KITES OVER BLAKNEY POINT

This small study was recently completed after an afternoon spent dreaming of days gone by. The headland shown in my painting jutted out into the West Lamma channel and was a place I visited often. Living on the island, Blakney Point was a longish but pleasurable walk from my home - thankfully there were no real roads and hence no cars. The path to the point (which I named after the real Blakney Point in England) took me meandered all over hillsides, past vegetable plots and a few smaller villages then on and out to the point. Located on the east side of Lamma Island in Hong Kong, it was a quiet spot and had excellent views of the main shipping lane into Hong Kong harbour. I would spend hours there occasionally drawing and painting but mostly just watching life go by. Black Kites (a common scavenger in Hong Kong) were often seen riding the updrafts around the island and were our most commonly seen raptor there. I only ever found one kites nest on Lamma but this may have been more because of the presence of a resident pair of Bonelli's Eagles than anything else. The oil is 3" X 5".

HARRIER NEAR THE DYKE

While in Canada on one of my recent painting trips, I saw this Northern harrier near where I was hiking. The next day saw me back at the same area but this time in overcast and misty conditions. Fortunately the harrier was still there this time hunting in and around farmland. I did a quick watercolor painting of the scene but retained this image in my mind until I got back to the studio. I like the way that the flooded drainage ditch draws your eye into the distance and then to the harrier. The finished result is pleasing to me and I feel that the painting captures the cool misty day that I remember so well. This small oil is 5" X 8".

LATE WINTER SNOWFALL

Finally here is the finished painting (at this point I'm now working back in the studio). The foreground went quickly and a number of subtle tones were added to the snow to keep it interesting. The shadows help give the painting a pull downslope and suggest motion while the tree is working the other way. Most important to the composition are these shadows, some are from other trees out of the picture and were a lovely bluish-purple. I added a few of the lowest snow covered branches last and they help give depth to the shadow under the tree. As a quick study, I'm happy with the results and the painting reminds me of a snow-covered Ent! Size, 12" X 9" in oil.

LATE WINTER SNOWFALL, PART 4

Not that much of a change from the last step, but now the tree has a solid base. Since I'm about finished with the upper part of the painting, I carefully go over it adjusting a few values here and there and adding some smaller details. At this stage, I stand back for a more critical look and as all seems fine, I'll work on the foreground next.

LATE WINTER SNOWFALL, PART 3

Here we are a step further along with most of the tree completed. I make the snow in shadow on the lower branches a little warmer by adding a touch more Windsor red to the mix then define some of the darker areas with raw umber. The highlights are almost pure titanium white and the snow shapes are defined with purple trying all the while to be subtle. I'm pleased that so far the painting is progressing as I had hoped. Next defining the lower branches and adding shadow.

LATE WINTER SNOWFALL, PART 2

Here in the next step, I have defined the tree branches using a mix of permanent green and raw umber with a touch of yellow ochre. I have also added a slightly darker tone to the snow shadows higher up and brought some of that color down to the mid section of the tree. Using a warm white (mixed from titanium white and yellow ochre), I start to put in the highlights. So far I am satisfied that I have capturing the characteristics of this tree. I especially like the way that it leans uphill and it is obvious which direction the storm came from.

LATE WINTER SNOWFALL, PART 1

We didn't get a lot of snow this winter but the last storm left a thick layer of soft snow that was a delight. I started this painting in response to that storm and here we have just the beginning. I began by outlining the tree with a wash of thinned raw umber then painted a graduated sky with a mix of cobalt and cerulean blue. A warmer purple was laid in on the shadow side of the tree and a few darker areas indicated with more raw umber.

When working outside in the winter, one has to be well prepared. Sometimes I can find a spot where I can work from my car but more often I traipse all over the countryside looking for things to paint. Fortunately the day was warm and sunny so I could manage quite a bit before having to warm up. Next part two!