Southampton Bursledon brickworks open day april 2011

Southampton Bursledon brickworks open day oil paintings

Southampton Bursledon brickworks open day 01

Southampton Bursledon brickworks open day 02

These images are based on a number of photographs taken at the April 2011 open day at Bursledon brickworks, Southampton, UK. The brickworks is a heritage center celebrating the industrial past of the area. They are both painted july/ august 2011 in oils on a canvas 20"x16". The two paintings were then displayed at the open day in september and proved popular with the public and organisers. The engine featured in the bottom posting is a Aveling and Porter traction engine, built 1899, registration TA 1063. The tall chimney in the top image is a local landmark but was taller originally.

from the website...
Southampton Bursledon brickworks open day 01
This is a painting of an open day at Bursledon Brickworks, Southampton UK during the early morning startup of vintage traction engines. It is a heritage museum site, based in a old brickworks. This display of traction engines takes place during the spring each year, and this artwork depicts the line up during April 2011. The engine in front is called 'Little Lucy', and is a Wallis Traction Engine. The tall brick chimney seen in the background is a local landmark, although it is shorter than it used to be when the brickworks was in operation. It was fun painting the shining brass, copper and the paintwork on the engines. The woman polishing part of an axle adds extra interest and scale to the scene. Getting the perspective correct in a scene like this is very important. It helps to sell the viewer of the painting the scale and weight of the machinery. Mechanical objects can not be cheated on when trying to ignore perpective, it has to be done right. The ariel perspective (colour fading in the distance) helps to sell the scene and create a smoky atmosphere. The painting is done in oils on a 16" x 20" canvas.  


Southampton Bursledon brickworks open day 02
This is a 2nd painting of an open day at Bursledon Brickworks, Southampton UK . It is a heritage museum site, based in a old brickworks. This is a display of traction engines put on during April 2011. The engine featured is a Aveling and Porter traction engine (TA 1063). It was fun painting the shining brass, copper and the paintwork on the engines. The woman on the right photographing the engine was added later to add extra interest and scale to the scene, as was the boy in the trailer on the left. Getting the perspective correct in a scene like this is very important. It helps to sell the viewer of the painting the scale and weight of the machinery. Mechanical objects can not be cheated on when trying to ignore perspective, it has to be done right. Getting the ellipses right within a painting like this is very important.
The painting is done in oils on a 16" x 20" canvas.