While planning and sorting out reference material for my latest book, I quickly discovered that I had accumulated so many ideas and choices that were way beyond the ones I needed to complete the remaining chapters. I was happily seated on the floor, surrounded by a sea of scattered photographs, and bits and pieces of distant memories. These included newspaper cuttings, sketches and photographs, all fragments of a vast array of subjects, and all forgotten – until now.
I had opened my crammed ‘oddments’ file, and in doing so, released the genie from the bottle! A treasure trove of ideas and images were forming in my imagination. All these odds and ends were just waiting to be placed in an ideal composition and perhaps form a potential masterpiece!

Points to look out for when using several photographs in one picture:

• The lighting direction. By introducing different subjects to form a new composition, often the light source differs and needs to be corrected.
• The differing proportions introduced into a composition will need special attention. Every item needs to be in harmony and size with each other. Keep everything simple. Try not to say too much and add only items that will enhance and not detract from your chosen scene.
• Your composition should always have one focal point: one place that holds your interest, the most detailed point, the most colourful area and the most contrasting tones.
• Always do a few preliminary sketches beforehand. This will save time. It is far easier to alter a sketch than a painting.

Example - birds at a fountain

As I tried to photograph this splendid and busy fountain with the birds’ activities, they suddenly vanished. This often happens when dealing with livestock! I patiently waited for them to return so I could observe their distinctive mannerisms. I then had some idea of how to capture them. I knew I already had images of pigeons around a fountain that would be ideal, so I could now include them in my new fountain picture.

Photograph of fountain used in painting Drinking Time at the Fountain (see below)




Reference photographs of birds at other fountains



Reference sketch of pigeons

Having made a preliminary sketch, I realised that the picture was too cluttered, and the drinking birds behind looked chopped off! So I re-looked at several photographs and a sketch, to form a satisfactory painting with the birds fluttering and drinking from this lovely fountain.
To help you capture the texture on the fountain and wall behind, try placing on a little texture paste using a palette knife, to form the appropriate designs and blocks of stone. Let it dry then lay on a watercolour wash of Payne’s grey or a similar mid-grey and yellow ochre, and highlight between their shapes with darker lines of alizarin crimson and grey. The sunlit areas over the birds and sunlit fountain features were added with white gouache and a touch of ochre.

Drinking Time at the Fountain,
watercolour, 16x12in. (40.5x30.5cm)

 

TRY THIS!

Seen below is an ornate bird bath. You may change the background, and place in or around objects, animals or birds taken from your store of photographs. I will show you my finished painting with my chosen objects in the June issue, and offer more ideas and hints on re-arranging your photographs, to create a series of exciting works.Use ink, watercolour and oil pastels if you have them. Soft pastels could be used, but need to be fixed and added last of all.

 

This extract was taken from a feature by Wendy Jelbert in the April 2011 issue of Leisure Painter.