Plein air painting 101

Near to Blackwater Arboretum in the New Forest, Hampshire, and where the previous post was situated is Flechs Water, a few minutes away. This old log made an interesting subject. Painted on mounting board sized at 12" x 9.5", and done in oils during a fine hot day on the 25th May 2023.

Cows resting at Boltons Bench Lyndhurst New Forest - WIP stages

Created in July 2021, this oil painting shows a view of Boltons Bench, an area just outside the small town of Lyndhurst, situated in the New Forest, Hampshire, UK. The picture above shows four stages of the paintings creation. Starting with the first panel, the elements of the composition that make up the scene have been drawn in brown acrylic on a brown wash. In the second panel, diluted oil paint has been applied to give an indication of colours and tonal information. Its applied thinly, using a medium like paint thinner or similar, and because its thin the paint dries quickly over a few days. Moving on to the third panel the final layers have partly been applied. Here the paint is much thicker and is the correct colour and tone is used over the thinly painted layer. Finally as seen in the last panel the painting, sized at 20” x 16” and done on mounting board is finished.

The artwork can be seen in better clarity on this link.

Cows resting at Boltons Bench Lyndhurst New Forest - oil painting

Painted in July 2021 this picture shows a view set in the picturesque New Forest, a large area of 28,924.5 hectares, first noted in the Domesday Book of 1086. This small hill is situated just outside the small town of Lyndhurst, in the county of Hampshire, southern England. On top of the hill is a large Yew Tree, surrounded by a bench, named after the Duke of Bolton, and is a popular spot for tourists to admire the scenery and engage with the freely roaming cows and horses.

The painting measures 20” x 16” and is done in oils. The support is acid free mounting board, primed to allow it to accept the oil paint. The artwork can be seen in greater detail on this link.

Herd of cattle in the New Forest countryside - oil painting

Completed painting of cows in the New Forest.

Completed in early January 2021 this painting depicts a scene within the New Forest, Hampshire, situated on the southern coast of the UK. A herd of cows are shown on a hot, summers day with a horned member enjoying the shade offered by some trees. The location is very near a campsite situated at Aldridge Hill, not far from Brockenhurst. Painted in oils on mounting board, sized at 20” x 16”.

For those wishing to view in detail the artwork can be seen on this 3^rd party link

 

Plein air painting 06

A sunny Southampton common morning plein air art

A view of Southampton Common, near to one of the main routes through the area with a tarmaced path in the mid distance. Painted in early September on an early morning, with many dog walkers exercising, and others going to school or work. It is done in oils on mounting board, sized at 12" x 9". It was painted on a very light brown colour (ground), rather than white.

Working on closeup 67

Working on closeup 67

 A small snippet of a forest based oil painting...

Working on closeup 63

Working on closeup 63

A small snippet of a London based scene with taxis oil painting...

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.

Boat Out Of Water With Dumped Parts At Marina - WIP stages

Boat Out Of Water With Dumped Parts At Marina - WIP stages

Work in progress stages of the boat yard at Northam, Southampton Art

In this WIP compilation, work can be seen on the creation of the 'Boat out of water with dumped parts at marina' oil painting, produced on mounting board. The first panel shows the drawing, painted with a dark coloured acrylic line on top of a lighter brown base. Some areas of brightness have been roughly painted in white acrylic paint, such as the sky. The second panel now shows the base under-painting applied in oils, with the third panel showing a continuation of this process. It can be seen in the foreground areas where the paint has been built up and the detail refined. Finally the forth panel shows the completed oil painting, sized at 20” x 28”. The finished painting can be seen on this link.

The subject is a marina on the banks of the river Itchen, in the Northam area of Southampton.

Working on closeup 43

Working on closeup 43

 A small snippet of a family fishing oil painting...

Red Boat Wreck Southampton - WIP oil painting stages

Red Boat Wreck Southampton - WIP oil painting stages

'Red Boat Wreck Southampton' painting in stages

'Red Boat Wreck Southampton' was painted during April 2018, and depicts a scene on the River Itchen, Southampton that is home to many boat wrecks.

In this WIP panel can be seen some of the stages of this acrylic painting, painted over a period of 10 days. In the first section can be seen the initial drawing of the scene with a wash applied for the tonally dark areas using 'paynes grey' coloured paint, and a white wash used for the areas of very light tonal values. This is done on top of a red/ brown 'ground' which acts as a base for the colours. 
The second panel now shows an initial layer of colours applied over the painting, at slightly darker values, which acts as the under painting. 
In the final section can be seen the finished painting, with the correct colour values painted on top of the under-painting. In addition the details in the painting are refined at this stage.

As the painting is all done in acrylic, it was quicker to do as there is no waiting for areas to dry, unlike oil paint.

The finished painting can be seen at a larger scale here.

Working on closeup 38

Working on closeup 38

A small snippet of an industrial based oil painting...

WIP painting with work men looking at hole.

 

Southampton Cenotaph Autumn - oil painting

Southampton Cenotaph Autumn - oil painting

Southampton Cenotaph Autumn - oil painting

During September 2017 this painting was created, depicting the Cenotaph in Watts Park, central Southampton. The aim of the painting was to show visually the season of the autumn, so recently laid poppy wreaths are shown on the monument, as well as the more obvious golden leaves on the ground on a crisp, sunny but chilly day.

