Sunday, 24 July 2011

Shepherd's delight

It looks like the weather may finally be on the turn here if last night's glorious sunset was anything to go by! I just happened to venture outside at the right time to see the sky had turned into one of those sometimes fleeting visual spectacles that we often get treated to here in Cambridgeshire. I quickly grabbed my camera and took a few reference photos and then went back indoors to paint what I had seen. I really enjoyed painting the dark green foliage which for me was almost like painting an interior wall at this size LOL! I used a big palette with lots of gorgeous tube colour, a squirrel brush for the sky and most of the foliage, and finally a rigger to add the detail of the dark leaves against the luminous sky. I really must get some house and garden tidying done today. 'See' you all again soon :)


Shepherd's Delight, watercolour, 9" x 12"
Posted by at 09:33
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21 comments:

  1. Anonymous24 July 2011 at 10:53

    Wow, brilliant colours. Beautifully painted.

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  2. Judy24 July 2011 at 11:47

    Fabulous sky Michael! I also love the contrasting dark green foliage, great painting!

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  3. Unknown24 July 2011 at 17:49

    Thank you Renske - how are you getting on with the gouache?

    Thank you Judy - that green took some painting!

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  4. Roger Seddon24 July 2011 at 19:27

    Well done Michael, I knew you would take up the challenge I threw out in a recent post and you have come through with flying colours. I really like the way you have detailed the foliage in silhouette

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  5. Maria Elena Ferrari24 July 2011 at 21:27

    Very evocative, thanks for sharing it with us!
    ciao Mari

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  6. Unknown24 July 2011 at 21:27

    Hi Roger. Thank you very much for your kind comments. I really enjoyed doing this one especially the foliage. I used a mix of Winsor Green and Burnt Umber and Ultramarine to get the dark value but still keep it green!

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  7. Pat24 July 2011 at 22:29

    Was a fab sunset!
    A tip I saw at the art show - use a sponge to wet the whole sky area and just drop colours in. You might enjoy using that one!

    But if you don't - no matter, your painting is pretty good anyway :) xx

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  8. Keith Tilley24 July 2011 at 23:22

    I like that sky Michael, with the granulated texture. A nice snatched opportunity.

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  9. Unknown24 July 2011 at 23:30

    Hello Mari, thank you very much for stopping by and leaving your kind comments. They are very encouraging and much appreciated. Ciao!

    Hi Pat - thank you. I have used a sponge before but usually it's a spray bottle or, as I did for this, a brush. Apparently, the secret is to only hit the paper with pigment once the shine has started to go but I'm always too impatient :)

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  10. Unknown24 July 2011 at 23:34

    Hi Keith. Thank you very much for your comments. I'm glad I painted it straight away, while the colours were still very vivid to me :)

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  11. Anonymous25 July 2011 at 11:57

    No, not yet Michael. Maybe next weekend. Last week and this week I have no time for gouache. I've just started with Pien (see my WIP page).

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  12. Sandra Busby25 July 2011 at 13:20

    This is fantasic! Haven't we been having some spectacular skies lately? My Mum rang me the other day and asked what I was up to. I told her 'I am watching sky'. She said, 'Anything in particular?' I said, no not sky as in television - I mean I am watching the ACTUAL sky!' She laughed. I was looking at the most beautiful sunset of the most amazing colours! Far better than anything television could offer, lol!

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  13. Unknown25 July 2011 at 13:30

    Hi Renske - Pien looks good! Perhaps when you've finished you will get some time to try gouache :)

    Hi Sandra. Thank you for your lovely comment. Yes, the skies have been pretty awesome recently. Bit of a sky watcher myself - daytime and nighttime (astronomy). What's a television ? ... LOL :)

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  14. Unknown25 July 2011 at 17:17

    Beautiful sky Michael.

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  15. jsicignano2.blogspot.com25 July 2011 at 20:29

    Magnificent Michael. What a lovely site to behold and to be able to capture it, can't get any better that that. Life is good. Keep these wonderful paintings coming.

    All the best to you,
    Joan

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  16. Unknown25 July 2011 at 22:40

    Hi Sue. Thank you very much for your lovely comment!

    Hi Joan. Thank you very much for your lovely comments. I love sunsets and sunrises too and have seen so many that just begged to be painted so it was nice to finally get to do one :)

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  17. Victor Errington26 July 2011 at 10:20

    Beautiful painting Michael, as usual I might add. I also like your fruit paintings. You are so versatile with your subjects. All the best Michael.
    Vic.

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  18. JANE MINTER26 July 2011 at 10:38

    beautiful sky ..the darks and brushstrokes look very good .... glad to have found your blog micheal.

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  19. Unknown26 July 2011 at 11:12

    Thank you very much Vic, just been over to your blog to see your latest offering of the old bridge - I love it!

    Hi Jane. Thank you very much for your kind comments and for stopping by and following. I'm glad that you found my blog too :)
    I may be a little absent from blogging for a short while as I am going on a week long family vacation/holiday to the UK South West Coast on Saturday. However, I do hope to get lots of sketching done while I am there, which I will share with you all as soon as I can. Thank you again, Jane :)

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  20. Rolina27 July 2011 at 20:44

    Ahhh, yes, these beautiful east coast sunsets are to die for! You have captured this beautifully!

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  21. Unknown27 July 2011 at 22:45

    Hi Rolina. Thank you for your comment and for following my blog too. I've just become one of your followers too! Your work is so inspirational and your posts are very interesting with lots of tips and techniques :)

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