Painters Online Logo

Login/register

Studio

Old trees in autumn.

Welcome to the forum.

Here you can discuss all things art with like-minded artists, join regular painting challenges, ask questions, buy and sell art materials and much more.

Make sure you sign in or register to join the discussions.

Hang on Studio Wall
Showing page 1 of 4
Author
Message
IMG_6882

Paul (Dixie) Dean

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 13970
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 4549
Posted
I have taken a lot of photos of old tree and done some live sketches, with the aim of combining them to made a woodland scene. The photos and sketches were done earlier this morning and I have had to imagine how they might look in the autumn. Both of the attached are the basic layout with base colours. The trees are the actual shapes that have developed, some do look quite unnatural.

Edited
by Paul (Dixie) Dean

Hilary Pearce

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 260
Posted
Great start Paul, I love the misty distant look to the background trees.  There is a yew tree reputed to be 1000 years old In St Marys Churchyard, Aldworth, Berkshire that has some fantastic shapes.  Here’s a photo
IMG_6882

Paul (Dixie) Dean

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 13970
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 4549
Posted
That’s a wonderful old tree, it is amazing how much can be dead but it still continues. They say that these old tree support more life than when in full bloom.
IMG_6882

Paul (Dixie) Dean

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 13970
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 4549
Posted
I started to add a bit of colour and build up the trees a little , but needed to stop as for some reason my hands have flared up and it uncomfortable to work at the moment. Will use a natural sponge to create leaves near the front of the painting just doing the back ground leave at the moment.
IMG_6882

Paul (Dixie) Dean

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 13970
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 4549
Posted
Had to abandon this a it got covered in a mug of black coffee and was not recoverable. Funny thing coffee and watercolour don’t seem to go together very well.
IMG_0700

Gillian Cooke

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 3327
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1256
Posted
No they don’t Paul! How annoying.

Hilary Pearce

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 260
Posted
Oh thats a shame Paul, are you going to try again?
IMG_6882

Paul (Dixie) Dean

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 13970
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 4549
Posted
No I will leave this one for awhile , my own fault as I was holding the mug despite my hand not gripping well and then it was gone. I have started another one this is looking into the bottom of a hedgerow. Might continue with this as a wip it don’t know yet. This is the basic sketch.
IMG_0700

Gillian Cooke

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 3327
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1256
Posted
That looks a really interesting subject, with lots of detail promised! Look forward to seeing it develop... and mind that coffee mug! 
IMG_6882

Paul (Dixie) Dean

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 13970
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 4549
Posted
It’s a subject that I have done before Gillian, I studied the British landscapes as part of a degree I did and fell in love with hedgerows. There is a lot of life in them and history as well. What I like to paint them for is they   are quite complex with all the bramble and grass growing through them. Need to use quite a few different techniques and tricks to get it to look right and a lot of concentration. New rule no coffee near the work area.
IMG_6882

Paul (Dixie) Dean

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 13970
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 4549
Posted
Started  to add some colours, rose madder, pains grey, orange, yellow, sap green and a leaf green. I will darken behind the leave to make the stand out more and to give depth to the hedge. It always looks a mess to start with, someone on POL mentioned a painting going through the ugly states then spending time to made it look good.

Edited
by Paul (Dixie) Dean

With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 20352
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 7138
Posted
That might have been me - re: the 'ugly stage'; I've found that very often.  You get pitying looks - poor dear, he's obviously trying hard, but so little talent! - and then you move on and, hopefully, knock their eyes out.  Your WIP coming along nicely!
Showing page 1 of 4