aerial sketches of the packhorse bridge and frog island

I looked at some possible compositions for aerial views, particularly of Aylestone with the ancient packhorse bridge, Victorian canal bridges and footbridges, paths, tracks and roads making patterns across the landscape.

It will be a while before I start any finished paintings from them as I want to do more sketching and finished paintings plein air before I start this. It will be more abstracted, playing a little with perspective and I need more knowledge of what is happening at ground level - the colours and textures and contours and details - before I start a large canvas from these.

Most of these are in mechanical pencil but the one below is a mixture of oil pastel and coloured pencil - It was going to be watercolour over the oil pastels scribbles but then I decided to experiment with coloured pencil along with them. I quite like this composition with its 5 bridges packed into such a small area and criss crossing of paths and tracks. There are interlocking arrow shapes and Z shapes that hold it together nicely, all locked around the Victorian canal brisdge. Also it's the best view of the packhorse bridge.













I looked at Frog Island too - I don't know yet if this will lead to an aerial view canvas - may/may not :)

My youngest daughter is here for the weekend as it's her birthday today - she's still fast asleep so I have a bit of time to do some updating here :) . Eldest daughter and husband are coming over so we all have lunch together and they'll stay until tomorrow.

The coming week is going to be hectic as I have to get stuff ready for the exhibition, send out invitations and get organised - so there won't be much painting going on :(

I'm hoping to go back to Aylestone with Ros on Friday, preferably with oil paints - I really want to get some painting done there.

Comments

Lindsay said…
A great start to your arial painting. I also like the combo of colored pencils and oil pastels. Good Luck with your show. Here in the States we'd say" break a Leg" but after reading your plien air story maybe I better not wish you THAT!
1:19 pm
vivien said…
yes .... perhaps not! but thanks anyway :D
2:53 pm
kate said…
These sketches are really cool. I like the way the packhorse bridge goes straight under another road. It will be fun to see how they develop.
10:21 pm
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