Plein air painting 130

Plein air painting 130 Debenhams roof

As the Debenhams building, featured on a number of previous posts is so large, it offers other views to be captured. This 'wide' painting, the first done in this format, shows the roof of the single storey café area from a building over-looking it in East Street.
Painted in oils on a Monday morning (20/05/24). The mounting board its done on is sized at 14 x 7.5".

Plein air painting 126

Following on from the previous post the subject is again Woodmill, situated in outer Southampton along the banks of the River Itchen. Having never painted it for many years I now found myself painting it again only a few days later on the 7th May 2024, as part of a Southampton Art Society paint out.
Done in oils on mounting board cut to 12 x 9.5".

Plein air painting 125

Painted during an Urban Sketchers meet up on a Saturday 4th May 2024, Wood Mill is depicted situated along the River Itchen, on the outskirts of Southampton. The mill dates from 1825 (replacing an earlier one) and was in use until 1954, and then becoming a leisure location for water sport since the 1960's. Its a very popular place to be painted and photographed. However this was the first time for me working on this subject matter. 
Painted on cardboard in oils, sized at 12 x 9.5".

A park scene with a giant head building - digital illustration

It was common in an alt Victorian steampunk world to have various public buildings built around giant heads. These would often be seen in places frequented by families on a day out, such as parks or town centres. The heads were not fully operational, but used for simple data processing. Often small viewing areas were built on top of the head, with access through it for passage to viewing platform. It's unknown how much of a body was attached to the heads in the ground.

Plein air painting 61

The civic centre in Southampton is featured in this plein air painting, done early one Sunday morning in late August. Shown is the south facing side of this grade II listed building, built between 1929- 39. It was designed by Ernest Berry Webber. The road in front is Civic Center Rd. 
Painted in oils on mounting board sized at 12" x 9.5".

Plein air painting 40

Painted in August 2021 during a hot afternoon this early 19th century grade II listed pretty Georgian house is pictured. It stands in Westgate Street in the 'Old town' area of the city of Southampton, where a number old buildings are to be seen, some of which are Tudor. West Gate itself is a Tudor archway that lead to the dock side, when the town was a walled one and had a castle very close by. The area is built on angled land leading to what would have originally been the port in past times. The extreme angle can be seen on the pavement, and continues around the property on the side road shown right. 

This plein air painting is done in oils on mounting board, sized at 12" x 9".

Departure of large steam punk Victorian butterfly - digital illustration

Painted in the winter of 2021 this digital illustration shows a scene of a 'steampunk' inspired view of a large mechanical butterfly. It is taking on passengers while stood in its elegant hangar before take off. A number of well healed observers are watching with interest. The captain is surveying the final checks before departure from his observation platform by the 'eye'. This illustration can be examined more clearly on this link to an external site.

 

St Paul's Cathedral London in early Autumn - oil painting

St Paul's Cathedral London in early Autumn - oil painting

Completed oil painting of St Pauls cathedral, London.

The world famous landmark of St Paul's cathedral, London, is the subject of this oil painting, created in late December 2019 and finished off a few days in to the New Year. The building is shown in early autumn light from a south easterly aspect. The main road populated by mainly buses, including one of the famous new Routemaster buses ( Boris Bus) is Cannon Street. The building itself has hosted various important public events and is a big landmark in the city. It was the tallest building until 1967. Its designer was Sir Christopher Wren, who also built a number of London's famous churches surrounding the area. Work was started not long after the fist St Paul's was destroyed in the great fire of London in 1666, and was opened for use in 1711.

The artwork is painted in oils on acid free mounting board, as is sized at 33” x 23”. It can be seen in greater detail on this link.

Working on closeup 72

 Working on closeup 72

A small snippet of a famous building in London oil painting...

London National Gallery In The Winter - oil painting

London National Gallery In The Winter - oil painting

London's National gallery during winter - oil painting

Completed during autumn 2018 the subject of this painting is the world famous National Gallery at Trafalgar Square, London. The original was built in the 1830's but has been heavily modified as time passed so only the front of the building is true, the rest needing to accommodate the expanding collection. During the 1980s a whole new section was built, known as the 'The Sainsbury Wing'.

