Just to show that I do paint more than just beaches, rocks and water! The smaller painting up on the easel is the oil I did the day we were at Bruno Cordati’s studio in Barga. I hadn’t used oils for years so it was a challenge spreading my colours out and not mixing them together and getting mud. I did of course.
It’s unfinished – because they take too long to dry for me. But I had blocked in the information I wanted and I still have my charcoal drawing for reference. So rather than work over it I chose to do a new one in Acrylic.
I have used an old 300gsm paper block which needs using while the ‘Edge of the Water’ was drying on my good block. So it was a good reason to get started on another work, and use a pad that was sitting around.
I’m getting more sure about squeezing out the colours with gel and open medium, in fact today was 4 days since I did, and being covered meant they were not dry.
I still cannot be sure where I’ll end up with these things and once all the paint was on, I began the softening of edges and finally sanded back. This gives the texture of the original gesso primer, showing through all the paint. It looks quite interesting. Even though I had reference from an Argentinian painter- Valentin Thibon De Liban – there wasn’t much resemblance as usual. But I like looking at them anyway even though I can’t paint like that.
The easel in the foreground of the painting belonged to one of the other artists in our group, and I liked it there. I valued very highly the opportunity to paint in this wonderful studio.
It’s so funny, I’ve just painted a window scene in Italy, and now I’m looking out of my Sydney window, and I see a storm brewing. And there goes that crazy sail boarder zooming across the harbour at high speed. He seems to only appear in this weather. Right now I’m glad I’m not out there!
©ErinHill2010 – source
