Sunday 11 August 2013

Latest Paintings.

Despite all the background noise and current distractions I have managed to do some painting recently, although rustiness is evident. I read somewhere that in order to maintain your current standard you need to paint at least three times a week, and in order to improve more than that. Having done very little painting since late May I know the feeling.

A while ago my friend John Softly sent me some photos of boat scenes at Staithes in North Yorkshire. John has become friendly with the artist Robert Brindley who supplied them. I hope Robert won't mind me using them as guide photos and acknowledge him as the source.



The Red Boat 18" x 12" Fabriano Artistico Extra White 300gsm Not

What attracted me was the red boat. It was a very misty scene and the background was only hinted at. Apart from the red - a mixture of Cadmium Red Pale and Translucent Orange (Schminke PO71),with Cerulean on the other boats, most of the background has various greys, quite a bit puddle colour, the bane of my guru Charles Reid. Raw Sienna and Raw Umber also feature. The greys primarily from Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna. It is on the crude side but here I am following my guru who often says on his workshops `be cruder', aimed at preventing fussy over detailed paintings.

This one is the latest bird painting for `Paint Colorful Birds for Fun' on Facebook.


The Puerto Rican Spindalis. 16" x 12" Fabriano Artistico Extra White 300 gsm Not.

As you can see a colourful subject. Colours used were Translucent Orange (Schminke PO71), Gold Ochre (W & N PY43), Cerulean, Ivory Black and ? 

I have also started on another Indian portrait. Actually I did one at Thursdays Avon Valley Artists session but it was a bit of a disaster. It was of an Amerindian called Chief Washington. I'm sure I've read about him in one of my books but a search on Google came up with nothing. I used hotpress paper as an experiment. I really was much too careless, just wanting to get back to painting, and I shall have another shot at him soon taking much more care - and using cold press paper! The previous portrait I did was in May at Stow so this emphasized the need to keep ones hand in. 





6 comments:

Bridget said...

beautiful paintings, thank you for sharing

Oscar Solis said...

Nice. It might just be me, but the painting with the boats seems to have a bit of John Palmer going on.

I've said it before but the Charles Reid influence seems to be disappearing with every painting. You are becoming you. Good work.

Peter Ward said...

Thank you very much for your comment Bridget. Appreciated.

Peter Ward said...

Hi Oscar. Your comments always give me food for thought. I'm not so keen on this type of painting by Charles Reid. A bit like John Palmer! There's a thought.

mfshinn said...

Nice blog Peter. If you get a chance, take a look at Peggy MacNamara and her work for the Field Musuem.

Mark

Peter Ward said...

Thanks Mark. I've not heard of this lady but will look her up.