A PAINTER’S PROGRESS
I have been coming here since 2006 and on an almost daily basis whilst here I have walked past this tree as it is at the main entrance to the condo. I have always liked it primarily for its giant leaves, its not the only one, they are everywhere. I never thought I would do a painting of it, I hope I can do it justice.
Tree and condo, Mexico. Day 1
Well ahead of schedule and with 1 primed board left. Only one thing for it and that’s to start my final painting, number 13. Twelve good paintings with not one dud amongst them, surely this can’t be sustained? I can’t resist trying again, especially as it will be the thirteenth. This painting was done in double quick time, and the next one will have to progress just as rapidly if I have got any chance of finishing it. Better do an evening session tonight.
Island, Mexico.
If there is any chance for this painting to dry then I have got 2 painting sessions left. If I want to finish it regardless then I have 4. I think 4 will be enough to finish but then it goes back to the UK wet. I like the start to this painting. Painting in Mexico is quite a surreal experience and I want that to come through in the painting, I think it does and not just with this painting. Happy with the progress.
Island, Mexico. Day 2
Well, I have got to big it up, its the last painting of my first painting trip to Mexico and its been far more successful than I expected. Painting in Mexico has worked for me on every level, this will be number 12, I only bought 13 primed boards with me thinking this would be more than enough. The limitless number of subjects has surprised me, the colour (light) that is everywhere and the fact that I can paint small pictures in a small space and it has not compromised me. My progress, both in quality and stylistically has been noticeable, I hope I can progress at this pace when I go back to the UK.
Island, Mexico. Day 1
Everything in Mexico is turned up several notches, the food, the weather, the landscape, the colour and the wild and abundant growth of nature. That was the idea with this picture. Not just to illustrate but to give a sense of the mad rampant growth that is evident all around. Everything here is in full bloom, there are many varieties of plants and trees I cannot even name. I think that has come through in this painting and I am pleased with the final result. Its finished, I have decided to go for one more, I have a week to finish it though it may go back to the UK wet.
Palm tree, Mexico.
A slice of humble pie and a name change is in order. I said when I started the palm tree was a chalky white green, I then made the fatal mistake of calling it a blue palm tree. Well, just from a visual perspective I think my decision to stay closer to its actual colour was the right one. I believe a picture should be able to stand purely on its own merit and communicate visually without a need for a title or lengthy essay to prop it up. So now its simply titled ‘Palm tree, Mexico’. Despite all that the picture is going well.
Palm tree, Mexico. Day 5
When I can write my own headlines why would I settle for something boring like ‘balancing the tones’. Essentially that’s the phase I am in now. I normally find I have to be at least half way into a painting before I can get a sense of where the tones are, or where I want them to be. I have decided to focus on giving the palm tree its strange blue aura whilst at the same time trying to push a high key colour range. I think its now going to work. I am also liking the bigger, bolder shapes that are simplifications of tones within the tree.
Blue palm tree, Mexico. Day 4
I am not just talking about my inevitable return to the UK, but about life. I have been ‘living’ in this holiday resort for almost 3 months and all the people here have the ‘ability’ to lie on their sun loungers day after day, all day for months. I can’t do it. Judging from my ‘sun tan’ you’d think I’d just got off the plane. I have never been able to relax. Its the creative curse and the endless journey with no point of arrival. I think on balance I am grateful for at least having the ambition to pursue something. Back to the painting, its going well.
Blue palm tree, Mexico. Day 3
Early indications are that I will stick closer to the subject in terms of colour and stylisation. I have no intention of illustrating every leaf, the boredom and tedium would be too much to bare. I think the initial drawing will be followed which leaves plenty of room for invention. This will be my only ‘blue period’ painting, from my modest output. Really liking the start of this.
Blue palm tree, Mexico. Day 2
Its more a very light, almost white, chalky green. The intention is to start by sticking close to the trees colour but knowing me anything could happen and I may have to drop the reference to blue. I already think I will be introducing all sorts of shapes into the tree that don’t actually exist, that’s the way I seem to be going with these paintings.
