FionaClarkeART.co.nz | paintings with YouTube videos

Hummingbird Splash

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 21:58:44 +0000

This little Hummingbird is done in bright rainbow colours to match it's energetic and ambitious personality.

Ladybug

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 05:16:34 +0000

A bright red Ladybug or Ladybird depending on where you are from. One could spend hours watching these little creatures going about their day, they are truly fascinating. "Appreciate the little things, there are so many".

Snail Splash

Sun, 05 Dec 2021 20:49:20 +0000

Slow and steady wins the race. What this snail lacks in speed, it makes up for in personality. This quote was part of my inspiration for this piece. "Keep going. Progress is progress no matter how slowly you are making it".

Kingfisher and Butterflies

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 02:08:08 +0000

A vibrant kingfisher in splashes of colour with some pink butterflies.

Gold Tui

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 06:08:30 +0000

This Tui and Pohutukawa original is created using watercolour and inks, the circle is gold acrylic to give the image a little bit of sparkle.

Rainbow Monstera

Sat, 02 Oct 2021 05:55:55 +0000

Monstera leaves are already so beautiful but with an extra splash of colour they really pop.

Sketchy Heron

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 22:16:46 +0000

An elegant NZ Heron wondering the waters edge. This piece is another addition to my ongoing 'sketchy series'.

Geometric Hummingbird

Thu, 05 Jul 2018 22:22:51 +0000

A contrast of colour against the black makes this little hummingbird pop. This is part of my geometric series and includes many shapes and patterns, careful illustrated with a fine ink pen.

Manta Ray

Sun, 24 Jun 2018 07:49:45 +0000

This was a one off Manta Ray that I did using my geometric style with most ink and some watercolour. The style is very involved but I love every minute of it!

Ornate Tui Bird

Thu, 14 Jun 2018 22:20:49 +0000

I love steampunk and really enjoy adding elements of it to my paintings. It's super intricate and goes so nicely with the vibrant colours of our native Tui Bird. This piece was done using mixed media including, coloured pencil, ink, acrylic ink, acrylic, watercolour,gouache, pencil and paint pens.

All You Need is Love

Mon, 23 Apr 2018 07:46:36 +0000

This piece is about the little moments, it's about literally taking the time to stop and smell the roses and realising the incredible world around us. "Merely looking at the world around us is immensely different from seeing it" Fredrick Franck.

I am Groot

Sun, 24 Sep 2017 05:11:36 +0000

We all love Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy! This piece is done in watercolour, ink and acrylic.

Mermaid Princess

Sat, 12 Aug 2017 07:56:36 +0000

I have been asked to do a mermaid many times so I thought I would give it a go. Although the process was challenging, I really enjoyed working through it. I wanted her to have a magical charm which I incorporated throughout various elements of the painting. This piece is mixed medium, there was not rhyme or rhythm to my methods, I just went with the flow.

Curious Tui

Sat, 11 Mar 2017 06:50:20 +0000

A Steampunk version of our lovely Tui bird. Each moment of this painting tells a story, a little window into his soul. Its always so much fun working with steampunk characterization and seeing how far you can push the boundaries.

African Giant

Fri, 03 Feb 2017 05:47:23 +0000

This is the first of a new 'Safari' series that I am doing. These animals have so much depth and their eyes tell so many stories. The colours on this piece are a bit more rustic and reflect the dry and dusty environments they live in.

Bloom

Sun, 25 Sep 2016 07:23:55 +0000

An abstract piece of a woman in deep thought. This piece was inspired by the first day of spring and the blooming of all the beautiful flowers. This piece is about emotion, life and the intertwining connections we have. "People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong. Why not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom?" Nhat Hanh

Keen Kingfishers

Tue, 20 Sep 2016 04:40:57 +0000

These birds are so beautiful, intelligent and thoughtful with their moments. I can spend hours looking at their amazing big eyes and vibrant iridescent colouring. This piece encapsulates two of these amazing birds in a shared moment. I hope you like it!

