Masonic Art: First Degree Tracing Board

I find that painting and drawing is relaxing.  I've completed a fair few paintings and drawings since my last flurry of activity on Blogger.  The main reasons for the absence of uploads is that I was assaulted by an intruder a few months back and that as would be expected, sort of of knocked me back a bit.  Compounded by the fact that Apple for some strange reason no longer supports Blogger, and my iPad is my mainstay as an art visual diary and my art hub.  I could upload to Blogger with ease, but these days using the iPad is stressful as Blogger crashes so much.  I can do without stress.  My old laptop was appalling, and all of these points conspired to stop the uploading.  My new laptop in comparison is both cheaper and a joy to use.  Cheaper is nice, as like many out there; money has to stretch these days. Nice because it's usable.  It ain't perfect, but it ain't bad either.

I paint and draw across a huge range of media and styles and subject matter.  I'm not constrained by commercial considerations and complete my art to aid my mental health.

Today's subject is a Masonic First Degree Tracing Board completed in ink and watercolour.  It is an unusual style of First Degree Tracing Board and unless it's a piece of my artwork then you may struggle to find similar online.  It's probably out there somewhere, but I'm yet to find it. This painting and drawing is sized 4 x 6 inches on 250gsm Mixed Media paper.

Masonic First Degree Tracing Board, Roger Bennett 2017, all rights reserved

Landrover Discovery

I'm about three hours in with this piece, including the longed out coffee and chat when I began on Tuesday and the pot of Assam B.O.P. when I revisited the artwork this afternoon.

ArtRba Photograph: ink pencil on watercolour paper 

It's intended as a gift, so I hope that the recipient likes it when it's done.  I'm using Daler Rowney 300gsm A4 size Cold Pressed watercolour paper.  I drew a grid using a watercolour pencil to lay out the design with an intention to wash away the grid lines as I construct the image. The dust cloud is a tad heavy at the moment, but I'm looking to soften that by applying an Inktense wash using a brush, and or a white Pablo colouring pencil.  It doesn't really matter whether that works or not, as it's all about learning and experience. Art is for enjoyment and relaxation; we mustn't get too hung up over techniques and outcomes. 

New Zealand Traditional Art

Well, how cool is this! 

ArtRba Photograph: blank greetings card with New Zealand Art on front cover

All the way from New Zealand courtesy of the lovely Barbara and equally lovely Rhiannon. They also sent me a stunning 'Clare Reilly' New Zealand Calendar 2017 that I will probably photograph and showcase when it's in place on my wall.  I met Barbara and Rhiannon while enjoying a coffee in a little Italian Cafe in Wales. 

As for the above piece of art; I love what was used to create the image, and the  3D effect that has been achieved, on what is after all just a flat surface. The artwork is both awesome and relevant to the short mark-making course that I recently attended and enjoyed.  It's yet another way for the artist to express themselves.

Malta and the Sky Landscape Artist of the Year 2016

Well not being part of this years; "Sky Landscape Artist of the Year" (2016) Competition, doesn't stop me whittling up my interpretation of a Maltese landscape.

ArtRba Photograph: Malta, Acrylic on plywood.

(Click on the image if needed to open it up full size)

Whilst this one was finished earlier today and ready to be gifted to a friend; I have several other pieces of art currently on the go. Well, I sort of write 'several', almost tongue in cheek.

There's an A4 ish sized watercolour of Venice, in which I am about 3.5 hours in, when I just had to set it aside and wait until I'm back in that zone.  There's the construction lines for something around A3 size, depicting the Old College and Sky from a close and low viewpoint.  This one will be drawn and painted using Inktense Pencils.  There's another Inktense and Watercolor Image of an African elephant on 14 x 10 paper, but alas like the others this is also unfinished.  There's something around 10 x 8 in watercolour of the Thames and one or two bridges.  Setting this one aside created a problem, as the dried masking fluid tore the expensive paper and damaged the surface.  In the soft pastel range; I have a portrait (yes unfinished) and a landscape which I set aside half way through.  There's also a repaired huge canvas that nothing has been done on, and there's the detailed 'Grand Canal' scene in Inktense that turned from being a 'labour of love' into just labour.  

So 'pushing on' with the Malta image over the last few days has been a rewarding experience.  Using a palette knife can be so liberating.  Better still; the image fits in with some mark making stuff that I've been doing.

