Canyon Light

The latest piece is an attempt to put some recent lessons into practice. Creating recession in pictures is not as easy as it might seem, particularly where there are a number of planes to represent. Ensuring that each plane is distinct is something that requires planning from the outset. Natural enthusiasm can be a barrier to the appropriate planning and is a frequent fault of mine. I chose this subject because it had a wide value range and would require the depiction of multiple planes and the extremities of the value range. The picture is based on a postcard that I acquired whilst visiting the Grand Canyon. The picture probably needs some refinement but I'll sit on it for a few days before visiting it again. Any suggestions?

Canyon Light - Oil on stretched linen 16" x 12"

Fish Quay

A welcome trip out with the other founder member of the Reformed Reprobates Painting Society to North Shields Fish Quay. After bacon buttie breakfast we headed onto the quay where I chose this view to paint. Actually there was a lot more in front of me than appears here, but I am trying to edit and simplify as I paint. One of my many faults is trying to get too much in a scene and destroying the immediacy of the piece by overworking. I haven't been too successful here but it's another lesson learned.

Otherwise a good day out and an evening listening to wonderful Irish music with another of our pals who we are determined to recruit to our little painting team.

Fish Quay - Oil on canvas board 12" x 10"

Another Irish Memory

A great holiday with some great people and also the opportunity to make a couple of pictures. This is the second, a view up the lane from the house where we stayed. In the far background, the Reek (Croagh Patrick), a constant in Mayo. Again, it could be improved but maybe a little progress again with better recession and a little more vibrant colour.

Along the Lane - Oil on canvas board 12" x 10"

Drumcliff

Just returned from a relaxing week in Ireland attending a music festival and sharing time with family but also managed to get in a bit of painting time. After my last post I felt the need to get outside and try to improve my plein air work, but as is often the case finding the time in a decent painting spot with consistent lighting is very difficult. The last PA work suffered from my lack of consistent decision making about what lighting I wanted to depict. Again I think this work suffers from similar inconsistency and unsure decision making. However, I think there is a bit of improvement in this piece, particularly in terms of establishing back, mid and foreground. So hopefully a bit of progress this week.

Drumcliff - Oil on canvas board 12" x 10"

First Plein Air of the year

Much as I love painting in the outdoors, since returning from our travels I've not been up to standing at the easel in the cold as the old back has been playing up so getting out in the last couple of days has been fun. Yesterday I headed up to the entrance to the Martindale Valley in the Lakes and stopped at a point with a view back along the lake.

As I remarked in an earlier post, getting a start again after a while away doesn't make it easy and this piece suffers from a lack of confidence and hurrying back for lunch before making the adjustments that it requires. So for better or worse here it is. It would be good if you feel able to point to ways to improve this.

Ullswater - Oil on canvas board 12" x 10"

Source Material

A friend of mine asked if I would post the original photograph that I used as the source material for the watercolour in the last post. It comes from the sleeve of an old record cover.

Tommy Armstrong was a writer of songs that told wonderful stories and recorded remarkable events in the area that he spent his life. In fact that area is the one that I was brought up in, part of a family whose life experiences were interlinked with some of the events represented in the songs. The album was first issued 1965 and one of the artists involved, Tom Gilfellon, and his family have been family friends since I can remember. The album has been reissued on CD and I can't recommend it highly enough if you have any interest in the history and lives of folks in the Durham coalfield.

A less than Successful Return to Watercolour

At the present time I don't seem to be able to get much time for my painting, life has a habit of getting in the way. So, a brief opportunity to break out the watercolours was very welcome. However that doesn't necessarily mean that the time spent is going to leave one with a sense of satisfaction. This was one of those times.

The first image is a partner piece to my picture of Joseph Skipsey, posted a while ago. I have a real interest in some of the old photographs depicting the world inhabited by my grandparents and in particular those with a relationship to the Durham coalfield. This is an attempt at a well known picture of the famous Durham coalfield songsmith, Tommy Armstrong.

Why dissatisfied? Well for me the harsh edge to the shadow on the left cheek, the lack of real dark tone in the eye passage and the slipshod finishing at the bottom of the page detract from the overall effect. As I look at it the coat could have had a better treatment by keeping the paint fluid while trying to introduce a range of balanced colours. How would you have done it?

Tommy Armstrong - watercolour on Fabriano Artistico 14" x 11"

The second piece is based on a photograph taken on our recent trip to the States. In this one, whilst I have achieved one aim, that of creating credible recession, the detailing of the main bluff is crude and the shadow work across the piece is less than impressive.

Monument Valley - watercolour on Fabriano Artistico 14" x 11"

Lessons have been registered in line with the comments above, but for me the main lesson is to maintain a regular contact with the medium so that I approach each excursion with some recent experience to strengthen the technique. Preparation of materials is also important, I still find myself avoiding putting out fresh paint as often as I should. Hopefully, these lessons will not be so quickly forgotten as they were the last time I 'learned' them.