River Sprite - stage 2

I have now painted in the colour underpainting leaving a few touches of the Burnt Sienna showing through which might be useful later as a complement to the mainly blue painting.

River Sprite - stage 1

This is a working title, not sure if I'm going to call it that yet. This will be a moonlit scene, quite simple, just a waterfall, a distant mountain and an indication of Autumn foliage in the middle ground. Hopefully hidden within the shape of the rocks behind, a small figure of a naked river sprite (really a Naiad but I already have that name in the title of a previous picture). The painting will be based on a blue green/ red orange complementary colour axis and will hopefully have a magical atmosphere through the colour and lighting. This stage has been rubbed in with a rag using a mix of Burnt Sienna and Dioxazine Purple thinned with Liquin and turpentine.

Siren's Cove

A mermaid has just spotted a ship out to sea, very soon she will reach for her lyre and try and lure them in to her cove. This picture uses the same format as "Pool Of The Naiad" with values kept around the middle with no bright lights or dark shadows to try and suggest a dreamlike feel to the painting. This is another painting that I will think about taking to Illuxcon in September. Oil on canvas 11 3/4" x 31 1/2".

Siren's Cove - stage 4

I have just managed to get some blocking-in done on the foreground today before I head off to Leicester for three days which means I won't be able to get back to this until Sunday.

Siren's Cove - stage 3

I made the gap between the cliffs more of an interesting shape with more pinkish light falling on the left side to give the cove more shape and have pretty much finished the cliffs bar some tweaking when I get the foreground area in. Hmmm, maybe I will make that cave bigger on the right cliff...

Siren's Cove - stage 2

Made a start on the sky and cliffs using a palette knife on the cliffs. I think that I want to move the colour a bit more desaturated green/blue in the rocks and make the clouds softer and less defined.

Siren's Cove - stage 1

Using the same format as "Pool Of The Naiad" this one is of a mermaid lying on a rock with her lyre who has just spotted a ship approaching her cove. I am setting it at dusk so the colours will be variations on blues, violets, pinks and a touch or two of green and turquoise. I don't want it to go too dark and intend to keep the values in the middle range with the strong design and romantic colouring giving it visual interest, I don't envisage any bright highlights or deep shadow. This stage was washed in with a rag using Burnt Sienna and Dioxazine Purple thinned with turpentine and Liquin.