Working on an oil version of Landscape 10. I did this in one go using thick areas of paint. All that's left is the red figure. It's a much weightier picture than 'The sinking Furnace', so much so that I've started over-painting it to add depth and texture to the flat colours.

Continuing with the b&w/one colour theme.

Returning to my 8x8cm gouache paintings before I begin more large-scale work. These are useful to focus my mind on the original idea and look at different compositions.

Here I'm looking at reducing the colour even further. Eventually I'll just work with black and white, maybe adding a stark colour and some modelling.

Finished...

Well, at least as much as it's possible in the time scale.

I'm pretty pleased with the result. There are a few areas I'd like to re-work and the whole thing is a little rushed, but I've developed some ideas and can see where I want to take the next piece.

The whole picture was done using black and white and one colour, apart from the eye and the figure, which is an idea that goes back to my comic drawing days. It's good to limit yourself to explore an idea fully.









This is the eye on the figure. I want to bring moulded elements to the flat landscape. I'll work on this in the next piece.







A close-up of the 'bridge' and figures. The bridge came to me after a walk around town earlier. It's the only part that isn't based on recent architecture.

Getting there. I'm pleased with the bottom half of the picture.

Using shapes and colour to convey the idea of something is more interesting than trying to represent it. It gives the viewer more to work with.

The figure at the bottom will have something unexpected added to it tomorrow.

This is a detail from the piece. You can't see particularly well but it's basically abstract forms taken from buildings with no particular mass or texture.

I'm trying to convey a sense of unease with this painting - creating three dimensions but with flat tones and no gradation. The perspective is slightly askew, giving it a sense of movement.













The painting is now essentially in two halves - the top being recognizable shapes and the bottom becoming more abstract, as if the buildings have lost their shape and become floating wreaks.

Work in progress...

This is the painting I'm working on at the moment. It's a continuation of a series of pieces based on urban architecture and the place of people within it. This one's oil on canvas.



I think it's going to be called 'The Sinking Furnace'. I'm at about the half way stage - there's some under-painting to be done but most of the structure is there. I'm not use to working in oils and the drying time can be quite frustrating, but it does help you think a bit more about the image.