SwiftGraphics

Welcome to the Artists Blog

When did you first become interested in art?

For as long as I can remember. I first started painting with oils after someone gave me a paint by numbers kit when I was about 10 years old, with the left over paint I copied western scenes from cowboy comics I was interested in at the time. These paintings were the same size as the comic strip drawings. Sadly, I don’t have them now.

Has your style changed from when you first began as an artist?

From those first ‘comic’ paintings? The greatest change for me has been jumping from conventional art materials to computers. The flexibility of digital over conventional art is a huge attraction for me, though I still enjoy the occasional dabble with oils on canvas …I love that smell!

What style of art do you use most?

I guess it would be called contemporary, I’ll let others judge that.

Waiting For A Handout

What medium do you use?

Photography, melded with the computer, software and tablet.

What made you choose that medium?

Up until 12 months age most of my work was digital, then was given a DSLR camera 12 months ago so I guess you could say I have had one years experience as a photographer! I’ve always been interested in photography, however I rarely use an image straight from the camera. The image on the camera for me is a template for what I will create when it is transfreed to the computer. The final image to me, is not a photograph but rather a graphic containing my technical and creative input which makes that image unique.

Do your ideas come from life or imagination?

Both and sometimes a combination of them both. A photograph can sometimes trigger a memory or a random thought that is then used to create an image that for me, represents that memory or thought. My image ‘ Heffalump’ (above) is an example of that. I was walking through a park and in the distance were 2 enormous trees that instantly reminded me of my childhood reading of the Enid Blyton stories and A A Milne’s character Heffalump.

Heffalump

How do you choose your images and colours?

Composition, the placement of elements (colour and shapes) in an area to create an interesting image is, for me vital. I think I have always had a natural ‘eye’ for composition, at least that’s what a tutor told me many years ago at art school where I was always marked high for 2 dimensional design.

Who is your favourite artist?

Toss up between Francis Bacon and Brett Whitely

What is your favourite piece of work by yourself?

I don’t really have one, though if you insist I guess i like looking at 72trees a lot!
How much time (on average) does it take to complete a work? From many years of working to very tight deadlines, I been conditioned to work quickly, so the average would be about one to two hours for digital images.

Purlingbrook Falls

How well do you take criticism?

I welcome constructive criticism, especially with technical photography issues… a weak area for me.

What do you do to overcome a ‘block’?

For my personal work… work on something else, take a break in the bush surrounding my house.

For commercial work… panic! Thankfully it doesn’t happen very often.

Trees

How do you know something is ‘finished’? Is it easy to walk away?

I like to think that everything I create is unfinished, so I can go back someday and either tweak it or incorporate it into something completely different which is why I keep everything (digital) in a layered file. if I do finally decide it’s finished then, yes it is easy to walk away.

Have you had exhibits in galleries?

Only online.

Three Generations

Have you any exhibits in galleries planned for the future?

Not immediately, I’m slowly building up a folio of work that I hope to sell in various forms to an interesting new town that is being built near where I live. These hopefully will be POD books, prints etc to businesses and residents in this area.

What are your plans for the future?

No specific plans, I just want to keep on surprising myself with the work I create.

What advice would you give new artists?

Get a real job