seascapes continued - stage 2 of wip
work in progress, seascape, 30 inch square canvas The paintings are slowly developing. At the moment there is a fairly limited range of colours in use but there are purples and turquoises in the water that aren't shown well in these photos and the sand has more colour. Each is developing in its own way. This one is about the beach in the evening with the tide out and pools and patterns of ripples in the sand shining as the last light catches them, casts shadows and creates reflections. In the distance the big breakers crash on the shore.
40 inch square canvas, work in progress
This one is closer to the waters edge and I'm trying to get the tumult of the waves and the fact that up close like that the horizon is no longer straight - it's made up of multiple swells sweeping in to break close on the heels of the previous wave. Those dark lines need on the right need to be toned down and partially lost. It has a way to go and as it develops the thinking time increases in relation to actual painting time.
passing rain 30 ins square canvasThe one above is less resolved but I want it to be a rainy day with those wonderful rays in the sky and an overally shiny wetness. At the moment I'm not happy with it as it's too hard edged but subsequent layers will add lost and found edges - parts where the sea and sky are equal in tone and the edge softens and more relections with the confusion of surface that they produce.
And the last one is using coloured pencils over a computer print of the early stage of the 40inch canvas - this image is 8 ins square and the print is completely covered and the image considerably changed - the horizon and the bottom of the painting are recognisable but the rest has changed to a stream of water draining back to the ebbing tide.
coloured pencil, ebb tide evening. 8 ins square. coloured pencil
They are evolving as I go, things are being moved about, areas retained and other areas simplified or changed and this will continue. With these I'm winging it - working out as I go, responding to the painting and the marks I've made and pushing it to achieve (hopefully) the mood, weather, tide, time, season that I had in mind.
feedback welcome :)
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Comments
I was very inspired by your blog and actually did some sketching at the seaside today and I made a little video to remind me of the sea going in and out and the sound it made.
I hope that these and other memories will inspire me to go solo with the abstract painting.
Your idea of paper collage is much appreciated, I hadn't really understood the value of this exercise
( a much favoured tool of Alex & Julia Caprara at Opus School of Textile Arts ) so I am grateful for your explanation, I will try this more willingly now LOL
Not being a painter, I'm not in a position to comment technically but these pieces already have their own individual atmosphere and portrayal. I would be more than happy to achieve this as they are. Photograph them and store this stage before you add more.
Thanks for advice re my image.
Cheers
I hope you are posting the sketches Sharon? and any collages?
Yes Shirley I am keeping pics of the in between stages on the computer as they are useful :)
I managed to get some more time painting today as my Monday classes don't restart for a couple of weeks.
Love these paintings - (are you sure you didn't visit where I live over Christmas)
I particularly like the top two as they are now - they have captured the atmosphere - and have a quality of lightness about them (light touch that is) although I understand what you say about the dark lines on the right of the second one - I am not sure I fully agree they evoke seaweed about to be washed up onto the sand for me.
The one I am least sure about in its current stage is the bottom one - and I look forward to seeing how you develop the bottom two - I enjoy the top two practically as they are!
I do enjoy your work Vivian
The lightness of touch is something I'm trying desperately to keep in the final - someone on a forum said
'at the moment they resemble the blue detergent I spilled on the floor this morning.
They have no artistic value for me other than toning the canvas'
- that free randomness is just what I wanted to catch! the pattern of waves and the marks on the sand are very much like that!