Bather in the Atlantic Ocean

I am happy to report that I now have a new internet provider. So far it's better, and I said goodbye to the old provider of 8 years... Who was not keeping up. My son and daughter were not going to put with a poor service any longer....so that was that, lol. In recent months, it's been oil paintings that I have posted, so today for a change, it's a little watercolour. It's based on a bather in the Atlantic ocean. Watercolour 7.25x3.25 ins. I kept it muted and tight, lifting out some colour at the end. 

Walking the dogs. Tramore beach. Waterford Ireland.

Tramore strand, in Irish known as Tra Mhor, or big strand/beach, has 3 miles of beach and people walk on it everyday of the year, for recreation or exercise. The painting posted is of a woman walking at speed, and her dogs trying to keep up with her. I loved the colours and the reflections of the figures in the wet sand. It's oil on linen panel 6x8 ins, available at my page at DailyPaintWorks.com  http://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/joseph--mahon-4837/artwork

Cattle on Hook head, after sunset.

Trouble with the Internet again. I am getting a new internet provider tomorrow, one that people say is reliable. I painted this little painting, 6x8 ins, oil on linen panel. I used quite a bit of impasto to achieve what I wanted. The painting is  based on a scene on Hook head, Co. Wexford. Cattle were wandering across a field by the shoreline, on the peninsula and the backdrop is the mainland, Dunmore East. The famous Hook head light house is located here as well. The term by "Hook or by crook", a sailing term, is derived from sailors passing the head.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/joseph--mahon-4837/artwork

Woman sitting on a beach

The clocks go back one hour tonight...such a pity. The study today is of a young lady, having a rest the beach, sitting on a low chair, that is convenient and easy to carry. Women  think of everything, when it comes to getting organised.  Oil on board 6x8 ins. I just diluted the paint with mineral spirits or sansador and laid down the impression, keeping it fluid and fresh. It was useful to perhaps give me an idea to develop it further or just see the limits of the composition.. Simple is probably best in this case.

Cornflowers, pen and ink sketch

Well I joined Etsy, to increase my chances of selling... I will give it a go at least.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/JosephMahonart?ele=shop_open.

 So between all the sites, I will surely get mixed up. I read a lot about other artists and ways they sell online, and Etsy is one the sites people use. I have been up to Galway for the past few days, for my daughters graduation, a BSc in marine science. I am so proud of her.

Today's photo is a pen and ink sketch from a good few years back. I love the simplicity of it. I have not used pen and ink for many years, but then I was into it for a year or two.

Algarve traders

Two traders in Portugal selling hats, towels and stuff. Oil on linen 8x6 ins. I used optical mixing here and heavy impasto to create the effects I wanted. I put this up for sale on Daily paint works http://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/joseph--mahon-4837/artwork

Study of an elderly couple

Study an elderly couple discussing a shopping list. It's oil on board without much detail. I just wanted to get the impression, 8x6 ins

Beach party.

I have been having awful trouble getting online. Being rural we are not as well connected. As the towns and cities, alas. Hopefully, it will be sorted soon. The painting below is 6x8 ins oil on linen on board. I uploaded this to http://www.dailypaintworks.com/artists/joseph--mahon-4837/artwork.

Semi abstract, figures in London

I was not sure where I was going with this piece. So I just left it as it is, a semi abstract, oil on board, 6x8 ins. It is based people walking in a London street. I wanted to keep it loose and create an atmosphere.

I post on dailypaintworks, and I often browse through the artwork of other artists there. I came across an artist, Julie Ford Oliver, who uses a palette knife and brushes, like myself, when painting with oil paint. Her oil paintings are wonderful, in texture and colour and she is hugely popular on the site. The link to her blog is. http://www.juliefordoliver.blogspot.ie. Or follow the link in my blog list, on the top right of this page. She has inspired me to continue with the way I have been painting in oil, as I was beginning to have doubts about my style and the direction I was heading. Regards Joe

The last of studies oil on paper, from a few years ago, a rural lane with trees, 14x10 ins

Sunday walkers study, oil on paper.

Two walkers on one of the many walks that criss cross the local area. The paper study from a few years back, was on oil painting paper, just the regular pad stuff.

