Dancing Cranes by Jackie Garner

superbes ces effets de reliefs!! only two ? more more more!!

Very nice effects. I cant believe these are watercolours ! They are lovely and so different.

Thank you Alain and Louise, I'm glad you like them. I'll post some more soon Alain - but please be patient. So many paintings and so little time. Yes Louise, they really are watercolours - pan colours, various makes, Fabriano NOT surface watercolour paper.

Do you know, I thought that these must be painted in deep relief, with acrylic, texture paste, colour scrapers - and they're watercolour! This is just incredible work! Agree with Alain, more more more...... you need a very good eye to plan a painting like this and carry it to completion: one false move, and the illusion is destroyed. The surety of line is remarkable in itself .... Have you recreated actual paintings, or extrapolated from several .... it would be interesting to know, since if the former is the case, those originals would show that there is a direct line from the ancient world to the present day, and we ought to acknowledge it just as you celebrate it.

There certainly is a direct link between past and present, Robert. I'm illustrating research that investigates the wildlife species depicted in ancient Egyptian art. I spent six weeks in Egypt in 2008 investigating any wildlife images in museums, tombs and temples. Dancing Cranes is my accurate-as-possible watercolour copy of a real stone carving in the royal tomb at Amarna. I copied the design in to my sketchbook by torchlight! The painting was done in my studio from the sketch and reference photos when I returned to England. It's an ongoing project but hopefully the first stage will be complete next year when we publish a book of bird images. I've also been looking into the materials and art techniques that the ancient Egyptians used, and it's fascinating. You can see more of my Egyptian paintings on my website http://www.jackiegarner.co.uk

Wow, love it

Your chance to see the real thing: this has been accepted for the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London. The exhibition is on from 30th March -10th April 2011.