Laura, Molly and I went out on Sunday to the Polesden Valley to see the snow. Molly’s fur got iced up and we had to keep crushing the ice balls collecting on her legs. Laura took a very atmospheric photo of a field with sheep and I had a go painting it. (warercolour)
Polesden Valley in the snow
I went with Molly to East Molesey to take a walk by the river with the aim of taking some shots of the river. The problem with the camera is that it takes such wide angle views and it seems to stretch the view and makes everything tiny.
To find a scene I’ve had to really zoom in. Here is the painting, its an oil on a 16×12 board. I’ve tried to lift the dull day and provide more colour and interest. St Mary’s Church, Hampton, with Garrick’s Ait to the left and the sailing club in the center.
The art club invited a speaker on ‘Symbolism in Art’ last week and the follow up workshop asked members to include ideas from the talk in their work. Unfortunately due to the weather the workshop was cancelled so I took on the challenge at home.
There have been some fascinating TV programmes and exhibitions on Hans Holbein the Younger recently and I’ve been interested in his amazing sketches of the rich and powerful of his time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_portrait_drawings_by_Hans_Holbein_the_Younger
So I’ve had a go at a self portrait in his style. Included are some symbols that represent my children and my interests.
Self Portrait after H Holbein the Younger
Holbein used ink, chalk and metalwork on a prepared pink paper. I employed the time honoured use of tea bags, colouring crayons and drawing ink.
I’ve completed the final painting of my challenge but I still need to continue with my art journey. I’ve been introduced to Roos Schuring, a Dutch Plein Air painter and she provides advice for those looking to improve.
I plan to follow this advice, and display my work on this blog.
No. 16
I took a photo of this National Trust property on walk with Molly. I photographed the painting by a window and the light was hitting the side but i quite like the effect.
Hatchlands, Surrey
I’ve been working on paintings instead of posting them so we have three on this post.
The first is a quick painting of some trees in the Polesden Estate. The sun was rising and hitting the field, with a great slice of light through the frosty field.
Light on trees, Polesden
The next was done Plein Air on Ranmore Common, looking out over the Surrey Hills. The painting was completed outside, a rare event for me and I remembered to add the man walking his dog. This is a larger painting than the small series I’ve been using recently.
Steers Field, Ranmore
The third painting is of St Mary’s Church, Leatherhead, from a picture taken one winter evening. This painting was started on Thursday and finished Sunday morning. Its been quite a battle and I’ve tried a few techniques to get it to work. Some interesting variations going on, which could work in other paintings.
St Mary’s Church, Leatherhead
I’ve one more painting to go to complete the challenge…
I’m on the final lap now and I’m confident of getting 16 paintings completed by the end of February. Subjects are getting harder to find so I’ve returned to a favorite of mine, the River Mole.
11: River Mole at the Common Meadow
River Mole
12: Wine Glass
I’ve gone to a different subject completely and feel the small size of the board suits still life.
Wine Glass
More paintings from the challenge. Some doubts about the paintings are emerging. So I need to focus on composition and the painting process to see what can change.
Norbury Park, winter sun
Roaring House Farm
Well, half way there and I’m on track. The paintings are all very different and a mixture of good and bad. I’m learning what to do and what not but its still not getting any easier – perhaps it won’t!
No. 7 – Norbury Park.
I took this whilst walking the dog in Norbury Park, I liked the colours and composition but mostly it was about the sky.
Norbury Park
No.8 – Frensham Small Pond
Completed outdoors with the Surrey Hills Plein Air group this morning. This is my biggest challenge so far as I had to find a spot and paint immediately. All my practice helped and I managed to get a painting out but looking at the other artists’ work I still have a way to go.
Frensham Small Pond
Painting 5 was part of an exercise suggested by the art club. They invited a watercolour artist Paul Simmons to show us how to paint figures with movement but in a quick style. On Tuesday we were asked to produce our own ideas and paint them during the session.
I chose a picture of England rugby players against Wales in last Saturdays match.
England vs Wales
Painting 6 came from a photo I took on Monday when visiting my Mother in Weybridge. The Oatlands Park Hotel is very close to where she lives and I have always like the Italianate Tower. Funnily as a link to the previous picture the Welsh rugby team use the hotel as their base when they come to Twickenham.
Oatlands Park Hotel
I took this photo a couple of days ago, with the morning light hitting the terraces cottages at the top of the road. This is a more complicated subject than the previous paintings and so took longer than the others.
This process is as much about learning from the failures as to making decent pictures…
Highlands Road, Leatherhead
Hugh's Sketchbook 