The way things are

Good morning and welcome to my Monday Blog

I often find my painting plans have a way of going another route.

Last week I posted two images of close-up details and another image

of the work in progress.  The painting had a disastrous end as I went

through several changes to get the piece to look how I wanted it to be.

Three times it was scraped back.  It changed from moorland to coast and

back again.  In the end I found it had evolved into a coastal scene.

It is quite heavily textured as I laid on thick oils and then sculpted them

with my knife.  Now, after several days drying I will add some transparent glazes.

I want it to be darker at the bottom to add weight but retain the details.

Here is the painting before I begin the process.

As it happens   Oils on canvas board 10 x 12 inches

The lower part will have the glazes.

If it works I will post an image next week.

Work in progress...

My studio is quite messy at the moment as I play around with new work.

I gave these 10 x 12 inch canvas boards a wash of Burnt Sienna to

add a warm glow.  Whilst I was painting the seascape above I cleaned my

brush and knife on three of these 'empty' canvases.  Scrubbing the excess

paint on in a random way can give me ideas of some shapes for a landscape.

Close-up of right side with scratches and scrapes

Close-up of left side scratched to resemble branches

Another canvas board on the easel with spare oils scrubbed on

A little 5 x 7 inch board on the table with a make-over.

It might make an abstracted landscape.

Two part finished paintings in the studio are waiting for inspiration.

I need to decide their future.  Meanwhile they can sit on their easels.

Fragments of the previous 12 x 10 inch image remain.

The large part is a sea of mud after I scraped it back.

It might have another chance...

This is part of a 16 x 16 inch stretched canvas.

I like these marks so they will remain and I will

begin working on the scrappy parts soon.

It reminds me of tree bark.

Some of our Silver Birches have similar marks and colours.

The good, the bad and the ugly...

The reason I have posted these images is to share

 my painting life, including the bad days.

It might be of encouragement to anyone just starting out

on a painting journey and afraid of making mistakes.

It really doesn't matter if the painting goes wrong.

Just wipe it off and begin again.  No-one will know.

Lock the door and paint for yourself...and most of all enjoy it.

Until next Monday...

Thank you for visiting.