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..