Back in Sunny Aber

Tuesday: After unpacking, i decided to have a look at some of the colour studies I did in Spain, and work out a composition for a larger canvas I had. The large canvas pictured below  was originally a painting I started of constitution but didn't quite work, so I decided to gesso over it and apply a ground which took many layers to hid what was underneath.  Below I have pictured the canvas at the start to where it is currently. I will be cleaning it up and tweaking it a bit, but overall i am pleased with it. Many people have asked me how I start my paintings off and usually I roughly draw out the composition, and mark out the main dark's in a contrast colour of the ground. and then begin by adding the darks all over the painting and then the lights before adding all the details, which usually involves moving everything around a lot as i'm not really one for measuring everything out so its dawn absolutely right, but rather guess and hope for the best...

 Painting titled " Calm before the Spanish Storm" A1 acrylic on canvas 

As well as painting this week I had two plates to draw out for etching, and lots of sketches to decide to draw out on each one. I left my plates at uni instead of taking them on holiday with me, so now I had to draw them out ready to be etched next week so I would have time to get them printed and finished how I wanted them to be. One thing i remembered when drawing them out, is it always takes a lot longer than I think. a whole day for each plate. As I think the drawing is the main foundation of the print, so I have to make sure I've drawn it out properly. Contrary to my paintings, although I can move things around on my plate and scrape back, and add, etc etc,.. it is a lot of effort. 

One of the etching Plates Drawn out and ready to etch, Sketch in Church Stretton, Ragleth.