Another blue period...

I have been painting some works based on my plien air paintings from Derrynane in Kerry.  I will post them here before my trip to Nice next week.  It seems so long since I was there in March, and our Paris/Giverny trip last month!  Back to the paintings though, rather than my gallivanting, they have turned out rather blue.  It's not surprising as they are three seascapes, with mostly sea on the canvas.

 

 

 

The three images are a little bright, but the photography was done under less than ideal conditions.  However if I didn't take them this morning, I wouldn't have any images to upload to this post, and it's unlikely I'll get time before I go.

 

I think the three of them need a little more work, particularly the foreground on the third image, though where the green in the photo came from, I don't know!  If it photographs that green, it definitely needs another look on the canvas, although it doesn't look too bad in the first image.  I must take the next photos with my fuji camera rather than the Nikon, it may be that the polarising lens is altering the colours, and the bright sunlight wasn't helping.

 

As for the blue, looking back at my images from my Plein air trip... the Kerry ocean was very blue in the sunshine. 

 

 

Back from Monet's world, and into my own...

 Here are some of the promised Photographs from Giverny.  The gardens are beautiful, if a little crowded for any real atmosphere.
I did a couple of watercolour sketches while I was there, just for the sake of doing it as much as anything else.
We wandered through the house (surprisingly spacious) and studio (not as big as I expected) also and explored Monet's collection of Japanese prints which are on display on the walls where hed left them.

We visited the Orangerie the following day to see the Waterlilly paintings in situ (as well as the other art on view downstairs) .A pleasing experience enhanced by the visit to the gardens. 

the watergarden

 

the main avenue

the river Ru

the sketching artist

view to the Japanese bridge

 the lily pond from beside the bridge

 

I'm busy fishing for the next two weeks, but I'm going to try to get started on some work.   Monet's waterlillies have encouraged me to go large again.  looking around at the expansive canvases reminded me why I love to paint big canvases.  I think the recent smaller work may have stifled my creativity somewhat, but it's OK.  I'm cured.

A re-worked plein air study.

I have finished re-working this Plein air study from St. Marguerites Island in the Bay of Cannes, Cote D'Azur.

The couple of areas in this photo with a shine have already been started on. (I decided to photograph the work in progress after starting)

Starting from the base oil sketch, the composition is very busy, and the small branch to the left of the right hand tree is mimicking the center trunk giving a regimented and fragmented look to the work.

I have adjusted the curve on the right hand tree already, the dark blue of the original sketch is visible to the left of the reworked trunk. I have put a base coat on the small branch, which I am about to paint out next. I have also painted areas of the 3 tree trunks
and darkened the dark area behind the lefthand tree.

In photo two, I have done further work on the tree branches. There are areas of light added to some of them. I have also emphasised the curve and twist of the middle tree trunk.

I have painted some foliage in the foreground, top left, this adds depth to the painting.

I have greened up the main area of foliage to the back.

Second coats have been given to the two areas of ground under the trees. The little piece of wall has been painted out also, it does nothing for the composition and is not needed. The dark line of the old wall foundation on the other hand adds interest and does the secondary job of creating contrast to the strong line of the tree's roots on the surface of the ground. These roots make the trees more interesting.

The section of the Island in the background has been repainted. This has been cooled down and adjusted in tone to complement the newly painted sea and sky areas.

In the third photo I have reduced the area of foliage to the right hand side of the painting. This area was to square and also quartered the painting. I had a little fun with this part though...creating a little map of Ireland out of it....

I have left the basic square, but I have broken it up to make it less solid.

It has also allowed more of the horizon to be visible.

Although not noticable in the photograph there is a small variety in the colouring of the sea. This gives a pleasant vibration to flat blues of the background, and not just in the closeness of the colours in the sky to the sea itself. This has the effect of giving heat and life in what could have been a very flat and un-interesting area.

I have also created another curve and twist in the righthand tree trunk to give a better shape to the fork. Finally the foliage on ground and behind the trees has been re-worked and detail added.

I feel the painting is finished now. Though there is always a possibility I may see some change to make in a month or two.

This last photo is of the view, though not the same angle, which was a little to the left I think. But it explains some of the changes made, and the original sketch.

A plein air Study

I did a little study of a Hill-farm near the upper Liffey in Wicklow today.

There is a small touch of spring appearing in the air... with the couple of days of (relatively) fine weather I decided to do a little outdoor work. The painting was completed within an hour, it is not that warm yet, so speed was essential before frost-bite set in.. LOL.
I like the perspective in the piece though.