Monday 22 August 2016

#116 'Icelbergs Jokulsarlon, Iceland' 8x10"


Seeing all the icebergs and glaciers have a real wow factor with gorgeous blues and infinite shapes of bergs. Knowing I wanted to paint I felt a bit in awe of the place, where to start, how to paint it all? So I didn't paint the day we arrived, I needed to absorb it and get used to such an alien but beautiful landscape.
Saturday we arrived early before the crowds, there were sea lions playing quite close to the side of the lagoon, such cute faces.
An arrangement of icebergs stood out and I got to work immediately. I tackled it by not thinking of them as bergs but tones and shapes predominantly. Using the same method as the seascape rocks, thin dark transparent washes first and then building in stages of tones up to light - white and thicker paint. Trying also to keep it quite loose and brushy, as it seamed to suit the subject.
The dark area behind my bergs is the glacier, mountain and black sand - that's also what the stripes are. It adds lots of interest to them.
It was incredibly cold, the temperature drops around the lagoon and near the glacier, it was bitter standing painting, I had 3 layers on my legs and 6 on top! But worth the cold :-)
But saying that I enjoyed painting it more than I thought I would. I also had lots of lovely interactions with people, really friendly and interested.


2 comments:

  1. Having never been to Iceland, you have shattered my concept of an iceberg or of such scenery. I love the impressionistic style and the contrast sweep across the page of the dark background glacier with the solid bulk of the unbelievably colourful iceberg.

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  2. What a lovely painting from Jökulsárlón. Congratulations. One can visit that lagoon almost in any weather and in any season and still be blown away by it. Here are some facts about the lake:
    http://www.rent.is/blog/jokulsarlon---the-glacier-lake
    Safe travels!

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