Bert Heaney McKinnell

Bert’s artistic practice combines his observational and technical skills often from life drawing classes and anatomical animation studies. His primary subject matter is the human form. He perfects his figures and often develops them into characters within his own fantasy worlds, using a range of mediums from graphite, watercolour and ink to oil pastels.

His draughtsmanship is also applied to animals, architecture and inanimate objects, but in all cases accuracy of subject is of the upmost importance. He will create studies of his subject and meticulously rework them until they are absolutely perfect.

Bert’s work has taken his love of anatomical drawing further by creating clay sculptures based on the female form. He is a natural with the sculpting tools and uses YouTube videos to develop new techniques.

After a trip to Japan in 2024, he created a series of works combining his love of Manga drawing with written text. Inspired by Japanese, Chinese and Korean script, he has created his own characters blending several character styles together to create his own script. Using these, he has created words and phrases exhibiting them in a variety of mediums.