For the last week or so I’ve been busy intermittently with my latest painting. A3 size, part of an ongoing learning curve. Can count the number of successful A3s I’ve done on one hand.
I wanted to use a collaged element, some textured paper that I’ve had for about 25 years.
A mix of French Ultramarine and Phthalo blue for the sky, clouded with gouache white going into grey. The headland unadorned in situ weirdly looks inset, rather than glued on top.
Headland and sand flats painted with Quinaquidrone Gold, headland in addition with Phthalo blue (green shade). Beautiful rich colors, but the sandflats too bright, too gold.
Left it a couple of days. Toyed with collaging an old building in the lower left. Read John Lovett’s website about ‘distressing’. Found a bristle brush. What he recommends for distressing.
Scary stuff to actually do it.
The big middle area painting every which way with grey made of the previous colours and a smidgen of Alazirin Red.
The dark diagonal area running down from the middle was the only problem. After trying to stare it gone for a couple of days, I wet it and mopped up excess paint. Repeated as required. At the same time disappeared the slumped bit of the horizon.
Then the gate. Something in the foreground is a way of getting depth. And that worked. it’s hard to get a good photo. For instance there’s no hill in the left of the picture. That line is much less obvious.
But, OK, I’m happy with if.
Rita de Heer 