Colourful Day

Back in the studio again today, despite being a holiday Monday.  Very quiet in Art'sComplex - only saw one other person.  I decided to bring out the oils today as I haven't used them for a while.  I thought maybe I was getting a bit bogged down with my corrugated iron sheds.  However, after painting myself in, I took a new square canvas and thought I would try a version of the shed by the sea in oils.

I was thinking about 'abstract values', and gave the composition a little more consideration than usual.  I drew out shapes on the basis of a diagonal composition, with the angle of the hill echoing the angle of the shed roof, and the angle of the beach, etc.  Before I knew it, the picture looked like this.

Rusty Shed, Applecross

I had just set to with my favourite palette of ultramarine, prussian blue, allizarin and cadmium yellow plus white, and realised that this had a sort of Fauvist, or even Colourist, look about it.  I had also been very loose with the brushstrokes - I was trying to do my stormy sea again - but I didn't really mean to paint it in a one-off approach: I had intended to layer it a little (but avoid over-working it).  Well, I thought this looked lovely and cheerful (where did that come from?) and I was really enjoying painting in this style.  So after a little careful tidying, I stopped.

Now I had the palette full of colour...where next?  I had loads of half finished pictures, and returned to these ones.

Far Away Trees

This was a little picture that I thought I had finished.  I added quite a lot of colour into the hills and to the foreground, and loosened up the brushstrokes.  I think it looks a lot better now. 

Then I had a go at another little picture.

Another Skye View

I realise that I have totally changed the mood of this picture, but I think the colour has added a lot more interest, particularly to the Skye hills.  It was a bit boring before.  But maybe it's not a great picture.

I also had a go at rescuing this next picture.  I was analysing its abstract values and trying to improve them.   I haven't finished it yet, and I have to say that I'm not quite sure where it's going.   But at least it's beginning to look more interesting...

Fuar Toll, Strathcarron

Anyway, after all my recent struggles, I felt very happy to immerse myself in the sumptuousness of the oil colour.  And I think taking more of an impasto approach suits my natural style a little better.  But I'll see how I feel about these efforts in a week's time....