Flow in the landscape

This was inspired by a photo shared by Rosalind Amorin. 

Here's the planning sketches, with some colour tests.

It took me quite a while to do this, I kept adjusting here and there and changed it quite a lot.  I re-drew the first plan a couple of times because it didn't seem to be working too well, and the plan at bottom left is the one I was working to in the end.

Wild Valley
Acrylic 50cm square

Inspired by Barbara Rae

My first attempt at a landscape à la Barbara Rae. I spent a few days on this.  It seemed to me that her paintings are made up of a few large, well-composed shapes, made exciting by the use of lively and complex strokes and textures, variations of hue, tone and intensity.  She uses oils and silk screen.  I tried to get the effect in acrylics.

Plans for the painting, which I based on a landscape photo by Craig Johnson (shared with permission)...

                              

Acrylic on box canvas 50cm square...

The Path Home

More Viral Art Club

Further exploits from Sarah Holliday's Viral Art Club.

  

       

The Viral Art Club

I have started following an Instagram project called Viral Art Club.

It's a daily art exercise, being set by my art mentor Sarah Holliday.  She is a member of the prestigious Royal Watercolour Society.  Wonderful artist and teacher.  Anyway, if you use Instagram and feel like taking part, it's open to all ages and levels of experience and is completely free.  Look for @viralartclub

1. Line drawing of a daffodil 4B pencil (no shading).       2. Contour drawing of lily in pen.

       

3. Using line weight to describe the fall of light.  4. Shading to describe the fall of light.
         

Working dark to light  with charcoal.
Cover the paper with charcoal and lift out the light with a putty eraser.  If needed, put back some dark with the edge of the charcoal.  Then, negative shape lilies.
    

Backlight

Portraits

Decided to go with a few quick portrait sketches.