Water Color Markers now being used

Well, the pack of Winsor & Newton Watercolour Markers have been used for the first time!  Along with a 'Seawhite of Brighton' watercolour postcard.  Both items were combined to make a thank you gift for a good friend of mine who showed me a kindness last Thursday.  

ArtRba Photograph: Winsor & Newton Tin of 12 Watercolor Markers 

If you can't see a particular image properly, click on it to open full size

I bought the 12 x Watercolour Postcard pack when we were recently in Malta. So it was lovely to combine these two new things to create some art.  The Watercolour paper is 350gsm so it's a tad heavier than what I'm used to, and as such, it has different handling qualities.  The thicker paper makes for a better posting process as the artwork should hold up better when travelling through the postal system.  Although I must admit that I address the postcard and write on the back in the usual way, but also pop it inside an envelope to address and stamp that!

Venetian Watercolour

This is today's output so far. The art was started while we were on holiday after I gave away a painting that Pauli liked. Drawing the Venetian scene using Yellow Ochre and a Daler Rowney Aquafine 10/0 'Liner' brush took about one and a quarter hours. It is painted on a 14 x 10 inch 'Lana' cold press 300 gsm fine grain watercolour block.  A block has many sheets of watercolour paper gunned down on all four edges so that you paint on the upper sheet and when dry detach that sheet from the block.  It means hassle free watercolour painting, without the need to tape the paper down onto a larger board. 

On this occasion, I'm using Winsor & Newton Artist Quality watercolours:

Winsor Blue Green Shade

Winsor Lemon

Raw Sienna

Yellow Ochre

If you can't see the whole photograph, click on the image and it should open full in your browser.  Blogger often crops photographs unless you resize them (small) in the full Windows online version of the page.  The photograph shows the three distinct stages of this artwork to get where I am now.

I've imaged the boat using a WH Smith watercolour pencil of no distinct labelled colour (when producing cheap pencils, they have to cut down on production costs, so they don't label them).  

The plan when dry is to detail the sea with the Winsor Blue G/S and the boat in green (mixed with the Winsor Blue G/S and the Winsor Lemon) and Blue Black.  The watercolour pencil outline of the boat, should in the main, wash out.  That's the joy of using watercolour pencils to map out the whole or part of a watercolour image.  

The shadowing on the buildings etc., will be my usual mixture of Prussian Blue and Venetian Red. Well, with a scene of Venice, Venetian Red just sort of has to be used, doesn't it? 

More inktense

"Come in number AB 104, your time is up."

Well I don't know who owns 'AB 104' but that was enjoyable three hours working the Inktense Pencils outdoors down near the Marina in Aberystwyth and then finishing off with water and a brush inside one of my favourite coffee shops.  This particular piece of art is approximately 7 x 5 inches on 'Hot' Langford watercolour paper. 

It was also the first time that I tried out my big floppy hat bought for me by one of my daughters to keep the sun off me when out and about painting or drawing.  The hat was a success too, so all in all, it's been a great day!

How to No.7 Forming a Sky with Inktense Pencils on COLD watercolour paper

The sky in this new Venetian image was created with just three Derwent Inktense Pencil colours: Willow 1900, Navy Blue 0830 and Sun Yellow 0200.  The Navy Blue pencil appears to be as close as I can tell to Ultramarine, whereas I've chosen Willow as my 'Burnt Umber'.  Using Ultramarine and Burnt Umber in watercolour gives you some nice blues and darks and creates various greys.  Albeit that grey is not my favourite. Nope, I prefer to use Prussian Blue and wait for it. . . Venetian Red.  So no surprises there then, especially given my predominantly Venice themed art.

Photo: Sky over Venice using just three pencils

All rights reserved R. Bennett 2016 (as is the case with all of my art and poetry)

Search 'ArtRba' on Social Media if you want to make comment and to see other images

The sky shown in this Inktense Pencil image is loosely based on part of an article in the current edition of 'The Artist' a monthly magazine coming in with a shop price of £3.99 and a reduced price if you sign up to home delivery.  I think that it's a good value for money magazine.  It found its way into my life, when a lovely person in the south of the County was giving away a huge number of back issues free of charge.  At the beginning, I extracted the watercolour information pages and gave the rest of the magazine away.  Now I seem to be finding lots that grab my interest, so after reading an issue, I deposit them with MIND for others to share and for me to have ready access in the future.  

