St. Ninian's Cave 3

PS Looks a bit fuzzy at this size, it's a bit sharper enlarged.

I think it looks pretty good! The colours drew my attention, bit surprised though to see it was actylics + knife - the thumbnail made me think watercolour, and the bigger one made me think pastel on white paper. Did you use lots of white or is that the support?

P.S. rounded pebbles - maybe use the rounded tip of a knife? Not the easiest of things, I know. In oils, I use a colour shaper to incise. In acrylics, i use a brush to add selected detail.

I like it very much Fiona! It is bold and colourful!

This has so much interest and beautiful textures and you have described the dark hole of the cave really well. A difficult painting done with a difficult method of applying paint - so you should be very proud of the excellent results.

I was looking forward to seeing your knife painting Fiona and it doesn't disappoint! I am much to precise and fiddly to attempt anything like this but greatly admire those who do! ,

I really, really like this. It's bold and the colours you have used are lovely. I like the abstract effect; the blocks of stone work. I look forward to the next one.

Hi Amanda, no it isn't the white of the support, it's paint. I used various mixes of white with the other colours in the painting, merely because I got it everywhere! lol. I did a thin wash of burnt sienna on the support, which you can see quite a bit of. Regarding the pebble shapes, where I had added paint for the pebbles I tried to scratch the shape in with the knife but it just made thick smudges and looked worse than the effect I ended up with. Thanks very much for the feedback, very useful.

Because acrylic is not my technique, I think it is ok to some members, but I prefer the pen and washes. No offense, I hope, Fiona! :) Mia

Thank you very much Sarah, much appreciated. Thea thank you for your kind and encouraging words, it had it's frustrating moments. Christine, you are too generous......thank you very much. Gudrun, when I stood sketching the cave and the surrounding rock face, that's what struck me about the formations....abstract. I don't think I'll be doing another cave but I'm determined to get rid of these old acrylics and I can't throw them away, so I will just carry on embarassing myself on here with more pictures!!!Lol. Thank you very much for your lovely comment.

No offence at all Mia, I totally agree with you. Thank you for being honest, I appreciate that.

I like it Fiona and perhaps an abstract using knife and acrylics will be next?

What???? Blimey Louise, I thought this WAS abstract?!

lol Fiona, sorry, it is slightly abstract, I kind of thought long, bright square shapes, vertical crosses without any sky or grass but that's just me and my imagination and I couldn't do it!!

I think that you have done remarkably well with this Fiona. Acrylics and a knife are strange to you but you rose to the challenge. I read Louisa's comment above and it gave me an idea. Why don't you continue with this painting by filling the grass and the sky with more rocks ( abstract Shapes) or at least make the grass and the sky more interesting with different greens and blues. At the moment it looks a bit like two different paintings in one but that is easily mended. Think about it Fiona or perhaps it would be better to say, don't think about it, just do it and you might start to like it. X

[Warning: Art Theory] Fiona, technically,, an abstract does not represent a visible object. I can tell (as can everyone else, I am sure), that this is a cave, even without your title. It approaches abstraction, because the style obscures some of the detail, but it can never reach abstraction without losing its "caveness". "Abstract" is a subject, not a style, and it can be jolly difficult to get your head round! [/Warning]

I keep coming back to the whiteness of this. I believe it is based on your lovely pen and wash, which is, in keeping with the medium, quite pale (and interesting), making use of the white of the paper. This engenders a delicacy to the work. Here you have used a lot of white paint, and white paint in large quantities is often the opposite of delicate! Don't worry about wasting it (I thought you were using the acrylics up?). Try avoiding white where possible, particularly to start with, and reserve white and near white for impactful highlights - remember the original scene - was it this pale?

I think you are a bit hard on yourself Fiona - this is quite interesting, though I think you should throw the acrylics away - my way!!!!

Don't do this to me Louise.......! I didn't realise you had a sadistic streak. Lol. I'm aflicted with a limited imagination, but I'll have a go. This could turn out to be another saga you know.

Oh no Satu, not you as well!! Lol! I blame Louise for this, you pair will drive me to drink! (might help on the abstract front) Thank you Satu for your encouraging words, I might have a go.

Hi Amanda, thank you very much for taking the trouble to point me in the right direction with regard to dipping my toe into the abstract world. I have always found it to be a difficult subject to get my head around, never mind attempt it! I'll take your observation regarding the use off white on board too, wasn't aware of that particular point. The rocks were very pale in parts, a shade of grey I suppose. Thanks again.

Frank, sending you all my acrylics is becoming a very tempting option at the moment! Lol. Thank you very much for your support.

Can't wait to see it... :) ..I was going to say 'lol' but a smile seemed kinder.. Seriously though Fiona, it would be interesting to try. I can't as I have no acrylics!!

Save the lol for when I post 'The Abstract' Louise.......how on earth do you make a cave, not look like a cave, but be a cave......I don't know about lol, I'm going to be in hysteric's doing it!

Ooh, now there's a question and a half. I suggest that you ignore the fact that its a cave and concentrate on the colours. Maybe turn this upside down and work from it like that. Maybe put it behind frosted glass / tracing paper to blur the details? Adjust the colours and the shapes (in your head?) until they look "right" or pleasing. This last bit was easy to write but is difficult to do.

Hi Fiona! I couldn't resist entering the fray! I've read the comments and must say that personally I like Painting 2/27 best of all. However, re the abstract notion, I agree that this is difficult. Amanda seems to be giving excellent advice as do many others, Louise and Satu, for example. Can I have a go? In order to lose the "cave-ness" Amanda suggests concentrating on the colours and suggests various interesting techniques. Might I suggest that, in addition, you try to think what the cave represents and what it seems like to you - is it dark and gloomy or dark and interesting? Is it forbidding, is it exciting, is it something attractive, to be explored or is it dangerous and to be avoided? Never mind it being a cave, what are its characteristics? Finally, thank you so much for your recent note. I was delighted to receive it. As for the spelling of "friend" let me remind you of the rule; "I before E except in Budweiser". x

Well, I've posted it! Thank you for the tips Amanda, you will have to look and see what you think. Lionel, always pleased to receive (hope I've got the i & e in the correct place. lol) your feedback, it's always honest and constructive. I had finished the blessed painting before reading your comment, I did exactly what you suggested. It's a load of rubbish of course!! Lol. But it passed a very, very hot afternoon.....indoors.

Fab work Fiona and you handled this very difficult scene beautifully!

Thank you Ros, I found the last one the most difficult.

I don't know about arty places Annette, more like difficult places! This phase of acrylics and painting knives is certainly proving difficult, but I'm determined to get rid of these acrylics! Thanks very much for your comment.

Very well painted Fiona, some of your work is giving me inspiration, Alan