Last One For Today Promise…

I now have 3 of these market paintings started which is good I should be able to get one with one whilst the other couple are drying off a bit. This one took 40 minutes to complete. I've added too much blue into this mix but it should be ok once painting over. I'm enjoying being able to loosen up and not taking all day just to put a drawing on a canvas this method is a God send !!! 

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

 

Started another one whilst waiting...

This one took a little bit longer to do in all it took 30 minutes which is a bloody lot quicker than drawing it out. This has been done with the same technique as the others by wiping off the oil paints with a rag, no drawing has been done on the canvas. The only difference is I have used a darker mix by added a bit of ultramarine to the mix I felt the last one was too light. I'm going to do another one and let them dry over night so I have 3 on the go at the same time.

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Started A New Painting Whilst Waiting for the Others to Dry.

I'm still waiting for the other paintings to dry so I can add a glaze then varnish them. So I started another one, it only took 20 minutes to do so I'm right at the beginning stages with this one. In fact you might not even be able to make out what it is supposed to be yet. This one was done the same as the last lot by covering the canvas with a mix of oil paint and Liquin and wiping of with a rag the midtones and highlights. I really enjoy this method instead of drawing it gives the painting a much looser style, I think its opened a new chapter in my painting.

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

 

Same picture started again in correct format.

I've now got of my arse and bought some canvas of similar format, the first couple of images shows yet again I'm using an old canvas that has been covered in Gesso. The room I use is only 8ft square so there's not enough room to swing a cat around however one does what one can .. 

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

 

 

For some reason I haven't got any images of the early stages of the drawing I must have deleted them before saving some. Again its been done in the previous way as the last project which was covered in a mix of oil paints and Liquin and the image was then wiped away.

 

Colour was added over the underlayer painting some transparent and some not, I still wanted some on the brushstrokes to show through in the final image.

 

 

More layers of colour were added and dry brush strokes have been added to the top layer. At the moment I'm waiting for the painting to dry I will carry on with it until I'm happy but there's always a danger that I will get carried away and over work the painting.

 

 

Another painting on the go as Im waiting for the other to dry.

As I'm waiting for the last piece to dry a bit before I can glaze it I am doing two paintings at the same time using the same technique "Subtractive Oil Painting" (Wiping out method). Again this is another original image by Bernard Dunstan I'm looking at his brushstrokes and trying to work out the way this layered style of painting is done.. 

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

The below image is original piece of work by Bernard Dunstan

I didn't have a correct size canvas so I decided to go ahead and use a square canvas again this is another canvas picked up for a quid and given a 2/3 coats of Gesso. The second shows the canvas has been covered in a layer of brown oil paints mixed with liquin, the light and medium areas were wiped away with a rag there was no drawing dine with a pencil or paint brush the image appeared by wiping away the paint. The last picture show a little bit of colour had been added to the canvas, by this stage I realized I hadn't been looking at the original image and I was just making it up as I was going along. Eventually I decided to call it a day and get a canvas the correct shape and start again. I painted over the canvas with gesso and I'll use the canvas again when I'm desperate.

 

 

Trying a new Style of Painting, see how it goes.

Recently I've not been very happy with my painting I seem to be going round in circles producing the same sort of work over and over again, in fact I seem to not be improving. I have always wanted to paint in a more loosely style I always seem to start of that way than I start fiddling and added detail to the image. I've been looking a work by Bernard Dunstan and William Sickert to see how they do what I can't produce. 
PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

 I did some research and found an image I wanted to reproduce, well not copy it exactly if I wanted to change something I will, the original image is below and is by Bernard Dunstan.

The original was produced at 11" squared so I nipped into Rhyl to find a close enough canvas. I ended up buying some wall art I mixed Gesso up with some Buff Titanium acrylic paint waited for it to dry than added 2 coats of Gesso, the original wall art.

I have been shown the subtractive method of painting which you mix oil paint will Liquin tone your canvas with the mix and then simply wipe away the highlights and mid tone with a rag or ear cleaners for the smaller more detailed parts. If you add some liquin to a rag it will wipe it down back to the canvas which in my cases was pure white Gesso.

 


 














There is no drawing with this method as I usually take ages doing the drawing then transferring it to canvas also after that I usually take a tracing of the drawing. To me I have been told if you're drawing isn't correct than how do you expect the painting to look correct so doing it without a drawing was a bit of a shock. 

