aldobalding

2012-01-25T02:56:00.001-08:00

5 day figure painting workshop 31 March - 7 th April

2012-01-25T02:43:00.000-08:00

I will be doing a 5 day figure painting workshop near carcassonne in the south of France . Accomodation will be in a beautiful country house in acres of land , with self catering accomodation. Lunch will be included .
There will be 3 days painting the figure outdoors and 2 days in my atelier .

The price will be roughly 200 euros per person in their own room , 100 euros extra for a partner .The course including model will be around 300 euros . The prices are for a weeks stay , Sat - Sat and 5 days painting .

Please contact me for further details aldobalding@yahoo.co.uk

INTERVIEW

2012-01-23T02:36:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to my recent interview at my Cape Town exhibition

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFakGh-JIZs

arrangement in blue 16 X 12

2012-01-11T07:50:00.000-08:00

Independant

2012-01-10T07:22:00.001-08:00

http://www.lindependant.fr/2011/10/23/aldo-balding-je-suis-obsede-par-la-peinture,76210.php

A link recently to an article for the Independant

Vernissage in Cape Town

2011-11-26T04:57:00.000-08:00

Wonderful place , great people ...

2011-11-02T02:12:00.000-07:00

My solo exhibition at Christopher Moller Art starts on the 18 th November in Cape Town .

Lipstick 16 x 12

2011-09-22T03:22:00.000-07:00

This painting will be exhibited at Thebarefootgallery.com

Sabine

2011-08-17T00:13:00.000-07:00

A portrait from life .

Avignon

2011-06-10T05:09:00.000-07:00

Place Louis Pasteur 18 x 22 inches

At whittington fine art - moments XVII 16 x 12 inches

2011-03-08T07:03:00.000-08:00

I have new work available at www.whittingtonfineart.com in the Spring show including this piece . Also new work at www.thebarefootgallery.com

Exposed

2011-02-24T06:04:00.000-08:00

This is a largish self portrait I have been working on recently , I hope it says something ...

Study for Moments 16 x 13 inches

2011-02-07T09:53:00.000-08:00

A study finished today for the 'Moments' series

La serveuse à café Florida

2010-11-30T06:02:00.000-08:00

I have done a few on this theme , not fed up yet!

Le Serveur à café Florida

2010-11-21T06:22:00.000-08:00

Sunlit palms - Gruissan

2010-11-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

Apple pickers

2010-10-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

A different theme than usual , stumbled upon completely by chance when visiting a friend of mine a " Viticulteur " as they say here .

Vernissage

2010-10-09T09:58:00.000-07:00

Exhibition online

2010-09-29T01:15:00.001-07:00

My show at catto is now online at http://catto.co.uk/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=5779&g2_page=1

Exhibition at Catto 30 th September

2010-09-11T04:19:00.000-07:00

Images online soon at www.catto.co.uk

Il Veneziano

2010-09-11T04:08:00.001-07:00

11 x 15 inches

Artists and Illustrators

2010-08-05T02:08:00.000-07:00

This is a detail of a step by step coming out in the next issue of Artists and Illustrators .

La Française

2010-07-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

A little retouching..

Viridian canopy 32 x 24

2010-06-11T02:01:00.000-07:00

Article in the Jewish chronicle

2010-04-09T00:24:00.000-07:00

http://www.thejc.com/news/people/30169/sarah-ezekiel-has-her-portrait-chosen-painters-exhibition

Painting the figure in oils 26 - 27 th March

2010-03-10T06:26:00.000-08:00

Here is a two day painting I painted from life . The same model will be here in
my studio for the workshop on the 27 th March.

This step by step demo will be featured in the forthcoming issue of Artists and Illustrators magazine .

Article in A & I magaziine

2010-02-12T08:10:00.000-08:00

Sorry , couldn't scan the image without missing the gutter .

I am doing a step by step feature soon...

WORKSHOP 26 - 27 th March

2010-01-20T12:53:00.000-08:00

Painting from a model , here in my studio in the South of France .
I will be covering design , composition , tonal values , colours , edges
and paint manipulation. Please e-mail for full details.

