Composition - foreground object

Want to evaluate what achieved in the composition project especially for the foreground object and cannot quite so am blogging another post instead.

I wish I had chosen a different subject as it threw up issues that I needed to deal with.

If I were to construct this again, I would not have flat background but a space that led the eye into another space. I was trying to keep a 'triangular' composition but I could have re designed it by having a window or a door open in the background.
Not a great picture and I shall probably re- do it later: using oils prevented the change earlier.



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Colour study- see previous post

Interestingly, I found the drawing of shapes from the initial ink sketch very satisfying in a way that I haven t encountered before. The difference is that enlarging the drawing proportionally then drawing it out in SHAPES for colour tone seem to work for me despite the fact that I didn t think it would.

Together with some reading undertaken, about underpainting to add depth, and the work on composition, this has moved my work on by several steps.

Next steps? To look at previous works re colour tone shapes and composition to see how I have improved.
Work using this method again.


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Colour study - process, under painting in foreground

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practical composition- the flexible approach

Painting with the flexible dynamics of composition that has a strong directional force running into and out of the painting.
Started outdoors on the Sandstone Trail at the well know spot called 'Peckforton Gap' November end winter sky with red sunset flooding the sandstone trail.
I think the composition works but I have found that without undertaking preliminary studies, relying on the initial thin paint was fine for the composition at first, but much less so without the information I needed for the tonalities. As a result, the colour shapes are too glib in places as I grappled with balancing the composition establishing a mid ground.

What have I learned?

My strategies are developing somewhat. I constantly look at compositions of other artists work, In particular, I have started to sketch in the proportions colour shapes from their work.

The planned approach to composition is better for me because the scaffolding created for a painting from my studies make it easier and less problematic to take the painting forward. The spontaneous approach is pleasurable but I should it would be successful only with experience.

Considering the underlying 3 dimensional geometry of my two paintings, it occurs to me that both have a triangular composition, though in different ways. However, the figure painting is too near the top edge, and one cannot extend as on paper! The triangular point is beyond the rectangle.

Learnt to draw out the intended composition in thumbnails then if there are problems, I have found that tracing paper has helped a lot.




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Sent off third assignment

Oils still a touch wet but can t advance drying cos of cold!

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Composition in Practice- final version of sandstone Trail

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Composition in Practice- final version

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Colour struggle

With the background in a painting. Must resolve today. Browsing artist work for help!


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Hockney book- A Bigger Picture

Not seen the exhib yet but am going with the tutored group on 14 Feb.
Interesting to read the book/ catalogue in advance. I find the use of large blocks of colour quite dynamic in some paintings. They challenge expectations of where colour 'should' be placed. Wonderful.

In the large Winter Timbers 2009, oil on fifteen canvases, fhe colour is fascinating. Violet foreground, blue trees ( aqua m. with White mix) mid ground GREEN with a rose colour band that sings against the ice blue pale sky. Logs in tones of ochre and cad yellows with touch green.


Certainly grabs attention. Patterned foregrounds evident in plenty of his work on the Wolds. H picks up on patterns of foliage, as well as the greater pattern and landscape rhythms. Love the colour.


He uses few tones, rather perspective and pattern to delineate distance.
Uses pink and brown, dark oranges for the mid band of the landscapes as in A Closer Winter Tunnel, Mar 2006

Clear that he ('sees) the natural patterns of the scapes, as in Looking East 2006. Here the horizontal structures are beautifully drawn and patterned against 'candelabra' hedge growth purple branches and tiny green shoots.

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Studio

Not north facing but light tends to be fairly consistent. Big window helps.


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Composition in Practice- mid ground

I have tried in this painting of Winter on The Sandstone Trail - Peckforton Gap, to ensure that the mid ground colour is there, by blending in the tones and proportions used across the painting and foregrounding with ochre in the main.

Learnt? Well I have still to learn not to complicate with details. Colour shape is more important. Must look again tomorrow.






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Colour work, Composition in Practice, Life study,

Painted a red area as under colour on background to vertical composition. It came through beautifully under the aqua marine blue but then I messed up the effect by painting over again to adjust the background colour against the figure study.
You just can t get the spontaneity and dynamic warmth back.

Well I have learnt!

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