Sense of Place

Russell Webber

TASK: Big Art

TITLE: River painting

River painting derived from a visual experience while on a drawing day. I have coupled that experience with my imagination to present this work.

MATERIALS: MDF board, primed. 12 panels in total, 6 lower panels, 450 mm x 600 mm and 6 upper panels, 450 mm x 1200 mm. Approximate overall size: 2800 mm x 1900 mm, acrylic paint and pastels.

METHOD: By exploring different ways of applying paint, mixed with pastels and using a watery consistency, waiting until the paint semi dried before working it, I was able to work on a larger scale more affordably. I used minimal paint as it was thinned well with water on application. Using pastel red on its edge to put the first layers down, then with a wash of Payne’s grey, using a No.9 flat brush to push the watery mix up to form edges that suggest bushes, shrubs and trees. When dry, I lightly dabbed the tips of the bush and the undergrowth with orange to give a hint of light. The sky is a washy Payne’s grey applied with a 100mm roller. When dry I applied orange radiating from a point, also using a roller. Although I was impressed with my sky, it was not what I had originally intended. I then applied a straight 1% Payne’s grey, 99% gloss white acrylic, dabbing the sky with a No.12 flat brush, in a clouded pattern, adding straight white dabs here and there to simulate cloud. I was satisfied with the result.

My next step was to use a 1” long striping brush and apply fine brush trunks and upper branches here and there, trying hard not to over work it by either quantity, or the intensity of the colour. I did not want these to dominate, but still wanted something for the person who likes to look close. Upper panels completed, I then moved to the six foreground panels with rocks, a platypus and a tree dominating the scene.

Although not realistic, or even capturing the local area, the outcome was inspired by my earlier drawing day at Goobarragandra. .......webba

Title River Painting

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    • SOURCE: This information has been extracted from webba's process diary.