International Artist – June-July 2019

Art Challenge 15

Kolbjørn Håseth Bud, Norway, Colourful sea, acrylic, 70 x 100 cm (27½ x 39")

Finalist

My Inspiration
All my life I have made use of the
fantastically beautiful nature we enjoy here
in Norway, and I am lucky to live in one
of the areas with most variation of all, and
this has been my main source of inspiration
in my artistic approach since I became a
full-time artist 37 years ago. Rough seas,
deep fjords, steep mountains, rounded hills,
remote lakes, fresh air, changing seasons.
This scene shows one of my favourite spots,
a place where I can be safe observing the
waves. I have painted this view many times,
but under different weather conditions and
from different angles. The islet has been
marked with a cairn as guidance for ships.

My Design Strategy
I pay attention to the golden ratio when

I place the horizon, along with the most

apparent spot, in this case the cairn on

the islet, acceptable according to classic

composition rules. The feeling of safety was

important to convey, the waves, fascinating

as such, being tamed as they meet barriers

on their way to my viewpoint. The waves

must give an illusion of movement, without

being frozen, without being blurry. This

requires many hours of observation over the

years. Colours changing due to reflections

from the sky, due to bottom conditions,

and due to how much air is mixed into the

water, also contribute to making the scene

interesting for me.

My Working Process

I do the actual painting in my studio. The

first years from a tiny photo; nowadays

I use an A4-printout, adding details or

simplify where it is necessary. I start

by establishing major shapes and lines

by drawing with a thin brush, no exact

measuring. My seven colours have all

had their same position on my palette for

decades. Now comes the stage where I use

a large brush and mix the colours more

on the canvas (linen) than on the palette,

working very fast. Here I get a lot free,

but this requires long practise, of course.

The rest of the job is what takes time, layer

upon layer with a smaller brush. Important

is also the large mirror and the music.

Contact Details

» Email: [email protected]

» Website: http://www.khz.no Pastel can last for centuries. — Harley Brown