Ally Albon

IIs it possible for photography skills to get worse? Because I am fairly sure mine are getting worse. 😂
Final of Charlie, my old gal who is no longer with us. Not the greatest of paintings, but an important one in learning some new skills.
#greyhound #retiredracer #petportrait #learningoils

Finding a lot of pleasure in decompressing by scribbling away in my sketchbook with a biro. I find it interesting that when I am not thinking too hard about things, I tend to draw birds. And fish.
#inking #sketchbookart #heron #fishkeeping #stickleback #fuchsia #pendrawing #birdart #draweveryday

It has been a very, very busy few weeks between day job, prepping to move house (yay!) and general day to day, so I haven't had much time to paint recently - a perfect excuse to curl up on the sofa ink a goldfish....
#goldfish #fishkeeping #fishart #inking #lovefish #drawallthetime #alwayslearning

Using Gamsol to create a thinner underlayer and because so far, it has dried for me within 12 hours so I know I can at least keep working on a painting the next day 🤣
#joshwiddicombe #Paintpeople #britishcomedy #britishcomedians #paintingpeople #learningtopaint

While I wait for Tim Key to dry out, I have started on Josh Widdicombe! Going to try a looser approach to this one.
#joshwiddicombe #Paintpeople #britishcomedy #oilpaintishard #lovetolearn

Goldfish in graphite from my sketchbook.
#goldfish #fancygoldfish #fishkeeping #rosetail #sketching #draweveryday

I vow to only paint the most beautiful of faces. I love Tim Key so much. If you haven't watched it, look for "No More Jockeys" on Youtube, to find Tim Key, Alex Horne and Mark Watson playing the most insane game!
#timkey
#NoMoreJockeys
#britishcomedy
#learningtopaint

Next hyooman underway. Tim Key! I am enjoying painting the most beautiful of people.
#timkey #NoMoreJockeys #britishcomedy #learningtopaint

First colour painting of a person, and a beloved one at that!
I nearly quit on this one. The layer underneath was.... bad. Then I decided to try a looser style. And it worked. Really happy with how she turned out - onto the next one! #miranda #mirandahart #britishcomedy #learningtopaint

Still working on this teeny little cute dude, approaching this guy in a different style, using Gamsol to thin out rather than thick paint.
#owl #littleowl #falconry #birdsofprey #birdart #learningtopaint

Skin tones are fun! Miranda is watching you!
#mirandahart #paintingpeople #learningtopaint

A bit of colour on Miranda Hart! I like the look of the underlayers.
#miranda #mirandahart #britishcomedy #oilpaintishard

I recently remembered I have a sketchbook and started doodling again - not all art needs to be "finished". I also tried to be brave and use ink on a pencil sketch. It was a lot of fun just playing! Very much inspired by a favourite artist, Birdcvlt who made me want to try out inking.
#inking #crow

Second layer for this oil painting of Charlie, my old gal. Playing with thicker backgrounds, but of course I misjudged my medium again and it's sticky still!

#greyhound #blackdogs #retiredracer #learningoils

First doggo painting! Ted from "Gone Fishing" who has the bestest underbite!
It isn't a good painting, but it's a very valuable stage of learning. Mis-use of medium meant it took ages to dry & in fact hasn't fully dried on the bg yet!
Also my Roomba ran over it somehow & left a really cool pattern.

Zebra is finished! Still working out how to take good photos, I didn't want to scan this one as it is still slightly sticky!
#zebra #laughinghorse #wildlifeart

Ok, 2nd try at painting a person! Funnily enough, two people thought this was Nicholas Cage! Maybe they share similar features, or I'm just not very good yet ;) This is Miranda Hart, a favourite British comedian. This is taking a while as my skill in skin tones is....low!
#mirandahart #britishcomedy

First layer on a small painting of Charlie, my first greyhound who is no longer with us. She was so gorgeous! Using larger brushes again - big strokes for big shapes.

#greyhound #retiredracer #petportrait

Lookit that silly surprised face!

#greyhound #sighthound #adoptdontshop

Have another gross photo of a not-so-gross painting; this one is actually turning out not too bad so far!
I have already drawn this gal in graphite previously because of that massive bray. I think I have a thing for drawing/painting zebras yelling.
#zebra #learntopaintthings

Tiny birb. With antlers.
4x4 canvas - was fun!
#bluetit #britishbirds

This is a tiny canvas - 4x4! So I painted a blue tit. With antlers. This is the underlayer. I really liked working on a teeny canvas!
#bluetit #britishbirds #antlers

Finished version of Alex Horne!
So surprised that it not only looks like him, but that I rather enjoyed painting a person instead of an animal!
I was going to do a colour pass, but I really like how it looks, so greyscale he remains!
#learningtopaint #portraitsarehard #alexhorne #taskmaster

...big thinky brain Alex Horne 😂
Am actually rather enjoying the greyscale on warm background.
#oils #oilpainting #alexhorne

