I decided before winter set in to work on another site on the Ceredigion Coast , at a Caravan park
called Morfa Farm, near LLanrhystud. It was a beautiful site and gave me the opportunity to finalize some
medium choices that I was keen to sort out. I did a series of small oil studies on mould made paper, and
trialled three different types of Alkyd medium before choosing the one I would consistently use as the
block media after the first draft of an oil study in thinned turpentine. I tried Pip Seymour' Alkyd, the original
Alkyd from Winsor and Newton , and their fine detail one. After using both on a cliff study , I found the
original Alkyd overall performed best in terms of drying time, depth of colour and handling...
The final step was again using a range of media for the finishing stage, and only one picture here is ready for
this .I have used lots of combined rich oil media mixes like Dammar, Venetian turpentine, Copal , all with
different percentage of turpentine for thinning, as well as just pure Linseed oil, Walnut oil and Stand oil.
Surprisingly after more trials the one I liked best for ease of handling, glazing, drying quality was the Stand Oil
and that's what for a period I shall use, and review sometime in the New Year,,
called Morfa Farm, near LLanrhystud. It was a beautiful site and gave me the opportunity to finalize some
medium choices that I was keen to sort out. I did a series of small oil studies on mould made paper, and
trialled three different types of Alkyd medium before choosing the one I would consistently use as the
block media after the first draft of an oil study in thinned turpentine. I tried Pip Seymour' Alkyd, the original
Alkyd from Winsor and Newton , and their fine detail one. After using both on a cliff study , I found the
original Alkyd overall performed best in terms of drying time, depth of colour and handling...
The final step was again using a range of media for the finishing stage, and only one picture here is ready for
this .I have used lots of combined rich oil media mixes like Dammar, Venetian turpentine, Copal , all with
different percentage of turpentine for thinning, as well as just pure Linseed oil, Walnut oil and Stand oil.
Surprisingly after more trials the one I liked best for ease of handling, glazing, drying quality was the Stand Oil
and that's what for a period I shall use, and review sometime in the New Year,,
This was the first draft done on the LLanon field ,which shows
the two peninsulas of Aberystywyth and Aberdovey in the distance,
with the peak in the far distance being Cader Idris.
The beach with the shingle curve is at LLanrhystud and this was the
first large oil study where I finalized my choice of using only Original
Alkyd for the second stage of the painting. I will return to this site
in Spring and complete the painting using Stand Oil.
the two peninsulas of Aberystywyth and Aberdovey in the distance,
with the peak in the far distance being Cader Idris.
The beach with the shingle curve is at LLanrhystud and this was the
first large oil study where I finalized my choice of using only Original
Alkyd for the second stage of the painting. I will return to this site
in Spring and complete the painting using Stand Oil.
The next study is of one of the Cliffs at LLanrhystud and its a grisaille study using just green earth, black and
white to see later on what the effects of this would be as an underpainting on the subsequent layers.
white to see later on what the effects of this would be as an underpainting on the subsequent layers.
These next two studies are of the peninsulas of Aberystywyth and Aberdovey, and I used Pip Seymour's
Alkyd resin mix, to see it performed with some simple glazing going on. I did find it a touch treacly and it was a far
bit slower to dry than the original Alkyd.
Alkyd resin mix, to see it performed with some simple glazing going on. I did find it a touch treacly and it was a far
bit slower to dry than the original Alkyd.
Having done a lot of oil studies and learnt some helpful pointers, I knew my time at the caravan site would end
at the close of October, which it did , and as the nights are drawing in , I decided to head for home to the cottage
and set up in the lounge and paint from two east facing windows and remain there through the winter.
at the close of October, which it did , and as the nights are drawing in , I decided to head for home to the cottage
and set up in the lounge and paint from two east facing windows and remain there through the winter.
I was lucky to obtain a while ago a copy of Ian Roberts the
American painter , his book called Mastering Composition.
Its such a helpful book that I felt over the next three or four months
in what will be wintry weather to focus on going through
the book steadily an applying what I felt was helpful to my
existing practice.
Notan studies, direction lines, tonal quickies etc and on the easel
there is page from my sketchbook for a composition to start
through the window.
American painter , his book called Mastering Composition.
Its such a helpful book that I felt over the next three or four months
in what will be wintry weather to focus on going through
the book steadily an applying what I felt was helpful to my
existing practice.
Notan studies, direction lines, tonal quickies etc and on the easel
there is page from my sketchbook for a composition to start
through the window.
This oil study is actually on canvas, and I decided to take an idea from the painter Richard Schmid and photograph
the stages a painting went through as a learning process. Hence S1 on the sticker, this is the first turps draft in,
with the Alkyd stage to be begun in the week starting 23rd November if it doesn't Snow !!!
the stages a painting went through as a learning process. Hence S1 on the sticker, this is the first turps draft in,
with the Alkyd stage to be begun in the week starting 23rd November if it doesn't Snow !!!
This is the second painting from the window, using a diagonal armature shape. As the moorland and trees are
dominantly a rich claret colour this was the basis for the initial underpainting.The foreground is deliberately light
as there is wonderful sharp carpet of ochres and greens intermixed here so I wanted to have a high key base.
This is the same idea as the previous painting photographing the stages and learning what is seen and understood.
So despite plummeting temperatures I am really looking forward to what will be a extended course in composition
and learning the results, and with a nice 8kw fire plus two cats Maude and Syrup keeping a watch all is well.
dominantly a rich claret colour this was the basis for the initial underpainting.The foreground is deliberately light
as there is wonderful sharp carpet of ochres and greens intermixed here so I wanted to have a high key base.
This is the same idea as the previous painting photographing the stages and learning what is seen and understood.
So despite plummeting temperatures I am really looking forward to what will be a extended course in composition
and learning the results, and with a nice 8kw fire plus two cats Maude and Syrup keeping a watch all is well.
I will continue to take photos of these two paintings, together with excerpts as well from any sketches I make
so watch this space..
so watch this space..