Physiognomy of decision

2010-01-05T04:02:00.000-08:00

Some of my work is autobiographical , well most artists' work is in essence , however
some reflect poigniant moments , decisions , interpretations ....

Rob

2009-11-19T12:20:00.000-08:00

As originally intended....

Pique-nique sur la seine 28 x 24

2009-11-08T08:12:00.000-08:00

J'aime beaucoup Paris en été .Il y a pleine de pique-niquers au bord de la seine.

Place du verdun , Castelnaudary le matin

2009-10-17T10:06:00.001-07:00

A cold morning in Place du verdun , with the low sun illuminating a beautiful façade ,
sadly- there are a lot of beautiful buildings here in a neglected state.

Forgotten summers 20 x 16

2009-10-09T05:46:00.000-07:00

Still wet ....

2009-09-23T06:21:00.001-07:00

Prints

2009-09-21T01:40:00.000-07:00

I have a series of prints being released right now by http://www.artgroup.com/ I have included a couple of images here .

Final version

2009-08-18T12:26:00.001-07:00

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun

2009-08-18T05:41:00.000-07:00

It started enthusiastically , then came the clouds !, so Pierre had to return the next day ! I had only just started when the sun disappeared again!
After a series of mad bursts of activity during every bright patch , the
shadows finally changed too much and I had barely finished the head.

Disappointingly , I had to finish the study with the aid of photographs.

I will post the finished painting soon .

Exaggerating colour to achieve luminosity

2009-08-02T06:42:00.000-07:00

I consider myself a tonalist painter , but have been exaggerating colour
in order to convey the effect of bright sunlight.

This painting was done completely from life and from my colour
sketch posted a few weeks back.It measures 28 x 20 inches.

A simple study

2009-07-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

Less is more , how simple can one take it ?
Something for me to mull over .

portrait of Edmund 30 x 28 "

2009-07-17T09:54:00.000-07:00

This is the latest stage of my commission of Edmund after tweaking with the background a
little more. I was concerned in finding interesting shapes in the composition so it worked as an abstract design.

back door study

2009-07-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

Recently , I have been painting directly from life a great deal.
I enjoy it far more than from photographs . It is much easier to
see subtle colours and tones with your own eyes.

I have completed this sketch , I say sketch , as it was completed in two
separate days about an hour each. The light changes so quickly so I had to do
it like that.

I have had this painting in mind for 2 years, it is our back door to the garden.

The painting is about 12 x 9 inches.

2.5 hour study from life.

2009-06-22T09:28:00.000-07:00

workshop

2009-06-21T14:41:00.000-07:00

Really enjoyed my workshop , great group of artists , exhausting on both sides .
Iennie the model having very white vest marks !

Gilda

2009-06-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

Back to Hog's hair,thicker paint, but with some mongoose for the thinner darker values. Looks more like my usual style !

Rebecca 16 x 12

2009-06-08T04:31:00.000-07:00

After seeing some great work from an excellent crop of contemporary American artists I tried a different approach.Using mongoose brushes, which are a little stiffer than sable,
I painted thinner than normal , simplifying the tonal values little more than usual,and using colour instead to model forms.Something I have never really done before.

It certainly has given me food for thought.

New Studio

2009-05-24T02:50:00.000-07:00

My Studio is at last almost finished! apart from the woodburner, sink , kitchen and some plumbing to be done .

Parisiens a la Montparnasse 1900

2009-05-03T06:23:00.000-07:00

Workshop 19-20 , 26-27 June

2009-04-20T06:13:00.000-07:00

The curious case of Benjamin ?

2009-04-03T03:34:00.000-07:00

Figure painting workshop 19-20th and 26-27th June

2009-03-02T15:01:00.000-08:00

Two 2 day workshops are scheduled at the artist's studio in the south of France.
Hotel accommodation will be provided on the banks of the canal du midi,5 mins walk
away.

The town of Castelnaudary is within easy reach of Toulouse and Carcassonne airports.

Please e-mail for full details.

