finished ...... I think

40 inches square, mixed media on canvas, copyright Vivien Blackburn


I worked a bit more on this today, resolving the sky and the gaps between the branches, reenforcing the brightest snow in places - and I think it's done. I am in two minds as to whether to lighten the main tree slightly in places - first I think I will and then decide not to ...... so the decision it's finished is subject to change without notice :)

There is a lot more variety of colour than shows here - the image is too big for the camera to pick them up accurately. There's a much wider range of blues and blue-greys and very small touches of other colour in the grasses and foreground tree. I gave close ups of a lot of this in earlier posts so I won't duplicate them but if you missed them you can see them here http://vivienb.blogspot.com/2007/05/trees-and-rocks-progress-may.html or if you look at the 'rocks' tags.

It seems to have taken forever as I kept working on other things at the same time such as the waterways stuff, the long thin seascapes, teaching ...... and trying to have a life :) .

I worked further on 4 long thin seascapes but they are wet and unphotographable at the moment and not quite finished. I have to get some timber and some more canvas tomorrow to make up (well for my husband to make up for me!) some more long thin canvasses to do some more for this series.

I ordered the macro lenses from ebay ...... so excitedly waiting for them to arrive at the moment :)

Comments

Lindsay said…
What a beautiful painting. I have such a sense of both beauty and peril here. There is so much to look at (more in person I'm sure!)Showing is as a WIP was really helpful! The blues are luminious and great shapes.
9:05 pm
vivien said…
thanks Lindsay - there really are more interesting things happening than show in this small picture :(
9:33 pm
Robyn Sinclair said…
Once you look at the other touches of colour at the base of the tree your eye finds it easily in the big picture. It would be a treat to see the painting itself. Congratulations. Beautiful. I so envy you those macro lenses but will love seeing your photos.
9:54 am
vivien said…
thanks Robyn - those macro lenses are really very cheap - 4 lenses (they are flat like filters and simply screw on) were about $30 ish with postage

they are just magnifying glasses really
12:48 pm
vivien said…
thanks drb :)

yes, sometimes I like work at the unfinished stage best - it's knowing when to stop! at least with oils I can go back in and loosen it up again :)
6:20 am
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Eye, Urban/Rural exhibition

Image
Vivien Blackburn's work in the Urban/Rural show We've just hung a group show at the The Eye Project, Urban/Rural show.  If you want to come and see it it's on for a month - well worth seeing, 11 lovely artists and some fabulous work. Those large canvasses are 40 inches square. There are rural landscapes, flowerscapes, intriguing textile work including a large knitted building, abstracts .... something for everyone. It's in the gallery below the cafe in the Adult Education Centre at the top of Wellington street, Leicester, opposite Fenwicks.  Meet the Arttists day is Saturday 1st April 10-2.  Come and have a chat with us?
Read more

Hedges silhouetted agains the snow, winter light: watercolour and Derwent tinted charcoal pencils in Stillmand and Birn Beta Hardback sketchbook

Image
 Detail  I have always liked the calligraphic tangle of the hedges when they are sihouetted against the sky.   Recent snowfall meant even more opportunities with amazing light and the landscape simplified and hidden by the snow, throwing hedges into relief. Above is a detail of a double page sketch in the lovely Stillman and Birn Beta A4 hardback sketchbook.  This paper is so forgiving and the watercolour works beautifully with it.  It allowed me to work through wet washes with charcoal pencil - something that tears many papers, leaving holes.  Some of the hedge is paint, some tinted charcoal. First snow, more on the way, winter light: silhouetted hedges in watercolour and Derwent tinted charcoal in a Stillman and Birn A4 beta hardback sketchbook The earlier warm golden glow of the low sun is covered by clouds, threatening more snow to come.   The spiky calligraphic marks of the hedge and the underlying form of the bank, with some of the taller dried grasses showing
Read more

looking at non traditional composition and quiet vs busy areas in paintings

Image
Paul Klee I thought I'd look at non-traditional composition - where the rule of thirds isn't the key but the painting relies on different compositional methods. in response to an excellent series of posts on the various ways of looking at composition by Katherine (link at end). These alternative considerations or breaking of rules - but making it work - appeal to me more than too heavy a reliance on the rule of thirds. The painting above, by Paul Klee is a 'field' painting' - the composition is overall, the eye travels around enjoying the glowing colour that he creates by juxtaposing complementary colours, subtle greyed greens enhancing the oranges/reds/pinks. Most of the image is composed of the various greens, greeny browns and khakis, with accents of the warm colours. When working this way it's important that the balance is unequal and that the accent colours are placed carefully to keep the eye moving in the way the artist wants. A couple of the brighter
Read more