Sharon Golding Designs

 I know what you’re thinking!  Shari has disappeared off the face of the Ethernet, having deserted her creative and artistic endeavours.  But no, you are wrong.  I have so much to show you it’s hard to know where to begin!   Firstly, I enrolled in a full time Art and Design course at college and have been so busy and productive, I have had no time to devote to my blog. However, I have lots to tell you about. This course is the best thing I have ever done.  I am loving every day and every workshop I’ve attended. The course covers drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, photography and art history.  Varied, interesting and exciting.  The first year is a series of workshops teaching us various techniques and building our skills.  The second year is working on our own major projects and specialising in our chosen area. . Two large A1 drawings in charcoal, first of a skull and the second a close up of the eye socket...

I love drawing and sadly neglected my practice over the last few years.  I’m now trying to get into the swing of using my sketchbook for daily drawing practice.  I want to improve my drawing all round but am going to begin with portraits and figures.  Specifically I am starting with facial features. Now practising drawing eyes.  Using either graphite or pen.  I know, keep practising!  I’m quite pleased with my progress so far, but I’m a very impatient person and need to see results quickly.  I must learn to slow down and draw mindfully. I invested in the Bargue book to help me with my practice, as so many of my artist friends have recommended it.  The book is a series of plates designed to teach students how to draw and was originally used in the 17th century ateliers.  Now I’m not sure how exactly this is taught, but I figured if I worked my way through the plates then surely my drawing couldn’t help but improve.  Anyway, practice makes...

I have been experimenting with the use of fabric hardener and have found it somewhat addictive. First I tried making a bowl.  Basically, you use an upturned plastic bowl as a former.   Cover the bowl with clingfilm to ensure nothing sticks to the bowl itself.   Use a plastic tray and pour a small amount of fabric hardener into it. Take your fabric and immerse in the fabric hardener. Gently rub the hardener into the fabric ensuring it is completely covered without being dripping wet. Place over the upturned bowl.  Make sure the bottom of the bowl is as smooth as possible to give stability and so that it won’t wobble when it’s done. The sides at this stage need to be as smooth as possible just so that the inside of the bowl will be fairly smooth.  Don’t worry over it too much. Take another square of fabric and coat it thoroughly in fabric hardener as before. Cover the first piece but this time allow the fabric to fall into natural folds (but remember to keep the b...

Sketching houses Marker pens in sketchbook Some of my previous sketches of houses:- Pen and wash Watercolour and ink Watercolour and ink I think keeping a sketchbook is about learning … new styles, techniques, subjects… it’s a place to play and it’s what I really love to do. Recently, I have discovered I particularly enjoy sketching houses.  But not just any houses.  These have to be quirky, colourful and fun!  I am embracing my need for wonkiness in my life.  I hate straight lines that give a lifeless feel to a sketch. I love quirkiness and wonkiness as it gives character and life to a sketch.  Don’t you agree? Best wishes Shari 💕

 Hello everyone! When I’m stuck or in need of motivation I always look for a challenge.  It gets me off my butt and making.  It’s great fun too. So with this in mind I signed up to take part in the Find Your Joy challenge this year. So far I’ve only done assignment 1, but my goodness, it’s such fun! Take a large piece of paper.  Using masking tape divide it up into either 4 or 6 sections.  Then using just 3 colours plus black and white, play, make marks, mix colours, have fun.  Paint over the tape disregarding it.  The only limit is to keep within 30 minutes. When finished, peel off the masking tape and magic happens! I enjoyed it so much it became almost addictive and I now have lots of little paintings to use in my journal or as collage or book covers, whatever. I decided to use yellow ochre, ultramarine blue and magenta as my 3 colours plus mars black and titanium white. First try:- Old masking tape gripped paper so hard and ripped it when removed! ...

 I’m revisiting painting landscapes in acrylics and here is the start of my process. 1. Rough sketch 2. Block-in  3. Refine 4. Detail. 5. One thing!  (What’s the one thing I can do to improve this painting?) My set up with acrylic paints - limited palette Rough sketch Sorry forgot to photograph the block in stage! Refine the painting Still got the detail to do, but I’m pleased with how it’s going. Have a great day! Best wishes Shari 💕

Artistically, I am blocked, my mojo has deserted me and I can’t seem to bring myself to do any of my hobbies.  Recent events have contributed to this, but I really want to get out of this funk. I decided to try small steps, no major works… just playing. After the doll obsession (which seems to be ongoing!), I feel the need to get back to my art.  Drawing, watercolour, pen & wash.  These are where I started and where I want to go now… to soothe my soul. Quirky house in moleskine sketchbook  These are just for fun, nothing serious, nothing finished, just quick sketches.  It feels so soothing.  I’m getting some practice without letting myself get caught up in detail or stressing over how it should look.   Contour drawing  I took part in some online workshops in Sketchbook Revival and it helped enormously.  Now it’s finished it’s hard to get the same enthusiasm back.  But I’m determined to try. If you have any tips on how to smash throug...

