Stormy sky, Cockenzie

Stormy sky, Cockenzie

Oil on canvas
16x16 inches

Painted from sketches and reference shots I made the warmth of my car on the way back up the coast. I liked the energy an colours of the sky over the 'ugly' power station at Cockenzie.

In the distance further round the coast is Edinburgh with Arthurs Seat visible. Wanted to keep these elements subdued and secondary to the sky.

Ryan

Self Portrait in Profile

Self Portrait in Profile
Oil on canvas
20x28 inches

Had a real learning curve with this, portraits are tricky to get right and the head in profile can be trickier yet! Getting the shapes and angles right take a fair amount of observation. This one took a while as I waited for layers to dry inbetween painting sessions.

Ryan

The White Cup

The White Cup

Oil on canvas

16x20 inches

I've been doing an evening class working on still lifes in oil paint, picking up a few tips here and there. I do find still lifes a great training exercise for painting. Its a real challenge being presented with a new object and working out how best to render it in 2D.

The copper pot had great colours and shine to it and the different cloths and the weathered slate were also a challenge. I opted for the white cup being the focal point as for me it stands out from a busy set-up.

This took about 5 hours to complete over three weeks. We're now looking at more abstract work and will be working up another finished oil. Abstraction will be a departure for me so I'll see how it goes....

Ryan

Early morning light over Bass Rock

Early morning light over Bass Rock

Acrylic on canvas paper

16x12 inches


I think the summer (what little we had here!) is just about over, so glad I managed to get out for this plein air sketch. This was from a clifftop walk down by Dunbar called Belhaven bay. All in all took about 2 hours.I was excited by the yellow band in amongst the purple/violets/blues going on in the sky.


Ryan

Safe Haven

Safe Haven
Soft pastel on Murano paper
16x12 inches

This was a sail boat moored up in Musselburgh harbour along the road from me. Made sketches and took some reference shots. I've simplified the scene (removing other boats that distracted) and played with the composition a little to make sure the placement of horizon and mast sit on the 'golden mean'.

Plan to work this up into oils later

Haven't posted in a while as my PC finally died and had to be replaced!


Ryan

Still Life Sunflowers with summer fruits

Still Life Sunflowers with summer fruits

Oil on canvas
12x16 inches

Fresh off the easel, decided to try out a still life as haven't done one in a while. Had just bought some fruit and decided to put it in.

Here is a photo of my set-up
And this is my rough drawing with charcoal onto the canvas. Trying to get the correct tone here.

Next its time to get painting- first blocking-in the main colours at the tonal values set down in my charcoal sketch

This was a fun exercise and I'm pretty happy with the results.

Fiona back view

Fiona back view

Acrylic on board

6 x 8 inches

A small painting worked up from my previous ink sketches from my recent life class (see below). Mixed marble dust and a little impasto medium into my acrylic for this to add a bit of textural element to the brushstroke.


Ryan

Cliffs at Dunbar, a plein air sketch

Cliffs at Dunbar, a plein air sketch

Managed to get down the coast at the weekend again (the sun is being very kind). Found a great spot on the beach at John Muir country park near Dunbar, a small fishing town on the East Lothian coatline.

Really enjoyed this one. Was using Acrylic again for PA this time I was armed with some retarding medium and a water spray gun to stop it drying out too fast. This worked much better than the PA I did at Newhailles house (previous post) as I felt much more in control.

A cool thing that happened was the breeze kept blowing sand into my paint which really added to the painting!! A Scottish artist I really like must do this, as this is the effect he gets and I wasn't sure what he was doing. His name is Davy Brown, if you want to google.



Finished Sketch

Cliffs at Dunbar

12x8 inches

Acrylic on board

(~1 to 1 hour 30)

Cheers
Ryan

Lighthouse on Fidra

Lighthouse on Fidra, Scotland

Oil on canvas12x15inches

Fresh off the easel! From just a short drive down the coast, this wee island looks pretty spectacular. The author Robert Louis Stevenson (who lived in these parts) supposedly was inspired to write Treasure Island after being inspired by these little islands here- according to the tourist board anyway!

Ryan

View to Cockenzie, Evening Light

View to Cockenzie, Evening Light

Oil on canvas

18x14 inches

Painted this mostly with painting knife and a little brushwork. Not a traditionally beautiful scene for a painting- dirty big coal burning power station!! That made for an interesting challenge. This is a view along the East Lothian coastline from the beach where I live. Had really interesting colours and hazy effect going on that I wanted to capture.

Ryan

Life Class sketches

Life Class sketches

I just did another Life class through the National Galleries of Scotland- which have been really excellent.