Golden Tailed Sapphire

Sun, 18 Sep 2016 06:04:04 +0000

A soft watercolour in bright colours to represent these beautiful feisty little birds. I thought it was only appropriate that this little guy was partnered with some pretty flowers. "Gentle day's flower - The hummingbird competes With the stillness of the air." - Chogyam Trungpa Feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Wax-eyes

Sun, 28 Aug 2016 19:15:36 +0000

These adorable little birds also know as Silvereyes. They are so beautiful with their iridescent colours which i have tried to capture in this piece. This work is made up of many layers of watercolour to create a textured effect. "Become like a bird, expand your wings, learn new things and fly high as you can"

Lost Intention

Sat, 27 Aug 2016 07:15:51 +0000

An experimental piece to explore the depths of emotion with the eyes being the window to the soul. The painting is about freedom, hope and ambition. "We see that every external motion, act, gesture, whether voluntary or mechanical, organic or mental, is produced and preceded by internal feeling or emotion, will or volition, and thought or mind." Helena Blavatsky

Tranquil Peacock

Tue, 16 Aug 2016 08:19:28 +0000

This light and abstract exploration focuses on the peacocks shear elegance. The painting brings together all of the colours and moments that make this bird so iconic. I find it so fitting that the peacock is know in many myths to be a symbol of renewal. They have a tranquil essence and an undeniable ability to captivate.

Oh Bunny

Sat, 13 Aug 2016 22:56:15 +0000

A playful painting named by my darling daughter. This idea came about after chatting to my kids about my childhood farming life. Lots of things resurfaced after the questions started rolling in. This piece encapsulates various ideologies that children have of their pets and the world around them.

Dark Raven

Sun, 07 Aug 2016 03:13:24 +0000

A dramatic artwork of a characterized Raven taking a midnight outing. There is a proposed theory that suggests that the 'raven' has an obtained mythic status because it was a mediator between life and death. I have always found these bird fascinating and wanted to bring some of the myths to life (so to speak). Although they often have a 'dark' preconception I really do find them beautiful and intriguing birds. I would love to hear your feedback in the comments below, thank you!

Galaxy of Worlds

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 04:44:42 +0000

I had this idea after seeing a beautiful photograph of space and all the constellations. This piece is about inner strength and beauty and how some things are just out of our control! The art incorporates elements of ocean and space in an attempt to demonstrate the 'bigger picture'. There is also a little nod to NZ with the southern cross stars on her face. The colours in the hair are made up of watercolour and acrylic followed by several layers of ink.

Steampunk Boxer

Sun, 17 Jul 2016 08:23:42 +0000

This was a custom piece of a stunning Boxer dog. The art work is done in several layers and has a steampunk theme. Each element of the art is placed and positioned to create a story about how this may have come about. The background is an intricate weave of cogs and mechanical workings with some zentangle surfacing in areas. I thoroughly enjoyed working on this piece.

Wolf

Wed, 06 Jul 2016 19:31:40 +0000

This was a requested piece done in watercolour, fluid acrylic and various inks. I would describe this style as a controlled abstract, I have used bright colours for the highlights of the fur and deep black acrylic and ink for the shadowed areas. The animals have the most spectacular eyes that are often blue so I have really tried to capture them.

Kingfisher Design

Sat, 21 May 2016 04:23:36 +0000

A bold New Zealand Kingfisher done in watercolour, ink and acrylic. This piece has been created for the 'The Amazing Turakina Art Expo' held on the the 18th of June 2016. The artwork is exaggerates the beautiful colours of this bird and incorporates it into a design of zentangle patterns.

Clock Tui

Sun, 01 May 2016 05:16:05 +0000

This Tui is part of an ongoing series of birds with character. This one in particular is placed before a clock that is layered with mechanical parts. I wanted the inner background to have a sense of movement and to be a bold contrast to the outer area of the clock. I have tried to use more shadowing in this painting to portray depth. His character is the time keeper.

