Skies

Out of my comfort zone part 2

/ davidrpharmer / 2 Comments

This is the finished painting which I have called Windswept

I have done quite a lot of work on the horses as you can see. One horse in a familiar grey colour whilst the other in deep chestnut with black mane and tail, whilst also with black legs. Manes are swept out in one direction, as well as tails. Powdered snow is being kicked up by their hooves. The general effect I like to believe, is one of storm and threat even of chaos. I will let others judge

I have, I hope kept the strong light coming in from the left. The snow heightens that effect.

Not an easy one to put together. At times I was tempted to abandon, but I usually like to finish before condemning a painting to the bin. I am generally happy with this one, and comments on social media have been enthusiastic

So I will leave it there

Out of my Comfort Zone

/ davidrpharmer / 4 Comments

Usually I paint from some sort of photographic reference or even real life occasionally. I was advised to step out of my comfort zone when I was heard grumbling about not being able to think of something to paint. This is probably the closest that artists get to writer’s block.

So I started with a reference of a single horse which I duplicated, changing the colour of the second one. I put them in in a rough form.

I started on the background which I began with a coat of burnt sienna, diluted down. I let that go hard overnight, and then gave a glaze of lamp black, dabbing some out with paper towel to give cloud shapes. Lamp black is quite smoky looking and I like the effect it gives to winter clouds. Again I let that dry naturally overnight.

The clouds needed to go darker. I mixed Ultramarine Blue and Light Red and started from the top, adding more red as I reached the horizon line. I let that dry hard whilst I figured out what to do next. Remember I was on my own with no safety net!

I felt that the horizon could do with storm clouds rising. I used another mix of the red and the blue. The clouds didn’t work so they turned into distant hills which worked better

And that is where we are for now