For the first 1/2 hour we go up into the gallery and look at the master paintings, with our tutor pointing things out. Then we have a 2 hour life class working on the techniques discussed.

There is a great exhibition of on at the moment of drawings, which were the studies for major paintings. Edgar Degas, Seurat, Raphael, Poussin all are represented here. I was taken by a sketch by Poussin done in ink and wash, the finished painting was also on display. (will try to get a link)

Here were my attempts in this medium- quickly done ~5 mins each. We used sharpened willow sticks to dip in the ink and draw. The wash of diluted ink was applied with sponge. These unusual implements really made you consider line and mark-making. First one on the left I put down to learning the marks made by the tools!! I think they improved!


15x12 inches

Ryan

Bass Rock at last light

Bass Rock at last light

Oil on Canvas

1meter x 1meter

Applying the final touches!

This was a really challenging painting due to the size, composition and colour strategies. It has forced me to really study the Bass Rock and get to know it intimately. All the other studies that I've done certainly paid off as painting the final parts (the rock and sea) were done from memory/imagination and previous paintings.

Ryan

Female Life study

Female Life study
Soft pastel on Ingres paper
12x15inches

A painting I've worked up from my recent Life drawing classes

Ryan

Next installment of the WIP

Next installment of the WIP- re-worked the sky colours as I wasn't entirely happy before. I'll add some red/orange to the underside of the clouds next (when this layer dries a bit!)

Bass Rock (work in progress)

Bass Rock (work in progress)

This is a large painting I'm working on at the moment in the studio (1 x 1 metre). Its easily the largest I've atempted and it a subject I love to paint (as you can see from previous posts!), for these reasons I really excited about this one!

At this first stage I've decided on my composition. The horizon is placed on the traditional golden mean (dividing the canvas in roughly 2 thirds sky and 1 third sea). I've placed the rock off centre to the right hand side also. At this stage I've very loosely blocked in the rock itself using burnt umber and ultramarine blue, thinned with turps, this was done with my handy 2 inch decorator brush (felt like Rolf Harris at this point!), then my favourite 1 inch flat brush.

Next stage I blocked in the sky and sea. Again very rough at this point- not worrying about detail or anything, just want to get rid of the white canvas and try to establish the rest of the composition and tonal range.

Well this is where I'm at now. I've been working up the sky, trying to get the colours and tone right as this will define the light for the rock and the sea.

More to follow.....

Ryan

Plein air tree study, Newhailles House

Plein air tree study, Newhailles House

Acrylic on canvas

16 x 12 inches

(~1 hour)





At last the weather is changing for the better! Have a gloriously warm weekend and managed to get to do some plein air painting- first of the year!!





Thought I'd have a go at acrylics (haven't used them for a while), thinking that the quick drying time would make for easy (and mess free!) transport home. This is undoubtedly a great advantage as the painting sketch was completely dry within minutes. The downside is the drying time being so fast! I'd gotten so used to oils where you can mix colours on the canvas, scrape off etc!





It was great fun though and I might try to get some of the mediums for acrylic that can slow the drying a bit.

Ryan

Recent life studies and sketches

Recent life studies and sketches

Study of my right hand

Staedler pigment liners on paper

9x12 inches

Sometimes poor TV focusses you on doing something more interesting!- Did this waiting for football to come on in about 30mins. Better fun than the game (my team lost obviously!)

Maria sleeping pose

Soft pastel on paper

23x11 inches

Another one from the night classes I'm doing. Model was very slender (yes her leg was this bony!)

Fiona seated

Charcoal on paper

23x17 inches

One from another life drawing group I've been going to organised by the National Gallery of Scotland, led by the artist Damien Callan. This has been a great series of life classes, with a suberb artist and teacher. Having the class in the National gallery is amazing as for the first 1/2 hour we go up into the gallery and are looking at the Titian's, Ruben's, van Dyke's, Rembrandt's, Velasquez's, Degas.....
Damien talks at these master paintings giving us pointers, then we go back and try it out- superb! Highly recomended if your around Edinburgh.

Tonight I went to see an exhibition Damien is having here and was really taken by the loose expressive style. You get a real sense of movement and animation in his work that coupled with vibrant colour make for a striking image- please visit the link below:

http://www.chameleon-arts.com/exhibition.html

Fiona with headscarf

Charcoal, sanguin & white chalk on sepia paper
12x15 inches

Another quick sketch (20mins) from the Damien Callan class

Have been doing loads of life drawing for the last 8 weeks which has been great, need to get back to painting though!

Ryan

Bass Rock sunset with heavy cloud

Bass Rock sunset with heavy cloud

Oil on canvas

20x16 inches

Another Bass Rock painting, this time working up from my pastel ideas into oil. This was painted entirely with a pallette knife (except a couple of moments of finger painting- still the artists best tool for softening edges!)

