Would you know what to do if a mermaid turned up in your bath?

'A Mermaid in the Bath' (previous title 'A Fishy Tale'), the humorous philosophical-spiritual novel by Milton Marmalade, will be available on e-readers and in print soon. To read it now completely free go to: http://www.wattpad.com/story/7410604-a-mermaid-in-the-bath-or-how-to-achieve-your

Here is my work on the cover. This version is not used on Wattpad because of Canadian sensibilities regarding nipples, where I have had to superimpose a scallop shell bra, which is totally against the principles of mermaids and of fairyland in general. 

First the pencil sketch, contrast-enhanced and with text added in photoshop:

I traced the design onto tracing paper and copied it in reverse onto a sheet of lino (see previous blog entries on lino printing for method). Since my printing press is in storage I had to use the back-of-a-spoon method for printing.

Exhibition "Views of Richmond" 7 February - end May 2015

Gate on the River Thames as seen from Buccleugh Gardens, Richmond-upon-Thames. Oil on canvas 12 x 10 inches (350 x 252mm) unframed size.


This painting has been accepted for the Richmond Views open exhibition which will run from 7 February through until the end of May 2015 at Orleans House Gallery, Twickenham.

Commissioned lino print as a wedding gift

The image size is 8x8 inches (200x200mm approximately). 

The brief was to design and make a lino print for the client to give as a wedding gift. The image was to have associations with Thailand - the honeymoon destination - and to incorporate the couple's names and the date of the wedding.

Altogether three prints were pulled: one for the couple and one each for the two sets of parents.

The image includes two fish meeting over a lotus flower - this is a Buddhist symbol.

According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtamangala#Fish) the two goldfish represent fearless suspension in the ocean of things that happen (samsara). You can see that I have put in some ripples, which the client liked in my mermaid pictures. The fins make a heart shape. The male's tail fin rises protectively above the female's.

The lotus is a beautiful flower that rises up through the mud (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtamangala#Lotus). 

The knots symbolise love and eternity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtamangala#Knot).