First commission sold - Jazza the Horse

My first paid commission finished. The horse's name is Jazza and is 28 years old and was being given as a present. There were a few things I would have liked to improve, but it was quite hard to do, so I just tried my best to work with it. The person I was doing it for seemed quite pleased with it and that was really nice for me to know that she liked it. The tree also has significance. I found the time restraint quite hard and spent my entire first week of my holidays doing this and the second week doing homework. It was a fun holidays.

2012, aged sixteen. Different grades of pencil on acid-free paper

When I finished it I wasn't sure whether I should guillotine some of the paper off the side. I didn't end up doing it, but I wanted to. I was worried I was losing track of the true contrasts in the horse's hair as I was getting so caught up in the detail. I sold this for $50.

The most detailed drawing I've done so far - Newfoundland Dog

2012, aged sixteen. One HB pencil on paper.

I drew this dog over a long period of time. I took it up to the snow and I finished it with all the spare time. I drew it directly off a picture from my computer which allowed me to zoom in and get very precise detail. This drawing is unusual for me because usually I get bored or tired of doing the detail because it takes so long.

My first painting from art class - The Penguins

'The Penguins' was taken from some penguins in an educational children's book. I lost that such book after drawing up the penguins in pencil and so had to guess the rest of the colours. It was my first proper painting and the first big final I did in my new art class.

2012, age sixteen. Acryllic paint on canvas.

There is actually a stuff up in there where I didn't completely cover up a penguin I decided was ruining the picture. Nobody seems to notice though, so I don't mind that much. This particular picture is slightly incorrect as to the colours of the actual painting, the black is much more purpley in the real one. 

Thanks again to my art teacher, Bob Hickman and my "classmates". This painting was entered into a show, but didn't win anything. Some photographs won.

My rendition of one of Leonid Afremov's paintings

I really like and am drawn to Afremov's use of colour, large brush strokes, three dimensionality and reflection and decided to give it a go myself.

Started and finished in 2012, age sixteen.

Thanks to my art teacher, Bob Hickman and my "classmates", this painting now proudly lives above the fireplace and has such inspired more commissions from visitors coming over. This was also my first encounter with painting reflection. There are a few things I would touch up, but it's got the name on it and thus shan't be touched with a paintbrush every again. Despite the parts I would touch up, I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out.