#486 'Red Sails'

I have decided this is my last post on 'blogspot' but I am continuing as normal with posting on my website blog:

www.clarebowen.co.uk/blog

'Red Sails' was painted in our cottage in Staithes (North Yorkshire). A dream view of the sea and lots of nautical pieces in the house. The boat has a lovely shape silhouetted in the window and I enjoyed painting the light around it and through the sails. 
Worked on the tonal values as the outside is so bright compared to the room, and I had to lighten the wall of the house outside so it reads better. And make sure the wall on the inside on the left was dark enough. 

Just found out I have been preselected for the Royal Institute of Oil painters at the Mall Galleries. Next round and I'm in their annual exhibition - fingers crossed!!

I am off to Venice tomorrow for a 3 week painting trip! Very excited for all the paintings that will come and (ice-cream to eat!) and hope you might join me on my website blog :-)

With best wishes
Clare

#483 Boats at West Mersea Island

I spent the day in Essex with a painter I admire called Graham Webber. We painted side by side and it was a real treat! I loved watching him work and chatting art all day :-) 

Sometimes it feels very solitary as a painter but when these sort of days happen it feeds the artistic soul! And also gives me reassurance that the stuff I think and do as an artist is not alone for example taking photos for reference. Graham had his big Canon camera with him and was not abashed about taking photos as an aid memoire for back in the studio. It can often be frowned upon to use a photo to work from but as we discussed if you use them as a tool then why not!! So you are not doggedly copying but using it or several of them to help compose and colour your painting. Sometimes if there is a fleeting light on my subject or cloud formation I will take a photo in case I want to use it later. It can be hard to record and translate everything when doing a plein air.

Mine is on the right, Graham's the left

11x14"oil on board

#424 'Early Winter Light, Camber Docks, Portsmouth' 30x40cm

First layer of burnt sienna and the all over thin layer of colour/tonal shapes was done on location and the next day I did a fat layer of lush paint! So fun to do. 
The big blue/black boat difficult shape as it was strong blocky, so I used thick and thin paint and a greener reflection.
I suggested the silhouetted shapes of the buildings not too much detail.
Made sure the yellow struts of the fishing boat stood out against the darker background.
The water in the foreground gradually got darker. Little pinkie flecks of colour from the sky I put in before the green blue water and blended the edges a little.