I have spent the last 10 odd years doing my organic landscapes influenced by my desert surrounds. Recently I have tried exploring other types of landscapes.  I don’t often get the time to just paint as so much of my time is spent doing commissions, but every now and again I like to do something different and develop new skills. So I have put what needs on hold to play for a few days before I get back to my ‘day job’!

The first landscape is of a little cottage in Scotland.
The colours I used were:
•Titanium white
•Yellow Ochre
•Burnt umber
•Ultramarine Blue
•Permanent alizarin crimson
•Cadmium yellow light

Landscape #1 – Cottage
Acrylic on canvas board
30 cm X 30 cm

Landscape #1 – Cottage, Close-up #1

Landscape #1 – Cottage, Close-up #2

Landscape #1 – Cottage, Close-up #3

Landscape #1 – Cottage, Close-up #4

Landscape #1 – Cottage, Close-up #5

In the second landscape I used a photograph of one of Constables paintings to study his technique and use of light and subtle colours. There are so many rich layers built up on one another in his masterpieces, which create the subtle lighting and glow his works have. I am a looooong way off from emulating Constable, but there is a definite difference in the finished result when applying his classical techniques to a landscape.

I used a very limited palette, even more so than the palette in the first landscape.
•Titanium white
•Burnt umber
•Ultramarine Blue
•Permanent alizarin crimson

Landscape #2 – In the style of Constable
Acrylic on canvas board
33 cm X 22 cm

Landscape #2 – In the style of Constable, Close-up #1

Landscape #2 – In the style of Constable, Close-up #2

Landscape #2 – In the style of Constable, Close-up #3

Landscape #2 – In the style of Constable, Close-up #4

Landscape #2 – In the style of Constable, Close-up #5

Landscape #2 – In the style of Constable, Close-up #6

Although I have never painted a ‘traditional sunset’ before this style of painting is one I am a lot more familiar with. I use a lot of mixed mediums and heavy body gels in my organic camel landscapes and am continually exploring with the mixed mediums so readily available in acrylics. Before beginning the painting I laid down a layer of Golden’s extra heavy gel (matte). When you are going to paint over the gel, it doesn’t really matter if it is matte or gloss. I used the matte gel for no other reason other than that is what I had available in my cupboard. I laid the texturing down where I was going to paint the sea, but only in the area picked up by the sun reflecting on the sea as it began to drop behind the horizon line. Once I had completed the painting I used the permanent alizarin crimson mixed with some acrylic glazing liquid (gloss) to create a glaze wash. This I brushed over the sea very thinly to add that subtle pink fiery look the sea gets when there is a bright sun setting over it. The thin glaze allows the colours I had used in the sea to show through under the glaze.

The colours I used were as follows:
•Titanium white
•Phthalo Blue (green shade)
•Cadmium yellow light
•Permanent alizarin crimson
•Quinacridone Red

Seascape – Setting sun
Acrylic on board with gel medium
30 cm X 24 cm

Seascape – Setting sun, Close-up #1

Seascape – Setting sun, Close-up #2

Seascape – Setting sun, Close-up #3

Seascape – Setting sun, Close-up #4

Seascape – Setting sun, Close-up #5