Artists & Illustrators — June 2017

58 Artists & Illustrators

‘T

he call of the wild’ is perhaps one of

the most seductive and stirring

phrases ever coined, and for me it

is epitomised by the grandeur of the Scottish

Highlands. For the past few years I have led

painting courses based at Achintraid on the

beautiful shores of Loch Kishorn. The views

across the loch to the sandstone corries and

hills of Applecross, which rise to nearly

3,000ft, are awe-inspiring. To the east, the

limestone hills rise more gently with hidden

lochs and peaty burns. The light and colours,

combined with the history and romance,

make it an inspirational place.

Painting is always a challenge no matter

what your level of ability, but perhaps none

more so than when faced with an unfamiliar

landscape. I remember my first trip, during

which I felt excitement and apprehension.

I was ill-prepared for the sheer scale of the

mountains. Being confronted with a vast,

unpredictable landscape can be daunting,

so this is where a viewfinder is crucial in

narrowing the field of vision and creating the

right composition. It also helps to decide

which format is best suited to the scene –

landscape, portrait or square.

THE SKETCHBOOK

In a remote landscape, combining sketching

with walking is a rewarding way of gathering

information, as well as soaking up the spirit

of a place. In my experience, rushing too

quickly into colour, particularly in an

unfamiliar landscape, brings problems.

On the first day of my courses, I encourage

students to sketch in monochrome. I believe

this not only helps develop stronger powers

of observation, but sharpens awareness of

shapes and tones. Also, gently easing the

students into a difficult subject by drawing

first subconsciously helps breed confidence.

My sketches take many forms; some record

MASTER PAINTER RAY BALKWILL REVEALS HIS TRICKS

FOR CAPTURING THE DRAMA OF MOUNTAINS, LOCHS

AND WATERFALLS AS HE TUTORS A PAINTING GROUP

IN THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS

THE CALL

OF THE WILD

IN DEPTH

topographical features in line, often with

colour notes, while others, using a broader

medium, such as charcoal, create mood and

atmosphere. I find when I am working in the

studio it is the sketch, rather than the

photograph, that rekindles my emotions.

THE MOUNTAINS

When painting mountains you have to think

carefully about the subject and how its main

shapes are arranged. Ideally there should be

interaction between the shapes, creating a

sense of movement around the picture as

well as a feeling of depth. Focus on shapes,

rather than things, and think of your paintings

as mosaics of interlocking shapes, some

larger, some smaller, but all related.

In a mountain scene there are a number

of main lines formed by mountainsides and

foreground slopes. If these lines are

continued, the majority will meet at one or

more points. These are the vanishing points,

and general composition depends on their

position. The simplest composition is one

where there is only one vanishing point and, >

Capturing

ever-changing

weather

conditions adds

energy and

spontaneity

58 Ray Balkwill.indd 58 07/04/2017 11:39