Tuesday 31 January 2017


Descending.


Fret   Oils on board  16 x 16 inches   £ 205  $ 260


A misty fret comes down the land.

(Available from DailyPaintworks.com
or by email in the UK)


Studio Musings...


Yesterday I spoke about having a painting disaster.

I decided later to cut the larger board into different formats and
this 16 x 16 square was just right for making an atmospheric study.

The painting went through a lot of pushing and pulling to achieve what I wanted.
Rubbing back, standing back to view and then adjusting tone and hue.

I felt I had regained something of my painting 'muscle' but as usual
the results are never quite how I imagine them in my head.

Reminding myself that perfection is out of reach 
and not even wanted, this study got me on course again.

Monday 30 January 2017


Standing pools of light.


Glisten   Oils on board  5 x 10 inches  £ 70  $ 90

Light glistens and gleams on the standing pools of sea water.

(Available from DailyPaintworks.com
or by email in UK)



Dune   Oils on board  5 x 10 inches  £ 60  

Coastal dunes...colour and texture.

(Available from Artfinder.com)


Studio Musings...


A slight change of size for these two studies.
Only by an inch or so but I am always surprised how 
different they are to work on and the finished result.


Studio Disasters...

At the weekend I went much larger to 24 x 16 inches
 for my choice of board size and it was a total disaster.

Now..I am sure the size shouldn't really have been the problem
 as there are several large pieces of finished work in my studio.
No good excuse there then.

After hours of work, then scraping and rubbing off I decided to call it a 'wipe-over' day.
















Sunday 29 January 2017


Winter lake.



Snowstorm   Oils on board, framed  12 x 13 inches   £ 395   $ 500

Snow arrives at the lake.  
A wild day is imminent.

(Available from DailyPaintworks.com
or by email in UK)


Studio Musings...


Painted in the early hours, this tonal piece is a return to a larger format.
I woke early...around 2am and decided to get up to work.

Listening to music I enjoyed my night owl session at the easel 
with three paintings finished by 5.30.



Snowstorm framed...
cream hand-painted wood.



5.30am.   Studio corner and three new paintings 


Close-up of the three paintings

Saturday 28 January 2017


Wild days.


Wilderness   Oils on board  4 x 11 inches  £ 50  $ 70

Ice and frost on the ground with a hint of snow in the sky.
A wild day.

(Available from DailyPaintworks.com
or by email in UK)


Studio Musings...


Another tonal study.
Using a limited palette of 5 colours makes it 
easy to keep harmony through the work.

 There is a sense of place in this piece.
It will possibly be an idea for a larger painting.

Friday 27 January 2017


Sea view.


Ebb Shore  Oils on board  4 x 12 inches  £ 50  $ 70

Pools and sand in the sun at ebb tide.
The exposed shoreline is full of colour and texture.

(Available from DailyPaintworks.com
or by email in the UK)


Studio Musings...

My paintings are an ongoing 'sketchbook' of ideas.
Most of the work is triggered by another similar one in my studio.

An advantage of this is creating a series or theme.
Useful when planning a show or for a group of paintings to hang together.



Thursday 26 January 2017


Forecast.


First Snow   Oils on board  4 x 12 inches   £ 50  $ 70

A blizzard is on the way. 
 First snow across the lake.

(Available from DailyPaintworks.com 
or by email in UK)



Studio Musings...


A wide angle look at the winter lake.
I am enjoying this series of narrow board paintings.

The broad brushmarks give a fast way of expressing an idea.
Scrubbing transparent colours over a white ground and then rubbing 
parts away gives a translucent appearance which adds atmosphere.


Four studies drying...



Wednesday 25 January 2017


Vista.


Gleam   Oils on board  4 x 11 inches   £ 50  $ 70

Pools of standing water at low tide with light sparkling on the surface.

(Available at DailyPaintworks.com
or by email in UK)


Studio Musings...


Another wide format for my small study into light on the landscape.
Swift gestural brush strokes made these marks.

No palette knife was used as I like to control my brush for these.
A scrubbing motion in the foreground reveals the light underpainting.

This makes textural marks resembling the shoreline.



Tuesday 24 January 2017


Uphill.


Peak Trail   Oils on canvas board  5 x 7 inches   £ 50  $ 70 

Rolling hills and trails.  Atmosphere on the Peak tracks.

(Available from DailyPaintworks.com
or by email in UK)


Studio Musings...


I am continuing my challenge of 50 small works.
These little pieces are fun to make and I am staying
 with my limited palette of 5 colours plus white.

I find I can mix all the hues I need from these.
It keeps life simple and harmonious.


Monday 23 January 2017


Wide angle.


Fleeting   Oils on board  4 x 12 inches   £ 50   $70

Frosty morning with sunlight for company.
A wide view of the coastal landscape.

(Available from DailyPaintworks.com
or by email in UK)


Studio Musings...


After cutting some boards there were some slim pieces left over.
I find these an interesting shape for a landscape.

Two coats of acrylic gesso and they are ready to be used.
Oils are my favourite medium for the actual painting and when applied over
the white gesso I have an opportunity to rub back revealing some of the pale board.

This piece began as a 'traditional' landscape but I decided it was too detailed.
Using a paper towel I turned the painting vertically and rubbed the oils around.

