Sardinia Cove Painting -- Quick Update

This is just a quick post to show my progress on my Sardinia painting underpainting and next layer -- still at a rough stage of filling in the main colours. The photo is a bit not true to the colours as it is indoors under artificial light. Today I used cadmium orange mixed with some venetian red as the red undercoat, with added ultramarine for darker parts. The sky is a mix of cerulean blue and ultramarine blue, with some titanium white added  for the lighter parts. The mauve undercoat helps a bit I think to add resonance. I will build up in layers to the lighter colours in the end. For the green sections, a mix of the cerulean, ultramarine and cadmium yellow is used. This is just a darker layer for starters. I will work on the shading and lighter detail as I progress. I will post further updates as I progress....

Finding a subject to paint

Sardinia Cove Sketch

Gathering reference material and thinking about ideas for the next painting is something most artists are doing all the time to a greater or lesser degree. It's the only way to avoid the dreaded staring at a blank canvas and wondering what to paint! Anyone who has tried painting has sat there doing that at one stage or another. It's the artist's equivalent of writer's block.
That's probably why painting outdoors is so popular in warm countries, as there is always something worth painting, just take a stroll around and it doesn't take long to settle on something worthwhile.

So I have been thinking about my next painting now...and I am going to try a painting based on a sketch I made in Sardinia...actually I didn't sketch it at the time I saw it, as I was on a sailing boat trip. It was midday and we were anchored in a small inlet with one or two other yachts nearby. From there I swam to a nearby rock about 30 yards away, climbed out, put on my runners, which I had floated to shore on a small float board, and climbed up a hill through a series of rocks to look down on the boat. I sat high up there about 200ft or more above the cove. The sun was high and all the water shone a sparkling blue like you see in the Carribean. It was a perfectly tranquil day, with the blue haze of distant land on the horizon, and I tried hard to memorise the scene, the warmth and glow of the water, the sky and the rocks and the shapes of everything. The position of the boats and the cove itself. So here is the sketch I made after, and hopefully I can create something special which will bring me back to that moment.

I really love all those Mediterranean places, like Sardinia and Italy and want to paint more...so now that I am starting back into painting after quite a while of absence, I have a subject that I think I will really enjoy.

I hope to progress the painting over the following weeks and post it here as I don't get so much time for painting at present, so check back for to see posts of my progress.

Finished Painting -- Deer in Pine Forest

I have made some changes to improve this picture which was finished but just needed something else. So I added some deer. I really like how this painting turned out, and consider it one of the better ones of this year. I have to work on commission work this month now, so will have to finish one more, almost complete painting this week and get going on the commissions. Comments welcome on the changes to this completed painting, thanks Jim

Paintings of Trees -- Sunlight through Pine Forest

Just a quick update to show my latest painting, "Sunlight through Pine Forest", which is based on a photo I used permission for from a scottish photographer. The forest is in the Scottish Highlands. I think I have painted a lot of trees this year and hope to concentrate on different subject matter, people and horses and street scenes and interiors more in coming months. I haven't been painting such scenes before so much and would like to explore them. This was a loose end started back in April, which I have now tied up and at this moment I am down to about two paintings in progress, where I had about six a couple of months back. So now I want to clear the decks before working on some commission work and any new stuff of my own. Enjoy this painting although my photo of it is not the best. I will be in the Marine Hotel Sutton on Sunday at an art and crafts fair from 2-6pm if you wish to see my work firsthand. In the meantime enjoy this latest effort and feel free to comment. Jim

Under the Oaks -- New Painting October

The above is the latest painting I have just completed, titled "Under the Oaks". Please feel free to comment on it here, and enjoy it. Please excuse the photo which is a little faded in saturation on the left due to my poor photography skills, lack of proper light, but the painting is even in tone in reality.

