took of beautiful Housel bay in Cornwall. I will never tire of visiting and will be back there later this year, hooray! I've given it a vintage makeover.
Thanks for viewing ♥

Thursday 8 July 2010

Foxy the vixen, up-date







Some of my readers will know that I have been befriending a little fox vixen for over a year now.
She lives in a very rural area, surrounded by farmland and ancient woodland. I was so pleased to see that she had survived another year, when I saw her this spring. I have taken many photos over the last year, mainly because she is so bold and will sit around outside the cottage, waiting til you come out to her. So I've included a few more pics for you to enjoy.

On a more serious note, in the UK, fox hunting has been banned. However, there are plans to repeal the ban. If you would like to sign the petition against the repeal, visit the campaign for decency. I would warn you, there are a few unsettling images further down their page.




Monday 5 July 2010

" Woodland friends "


This is my latest, painting, which has quite an autumnal feel about as we head through the hazy days of summer. Her name is Coco and she's being guided through the woodland trail by her friends, the wise old owls. The little birdy is keeping her company throughout the journey.
I painted Coco using acrylics on canvas board. I've added oriental collage papers to her clothing and hat. I love a bit of collage!! Prints and mini prints can be bought from my folksy shop and the original painting can be purchased, all enquiries welcome. Many thanks for looking ♥

http://www.mochalulu.folksy.com/

and my new etsy shop, opened today!!

www.petitbirdsings.etsy.com