Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Feb 2, 2012, 9:54 am
One of the things I want to do on my blog is develop a series of mini tutorials. These will be expanded in my technique guides and I plan to discuss each topic in detail when I start to write my book. Tip 1 describes two methods I use for selecting the local colour of an object. 1. Aids to Selecting...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Feb 1, 2012, 1:17 pm
I'm still alive I've just been busy dealing with self assessment returns. I should be back to normal posting later this week.
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jan 16, 2012, 2:35 am
Reed Bunting - Potteric Carr January 2012 As the online filing deadline is fast approaching and there is a change in the penalty regime I thought a reminder might be useful. If you are a UK taxpayer and need to file a Self Assessment return the deadline is midnight on the 31/01/2012. This year there...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jan 16, 2012, 2:35 am

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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jan 13, 2012, 4:38 am
I've got to the difficult bit on my hare now, finishing the legs and adding a little foliage so I thought I'd have a break and talk about my aims for the coming year. I want to improve on the things I felt to be less successful in 2011 by doing the following:- Entering more competitions. I've almost...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jan 6, 2012, 6:25 am
Review of 2011 I count the following as my achievements in 2011:- Sold work at the 2011 Society of Feline Artists Exhibition and was asked to sit on their selection committee for 2012 onwards.Created two coloured pencil guides, a tabby cat and a dogCreated a reasonable amount of ACEO's, all of whic...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Dec 24, 2011, 6:16 am
'Run for Fun' My blog will be six years old early next year and I want to say thank you to all my friends and supporters who leave comments or simply follow along. You all help to motivate me as I continue on my artistic journey. So I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Dec 18, 2011, 1:06 am
I've finally finished my christmas commissions and can get back to the paintings and drawings awaiting completion, one of them being the hare in the above image. One of my goals for 2012 is to enter more competitions/exhibitions and two of the ones I'm aiming for have closing dates early in the new ...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Dec 8, 2011, 5:43 am
'Back to Black'Image Size 12 x 17 inches, mixed media on board. SOLD Following the success of my painting Black on Black which was sold at the Society of Feline Artists exhibition early this year I have painted a matching image. I used coloured pencil and acrylic on mountboard making the eyes the f...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Dec 6, 2011, 12:27 pm
The above photograph shows my arrangement for taking more natural reference photographs of the birds that visit my garden. I don't like working from photographs of birds on feeders unless I'm just looking at colour or a particular detail so I decided to prepare a more natural resting place. While ou...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Nov 24, 2011, 5:26 am
This is another stage in my large acrylic, I can't wait to put the animal in but I'm making myself wait until the background is complete. I have a few unrelated bits and pieces to share hence the heading 'Thursday Thoughts' Thank you to all the people who bought my prints and cards at the Supreme ca...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Nov 17, 2011, 2:17 pm
The last image is now completed and ready for me to print in the morning so that it will be available at the Supreme. The image size is 6 x 8 and it will be mounted/matted in white, the mounted/matted size will be 10 x 12. The prints will be giclee, signed by me in pencil and limited to 350 worldwid...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Oct 30, 2011, 12:09 pm
Rio has decided to take up a new hobby, birdwatching. He was sitting on the grooming table having just been brushed and tidied up when the white pheasant appeared with a normal brown one following along behind. Rio was fascinated and the pheasants didn't seem to mind, they wandered about picking up ...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Oct 25, 2011, 1:44 pm
I started this one a long, long time ago and have picked it up again. I like to work on graphite in the evenings when there is no natural light so I don't have to worry about the colour changing with the artificial light. I photographed this raccoon probably three years ago in Stanley Park, Vancouve...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Oct 19, 2011, 2:58 pm
I'm busy with commissions and real life issues so I haven't much to show at the moment. I've done a little bit more on the jaguar but it's very slow progress. The birds are returning to the feeders, I have a small flock of greenfinch that visit throughout the day and two or three goldfinches togethe...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Oct 12, 2011, 6:11 am
'Bad Fur Day' Limited Edition giclee print. (limited to 350 prints worldwide) Image size approximately 9.75 x 12 inches Mounted/matted in white to 16 x 20 inches £25 plus £4.00 post and packing Available from my website, or contact me direct:- gayle.mason@gmail.com I will be back to posting m...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Oct 10, 2011, 7:26 am
'Winter Wolf' Limited edition giclee print (350 worldwide) Image Size approx 13 x 9.5 Mounted/Matted in white to 16 x 20 inches To bid click here , or contact me direct:- gayle.mason@gmail.com
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Oct 9, 2011, 12:33 pm
I've added some blue pan pastel to the background but it still needs more work. As for the cat I'm getting to the end, one more leg and foot then some little touches and hopefully it will be finished.