 Never quite sure if this is upcycling or recycling, but I have taken a child’s styling head toy and repurposed it as a Nature Goddess. First I took one old styling head that had seen better days - her hair was matted and frizzed.   After hair and makeup removal, I set about painting her green using acrylic paints.  I then decorated her with artificial flowers that I had left over from another project. Now I will paint the hessian fabric and her eyes (which will be closed as in meditation).  I’m toying with the idea of adding a little butterfly to her shoulder to finish her.  What do you think? Another item saved from landfill 😊 Best wishes Shari x

 Hi everyone It’s hard to stay focussed when you feel so alone. This month has been extremely difficult for me as my husband has been in hospital for an operation and then recently there were complications so he was taken back in.  Obviously, the worry of it all has been extremely stressful and as a result, my mental health has plummeted.  My husband is my rock and without him being his usual strong self, my world is very bleak. In order to keep my sanity I turn to painting or creative work of some description.  It doesn’t really matter as long as I am creating something.  It’s very soothing for the soul. This has been difficult due to all the trips to hospital and the more mundane matters of keeping house.  My family are a constant source of support and give me strength, but I also need my creativity to keep sane.  I have always been that way.   I’m normally a very private person and don’t often share my problems, always putting on a brave face. ...

  “Twilight Wolf” 16” x 12” acrylic on canvas board This was painted about 3 weeks ago as I have had a lot going on in my life recently and have not been able to paint, but I want to share something with you.   The fears we fail to face become our limits.  I am wolf, quietly I will endure, silently I will suffer, patiently I will wait, for I am a warrior and I will survive. Back to painting what I love, animals.  Enjoyed painting this wolf, although he looks more like a friendly dog.  That’s ok, I loved doing it and for me it’s the process that is of most value.  How painting makes me feel. When I’m painting I get so absorbed everything else is forgotten, all my troubles melt away and it’s just me and the paint.  It boosts my mood and helps me get things in perspective.  It’s why I would love to teach others the remarkable benefits of painting.  It’s more than the end result.  It’s a calming process that gives a feeling of serenity, whic...

 Acrylic painting on canvas board, Straw bales. This reminds me so much of home, our old house, where we were surrounded by fields and after the harvest the straw bales in the fields.  It was such a lovely peaceful place and we had a clear view over the fields to watch the beautiful sunsets. Anyway, back to the painting.  With this one again, I did the simplistic drawing, then blocked in, followed by the refining and detail. “Hay Bales“ acrylic on canvas board 16” x 12” Not quite finished yet as I need to lighten the background bales a tad and strengthen the foreground shrubbery on the right. Feeling quite happy with this one. Hope I have inspired you to have a go at painting.  Remember, three colours, three brushes and three steps.  It’s so easy.  The colours I used are Ultramarine blue, Alizarin crimson and Yellow ochre, plus Titanium white.  You can mix all the colours you need from these and create a very harmonic painting.  Look out for my pa...

 Hello All! Back to painting again.  Acrylics on canvas board - a view of the town clock against a very dramatic sky.  Started with a simple drawing followed by block in of main shapes.  Then in to refine and add detail. Not quite finished, but I’m getting there. Have a great week, see you soon! Best wishes Shari 👍

 Sorry for my recent absence from the blog, I have been incredibly busy with my painting and other creative works that I will post on the blog shortly.  But first, I just wanted to talk about painting fantasy paintings.  This is really outside my comfort zone but always eager to get to grips with a challenge, I decided to have a go with some moon paintings. Firstly, “Harvest Moon” painted in acrylics on canvas. “Harvest Moon” acrylics on canvas I began by a simple drawing of the pathway, tree area and moon on black canvas. Using a limited palette, I set about blocking in the main shapes - And then I began to refine: Adding in more detail: I hope you enjoy the pictures of my process.  The second fantasy painting was “Lovers’ Moon” again painted in acrylics.  I’m really starting to enjoy using acrylics, even though I normally  use oils.  Not sure this one was as successful as Harvest Moon, but I enjoyed painting it.  The only thing with this one was...