The painting features a cold, winters day at the location, and is painted at 23.4 x 33.1 inches on mounting board in oils.

This painting of the famous London landmark can be examined in greater detail here.

London National Gallery in the winter - WIP stages

London National Gallery in the winter - WIP stages

London's National Gallery landscape painting WIP

Shown above are four panels demonstrating development of an oil painting. The subject is a view of the National Gallery, London, situated in Trafalgar Square. In the first panel can be seen the line drawing, done with acrylic paint on a coloured ground. White acrylic paint is used to show areas of highlights/ high tones. The second panel features the basic underpainting colours applied to the painting, which give a basic tonal and colour representation of the subjects, although kept to the darker tones overall. In the third panel the final layer of paint is applied, this time thickly than before and with the correct colour and tonal balance. Also detail is painted in at this stage. Finally, the last panel shows the completed painting, which measures 44” x 37”.

It can be viewed at full detail on this link.

Bournemouth Pier late summer morning - acrylic painting

Bournemouth Pier late summer morning - acrylic painting

Bournemouth Pier late summer morning - acrylic painting

This acrylic painting shows the famous 1950s pier at Bournemouth, Dorset, found on the South coast of the UK. The painting shows a sunny morning in late summer, with the golden sandy beach that the seaside resort its known for, and some tourist enjoying the pleasant weather.

The pier, seen here from the Boscombe side, in its current form was built in the 1950s, replacing an earlier Victorian structure. Until recently the pier did feature a theatre (in the large building), but is now used for sporting activities. In addition other equipment for sporting activities have been added to the pier recently.

The 20” x 16” painting is done in acrylics on stretched watercolour paper, and was completed during march 2017. It can be seen in greater detail here.

SteamPunk Mechanical Robin Factory - WIP digital painting

SteamPunk Mechanical Robin Factory - WIP digital painting

SteamPunk Mechanical Robin Factory - WIP digital painting

This composite picture shows a number of stages in the creation of this digital painting, featuring a giant robotic Steampunk Robin, under-going maintenance in a factory.
The first panel shows the initial drawing using the 'Auto Sketchbook pro' app. Each object is  drawn on separate levels, often roughly at first, and then cleaned up on another separate level. After a suitable drawing had been created and the layout worked 'as a whole', it was then exported from the tablet (as a layered PSD) and opened in photoshop on a PC to enlarge it to the correct proportions for the final illustration, and then saved. After this stage the drawing is now ready for painting, and is opened up in the desktop version of 'Auto Sketchbook pro' on a W10 machine. From now on the artwork is painted using a number of brushes, using the drawing overlayed, as a reference. Again each element is painted on layers. Once the painting was complete some final regrading was done using Photoshop.
The finished painting can be seen here.

Boats and Fawley Power Station WIP art

Boats and Fawley Power Station WIP art

The photo shows a work in progress on a painting of a selection of boats on the bank of the River Hamble. This is the mouth of the river where it meets Southampton water. From this view point can be seen Fawley Power station on the other side of Southampton Water, with the start of the New forest, Hampshire behind it. The painting is done in acrylics on paper sized at 16" x 12". Three stages can be seen of the work in 3 panels. One is the initial drawing, done in brown acrylics on a red ground base. The second panel shows a half way stage with the body of the painting in place ready to accept the final details, which can be seen in the final panel.

WIP showing 3 stages of the painting of Fawley Power station and surrounding area.

House at Hillier Gardens

House at Hillier Gardens

This small painting shows a part the house (Jermyn's House) within the 180 acre gardens at Hillier Gardens, Hampshire.

The Victorian 'Jermyn's House' was rebuilt in 1830 to the house as seen today, from an earlier house built during the previous century.

Seen here is a part of the back of the house, surrounded by a number of mature trees and plants, creating a cool, shady spot around this part of the building. The path using natural pieces of stone leads the eye through to the building.