I am selling three paintings this month through Gormleys Art auctions which you will be able to view shortly. The paintings are in the affordable art auction which is online from Tuesday 18th until auction day November 1st. Please feel free to view them and maybe even bid!! Thanks Jim

Landscape Paintings of Tipperary -- Oil Painting of Knockalough from Foilagoul

Irish Landscape Art -- Oil Painting of Tipperary Landscape

This is a view of Knockalough "Mountain" (1400ft approx.) from the south side, in the townsland of Foilagoul, west of Thurles, North Tipperary. The photo might be a little off the reality as I tried to get it even light but the left seems a little in shadow. Anyway I am posting it here to give people a view of this beautiful part of the countryside. Here is a view of Knockalough from Ballyboy, the exact other side of this mountain looking south. Ireland really has some great scenery and not all of it on the west coast! This was a commission work and so is sold. I shall post other work soon as and when I finish it. Enjoy! Jim

How to Paint Snow -- Having fun Painting Snow

Painting Snow - How to paint snow scenes

One of the easiest subjects to paint must be snow, or so most people would think. Yes, and no. The truth lies somewhere in between, as snow paintings really are fascinating, and great fun to paint. If you really want to capture the beauty of a snow-filled landscape, that chilly feeling of crisp snow just fallen, and make it seem as realistic as possible, then you really have to study the colours that are present on the surface. Over the last two years I have attempted three or four such scenes and learnt something from each. Each snow scene brings new challenges and reveals new colours that are found in the light reflection on the snow. Snow scenes really are something you can be inspired to paint. All sorts of colour is found in the shadows and reflections of snow. In some cases you can throw a wash over the whole surface and in other occasions you can add in warm streaks of colour such as yellow or warm tones. There is a huge variety of possible colours that can be placed in snow paintings, so don't feel compelled to paint just blue tones like many of the examples I have here.

How to mix colours for a snow scene

By looking at many snow scene paintings, you can build up a reference of colour combinations and effects that work well in paintings of snow. In the above paintings, I used combinations as follows: thalo blue and white, raw umber and white with a hint of mauve, and prussian blue and white. These are just suggestions. It is best to gather together a collection of several different snow paintings that you can refer to, to help in future paintings. So far I have used very little variation in the colours of such scenes but I am going to have to find or take a few good reference photos for future work which have good sunlight falling on the snow, so as to be able to include the warmer tones in the painting. Including the warmer tones as well as the more common blue range adds interest to the snow scene and makes for a more interesting painting overall. I hope to be able to show what I mean regarding how to paint a snow scene in a future post after I have completed a more colourful one. For now, don't be afraid to experiment - making mistakes is all part of learning how to paint.

If you are enjoying this blog, please help to promote my art and the blog by sharing it with any friends you can. Also feel free to comment on my art as I welcome all feedback. Thanks Jim

Painting people -- People in a Landscape -- Finished Painting

Having just finished the largest painting in years that I have worked on, I am feeling fairly satisfied at what I consider a decent effort. It is not only a large painting for me, 30" x 20" but also a detailed one, so it took quite a while, also because I have other paintings on the go along side it. It is also a step forward in the use of colour / tones on people, as getting the summer glow of skin-tones was a good learning process for me in this painting. I am posting it here for you to enjoy although I have yet to sign it. I will do that during the week, and can then upload the final version. However, this is it as it will be except that this is unsigned for now. I didn't post at all in June, and that was because I was concentrating on one or two other pet projects, so back to more consistent painting and posting the next month or so, if summer doesn't get in the way. Meanwhile I have to think of a good name for this painting. That's it for now, and let me know feedback and comments on this work, -- I really want to know what people think of it, Jim

Painting people in Oils - Painting People in a Landscape

The above is a snapshot of progress in this large oil 30" x 20" of three girls walking along a fence pole. This is a further practice work to get better at painting people and painting people in a landscape. I will post further when it is progressed as always. That't it for now, just to show progress. Jim

Snow Scene of Trees -- Snow Tree Finished Painting

This is my latest finished painting of a beautiful tree in the snow. I have included it for sale in the gallery below, and will be hopefully making prints of this soon. This is a quick post today to include it here. Comment s Welcome -- Jim