I say 'loosely' based upon, because the artist reviewed on several pages including page 51 (where this sky formation appears) is using watercolours, whereas I'm dabbling with my current holiday favourite media, i.e. Inktense Pencils.  Careful observation of my uploaded image (if it doesn't all show, as with all photographs on Blogger, just click on the photo for it to fully open) will show a significant number of colours in the sky.  This seems to be a pretty cool effect, from using just three Inktense pencils.  This is one of the joys of any water based medium; you can move the colour around, dab in bits elsewhere, lift colour to lighten an area, layer colours, and blend colours together to create variations of colour on the page.  Although with Inktense Pencils it is worth remembering that you are dealing with ink, and once dry, the product is primarily colourfast and unlike watercolours, it resists further movement or lifting.  

One final note, is for you to preserve some white in your image.  This of course gives you an extra colour in whatever colour spectrum that you are using.  Plus, nothing is as bright as the white of the paper.  

Memories

. . . and today's art memory is of Venice.  It is an image of the Basicica di Santa Maria della Salute shown from the main arterial waterway (not the Grand Canal) to the South of the Church.  

I created the image using Inktense pencils on circa A5 size watercolour paper over two enjoyable sessions in Caffé Néro in Aberystwyth after returning from our summer holiday in the Meditaerean. I used a reference photograph that I took while we were being ferried by water taxi to and from the cruise ship into the city.  Some of my Venetian images were created in situ (one of a church while relaxing under the shade of a tree), but the majority of them will come from reference photos that were taken while we were visiting Venice.  These photographs were taken for the purpose of creating the art rather than as holiday 'snaps'.  The down side being the restriction of carrying the lightweight 40mm 'pancake' lens with its limited fixed focal length rather than the heavier by more adaptable 24-105 lens.  But everything in life is a trade off, and during a hot day in Venice, you carry what you can manage.  

This is probably why I am moving towards Inktense Pencils being my holiday art media of choice. It's a clean product that can provide pleasing and sometimes stunning results.  You don't need to carry water or a water container; as you can choose to wash in the image when you get back to your hotel or cruise ship. The tin is large enough to take postcard size watercolour paper held on the outside without bending.  So if you stitch a piece of elastic to secure the tin, then that paper size can be slipped between the elastic and the tin and thereby supported when it's all carried in your bag.  If you want more detail in your images, then you can work on the smoother 'Hot' watercolour paper, rather than using 'Cold' or 'Rough' paper, or you could combine 'pigment liner' pens, or 'Graphite Pencils' with Inktense pencils.

My 'lost' Panda

There's a puzzle doing the rounds on Social Media at the moment (well it may have been going for some time, but I've only noticed it since returning home) that is relevant to most artists.

The puzzle consists of an awful lot of snowmen in various poses and with or without various adornments; along with one solitary panda. The task is to find the Panda. 

But of course the human brain fills in the gaps, so to a varying degree (that is the time taken by different people to find the single Panda), the brain makes the onlooker see only snowmen.  

This is worth remembering as an artist, as colours and patterns can be made up that the brain interprets as a single block of colour or primarily as a shading (or tone) of a single block of colour.  This idea works well with pastels, as the pastelist can hatch over two colours to create a third colour that the human eye interprets as a single effect, when in fact it's simply hatching.  The concept is not restricted to colour, it also applies to lines and shapes. These lines or shapes can be formed or extended as broken edges. This works with 'wet in wet' and 'wet to wet' techniques using watercolours.  These 'lost and found edges' will form a building or a corner edge of a building when no straight line has been run the whole length of that part of the painting. 

Of course there is a lot more that an artist can do with this 'making good' interpretation that is subconsciously achieved by the human brain.  This could be the forming of a 'black' colour by using several other darkening colours, that the brain picks up as shading and shadow, but the lovely colours used to form the dark area also become visible on further scrutiny by the observer.  The artist can also fool the brain into joining up lines when dealing with perspective, maybe by having detail in a boat in the foreground, some less detail in some boats further back, and then some occasional detail at the rear of the scene. Size, detail, and missing lines, all get formed automatically as we search for that 'Panda'. Happy painting and drawing folks! 

Turner; 'Fishermen at Sea', Oil on Canvas

Well, I've now finished my attempt at copying Turner's astonishingly good "Fishermen at Sea", and if there's one thing that I have learnt from the process; that is the huge amount of rubbish and inaccuracies that have been published on the Internet regarding this particular painting.  So in a humble attempt at trying to tidy up the online mess, I've written the following essay:

"Fishermen at Sea" was painted with Oil Paint on Canvas by J.M.W. Turner and exhibited with the Royal Academy in 1796.  The painting is an atmospheric night scene, which we could describe as Nocturnes or Nocturnal.  The catalogue entry for this 1796 work, notes a contemporary account commenting that 'the figures, by not being more distinct and determined, suit the obscure perception of the objects, dimly seen through the gloom of night, partially illumined.'  

