The aim of today's workshop was the look at the control aspect of chance & control, by using oil paints as a medium.
I was concerned and nervous going into todays workshop as I had never used oil paints before. I did some swatches and experimented with mixing colours and colour palettes.
Mixed in turps, white and black to each colour to see what shade/tone I would get from each. I particularly liked the results from adding the white and black to create varying shade and tone to each colour.
The colours that stood out for me most were the greens and blues. I wanted to create a painting from these and refer to my roots of living in Cumbria, The Lake District. We were to create an emotional painting, so I tapped into my emotions from memories living there and of my family, swimming in the Lakes during summer with them but also wanted to create a darkness to it as it is a place where I have grown up and some memories of being there aren't fond ones.
I used cardboard as the canvas and mixed up my colours as I went along intuitively.
This first image of the process, I took so I could compare the slashing marks in the bottom right hand corner, I didn't think it looked right and after wise advice from my tutor I decided to paint over them.
On reflection it looks more like the Northern Lights. Getting a review from my peers and tutor in the session, they too, said it reminded them of the Northern Lights. I would like to go back into it with fresh eyes over the next few weeks to see where I can take it. The colour palette is harmonious and atmospheric and brings the painting to life. The dark triangle needs to be blended a bit more into the green and blue. The bottom right hand corner needs to be darker greens to match the other side. I used my fingers to blend the colours which I found a very effective method.
Theres a sense of depth and space to the image which draws you in; almost makes you feel like you're falling into the painting due to the composition, like a pool of water getting deeper as you get drawn up to the top of the painting. The sense of glowing light created by the light blue and turquoise contrasting to the darker greens and blues, on the right hand side of the painting like the sunlight is catching parts of the painting is very effective. The perspective and movement created by the ripples of colour which could either be looking down onto a pool of water or looking up at the Northern Lights. I surprised myself using oil paints, I don't think its bad for a first attempt and I really enjoyed the process.
With this painting I wanted to tap into some of the psychological thrillers I have been watching recently and create an abstract painting. I used cardboard as my canvas again, slashing motions and a bigger brush. The colour palette was a lot more bold with reds that remind me of blood, contrasting with coldness of the blues. I didn't get time to finish this one however I would like to progress it further and see where it goes.
With this one, I used a smaller piece of A3 paper and wanted to play around with blending different colours using my fingers and the oil paints. I quite like some of the blends I created and the technique works well; it gives a smoothed out texture which is effective, rather than using a brush which can be patchy in places. It lets you blend from one colour into the next without it looking too contrived. I am not keen on the green and yellow in the middle. They look a bit misplaced and messy.
Experiments with the sensation of the colour blue.
This was done with oil on cardboard.
Reflections:
- The texture is effective of using oil on cardboard.
- The sensation I had when thinking of blue was a calming sensation - this comes across when looking at this experiment.
- Like in the other oil on cardboard I did a few weeks ago, I have created depth to the image.
- Good blending and patches of light captured with white on blue.
- Again this reminds me of the Lake District, in particular the lakes or a cave.
- Taking these further I would like the take colours from the lakes, and create a series of these on cardboard to experiment with nostalgia, my memories of home and colour.
This one was made with a mixture of acrylic and oil on cartridge paper.
- The sensation behind this blue was "chaotic at sea".
- I used a palette knife to explore texture and mark making which was effective.
- Applying water and linseed oil to the brush which made some effective parts.
- Applying the paint at a quicker pace capturing the essence of the chaotic storm.
- Abstract piece that invokes the sensation.
- The bottom right hand corner is effective of the paint dripping of the page and onto the wall.
- I think the idea of painting off the canvas and onto the space around, like the painting is alive and taking over the space.
- Negative space in the painting creates a lot of tension on the darker spaces and the marks of darker blue.
An experiment of taking a famous painting and creating my own version of it in monochrome and changing it in some way.
- Acrylic on cartridge paper - I wish I had done it on either canvas or cardboard to give the paint more texture.
- I was surprised at the end result of this because when I started I hated it.
- I learnt that painting the background first is the best way to go with paintings like these - layering up step by step.
- Not 100% happy with this, but it was just an experiment.
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