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Oct 6, 2011, 5:45 am
Steve Jobs 1955 - 2011 The Apple co-founder and former chief executive Steve Jobs has died at the age of 56. A great innovator, risk taker and leader, described as an industry oracle who revolutionised computing. The world has lost a creative genius.
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Oct 3, 2011, 2:46 pm
'Poppy' 5 x 7 inches, to bid click here This is the original drawing of Poppy that I used when creating my guide to drawing a tabby cat in coloured pencil. The drawing is coloured pencil on watercolour paper and is mounted/matted in white and backed.
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Sep 28, 2011, 3:02 pm
I've continued to work on the siamese. For the white in the fur I've started with an under layer of neocolor II in white using a damp brush and blending it into the paper. I can then add the coloured pencil on top.
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Sep 26, 2011, 2:30 pm
'Black and Gold' 9 x 7 inches, mixed media on black pastel paper To bid click here. The birds have slowly been returning to the garden feeders since we arrived back from holiday. There are more coal tits about than usual and they are one of my favourite birds so I'm spending a lot of time looking ou...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Sep 24, 2011, 2:25 pm
This is a blue point siamese. coloured pencil on a buff coloured stonehenge paper. I need to darken the ear quite a lot yet to contrast with the body fur.
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Sep 23, 2011, 3:23 pm
'Sleep Over' Mixed Media on watercolour paper 4.5 x 6 inches To purchase click here
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Sep 21, 2011, 8:51 am
The first place my work has appeared in print this month is in Talking Point the magazine issued by the UK Coloured Pencil Society. This is an exerpt from the current issue of Talking Point it was written by the editor Malcolm Cudmore and forms part of an article on Fur and Feathers. The UKCPS websi...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Sep 16, 2011, 2:25 pm
I'm back home but still jet lagged so have spent time this week on a graphite portrait of a jaguar from my own photograph. I understand that Black on Black had sold before the private view of the SOFA exhibition which was good news.
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Sep 8, 2011, 12:20 pm
The beauty of the scenery contrasted with one of the ugliest birds I have photographed, the turkey vulture. I incorrectly identified this bird,k Rodri has pointed out that it is in fact a Californian Condor not a Turkey Buzzard which makes it very special, but still ugly! However these birds were...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Sep 3, 2011, 8:38 pm
Moved on from Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon. We travelled through Zion and Red Canyons which were quite spectacular, actually started to see animals and birds again.
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Sep 1, 2011, 11:44 pm
Very, very hot driving across Death Valley it was 125 degrees in the afternoon and we had to turn the car air conditioning off to make sure the car didn't overheat. Great experience but I won't be coming back for a return visit.
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Aug 29, 2011, 9:45 pm
The hotel is very close to a huge fire and we had to make a hundred mile detour as the road was closed but Yosemite itself is beautiful, scenery and residents. Moving on to Death Valley tomorrow.
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Aug 26, 2011, 11:28 am

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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Aug 23, 2011, 2:28 pm
Canada 2010 (you might be able to see two elk crossing the lake) I leave tomorrow for three weeks in the US. I'm visiting some of the national parks in the southwest and hoping to get some good reference material. My friend Katherine Tyrrell posted a photograph a day when she went painting...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Aug 18, 2011, 1:45 pm
A few months ago I painted a robin in watercolour but was never happy with the crop. I got the original out today and tightened it up, it looks better now, to me anyway.
