Fauvism

 The group leader of Get Painting, Tony, asked me if I'd heard of Fauvism. I hadn't. He said that my paintings (the ones he'd seen) reminded him of the style.

He may have a point.

Fauvist works were invested with a strong expressive reaction to the subjects portrayed.

I do know that I share the desire to use unnatural colours; to separate colour from its usual representational and realistic role, giving new, emotional meaning to the colors.

At the Edge

and On the Rocks were painted this way.

While I had a strong reaction to The Beachcomber, the use of bold, unnatural colours did not suit the style of painting I wanted to create. There was more reflection than drama in the subject. 

I was almost finished, when I painted over large parts of the canvas to achieve this.

Lock-side Bouquet was an attempt to create a realistic representation of a profusion of wildflowers from this photo, taken on the Marne in 2010

No Fauvist influence there, methinks.

The Portraits of Alf are definitely an attempt to capture his personality. Various poses present different emotions.

The Jacket was a trial painting folds in fabric, so I had to keep it fairly realistic. When I look at colours, I can see shades of other colours depending on how the light is falling on the subject. 

Where Alf's fur is black, there are hues of blue, and his brown patches contain oranges and reds.

I find his nose challenging. Were I to paint it in blacks, it would not hold its form. Blues and other hues are needed. I'm getting close to representing it in the third portrait (in progress)

In most of Alf's portaits, there is evidence of a Fauvist approach.

So, I would say that I am influenced by Fauvism, but not to the exclusion of other great artist's styles. I don't consciously set out to paint something 'in the style of', apart from the very first watercolour I did during an Art Class. Monet's Westminster Bridge, Sunset.

I have always had a love of learning. I'm keen to learn as much as I can from others. So, thank you, Tony, for putting a name to the style of some of my paintings.

 

Rhapsody in Bluebells

 

This photo of Hitch Wood was taken in 2014. There were lots of others. This one, in particular, makes me think of Tall Ships floating on water, the leaves the rigging.

I tried to turn the photograph into something that gave this impression to the viewer. After a few attempts, I decided I needed to take out the red, and concentrate on the blues and greens.

I finally decided on this version. 

Day 1 05/05/2022

I started painting in Get Painting Group. By the end of the session, I decided it needed to be bigger than A4.

Day 2 06/05/2022

Started again on A3 300 GSM / 140 lb, Cold Pressed (NOT), Textured - Heavyweight Watercolour Paper

Wet on wet green and blue for background. Started sketching the tree outlines.

Day 3 

Not much progress. Struggling with getting the mauve and blue of the bluebells mixed.

Lost track of days spent on this, because of learning curve for the caravan, and then the very hot weather.

New Day 1 July in Suffolk

Had to re-think the technique for this as the water-colours have dried. Using both wet in dry and wet on wet.

New Day 2 July at home

Started to push trees into the background in preparation for structure of branches.

New Day 3 August 10 at home

Filling in the background and started the branches.

New Day 4 August 11 at home

Adding structure to the background

 

and started the woodland floor.

Adjusting the trees in the background 

and smoothing out the woodland floor.

Looking back, I should have laid a ground for the background woods and floor. It needs some more tweaking to bring it together.

New Day 5 at home August 12th

Calling this finished. I think I'll varnish it, although it's a watercolour. The satin varnish makes it look wet and so the colours zing.

On the rocks

 
Acrylic version of a photo taken on Brightlingsea Beach, 2008.

Day1 11/04/2022

Sketched out the rocks outline and painted wet into wet, the sea behind the rocks. Had difficulty creating out-of-focus, faded waves in acrylics.

Day 2 16/04/2022

Added more wave outlines to the background and began painting the rocks in wet on dry.

Day 3 17/04/2022

Added more detail and structure to the rocks

Day 4 20/04/2022

Started at the LHS of the rocks to fill out colours and shadows.

Day 5 21/04/2022

Finding it really hard to get the structure of the rocks. 

Colours need more work.

Day 6  23/04/2022

I'm not feeling the love with this painting. It seemed like a very good idea, but, as it has progressed, it's become onerous - a bit like the Highland Cow.