I love the textured affect that can be acheived with the knife, it prevents you from being too detailed. Also I love paintings that from a distance are based on realism but as you go closer the image breaks up and can be quite abstract.

Ryan

Bass Rock at sunset (study#2)

Bass Rock at sunset (study#2)

Soft Pastel on sepia Murano paper

18x14 inches

Here's another study of the Rock, this time a bit more close-up and with a different colour strategy. I've toned down the sunset a tad and introduced some of the warmth into the colours on the rock. The water and the rock itself are also darkened helping to create more depth to the painting.

Also thought I'd publish a photo of the Bass Rock for those not so familiar with the subject

Ryan

Bass Rock sunset 1

Bass Rock sunset

Soft Pastel on red Murano pastel paper

18x14 inches

Trying out some ideas for a large new oil painting of the Bass Rock I'm about to start. The small photo here on the blog doesn't do much justice to the actual colours of this painting, which is a shame. I'll definitely get a better shot for the gallery image!

Coastal rock, North Berwick

Coastal rock, North Berwick

Oil on canvas

12x12 inches

The area around North Berwick and the East Lothian coastline are a constant source of inspiration for me. This rock sits just off the shores of North Berwick close to the Bass Rock which I paint more often. I decided it was time to try to paint the neighbouring rock for a change!

Sketches from Life Class

Sketches from Life Class

Male rear pose (20 mins)

Soft Pastel on pink rice paper
25x20 inches

I've started a new life class so thought I would share some of the work so far. These sketches might work their way into oils at some point, probably after I've completed the 10 week term and choose my favourites.

Male profile pose (20 mins)
Soft Pastel on pink rice paper

25x20 inches

Apologies to anyone shocked by the nudity- I did warn you this was a life class! The human body is surprisingly difficult a subject that has fascinated artist for centuries. Getting proportions, values, movement and a level of realism keeps you on your toes. As an artist it's one of the ultimate challenges to sketch from life- a 3D environment and make it believable in 2D, also the pressure of working quickly with a tutor and fellow artists make it pretty exciting.

Male front pose (25 mins)
Charcoal on paper

25x20 inches

Female reclining pose (30 mins)
Soft Pastel on pink rice paper

25x20 inches

In some of the previous life classes I've done I tried to be pretty precise and accurate, this time I'm deliberately trying to keep a loose feel to the sketches- hence the wacky bright pink paper!

As the class goes on I'll share more

Rooftops, Paris

Rooftops, Paris

Oil on board 12x15 inches

Had a bit of fun with this one. I was a bit disappointed in Paris earlier this year (not the city itself!)- I was really excited about seeing all the artists at Monmatre, but when I got there it seemed that everyone was knocking out stock postcard image paintings of the Eiffel Tower. They all looked identical and destined for the tourists.

I wanted to paint the tower but make it different. The weather was poor so painted this from sketches and photo references with pallette knife

Ryan

Flower study #1

Flower study #1

Soft Pastel on paper
8x12 inches

My second foray into pastel painting. I love the direct approach of pastel painting, allows images to be created quickly which is great for keeping that fresh spontaneous look.

Ryan

Sail Boats at Bass Rock, North Berwick

Sail Boats at Bass Rock, North Berwick.

Oil on board
15x12 inches

I love the Bass Rock as a subject. Its colour constantly changes with the light along the coast. On this day there were nice clear skies giving the sea a brilliant blue. The Bass Rock took on these same colours and with the haze coming off the sea, it had wonderful soft edges.

I added the sail boats from a previous sketch to add a bit more foreground interest and to help provide a sense of scale.

Ryan

First post of the 2007!

First post of the 2007!

It's a New Year so I'm starting a new sketch book. I try to carry one around as much as I can, capturing scenes figures that catch my eye. I though I'd start the year by posting some of the sketches I did last year that haven't made it to the gallery yet, though a couple shown here have been used for other studio paintings.

All are drawn with Staedler pigment liners of various thickness. I try to not only get a fairly accurate sketch down, but also try to indicate tones and textures and sometime add written notes to remind of colours time of day, weather etc. This information is very useful in allowing me to work up ideas into paintings and are often more insightful than photographic reference notes because they are my take of the scene as it was when I experienced it. These (particularly the figures) are all captured very quickly plein air, as conditions and people don't sit totally still for long unless you pay them!

At last the days will be getting longer and means I can get more sunlight and painting done fantastic.

I have also enrolled in a series of Life Drawing/Painting workshops and night classes so I can brush up on my figurative work

Ryan