Back in the day, before miniatures absolutely took over, I was inclined to paint or paint on all kinds of things.
As a 'general' crafts person I painted everything from blown goose and ducks eggs to wooden boxes, furniture and proper pictures.
But I did always love painting on a BIG scale!
I do think that any kind of creative work informs and enhances whatever comes next, even if it's just the confidence to try something completely new.
I came in from hacking back my very overgrown shrubs to sort through old photos and found some more really old ones.
As a youngster I'd loved painting scenery for school productions of 'The Pirates of Penzance' and such, so later, with a young family and big blank walls to decorate in old houses I was in my element.
Does anyone remember 'Noggin the Nog'? I painted scenes from the popular children's cartoon on the hall wall.....'Rupert the Bear'...was on a bedroom along with a very bizarre aeroplane scene on another....but my little sons loved it.
We lived in an old house with a staircase that had been turned round - someone left the old blocked doorway behind on one side. Yes that was odd!
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| .......that was clearly also my macrami phase... |
The Pied Piper of Hamelin was a favourite story and the door was a blank canvas. The little boy is now well into his 30s.....Whoops, where have the years gone?
The reflection from the paintwork made it difficult to photograph - but hopefully you get the picture and you can click to make them bigger.
Decades later I revisited the Pied Piper as a 1/12th scale miniature, and also added a few rats to the finished set piece.
The Pied Piper door was a great success and one day my brother-in-law turned up with his little daughter's bedroom door on the roof of his car. She loved the film '101 Dalmations'.............the door lived in the kitchen while I worked on it - not exactly convenient - but she loved it.
Thanks for looking
Robin
9 comments:
This post made me smile Robin!..........and wonder what you covered in your artwork when you were a child......lovely pics mate, clever you!!
Did you ever see the movie the Pied Piper of Hamiln? I think it starred Danny Kaye but I LOVED that movie! I think that your door canvases are a really clever idea and your niece must have been OVER THE MOON when she received her customized Dalmatian Door- Woweeeee! :D
Just loved your painting and the beautiful 1/12 scale figure! Bringing the whole door on the roof of his car, hilarious, can just picture it :). Turned out great!! Pam in Norway
I want to go baaaack, to my 5 year-old self but, magically (well, you did mention the Pied Piper), you still have to be a grown up, Robin, because you have to paint my bedroom door. Oh, and the walls too, please!
I want - no, make that NEED - an enchanted wood, please. Forget those silly little frilly fairies though - I want mice and squirrels that you can see are able to talk to me, owls and badgers too. Maybe a few puck-like elves, gnomes of both genders, trees with faces, a witch (but a GOOD one, with a kindly expression), beautiful birds, insects and spiders, the glimpse of a castle far away and mountains beyond the forest. But the trees are key. There have to be lots of them of different species as my love afair with trees predates my memory.
Do you know of a courier that transports doors and walls? Make a bit of space somewhere because you'll need it. My bedroom in 1959 was 17' by 20' .........
Take your time - I shall be 5 forever, so there's no hurry........
Robin, I LOVE your work. I so hope nobody vandalised those doors and slapped boring white gloss over the magic you created.
As always, your post has given me a treat. I so look forward to seeing everything you and Dave have created, from your beautiful garden to yoursmallest little person. I have always had a creative mind but, sadly, never eveloped the skills to translate it to artefacts. You do that for me. Thank you!
J xxx
WOW, Robin, your paintings on that door are absolutely fabulous, what a lovely and artistic way to decorate it!! And yes, time flies! The other door, for your niece, with the Dalmatians is gorgeous too.
So is your 1:12 scale miniature character, it's very well made! This whole blogpost makes me smile, it reminded me of my own younger years. I used to paint the 'back' parts of my father's (required for his work) white cotton shirts, after they were old and worn, of course ;O. It was in the early 60s, so clothing was not often 'old and worn', so you get the idea...... I repainted so often teh same piece of cloth......I barely could wait for the 'new' old shirts :D!! So I thank you for writing this blogpost and the nostalgia ;D!
Hugs, Ilona
how very clever, this is something I would do to my doors..I like it very much
hugs
Marisa
Well - thank you all! So glad you enjoyed my doors and the trip down memory lane.....you know you're never too old to paint a door ladies...
Jenni sounds inspired already and I'm sure could paint a super one herself!!
I can't say I ever painted a shirt - nice - I did have a mad spell of tie dying though - loads of fun.
Rx
Sadly, I was the only pupil ever in my high school to be told that it wasn't in my own best inerests to take GCE art.
Poor little Miss Fielding cried when she tried to think of a nice way to tell me what I already knew! I was so relieved not to have to make a foolof myself in potential practical exams.. She suggested I sat in on art lessons and carried on with embroidery there instead of the practical art, and I am so grateful to her for her perception as she later gave me a recommedation to the RSN at Hapton Court and I trained there.
The painting was no problem, though, so if you draw my door, I'll colour it in! I am great with pretty line drawings to colour, hee hee!
Oh my word! Trained at RSN......phew! I think you're more than capable of creating a work of art. No....stop the flattery.....I'm not painting your door. Lol
Rx
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