The photograph below shows the painting after the first sitting. I have used quite a lot of acrylic paint and ink to get it to this stage. The pool in the centre is the main focus of this one as you can see.
Here it is from a different angle - I've brought the painting around the edges of the canvas (below).
I wanted to make the piece darker in terms of colour and mood when I came back to the painting. These bog pools have a bottomless watery darkness about them that I am trying to convey here. I got it to this stage (below) but now I am not happy with the sky or the mountains in the background.
I returned to the piece when the paint had dried and attempted the background again. I decided to introduce some reds and purples to the mountain range as there is too much blue in the piece above. Here is the painting as I have left it (below).
In an effort to create more drama and movement, I allowed the grasses and water to spill over the front side of the canvas (below).
I am happier with the piece now and I think that the red mountain range is an improvement. I hope that I have managed to create this dark mood I am looking for. What do you think?
I love the strong colors, and the mountains' outline at the horizon. Very impressive!
ReplyDeleteHi debbie,
ReplyDeletethe number of these comments I mess up are unbelievably. I am always somehow pressing the wrong button and it all disappears and I can't rediscover it!!!
Wonderful dramatic picture. You have certainly captured a dark mood, but still full of energy. Very much enjoy seeing the progression of thought, and love it when you include the original sketch too. Actually prefer the second version, which is light and breezy, but obviously more figurative. All along, I tend to prefer the "unfinished" versions.
All these bog pictures very strong and dramatic. Could you think of putting a figure in one, for scale, and a sort of anchor?
xx
Hi Meg, thanks for this. I love drawing the figure, it was something I did a lot of when I was a student but for me it is completely separate from landscape painting and for that reason, I would not attempt to mix the two. I believe I might be a little rusty too but it is something I would return to, given the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the process of updating my blog so it should be much more user friendly. It will be more like a website with easy links to the gallery and lots more information and slideshows etc. - stay tuned!!