Wednesday 14 August 2013

Haystacks from Buttermere

Oil on Canvas, 19.5 x 27.5 inches

I'm doing a few bigger paintings now for my exhibition in Devon, and here's one from the Lakes, with an iconic view of Haystacks, that lovely ridge of peaks so loved by A.W.Wainwright, the great fell walker and chronicler.  I took three more photos of the stages for your interest...is there anybody out there? 

 
First stage: I scrubbed in the composition with approximate tones, using thinned Alkyd Oil paint (with White Spirit). No Titanium White was added at this early stage, so the paint dries quickly.

 
Stage Two: Now I worked the mountain backdrop and the sky together, using standard oil mixed with Alkyds.


Stage Three: Continuing down the picture, I worked up the stand of Pines and the banks and trees on the left, giving more definition, then quickly painted in the water - always the quickest part of any painting - still water that is.  Then in the final stage (top), I continued to sharpen up all over and painted in the foreground Gorse bushes and grasses and when the water was just dry enough (water - dry, ha ha!), I pulled in a drybrush of light colour across it with a big hog brush to simulate wind disturbance, which helps to break up the water and not let it look too mirror-like and twee.

14 comments:

  1. Yes, I'm here! Been up that peak a few times - happy memories. Great picture, Peter.

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    1. Ah, good to know Andrew! Thanks for your kind words. You must have better knees than I have!

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  2. I'm here. Following the blog for a while now. Enjoy seeing how you put things together. I've wonky knee myself so I'd probably rather walk the valley. It's a long walk from California though.

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    1. Glad to have you aboard Steve and thanks for your kind words all the way from sunny Cali!

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  3. I'm here too. Finally added you to my own blogroll last week. Love your work.

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    1. G'day Andy, down there down under! Thanks for your kind words - love your work too having had a look on youtube!

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  4. Beautiful painting, thank you for showing the different stages.

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    1. Thank you Cathy! You paint beautifully yourself.

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  5. Great wip Peter.
    Very inspiring.
    Hope you are keeping well.
    Best Regards

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    1. Thanks Trevor - I was just commenting on your work on Facebook!

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  6. Absolutely love it when artists are gracious enough to include WIP photos. It proves to us mere mortals that you are human and that you don't simply "magic" these pieces from thin air :-D

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  7. I'm here...always, watching what you do and I love it when you show how you get such results! Thanks! You've finished a wonderful painting.....again!!

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