Blue palm tree, Mexico. Day 1
‘Not much to do’, as per the previous post was giving the egret a second leg, mostly. I couldn’t get away with just painting a one legged bird. However this morning included an additional 4 hours of painting. It has certainly improved, but that’s it, finished. The next painting is already lined up, number 11. Will it be the last one of this trip? possibly, they have to dry before going back into the suitcase. 10 paintings so far, all successful in my view, then its back to grey UK on the 25th. The horror.
White egret, Mexico.
Made such good progress in the previous day that there was just a bit of fiddling today. Its as good as finished, will check again tomorrow. I don’t know how significant this stylistic shift is, I do like the look of it but it seems like a bit of a curiosity, but only time will tell.
White egret, Mexico. Day 4
a little bit of painting. This was Sunday evening, 6pm. It was after 10 when I decided I should stop. You can never do just a little bit of painting when things are going well. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to make this painting work, it was a bit of an experiment. I was going to make a patchwork picture, the mid ground was easy as most of the shapes existed, as rocks, the sky was going to be a little bit eccentric. However, I think I have managed to make it work. Most of the painting is in place now.
White egret, Mexico. Day 3
This wasn’t the plan for my retirement, I thought the doing the opposite would be more pleasurable. However what I have discovered is that the best things come out of a prolonged struggle, 40 years of painting should qualify me. Its seems to me that when the images are wrestled free of the paint that they have a richness that cannot be found through a more timid approach. I am trying to apply some logic to the way I am making this painting. The picture is coming through slowly despite the apparent chaos.
White egret, Mexico. Day 2
Is becoming a theme. This location is only 100 metres from the previous painting, but this time its a bird. This area is full of pelicans and egrets but I liked this single egret amongst the rocks. I also liked this particular spot because you can see the ocean between some of the rocks and then the sky above. I have put the bird in profile to avoid having to paint two tiny matchstick legs on it.
White egret, Mexico. Day 1
If I could extend my stay by another 2 months I would have no hesitation. That leads to bigger questions. Certainly my painting has leaped forward, something I was not expecting. There just seems to be a richness and vitality to this country that I cannot find in the UK. I am not sure how I am going to adapt to going back. Anyway, I don’t think I can do anymore with this painting. Very pleased with the way it has turned out, its finished.
Two fishermen, Mexico
No prizes for guessing which is the easier of the two. One concern of mine when working on small pictures and painting figures was how was I going to paint the faces?, the figures will appear like manikins. This has turned out to be an irrelevant question. As long as they are in proportion and the pose gives the figure relevance and vitality then that is all they need. For some reason the pelican needed an eye! This was a one chance applied dot, but it works. I like the way you have to do a ‘double take’ to spot the pelican, just as I didn’t notice it when taking the photo. The picture is now working.
Two fishermen, Mexico. Day 3
Looking a bit brown and drab but its close enough. The previous sentence was my only comment earlier today due to an appalling mid day photo, now removed to spare my devoted followers. This night time photo is so much better. I was going to risk going all in on the browns knowing (hoping?) the highlights would rescue it. This is beginning to work.
Two fishermen, Mexico. Day 2
Can I call it my wild Mexico?, if I am married to a Mexican and will be spending the next quarter (maybe more?) of my life here. No matter, this is the Mexico that I love. This area is about 10 minutes drive away and beyond the tourist zone. Once there, you can see for miles and miles of big empty beaches stretching along the coastline with the mountains behind. No sign of human habitation, apart from a few fishermen. The one on the left was sat in an inflatable car tire. I never saw the pelican in the photo until I started editing it back ‘home’.
Two fishermen, Mexico. Day 1
If something is not working, its not always obvious why, I just have a nagging feeling that ‘it doesn’t look right’. Somehow, I thought my treatment of the sea was right, even if it didn’t look anything like the sea. I think from the moment I took the photo, to compressing it, I knew this picture was ‘not normal’, and not anyone’s idea of what a sunset in Mexico should look like. Yes its not the sea, but it seems to work as an ‘idea’. The picture has turned out pretty much how I had hoped. It is finished.
Islands and sunset, Mexico