In many ways it must be harder to paint with vagueness in mind rather than the distinct shapes of detail and replication.  If anything it becomes pleasing to the eye, and thereby allows us to join up our own lines and to create our own shapes.  This of course means that the onlooker may never 'tire' of this painting, and see or perceive new things each time that they view the image.   

Many of the online reproductions of the Turner painting are of poor quality.  The lack of clarity and in part over saturation of colour, means that it is therefore difficult to use these online images as reference material to determine such matters as the figure poses and the details of the boats.  The image is also reproduced in many books, but the quality of each reproduction is wholly dependent upon the quality of the source material that was used as well as the quality of the book printing.   

'Fishermen at Sea' is also shown full page and in colour in: 'The Paintings of J.M.W. Turner; Plates', by Martin Butlin & Evelyn Joll.  Published for The Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art and The Tate Gallery by Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 1984.  The image in this particular book allowed me to make five observations that had not been made by reference to a flurry of online material and a plate of this painting that appeared in another book.  A copy of this book should be held by a Deposit Library (you can access the book onsite, but not remove it from the premises).  There are five Deposit Libraries in the United Kingdom.  Each Deposit Library will have it's own rules and processes for obtaining what is usually referred to as a 'Readers Ticket'.  There are two versions of this book, the one with corresponding text, and one that is also titled 'Plates' and which thereby contains 572 full page images of Turner paintings and drawings, of which 'Fishermen at Sea' happens to be Plate No.1 in the sequence.  The 'Butlin & Joll, 1984' Plate is certainly not the best image, and there are other online reproductions that show other parts of the image with improved clarity, but in the absence of being able to view the painting in person, it is recommended that this Plate is viewed in conjunction with online material.  

Returning to the painting; the nocturnal scene is illuminated by a full moon and cloud cover with light bouncing off various clouds as well as directly entering the area of the canvas containing the main theme.  There are two boats.  For the purposes of these notes; the boat located on the left of the canvas will be referred to as being the main or primary boat.  The reason for determining it as the primary boat is that it is draped in greater light and hence there is greater clarity of the figures onboard, and this boat is somewhat larger than the one on the right hand side of the canvas, and which we shall refer to as the secondary boat.  Turner has loosely followed the 'Rule of Thirds' and placed the primary boat in the left third and lower third of the canvas, and the secondary boat roughly in the right third and lower third.  The same composition technique has been used to place the Moon, that appears roughly one third from the left, and two thirds from the bottom of the support (canvas).  These values aren't spot on; in fact the primary boat and the representation of the Needles combined, are one third up from the bottom, but of course you should be able to grasp the idea and the intention of the artist.     

The composition is completed by the sea, the clouds, the distant mountains and shoreline, representation of 'The Needles' (Rocks with that name, off the Isle of Wight), the fishing net with it's associated paraphernalia, birds and light source.  There is a distinct swell taking place with the sea, and two visible wave areas have been formed.  The improved clarity of the 'Butlin & Joll, 1984' Plate, links the cloud formation (or maybe it is sea mist) to form almost one block of cover with the moonlight shining through.  The same Plate identifies three floating objects (higher up on the crest) to the left of the lefthand barrel that is floating in the water, that in turn suggests that the fishing net from the primary boat covers an area of the image that is more extensive than first thought.    

The primary boat has a taught line running from its bow (front).  The tautness of the line suggests that it is attached to an anchor or a dredging anchor that allows the primary boat to move.  But as these are fishing boats, there is also a possibility that the line is attached to somethings that weighs down part of the fishing net.  The primary boat has a fishing contraption attached to a small mast at the stern (rear) of the boat.  The light cast into the sea from an onboard lantern being held by one of the figures, illuminates the cork buoys that keep the uppermost part of the fishing net afloat.  We can safely assume that the net is further connected to the two sealed wooden casks (or barrels) that are located to the left and right hand side of the canvas.  But in the night gloom, and the sea swell; the linking lines are not obvious.  Along with ageing cracks in the original oil paintwork, there are lines in the sea that form parts of the submerged fishing net.     

