Forbidden fruit

Forbidden Fruit

16x16 inches

Mixed media on board

The next in my new style that is developing at the moment. Am really enjoying being able to get a bit of a narrative going in the paintings. The aim is to engage the viewer to think about what is going on.

The ability to add lots of layering allows for me to include elements at the collage stage that add to the story of the painting. I like how the simple composition and colours can initially attract the eye. As you get closer you notice the variety of texturing throughout giving another layer of interest. When you get right up to it you can begin to see through the transparent layers to the collage element.

Off to start the next one!

Ryan

Getting to know you

Getting to know you

15x15 inches

Mixed media on board

Continuing my series of mixed media contemporary figurative work that I started with 'Reserved for you' and 'Bond with a blond', here is the next work.

This one took a little longer to do until I was happy that I had got down my original concept. Its certainly tricky to do this compared to working in a representational way from life or photo (where your reference is right in front of you). An imagined image- even with preparatory sketches and colour studies- always changes.

It's weird that the images look simplistic and naive
(deliberately!), but the work invovled to do this as an adult is so tough!!
Picasso put this really well when he said, "It took me four years to learn to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child."

The way I've been working with the mixed media is controlled but intuitive so I don't always know how an image or effect will turn out or fit in with the overall piece. I was unhappy with the walls originally as I wanted a different textural effect. My original attempt with collage, inks and acrylic were too powerful and made the overall image look messy. I had some collage work there that added text elements that were relevant to the narrative of the painting- I realised I was being too precious about it and it was restricting my processes. My eureka moment was adding oil pastel over this. I did this in layers of subtle colours till a had a fairly thick layer then used a damp cloth to gently rub areas- this blended the oil pastel a little but also gives a nice waxy finish as a texture (a happy accident discovering this!!)

Ryan

Eyemouth- plein air

Here's a great spot I found a couple of weeks ago down at Eyemouth- about 45mins from Edinburgh. I had a day off and the sun was shining so I decided to head down the coast for some plein air painting.

Cliffs at Eyemouth (sketch)

Oil on board
8x10 inches

Here's where I got to after about an hour and a half- though by this stage the light was really starting to change as it was hitting the cliffs. Since this was the main focus of the painting, I decided to call it a day. It's just a sketch, but something I could use for a studio painting.

Ryan

Bond with a blonde

Bond with a blonde

Mixed media on board

15 x15 inches

Continuing the stlye I experimented with 'Reserved for you', this one is based on a certain gentleman spy!
Had fun with the texture and collage elements in this- managed to get the Aston Martin in too!

Was aiming to keep the colour harmoniuos and make an interesting composition. The texture uses acrylic mediums (texture paste and glass bead gel) and collage.

Ryan

Reserved for you

Reserved for you

Mixed media

15x15 inches

Last term at Leith School of Art we used a good variety of media and worked hard at loosening up style and application. I've been inspired to try to develop my style a little away from purely representational work. This has been inspired from Henry Moore's drawings and sculptures and a Scottish artist I like called Jonathan Hood.

I'm hoping to use the semi-abstract and mixed media approach to my Landscape painting as I'd become a bit frustrated with the genre.

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

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

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

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!

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

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