recent work

I have been experimenting with gouache recently.  It comes in little tubes (well, my tubes are little, anyway) and is more opaque than watercolour.  Or it can be.  Watercolour can also be used fom tubes, but I have always the used the blocks, the kind that are kept in a tin that folds up.  Forgive me if I am rambling a bit, I have had the flu for what feels like forever, but is probably only about three days.  So, with gouache, you can get more intense colour, and can put light colours on top of dark ones (which is not possible with pure watercolours).  But what does the viewer of a painting care about all that?  They just want to see what the end result looks like - so here you go - a brightly coloured macaw, who I quite like the look of, and a dilapidated window. 

collage

I have just discovered what fun this can be.  It is also rather engrossing, distracting and takes more concentration than you might expect.  I was keen to recycle some old Christmas catalogues which were lying about the place, but in a constructive way, rather than putting them out in the white canvas-type bag on the street on a Monday morning. If the truth be told, I missed the recycling slot this week, so that added to the reasoning, in some strange way.  Flicking through, there was quite a lot of red in evidence (yes, I know the one shown above is blue, but it was attempt #2), so I cut out lots of little squares and made a patchwork pattern with them.  I was pleased with the result and took some photos of it.  Oh all right then, here is the red one too. 

Funnily enough, it seemed to develop a Valentine's theme all of its own (the little hearts were Christmas decorations originally).  Now I'm off to find some greenness in old magazines, as St Patrick's Day is coming up. 

shed painting

Well, that's my painting off to Aberdeen Artists' Society for their exhibition that opens on Saturday.  The exhibition is called "Watch this Space" - I'm hoping there will be space on the walls for everything that's submitted, and that my shed (above) gets a good spot.  In good light, at eye level, visible from the street would be fine, thank you. 

red phone box

I think I may branch out and include phone boxes in my "shed phase".  I posted this wee sketchy painting on Facebook the other day and loads of people liked it - some even made nice comments about it!  Something to ponder; shame my mind flits from one idea to another like a demented bluebottle.  I need to just get down to doing one thing until it's finshed.  But what is finished, when it comes to a picture or painting or set of paintings?  Ah, my mind begins to wander again, you see, and then I'm off on another directionless ramble.  Enough already.  Another day, another painting, hopefully.

another shed

A short post today - a photo and a few words

I love the ramshackle appearance of this one.  It may be the subject of the next painting.  It was described as "hallyracket" by someone the other day.  Great words, both of them.

shed sketches

As promised, here are a couple of sketches I did the other day of some sheds at Footdee.

shed phase

I seem to have entered a shed phase.  Or maybe I am just acknowledging it now; I think I have probably been in it for quite some time.  Last week, as the last of the January afternoon light was disappearing (at about 3pm), I made my way to Footdee (or Fittie, as it is known locally in Aberdeen) to take some photographs. 

I had known it was cold outside, but was not prepared for the chill that seeped into my very bones as I walked slowly around taking photographs.  This is the nature of taking photographs, I have found - you can't walk briskly, stop and take a few snaps and then march on again.  It takes time.  One has to browse, to look, to peer, squint, looking upwards and downwards and sideways.  Especially sideways.  If you are wanting to capture any half-decent images, I mean.  I was collecting images to paint later; that was the aim.  The light was rather ethereal; there was a misty white glow about it, which I did not really see at the time, but is quite vivid in the photographs.  Not vivid, that is the wrong word. 

Since I have been very remiss about blogging in recent times (for the past three months!), I think I will share the photos I took for the next wee while.  Maybe with some comments.  I started a painting (watercolour) of one of the photo above today, at the lovely class I go to out at Udny Green.  I may share it once it's finished - who knows?