About

‘Racing Lines’ is the online collection of pen and ink drawings and watercolors made by Maxine Dodd, who lives and works in Leicestershire in the UK.

Cycling art, Tour de France, Stage 11, Leaving Albertville
Stage 11, Leaving Albertville

‘Racing Lines began in 2012 as a way of recording my daily drawing routine – I draw every day, usually in the morning – before I do anything else. The focus of my drawings in 2012 was my favourite sporting event, the Tour de France. I watched and drew the action from the race every day. I chose to draw with my favourite ink pens, working quickly to keep up, hence the name, ‘Racing Lines’.

The subject guided me to the style, I have long admired many French artists, from Delacroix and Géricault, David and Ingres, Lautrec and Degas, right through to Matisse and Dufy.  They all have great freedom of expression and draw with beautiful lines.

Peloton comes over the hill to a field of sunflowers

The theme of ‘Racing Lines’ developed to portray speed and movement, often with sport, especially cycling as the subject, (La Vuelta de España and the Tours of Britain and Yorkshire followed), along with rugby, horse racing, cricket. I love the spontaneity of line and working quickly, the challenge to keep up is another race in itself!

The medium of pen and ink with watercolour is intense and risky, but quick and responsive, suiting my subject with its twists, turns and bursts of energy.  

Cycling art, Tour de France 2012, Chris Froome, keeps Bradley going
Come on, stick to my wheels!

At times, I’ve added new materials to the pictures, sometimes pastel and watersoluble crayons, acrylic paint and gouache, but I always start my pictures with the flowing, uncompromising lines of the pen with washes of watercolour. They are the backbone to every piece. 

Six Nations - England vs Wales, Pushing on, by Maxine Dodd
Six Nations – England vs Wales, Pushing on.

For me, these subjects have great abstract qualities, showing colour and graceful lines. In cycling, the teams’ colours have a rhythm as the riders move – singly or as a group, the flags and banners waved by the crowds of fans, set in the open landscape is perfect for me. It is these elements, along with the energy of the race itself, that I try to show in my pictures.

Lately, I have turned my pens to new subjects, closer to home including the wildlife in our garden, our cat, our local landscape, and scenery from holidays – anything that catches my eye really.

Mallorca, villa, bougainvillea
My favourite house

There’s always something going on and drawing is a different way of creating memories… I put the camera phone down and pick up my pen!

Recent Solo Exhibitions: ‘Racing Lines’ Cank Street Gallery, Leicester, Alfred East Gallery, Kettering, jGallery, ’20 Stages’, jGallery, Moulton, Northampton

Private collections: UK, France, Switzerland, Canada and US

Affliations/Groups: Leicester Society of Artists, Leicester Sketch Club and Harborough Artists Cluster

Follow on Facebook Maxine Dodd – Artist and Twitter at @maxine_dodd

41 Comments on “About”

  2. Thank you so much for visiting my blog! I appreciate it very much. I’ve enjoyed my visit here and look forward to following your work. 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you – I liked your blog too – I especially love your description of being lost in thought and armed with a camera. I feel much the same with my pens and watercolour, it’s a great state to be in isn’t it?!!! 🙂

      Like

  6. Hi Maxine,
    Thank you for stopping by my blog and checking out the worlds smallest political quiz. Glad you liked it! 🙂
    You have some really nice artwork here.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Absolutely wonderful artwork……I’ve always wanted to paint more “freely” and loosely but have been stuck in the slow, careful, detail to the point of losing out on the loveliness of being “in the moment” as you have. Thanks for vistiing Sammy’s blog.

    Pam

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you so much for your lovely comment and I will definitely visit Sammy’s blog again. I hope you and Sammy are having a good day! 🙂

      Like

  8. Hi there Maxine, how can I purchase one of your prints of ‘Le Tour’ as a suprise present for my husband? A friend has one which is how I found out about you and the drawings are just gorgeous

    Liked by 2 people

    • Thank you very much indeed for your enquiry and lovely comments. I think that you have done the best thing, which is to send an email to maxine@maxinedodd.com and I can give you the details from there. 🙂

      Update: There is a new page giving full details about buying original pictures from me. Click Picture Information from the menu 🙂

      Like

  12. Your work is absolutely lovely, I will be spending the next hour completely living in a world of your art. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  13. Hi Maxine,
    Thank you for liking my blog.
    I wanted to say that I found your pieces beautiful and fresh and I love your ability to give the viewer the impression of movement and speed with your instinctive brush strokes on paper.
    I look forward to your new work.

    Liked by 2 people

  15. Happy New Year, Maxine.
    I love your images and drawing style.
    It crossed my mind to ask whether your six nations sketches are for sale, or might be in the 2016 contest? I was thinking of a gift for my brother.
    Neil

    Liked by 2 people

    • Happy New Year to you too Neil! All the Six Nations pictures are for sale, l think that if you search through the posts under the category of ‘Rugby’, you should see them all. I am in the process of creating a gallery gathering them all together, so I can let you know when that’s done, but at least a search will get you started, and just email me when you find one that your brother will like and we can take from there. The price for framed piece generally around £150-£250 depending on size. Have a wonderful celebration today/tonight, and thanks so much for your support of my work. It means a great deal! Maxine

      Like

    • Hi Tim, thanks for your message! Great to hear that Google guided you, I try to make work easy to find, so that’s really reassuring. Even more delighted to hear that you like the pictures. I’m working on this year’s ‘Paris moment’ which I hope to publish in the next day or so. Hasn’t it been an engrossing Tour? There’s been so much to inspire, I shall be busy until La Vuelta! Thanks so much once again 😀

      Like

      • Look forward to seeing the ‘Paris moment’ Maxine. I’m a photographer and as a result of seeing your paintings, I’ve spent the day using the oil painting mode in Photoshop in a bid to be more artistic. (Geraint Thomas and the Tour of Qatar boys now look much more striking!) Don’t hate me – it’s just that I couldn’t paint a decent picture if I tried!

        Liked by 1 person

      • Fantastic! My pictures wouldn’t be possible without the inspiration of the images created by the cameramen on the motorbikes. I make my own interpretation but I wouldn’t see anything without the photographic/video imagery that I see from them first. I’m delighted to hear that you’re turning your photos into oil paintings. Artists have worked with cameras since Durer and Vermeer to Hockney, the disciplines are interwoven as far as I’m concerned, brilliant! 👍

        Like

Purchase info

All pictures shown are original drawings or paintings.

Prices and sizes for pen and ink/watercolour drawings start from £125 for 4″ x 4″ mounted original, 8 x 8 and panoramas from £195 – Framed works start from £200.  Larger drawings and paintings quoted individually.

To enquire about or buy an artwork, email maxine@maxinedodd.com for full details or click the heart!  ❤️ 

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