The secondary boat has crested a wave from the main sea swell that forms part of the central theme.  But of course this does not necessarily mean that this fishing boat has pushed on through that particular wave.  The sails are down and the oars are not in place, so the crew have not made any obvious attempt at sailing through.  The secondary boat, like the primary one may have cast a static, dredging or weighted line.  It is simply that it cannot be seen in the painting.  Low down beyond the bow of the boat is a contraption that looks attached.  It is a flimsy and not too dissimilar version of the battering ram from an ancient fighting ship.  It's purpose is unknown, but the contraption is probably something to do with feeding out or retaining the net in position.

There are three birds shown in the scene.  Two of the birds are in flight and the third is resting on, landing on, or taking off from the right hand fishing barrel that supports the net.  These three birds illustrated in white are well contrasted to the darkness of the sea swell in that area.  Although unlike other online and book images, the 'Butlin & Joll, 1984' Plate shows the dark sea as not being quite as dark as the photography has defaulted to (that's the problem with a camera, it tends to search for the average result) and that the darkness is in fact made up of numerous black lines, that Turner added to the painting to suggest movement within the dark area of the sea swell; as opposed to the distinct lines of the submerged fishing net.  Reference to the the 'Butlin & Joll, 1984' Plate shows with clarity the difference between the sea movement 'lines' and the ones forming the fishing net.  They cannot be confused, and Turner's intention was clear.

There appear to be five figures in the primary boat and four figures in the secondary one.  The central figure to the theme is the fisherman sat in the primary boat and who is holding an illuminated lantern to provide light beyond that available from the full moon.  To his right at the stern of that boat is a figure hard at work, whose arms are illuminated from the lantern light. To the left of the lantern holder is a figure looking away from us and with their right arm extended.  On the other side of the boat are two figures leaning over the and looking towards the horizon.  The weather causing the swell is reinforced by the full moon (denoting high tide) and the coat tail of one of the figures flapping in the wind.

The figures in the secondary boat are less distinct.  The main interaction being the figure towards the bow of the boat; who is holding onto a line with both hands.  But of course we do not know if that figure is lowering or is about to raise the sail.  The act of lowering would of course suggest that the secondary boat had deliberately crested the sea swell to take up its position in the composition.  Although as a neutral onlooker and without the benefit of additional evidence, we cannot be certain.  There are certainly at least four figures in the secondary boat, but there may be a fifth to the left of the chap holding the sail line.  If there is a fifth figure then it is to the edge of the raised side of the boat and is helping to weigh the boat down on that side.  The two central figures on the secondary boat appear to having a dreadful time.  Rather than being involved in the fishing process; they appear instead to hanging on for grim life.  The figure at the stern of the boat can be seen in two poses.  In one pose it is facing you and in the other it is holding onto the tiller arm and facing the figure who is working the line.  Maybe this vagueness was a deliberate mechanism employed by Turner.

There is a possibility that there are paint marks to suggest two ghostly ships, just beyond and almost in line with Turner's representation of the Needles.  The first ship appears as if with sails down almost at the top and to the right of the mast of the primary fishing boat.  The second one, but with a hint of sail, appears at the top and to the left of the rear fishing mast of the secondary boat.  Was this a deliberate ploy by Turner?  In that he added colour and marks to suggest something else, or even to suggest something that is not truly there?  We know from his other work, that he developed a fondness towards suggestion and not pure representation.  Of course these ghostly additions may be down to poor reproduction of the original painting.           

The inclusion of numerous dark marks beyond the bow of the secondary boat (again shown with clarity in the 'Butlin & Joll, 1984' Plate); suggest the existence of floats holding a fishing net that has been cast from that boat as well.  We can assume from the manner in which the scene has been painted, that this is early into the fishing process, otherwise dead fish and or their entrails would be on either boat and the sea birds would be swarming that area rather than the darkened sea swell to the lower right hand side of the painting.

The oil on canvas painting is sized 914 x 1222mm (another source puts the measurement at 915 x 1224mm) and was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1796.  The painting is also known as 'The Cholmeley Sea Piece' and was the first oil painting to be exhibited by Turner.  The variations in metric sizing may be down to errors in translating the Imperial measurement of the original canvas.           

