Restraint…

Perhaps it's not my most genuinely popular piece, but it does represent something which is quite essential to my art in terms of concept and execution. It's not all about the paint which is applied to the surface, but what layers are hidden, what pigment has been removed and the ability to know when to stop. The removal of paint is absolutely necessary to create some of the effects in my paintings, so the paper towel, or cloth, is as important as a brush to my methods. But, ultimately, it is the ability to stick to the plan, and resisting the temptation not to over complicate… how else can you express the vision of a cold, bleak and barren snowscape?

Winter solace
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/211652223/semi-abstract-landscape-original

Primed…

I love working on gesso-primed, smooth, hot-pressed paper. Gesso provides an excellent ground with the added bonus of allowing the artist to create a surface structure that is a little different to the norm. This piece (below) was painted onto a lightly textured gesso ground which was applied with a decorator's roller. The fine-grain imparted a quasi-pastel feel to the finished painting.

Sky four - distance

Amongst other things…

Here's my latest commission, plus some details. Part one of three:

Oblique illumination 2014/acrylic on canvas/ 

Q&A: Underpainting

I've been asked if I use underpainting and, if I do, why? Yes, and I do because it's a handy little tool. I find that initial wash sets the tone and these areas, which remain uncovered by the opaque layers above, add a subtle bit of interest and an extra dimension to the finished work. Partial or total coverage, warm or cool – whatever is required.

Transparency

The monotypes (see previous post) were fun, but I fancied a bit of colour again. So I decided to produce a couple of acrylic landscapes. I wanted to retain the simplistic structural elements, and linear composition, of my recent monotype work, ie., concentrating on basic shapes to portray the wider, panoramic landscape. I thought it was time to experiment too. Going back to my roots, I thought I would try some watercolour-esque washes of dilute heavy-body acrylic. These translucent washes added a new dimension to my work… I even left the canvas unpainted in one. To be honest, I'm still fond of the opaque blocks of colour, that so often frequent my work, so it was nice to strike a balance between the delicate nature of the wash and the robust heavy-body brush work in these two new pieces (below).

Daybreak over distant tors

Dark edge

Adventures in monotypes… the beginnings

Hi. Long time, no post. However, I have not been idle… I've been doing lots of DIY actually, plus a little painting, and a little experimentation. Here's some of the things I've been doing whilst I'm waiting for the paint to dry, the plaster to set, the drill's battery to charge (insert plausible excuse here).

Dark ridge-3/monotype

Storm over distant tors-1/monotype

Monterey cypresses-1/monotype