illustration

Retro chic

| Anna Cull

Gravatar for a friend

This is something I made for one of my best friends ― along the same lines (so to speak) as the image I’m currently using as my WordPress Gravatar. Both drawings are based on a Vectortuts+ tutorial that gives step-by-step instructions for turning a photograph into a digital drawing in the style of 1960s pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. Now I’m wondering if I can convince her to dye her hair purple!

Shoot it, Sketch it collaboration

| Anna Cull
Harbour wall – graphite and watercolour, 255 x 205 mm, © Anna Cull 2013.
Harbour wall – graphite and watercolour, 255 x 205 mm © Anna Cull 2013
Newlyn Harbour Wall, Cornwall © Poppytump, 2013.
Newlyn Harbour Wall, Cornwall © Poppytump 2013

Last month, fellow blogger/artist/photographer Poppytump posted a wonderful photo of this wall (used with permission) ― and now it’s the world’s first ever Poppytump shot it, Anna sketched it. Thank you, Poppy : )

Harbour wall detail — the texture is a kind of ‘dry brush’ watercolour effect.
Harbour wall detail — the painted texture is a ‘dry brush’ watercolour effect.

Self-portrait in progress

| Anna Cull

Anna Cull Work in progress

Here is a little something I’ve been experimenting with as a way of making use of an old (vintage 1970s), much loved and sadly threadbare tea towel.

Work in progress #1 – using gel medium as a glue, I covered a piece of artboard with the teatowel to make a linen canvas
Work in progress #1 – using gel medium as a glue, I made a linen canvas by covering an artboard with the tea towel (I have enough fabric left over to make another canvas)
Work in progress #2 – I began painting with acrylics thinned with polymer medium and used a photo of myself as a child for reference
Work in progress #2 – I began painting with acrylics thinned with polymer medium and used an old photo of myself as a reference
Work in progress#3 – I continued to build up the layers with thicker, more opaque acrylics to unify the different elements
Work in progress #3 – I continued to build up the layers with thicker, more opaque acrylics to unify the different elements

I’ll post the finished painting tomorrow.

Shoot it, Sketch it: Last minute

| Anna Cull
Hagley Park sunset sketch – ink and watercolour, 205 x 290 mm, 2013.
Hagley Park sunset sketch – ink and watercolour, 205 x 290 mm, 2013.
Hagley Park sunset – Christchurch, 2010.

A last-minute sketch of the last minutes of a sunset in Hagley Park (because the acrylic painting I had planned to post today isn’t quite finished yet). I hope you’ll forgive the slightly blurry photo (my fault for not taking a tripod). Sunsets in the park can be spectacular at this time of year ― yes, we’re well and truly into autumn now in Christchurch.