The Artist - UK (2021-04)

http://www.painters-online.co.uk artistApril 2021 43

PRACTICAL

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MATERIALS

l Arches 140lb Not paper, painted with

one coat of white acrylic primer.

l Winsor & Newton acrylic colours: raw

sienna, cadmium red, Winsor violet,

alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue.

l Winsor & Newton Designer Gouache:

primary yellow, permanent yellow

deep, yellow ochre, spectrum red,

primary red, ultramarine blue,

primary blue and white.

p Cafe Foscarini, Academia, Venice, gouache on acrylic-primed and heavily
textured mount board, 51/2 3 51/2in (14 3 14cm).
Painted en plein air, I didn’t have to think about the composition of this
painting as the light draws the viewer’s eye directly to the figures under the
umbrella that is creating a focal point

p Beehives, Bank of The River Esk, Whitby, gouache on Arches

Not paper, 140lb (300gsm), 171/2 3 191/2in 45 3 50cm).

Before any gouache was used I applied a loose, colourful,

acrylic block-in. When dry, gouache paint was then built up as

described in Windbreaks, Sandsend Beach 1

DEMONSTRATION Poppies near Windrush, the Cotswolds

p MY REFERENCE SKETCH

I observed this subject whilst driving to the Cotswolds to teach

a painting course. There was no possibility of parking anywhere

nearby, so I pulled into a lay-by a few miles down the road and

made a quick sketch as a memory-jogger. On considering the pros

and cons of the subject, I felt that it lacked a focal point. There was,

however, an effective lead-in created by the deep gully running

from the foreground into the picture plane. To make full use of this

I decided to place a cottage at approximately a third in from the

left and top border. To add vibrancy to the work, I also decided to

underpaint the paper with bright purples using acrylic paint

u STAGE ONE

I drew out a very simple outline in 2B pencil