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Friday 29 April 2011

Reeds and reflections WIP

These are the plans for the painting that I started working on today. The more developed sketch on the left is a mixture of watercolour, watercolour pencil, acrylic and ink. I enjoyed mixing up the media but I completely overworked the sketch. I want to keep the painting lighter and softer so will have to remember to stop myself from fiddling as the painting progresses.




This painting is a little bigger than the others that I've been doing of late. I'm using naples yellow, raw sienna, burnt umber and azure blue. I started by blocking in with very dilute paint on a board that had been primed in very rough strokes of acrylic gesso.

I've built up the tonal/colour graduation of the water and reed reflections. Soon I will start on the feathery reeds.

It wasn't so hot today so I'd dragged everything out into the garden and painted under the apple tree. After a short time I had the feeling that I was being watched and when I looked up I saw this inquisitive little chap. He kept coming back and forth inspecting my progress.


I've done quite a lot of scratching into the reflections in the top right section, as the layers have built up there has been more texture so I've started to dry brush to soften sections. However when I started to fiddle with the sparkles on the water surface I thought I'd better call it a day and start afresh tomorrow.
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3 comments:

  1. Roger Seddon29 April 2011 at 19:42

    This is taking shape nicely and I look forward to seeing the finished work.Have you tried sandpaper or are you using a scalpel blade to scratch the surface? Sandpaper is good.You will get nice lighter tones when you apply glaze direct to the existing paint and the exposed under-layers. Have fun. I will drop into your Art Society's Exhibition sometime soon and hope it will be well attended.

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  2. Caroline Simmill30 April 2011 at 12:27

    Lisa, love your 'donkey love' post, I know the santuary well as my parents used to live in Sidmouth. I recently bought some raffle tickets from them too. I think you flower studies are really lovely and reminded me of the journal work of 'the edwardian lady' artist a book I had years ago. It is great that you are getting out and working from life. The robin is a cheeky fellow isn't he we have one in our garden too, I think they are quite nosy! I like the reflection of light in the water in your reed painting. Look forward to seeing more work.

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  3. Lisa Le Quelenec2 May 2011 at 18:24

    Hello Roger, I've just been using the end of my brush to scratch in so far. I've used scapels and sandpaper on watercolours before but never on a board. I'll have to try that. Thanks for the tip. I hope you enjoy the exhibition.

    Hi Caroline, what a small world! The sanctuary is such a lovely place, I've been looking at their webcam on and off for a while. It was a lovely day out. Funny you should mention the edwardian lady journal I was thinking about it as I was doing the sketches, my nan got me a copy when I was child. Thank you for the feedback on the painting, have a great day :o)

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