Roger Bennett, August 2016

    

Turner 'Fishermen at Sea' artwork update, and my L'Hermione painting

I've had some lovely help with my research to establish the detail in the Turner, Oil on Canvas 'Fishermen at Sea' painting.  The National Library of Wales responded by mentioning that there are reproductions of the image in some published books on Turner.  For example, the image is shown full page and in colour in 'The Paintings of J.M.W. Turner; Plates', by Martin Butlin & Evelyn Joll.  Published for The Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art and The Tate Gallery by Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 1984.  They even included the Shelf Number.  And those who know me, will know that I hold a Readers Ticket. So, I'm popping along to look at that plate tomorrow or early next week.

Meanwhile, the equally lovely people at the Tate; also sent me a reply.  My point of contact (for which I am extremely grateful) seemed keen to assist me in viewing with greater clarity what was described as "this atmospheric night scene".  The lovely lady included for my interest, the catalogue entry for this 1796 "work which notes a contemporary account commenting that 'the figures, by not being more distinct and determined, suit the obscure perception of the objects, dimly seen through the gloom of night, partially illumined.'  This catalogue entry is from 'Martin Butlin and Evelyn Joll, The Paintings of J.M.W. Turner, revised ed., New Haven and London 1984'. . ." 

Which of course coincidentally is the same book referred to by the National Library of Wales.  And true to her word, the Tate contact promised to send me "by post a colour photocopy of the accompanying plate which does appear lighter than our online image, and you may be able to see more detail of the second boat."  That image arrived the other day.

Isn't it lovely when two National institutions simply come up trumps, when on both occasions there was no obligation to do so? I'm well chuffed, and with my "Hommage à L' Hermione" now framed and on the wall in my Man Den (see photograph below), it's now time to turn my attention back to my attempt at Turner's "Fishermen at Sea".  Although, unlike the original; mine is acrylic (Cryla, Lefranc, Winsor & Newton) on the awesome Daler Rowney A4 Acrylic Paper.

Photograph: "Hommage à L' Hermione"

Acrylic on Acrylic Paper

Rba 2016, All Rights Reserved 

I really like the catalogue entry; 'the figures, by not being more distinct and determined, suit the obscure perception of the objects, dimly seen through the gloom of night, partially illumined.' 

As the original catalogue entry fits in with comments already received about my attempt in progress.  My friend Mario, called the work 'beautiful', and when I mentioned working up more detail, he was bemused.  Mario explained that the vagueness of the figures added to the impact of the painting.  But of course vagueness of the figures must include an attempt to determine and then replicate how many there are in each boat.  Otherwise it wouldn't be a true attempt at copying (and thereby learning) from the astonishing "Fishermen at Sea" painting.  

If anything, my work to date on the Turner piece, has given me the confidence to paint in acrylic in a distinct manner that for me is not too dissimilar from watercolour, and is certainly a huge step up from my glut of acrylic paintings that have ben completed over the last few weeks.  The "Hommage à L' Hermione" piece being a prime example.

Maybe this approach is something that can be considered by those of you who are aspiring artists or new to a particular media; pick one of your favourite artists and in some way (even if only an abstract of a portion of an image) have a go at repeating the process yourself.  Yes, like me, you will probably get a lot wrong, but in doing so you will probably learn new techniques and gain in confidence.    

Turner update

Here is today's progress on my 'after' Turner painting.  One hour this morning, some more research for an hour this afternoon, and then about another one and a half hours of painting.  I'm very pleased with the progress, albeit I had to stretch to buying some more Daler Rowney 'System 3' acrylic paint brushes as the ones that I had were simply too broad for the finer detail.  The other sticking point is simply the lack of good quality images of Turner's 'Fishermen at Sea' image online. 

Photo: An extract showing my progress so far on the main boat 

A lot of the detail is going to be a 'best guess'. Which is a pity, because once I get to see the original oil on canvas painting; I will see my errors and will have to consider repainting the whole blinking thing. So a better solution would be to source a nice crisp image showing all of the detail, now!

Especially a clear shot of the boat beyond the main one. I've trawled the Internet and checked out a few books.  Maybe I will end up in the National Library to see if they have a large print reproduction of the original inside one of their holdings.  

Another approach would be to continue as far as I can. Then stop and store the work.  Visit the Tate, do some sketching and then return to complete my inferior copy.  The main problem with that approach, is that it means longing it out.  And I don't like longing anything out, which is probably why I give oil painting a miss.

