The Eyebrook in Spring

#14 The Eyebrook in Spring oil on canvas 8x8"

I thought I'd return to the Eyebrook and paint the same spot from the week before when it had been raining. The colours were so much more vibrant this time and the sky was reflecting off the water beautifully. I used a smaller canvas this time and I prefer the composition with the water leading your eye in, across the canvas and the back across the tree line.

I used burnt umber to mark out the initial shapes and to get the dark tonal values down. Then I mixed the main colours and got a bit of each in place so I could see how the colours would work together. I spent longer than I wanted to on the painting so next time I want to concentrate on working more quickly and not overworking areas.

The Eyebrook in the Rain

#12 'The Eyebrook in the Rain' oil on canvas board 12x16cm

I braved the bad weather last week and headed to the Eyebrook Reservoir on the Rutland Leicestershire border.  I'd been wanting to paint the view for a while so set up on a little bridge spanning the river that flows into the north end of the reservoir. It is a beautiful view, especially with the fields of oilseed rape in full bloom.

Getting the composition down and the darkest values

The rain started before I'd even finished setting up and continued steadily throughout making it very  challenging to paint.  The oils just didn't want to stick to the canvas and I had to drain my palette several times as it was filling with water!

The painting covered in rain drops

I had to simplify the composition and use a much looser style and the wet canvas would not let me get small details down. Although I probably wont keep this one I really enjoyed overcoming the difficulties the rain presented and there are many aspects of the painting I like which are a direct result of the elements.
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