A little bit more work on the painting adding a little bit of colour mixed with Liquin I wanted some parts to still be transparent so the underlayer brush strokes still would come through.

I worked of the figure next but I was worried that I might start fiddling too much on the figure.

I decided that the foreground was a bed but I didn't think the original image really showed that so I decided to make a few slight changes along the way.

The above is the finished image for now I feel I've done too much on the figure and need to undo a few things maybe the bed was better just with the under sheet. I'll have to look into these but overall I feel I have done what I set out too do which was to look at a different style and try and loosen up in my painting strokes.

EDIT: I've changed it again slightly, this is the last time the brush goes back in its box and stays there…

 

2 Weeks Since Last Post…

I'm now back at college, the Sketchbook has now been put away hopefully in the next couple of weeks I will have some experimental work that's worth posting. In the meantime the website has been updated to accommodate the latest work from the sketchbook, feel free the look.

 

http://www.ptrichardson.co.uk

 

 

 

Todays Sketch 6th September 2014...

Another small painting for the Sketchbook, only 2 more to do. This one is half from memory and half from imagination I called it Mum's Back Alley set in the 70s/80s in a small suburb of Greater Manchester. It is an acrylic painting, the alley is wider than it should be as I wanted more kids in the picture..…

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Todays Sketch 30th August 2014...

Another small A4 acrylic painting in the sketchbook of the corner of the George Hotel in Stockport. Anyone enlighten me what the two items outside are, is one a postbox?, its before my time.…

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Todays Sketch 28th August 2014...

A4 watercolour & pen the image is of Ashton Road, Denton in Tameside (Greater Manchester). You wouldn't recognize the area but I've left the chain there on the pub's car park, in the original photograph its just a wall. I've not done any small ones in the Sketchbook for a couple of weeks due to finishing larger paintings and completing college work before starting back. I only have to do 3 or 4 small images then the Sketchbook will be full for once instead of being left half empty…

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Todays Sketch 11th August 2014...

Back to the Acrylics for this one it has more going on in the background then I would normally put in. These are only A4 sketches so you can't get every detail in which is a good thing sometimes. This image is of Stockport, Cheshire again which I took a few years ago looking at the corner of Debenhams, Viaduct and The Pyramid.…

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Todays Sketch 10th August 2014...

A quick experimental pastel painting using water with the soft pastels and painting with a brush. Didn't go exactly as I planned but never mind no harm done, not to keen on it but I suppose someone will like it…

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Todays Sketch 9th August 2014...

Another pastel drawing still experimenting with the medium, tried Charcoal with Soft Pastels today. I also use watercolour paper which had a cold pressed tooth rather than the grey pastel paper I've used recently. Also I used a colour shaper too force the pastel into the tooth so it wouldn't just disappear when I put fixative on top, seemed to work. Anyway the image is of Wear Mill going under the viaduct in Stockport, Cheshire, UK. Again this is a small A4 sketch hopefully should finish the Sketchbook soon and then I can move back on to the large stuff.…

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

2nd Sketch Today 8th August 2014...

A bit of a change from the norm moved away from Townscapes fancied a holiday, I carried on with the pastels from earlier and decided to do another sketch. I found this image in a book I have changed a few things (artists rights) and did another pastel sketch on A4 Grey pastel paper…

As I'm new to pastels does anyone prefer a certain brand of fixative for soft pastels. Or does every fixative dull the colours and remove a lot of the pastel, I spray gentle short burst from a distant with the paper laid on the floor I swear I'm only just touching the pastel but I still get the same results. Any recommendations?

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Todays Sketch 8th August 2014...

Stockport Market Sketch in Soft Pastels, Conte Crayon and Pastel Pencils on Grey Pastel paper. Quick sketch done in a couple of hours the pastels are fixed so the colours aren't as vivid as hey should be and as its going in the sketchbook it needs to be fixed. No idea why I decided to do this in pastel just wanted a change from the acrylics for a bit. Not really done much pastels work as I don't like the why the colours disappear when you fix them, its ok if the paintings going behind glass but this one isn't…

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

 

Todays Sketch 5th August 2014...

Another Manchester Sketch this one is looking at Manchester Art Gallery. The image has the old orange GM Buses so the image is possibly from the mid 80's. The sketch / small painting is on A4 Acrylic paper and acrylic paint as been used. I quite like this better than yesterdays mess which I know was the other acrylic paper I used, never again…

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Todays Sketch 3rd August 2014...