View from a Paris window 24 x 20 "

2009-02-28T09:04:00.000-08:00

This painting will be featured with a small demo in Artists and Illustrators magazine
out on the 6th April.

recent work 20 x 16

2009-02-11T09:20:00.001-08:00

Demo 20 x 16

2009-01-31T10:11:00.000-08:00

I started this demo Thursday and finished it off yesterday . It was of a French model,
Félicie, that I used a while back.I started it to show Iain Vellacott, my approach to
painting.
It is good to see how much he has improved over the past year, in his
figurework especially.

Here is his link www.inoils.com

Expectancy 18 x 13

2009-01-22T12:22:00.000-08:00

Rebecca 24 x 16

2008-12-10T09:45:00.000-08:00

Megan and Jamie McGurk

2008-12-01T08:55:00.000-08:00

I have been currently working on a number of portraits recently.
A few weeks back I started sittings with Megan and Jamie,in their home in
the U.K. starting with studies in oil of both of them and then on to finish
them in my studio here,in France.One of the things that struck me about
them was their "closeness" and I really wanted to try and capture it ,
without being overly sweet.

Lilly 16 x 13 "

2008-11-05T09:48:00.001-08:00

Portrait commission Desmond and Eleanor

2008-10-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

Solo exhibition 17/ 10 to 1/11 at The Alexander Gallery, Bristol

2008-10-01T23:53:00.000-07:00

Solo exhibition at The Catto Gallery

2008-09-18T03:58:00.000-07:00

Promenade II

2008-08-29T09:12:00.001-07:00

Montparnasse 1900

2008-08-29T09:06:00.001-07:00

Solo Exhibition at The Catto gallery London September 16 th - 30 th

2008-08-05T08:01:00.000-07:00

Most of the exhibition can be seen online,if you are interested in any work or would like a brochure please contact Iain,Imogen or Lanra
http://catto.co.uk/ 0044 207 435 6660

Study

2008-07-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

A long way home 24 x 18 "

2008-07-11T05:50:00.000-07:00

The Courtyard of the Louvre 30 x 20 "

2008-07-04T01:31:00.000-07:00

Le roof Bar 22 x 18

2008-06-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

Le florida grand cafe,vendredi 1430 26 x 18

2008-06-07T02:47:00.000-07:00

Le Florida grand café, il pleut

2008-06-06T06:32:00.000-07:00

Café Florida Toulouse 30 x 24"

2008-05-29T07:50:00.001-07:00

Laying Tables

2008-05-22T04:33:00.000-07:00

That is better,I was losing the compositional shapes,I have added a couple under the billowing tablecloth.Making sure to keep it a similar tone to the background,so as to keep that negative shape that looks like a Picassoesque Dog's head!

"A painting is never finished only abandoned" I am leaving it loose, more loose than I
normally do.

Laying Tables 36 x 24"

2008-05-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

I have abandoned this as it is starting to lose it's freshness. May be I will do some more work on it at a later date ?

In Piazza San Marco 24 x 18 "

2008-05-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

A composition I have used before that I wanted to improve upon.It is based on studies
done in Venice.

1963 Zephyr

2008-05-08T07:40:00.000-07:00

Fergus

2008-04-30T02:18:00.000-07:00

Skinnydipping 30 x 20

2008-04-22T02:25:00.001-07:00

I have always loved Zorn's outdoor nudes and wanted to try that same subject matter.
This was done from a series of studies that I did last September.

Portrait commission of Hamish

2008-04-13T06:03:00.000-07:00

I flew to London to meet Fergus and Hamish,
the subjects for two charcoal portraits.
This one is just finished(I think !)continuing
from the 2 hour sitting,I have refined the likeness
and modelling,with a sable brush,putty eraser and vine
charcoal.

Coin of Vantage 32" x 24"

2008-04-11T02:39:00.000-07:00

Birthday

2008-04-07T04:24:00.001-07:00

Et in Arcadia Ego 20 x 30 "

2008-04-03T02:27:00.001-07:00

Revisiting Arcadia

2008-03-10T03:24:00.000-07:00

Incontro (meeting), a small study 16 x 13 "

2008-03-05T09:13:00.000-08:00

CastelnaudaryBalcony

2008-03-03T06:30:00.000-08:00

The painting measures 15 x 18" .The view is in Place du verdun,
just a two minute walk.It faces the sunset.I tried to capture the moment
when the light was quickly changing from yellow to orange.

