Cornish seas: changing colours, more photos

Fishing Boat at Sennen Cove, photograph: Vivien Blackburn
I half feel like doing a painting of this - and half think that the photo already says it all. It's one of my favourites for its simplicity.

looking across to Cape Cornwall and the Brisons, blue day, photograph: Vivien Blackburn
Cape Cornwall is the hill on the headland and off to the right on the horizon the rocks called The Brisons. Above in blue skied sunny mood and below with beautiful swirling clouds and steely blue-greys. The rocks here and at Porthcurno round past Lands End to the right are quite pale unless they are covered in seaweed but at Priests Cove (see lower down) at Cape Cornwall are very very dark.

looking across to Cape Cornwall and The Brisons, rainy morning, photo: Vivien Blackburn
Priests Cove, dark rocks and steely colours, a bit misty, Cape Cornwall, looking back towards Sennen Cove, photo: Vivien Blackburn


People on the beach at St Ives, pearly light, photo: Vivien Blackburn
Isn't it lovely the way the light changes and the sea becomes pearly and opalescent or steely or vividly blue?
Not to mention the changes in the surf - in all of these the sea is calm and tranquil with little surf but just look at the earlier post of the breakers crashing over the harbour wall to see how quickly this can change too :>)

Comments

Julie said…
Beautiful Cornwall and I do like the works you have been showing recently Vivian. We go to St Ives every year for the same reasons you do. The colours are wonderful. Funnily enough we've never got to Sennen Cove but I shall definitely get there next year.
7:22 pm
Lindsay said…
Vivien, your photos are so wonderful. You have captured so many moods here. I love that pearly light and the one with the weather front moving in.Looks like you have enough photos to sustain your work for awhile!
8:11 pm
vivien said…
thank you both :>)

Sennen Cove is lovely Julie - and it was a new area for me to explore so thoroughly :>) - Porthcurno was amazing as well and Penberth the tiniest little fishing village

:>) I hope so Lindsay - I don't normally like working from photos, but with sketching there as well I think some of them will definitely lead on to paintings - the weather front is one of my favourites
8:10 pm
Jeanette Jobson said…
These are lovely Vivien. I love the ever changing light on water too.

And so like Newfoundland seascapes. I guess I almost take similar views for granted in some ways. I'll have to post some images and show you the similarities.
12:02 am
vivien said…
I'd love to see some photos of the Newfoundland coast Jeanette - and I do envy you living near a beautiful coast!

I grew up seeing these changing colours in Cornwall and loved them as a child.
6:35 pm
Katiejane said…
Vivien, I love looking at your photographs, (of course I love your paintings, too). I think the English coastline is so inspiring. Nice post.
10:56 pm
vivien said…
I think it's inspiring too!

thank you :>)
2:27 pm
Africantapestry and Myfrenchkitchen said…
you have a magical wand when it comes to beach and sea scapesVivien! I love what you do. Do you work "en plein air" or from photos?
Ronell
9:45 am
vivien said…
I work a lot plein air while I'm there Ronell and it fixes lots of stuff in my memory and in the sketchbooks - so I have that to work from at home :>)

All those aceo's were purely from memories I could draw on because I'd sketched plein air.

Occasionally then I'll look at a photo but only occasionally, I don't work so well that way somehow. I wish I did. When I do I move it away from the photo, drawing on memory for the colours the photo didn't catch and changing the composition. Sometimes combining images.
10:47 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, w...
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