Painting No. 29 - High Neb Buttress, Stanage Edge

Oil on canvas 12" x 16"

This is based on a photo I took while out walking from Hathersage with the family one January.  It is fairly unaltered apart from the introduction of one of the many abandoned millstones that litter the slopes of Stanage Edge.  I also changed the colours of the climbers and added the standing figure.

Millstones below High Neb Buttress (photo from here)

I'm very pleased with the overall effect. I took some effort to get the edges right.  The gritstone tends to weather with rounded edges.  Whilst I didn't manage to stay as loose as I'd originally intended I believe that I've managed to capture the texture of the rocks and the feel of the place.

This will be going into an exhibition up in the Peak District on Feb 14th 2013, along with Trofeo Kima Rocks and Windgather.

Painting No. 28 - A Day in June (after Isaac Levitan)

Oil on Canvas 12" x 16"

This is a copy of a painting by the brilliant Russian landscape artist Isaac Levitan.  I came across it on Facebook posted by the wonderful Representational Painting page.  It was painted in 1895 and struck me as the kind of style I'd like to achieve, a sort of detailed impressionism, so I had a go at copying it.  I found it fairly simple although I struggled with getting the foreground to match.  Overall though I'm very pleased with it and aim to try the same style on some original stuff.

Judge for yourself, here's the original:

Painting No. 27 - Secret Project.....Francesca, Supertrailer

I've finished this one but can't reveal it as it's a private commission intended to be a surprise.  Just waiting for it to dry enough to varnish it before sending it off to it's new owner.

Check back in mid Jan 2013 when I should be able to reveal it.....
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Oil on Board 444mm x 555mm

Well here it is.  I can reveal it now as it has arrived safe and sound in Switzerland.  This was quite a challenge as it is based on a photograph taken with a flash.  This had wiped out any sign of shadows on the figure.  I had to resort to using the Value Viewer app on my ipad in order to tease out any residual shading.  In the end this worked very well, especially with the subtle shade variations on the shirt.  As with the Joss Naylor painting I scumbled the background to help bring the figure forward.

Smiles are notoriously difficult but I think I pulled this one off after a couple of attempts.

The more I look at this the more I'm pleased with it.  I think the figure has real depth and stands out well from the background.  I can't wait to see it framed and on the wall.