Painted in a day during autumn 2014 on a 12” x 10” canvas board.
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As an addition note the work in progress image of the painting has been added to the post showing the three stages. The first stage is the drawing done in brown acrylic paint on a red ground canvas. The middle image shows the basic colours blocked in using acrylics. the final stage is the oil paint level done on top.

http://martin-davey.artistwebsites.com/featured/house-at-hillier-gardens-martin-davey.html

House at Hillier Gardens, oil painting

House at Hillier Gardens in stages.

finishing touch to painting of shed and logs

Finishing touch to painting of shed and logs

This photo shows me putting the finishing touches to this painting illustrating a large number of cut logs stacked up outside an out house on a farm. The painting is done in acrylics on a board measuring 12" x 10", and was completed in a day. It is based on a real location in Hampshire, UK. 
I was struck by the different colours of the logs and the busy texture on them when compared to the clean and bright white walls of the out house. The green moss on the roof adds extra character.

WIP on a painting of logs stored by shed

Tudor House Southampton Hampshire

Tudor House Southampton Hampshire

 

Tudor House, a museum since 1912 can be found in the 'old town' of the City of Southampton, Hampshire, UK. The oldest parts, now ruins in the gardens date from Norman times but the main body as seen today dates from the 1400's. Over the years many conversions have been made depending on what use the property(s) has been seen to use. The current appearance is the Victorian restoration version of a Tudor property. During the early 21st century the house was closed for a number of years while extensive restoration was carried out to strengthen the building. The building is grade 1 listed.

The painting is done in acrylics on a canvas board measuring 20” x 16”.

#architecture #tudor #painting #art #Hampshire #tudorhouse #Southampton 

http://martin-davey.artistwebsites.com/featured/tudor-house-southampton-hampshire-martin-davey.html

Tudor House Southampton Hampshire – acrylic painting

Fawley power station from Weston Shore Hampshire

Fawley power station from Weston Shore Hampshire

This painting shows the view from Weston Shore, Southampton, looking over to Fawley Power station on a spring morning. Running between is Southampton Water, and a Grimaldi Lines cargo ship carrying cars can be seen approaching the port of Southampton. The tall chimney of the power station is a very distinctive landmark in the area. Behind is the New Forest. The tide is out on the shore revealing various old pipes and concrete blocks.

The painting is done in acrylics on a board measuring 10” x 12”, in less than a day. Painted during June 2014.

http://martin-davey.artistwebsites.com/featured/fawley-power-station-from-weston-shore-hampshire-martin-davey.html

Fawley power station from Weston Shore Hampshire-acrylic painting

 

Lepe Lighthouse Hampshire

Lepe Lighthouse Hampshire

 

Lepe Lighthouse is situated in the Lepe Country Park within the New Forest, Hampshire, UK.

It was built in 2000 to help sailors navigate the approach to the Beaulieu river from the Solent, and is a very distinctive landmark on the coast. The lighthouse is formally known as the Beaulieu River Millennium beacon.

The painting is done in acrylics on a canvas board measuring 10” x12”, within a day.

http://martin-davey.artistwebsites.com/featured/lepe-lighthouse-hampshire-martin-davey.html

 

Lepe Lighthouse Hampshire-acrylic painting

Netley Hospital Chapel-Weston Shore

Netley Hospital Chapel-Weston Shore

Oil painting of the Victorian tower of Netley Hospital Chapel, rising above the trees in the Royal Victoria Country Park, Hampshire. The chapel is now the only part of the large Military hospital that was situated there still in existence. The park is very close to the Southampton Water/ Weston Shore area of Hampshire and the Chapel tower a local landmark.

The painting measures 10” x 12” and was based on a poor quality mobile photograph taken during a sunny winters day. It was painted using the 'wet in wet ' technique during a one day sitting.

Netley Hospital Chapel-Weston Shore-oil painting

http://martin-davey.artistwebsites.com/featured/netley-hospital-chapel-at-weston-shore-martin-davey.html

http://www.redbubble.com/people/martyee/works/11768659-netley-hospital-chapel-weston-shore