Venus Melancholy

This is a new small painting on canvas panel, hence the visible texture in the photo. I want to give this painting a day or two, as it may be done or may need more work. It's often better to sleep on it rather than overdo (or underdo) a painting.

Note: I've updated this posting with the final version (upper image).

Venus Melancholy (final version), 2019, oil on panel, 10" x 8"

Venus Melancholy, 2019, oil on panel, 10" x 8".

Hermetic Venus

This is a new acrylic painting from a new series of color works, a coming-together of many themes I've worked on over the years. This one had a long gestation period of maybe a week...it went through many different iterations until reaching what (I hope) is the final stage, below.

Hermetic Venus, 2017, acrylic on plywood, 16" x 12"

Birth of Venus

Here is my version of a classical subject:

Birth of Venus, 2012, acrylic on cardboard, 18.5" x 16"

Head of Venus

A mythological piece.

Head of Venus, 2012, acrylic on cardboard, 18" x 18" approx.

Mollusc Venus -- final version

This would appear to be the final version of the Mollusc Venus image (see a few posts below), professionally scanned courtesy of Catskill Art Supplies in Kingston, NY.


Mollusc Venus, 2010, brush & ink on paper, 14" x 11".


Above: possible type treatment.

As you may recall, this was for a t-shirt design. That seems to be happening. When it's available, I'll put the link & details here.

Mollus Venus v.4

Possibly the final version — I traced the drawing & recreated it in 2 sections (head & body) in ink on tracing paper. I also drew the letters & scanned them in, & reassembled them in Photoshop. This method leaves things open for editing, etc.



Finally, I replaced the newer version of the shell/head with the one from the previous drawing:

Mollusc Venus

This piece was conceived as a design for a t-shirt...the owner of the company got in touch via Flickr & asked if I'd like to draw something for a shirt...the work they produce is quite dark & surrealistic, so I came up with this image, which has gone through several versions & is now possibly in its final state...


The original ink sketch (above), 11" x 8.5".


Second version, with a more developed figure. Brush & ink on paper, 11" x 8.5".


Same as above, but with digital text (Copperplate Gothic light) added.


The finished (?) drawing. Brush & ink on paper, 14" x 11".

Head of Venus

This is a detail of today's upload to the Ayton Artwork a Day blog:



To see the entire drawing of the Petrified Venus, you'll have to click over to that blog. Tricky, eh?