Summer Road Revisited

So in an earlier (much earlier) post of August 2011, I showed the work in progress of a panoramic painting of a road nearby.  I brought it to a conclusion some months later, or so I thought.

It was hugely popular and despite quite a bit of interest and two offers to buy it, I wasn't totally happy and kept on feeling it needed some more work.

Finally, after a lot of contemplation, I knew it needed quite a bit of work, mostly in the sky and also in the very foreground.  I worked some more on it and this is how it looks now:

Much better!  It has now sold even before going on exhibition and goes to its new owner when it comes back from framing.

I Aintn't Dead

This poor blog has been sadly neglected over the last year or so.  Work and life had got in the way of updates, but of course, I am still painting!

I will post more pictures of my paintings over the next few days, but shall leave this up as a taster, a detail of a larger painting:

An Almost Alla Prima

I am sorry not to have posted more or to visit any blogs for what seems like an age.  I have had a nasty virus that knocked me sideways as well as a lot of demands on my time. 

It is very frustrating when things conspire against me to keep me away from the paintings and makes it very difficult to get back into a painting.

The two was working on from old sketches are still being worked on in my usual layer by layer approach which suits the small blocks of time that I usually have available.  But yesterday I had a whole day free to paint and decided to retry one of them on a larger scale and in a looser way, with lots of paint and large brushes.

It is oil on board and is 16 x 16".  I was aiming to finish it in one session, but I had so much paint on it and it got so wet that I have to leave it to dry enough for additionall touches, particularly in the sky area.  Even today it is too wet!

Almost There!

Well, I thought I had finished this, but I hid it from myself for a while and then took a long, hard, critical look at it this morning.

I want to do a few more things to it (not much) and then call it done - it is on its way to the framers on Tuesday ready for exhibiting next month.

Two New Studies and Old Memories

I have made a start on two small studies (9 x 12") and if they work out how I want them to work out, I shall then go on to paint them larger.

Here they are on the easel with the preliminary drawings in my sketchbook underneath:

They have had a coloured wash and a bit of tone painted on since these photos and I am excited to get working on them now.

My current landscape had a lot of work done to it today and is nearing completion!

Last week, I found an old folder of some of my old student (pre university) drawings and it was a trip down memory lane for me.  We produced so much work during that time and I enjoyed reminiscing about the making of each piece. I am trying to decide whether they would be interesting to put on the blog or not.

I am a Slacker!

Well, it appears to be so, but really, again, I have been very busy at work and around the house.

My painting has not progressed as fast as I would like and I am beginning to feel a bit under pressure to get this finished and several others that are now behind and have deadlines.

Fortunately, things are quieter, I have indoor daylight bulbs and will be working hard to catch up.

Our autumn isn't looking autumnal enough round here - we seem to have slipped rather quickly into winter missing my favourite season out altogether.  I want browns, oranges and reds in the landscape and shall get out there if and when it happens.

Meantime, work on the landscape continues...

Another Progress Shot

Although I have only been able to work in small portions of time, a little progress has been made on my painting, I still have much to do.

Hopefully, I will find a bit more time at the weekend and get around your blogs too.