Cloudscape 5 - stage 2

First colour pass on the sky using a new style of brush that seems ideal for clouds - Proarte Masterstroke series 61 filberts which have a much more rounded end than a normal filbert and the soft synthetic hair really helps too.
The colour mixes so far are made up of Van Dyke Brown, Burnt Sienna, Winsor Violet, Unbleached Titanium, Permanent Orange and Yellow Lake Deep, all apart from the Van Dyke Brown being by Michael Harding.

Cloudscape 5 - stage 1

On this one I am combining most of the sky of "Cloudscape 4"with a line of late afternoon sunlit sky  at the horizon.
This tonal underpainting stage was "drawn" up with a small bristle brush using a mix of Burnt Sienna and Winsor Violet thinned with Liquin and then the same paint mix with a small amount of turpentine added was applied to the sky with a rag. The land was put in with a Flat brush using a mix of Van Dyke Brown and Winsor Violet thinned with Liquin.

Cloudscape 4

I might actually title this "Wish You Were Here" even though I have used the title before. For this one I wanted to work in a very limited palette keeping it dark and moody so I used mostly desaturated colours. I chose to locate it on the Brighton and Hove seafront near to where I live with an advertising ice cream cone, normally associated with happy times, set against a lowering sky and deserted seafront path. My dark sense of humour coming out a bit on this one! 
Keeping the colours desaturated I have kept them within a warm grey framework, no black being used and with Unbleached Titanium acting as the white. Mixes of Burnt Umber, Van Dyke Brown, Burnt Sienna, Indigo, Zinc White and Lemon Yellow were used for all the warm brown/greys - a mix of Michael Harding and Winsor & Newton colours.
Oil on linen 16" x 12". 
A step-by-step short progress of this painting is in previous posts on this blog.

Cloudscape 4 - stages 1 & 2

Stage 1

For this one I wanted to work in a very limited palette and to keep it very dark and moody. I chose to locate it on the Brighton and Hove seafront with an advertising ice cream cone, normally associated with happy times set against a lowering sky and deserted seafront path. I might call it "Wish You Were Here" even though I have used the title before.
Stage 1 was roughly "drawn" up with a small bristle brush using my usual mix of Burnt Sienna and Winsor Violet thinned with Liquin and then using the same paint mix but thinned with turpentine the tone was applied with a rag.
Stage 2 was the first colour pass on the sky which although not apparent in this photo the colour is a warm brown grey partially achieved by letting the underpainting colour show through. I did not use black, Unbleached Titanium was used as the "White" at this stage with the greys made up of mixes of Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, Indigo, Zinc White and Lemon Yellow, mostly Michael Harding colours.
I have actually already finished the painting but am waiting for the paint to dry so I can scan it as digital photography does not come close to the colours and tones that are in the painting itself.

Stage 2

Cloudscape 3

Another of my small sky-based paintings that I am doing to try things out. The more successful ones may get new titles in the future. This one is located on Hove seafront only a few minutes walk away from where I live although it could be anywhere. The next picture may well be a monochrome using all neutral greys, we shall see.
Oil on linen 16" x 12".
There is a very short progress through this painting in previous posts on this blog.

Cloudscape 3 -stage 2

First colour pass over the whole painting using mixes of Kings Blue Light, Ultramarine Blue, Ultramarine Violet, Burnt Sienna, Permanent Orange, Naples Yellow, Lemon Yellow and Zinc White - all Michael Harding.

Cloudscape 3 - stage 1

Actually "Cloudscape 2" is finished but haven't got round to scanning it yet and wasn't actually planning on starting this one today...and then just went for it. A painting of Hove seafront but really it could be anywhere, the sky was seen from a bus high up on the South Downs heading back to Brighton from seeing my parents in the care home at Woodingdean.
This was stage was "drawn" up using initially a small bristle brush and then washing the rest of it in with a rag using a mix of Burnt Sienna and Winsor Violet thinned with Liquitex and turpentine.