I’d like to introduce you to Blue! A tiny dragon wreaking havoc in my studio and the result of my first creative cross-over into miniature 3D painting and part of a project I’ve been working on recently.
Having painted miniature 2D for the last 22 years, it has been so much fun crossing over into the 3D miniature world a wee bit and learning about the fine art of 3D painting. Mainly, I’ve learned that it’s much harder to do than it looks! But very much worth the effort and hope I’ll never be too old to learn something new. 😊
I’m so pleased to share this article I’ve written for Tangible Day, a fantastic blog site for miniature painters and hobbyists alike! I’m super grateful for the opportunity to do this so please check out the site as it has so much info available for those in love with the miniature realm.
I drew inspiration for this new miniature painting titled: “Island Morning” (measuring 1.5 x 5.25 inches), from a morning walk along the water in beautiful Courtney BC.
This tiny painting is available at Excellent Frameworks in Duncan BC. Have a look on-line or stop in to view their annual miniature show if you want to see a great collection of tiny art.
This year I am delighted to donate the miniature painting “West Coast Rhapsody” (2.5 x 6 inches), to the annual MERS online auction (Marine Education & Research Society), in support of the tremendous work that they do. A big thank you to Jackie Hildering for sharing her beautiful photo with me as reference material for this painting!
If you would like to purchase this framed miniature painting, please follow this link to the MERS website to learn more about the online auction held Friday, April 22nd at 5pm until Sunday, May 1st at 7pm, PDT.
This is female Humpback Whale “Jigger” (BCX1188). Reference photo by Jackie Hildering aka @TheMarineDetective in her work as a researcher for @mersociety.
“West Coast Rhapsody” (2.5 x 6 inches), miniature painting.
Below is a series of progressive images of the painting from start to finish. “West Coast Rhapsody” (2.5 x 6 inches), acrylic on paper board:
For me, a day on the west coast of Vancouver Island is usually a grand adventure out on the trails, through the trees and across the beaches. And yes, more often than not, a rainy one too. But when the sun is shining, it is absolutely glorious!
Here is a miniature painting I did of a day spent on the beautiful west coast titled: “Summer Shore” (measuring a tiny 1.75 x 4.25 inches in size), painted with acrylic on art board.
“Summer Shore” (measures a tiny 1.75 x 4.25 inches) Acrylic on board.
Some folks have asked me about the scale of my work so I thought I’d take a pic with a few of my paintings next to some studio items to compare size with. Often, I’ll use a quarter next to my painting for scale but it’s fun to use a few other things too! The white surface I’m painting on is Canson art board, nice and sturdy for acrylic painting. 🙂🎨🖌
Spring time in pretty Beacon Hill park on Vancouver Island, where lovely camas blooms in the grass and blue skies shine overhead. Lovely spot for a ramble on a sunny day!
“Spring Meadow” (1.75 x 4.25 inches), acrylic on art board, second image with coin to show scale.
“Spring Meadow” (1.75 x 4.25 inches), acrylic on art board.
“Spring Meadow” (1.75 x 4.25 inches), acrylic on art board, with coin for scale.
Some of my tiniest miniature paintings, these eight little pieces were done for a show a few years ago and, when I can go out treasure hunting again, I hope to find more of these little antique frames. Each tiny painting measures approximately 2 x 1.5 inches in size, all are painted with acrylic on hardboard.
Painting the landscape in such a small format offers a good challenge technically as well as visually. My hope is that each painting presents itself as a tiny portal to another place offering a glimpse, if you will, of something lovely.
I’m pleased to share that my miniature paintings will now be available at Excellent FrameWorks – EJ Hughes Gallery! The gallery is moving into a new space located at 115 Kenneth St. in Duncan BC. You can also visit the gallery online to keep up with their latest news, shows and events. Looking forward to it!
Summer Walk (1.5 x 5.25 inches), acrylic on art board.
A Good Place to Sit (2.25 x 3.5 inches), acrylic on art board.
A Good Place to Sit (2.25 x 3.5 inches), acrylic on art board, with coin to show scale.
Sometimes I like to paint little people, or tiny creatures, into my landscapes. In this miniature painting titled “Tidal Pool”, the sharp-eyed observer will see that there are 10 tiny starfish lazing about on the rocks, some orange, some purple.
This painting is of a scene from Schooner Cove, near Tofino BC, on Vancouver Island.
“Tidal Pool” (3.5 x 2.5 inches), acrylic on art board.
Can you find ten tiny starfish, orange and purple, in this painting?
Many years ago I did a class project with my painting students, rendering the same image in both watercolor and acrylic. The purpose was to help folks learn to paint in miniature with their chosen medium, but I think that I learned the most from the experience; mainly that I am an acrylic painter at heart. That said, painting with watercolor was a terrific exercise and I have a deep respect for my fellow artists who work with watercolors. For those who are interested, here is a quick progression of steps for that learning project:
Finished miniature painting (approx. 3 x 4 inches)
Tiffany Hastie Art 
You must be logged in to post a comment.