PROJECT 5 COMPOSITION

Starting on composition.  Difficult because this is an intuitive thing for me.  This exercise is about using tone and colour to make different compositions   zzzz  Still a bit burnt out from the panoramic paintings, but recovering:))

Next stage of this involves choosing from:

• two or more horizontal lines
• something intersecting the painting
• large empty space and small details surrounding
• very large foreground object intersecting 2 sides of the painting.

 First approach - make preparatory studies, drawings and colour studies.I decided to stay in studio for this for convenience and use the view of the ditch from window which I did not really resolve in previous project.  It will be option 2 with the ditch intersecting the painting.

I tried to start with charcoal as instructed but found I preferred to start in paint, messily as usual.  Here is result #1, done intuitively    Below is result #2, done later, painted over #1 to simplify it once I had got to grips more with thinking about the composition.

I have to paint fast to start with, get to know the subject and work out what I am trying to do before I can reflect and understand. I have to do it before I can think what I am doing!
  

Result #1

Result #2

Today I had another look and overpainted another attempt very loosely, trying to get that sense of the big curve in the composition, emphasizing that.  Began to get intrigued by the actual direction of the ditch and how it was affecting my viewpoint.  then I started to draw in charcoal. Not sure if I am ready to start the large painting as yet.  Plan to walk along that ditch so I can actually see where it goes.

Began to play fast and loose with the painting shapes and colours in order to get a composition, sort of.I was apprehensive about composition, because it is such an intuitive thing for me, but see that I can become more aware of it and that is great.  I think. 

Reading Brambilla about how important composition is.  Also "how valuable are the uncertainties that continually force us to ask questions that keep our mind open and receptive"

"imagine you are heading down a street in a place that is totally new to you"

I took this approach today and results surprised me.

It is EXHAUSTING  I have to take a break.  Fortunately Open Studios is next week so I having a general review.  Yesterday the ditch was full of water, and I made this sketch.  Result better than #2 above, ditch more central.  It takes a lot of time to look and get to know a subject.

27 June

About three weeks break here, pictures not that well received at OS, I did not have time to do any painting during that week, or since.  However today resumed and very glad to do be doing so.  Even if I am hopeless at it, I really enjoy the slow pace, the interaction with the subject, and the surprises
This one started out as a colour study but I got involved in the composition.  For me the studies are just a way of getting acquainted with the subject. so this will become the actual painting.

I am interested in the form of the landscape and the movement.  And finding the way to show that in colour.  Still work to do on this one.  Next one will be a new subject, out of the studio.

Still exploring this.  Above is most recent version. I keep seeing it differently, understanding how my eyes are reacting. Now working on the foreground.  Using oil paint for this one.

And again, building on basic:  I think I like previous attempt better

Did this one (below) really quickly.  Now I have established the basic shapes I can think about colour and space. It has taken 2-3 weeks to get to this stage, though I was away/busy some of that time.

PROJECT 4 PANORAMIC PAINTING

Greyscale version of photos

Photo

First go at this section

Second go at this one

 
Way to go here, foreground grass too bright, hedges and plants behind cage need adjusted, drawing and colour of cage ditto.  Brightest bits are yellow protectors and sky, cage posts need to be darker, plus blueish wash for netting on top.  Light kept changing, also cannot really see because poor light falling on painting.  Usual sploshy start followed by closer look.
Sky OK, field at back more green but subdued, different colours and tones in cage need looking at.  Composition OK, sense of distance OK. 

 Usual panic with this one, took me two sessions, pic is too bright.  

Image 3

Image 4

Image 5

 This one problematic  Subject difficult partly because of the tree. Very conventional composition.  Remains unresolved, but I will hope to work it out.  Still unresolved, basically too conventional, hope sometime to resolve....  A few days later image 5, not perfect BAM but stronger.
 
But it led me to revise painting from previous project. Still a bit to do on this, but I enjoyed the freedom and won't do too much more on it.  Here it is previously (middle below).  .  Ughh.

 

PROJECT 4.3 PANORAMIC DRAWING

Vertical

This exercise is about combining different viewpoints.  Here I have moved my "gaze" from quite low (the windowsill) up to the middle of the window.  I can see that I have got frame a bit crooked on left but basically I quite like the drawing, and I was thinking of tone and potential paint all the time.


Next exercise is a panorama

First drawing and start of second (on left)

First and second drawing

 Here is first drawing and start of the second.  Third one will be like the vertical above.
I am doing the view from studio window, not my favourite subject, landscape, but it is there.  Drawing tonally.  Next day continued with second drawing, it was pouring with rain, so the light was completely different.

Third drawing

Three drawings together

OK  but third drawing not great.  Tree drawing :(

Project 4 2 Looking out of a window

First painting

Revision 1

Tough doing this one, but surprisingly today it started to work.  Did version 1 (above), main thing was to get the outside area blocked in and it has begun to look OK.  Then decided windowsill needed reworking, drawing wrong, tone wrong etc. so that is where I am at present.  Composition not great, I was tired when I set it up, the light kept changing from sunny to cloudy.  I will focus on getting the windowsill better.  Difficult to see what I am doing against the light. Colours in this repro way too bright, particularly the blue and red of the shed.

