Somethings new, somethings old, somethings blue

My first attempt at acrylics, done quite recently. Figure I'd do something simple. The gulls were resting on a small island that appeared in Finch pond when water levels dropped. I finally got around to signing the thing and photographing it properly.

Work In Progress: My second attempt(s) at acrylics. Part one of a trilogy. Egyptian geese landing in Finch pond. I finally got around to slapping on the blue background this morning. Needs some severe touching up. A painting is completed when I get fed up with it, which doesn't take much.

Painted some years back when I was teaching myself how to paint. A watercolour on cartridge paper, hence the extreme cockling. I composed three (well known) images found on t'internet but also made up a lot; mainly the background, dust and shadows. This will always  remain in my possession.

Again, painted some years ago as I grappled with watercolours and tried to figure out this art malarkey. I still use them, a nice cheap set by Reeves. They do the business. On cartridge paper (as I was practising) hence the cockling. Once again, always to remain in my possession.

  • Unknown said:

    Wotcha folks,

    I finally got fed up with this trilogy. I calling the last two done.

    Painting number 3, Splash down.  This one caused me the most grief. The photo I worked from was somewhat fuzzy.

    This is the original photo I took (one early Saturday morning, on my ancient Canon 350) as the basis of the last painting in the trilogy.

    Cropping out the birds

    I'm not expert enough to really work in the detail, and exercised considerable artistic license. The level of detail for the first two paintings wasn't a whole lot better. Still, it proved a good exercise in switching to acrylics.

    Photography is a form of art, and it's what you enjoy, whether it be straight landscapes, wildlife, portraits, artistic images or the whole works, it's what you enjoy, and believe it or not, a lot of people will also enjoy your works of art.

    They were all very good, but my favourite is the one I've included in the quote.

    Stick with it Angus, they're brilliant. Even I play around with some of the artistic features in Adobe Photoshop, and also the photo editor on my mobile device.

  • Thank you all. Your comments are much appreciated.

    My next foray into acrylics will start this afternoon; once I've sprayed a flat coat of varnish onto the three in the trilogy. I have gone, recently, for a plain background. It makes the subject stand out and is a lot less work. In contrast the next project has a busy and challenging background. I am still trying to work out how to approach it.

    I found it best to tackle challenging subjects as a way to learn how paint behaves. It does, however, plenty of angst and frustration, but it works.

    I have already decided on the proceeding project after the next one.  It will be edgy. I don't really like edgy paintings, but I feel in this instance that the appalling mess we are making of the planet calls for it.  The next few months should be interesting.