Colours.

I have always been interested  in Impressionism and the Impressionists, not only the wonderful paintings they produced, but the theory behind the style. The style opened up a whole new way of painting and loosened up the previous rigid conservative and conventional way of painting. My own little effort is of two figures going for a swim. I just placed colours side by side with the hope of creating a harmony or vibrancy with a little blending here and there. Oil on linen on 6mm mdf 7x5 ins.

Winter sunset with sheep grazing

This is a painting from a few months back. I kept the paint quite fluid in this case, though I normally like a more textural effect. It's a scene back from winter last year near to where I live. Near sunset and sheep grazing in a field. Oil on board 6x8 ins.

josephmahon.faso.com

Sunbather

Another painting on the reverse side of a watercolour sheet. Sunbather, loose and impressionistic, with no hard edges. 7x11 ins on Fabriano artistico 300lbs paper.

josephmahon.faso.com

All is not lost

Sometimes, no a lot of times in watercolour, a work just does not work. An expensive watercolour sheet wasted? Not me, I have second go on the reverse side of the paper, so at least I can console myself that all is not lost. The results can be liberating, in that, one is no longer worried about ruining an expensive sheet of paper, but can relax and let go as it does not matter now, the sheet was heading for the recycle bin anyway. I currently use heavy 300lbs paper, so this is possible.

The figures below were painted on the reverse side of a failed watercolour, so it's now a keeper.

josephmahon.faso.com

Wrangler

 This little painting is another study in acrylics using a limited palette. Some subjects suit this type of approach. The colours used ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, yellow ochre and titanium white. I kept it pretty loose, almost watercolour like, adding a few dark accents with thicker paint near the completion of the work. Acrylic on board 6x6 ins.

josephmahon.faso.com

A study in acrylics

A limited palette of ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt sienna and titanium white, using acrylic paints. As an experiment, I wanted to try out this combination, to see what range of tones I could achieve and if the result was satisfactory? 

Two figures walking in surf on the beach. 6x8 ins acrylic on board. I will try this with cad red, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre and white. The so called Zorn palette, uses cad red, Ivory black, yellow ochre and titanium white, where blues and grays are achieved from the black, and a whole range of tones from white to the Ivory black.

Daily Paint Works Spotlight artist.

I am pleased to say that I have been chosen as the Daily Paint Works spotlight artist for the week. 

http://dpwnews.blogspot.ie/