Fishermen at Sea; a further update

This is an update of my ongoing (work in progress) acrylic painting on paper that is depicting Turner's Oil on Canvas, 1796 painting, 'Fishermen at Sea'. This is somewhere around 10 or more hours in.  This evening I have added layers of Cryla Prussian Blue, Lefranc Louvre Black and a mixture of both colours.  I managed to buy the Prussian Blue (and some more acrylic paper) out of my share of a gift from our daughters yesterday.  I've written about this work on my Social Media ArtRBA page and on this Blog.  I'm really pleased with the darkening down and the real progress that I appear to have made with the image.  There's a long way to go, but it seems to be taking shape.

After; Turner, 'Fishermen at Sea'

Art and Poetry

A new Tesco store is being built in our nearby town. I'm not going to get into the 'ins' and 'outs' of that development, as some people can become a tad emotional when discussing the issue. But I am grateful to the opportunity the developers afforded MIND Aberystwyth; by handing over several 8 x 4 or larger wooden panels for the Art Class to paint on.  This is my 20 hour effort using acrylics.  Not my favourite medium, as like oils it just takes too long. Even though I spread the hours in short bursts over many days, it was still too long.  I know acrylics don't take as long as oils, but hey ho, some of us need to get on and paint another picture.  Not hanging about to wait for stuff to dry, or being part of a slow application process.  Give me a water based medium, or soft pastels any day. 

The accompanying Poem shown on an adjacent panel was also written by yours truly. 

The reason I'm posting this today, is that a friend who knew that I painted the image and wrote the poem last Summer, told me this week, that she saw a chap look at the art and then read the poem and then turn away crying. 

Words can create imagery, and physical imagery can enhance words. I suspect that the readily available explanation behind the artwork; reinforced (or maybe a better word is 'enhanced') that combined process. 

Although it was never my intention to upset anyone; as an aspiring artist, there must also be a small feeling of satisfaction.  In that the words and painting caused a reaction. 

As usual: all rights reserved Roger Bennett for the poetry and art. If you want to use both or either, then please track me down and ask for permission :-)

The Force Awakens with an Imperial Rebel Scout Team in Graphite Pencil and Derwent Inktense

This A3 sized piece of Star Wars themed art was the marrying of two formats (graphite pencil and Inktense pencil) without knowing in advance if such a mixed media combination would work.  Better still (or should I say, foolishly) I went and selected a large A3 sheet of Hot Pressed watercolour paper to trial the idea.  I mean, common sense suggests that I should have tried it out on some scrap paper or at least on something small like A5.  Hey ho, it worked and I enjoyed the artistic progress.

The graphite pencils were HB, 2B, 4B, 6B, and 8B.  Whereas the Derwent Inktense (ink) pencils were a Series 2 twelve piece set with the addition of some extra nine Series 1 and 2 colours.  I suspect that there were two Series; because some of the additional pencils are straight edged rather than round along the pencil shaft.  Apparently the earlier issue of Derwent Inktense contained some five (out of seventy two) rogue colours that were not as colour or light-fast as the later Series.  But this may of course just be rumour, and the colour range was the same with the first issue, I simply don't know.  What I do know is that I love these pencils.  Inktense colour and shade well onto watercolour paper, and come alive when you carefully apply water. Although I do recommend using a small rather than a broad brush to tease out the vibrant ink colour saturation.

Star Wars Scout Sniper Team - Spotter and Rifleman

The Star Wars Sniper or Scout Team figures have been completed previously by other artists and have appeared online for some time.  The figure on the left is usually found facing left (but I have seen it facing in the other direction where someone had mirrored the image).  The Star Wars scenery in which the Scout is set, is often moody and almost monotone.  I also found the right hand Star Wars Sniper figure online.  This cropped figure was presented as a square set up, almost like a sort of cameo.  Again, with a moody and limited colour palette.

My main drawing challenge was to combine the two Star Wars Sniper figures in a realistic manner.  A design that suggested their interaction within the scene was reasonably represented.  This took almost a whole day of online research for the appropriate images and then the juggling of the two photographs that I eventually set my mind on.  Unlike my father 'Saben'; I am not a portrait artist.  So the idea of a figure or figures with masks appeals to me.  But even with the face hidden, the detail was too much to draw freehand (if trying to accurately represent the original drawing).  So I opted for fixing the watercolour paper down with masking tape and then marking the tape to provide a 'cm' grid for the two areas where the Star Wars Snipers would be located.  These grid-line pencil marks had to be very slight, so that they could be erased or overdrawn before completing the final piece.

The next challenge was to change some of the scenery in the background, expand that scenery and then try to suggest that the Scout Team were on the high ground.  I changed the rock in the original broad image hosting the Sniper with the binoculars; so that the rocks being lent on, became a tree.  This leads the eye towards the second Sniper that is better hidden within the foliage.  

