 |
Starfish Watercolour on Paper 25.5cm x 35.5cm (10" x 14") |
This picture has been on my to do list since I started painting. It is based on some photos I took on my birthday in 2005 while Elaine and I were on holiday with Paul and Wendy in Cornwall.
I worked hard during the week to have this painting ready for today because I’ve spent the weekend with David in the Peak District.
We did some walking, but probably not enough to offset the eating and drinking we did in Ashbourne.
I spent Saturday looking for a particular type of river view. This must have blinded me to other ideas because now I realise I want to paint the cliffs in Dovedale. Unfortunately, I didn’t take any photographs so I am planning a return visit with Elaine.
I know you are painting to a lesson format but I have to say I found this a bit unevocative - I suppose I wanted to see more 'tat' on board the boat and or/quay and the ever present seagulls.
ReplyDeleteHi Chris,
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting.
I agree with you about the lack of tat on the quay. More junk on the quay would really help this picture.
Painting background clutter is difficult. It needs to look sort of interesting, but not so interesting the viewer wants to study it instead of looking at the focal point. It is easy too make it to colourful or too detailed. As well as distracting the viewer, this can make it look as though it is stuck on and can spoil the illusion of perspective - it needs to be there without being there. Good painters achieve this will a few well placed suggestive marks.
I did not paint this to a lesson format. The drawings on the blog are all part of the course work for the Natural Way to Day, but the paintings are mostly my idea. I paint some of them under the watchful eye of Tony Slater, but most are painted at home.
Cheers,
Mark