Thursday 7 January 2010

IN THE WOODS ACRYLIC PAINTING

I said yesterday that I would post the work I played with at Sandra's yesterday when we got together for the day in her garden room to paint and inspire one another. .. sorry its still in the car and I don't plan to crunch my way up the front path to the cold, cold, ice bound and snow covered car to get it for you!!!!!!


So instead have been taking photos of a new piece I started this morning all from playing. I had shown Sandra one of my old 'tools' - a roller with pattern that when pushed over lots of thick acrylic paint turns into tree like patterns. So thats how I began with this 30" x 12" canvas. I used a little bit of a plan by squirting blue and white at the top , then greens, yellows, browns mid area the whole width and softer colours at the bottom. Then rolled to give me a background to work on.

The first image shows the whole piece after I had cut back into the thick paint to create tree trunks. I used a soft spongy brush sold to use for masking fluid and it worked a treat.


In the woods first stage

Close up of portion of first stage

Then I added foliage yellows, greens and blues and darks into the interior of the wood


Stage 2Close up of portion of wood stage 2

I now plan to add figures and have searched my image archives and come up with two of my grand daughters walking in the Walpole Gardens a few years back. Shall place it - once decided on the right size - at the bottom left golden mean ie 10 inches in from left and 4 inches up from bottom.


It has quite an interesting textured look for the woods and I shall look up some photos I took in the woods at Felthorpe last summer to give me ideas to develop the foreground. Its almost a good thing that we have snow forecast for the next 5 - 10 days - I can stay in my cosy little upstairs study and play, play, play, having food shopped on Monday to stock up. Hurrah for freezers!!

3 comments:

Sandy Maudlin said...

Thanks for the excellent explanation and painting. It's inspiring.

RH Carpenter said...

Now trudge on out there in the cold and snow, Joan - you know an artist must suffer for her art! ha ha No, I think we can wait until it's not so nippy outside :) I would love to see these closer-up to see the texture more, they look very interesting and looking forward to seeing you finish this one.

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

Thanks Sandy and Rhonda for your comments. Next post shows the finished piece plus some closeups.