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Wash Challenge, week six – Thassos, Greece

Little Gem No.12
Little Gem No.13
Little Gem No.13

Well, my painting practise is becoming more regular, but now I need to work on my writing! These two were painted last week, Monday or Tuesday I think, but I couldn’t think of anything to write at the time and so they have been sitting, neglected, on my drawing board. Only the concern that I could soon have two posts to write at the same time has urged me to do something this morning!

I’ve also labelled these back to front (oops)… yes, of course the warm up wash was done before I started painting pictures! I actually did several and this one was my favourite – so vibrant and warm, using Indian Yellow, Quinachridone Deep Gold and Perylene Maroon.

I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the discomfort of painting without a plan, with no idea of subject or which direction to move my brush, where to start with the colour, what to do next. I wonder if, as you do more of these, your brain suggests things or if you fall into patterns that you know will work. For now, I just know that I don’t have anything to fall back on and it’s always out of my comfort zone!

Little Gem No.12
Little Gem No.12

By the time I’d done a few uncomfortable washes I was itching to find something more structured to work on. A quick search in the inspiration folder on my PC and I found a photo taken in Thassos, Greece on a wonderful holiday with my Mum & Dad. I’ve had this scene earmarked to paint for ages and this time, for the first time, it didn’t seem too complicated: flat wash for sky, a wash for the sea and one for the sand. Then some tree trunks, stippled leaves, and add shadows on the sand.

Previously, it’s been the trees that put me off, I’m sure. I’m pretty hopeless at them usually, but these seemed fairly do-able with slim long trunks and a mop of leaves. I am pleased with the result, although I know that the leaves were not as easy to paint as they look. There was some agonising in the process, including washing off, and I would liked them to have been simpler – I know my shoulders were right up by my ears with tension while I was painting, which makes it really difficult to paint loosely!

As always, much more practise is needed. The goal has to be a catalogue of effects in my head ready to remind me what’s possible using different approaches!

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