Tuesday 27 May 2014

More Morecambe, More Birds..

Herring Gull 

I watched the seagull
strut across the beach,
gunslinger walk,
John Wayne personified.

Sized up the swan,
decided first
to make his point,

and then discretion
in the face
of superior aggression;

backed off
and walked away
but the strut remained.


Did you see that,
how I showed him  

I could almost hear him say.
by David Agnew
http://belfastdavid.wordpress.com/2011/11/02/herring-gull/

Larus Argentatus

Juvenile Herring Gull

This is a painting of a young herring gull. It is probably in it’s second year. It’s from a photograph taken on our recent trip to Morecambe. The painting is in oil on an old salvaged canvas, and sees a return to painting birds. I thought I was finished painting birds, but apparently not; I’ve just finished a painting of a rook in flight, but more of that later.
As I usually do, I’ve put the painting on in stages, as it progressed, Unlike most of my other paintings, I didn’t start this one by blocking in the masses – more the background, leaving the bird itself ‘empty’.
Anyway, here it is..






Herring Gull.

Thursday 22 May 2014

Forest of Bowland.


I mentioned in my last post that Sara and I had driven through the Forest of Bowland on our way to Morecambe. Neither of us had ever been before, so didn't quite know what to expect, and we were staggered by how beautiful it is.... and how quiet. This painting is taken from a view that we had of a valley bottom as we drove home.
My approach to painting this one was different, in that I didn't lay down a ground (to try to keep the colours cleaner/brighter) and I started with more drawing (albeit rough). This caused some issues painting it, but I like the struggle... sometimes.








Eponymous.
Oil on Canvas

Saturday 17 May 2014

Morecambe

At Easter Sara and I had an overnight stay in Morecambe. Neither of us had ever been and we wanted to see the famous sands. I particularly wanted to go with a view to painting them. That hasn't happen yet, quite, and I'm not sure that it will. I say quite because I started a painting which I have since put on one side, possibly/probably to completely paint over. I have painted a seagull from the trip, which will follow in a later post, and a view of the Forest of Bowland, again, later.
Morecambe is amazing. The town itself has clearly seen better days, which, by the look of the buildings, were really quite grand. Sadly those days are long gone. The town is one of the most run-down places I've seen for a long time. But what a view from the beach! It has to be the most beautiful  sea front view that I've ever seen. You look across the bay at the lake district, and the light is fantastic. Here is a selection of some of the photos that I took whilst we were there.