Some works from last year

I haven't had much time for painting recently so here are a few plein air works from late last year. I hope the weather warms up a bit shortly so I can get out and about with my painting gear.

Rain to the North - View towards Offaly from 'The Cut' Slieve Bloom mountains - Acrylic on canvas board (12" x 16")

From Cleo to eternity (View of Egyptian Statue at Gash Gardens, Castletown) - Watercolour

Through the trees (Westfield) - Acrylic on canvas panel (12" x 16")

 

Castletown Mill - Acrylic on  unstretched canvas (12" x 16")

The above painting was presented by Castletown Tidy Towns Committee to Tom Jones to mark his retirement  (L to r) Seamus O' Brien, Catherine O'Brien, Tom Jones, Josie Jones & Ross Doyle).

 

 

 

 

Plein air paintings from short holiday break on Hook peninsula, Wexford

This is a small group of paintings done during a recent short holiday break on the Hook peninsula.
All the paintings were painted between 6.30am & 8.30am when there was some wonderful dawn light.

Day 1 - Sand Eel Bay - Acrylic on canvas board  (10" x 14")

Day 2 - Slade Castle & Harbour - Acrylic on canvas board  (10" x 14")

Day 3 - Early morning sunlight at Baginbun Head - Acrylic on canvas board  (10" x 14")

Day 4 - Hook lighthouse from cliff path to Slade - Acrylic on canvas board (10" x 14")

In memory of Sam (Samantha)

In memory of our beloved Sam (Samantha) who passed away this week. Time just caught us up - Goodbye old friend!

In Sad Times - Oil on canvas board  (12" X 16")

In Happier Times - Oil on canvas board  (18" X 24")

Spring'in to Life

Spring'in to Life - Oil on Linen - 50cm X 60cm

Painted this to test some lovely Michael Harding oil paints. As can be seen in the close up photograph, little attention is paid to accurate painting of details and structures but rather to loosely capturing the feel and light of this beautiful garden.

Detail

Mini portrait sketch

This is a mini portrait sketch of Olwyn done from a photo reference. It is a lot smaller than I would usually paint but the pose struck a chord with me. I struggled to add detail due to the size of brushes required and that might not be such a bad thing.

Olwyn - Oil on panel - 18cm X 24cm

New sign for Castletown Tidy Towns

Approximately a month of work on this painting. It was done to replace an old sign that was suffering from the ravages of time.

Sign for the river at Castletown - Acrylic on Ply - 48 X 42 inches

Irish Dancer Lily

This time a portrait of Irish Dancer Lily painted from photo reference.

Lily - Oil on Canvas - 14 X 18 inches

Emmet Portrait

Another oil portrait sketch. This time of my son Emmet, painted from photo references and also from life.

Emmet - Oil on Panel - 35cm X 45cm

Gabby - Portrait

This oil sketch of my daughter Gabby has been a joy to paint. I hope I have captured something of her impish character. It is painted from a photo reference and also from life.

Gabby - Oil on Panel - 35cm X 45cm

Detail

Self Portrait with unkempt hair

This is my first oil painting of the year and it's a self portrait. It is done as a practice piece to get used to handling oils after a winter of using Acrylics and watercolours. Instead of canvas I painted this on a lovely Italian poplar wood panel.

Initial drawing

Self portrait with unkempt hair - Oil on Panel - 35cm X 45cm

 

 

Wedding Portraits

These portraits show the difficulty of painting from a reference photograph. There are no cast shadows as camera flash was used to take the reference picture. Skin tones are washed out and it is extremely difficult to get realistic colour values under artificial lighting.

James & Melissa - Acrylic on canvas - 20 x 24 inches

James - Detail

Melissa - Detail

Alternative view of Castletown Mill

This Acrylic painting was done from a quick pastel sketch of the Mill at Castletown on a beautiful bright January day. Loving the flexibility of Interactive Acrylic paints (here used sketchily and sparingly as watercolour washes). Interactives make an excellent substitute for oils for the plein air painter.

Castletown Mill - Acrylic on Canvas board - 14 x 16 inches