Painting experience for me is proving to be rather different from my anticipation, it has its own energy and flow.  I am definitely feeling more confident.

Worked on things on windowsil (3), and made it darker, then lightened it again (4) but made the area at bottom darker (5). Can't see from these pictures which are wayj too blue in colour but general effect is more balanced and the outside bit shows up better.  Result after much despair.

Version 3

Version 4

  

Version 5

Much too blue on phone pic, but I altered it yet again today (Version 5) just lightening the windowsill loosely.  I think this is final version. I like the movement in the paint on the windowsill, it picks up on the external view. Composition always an issue with this one.

PROJECT 4.1 PAINTING

Greyscale photo

Charcoal drawing

Tonal sketch

Starting in colour

This is the toughest thing.  It is so different working with paint rather than a drawing medium.  Much quicket.  I like the tonal sketch, but doing it in colour a different story.  Colours here exaggerated, but whole thing loses its sense of mystery and depth.  We shall see as I work on this piece.  Such a struggle to be patient with the colour mixing.  Too much blue in top area, the shadow in barn should be darker, even if it is not in reality. Have another two or three hours allowed in the project for this one.

Stage 3

 A bit of time on this today after break in London, looking at paintings...My job is to look and look again until at least I get the basic drawing and tones right.  But may find I need to manipulate the tone a bit to make the background view more dramatic. Sooo difficult.

Stage 4

 Lightened front area and area on right, had a go at the dye pots on the table, did something on the background/see through, area on right still wrong. will do more on that before stopping on this one.  Area about door needs work too, more gradation. Area on right to work within overall balance of lights and darks.  At present it looks too light, really it is the central part above the paper rolls that are wrong.  I have not looked carefully at that area.

Stage 5

 This photo not really quite right, but made some adjustments.  Enjoyed doing the dye pots and the things on the right and on the shelves.  Will set up still life pieces alongside project work. Quite pleased with this.  Felt clearer today, more relaxed, took my time mixing the paint and looking at tones.  The green paint above door very important. I like the pink splodge on the apron.  This was a pretty complicated subject and today it started to come together.

This only started to happen after about four hours altogether on this piece, once I had got the main areas of tone and colour in.  I could have developed it a lot more, but willl draw a line for now as per the OCA book.  Really pleased, unexpected result.  Yesterday felt pessimistic about this. But with some tweaking it started to come alive.  Working on right area section, the section above door and the jars.

PROJECT 4 MOVING ON

Drawing 1

First part of this exercise is to do four charcoal drawings A3 at least, the first two from one space or room into another, the second two from one space into a large (outdoor) space.  Above is the first one, done from inside of workshop towards the window.  Best I could find, and I need to make the drawings there because of doing a painting further on.  Quite enjoyable, and always surprising how little I see at the first look, and how the interaction with subject develops. This took me about 2 hours over 3 or 4 days.

I am finding it very good to be working in this exact and traditional way, particularly after the effort of doing the book last year and using up my reservoir of visual knowledge.  Need to replenish and this looking is a great way to do it.

Drawing 2  Looking through a door

Drawing 3 Looking out into a larger space

Have now made 3 drawings A3 size, blood sweat and tears.  I like taking the time and really looking.  #2 the best so far.  #3 not great, felt low in energy.  So far not really inspired to use any of these for a painting.....

Drawing 4

Greyscale photo

Photo

 

 

 End of stage one of this Project.   Mixed success.  Complicated subjects. And I have not got the tones right in drawing 4.  Tho I like it. 

PROJECT 4 PERSPECTIVE AND THREE DIMENSIONS PART 2

Flower painting 2 first sketch

Light bad today, only had time for a bit of this, established drawing, tho table should be a bit lower down.  Hope for more time day after tomorrow and beyond.  Lighter touch:)

Day 2

 Maybe lost it a bit with composition, make more of table top at base, but basically it is much better, the blanket getting right, also the cloth at back.  Did not really concentrate on this, felt bored, so surprised that it works at all.  Most interesting to me is the tonal pattern as translated into colour.  Felt impatient with it, and laid into it a bit, that definitely seems to have worked on background cloth.

A bit more to do on tablecloth and marigold probably enough, add a bit more tone to the bottom area to balance it.. Thinking about mixing up the main colours and doing a very loose version.  It would be fun to play around with the colours, just retaining the tonal pattern as well.

Final version

 Still felt a bit bored by this one, particularly the table cloth and blanket, but it was ok to leave it unfinished according to my book.  Might do another quick version with the main colours before continuing to next project, which looks very complicated (30 hours work)
Felt pain and despair doing this, maybe it is bringing back emotions from teenage years, but have to work through that.  Realised I am getting more confident if not better, and understanding more how to approach this for me.  Also realised I could now tackle that racehorse picture with more understanding.  AND that I may be needing to move into colour. LOL.  Next day, flowers had fallen apart so I dismantled still life and did this follow up version using final version for info.  I had that idea through using the still life for scarf designs (see below).
I tried at first looking at main shapes and working fast, but decided it looked very conventional especially with the flowers, so I scrubbed over it and liked the effect.  Worked into a bit, might do more.  Anyway it is on to next project now!  Next day: still did more with two no look sketches below.  But have mined this image to max, I think.

Scarf version!

 

Follow up play version