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WIP sunset over Lake Te Anau

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Helen Martell

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I think this is the first time I’ve painted a sunset - so first have been painting this top section of the painting (about a fifth of the canvas), to get it out of the way. I did it upside-down, as I prefer to paint sitting down, and it’s a large canvas (81x61cms)
IMG_7097

Helen Martell

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And here’s the ‘whole’, so far just sketched out (over a turquoise wash).
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Paul (Dixie) Dean

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Wow that’s absolutely brilliant such a beautiful painting. I have never tried painting upside down, I have painted laid flat on my back looking up when I was in hospital due to a spinal injury, I then to learn again when sitting up . 
IMG_7097

Helen Martell

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I should point out, it was the canvas upside down, not myself 😂 It’s from a place I visited in January, in New Zealand. 
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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I demand to see a painting by you when you were upside down - though actually: this one will do me just fine.  Acrylic, I'm assuming?  While the foreground is excellent, I'm particularly drawn to your sky - it informs the whole painting, setting the mood and ambience.  
IMG_7097

Helen Martell

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Some progress made on darkening the shadows around the rocks, and highlighting the water

Denise Cat

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The colours are looking incredible Helen.

Hilary Pearce

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

Robert Jones, NAPA

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"Amazing colours"  - Aren't they?  Looking at the sea, it calls mother of pearl to mind - if I were being especially clever and the tiniest bit pretentious, I'd call it "nacreous"; whatever you call it, I think it's one of the very best things I've seen on POL for quite a while and has got to be one of Hilary's finest pieces. 
IMG_7097

Helen Martell

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Ah well you see.. the rivers and lakes in this area do have a turquoise blue tinge to them, from the ‘glacial flour’. I’m not sure if Lake Te Anau specifically glows the milky turquoise like other places I visited nearby, but I started the painting with the turquoise wash to remind me of that. However, I’m slowly veiling that turquoise-ness in the middle area as it’s too much at the moment! I did my first gardening job of the year today (my other life), which just about finished me off, so will be back on the picture tomorrow when the weather is expected to be dire.
IMG_7097

Helen Martell

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I’ve spent the day working on the middle section water ripples, and some on the rocks. Nearly there I think..

Tessa Gwynne

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Helen this is fantastic!
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