Catching Up

Bit of a gap with the blogging, I'm afraid, partly due to losing a day's painting 'cos I had to work, and partly because we had a night out in Glasgow on Friday. So catching up today.
I didn't do much on Friday: the only thing I really did was to finish my wee, postcard-sized picture that I started on 5th September. Then I delivered it to the Gallery on the Corner for the charity exhibition starting at end of the month (watch my facebook page for details).

Towards Leith Copyright Aileen Grant

This is a wee picture based on Fisherrow Harbour, with Leith in the background. It's done in acrylic and inks. I think it turned out OK, so I hope the Gallery is able to sell it to raise funds for the project.

Today, I think my head was still in the hills, having been on a hillwalk yesterday. When I was there, I did a couple of small sketches on the top and took a photo, and today it just seemed the right thing to do to work on the image I had of a small pond with lovely russet-coloured grass in it.  Here are three images of what I was doing.

(Emerging) Hilltop copyright Aileen Grant

Emerging Hilltop copyright Aileen Grant

Hilltop copyright Aileen Grant

Well this is finished, but it's not a finished picture, and I am reflecting now on whether or not I have overworked it. The pond has definitely lost something - it was better in the middle version. But I think the grass is maybe better.  I used blue oilbar (ultramarine), oil crayons, a few acrylic colours and red ink. Oh, and charcoal of course.  I think I quite like the composition and so I may try it again. Does it capture that feeling of being on top of the hill, looking down over the dark valley below? Maybe a little? Anyhow, painting it did help me to feel that I was somehow still up on the hill.  Maybe I should do a hilltop series next.