The final painting with highlights from the setting sun on trees.

Ref No.123
Title: Sparse Tranquility.
Description: As below.
Size: 1000 x 690 Landscape format.
Medium: Oil on canvas.
Date: March 2009.

The first stages of the painting comprises flat undercoat colours indicating the basic shapes and colours that are needed in the work before detailed work is added.

Description: The small herd of Springbok graze undisturbed in the sparse openeness of the Karoo escarpment. The dry Karoo grass and semi-desert plants sustain these nomads of Southern Africa. A lone thorn tree which has survived many years of cold, heat and winds stand testimony to the resilience of the flora of the harsh Karoo region of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The rocky Karoo "Koppies" (hilocks) and mountains rise dramatically in contrast to the "veld". The storm clouds build up and reflect brilliant yellow and orange which coats the terrein in a golden hue as the sun dwindles in the west.

Scotland Lake Skye reflections

Ref: L-11a.
Title: Scotland Lake Skye-2
Description: This is the 2nd painting of the same scene on demand by purchaser. Scottish Lake Skye from a photograph taken by Dale Gravett, UK photographer.
Misty, unsettled weather prevails over the mountains around the still, icy Lake Skye during late winter evening. The fishing boats await the oncoming summer and their owner's attention and to lake bound leisure activites.
Size: 598 x 430 Lnadscape format.
Medium: Oil on canvas.
Date: May 2008
Price: R1000.00 SOLD

English Autumn Field

Ref: L-9a.
Title: English Autumn-2
Description: This is the 2nd work of the same scene photographed by purchaser demand. Taken from the artist'd friend Dale Gravett, a UK photographer. Countryside on private estate in Tadcaster, Yorkshire UK in November 2004. Trees shedding their autumn yellow leaves onto emerald green pastures with old wooden fence bordering plantation.
Size: 507 x 404 Landscape format
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: May 2008.
Price: R1,333.00 SOLD.

Cape Mountains of South Africa

Ref.L-5c
Title: Cape Mountain Landscape -3
Description: This painting is the third in a series of the same scene, produced on demand by various art customers. Old Cape Dutch farm cottage nestling in trees on a blossoming Fynbos plain with majestic Cape Fold Mountains of the Cape Province of South Africa.
Size: 610 x 510 Landscape Format.
medium: Oil on canvas.
Date: June 2008.
Price: R1,667.00

Early evening sun setting in the west of the South African Cape Fold mountain range near the wine town of Paarl

Ref. L-5b
Title: Cape Mountain Landscape 2.
Description: Cape Fold mountain ranges in the west of South Africa. The "Fynbos" an indigenouse floral vegetation, blossom in multi-colours during winter months. The cool air build up against the steep "Berge" cliffs during sunset hours causing massive clouds to form. The erly histroical Cape Dutch farm house nestles against the dramatic mountain range with the last warm rays of day turning the turning leaves many colours.
Size: 610 x 510mm.
Medium: oil on canvas.
Date: May 2008.
Price: SOLD

The final portrait painting of the couple superimposed together from two photographs supplied by client.

Ref. C&H-8
Title: Dieter & Sanett.
Description: A portrait of Dieter Grunewald & his partner, Sanett Prins. The painting was referenced from a number of photos supplied to the artist by Dieter.
Size: 405 x 305 Landscape Format.
Medium: Oil on canvas.
Date: February 2008.
Price: SOLD

Cedar Branch Church, a new offshoot of Harvest Christian Church, both based in Port Elizabeth, South Africa is starting to take shape.
The early stages of site sourcing and applications to council to obtain the land has begun.
Don bell is currently designing the Concept Development for the Site Development Application and has produced this artist impression.

Watch this space as the church grows!

This example shows how I build up my portrait paintings so that I do not lose the image detail and features of the people.
Stage 1. Setting out the painting.
I find the most accurate way for me to get a realistic portrayal of peoples features is to cast an image of the subject from a digital projector onto my canvas. I then trace out with a dark Brown Umber, the features that are visible. I use acrylic paints because they dry fast which enables me to continue in oil paints an hour later.
At the same time I am setting the features up, I use very watered down acrylic to wash the over areas that cannot be depicted in the dark brown - such a subtle cheek, lips, forhead and eyebrow curves and shapes.

One can identify the build-up of these portrait stages as the colours become thicker and more pronounced.

Stage 2. Tonal Washes.
This stage is done in oil paint washes using distilled turpentine to thin the paints so that they run well and then dry fairly quickly to carry on working. I build up the shapes of the face carefully so as not to lose the features.
Stage 3. Detailing.
I now begin to add thicker paint mixed with dabs of oil to allow a creamy mixture that is easy to wipe softly over the features, all the time building my colours up - in this case i am staying with browns and tan colours as those are the colours that will feature and suit the client's needs the best.

Work in a creamy mixture of oil paints and artists oil in order to maintain soft transitions in features.

The above stages show how I work more and more detail and lighter colours into the features ensuring that the softness of the face shapes take precendence over brush strokes. In this way a real life depiction of skin and features is realised.
The Final Painting:
This is the completed painting. The artist preferred to add a little more colour and highlighting to the hair and clothes in order to compliment the colours of the background and the skin tones.

Final portrait oil painting of the happy couple. Happy 21st Birthday Shaun!

The Reference Photo:

The original photo supplied to the artist Don Bell for painting.

Easy Steps to Pallet Change!
If you're one of those artists who hates to scrape down an old pallet every time you're finished with a work, do what I do:
1. Use a thin piece of plywood, glass or plastic board to the size you would like your pallet to be.
2. Place a white sheet of paper onto one side.
3. Sandwich the board and paper together and stretch Kling-wrap out over the top.
4 & 5. Wrap the kitchen kling-wrap around the whole lot about three to four times.
Once this is done, squeeze out the air bubbles that have formed and fold any overlapping pieces under the pallet (opposite side which the white sheet of paper is on).
6. You now have a smooth, clean, white surface to place the paint on and to work off.
7. When you're done with that messy pallet,
8. Simply peel off the kling wrap and start again.

Easy steps to do away with a messy pallet and use an easy pallet change method.

Viewing Elephants in the wild can be an exciting, adrenalin pumping experience, especially when coming across a Bull Elephant that does not appreciate being interrupted.
Like this Elephant which decided that he'd trumpet, sway his head and kick up dust - a serious early warning for you to depart as quickly and quietly as possible before that inevitable six ton charge!

Latest stage - 1 January 2008:

Stage 2 of the painting with tonal build up of various areas.