Borderlands - stage 3

I have added another glaze to all of the painting and made a start on the sky, this in turn will have a yellow glaze over it before proceeding with the mountains and far background.

Borderlands - stages 1 & 2

The last full-scale painting that I can complete in time for Illuxcon, "Borderlands" is a working title for this picture of a shrine or temple overlooking a normally desolate landscape that will all be about the lighting that I hope will transform the scene into something beautiful and mysterious. Low sunset golden light shines onto the distant mountains which is then reflected in the watery landscape leading to the temple. 
The first stage was "drawn" in with a small bristle brush using a mix of Burnt Sienna and Winsor Violet thinned with Liquin. I then put in an underpainting with a rag using the same paint mix thinned with Liquin and turpentine as well as a wash of transparent yellow and orange as I want these areas to have a rich colour to them as I proceed through the painting.

Sailing Into Byzantium

A ship approaches the harbour of Constantinople in the misty morning light, the rising sun catching the highest golden domes of the fabulous city. On board is the Emissary of the Court Of King James to present himself to the newly appointed Sultan. Gathered in the harbour are many other boats from European courts all vying with each other to further their influence with the new power to extend their trade in exotic spices, silks and other goods that come here via the The Silk Road from far away Asia.
Another Orientalist painting heading for Illuxcon, this time an imagination of the capital of Byzantium (I just love the name). I have made the city taller and larger as well as moving things around and giving the harbour a protective wall. I wanted it to be warm and colourful based on an orange/violet colour palette although it has come out a bit subtler and softer than how I first envisaged it.
Oil on canvas 23 1/2" x 19 3/4". There is a step-by-step progress through this painting in previous posts on this blog.

"Streets Are Paved With Gold" sold

I am happy to report that "Streets Are Paved With Gold" has sold to a buyer in Dundee, Scotland. It was first exhibited in the Artist Of The Year show at the Mall Galleries, London in January this year and then was exhibited in the Llewellyn Alexander gallery in Waterloo, London in the Not The Royal Academy Show.

Dreaming Of Byzantium - stage 6

I have decided to retitle the painting when it is finished as "Sailing Into Byzantium" as that more accurately reflects what is happening in the picture. Have pretty much finished the city buildings bar a few tweaks that will be done when the foreground is finished. Have put in the basic underpainting for the ship and city walls as well as the boats tied up in the harbour and hope to get the painting finished on Friday when I will be going away from the studio for a few days.

Dreaming Of Byzantium - stage 5

Painted in most of the city buildings but need to make various adjustments of colour and refining of some buildings. I don't want the misty area to be too dark.

Dreaming Of Byzantium - stage 4

Somehow didn't get that much done today although this part of the picture where I am painting in the buildings is somewhat fiddly. Hopefully tomorrow I can get the background buildings finished....