New Marine Art

After an extended period of commercial illustration work I have managed to slip in a couple of pieces of my own.

The first is a study of a topsail schooner off the Yorkshire east coast and the second a foreshortened study of Tower Bridge in London which will eventually be reinterpreted into a larger painting. This was intended to be a try out for texture and colour values.

Other than a slight warming up of the colour values of the bridge I am happy with the layout.

Topsail Schooner off Flamborough Head

Tower Bridge Afternoon

Marine Artwork

I have a few marine themed exhibitions this year and I need to generate a few pieces to ensure I can fill the space!

Below are my latest examples, a tranquil bit of the River Rance at Dinan in Brittany and a moody sunset with a schooner.

Moorings at Dinan Brittany

Homeward Bound

The Chapel, Old Royal Naval College Greenwich

I have always admired artists who paint night scenes, a particularly difficult exercise since the human eye uses a different mechanism by night. The best exponent of the "Nocturn" I have come across is the Yorkshireman John Atkinson Grimshaw, a mid Victorian painter who loved to simulate moonlit city street scenes.

As a member of the Old Royal Naval College Art Club I visit Greenwich often so the fantastic Wren architecture seemed an obvious subject choice.

The Chapel, Old Royal Naval College Greenwich

Ahead of the pack

In an effort to push on my maritime work I have produced another in 'heavy sea' style. My schooner painting of last year proved popular which has encouraged me to revisited the American schooner for the latest piece.

The two thirds sea to one third ship composition was inspired by the superb American marine artist Chris Blossom, his work is stunning, well worth a look, it has encouraged me to be more adventurous in subject and composition.

Hope you like it!!

Ahead of the Pack

Tower Bridge, Winter Morning

The first Tower Bridge painting I exhibited at the Alexander Miles Gallery during the National Maritime Museum Annual show sold. The gallery is close to Tower Bridge, so it was suggested that another study of the bridge might be in order.

I never revisit the same subject with the intention of producing a "Clone" so it was necessary to find another location close to but not the same spot as used previously. I was also keen to explore the bright reflected light and deep shadow which I had used in the first painting but in a slightly tighter and controlled manner.

Below are the various stages from initial sketch with watercolour pencils through to the completed work.

Coloured pencil sketch

Initial composition quickly drawn in with a brush

Tonal values and main featured blocked in

Final Work

The National Maritime Museum Annual Exhibition 2015

This year the NMMAC show is quite unique.

The exhibition opened on 10 September at the Alexander Miles Gallery in St Katharine's Dock London. We have a number of guest artists this year from the most prestigious marine art societies in the UK, including the Royal Society of Marine Artists, The Wapping Group and the Maritime Art Group.

The exhibition also coincides with the Thames Festival and closes on the final weekend of the festival (Sunday 27 September).

The four marine arts societies have never exhibited together before so the event is unique. The gallery could hardly be in a better location, surrounded by the basins of St Katharine's Dock and filled with vessels of all shapes and sizes.

I have been fortunate to contribute seven pieces to the show which appear below.

The gallery website has all the information you need to get to and enjoy the show.

http://thealexandermilesgallery.com/?p=2170#more-2170

Dream for Sale

Racing for St Malo

Tower Bridge and Pier

October at Woodbridge

The Cygnet at Snape

The Pool of London 2015

Schooners on the Grand Banks

The River Medway 1825

The second finished painting inspired by JMW Turner's sketches done on the River Medway. This view along Chatham Reach shows the Naval storehouses lining the river. In the foreground an old 74 gun ship of the line is recommissioning and is moored alongside an accommodation hulk. To the right a frigate is in the process of getting underway to catch the evening tide.

Although I used one of Turner's sketches for the position of several of the vessels I have altered the viewing angle and composition to add a little depth and drama.

Evening tide, Chatham 1825