Rainbow Warrior - 42

 Have spent a lot of time working towards the final stages of this piece. With the Wirksworth Festival just over a week away, I want to have this piece ready to finish at the festival...my aim way back in March was to finish in September...and this I will do. In the meantime I've got a couple of pictures to frame...and I also have yet to visit my exhibition venue...it's in a school...I'm still waiting for the Headmistress to get back to me to arrange a time.

Below you can see the overall view...I had stated that I'd finished the lower right hand corner yesterday, but spent the majority of today strengthening the yellow hues of the sky and viaduct...I've added yellow not only to the sky near to the horizon, but all the way up the the top of the picture....(trust me!). I've also penciled in the continuation of the viaduct over to the left. Observant ones will also notice that I've added shadow to the base of the seagull I'm holding. There is further toning to do on the body of the Gull.

Below is a close up ...I've managed to reduce the visible white by applying lemon yellow...I've added quite a bit of it to the sky between the clouds..the effect I'm looking for is to bring the viaduct out slightly and improve the overall atmosphere giving a more natural feel. the left hand area will feature almost a mirror image of this side regarding the viaduct and train, heading in the opposite direction you'll be left wondering whether it's two trains passing or infact the same train with locomotives pulling in the opposite direction.

I have yet to decide if I'm going to add some kind of vessel into the sea, or perhaps something altogether unexpected....(stay tuned! ). I'm generally pleased with progress and I'm enjoying the overall feel of the piece...i'm already thinking beyond the finish time to the next project. With a series of exhibitions coming up, I need to create a new selection of affordable works to sell. I want to move beyond the predictable minipix of old and introduce  more surreal/symbolic themes. Either way, read all about it here or on my Face book fan page!

Rainbow Warrior - 41

 Here a re a few shots showing the development of the scene involving the viaduct/ steam train and sea....I would particularly like to draw your attention to the way I'm adding in Yellow Ochre...I was chatting on the phone to someone explaining how I think of it as the 'magic colour'...bringing a sense of reality to a scene....sadly I don't think my rendering of the ocean waves is anywhere close to what i'd like do......so you will see the beginning of a section of grass that will hopefully disguise my shortcomings in the Sea department! (bottom photo)

Rainbow Warrior - 40

I'm back to work after a relaxing week away. Today I'm concentrating on developing the appearance of the sea and sky.My favourite part is when I begin to add the yellow ochre....you can see how I've drawn a strip at the right .....

In other news, it's not long now until the Wirksworth Arts Festival in September. I have to visit the venue in which i'll be exhibiting. I hope to do this later this week or early next week. More details when I have them!

Another postcard from York.

I've reached day four of my break...I'm having a lovely time. This city has lots to offer, history, beauty...shopping...great architecture...lovely walks...all you need for a lovely holiday. I'm sure if I was not alone and just about penniless, I'd have lots of gorgeous restaurants...wine bars...real ale pubs and wonderful tea rooms to frequent. One day eh?!...until then, I have two eyes, a big heart ...a fit body and an ok-ish camera....so here's some pics of my last few days.Enjoy.

Having a break in York.

Hello...I'm off on my holiday this week. First time I've holidayed alone. I'm privileged

enough to be housesitting for my close friend Alison and family whilst they are away in Italy. I'm in a lovely spot close to the city centre...I have a bike and the city is famed for it's extensive network of cycle paths and lanes. A 10 min ride see's me in the centre of York.

Today I visited the Minster which was a wonderful experience. I've never been inside before, it's huge...I'm famous for not being a great tourist...I don't like the endless trails of camera wielding wide eyed foreigners.... don't get me wrong...I come from a town where you can walk the length of the main street and not hear English spoken...I love the cosmopolitan atmosphere, and I love meeting people from around the world. But when ti comes to touristy places, I just want to be there alone...to sit...to feel the place...to be. ...and I often walk away froma place not having taken any photos. I like to hold the place in my memory and heart.

but there are exceptions...and being here is so very special on a personal and spiritual level. Spo here are a few snaps showing you some of the things I saw today. Tomorrow I'm heading for the National Railway museum! I think I'm likely to take quite a few photos there! ;)

Rainbow Warrior - 39

 I'm slowly reaching the effect I want with this scene. I have no reference to work from so I'm making it up...I realised that the steam from the locomotive was a little lost in the light blue sky, so I decided to add darker clouds to bring about a better contrast ( see below)...I will eventually add lots of yellow ochre woich will bring a glow to the whole scene, especially the brick work of the viaduct as it's bathed in that characteristic low amber sunshine that accompanies the rain and dark background.

I've also added in a small fishing boat surrounded by a flock of sea gulls.I'm quite enjoying this at the moment.

Rainbow Warrior - 38

Hello, it's me again! I wish I was at liberty to tell you about all the things happening in my life at the moment.Suffice it to say that I'm happier than I've been in years and embarking on a new journey. More about that another time.....(I hate having happy secrets...I want to tell everyone)

Today I've begun work on the viaduct and steam train...a long running theme in my work...journeys...destinies....I will never tire of the wonder of  railway station, the meeting place and transit base for myriads of lives...lovers out for a day at a gallery...someone on the way to the hospital to visit a dying relative...someone leaving home for the first time....a family on the way to the zoo....who can tell, but they're all there!

This viaduct is embedded in the sea...the sea represents life to me...pair it with the destiny and direction of the train...the solidity of the conduit....the addition of the gull, pens, ring and rainbow....you might glimpse a little of the meaning....and hopefully you'll come up with something special....perhaps you could share you finds with me and my readers. i love it when that happens!