All of the graphite range of pencils were used, and some graphite was also laid down on quite a bit of the coloured areas, before applying colour.  The camouflage effect was created with a combination of two Inktense colours; where the colour from both pencils was lifted using a wet brush and then mixed.  This Inktense mixture was then applied to the drawing using a brush.  Of (my now) 21 Inktense pencils, the following were mainly used (in no particular order of importance):

Willow
Sun Yellow
Sherbert Lemon
Bark
Apple Green
Baked Earth
Sea Blue
Deep Indigo

and to a lesser extent; Teal green, and Tangerine.  When you look at what was a new set of 12 Inktense Pencils now sitting back in their tin, you can see that for this image, both Apple Green and Baked Earth took the greatest hit.

The Star Wars Sniper Team image is called: 'Looking for Targets' and took a total of 16 hours, split into 13 drawing sessions, that were spread over 8 days.  I fixed the final image with Daler Rowney Perfix Colourless Fixative. This is also my now first choice fixative for Soft Pastels when sealing between layers.

May the Force Be With You. 

Some more art

The Beast was dropped off for repair early this morning, so it's now a case of settling down and deciding what to start creating with the new art materials that were bought for me over Christmas and on my Birthday.

Today's Art is a tad complex and needed some lining out to help me with the combination of Graphite Pencils and Derwent Inktense Pencils. I don't know if that pencil combination will work, but we will of course find out over the next few days. The other advantage of lining out; is that watercolour paper is expensive. So I don't want to waste a sheet because of drawing errors.  The intended image consists of broadly copying two separate pieces of Star Wars art that have appeared online. The main character is an Imperial Scout Sniper sat next to a tree, and who appears to be only half interested in what is going on. To try to enhance that often copied composition, I've gone for adding a second Scout Sniper who seems to be more focussed, in that this figure has the scout rifle in the firing position.  I envisage this second member of the team to be in a hollow to the bottom and foreground of the tree. But alas, imagination and execution can often be quite different. So we will have to see how this one pans out, and whether or not I obtain the much needed relaxation and enjoyment.

This one is A3 size on hot press watercolour paper (smoother and dries quicker than cold press [which is also known as NOT]). The A3 size of course is less the 1cm all round to tape down the watercolour paper to mark out the lines and to try to reduce curling when I eventually wet the surface. Another good thing about taping down is that the paper should survive being but aside now and again, as I expect this piece to take a few days. I don't do pressure, so if the mood slips away, so does the art.

Seascape imaged

So this is how the seascape (shown in an earlier Blog Post) eventually ended up looking like when using Winsor and Newton professional quality Watercolours applied onto Sennelier Pastel Paper. The watercolor painting is approximatel 25cm high by 63cm long. It's our intention to mount the Artwork using White Mounting Board and to surround that with an Oak Frame ready to hang above the bed in our Guest Bedroom. 

The restricted space between the Dado Rail and the Bedroom Ceiling in that part of the room; is the reason for the deliberate narrowness of the image. Some of the colours were used for the Watercolour to compliment the color of items bought for the room make-over, now that the room has become vacant. 

As usual, I can't put myself under too much pressure when doing these sort of tasks. So the redecorating has already taken many weeks, instead of a day or two.  I've managed to fill the holes, and today I got around to eventually painting the ceiling.  I now have to build myself up to painting the walls.  We are thinking, take tomorrow out and instead do some art at 'MIND Aberystwyth' and go for a coffee, and then see how I feel on Wednesday.  If not Wednesday then Friday might be a DIY Day.  But Wifey understands that Friday could even turn out to be next week or the week after.  But in between all that DIY and pressure sort of stuff, I shall try to complete a Soft Pastel Drawing image of the same scene and using the same type and size of Pastel Paper. But I am enjoying using watercolours and I am already on the look out for some new Kolinsky Sable Art Brushes. I also intend to buy a sheet of watercolor paper, having today been told the difference between 'hot press' and 'cold press' paper.  I want to paint some butterfly's and I'm also keen to paint eight or ten leafs (in two rows, one above the other) without a background. Don't ask me why, because I simply don't know.  But there you have it, this is where the art direction is going at the moment. And before you know it, the art will probably be placed back inside a box (metaphorical not actual) and I shall move onto something else. Which of course is what we do when we need and use such defensive mechanisms.