A surreal, stylised illustration of York's most famous and oldest street, The Shambles. A variety of techniques including HDR and digital manipulation are used to create a fairytale, medieval feel with impossible colour.
A hooded, besandled figure carrying a lantern could be expected to appear from around any corner at any time. The history of The Shambles is as rich as the history of the City of York, one of my favourite places.
The venue '44 The Shambles' itself no longer exists but The Shambles will remain for as long as York stands. The city's famous Ghost Walks make appropriate use of the intense atmosphere found here.
Many people think The Shambles was used for the location filming of 'Diagon Alley' in the
I find the daytime tourists overwhelming and that The Shambles is best experienced after hours, when the history and atmosphere become thick and tangible.
USD $1285.00
(Images here are for illustration purposes)
This is an original, unique master image. Only 1 copy has been made and this is guaranteed to be the only copy in existence, it will not be available in any other format. You will be the only owner of this artwork.
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Realistic coloured pencil sketch of a simple wooden bridge over a serene narrow waterway, within landscaped English Stately Home gardens on a warm summer's day. Gentle greens and blues are very English, like china teacups. The scene has oriental overtones.
The image is based upon all Stately Home landscape gardens so has no no direct 'real' equivalent. I've spent many hours wandering around places such as Castle Howard, and they all have elements which I remember. The trees are from Burton Constable; the bridge itself is like one at Headlam Hall. The hedge - Castle Howard and so on.
Eventually if you see enough of them, they seem to merge and it's hard to distinguish the memory of one from the other. Your recollection becomes sketchy.
USD $525.00
(Images here are for illustration purposes)
Unusually detailed watercolour style image of an arched chapel entrance with the door ajar, allowing sunlight beams to enter. A restricted and muted green brown pallette adds a natural warmth. The feet of a stone figure lie on the ground just out of reach. The open door exits from earthly stone religion to a brighter world outside.
Watercolour never seems to carry enough detail for my taste, so I created as much texture and detail as possible. I also wanted to create a distraction - just when you think the door is open and route is obvious, something catches your eye; the stone to the right.
The image is based upon a real chapel in the North of England, which is no longer consecrated and has fallen into ruin in the grounds of a privately owned Manor House. However, the ancient relics remain.
Who is John? One answer would be the stone figure, once adorning his own tomb, now scattered casually on the floor. Another answer would be John Dashwood. Both ancestors, both relics. Both just out of reach.
USD $1285.00
(Images here are for illustration purposes)
Faux classical style architecture with strong columns holding up the roof to an unseen building, a dark, brooding stormy sky above. A powerful diagonal separates the world of the gods from the mortals below. The simple colour palette adds to the structure.
This style of architecture has been much emulated in large grand public buildings and private homes. This particular roof happens to be at Hardwick Hall. As I looked up, I couldn't help but think that the only thing preventing the oncoming storm from the gods from dropping down, was the strength of the man-made columns holding it up.
A number of high dynamic range shots were taken of a particularly menacing sky which seemed to herald the arrival of Thor himself. These then were composited with separately treated images of the architecture, bent and corrected to form a straight line. Gods don't build in straight lines but men do. It's an impossible picture which can only exist with considerable manipulation.
USD $525.00
(Images here are for illustration purposes)
A light, relaxed watercolour of Dunstanburgh Castle from across England's Northumbrian Shoreline, pale yellow orange glowing sky with light seas and seaweed.
I always feel excited when I can explore. Seeing a ruin in the distance - I have to investigate. It's a child-like feeling of adventure and discovery, even when the ruin is well known, it still feels like I'm discovering it for the first time. This part of the English coastline has several similar castles but the feeling is still there even when I spot a tumble-down cow shed in a field. I have to investigate.
This particular castle is my childish sense of adventure, it's the moment of 'Oh what's that in the distance? How do I get to it? The tide has come in and the beach route is cut off'. I gave the image itself simple, child-like easy colours, almost like a children's adventure book, and big simple swashes of watery colour.
USD $525.00
(Images here are for illustration purposes)