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Aug 16, 2011, 1:54 am
Having been involved with both Income and Corporation Tax for almost all of my working life I thought it might be useful to share some things you need to consider once you begin earning money from your art. As I am only familiar with the UK tax system this post will be less useful to my i...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Aug 8, 2011, 3:03 am
One of Chester Zoo's six week old cheetah cubs. The subtitle for this post could be 'New Beginnings' and what better image could I use to illustrate that thought than one of the four six week old Cheetah cubs born at Chester Zoo. I had the chance to photograph the mother and cubs last week. I spent ...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Aug 1, 2011, 4:10 am
In the next couple of hours the courier will arrive to pick up my paintings which will be included in the 2011 Society of Feline Artists Exhibition. The exhibition takes place in September at the Llewellyn Alexander Gallery in London, UK and if you like feline art is well worth a visit. I'll be doin...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jul 25, 2011, 3:10 pm
The second of our bitches is now in season so the chaos deepens. At least it sets the scene for painting the wolf when Rio and Clinton are both howling in the background.
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jul 19, 2011, 2:42 pm
I've done some more on the wolf, the next stage is adding some background with pan pastels. I'd been hoping to do that today but real life got in the way. Roma is coming into season so Rio and Clinton have decided that killing one another is the way to win her heart. This does not create a happy and...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jul 11, 2011, 4:29 pm
I will be exhibiting at NEWA, the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art from the 15th - 31st July 2011. The exhibition takes place at the Gordale Garden Centre Chester High Road, Burton, Wirral CH64 8TF. I entered two pieces, 'Stolen Moment' the Amur leopard in graphite and 'Bad Fur Day' the pastel o...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jul 10, 2011, 1:46 pm
I can only work on my horse in daylight while I'm sat at my drawing table so I've started a coloured pencil wolf. I find it easier to work with coloured pencil in the evenings. This is approximately 12 x 9 on a stone coloured pastel paper. I'm wishing I'd done it as a step by step because I think a ...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jul 8, 2011, 2:47 pm
I decided to have a complete change of subject. For the last two years I have visited Bramham 3 day event and taken lots of photographs of horses in action. This horse was just jumping out of the water which you will be able to see when I paint his legs. I'm also having a change of medium, this is w...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jun 30, 2011, 1:20 pm
I added a little background to my hare which puts it in a setting without distracting the viewer, in my opinion anyway.I added the touch of blue, white and ochre using pan pastels and was pleased how well they worked to give a hint of colour on a smooth paper. The foliage is painted in watercolour, ...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jun 27, 2011, 3:01 pm
The hare itself is almost complete I'm now working on the background. I'm just going to add a few bits of grass and lightly tone the background with pan pastels so that it becomes more of a complete picture rather than a study.
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jun 22, 2011, 5:04 pm
I've been updating my website so progress on the hare has been slow. I'm hoping that I can finish it tomorrow.
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jun 19, 2011, 5:27 am
Yesterday I picked some of the orange poppies I have flowering in my garden. I'm considering adding one or two in the background using very soft watercolour washes as they are more or less the same colour as the hare's eyes. It's a good job I picked them yesterday as there is heavy rain here in York...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jun 17, 2011, 2:16 pm
I want to take a break from drawing cats, I feel that I need to concentrate on different subjects for a while. I have more or less completed the images for this years Society of Feline Artists exhibition so I can spare the time away from the felines. I want to add to my portfolio of british wildlife...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jun 14, 2011, 2:10 pm
Almost finished, just a few tweaks needed.I have lost a little around the edges by adjusting to lose the background tone in photoshop, I'll post a corrected image tomorrow.
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jun 13, 2011, 5:42 am
Anyone who saw me at Patchings will recognise the cat. I am almost finished and I will post the finished drawing on here within the next couple of days, honestly. I had a good time at Patchings apart from the horrible weather on the last day. One of the best parts is the socialising, I had a laugh ...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jun 7, 2011, 7:53 am
Just in time for Patchings I have completed my second coloured pencil step-by-step. This time it's Lenny the tri colour Rough Collie dog. It is exactly the same format as the guide to drawing Poppy. The booklet consists of 16 A5 pages (approx 5.75 x 8.25 inches) printed on a heavy bright white prin...
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Gayle M. posted an article on Fur In The Paint - Jun 5, 2011, 2:29 pm
I saw a Roe Deer on my early morning walk. Much to the dogs dismay I hid behind the hedge until it came close enough for me to take some nice photographs. He will be making an appearance in a drawing very soon.
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