The monument was designed by Edwin Lutyens, who used this as a test bed for the Whitehall Cenotaph in London, and which was in tun was used for many such Cenotaphs around the world. It is grade 1 listed.

This painting measures 28” x 20” and is painted, in oils, on mounting board. The under-painting was done in acrylic paint.

The artwork can be seen in more detail on this link.

 

 

Eling Yacht Southampton Containers - oil painting

Eling Yacht Southampton Containers - oil painting

Eling Yacht Southampton Containers - 20" x 28" oil painting

This marine based subject painting was done during September 2017, and shows a scene at Eling, on the outskirts of Totton, itself on the outskirts of Southampton, Hampshire. The area was one a small port and home to industries, and is now slowly being regenerated. The river is known as the River Barley, and flows in to the River Test, which is where the large container port of Southampton can be found. In this scene we find various boats and yachts laid up on mud as the river is tidal. Dominating in the background are old shipping containers awaiting reuse for other uses from shipping, or scrapping, but it is understood that these will be removed as part of the regeneration of the area.

The painting itself is done in oils on mounting board. It is sized at 20” x 28” approx.

The painting can be seen in detail here.

Warsash Coastline With Tide Out Hampshire WIP stages

Warsash Coastline With Tide Out Hampshire WIP stages

Warsash Coastline With Tide Out Hampshire - WIP stages

This composite image show four stages of the painting 'Warsash Coastline With Tide Out Hampshire' which was completed over a few days in July 2017. The first panel shows the drawing, done with brown acrylic paint on a brown wash. The second panel now shows the the base or 'underpainting' applied to the scene. In the third panel can be seen the final colours and detail start to be added with the final, fourth panel showing the completed painting, which is all done in acrylics on stretch paper measuring 12" x 16". 
The location is Warsash, a small village on the mouth of the River Hamble in Hampshire. A cycle path is shown in use by a cyclist and some walkers as they enjoy the view on a cloudy, summers day, while the tide is out.
The finished painting can be seen in detail here.

'A Sporting life' open exhibition Southampton

'A Sporting life' open exhibition Southampton 2016

Currently running at Southampton City art gallery is an open exhibition with the theme 'A Sporting Life'. It started on the 25 June and closes on the 10th September. I have two paintings on show, both painted in acrylics on a canvas sized at 20" x 28". Both paintings feature local scenes of the city showing sport themed meetings/ events.

The first photograph shows myself with my first entry painting, titled 'Sunday Morning ABP Marathon. Northam, Southampton. The location is the main road running through Northam, on the east side of the city during the 2016 running marathon, sponsored by Associated British Ports, a major employer in the city. I was always fascinated by the large gasometer which dominates this area, and this event gave me a good excuse to put it down in paint.

The second painting is titled 'Sunday Morning Rowing At Itchen Bridge, Southampton'. It shows a typical Sunday morning at the BTC Rowing club, situated next to the Itchen Bridge, with new members being trained in to knowing how to be safe on the water. It was based on a number of photos I took during the morning for reference.

The two paintings can be seen clearly via these links.

http://martin-davey.pixels.com/featured/sunday-morning-abp-marathon-northam-southampton-martin-davey.html  

http://martin-davey.pixels.com/featured/sunday-morning-rowing-at-itchen-bridge-southampton-martin-davey.html

Sunday Morning Rowing at Itchen Bridge, Southampton

Sunday Morning Rowing at Itchen Bridge, Southampton 

This painting was done in acrylics on stretched canvas. The canvas was 28” x 20” in size, bigger than the normal size I work to because of the intention of it being exhibited in a large gallery. The scene shows activity at the waterfront on the River Itchen, in the Chapel area of the City of Southampton. One of the local rowing clubs is preparing for a Sunday morning on the river with quite a busy scene of vessels being taken out of storage and placed in the water. The scene is surrounded by large buildings as found in this central part of the city with development ongoing in the background. Framing the composition and dominating the scene is the Itchen Bridge, opened in 1977 and 92 ft high at the tallest point. The painting was completed during May 2016.

This painting was one of two, produced for the City Art Gallery’s Open Exhibition 'A Sporting life', during Summer 2016.
http://martin-davey.pixels.com/featured/sunday-morning-rowing-at-itchen-bridge-southampton-martin-davey.html

Sunday Morning Rowing at Itchen Bridge, Southampton - acrylic painting

Hillier Gardens Grass and Trees

Hillier Gardens Grass and Trees

Hillier gardens was started by Sir Harold Hillier in the 1960s, becoming a charitable trust in the 1970s. It covers an area of 180 acres, contains 42,000 trees and shrubs and is to be found near to Romsey, Hampshire in the UK.

The scene depicted in the painting is a spectacular view offered from one of the public huts where the public can rest and enjoy looking across miles of countryside in to Wiltshire. This is a scene that often captures the artist eye upon visiting.

The painting is done in oils, in a one day sitting on a canvas board measuring 10” x 12”, using a red acrylic ground, and painting 'wet in to wet'.

http://martin-davey.artistwebsites.com/featured/hillier-gardens-grass-and-trees-martin-davey.html

 

Hillier Gardens Grass and Trees-oil painting