The following 9 images represent a span of less than a year of self-directed learning and appear in chronological order.
SNOWGUM IN INDIGO
June 2020
Watercolour, gouache & gel pen on paper (A5)
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Inspired by photographs from Victorian snowfields found online. The main goal was representing the snow with the white of the page (not resorting to painting over with opaque white gouache or pre-masking with masking fluid), which requires much fore-planning as those areas must be left blank. This is one of the more challenging aspects of painting in transparent watercolour.
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I sought to place the main focus on the snake-like shapes caused by the twisting bark on the main tree trunk. I utilised a wet-into-dry technique for this area to achieve defined edges, while allowing other areas in the foreground and background to bleed and blend with a wet-into-wet technique.
Eucalyptus IN INDIGO
June 2020
Watercolour on paper (A5)
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During Melbourne lockdown, I brought a fallen leaf inside and placed it upon the page, and attempted to stylistically recreate its patterning, as well as a realistic portrayal of the ambient occlusion caused by the sunlight streaming in through an adjacent window.
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The result looks somewhat three-dimensional, however I know now that a much more realistic look could be achieved by using graphite/pastels as well.
Rainday
October 2020
Watercolour, watersoluble pencil & gouache on paper (A5)
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This is the result of my second attempt at plein air painting, completed in a parkland close to home. I hadn't practised painting or drawing in a realist style for around four months, instead focussing on my more abstract style.
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I feel that the composition draws the viewer in via the strong vector created by the curving river.
The Bridge
October 2020
Gouache, watersoluble pencil & gel pen on paper (A5)
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My main goal was that this composition should show a solid understanding of perspective, light and colour.
I also employed a looser, more colourful and less defined style to create a feeling of warmth and nostalgia. The gentle curves of the branches appear soft and rounded, which portrays the welcoming personality of the focal tree.
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One of the most rewarding aspects of completing this piece was having others recognise this specific view, and hearing how it evoked a viscerally nostalgic emotion for them. I'm fascinated by this phenomenon and I will be exploring it in future works.
A Successful Outing
October 2020
Gouache on paper (A5)
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Testament to the power of practice and self-guided learning is the improved use of colour within this artwork. Drawing upon recent readings into colour theory, I was able to mix a variety of more realistic grey-greens, brown-greens and yellow-greens; hues that predominate so many Australian landscapes.
The colour palette was limited to Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black and White gouache paints.
Faultline (Above)
November 2020
Watercolour, ink & graphite on paper (A3)
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"Faultline" represents my abstract work, and is a more ambitious piece at four times the size at which I had been working. The pigments used in these watercolour paints are derived from natural stones & minerals, a fact that motivated me to create a geologically-inspired piece. The linework is meticulously designed to evoke the strata on a topographic map, while the blended graphite imbues this piece with depth, creating a many-layered optical illusion. The intrusion of the lines in the centre of the composition are as the name suggests, evocative of geological faults.
Organ Pipes (Above)
November 2020
Gouache on paper (A5+)
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An appearance of depth-of-field was achieved by stippling and smudging the still-wet paint in the background. By contrast, the textures of the tree trunk and picnic table in the foreground have been more sharply emphasised through scumbling with a dried up brush.
Tree fern
January 2021
Gouache on paper (A5)
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This will not be my last attempt at painting ferns. I underestimated the amount of detail required to make this tree fern come alive, along with the speed of the setting sun.
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"Tree Fern" represents a concept and a subject which I would like to explore further. The task of accurately capturing the intricate fractal fronds of our native ferns would require a dedicated study period by itself. The imagery we associate with ferns; that of ancient pre-history, fossils preserved in the strata of the deep earth; makes it an excellent symbol of time, resilience and environmental change.
Buller Snowgums
January 2021
Watercolour on paper (A5)
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As one of my more recent works, this one benefits from a better understanding of light and colour. As it was completed en Plein Air in January, the subject is lit by strong, even summer sunlight; creating a golden aura around the sun and dappled light in the shadows which appear bluer thanks to the strong sky-lighting from above.
My aim for this piece was to convey a palpable sense of joy and freedom, through the use of a saturated colour palette and free-flowing brush strokes upon the tree textures.
Nomad
July 2014
Acrylic & oil on canvas (18x24")
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I've included this relatively old piece to my submission as it is the most recent example of my work in oil paint. The age of this painting shows the persistence of my fascination with blending abstraction and realism.
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During 2021 I am seeking to explore and innovate upon this style.