La riva degli schiavoni

2008-02-17T04:18:00.001-08:00

http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.photo.gif

Richard III

2008-02-11T02:10:00.000-08:00

This portrait of Richard Smith was completed from
my 3-4 hours study and photo Reference.
I used very long brushes which allowed me to paint
from a distance of about 1m.It is something I used
a few years ago and it lends itself to a more painterly
approach.

Christiana-au-comptoir-des-vins

2008-01-25T02:35:00.001-08:00

The Return 46" x 28"

2008-01-15T00:10:00.000-08:00

Portrait of Richard Smith

2007-11-29T08:31:00.000-08:00

Odyssey VI 48" x 40"

2007-11-21T07:13:00.000-08:00

Odyssey VI is the latest piece of the "Odyssey series". The title means "journey"and is used also as a metaphor for relationships within these conversation pieces.

The scene is St.Marks square looking to the Riva degli Schiavoni , which means the dock of slaves. In fact each of the six pieces take place in Italy.

ODYSSEY V 29" x 24"

2007-10-31T09:30:00.001-07:00

Portrait of Jodie

2007-10-31T09:13:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to a small demo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLV2itAK3Bo

HSBC World Matchplay

2007-10-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

I have spent an interesting few days at Wentworth recording this years event. Sponsored by HSBC I was commissioned to capture events as they unfolded and
to produce 14 paintings in a relatively short time span, that will be presented to Wentworth Golf club.
Most were sketches of the golfers themselves including Ernie Els and Paul Casey, but also
Peter Alliss .The Portrait of Alliss himself was broadcast live from the BBC as I was painting it, It was completed within the 2 hour slot that I had been given so was a real challenge against the backdrop of Sam Torrance's continually arriving refreshments.

The larger version 48" x 36 "

2007-09-28T15:08:00.001-07:00

"To sleep a dream within it's bed"

2007-09-16T06:34:00.000-07:00

I am in the process of painting a larger version of the attached image . I painted a smaller study from life ,the location is a small town called Durfort at the foot of the Montagne noir.A beautiful tranquil spot filled with the sound of a passing stream.There is a tap here where people fill up their bottles of spring water.

Portrait sketch demo

2007-09-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

This a portrait demo that I did recently for my agent and appears on www.commissionaportrait.com under the info link .It is my daughter Gemma and was done in oils on paper sized with lead white.

First I sketched in with a filbert using Trans.Oxide Red and Viridian, slightly diluted in essence of Turpentine.Then putting in the darkest areas with Trans. Oxide Red and Ivory black. The mid tones were put in using varying mixes from the following colours , Alizarin Crimson, Cad.Red Light,Cobalt Blue,Yellow Ochre,Viridian and Titanium White.I normally find the areas around the mouth and temples more green due to the underlying veins.

Apart from the first stages and on some of the background no medium was used.

The highlight on the cheek took a couple of attempts and had to be
scraped off.

These are typical of the
studies I do for a portrait commission.

Demo in oils

2007-08-19T07:07:00.000-07:00

I came across this girl by chance outside the medievel city of Carcassonne. I have posted a demo with more details on www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=438447

Félicie devant le feu

2007-08-12T02:27:00.000-07:00

This a new version of a painting I did in February, the original is on my website under "recent paintings . " I wasn't happy with the composition and thought I could do better. The original
was started from life, a four hour pose, then finished from photographs. I had the head and shoulders in at that stage.

If I keep doing it I might get it right!

Portrait commission

2007-07-19T08:52:00.000-07:00

At last I have recently completed the Portrait of Leyla who, wasn't at all keen on having it done.She said she has a negative self image and I tried my upmost to gain her confidence.I have painted her husband Trevor, four children and dog so far.
The result is posted here and although she has yet to see the original she is pleased with the image that I e-mailed to her.