Falcon

Tue, 15 Mar 2016 06:52:14 +0000

An abstract piece using geometric shapes and patterns to bring it all together. The foreground is many layers of watercolour and a little acrylic for depth while the background is many hours worth of Koru and zentangle patterns. Feel free to watch the video if you would like to see how it was done.

Mr Tui

Tue, 08 Mar 2016 06:34:25 +0000

This has been done to display at the Show. The style incorporates our beautiful native bird, the Tui and a navigation background with a steampunk feel to it. The whole idea of the painting is to explore time, space and futuristic thinking. My hope is that the art invokes thought and curiosity about the inner workings of this bird and the world around him. The background is done in a sepia tone colouring while the foreground is bold and colourful.

Steampunk Fantail

Thu, 18 Feb 2016 07:12:53 +0000

The idea of this one came after doing my 'Nimble Tui' painting. I wanted this cute and charming little bird to have more of a rustic side. In the background I have done a weave of cogs, gears, koru and other intertwining patterns.

Kiwi Bird Illustration

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 00:33:24 +0000

An abstract illustration of intertwining designs and patterns to reveal a Kiwi bird. This piece took quite a while to complete and I did not go into with an specific pattern structure, I enjoyed the process of discovery in seeing it unravel and spread across the page to form this competed work.

Tranquil Zebra

Mon, 08 Feb 2016 07:12:18 +0000

It was enjoyable to work with some slightly more subtle and 'tranquil' colours while doing this painting. The dominant blues and greens were a requested feature of the art work and allow it to more closely resemble colouring that you would expect to see in a zebras natural habitat.

Nimble Tui

Sat, 06 Feb 2016 07:28:40 +0000

This is a combination of careful zentangle line work, watercolour and ink. I have tried to make the background nice and light although very detailed so that the bold Tui stands out in all its glory. I wanted this Tui artwork to represent elements of Kiwi life and all the simple yet beautiful things we take for granted.

Tuatara

Wed, 03 Feb 2016 00:56:52 +0000

Tuatara's are one of New Zealand's beautiful reptiles and are distinctly known for the peaks on their backs. I have tired to make this painting fun as well as details as it has many little scales and creases along its body.

Sprightly Zebra

Thu, 28 Jan 2016 02:38:36 +0000

I was looking through some old Africa photos from my trip back a few years ago and my love for these beautiful creatures has been invigorated. I have tried to use colours which often appear in African sunsets. I have also used an array of shading methods from deep watercolour to ink hatching.

Kokako

Wed, 16 Sep 2015 08:33:21 +0000

Kokako is one of New Zealands endangered birds, its slender body and deep eye colouring always intrigues me. I have made my illustration quite abstract and the colouring is only partly true to the bird. It is meant to be a fun and lighthearted piece.

Dave the Minion

Sat, 08 Aug 2015 05:06:53 +0000

My kids asked me to do this one, they are so cute and have so much expression in their eyes. I spent a fair amount of time on the shading to make this little guy pop off the page. I finished it off using a small amount of white ink and then for the first time I tried a black Tombow pen which by the way are amazing!!

Decorative Tui

Fri, 20 Mar 2015 05:40:04 +0000

At the moment I have been trialing different styles and techniques, the Tui bird seems to been a common subject matter. It truely is a beautiful bird and the combination of blues, greens and yellows are one of my favourite combinations. This painting is a bit more decorative and unsual, it has quite a loose style.

Tui Illustration

Wed, 11 Mar 2015 20:43:15 +0000

This is an exploration of ink and colour with our wonderful Tui bird.

Inked NZ Kingfisher

Sun, 31 Aug 2014 19:46:00 +0000

This was part of a series that was commissioned. Each of the New Zealand birds in this set is done in an inked 'tattoo' style. Various outline thickness has been used to create depth. I have done a few kingfishers in the past but it was nice to do one that was specifically Kiwi, the turquoise tones have a subtle elegance. All the backgrounds are similar with a blue blur and a few hashes.