I love painting skies, threatening skies, sunset skies, and grey skies muted skies they all have their appeal and lend themselves to set the mood for a particular painting you are planning. In this one we have just experienced a passing storm which is now leaving us. The reason I know this is the clue given by the wind blowing the pennant to the right and all the heavy weather is leaving and it looks like a better day. The heavy cloud is a mixture of Ultramarine and Burnt Umber. Note that the sky colours are reflected down into the estuary at low tide.
Winter is a time when most people stay in and keep warm but there is nothing more stimulating when the snow falls than to search out a snow covered landscape. This one has a sky that looks still full of snow but the sun has broken through and created lovely light across the picture. The main colours in this one are based on Cobalt Blue and a mix of the same colour with Light Red added. The distant trees are painted in muted blues which helps to give depth. The focal point is the large tree on which the main sky colours have been used to create harmony. Touches of Burnt Sienna were used in the mid ground.
This is an 11th century Saxon church quite close to my home. The main features of this painting are the contrast between the grey sky against the sunlit church with a field of oil seed rape in full bloom in the foreground. The main colours used in this picture are cobalt and Light Red for the sky, Cadmium Lemon for the rape, and Raw and Burnt Sienna for the church.
The very stark white of the face of the cottage was so appealing I felt I had just got to paint the scene. The sky was painted predominantly with Ultramarine, with Burnt Umber added to create a soft grey cloud effect. The sunlight in the sky was a weak mix of Raw Sienna. The same colour was washed across the foreground. Dark trees of Cadmium yellow and Payne’s Gray were deliberately placed to give the darkest tone against the main feature of the painting.
Course dates
5 Sep - 12 Sep 2009
Frank Halliday was born in Yorkshire more years ago than he will admit to, and has painted all his life. After following a successful business career which took him all over the UK, he finally settled in Norfolk, where he has been able to focus on his passion for painting. His love and enthusiasm for painting have drawn him into lecturing, demonstrating and running workshops for those who want to paint for themselves.
Frank works professionally for Winsor & Newton as a demonstrator, tutors workshops for Arts & Leisure Painter magazine, and demonstrates at shows around the country. Frank’s dry Yorkshire sense of humour makes every class or course that he runs a perfect delight, and you will have fun learning.
You can find out more on Frank’s website, www.norfolkskies.co.uk
