Profile study #1

Profile study #1
Oil on board
16x19 inches

Just finished this portrait, I had started this earlier in the year and was waiting for some the underpainting to dry. Finally got around to completing this one.

Off to start something new now!

Fruit bowl with pomegranites

Fruit bowl with pomegranites
8x12inches
Pastel on paper

This is my first piece of work for a couple of weeks due to a hand injury. Having been unable to paint for a while, I kept myself going by reading some art tuition books. I was inspired to have another go at pastels- I have not been overly impressed with my efforts so far, but was pleasantly surprised with this small study.

I'll have to try some more pastels in the near future!

Hay bales

Hay bales
Oil on board
15x12 inches

This was a recent work completed en plein air, again using a combination of brushes and painting knifes. I love the texture contrasts that you can acheive this way. The brushes allow a degree of control and you cannot help but paint loosely and expressively with the painting knife.

I used deliberate colour contrasts in this one, starting with a cobalt violet under-painting, establishing the tonal contrasts and sketching out the composition. Yellow is obviously the complementary colour to purple/violet and I have deliberately left some the underpainting show through in spaces to enhance the yellows in the field. The blue/violet sky also deliberately complements the orange highlights in the field.

I almost never got to do this one as the farmer turned up as I was about to set up. He was not too happy having a stranger in his field, but when I explained what I was up to he got pretty excited about it. I promised him first shout at purchasing it, but by the time I finished it he was long gone and I could not find him.

Ryan

Sail Boat at Cockenzie

Sail Boat at Cockenzie
Oil on Canvas
15x15 inches

Another scene from the East Lothian coast. This boat was sailing in the Firth of Forth with the Cockenzie power station in the background. Although power stations aren't traditionally beautiful buildings, this dominates the coastal views from Leith to North Berwick and depending on the quality of light has its own unique beauty with its strong vertical chimneys- its a subject whose beauty is an artists job to convey!!
This was painted from a pen and ink sketch. I exclusively used the pallette knife and paint texture to emphasise the abstract attraction of the scene.

Ryan

Contemplation

Contemplation

Oil on canvas
8x8inches

This is a new work in a series of small figurative works. This was based on a sketch I made of this old guy sitting on a wall. The scene just had a great composition and needed little from me to enhance the mood of the scene. I have no idea what the man was thinking of when I sketched him, but I was excited about the idea that he was contemplating his life. Compositionally I added the 'rose-tinted' sky to increase to the feel I was after.

Cheers

Ryan

Cromarty Boats

Cromarty Boats

Here is another painting from my trip up North. This one was in a lovely little town called Cromarty near Inverness. These boats were out of the water I guess for repair but they had a real run down rustic appearance that had lots of character. That was the inspiration for the piece. Again this was painted entirely en plein air in one sitting of approximately 2-3 hours. Thankfully the weather was more than kind for this one with beautiful sunshine. I sketched the boats in and really went for using mostly painting knife to try to capture the rough rustic feel of the piece. Hope you enjoy- only the final version I'm afraid as I had no camera on this day!




















Cromarty boats
Oil on panel
15x12 inches

Cheers
Ryan

Buachaille Etive Mor

Buachaille Etive Mor

I managed to get outdoors to work on perhaps my favourite mountain here in Scotland- Buachaille Etive Mor- which means 'the great herdsman of the Etive' (mountain range).

This ominous rock guards the enrance to Glencoe and is absolutely awe inspiring- I just had to paint it!A short walk got me to this spot where I set up with my painting box and got cracking

At this stage I've blocked in the main shapes with a neutral gray thinned in turps

I've now got most of the main colour blocked in- working fast as you can see the dark clouds coming up Glencoe

There was a beautiful dance of sunlight catching the grass at the bottom of the mountain and some of the crags on the left so was keen to get this quicklyAbout 2 hours in and its just starting to rain a little. I actually managed to finish a bit more than shown here berfore rain got too heavy, but I didn't want to get camera out!!

Well here is the finished version. I decided that I didn't want to work on this in the studio and risk losing the freshness and atmosphere I captured in the field. What you see here then is the result start to finish outdoors in just over two hours- phew!

Buachaille Etive Mor

Oil on panel 15x12 inches

C&C always welcome

Ryan

Portobello Promenade

Portobello promenade

Acrylic on canvas

15x15inches

Hi Welcome to the Ryan Evans Painting Blog!

Well this is my first post in the brave new world of blogging- please bear with me as I don't have a clue about how this all works yet!

As an artist I'm mostly self-taught though I try to attend night classes and workshops whenever possible- there's always something new to learn.

Coming from Scotland I have no shortage in beautiful scenery around to inspire me. My main passion in art is landscape, but to constantly keep me improving and sharpen my skills, I tackle other subjects- still life, portraits and figurative works. I paint mostly oils, but dabble with other mediums such as pen & ink, pencil, pastel and acrylic.

Over the coming weeks I plan to add to the blog with new paintings, drawing and projects. This will allow those interested in my work to follow me on my journey as I hope to progress as an artist. I'll try to give an insight into the work and techniques behind the paintings as well as some information about what inspired me about the scene in the first place. I also hope that in the near future I will be able provide access for anyone interested to purchase or commission work- This is something I'm looking into at present.

Anyway enough blethering from me- I thought the best thing me me to do is post a picture to get started. This was the first painting!

Cheers

Ryan