DETAILED STEP BY STEP

The Pack Horse Bridge

The next step is to get the major focus point into the picture.  The Bridge is where we want the viewer to look first - it will be the area that must attract the most attention.  That means that there must be areas there of maximum contrast.  

The lavender at the foot of the bridge path will be one focus point and the far archway of the bridge another where the deep shadow meets the bright sunlight on the stone.  

I have laid down a light warm grey on the top of the bridge parapet and then applied a layer of scribble Sepia to the shadowed stonework on either side.  It could possibly be darker but that can come in the final touches.  I left the area white paper for the weeds along the inside path of the bridge and then applied a mixture of ochre and grass green with some shadow from a mid Olive Green to get the weedy effect.  I was VERY careful to leave the area on the nearside of the bridge path for the blue lavender to go against the dark shadow of the inside arch.  

That inside archway shadow is laid down with a thin layer of ochre (to establish the stone colour) and then a firm layer of Ivory black on top.  That first layer of ochre keeps the black from being a ‘dead’ colour and  still enables us to get the intense dark.  The bushes down to the waterside have also been completed and the shadows punched in with a dark green and black.

The lavender was worked with a light Violet mixed with Sky Blue and the edges cut back in with the Black.

The result puts the bridge firmly in the spotlight and looking around the area, I can see that I will need to do something with that cottage in the background.  Whilst the value (tone) of the colours is correct to the reference, it doesn’t look right.  I can see that I will have to work some more detail into it with subdued shades to sit it back behind the main house and into the background.

I will also need to do some tidying up around the pots on the right hand side where the top of the plants looks articficial at the moment.  In fact everywhere I look there are areas to be enhanced, shadows to be deepened and edges to be corrected.  

Never mind, that’s the interesting bit !

The next step will be the railing to the left of the bridge and the bushes behind it on the other side of the river and then we will be getting close to the main work complete and can start the ‘mopping up’.

So what have I progressed with and done ?

I have completed the railed area on the left hand side of the bridge and made sure that I put the shadow lines in first before doing the foliage behind.  Green line above - to lose itself in the bushes at the rear and a Sepia line below to show up the shadow.  I have added a couple of grey layers to the thatched roof of the cottage in the background and encouraged it to take a back seat.  I have laid down two very light layers on the road - the first one a light cold Grey and the second with Sky Blue.  I have then used a white pencil to blend over the whole road surface.  I have worked into those pot plants on the right hand side patio.  Added some weeds under the right hand wall and enhanced the shadows on the wall and in the tree on the right against the house.  I have tickled round with a grey and a sepia to bring up one or two more shadows.

I think that the bulk of the work is now done.  I will stand the picture up on the end of the work surface for a couple of days and keep looking at it as I get on with other things, and I guess that I might well add bits and pieces from time to time.  As they say, a picture is never finished. It merely comes to a very long pause and then it is framed.

I haven’t signed it yet, though !

Your further suggestions, comments etc are all very welcome,

The aid and assistance desk is still open

and if anyone wants to send me a downloaded copy of their finished ( ? ) picture, I will be very happy to post it below in a gallery

The Packhorse Bridge at Allerford North Somerset  From an original Photo.

Both Photo and Painting are Copyright © Peter Weatherill 2010

Painting on stretched Fabriano 5 Hot Pressed watercolour paper

using a mixture of several brands of Coloured Pencil - Mainly Caran d’Ache Pablo and Faber-Castell Polychromos

Even though each artist is working from the same reference and to the same programme and in some cases with the same brands of pencils on the same brand of paper, each result will differ as much as the experiences of the artists differ.

People develop a style and whilst they may not think they work on a recognisable way, they develop that style over time from the types of pictures they like and the way they are influenced by others.

Each picture shown below represents a lot of hours of work and I wouldn’t ask anyone to change them in any way. They represent the individual that worked them as much as the subject.  Some of the group are more experienced than others and some are relative beginners.  All deserve merit for their work.

Some images are scanned to higher standards than others and the image files may be very much different in size.

Pauline Longley

http://www.paulinelongley.co.uk/

Pauline’s result is excellent with a lovely crisp feel of sunshine and shadow

Carole Keen

Unfortunately the scan hasn’t picked up the paler colours, hopefully we may get a better image.

Thank you for joining us on this journey.

If you are interested in learning about a possible future working group and might like to explore working another landscape later in 2010 and benefit from the group Email discussions, please register your interest by making contact with me. As soon as enough interest is raised, we will look at the possibilities      

Peter Weatherill    2011   

Roy Eaton

A mixture of Faber-Castell, Derwent and Prismacolor on Fabriano 5 watercolour paper

Judith Crown

Said she found the background buildings the most difficult - you wouldn’t believe it !

Alan McMahon

Using Coloursoft,

Alan included less trees and more sky

Janey Walls

Was doubtful about displaying her picture, but it certainly deserves a showing. She had perspective difficulties.

Andrea Rowe

Had problems with getting a good photo of the picture, but the end result is good

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