Family pets

Christmas has come and gone. And, as I have often done before, I took the opportunity to create some sketches as gifts for family members.

It is with fondness that the Nichols family remembers Cockie and Snowy. 

Assorted illustrations

In this post I would like to share a variety of illustrations and drawings that I have done on the side while studying at Moore. I think most of them I posted on my Instagram when I made them, but here they are collected together for this blog.

Elvyn Butcher: a portrait.

The Guimelpod Tractor: designed for my brother-in-law.

#NoEraser.

Camel: a childhood toy. 

Piggy: another childhood toy.

Supremo Merino stars in an art lesson on comics panelling.

A portrait of Eugene

Last summer I received a commission to paint my family dentist.

In my experience, Dr Eugene Lee has been a very warm, smiley person, and I hoped to draw this out in the portrait.

Below are some process shots and then the finished artwork.

After the first sitting:

After the second sitting:

...and done! Eugene Lee, completed January 2019.

Profile portraits

Towards the end of November I took on the task of constructing some victorian-style profile portraits of friends for an event - the Create ministry's black tie dinner. Here are photos of some of the artworks.

Clandestine projects

This seems to be the year for secret art projects - I've had two people approach me with clandestine instructions, and while both have been carried through I will only speak of one project here. This is, of course, because it has now been revealed.

Introducing the new (temporary) acting principal of Moore Theological College... Colin Bales! At least until Mark Thompson returns from study-leave mid-2019.

Ellie vs the Yaarti

Ellie Pickle ran down the snowy slope, away from the glacial Windeep Valley. A guttural howl rang out higher up in the mountains. She hurried on, ignoring her cold, tired feet, running down the centre of the valley where the snow thinned. The howl echoed out again and she glanced back, squinting up into the snowy mist far behind her. A thin alpine forest began further off on either side of the valley, and Ellie darted towards the trees on her left, looking for cover. She found a spot with a view of where she'd come and waited, hidden. Fifteen minutes passed. Then she saw it. A tall, white furred creature sitting astride what looked like a giant white wolf, its large fangs jutting down the sides of its jaws. She notched an arrow to her bow and aimed. It reached the spot where she'd turned to go towards the trees, and the wolf-like creature sniffed the ground, then looked in her direction and gave a low growl. She fired. Once, twice, three times, four. The mount was dead before its rider had time to react. With an enraged shriek, the white creature leapt from its deceased mount and sprang in her direction. Ellie let fly another couple of arrows, missed, and scrambled back, attempting to hide behind another clump of trees. But it was no use. Within moments the beast was upon her.

Drawings at Moore, Term 1 2017

This year I've been doing occasional small portraits and other sketches in and around my classes at Moore. Towards the start of last term I cut up a lot of paper into A5 pieces for use in a women's chapel I was leading but not many got used, so I thought I'd just draw on them instead. Here are some of the sketches I've done.

Above: Some of the students (and a chaplain in the lowest sketch).

Below: a couple of lecturers.