Painting a Goldfinch in egg tempera on a Triptych icon panel.

This is a handmade Triptych from Ukraine, it is traditionally prepared with a gesso surface and stretchers on the backs of each panel to prevent warping.
It is entirely painted in Egg tempera using yolk and pure pigments in a traditional painting method from medieval times.

2 new Hare medieval bestiary illuminated paintings

These two new paintings are available as prints and also as greeting cards in my Etsy shop.
The cornfield Hare features a Hare sitting infringement of my local landscape of the Southdowns, adorned with corncockles, cornflowers, poppies, corn marigolds and wild pansies.
Both take influences from medieval bestiaries and books of hours.

Phiddipus Regal Jumping Spider painting

This is Rosie, a Regal Jumping Spider, size 14mm and a pet, painted in Acrylics on a 10x8” gesso panel.

Roe skull watercolour painting

Watercolour painting of a Roe skull, 16x12”
For sale, £185 inc postage within U.K.

Dodo medieval painting.

New paintings, both 125mm images, gilded with 24ct gold.

Painting a dragon in homemade egg tempera.

This dragon is painted on Kelmscott vellum using handmade egg tempera paints.
This is painted in the manner and using the techniques and materials from the medieval era.
Using yolk from my own hens eggs I made the paint mixing it with pure pigments, ochre, malachite, vermillion, cobalt, ultramarine, lapis and others.
Finally details were gilded using 24ct gold.

Aquamanile watercolour.

This painting in watercolour features an accurate rendition of an aquamanile in the form of a griffin, the original had inlaid work, possibly of stone or horn set into metal.

Animal alphabets, Fox Terrier, Hare, Hedgehog, Toggenberg.

A selection of Animal alphabet paintings, 10” square in acrylics, cards featuring these designs are available on Etsy.

Now available a limited number of high quality prints, sold unframed, on Etsy in my shop ‘thejollychameleon’ featuring some of my latest original paintings, also available as greeting cards.
Check them out at https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheJollyChameleon

Illuminated letters for sale on Etsy.

An almost full alphabet of illuminated letters is available on Etsy to buy. Perfect as unique gifts.
Each painted in gouache and gilded with 24ct gold.
Please check out my Etsy shop ‘thejollychameleon’

Painting a Callipogon barbatus longhorn beetle in acrylics.

Painting a Callipogon barbatus, in acrylics.

16x12”

I favour painting on Fabriano artistico 600lb hot pressed watercolour paper.

First a glassine shilled is cut to protect the paper from marks and damage, the beetle is drawn out by hand and traced, flipping one side to the other to make it symmetrical, 

Then transferred onto the paper and drawn again using the faint guidelines, producing an accurate drawing ready to paint.

As a first layer I block in the various sections with the darkest colour I can see on the specimen, later I will gradually build up layer after layer of detail and texture, adding highlights, individual hairs, bristles, dimples and pimples that the specimen has. I use opaque acrylic but in later stages I enjoy using multiple washes of transparent glazes which create the illusion of iridescence and sheen.

Insect and beetle paintings.

Here are just a few of my insect paintings, they measure 16x12” and are paintings in acrylics.

Costs vary and I am happy to take commissions and paint any species required, even an individual specimen can be painted accurately, replicating each marking or pattern of that individual.

Prices range from £185 -£285. Can be sent worldwide. Payment by PayPal.

Painting a wild boar piglet in egg tempera, after Hans Hoffman.

This is a painting of a wild boar piglet I did recently, it was after Hans Hoffman, the original was painted in Germany in 1578 in watercolour and on paper 15x13”  I believe, my version is as close a copy as I could replicate, mine is painted on a 5x7” panel that I made using stretched kelmscott vellum.

                                         This is the original by Hans Hoffman,

This is my painting, 2018 in egg tempera on a 5x7” vellum panel

Egg tempera is the most beautiful medium to use,  renowned for its jewel like colours and luminosity, I make up a mix of pure egg yolk and water and I mix that on a large glass palette with the pure artist’s pigments, they are grown together to provide a creamy paint which for me is unsurpassed as a paint, although very time consuming this is my favourite paint to use,  As egg tempera is painted in dilute layers this allows the vellum or surface to add a translucent quality to the work,  I coloured down the vellum panel with some dry ochre just to give an aged look to the white vellum, and gradually added light to dark colours, I have about 10 shades of ochre, raw and burnt sienna, umbers, ivory black and titanium white. I used the white sparingly as it is an opaque colour and would of covered the vellum too much.

So this is the last stage of painting, gradually adding more texture and light washes although washes on vellum with egg tempera can be difficult as the vellum can rehydrate and wrinkle or the egg tempera can soften and be removed, I found that it was possible if the wash was applied then left to dry and then applied again. 

I enjoyed this project and found it fascinating and rewarding to observe Hans Hoffman’s original under such scrutiny, I painted this as a fun and educational project for myself. 

Contact details

Commissions taken, original paintings available to buy directly from Etsy or myself, PayPal taken,
Please also visit my shop on Etsy “TheJollyChameleon” selling my full range of Blank, Birthday, Thank you and Christmas cards.
Also original paintings, custom commissions for insect, reptile and amphibian paintings and a new line of delightful little “gifts in a bottle”
Please email tabithamcbainstudio@gmail.com

Blog to replace website

My website is now closed and information on new works and new card designs will be posted here, all new card designs will be available on my Etsy shop TheJollyChameleon.
In the next month another 8 designs of greeting cards,which include Thank you and Birthday cards, will be available to buy.
Commissions taken, originals available, please contact me directly on tabithamcbainstudio@gmail.com