I'll be glad when it's finished.

Day 7 28/04/2022

Started to add more detail on the rocks at Get Painting. Added more at home.

Day 8 29/04/2022

Filling in the shadows and adding colour to the waves.

First coat of varnish and painted the sides of the canvas.

Lock-side Bouquet

 

I've had the photo of a lock-side wildflower plot saved for years. It is calling to be painted in acrylics.

Day 1. 24/03/2022

Laying the ground

Today, I went to Thursday morning's Get Painting at Letchworth Settlement. I'm new to the group but already feel comfortable with the people there.

Day 2 - 25/03/2022

Laying the background and beginning to add wildflowers

Day 2  26/03/2022

I needed some painting therapy this morning. Putting in some more meadow and adding to the wildflowers.

I decided I am so messy when painting that I'd wear my new painting coat. It does a great job and is very comfortable.

Day 3 27/03/2022

Filling in the grasses and more flowers.

Day 4 28/03/2022

Finishing the grasses and adding final flowers, forget-me-nots.

Day 5 29/03/2022

Framed and hung.

Along the Riverbank

 

Day 1 18/02/2022

Watercolour, so laid down the bachground, sky and bank in wet on wet'

Letting it dry before adding the silhouettes and details on the trees.

Day 2 19/02/2022

Added the silhouettes and more detail to the trees.

Need to tweak the background colour blends behind the trees before framing it.

At the Edge - Progress

From this 

to this

 Day 1 29/01/2022

Having marked out the shapes some weeks ago, I finally took the plunge and started the next Watercolour - At the Edge.

I started with the sky and the roof before moving on to the top layer of cliff. 

Colours used. Reds, white, burnt ochre, black, blues. Method, wet on wet.

It's much more difficult than Beach Huts, because the strata of the cliff limits the space in which the paint can move. 

I plan to work each strip of cliff, right down to the beach, before removing the masking fluid. I'm not sure how this will affect blending of the watercolours as I will then be working with wet into dry. Perhaps I should remove each piece of masking fluid between layers so that there is more space in which to work downwards.

Day 2: 30/01/2022

Another day of washing (bed linen), walk the dog, and more painting.

Quite happy with progress, even though it's very complicated controlling various elements.

Working each strip wet on wet, then adding details when nearly dry.

Day 3 02/02/2022

Worked all the strips. Laid down the main colour then added the strata colours. Finished the details of the house. Wet on wet and wet on dry.

Day 4 03/02/2022

I took this to the first session of the LALGarts&crafts club and began adding detail to the layers.

I was advised on how to create the land slips but didn't feel confident enough to start scraping without all my equipment.

Others worked on a project supplied by the leader of the group, while others worked on projects they'd brought from home. It's a small group and we're all feeling our way.

There's more work to be done on At the Edge, especially the lower strata and beach. Then it's deciding how to frame and, possibly, making a mount.

Day 5 05/02/2022

I was a bit disappointed with the colours from Day 4, so delayed starting work until I decided whether to start all over from scratch, or try to rescue this one. It's so nearly finished, and my I've started so I'll finish mode kicked in.

I worked until I was reasonably satisfied and then decided the roof of the house needed attention.

I can't work out if I should stop there, as I'm not certain that the land slips are right.

What do you think?

Day 6 06/02/2022

Advice is divided, as usual, into those who say count it as a learning piece, and those who say it can be made better.

Added more vegetation to delineate the shape of the layers and the slippage within them.

Just need to adjust some shades in the bottom layer and on the beach.

A problem with the house was pointed out to me. I painted over the soffit board in the wrong colour. Adjusted that and did some tinkering with the colours.

Removed the masking tape from the paper and discovered an uneven white strip around the painting.

There's also a problem with the frame's mount, which is exactly the same size as the painting. I will have to work out how to attach it to the backing board so that it does not come forward to touch the perspex. May have to create an acrylic border around the painting the same shade of grey as the frame.

Day 7 07/02/2022

Finished, mounted, (with the help of double-sided sticky tape)

and hung.