I was interested in the light, the shadow, and the walkers, backlit against the light. Also, the tree trunk textures, were wonderful to render with a palette knife. I find that you learn an awful lot from such studies....14x10 ins

After sunset in the Algarve

When I was in the Algarve about two years ago, I used to go out just before sun down, to try and catch a spectacular sunset. I noted that, the best ones, were when there were some clouds in the sky.   There were some great sunsets, I must say. The painting today is a watercolour of dusk and the colours, after the sun has gone down. I suppose it's almost a semi abstract painting? The two headlights from a car on the road, give it a sort of focus point. It gets dark so quickly, as opposed to here in northern climes, where it stays light until about 11 pm in the summer, and then it's a gradual fading of the light. This painting watercolour on Fabriano artistico 140 lbs paper, 10x14 ins, was a pure experiment, not exactly what I was aiming for, but that is the great thing about watercolour, it's unpredictability.

Farm buildings study, oil on paper.

Farm buildings, 10x14 ins, oil on paper, off in the wilds, from a few years ago. The back drop is the Blackstairs mountain range, and this farm was tucked in the hills below them. Texture was the idea here, as I wanted to use the palette knife, without use of brushes to see how far I got.... The answer, brushes were needed to blend here and there, to get some soft edges. This piece, was pure experimentation and a try out for a painting on canvas or board. These days I seem to have settled for a 6x8ins or 8x6 ins size panel. I don't even do try outs, I just go for it. If it does not work, it's only a small panel, and I can easily start over. 

Cattle in a fog after Edward Seago.

I have long admired the artist Edward Seago, his paintings, both watercolour and oil, and his style. A style that has been much copied by artists the world over. I see his influences in many contemporary painters works. I am always keen to learn, and one way is to problem solve, when painting,  or see how another artist painted a particular scene etc. Seago was a great one for creating mists and atmosphere in his work. I particularly liked the painting posted today, that I saw in an art book of mine. So much so, a few years ago, as an exercise, I had a go at making a copy, to learn and for the enjoyment of painting. It is vital that one develops a style of his of her own, no matter if it is not like the great artists.... It's ones own individual style that sets artists apart.

Oil on cotton canvas 12x16 ins, after Seago.

Oil on paper landscape study.

 I am a bit late posting today, I was tied up with a few other things. I joined Saatchi art as well. I am not sure if it's me really, as my stuff is more of a traditional style. No harm in giving it a go, I will see how it goes. It's a full time job, this promotion stuff, in an effort to try and get established. The competition is truly fierce and vast.

The painting today is a study of a local landscape, oil on paper 10x14 ins. It's from about 2006, and I was truly experimenting with colours and impasto. Being only paper, one can be relaxed, as it's not an expensive canvas to mess up.

Acrylic study on gessoboard.

I was toying with the idea of doing a few acrylic paintings again. So I tried out on the study posted 6x8 ins. A cottage at the bottom of a hill, near where I live. The evening light coming from the background. It takes a while to get used to acrylics over oils, but when they work for you, they are great. I was tentative doing this painting, but I was pleased with the tones I managed to achieve. I think perhaps, it needs further work? Maybe darken the foreground, or lighten the background.

I have not decided yet whether to invest in some more acrylic paints or stick up on more oil paints. Decisions, decisions.

Autumn lane. Ireland

I was not sure what to post today, as I am not in the middle of any theme,  at the minute, with regard to my paintings. So here is a little painting that I did a few years back, of a scene near where I live. An autumn theme. It's a quite little country road, with Mt. Leinster in the background. I loved the long shadows that formed a pattern in the road, with the little white cottage drawing the viewer in. Oil on linen board, 6x8 ins.

My. Leinster view 2

My painting today, is of a second view of a road on Mt. Leinster. The first painting is what I worked up as a composition, then the finished painting, unframed. The third image, is that of the painting and what it looks like in a frame. Of course a buyer, would choose a frame, or the framer. Mine is only for demonstration purposes. Oil on board 6x8 ins.

Mt. Leinster view.

I recently completed this view of an area around Mt. Leinster. The first version is before, I laid into it with the palette knife, to create a ruggedness and liven it up, with texture and form. I then popped the painting into a frame that I use a lot, to check whether a finished painting works or how it looks framed. Oil on board 6x8 ins.

                                             The initial version, before the palette knife.

                                         What the completed versions looks like in a frame.