Here is today’s plein air oil in blustery weather, at Pegwell bay on the East Kent Coast. I have painted here many times, so chose to focus in on the sand dunes and path following the base of the cliffs. I tried to capture the energy in the wind. 1 1/2 hours approx.
Here is today’s plein air oil in blustery weather, at Pegwell bay on the East Kent Coast. I have painted here many times, so chose to focus in on the sand dunes and path following the base of the cliffs. I tried to capture the energy in the wind. 1 1/2 hours...
Composition thoughts…..thanks Louise for this video – it certainly made me realise that I never seem to pay much attention to this – I still have a lot to learn! With shapes in mind I had a stroll through the internet looking at paintings & stumbled across Nicolas de Stael. So, between you & NdS I was inspired to take several wanders around the garden & fields with sketch book breaking down the landscape into shapes. Here’s one of the many (Elliot’s blue tent in the olives), & it’s going to be interesting to see how this will seep consciously or subconsciously into my next paintings because it was fascinating & fun & helpful, although I don’t think I’ll make the shapes & colour quite so dramatic…
Composition thoughts…..thanks Louise for this video – it certainly made me realise that I never seem to pay much attention to this – I still have a lot to learn! With shapes in mind I had a stroll through the internet looking at paintings & stumbled...
In this sketch I was looking for horizontal and vertical elements ,and distance with colour have I achieved this? Louise I learned a lot about composition thank you.
In this sketch I was looking for horizontal and vertical elements ,and distance with colour have I achieved this? Louise I learned a lot about composition thank you.
The horizontal sky in this sketch I think works in relation to the composition elements of the sketch?
The horizontal sky in this sketch I think works in relation to the composition elements of the sketch?
This is a Lime tree I spotted in a vineyard near Box Hill in Surrey. I love the sheer majesty of trees and forests and spend much of my time painting trees. This is a quick oil study size 12” x 10” showing the tree amongst the vines below. I contemplated adding a figure, for scale, but decided against it, thinking the shapes were interesting enough already. What do you think?
This is a Lime tree I spotted in a vineyard near Box Hill in Surrey. I love the sheer majesty of trees and forests and spend much of my time painting trees. This is a quick oil study size 12” x 10” showing the tree amongst the vines below. I contemplated adding a...
In this sketch ,which rapidly seemed to grow more abstract with each brush mark, I found myself exploring the intricacies of the earth-water boundary along the river bank. The water on this day looked particularly cold – a prompt for me to emphasise this feeling with a contrasting blue.
In this sketch ,which rapidly seemed to grow more abstract with each brush mark, I found myself exploring the intricacies of the earth-water boundary along the river bank. The water on this day looked particularly cold – a prompt for me to emphasise this feeling...
A quick sketch using oil paints on paper.
A quick sketch using oil paints on paper.
I meet this girl in a photo shoot for fashion… I try to do the exercises how much I can . I may will repeat it another time in Acrílic because this is watercolour.
I meet this girl in a photo shoot for fashion… I try to do the exercises how much I can . I may will repeat it another time in Acrílic because this is watercolour.
Reworking an old painting in oils, trying to use my right brain more!
Reworking an old painting in oils, trying to use my right brain more!
A sketch using ink and charcoal pencil on paper. View across countryside in South Queensferry.
A sketch using ink and charcoal pencil on paper. View across countryside in South Queensferry.
A sketch from a walk round Aros Park on the island of Mull using Derwent XL blocks and a charcoal pencil.
A sketch from a walk round Aros Park on the island of Mull using Derwent XL blocks and a charcoal pencil.
