CATCHING THE LIGHT

During the week of very fine weather a couple of weeks ago I went down onto the riverbed as the City ferry was leaving Putney Riverside Quarter and tried to paint a plein air picture of the scene. It was about 7am. I realised that the light was changing far too fast and abandoned the picture after 20 mins. However, to avoid complete frustration I spent 15 minutes recording 2 groups of 3 colours. The groups consisted of a colour 'swatch' of the sky, buildings and water, at the left hand end of the horizon and at the right hand end. Rather than thinking of them as 'colours', with a 'name' I tried to think of them as 'visual perceptions' or 'juxtapositions'. The 2 groups are circled in white on the plein air sketch. When I returned to the studio I used my photographic reference from the scene and the 'colour perceptions' and put together the above, reasonably satisfactory picture. I think it may be a stronger picture if the ferry was a bit further to the left. An interesting exercise though.

EXTENDED LANDSCAPE FORMAT

I've spent the last couple of days working up two plein air sketches from last week (see previous blog), into a larger painting (above) measuring 24cm x 60cm. I then used the same colour scheme and tonal range to work up a photo I took down on the riverfront about 10 days ago. These pictures have a very wide tonal range which gives them quite a punch. They hang together quite well, but as usual the brushwork is a bit haphazard! As is often said, a finished painting should look like a battleground! These do!

HOUSE PAINTINGS

I don't intend to make a habit of painting pictures of people's houses, but I've stumbled across several ad-hoc offers in the past few months. I like to take on a challenge, the greatest of which is bringing some light and life to the facade of a north facing terrace! 

PUTNEY PIER SUNSET

Last week I noticed a rather beautiful sunset occurring at Putney Pier. A combination of a high tide and a low autumn sunset. At around 4pm the sun shines between two tall buildings on the riverfront and creates an interesting shadow pattern on the moored barges. I painted it on two consecutive days. On the first day (top picture) there were also three moored boats (beyond the gantry to the pier), catching the sun. Rather than trying to create a picture I just decided to try to record the colours and tones as accurately as I could. I intend using these two studies for a larger studio painting later in the year. I only spent about 50 mins on each painting.

Also did a quick still life. Rather a dull composition, but I caught the glass and chrome materials reasonably well.

PLEIN AIR SHEEN & PUTNEY

I got out with my pochade box a couple of times this week, firstly to Sheen and then to the boathouses in Putney. My first picture of the Mortlake brewery (in Sheen) was painted in reasonably consistent early morning light. The things that caught my eye were the sun catching the round building and the counterchange between the right tree in shadow and the light building behind, and the left tree in sun with the dark building behind. 

Then I had a shot at the level crossing at the bottom of Sheen High Street. There's always a buzzing atmosphere here, with people coming and going, and waiting!

On Wednesday I caught the hectic riverfront strip in front of the boathouses. There are always rowers and dog-walkers around, together with lots of cars, vans and trolleys all parked at peculiar angles on the slipway. All paintings, 24 x 30cm oil on canvas.

BATH PRIZE 2011 ENTRY

A couple of weekends ago I visited Bath to take a closer look at the Roman Bath which is my nominated subject for the Bath Prize. It was a dull day. Though inspired by the building and its possibilities, the sky was grey, the light poor. I noticed a couple of statues standing well above the building line and decided to make one of these a feature of my painting. Using the photos I took on the day and some extra references I researched I've composed a picture which captures the statue as a dominant element, but also the condensation rising from the warm water and the warm sun-lit facade of the cathedral behind. I've never before painted a picture that wasn't alla prima, so going back to a painting three days in a row was an interesting experience, though it didn't actually take 3 full days to complete!

Oil on canvas 35cm x 50cm

ST PANCRAS

Yesterday, Thursday I headed down to Putney Embankment and spent just under a couple of hours painting this pretty late summer scene. The trees just turning from green and a high spring tide with boats clearly visible from the road.

I've recently met an excellent and very experienced painter, Rod Pearce. He's suggested I spend less time in my comfort zone and take on some new challenges, so today we tried our luck at St. Pancras station. It's hard to believe that if not for the efforts of Sir John Betjamin, in its place would be another dull rectangular concrete block. He wrote "What [the Londoner] sees in his mind's eye is that cluster of towers and pinnacles seen from Pentonville Hill and outlined against a foggy sunset, and the great arc of Barlow's train shed gaping to devour incoming engines, and the sudden burst of exuberant Gothic of the hotel seen from gloomy Judd Street." It was a painting subject I was inspired by, I'll be back another day to have another go. Today, my first two attempts were passable. All pictures 24 x 30cm oil on canvas.