Sophie Ploeg

I wrote a piece about my BP Travel Award works for The Jackdaw magazine, published in the Sept/Oct issue, out now. Thank you Jackdaw. http://www.thejackdaw.co.uk For an organised list of ALL blog posts that I wrote during the BP Travel Award project (2 years), please  see this page on my blog!

BP Portrait Award 2014 catalogue. National Portrait Gallery 2014. In the BP Portrait Award 2014 catalogue there is a 7-page essay about my work for the Travel Award, written by Richard McClure. It is a lovely honour to have such a substantial part of the catalogue devoted to my work. You can buy the catalogue in all good bookshops, amazon and the National Portrait Gallery shop . BP Portrait Award 2014 Catalogue

You can now pre-order my book that accompanies my exhibition within the BP Portrait Award 2014. I will be exhibiting a selection of paintings coming from me winning the BP Travel Award 2013. I have created a book to accompany it, which will be published 25 June 2014. If you are interested you can be the first to get a signed copy. See for more information here: http://www.sophieploeg.com/the-lace-trail-book.html

All subscribers the the Pastel Journal (USA) should have received their February issue now, and hopefully seen my article “The Fabric of Life”. Here is a picture of the opening spread. In the article I give a step-by-step demonstration on how the painting ‘Lace Lines’ came about, with lots of pictures and explanations. I also discuss technique, subject matter and much more, all illustrated with my pastel work. My technique for using pastel is quite similar to the technique I use with oil paints so hopefully the article will be interesting for oil painters as well as pastellists. The small hatching technique can easily be applied to both, and gives much control over details and shading. I hope you will enjoy the article. Feel free to let me know what you think of it. Enjoy! You can purchase your copy here: http://www.northlightshop.com/pastel-journal-february-2014-issue-group/?lid=BWpasar121713 A preview of the magazine:

A few recent news items.... * UK art magazine Artists & Illustrators Magazine decided to publish my article on how to paint fabrics (which was published in the magazine last year) online in a 4-part series.  See here for part one and come back tomorrow for the next instalment: http://www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/how-to/Acrylic/913/how-to-paint-fabric-part-one-inspiration * A recent sketch of a Rembrandt Self Portrait in my sketchbook:

I finally decided how to finish this painting! Wings, oil, 60x50cm This is a work in progress, currently on the easel and being slightly ignored as I am too busy preparing for the Open Studio Days! detail of work in progress And the local newspaper, the Gazette, wrote a lovely piece about my inclusion in the BP Portrait Award: http://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/news/10387278.Thornbury_artist_s_self_portrait_to_be_exhibited_at_the_National_Portrait_Gallery/ I hope to see lots of visitors this Bank-Holiday weekend during my Open Studio Days! photo: S. Portal

Photo by Gareth Iwan Jones Taken for the article in Artists & Illustrators Magazine, August 2012 about painting drapery. See this blog post about the article in Artists & Illustrator’s Magazine. Artists & Illustrator’s Magazine also published the article as a four-part series on their website . 

A slightly updated version of my book of paintings is now available for sale. Here is a little preview. Click the link to buy. Ships to anywhere in the world. Sophie Ploeg | Make Your Own Book

Please do go out and buy this month’s Artists & Illustrators Magazine as it is a technique special and I have written an article on painting fabrics. http://www.chelseamagazines.com/Artists-and-Illustrators I hope you like the article, let me know what you think of it or if you have any questions! Here is another post about the article Artists & Illustrator’s Magazine also published the article as  a four-part series on their website . 

Bristol Evening Post 26 April 2012 The BEP has written a lovely article about my painting ‘Autumn’ getting into the exhibition of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and the Society of Women Artists. Our local Art Trail gets a mention too. Thank you so much, Philip, at the Bristol Evening Post.

There is a 4-page article about me and my work in the French art magazine Pratique des Arts! I am really excited and proud. Stéphanie came to interview me last summer and finally here is the result. I haven’t seen the article yet myself, but if you can get a hold of a copy.... Here is the link to the magazine website:  http://www.pratiquedesarts.com/ Here’s a preview/teaser of the first pages:  http://issuu.com/diverti/docs/pratiquedesarts_103?mode=window&pageNumber=1

My Artists Materials shop Jackson’s has featured me as a guest artist on their blog: http://blog.jacksonsart.co.uk/2012/02/27/guest-artist-sophie-ploeg/ For which I thank them very much!! I hope you find it an interesting read. Let me know if you have any questions or comments! Here is the text: The Guest Artist section is a place for artists to talk about their work, techniques and materials. I am sure that one artist explaining how they solved a problem will help other artists and I hope that a community evolves where artists will assist each other with their artistic dilemmas, share ideas and technical information as well as make connections and give each other friendly support. To join the conversation please add your comment below. It will be great to have some interaction! Here today to share her art with us is  Sophie Ploeg  who paints in Gloucestershire, UK. Thanks Sophie! 'Autumn' by Sophie Ploeg, oil on canvas (Click on the images to se...