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Image 3
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Image 2
Image 1 Fast oil sketches on paper For me, working expressively and intuitively means working fast, in fact not just fast but as fast as I can. That way I cut out all the analysis and doubt and just get on with putting paint down as I’m not really thinking or judging. Louise is a master at this and often mentions the need to work quickly. However, working fast doesn’t come naturally so I have to practice. Louise has mentioned in the past the value of doing quick oil sketches on paper and this is the way I now practice. It provides me with three main benefits: working expressively in right brain mode; testing out a palette that I’ve just mixed to see how the colours sit with each other and whether I need to mix any other colours before I start a large painting on canvas, and thirdly, avoiding being precious about my work as it’s just a piece of paper and some paint. Here are 3 oil sketches on paper 42 x 56 mm, each one painted in about 5 minutes. I reviewed them using a card mount to frame the image as straight edges help me see the painting more clearly. I then spent maybe a further minute adding one or two more touches before finishing and photographing.
Image 1 Fast oil sketches on paper For me, working expressively and intuitively means working fast, in fact not just fast but as fast as I can. That way I cut out all the analysis and doubt and just get on with putting paint down as I’m not really thinking or judging....
Ivan Hitchens contemporary landscape. Liked the colours in this with his limited palette, and his brush marks. Thank you Louise interesting excerise.
Ivan Hitchens contemporary landscape. Liked the colours in this with his limited palette, and his brush marks. Thank you Louise interesting excerise.
Here are my rapid studies of the stormy skies we had a few nights ago, trying to chase atmosphere & light – & using some of the colours I played with from Ivon Hitchens later works. These are gouache paints ( which I love), mixing them on the paper trying to respond to a fleeting moment as the skies & colours changed within minutes.
Here are my rapid studies of the stormy skies we had a few nights ago, trying to chase atmosphere & light – & using some of the colours I played with from Ivon Hitchens later works. These are gouache paints ( which I love), mixing them on the paper...
Like others – a little bit out of synch this Spring, but I felt I had captured a seasonal flavour reflected in the sky. I was hoping to complete the field with a transparent layer of burnt umber done briskly. With a Spring in its step !
Like others – a little bit out of synch this Spring, but I felt I had captured a seasonal flavour reflected in the sky. I was hoping to complete the field with a transparent layer of burnt umber done briskly. With a Spring in its step !
Here’s my gouache colour swatch fun of one of Ivon’s later paintings when he seemed to have used glorious colours. It was fascinating figuring out how to make the colours & the darks & create those vibrant swathes of barely mixed colours so that they sing. The exercise of looking closely at his paintings & the colours, I can feel how he likened painting to music, those soaring heights along with pauses & stillpoints -fabulous . Thanks Louise for talking about this artist, he is quite something – I can imagine him painting feeling the landscape with his entire body until paint danced & flowed out through his brush. I’m heartened that he painted in such a limited landscape, exploring every moment of every day within this place. Louise, I think your Venice sketches have this same quality – vibrancy & aliveness. I wonder if Howard Hodgkin was influenced by his works – there are similarities. Ok, so I’m now an Ivon Hitchen’s fan
Here’s my gouache colour swatch fun of one of Ivon’s later paintings when he seemed to have used glorious colours. It was fascinating figuring out how to make the colours & the darks & create those vibrant swathes of barely mixed colours so that they sing. The...
My go at matching colours in an Ivon Hitchens painting Trees and Bushes. This was really interesting to do and I have enjoyed getting to know Ivon Hitchens works I knew little about him and I especially like his abstraction of landscapes.
My go at matching colours in an Ivon Hitchens painting Trees and Bushes. This was really interesting to do and I have enjoyed getting to know Ivon Hitchens works I knew little about him and I especially like his abstraction of landscapes.
Colour study in gouache from Ivon Hitchens painting, see Group Chat for details.
Colour study in gouache from Ivon Hitchens painting, see Group Chat for details.
Plein air watercolour sketch using watercolour sticks
Plein air watercolour sketch using watercolour sticks
Watercolour plein air sketches in my concertina sketchbook. Inspired by Ivon Hitchens panorama views
Watercolour plein air sketches in my concertina sketchbook. Inspired by Ivon Hitchens panorama views