Scotland Painting - Cairngorm Forest Scots Pines Painting

Further progress shot of my painting of a scots pine forest in Scotland. This is showing a further level of refinement beyond the initial blocking in and establishment of the main colours. The canvas is 24" x 20" size which is large enough so it will take some time to work on it. I am using phthalo blue and prussian blue for the background. However I will tone that down in the later stages a bit perhaps. I will see how it progresses. I am using viridian green mixed with cadmium yellow pale, or white, or raw umber, for various greens and other shades. I also use naples yellow. I haven't concentrated on the yellow sections much yet, and have a lot to do in getting the right amount of yellow without it being too much. The main focus in refinement of the image is to get the feeling of light correct and establish depth throughout. If you are interested in learning more about this, see my post on aerial perspective. To see a previous forest painting, see Winter in the Woods, my painting of trees in snow. If you want to get regular updates of the blog, why not become a subscriber by clicking on the links on the right. That's it for today. Jim

Happy Easter to all Blog readers!

Wishing all blog readers a Happy Easter. Here in Ireland we are enjoying very nice weather and I have been painting outdoors, although not from life. I was working from a photo for the above. This is an undercoat stage, just finished more or less, so I will be progressing on to the next refinement layer once this has dried a bit. For now, the above is a good start on this image which is quite large, 24" x 20". Getting the feeling of light right in the undercoat is really what I wanted to achieve for now, before moving on. Anyway, I may take a short break from painting daily over the next days, so check back soon to see more. Jim

Snow Tree - Snow Scene Latest Painting in Progress

This is a partially finished snap shot of my current April painting, which is meticulous and time-consuming but is coming along nicely. I love snow scenes, especially ones with great snow shadows like this one, so am enjoying it a lot, in getting the right colours and tones. Check back in a week or so for the finished version. If you want to see a indepth online demonstration of a snow scene painting browse this site. Thanks Jim

Olive Grove -- Finished Version

Another quick post to show finished shot of my latest April painting, Olive Grove, available for sale in my gallery section. Just scroll down to see all available art for sale. Thanks Jim

Olive Grove Painting nearly finished

My painting of an olive grove is nearing completion so this is just a quick update to show the almost finished look. It will be just a case of refining some of the colours and detail to finish it. Enjoy, and check back for final version soon...Jim

Current Work - Mediterranean Painting Olive Grove

For those who like to see progress shots of how I paint and what I am currently working on, here are some shots of two paintings which I have on the go at the end of March. I am generally finishing a new painting every week or two now, so will have finished shots of these soon, all going well. Enjoy and bookmark the site if you want to see further shots in a week or so. Jim

Winter in the Woods - New Painting in Progress

Winter in the Woods

The above is the first look at a painting I began today. This shows the initial progress, as I am drawing the painting as I paint it, and not drawing it in beforehand. I am using Prussian Blue and Raw Umber to paint the dark in the trees and adding Cadium yellow to the mix to produce a lighter colour in the edges. I also add Titanium White to the mix of blue and umber to obtain the greyer shades in the foreground. The sky is straightforward Cerulean Blue and Titanium white, with more white than usual to create the colder look to the sky. I am going to add touches of other colours such as ochres and reds as I progress, but that's it for now, so enjoy. Check back to see further progress updates of this and other works which I have on the go at the moment. Comments welcome, thanks Jim

Final Posting of Birch Forest

Just a few touch-ups since the last post, hardly noticeable but this is the final version. Enjoy it! See it also in the for sale gallery, just scroll down.

Birch Forest further update... Almost finished.

Here is another step closer to the finished painting. There is still a bit to do, but mostly it is adjustments of the tone or painting the tree trunks lighter sections. When finished, this painting will be put in the gallery below, scroll down to see other paintings.

Oil painting of Birch Tree Forest continued...

Another update for anyone following this current painting in progress. Almost there, and coming on nicely - if I do say so myself! I am stretching myself a little on this one, which is good. No point in painting easy subjects all the time. Challenging yourself is well worthwhile. Anyway comments are welcome and enjoy! Final updates will be coming up soon as I am close to finishing this one. Now what will I paint next?? Hmmm...