Some 'scratch' marks gave a suggestion of texture and possible areas of light on water.
Any temptation to tidy up the image was resisted.  It is an abstracted viewpoint.



Sunday 22 January 2017


Rolling down.


Downhill  Oils on canvas board  5 x 7 inches  £ 50  $ 70

Rolling hills and warm light. 
 Memories of an autumn landscape.

(Available from DailyPaintworks.com
or by email in UK)


Studio Musings...


Light is an important part of my interest in landscape painting.
This tonal study was a gestural sketch.

The diagonal shapes add movement to the piece.
It makes a change from a flat landscape.

Saturday 21 January 2017


Scrubland.


Coast  Oils on canvas board  5 x 7 inches  £ 50  $ 70

Abstracted view of the coastline.

(Available from DailyPaintworks.com
or by email in UK)


Studio Musings...


This study was playing fast and loose.
It is very exciting using just imagination and a large brush.

I painted this at the end of day when the light was dropping.
In fact it was nearly dark.  The benefit of this was my limited vision.

It sounds crazy to do this but I find a painting stays loose and simple.
Overworking with detail can be the road to disaster.

This morning when I photographed the image I was agreeably surprised.
Perhaps I should try this every day.



Friday 20 January 2017


Clear day.


Mist Clearing   Oils on canvas board  5 x 7 inches  £ 50  $ 70


Mist clears around the Tarn with the promise of a fine day.


Studio Musings...

I have stocked up on these little canvas boards.
They are perfect for making quick sketch studies.

For this painting I used a one-inch flat brush from start to finish and
 scrubbed the oils in a random way until I saw an image appear. 
 Shapes and tone were my first thoughts.

At first I used just one colour to make a monochrome study as I
  wanted to focus on value rather than being seduced by colours.

Squinting is a good way of seeing the range of tones.
I try to have around 5 from dark to light.  

My sketch could have ended there but I decided to add more colour
  choosing greens mixed with the same Prussian blue used in the first stage.

My palette was Prussian Blue, Indian Red, Permanent Rose,
Cadmium Orange, Winsor Yellow, and Titanium White.







Thursday 19 January 2017


Even more...



Beginning   Oils on canvas board  5 x 7 inches  £ 50  $ 70

Light heralds a new day and the Tarn sparkles in reply.

(Available from DailyPaintworks.com
or by email in UK)



Settling In   Oils on canvas board   5 x 7 inches   £ 50

The dry shore and soft evening hues.

(Available from Artfinder.com)


Studio Musings...


I feel I am on a roll...and my small works challenge will continue.
These little paintings are a change from working on a large piece.

I have been asked which I prefer.
Both.

Moving from one to the other keeps me on my toes.
A form of exercise.




Wednesday 18 January 2017


Tone and colour.




Shore   Oils on canvas board   5 x 7 inches  £ 50  $ 70

A quiet view of the shoreline...serene and light.

(Available from DailyPaintworks.com 
or by email in UK)



Tarn Edge   Oils on canvas board   5 x 7 inches   £ 50

Winter comes...dusk beckons.

(Available at Artfinder.com)


Studio Musings...


I love seeing light in the landscape. 
 Even on a dull day there is light.

Winter light is very appealing to me as a painter.
The muted colours and greys are perfect for my studies.

I wonder if I can paint 50 shades?



Tuesday 17 January 2017


More Tarn views.


Over the Tarn   Oils on canvas board   5 x 7 inches   £ 50   $ 70

Light and shade...a tonal point of view.

(Available from DailyPaintworks.com
or by email in UK)



Dawn over Tarn  Oils on canvas board  5 x 7 inches  £ 50

(Available from Artfinder.com)


Studio Musings...


Continuing my journey along the small route.
Each painting is triggered by a previous one which makes a more
cohesive collection.  I shall keep to my palette of colours for these studies...

Prussian Blue, Burnt Sienna, Permanent Rose, Indian Red,
Winsor Yellow, Naples Yellow, Cadmium Orange and Titanium White.

Mixing the blue and orange can give some interesting hues.
These are varied with the addition of the other colours.

My focus is on light in the landscape with the aim of making tonal studies.
I regard them as my 'sketchbook' on canvas.

  I prefer to wade straight in and push the oils around until an idea takes shape.
 Sometimes it can be the colours or the way my scrubbing makes marks.








Monday 16 January 2017


Tarn views.


Winter Tarn  Oils on canvas board  5 x 7 inches   £ 50   $ 70

Sparkling light on the Tarn in winter.

(Available on DailyPaintworks.com
or by email in UK)



By the Tarn   Oils on canvas board   5 x 7 inches  £ 50

Light and shadow by the Tarn...a sense of atmosphere.

(Available on Artfinder.com)


Studio Musings...


I have begun a series of small studies about light and atmosphere.
They will all be landscape format on 5 x 7 canvas boards.

I like the idea of framing in a simple black frame
 and grouping them together to make a larger display.

Other musings...

This morning for coffee I had a studio visitor in the form of a video.
I love to follow the painter Brian Rutenberg and regularly watch him on YouTube.

He says everything I want to hear.

I also have two of his books.  His work is awesome.
If you get chance to visit his online presence...I can recommend it.