Seascape Learnings

I am currently working on my first ever seascape. This is not an original, I am working through it along with an instructional DVD called 'The Wild Sea' by Byron Pickering. I am learning heaps and can't wait to get some photos of the sea so that I can apply these techniques to my own work. I'm probably about two thirds of the way through now and there are still a lot of highlights to be added in the back and all the front waves and the rocks still need to be completed. I'll post a picture of the completed painting.

Photo of finished painting

I decided that this one was finished today so it has been signed and given a coat of re-touching varnish (which really gives a lovely effect on oil paint). It is called 'Lady Dawn' which came from Sappho (Greek woman poet/musician from about the 7th century BC).

I've started another one which is one of Rangitoto and is for a commission for a family friend. He is in a rest home so I am going to try and make it more summery colours rather than just the blues/browns that I am fond of at the moment. When I get a little further I will post a photo of that - it's not at a very interesting stage right now.

I think I do have an idea for the NZ Art Guild Awards challenge which as you may recall must include the following 4 themes; cool blue, equality, circular and stamp. It;s still working its way through my mind but hopefully I will be in a position to start that before Christmas as I really want to do a good job on it and it will take some time.

I think it's almost finished.......

Well here is the big one (as yet un-titled) that I have been working on. It is 900x750x40mm in oils. As you can see it has changed substantially from the early photo that I posted below. I think it's almost there but I will leave it for a couple of days before I sign it just to ensure that I don't want to make any more changes to it.

I couldn't take a decent photo today for the life of me. It is a rainy overcast day here in Auckland and the painting is still wet so I can't take it outside to photograph. I haven't cropped it as I also couldn't take a straight photo today to save myself. Once I have decided that it is finished, I will sign it, varnish it and then post a proper photo of it here.

Just a little one finished

I've just finished this little one entitled 'Friendship'. I may give this to a friend of mine at Christmas but not entirely sure yet. I used my favourite colour Phthalo Turquoise with just a hint of my other favourite colour, Burnt Sienna. I go through so many tubes of those 2 colours!

I am still working on that big one, I just can't get the colours right for the side panel. I need to re-paint it a third time and hopefully this time it will work.

I am also trying to come up with ideas for the Art Guild Art Awards. I have entered and have to have the piece completed in January. It is a Challenge-based award and you have to incorporate the following 4 themes - Cool Blue, Equality, Stamp and Circular. You can interpret these themes in any way you want. I am still trying to come up with the right idea. It is definitely a challenge!