Segovia
100cm x 75
Hi Amigos
With Segovia, a meter wide oil painting taking some two months to finish, I needed something different to paint. I haven't had much of a call to paint Australian scenes before but everyone had been saying I must do some if I want to sell some. I thought I would have a try. I love the river where I walk almost everyday and so thought I'd try to do something that I see there, but I found it hard to chose what. I think we just get too used to seeing things. I have been quite successful with anything that has reflections in them. Rain, wet streets, harbour boats or old river fronted villages. I found one such a photo of mine with houses and two fishermen on the bank but the sky was typical Perth, blue and cloudless. I tried morphing in different skies to help me decide on what sky would look best to paint with it! I came up with several that were ok but not quite right I thought. A river reflection depends so much on the sky above. I put it away and it just might come out of the too hard basket later!
No I needed something else just now! I set off next morning very early, as the temperature has been 38, sometimes 40 and above for what seemed like weeks! I got to the weir and a Darter was drying its wings on the far bank! This bank had some months ago been altered with sandstone walls and only leaving in a few old posts from the old jetty where years ago work-boats had been loaded with timber and such. I liked the warm stone look and reflections in the water.
'It and the Darter would make a good photo.'
I quietly walked to the bridge centre and lent my walking poles against the railings, forgetting they had been replaced some months ago from wood and mesh, to steel and poles like a balcony railing, that would be hard for little children to climb over!!
Anyway I took the photo and went to put my camera back in its case when the shorter of my walking poles went between the railings. Oh dear! Splash! Right in the middle of the river! Shucks! What now? I continued across and down to the water's edge and tried to think as my stick slowly headed down the centre of the river in the current!
Just then a young lady started to cross the weir bridge with two dogs, one being a retriever! The brain cogs turned 'Retriever'
"Oh would your dog fetch my walking stick that I dropped in as I took a photo?" I called out to her hopefully!
She kindly came down and said
"Maybe if you throw a stone"
All I saw was a soggy wet bit of wood at my feet and picked it up and threw that! It landed less than a meter away from the walking stick! You guessed it! It floated and was obediently returned by the dog!
My new friend, smarter than this old camino walker looked harder, found a stone and this time the beautiful dog returned the precious walking stick to within two meters of me, let go then swam ashore! I'm sure it said,
"Don’t think you are going to get me to bring it all the way back without you getting wet" chuckle.
I was lucky though as I carry 5 four-leaf clovers in my pocket.
'I've still got the longer stick in my hand" I telepathed back with a smile as I pulled it in with that!
I thanked the smart dog and its owner. Yes! I only patted the dog, I verbally thanked the nice lady chuckle.
Anyway that’s the story how I came to paint the Darter drying its wings! Hope you like it.
With Segovia, a meter wide oil painting taking some two months to finish, I needed something different to paint. I haven't had much of a call to paint Australian scenes before but everyone had been saying I must do some if I want to sell some. I thought I would have a try. I love the river where I walk almost everyday and so thought I'd try to do something that I see there, but I found it hard to chose what. I think we just get too used to seeing things. I have been quite successful with anything that has reflections in them. Rain, wet streets, harbour boats or old river fronted villages. I found one such a photo of mine with houses and two fishermen on the bank but the sky was typical Perth, blue and cloudless. I tried morphing in different skies to help me decide on what sky would look best to paint with it! I came up with several that were ok but not quite right I thought. A river reflection depends so much on the sky above. I put it away and it just might come out of the too hard basket later!
No I needed something else just now! I set off next morning very early, as the temperature has been 38, sometimes 40 and above for what seemed like weeks! I got to the weir and a Darter was drying its wings on the far bank! This bank had some months ago been altered with sandstone walls and only leaving in a few old posts from the old jetty where years ago work-boats had been loaded with timber and such. I liked the warm stone look and reflections in the water.
'It and the Darter would make a good photo.'
I quietly walked to the bridge centre and lent my walking poles against the railings, forgetting they had been replaced some months ago from wood and mesh, to steel and poles like a balcony railing, that would be hard for little children to climb over!!
Anyway I took the photo and went to put my camera back in its case when the shorter of my walking poles went between the railings. Oh dear! Splash! Right in the middle of the river! Shucks! What now? I continued across and down to the water's edge and tried to think as my stick slowly headed down the centre of the river in the current!
Just then a young lady started to cross the weir bridge with two dogs, one being a retriever! The brain cogs turned 'Retriever'
"Oh would your dog fetch my walking stick that I dropped in as I took a photo?" I called out to her hopefully!
She kindly came down and said
"Maybe if you throw a stone"
All I saw was a soggy wet bit of wood at my feet and picked it up and threw that! It landed less than a meter away from the walking stick! You guessed it! It floated and was obediently returned by the dog!
My new friend, smarter than this old camino walker looked harder, found a stone and this time the beautiful dog returned the precious walking stick to within two meters of me, let go then swam ashore! I'm sure it said,
"Don’t think you are going to get me to bring it all the way back without you getting wet" chuckle.
I was lucky though as I carry 5 four-leaf clovers in my pocket.
'I've still got the longer stick in my hand" I telepathed back with a smile as I pulled it in with that!
I thanked the smart dog and its owner. Yes! I only patted the dog, I verbally thanked the nice lady chuckle.
Anyway that’s the story how I came to paint the Darter drying its wings! Hope you like it.
Australian Darter
Caning River 75cm x 49cm
Next I made a new canvas and looked again through my latest photos this time coming across a great photo I took at a rose nursery here in the hills. A large pond full of huge Koi fish was being watched for breakfast by a Nankeen Night heron! I looked up that name, I thought it was a Bittern at the time! Anyway!
Nankeen Night heron
75cm x 49cm
Using just the centre of the photo I had a go, and am very pleased with the result. I just have to paint the edges, as this one can be hung with no frame, sign it and varnish it (that reminds me I must remember to also varnish the last 4 paintings!)
Can you see 4 ducks hiding there too? There are!!!!
I have dicided to put a few more photos up today after I told you the blog was done sorry, hope I'm not too late
Here you see the photo I took and made the oil painting from, Also the weir and bridge where the stick fell in
unusual view of Perth
Egret at the weir
Near the Cafe
and the Egret takes off
The dolphins goes under as I took this photo, see splash behind the canoe
Further down river the money shows, not many canoes here
But still plenty of wild life
One of Maisie's roses
Bye for now have a fun time see you next month
Abrazos
Mike and Maisie
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