Thanks so much! :)

While I wait for Ted to dry, I hesitantly started on my first human in oils. Surprisingly, it is already reasonably recognizable! Comedian from one of my favourite tv shows.... it's little Alex Horne!!!
#learningtopaint #paintingpeople #alexhorne #taskmaster #britishtv

My first attempt at a pupper in oils, the most dapper and handsome of dogs: Ted!@ted_gonefishing
...I don't know if I will be able to finish this one due to misuse of linseed oil and he is taking ages to dry! If he refuses to behave, I will redo the painting asap.
#gonefishing #dogportrait

Hyena! Fascinating animals, one of my faves.
Is this a good painting? Nope! Am I happy with this painting? Yup! It was fun, I learned a lot and it's .0001% better than the last one I painted. Each one gets a little better & I gain a little more understanding - that's the fun part!
#hyena #oilpaints

Trying to be looser, using a bigger brush in order to not get sunk into detail too quickly. I like details, so this is a challenge!
#hyena #africananimals #wildlifeart #learningoilpainting

Goldfish are the bestest. The end.
#goldfish #wetpet #fancygoldfish #fishkeeping #coldwater #rosetail

All the paintings, always watching them dry....
#hyena #animalart #animalpainting #wildlifeart #oilpaints #learningoilpainting #fishart

I painted the outline of this hyena gal a while ago but got my ratios wrong and it took aaages to dry! Being a little looser with this piece. Still suck at taking photos of oils.
#hyena #hyenasarecool #africananimals #wilddog #animalart #animalpainting #wildlifeart #oilpaints #dailypainting

Terrible photo, as usual! Starting to go off into the weeds more, painting what I want to paint. This zebra is from a photo I have used before as a graphite piece, but I adore her happy braying so much, I knew I would inevitably try to paint in oils as well....

I would like to create fun still life paintings one day. As part of that i've been taking photos of things I like, in pretty light. I like pickled eggs. I have to make my own as they don't seem to exist in the USA!
Bonus of a PS error when I was fixing some values - I won't be trying to paint this!

Yep, I really do enjoy the process of creating an underlayer.
Cute Little Owl! Worried, or wondering where the snacks have been hidden?
#owl #littleowl #falconry #dailypainting

Second version of Bucket done! Learned a lot more, shall I paint version no 3? ;)
#goldfish #wetpet #fancygoldfish #fishkeeping #fishkeeper #lovefish #dailypaint

Thanks so much! That's very flattering, coming from yourself!

Nearly done! Just waiting for this layer to dry.... this is the "downside" of oils - having to wait between layers is the worst as it only encourages me to start at least two new paintings....
#goldfish #oilpainting #fishkeeper #fishart

Only half done with painting Bucket, but I really enjoyed how neon the colours were in the light - rave goldfish!
#goldfish #fancygoldfish #fishkeeper #dailypaint

I wasn't happy with my first attempt at painting Bucket, so here is version 2! I have done an underpainting this time, the first one was alla prima. I do really enjoy building up in layers, I am finding.
Goldfish are too cute.
#goldfish #fishkeeper #bestpet #learntopaint #dailyart

The final drawing of beautiful Mona. Colour pencil on drafting film. I especially loved drawing her ears and that gorgeous nose! Really enjoyed getting to use my pink pencils as well for her collar!
#dogportrait #animalartist #petart #drawallthedogs

All those colours! I love how beautiful dogs' fur is, so interesting and so varied. Adore her serious expression.
#dogartist #petportraitartist

Snoots are one of my favourite things to draw in colour pencil. Such strange shapes and intricate detail! First pass on getting core shapes in for Mona's adorable nose.
#petportrait #animalartist #dogart #dogartist

A Christmas commission in colour pencil of a much loved, beautiful doggo. Love drawing terrier breeds, they have such interesting colours in their fur. She had the most beautiful expression too, wise and calm.
#colourpencil #colorpencil #dogportrait #petportrait

One of my favourite animals, hyenas are so beautiful! Base drawing in oils - going to change to doing this in acrylic, as I forgot I would have to wait a day until I could paint over it!
#hyena #wildlifepainting

Finished, but not finished. Not the happiest with how it turned out in the end - liked the impasto, but something is not right.... so I will try again!
#fancygoldfish #fishkeeper

Impasto painting - sortof! Rather enjoying laying the paint on thicker. This is a self-primed board and I laid the base gesso on rather thickly so it's very textural - not sure I like that, I like a smooth base!
This is Bucket, one of my favourite goldfish, he is like a puppy!
#Goldfish #fishkeeper

Yes, I may have a problem with how many paintings I have sitting around to dry.... The 3 in the far background of Maisie, a goldfish & a pigeon on pink are acrylics. It says a lot that it took me over a week on each of them to get to a stage I felt they were "ok" but the oils flow so much easier!