Today's sketch is another image of Blackpool. I tried a different acrylic paper out today but its not too clever it has a weird bumpy texture, the make is Reeves so of course its crap one for the bin...

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Todays Sketch 2nd August 201…

Today's sketch is of Cley Windmill, Norfolk I saw a painting earlier this week of Clay Windmill by artist Leo Carroll cant remember what it look like just remember I really like the windmill. I'm really struggling doing stuff at this small size again I would like to do this larger and change a few things. This is an A4 acrylic sketch, again its a slightly different subject matter than what I draw, cant remember the last time I did a landscape..

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Todays Sketch 1st August 2014...

August already just over a month left and I can get back to art college and finish the last year of my foundation degree. Anyway todays Sketch is a quick pastel sketch on black paper, this one didn't take long to do at all. Its only an idea I might reproduce it but not in pastel though. The image if you can't figure it out is of Blackpool, UK.

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Feedback comments and critiques for work.

I've been using Idrawandpaint to get feedback/comments/critiques on my paintings and drawings from other like minded people. You may want to have a look if it interest you, my personal page http://tiny.cc/ptrdraw

Life Drawing 30th July 2014...

Those that know of my work know that figure drawing isn't something I do very well though I keep trying. This is the last week it is running at The Cambrian but it begins again in September, today was the first time I have had to draw a male model but it didn't go to bad considering. Maybe the last couple of weeks doing the sketch book nearly everyday has helped a bit, who knows?

Most of the drawings on the first page were 5 minutes apart from one which I was still sharpener my charcoal pencils. The second image took 30 minutes and the last took 40 minutes.

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Todays Sketch 29th July 2014...

Todays Sketch is a watercolour with blue Ink Pen. This is looking towards the Roof Tops of London Road Fire Station in Manchester taken from platform 14 in Manchester Piccadilly Train Station.

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

2nd Sketch 27th July 2014...

Decided to put off what I was doing today until later. Yet another acrylic sketch, I have tried to do this with a different approach to my brushstrokes, however I still started fiddling with the figures in the foreground. I feel the beach went well but not sure about the rest I still need to loosen up which seems to be easier said then done. Please give me some truthful feedback as its not normally my style its more of an impressionistic approach.

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Todays Sketch 27th July 2014...

As I'm not going to have time to do much work in the sketchbook today due to other commitments I've decided to do a pencil sketch. This one took about 20 minutes ish its from a photograph of the youngest daughter took in 2004, what made me want to draw it was the splash she was making. This might be another one I paint larger one day.

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Todays Sketch 26th July 2014...

Todays sketch also took too long to complete not as long as yesterdays acrylic piece but long enough. I properly wont get a chance to do a sketch tomorrow I have a lot of stuff to do that I can't put off any longer. The image is of St Ann's Square in Manchester and I have just found out 2 minutes ago that the statue is Boer War Memorial by Sir W. Hamo Thornycroft in 1908. I was only interested in the busker when I took the photograph a couple of years ago but I thought I better find out what the statue was.

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Todays Sketch 25th July 2014...

Finished Sketch/Painting of Manchester (Piccadilly) Bus Station in Manchester, UK. This is another photograph taken a couple of years back for a different project for college, the image has been cropped from the original. When does a sketch become a painting? when you use one of your favourite mediums and you fiddle and spend 3 times as long on the bloody thing. No more acrylic paintings in the sketchbook I'll never get it finished at this rate. I do like the image but found that I can't get the detail that I want to put in when the image is small, the image is on A4 cold pressed watercolour paper. This might be another one worth considering painting in a large format at a later date.

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Todays Sketch 24th July 2014...

Didn't have time to finish this one today but here's the drawing I did early, have started painting it with acrylic paints. The image is from a photograph  I took a few years ago of Piccadilly Bus Station in Manchester.

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE

Another Sketch 23rd July 2014...

Yet another sketch done today I think I'm doing well considering I haven't done anything for 6 weeks before making myself do this sketchbook. Anyway this time I have done acrylic sketch, I not to happy with doing small acrylic paintings due to the size you cant fiddle I much rather do a larger piece. I might try another acrylic sketch tomorrow I see how it goes, this image is the corner of Cross Street in Manchester city centre.

PLEASE DOUBLE CLICK IMAGES FOR THE LARGEST IMAGE