Sunday, 6 October 2013

'The path to the sea'



 After a month of faces I longed to post a landscape and this weeks Collage Obsession prompt is ' what view we would like out our window'

I did ponder for a while about collaging a Greek sunset or a tropical beach but with Summer on it's way out instead settled on what I know and love best the familiar view over to the Scottish mainland from the north coast of the Island. The view is often obscured by cloud but on a clear day you can see for miles all the way to the mountains of Sutherland.


 ...and really there are few nicer views, especially in late Summer when the heather and horsetails carpet the ground all the way to the sea. I took lots of photographs over the Summer to use as Inspiration over the darker months.
I also thought I would link up to The Artists Playroom as this week the subject is Landscapes. I have missed linking up with the weekly challenges as the past month I have been busy with the 29 faces and before that had a very busy Summer.


 I used masking tape to section off stripes on the canvas after collaging on some horsetail type stems.


Then I splattered acrylic paint using the masking tape to make stripes. I collaged in some paper with little circles.


I decided to make the foliage more abstract and removed some of the pieces I had applied earlier and sanded the canvas back with sandpaper, adding gesso then sticking squares of paper and little strips of sheet music. I often re-work areas I don't like using gesso and sandpaper. Nothing is finished until the final varnish!


Used lots of paper fragments. I really love Japanese washi papers as the colours are so beautiful. I love the gold ones which catch the light.




Finally I added some modelling paste stencilled through sequin waste to make the textured sky. Not entirely sure the canvas is finished, it is in my 'wait and see' pile of work which I go back to at a later date and view again with fresh eyes.

Linking up to Collage obsession this week
and also The artists playroom
as well as Paint party friday!

Ps To those who took part in my postcard draw last week the winner is Fuzzy Fingers! so I will be posting my little card off to her as soon as possible! Thank you to all who took part!

24 comments:

  1. Your painting is just exquisite...if I couldn't have a view your lovely painting would do...bravo.

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  2. Very pretty-- great colors!

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  3. This is incredible! I love the textures, the range of colours, everything about it! Bravo!!!

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  4. This is beautiful, full of details with texture and bright colors. Great job!

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  5. Very nice. Thanks for explaining how you did it.

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  6. Exotic waves and rocks, this work stands out!

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  7. This is fantastic! Thank you for sharing your WIP: it's so interesting to see how you rework various parts of the painting until you are happy with the result. I love the island and the waves of the sea...
    Congrats to Fuzzy Fingers for winning the pretty card! :)

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  8. What a beautiful view you have for inspiration, I love how it turned out, especially the island. I always really enjoy seeing your progress shots.

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  9. Oh those textures! I LOVe! It's great to see your process too, I like to experiment with different materials and I really like the sound of the japanese washi tape, I'll have to seek some out. :) The scottish landscape is so beautiful, that's great idea to store up your summer pics as reminders. I look forward to seeing more of your beautiful landscapes!xx

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  10. Wonderful image! I love the colors and energy in it and it was fun, too, to share in your process of creating it!

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  11. This is absolutely gorgeous! I had to enlarge it to see all the beautiful textures and details.

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  12. Gorgeous is right!! I love the island that looks like stained glass... the way you built the grasses is really a wonderful process too!!Thanks for sharing it was such a joyful read!

    Hug Giggles

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  13. Lovely work, thanks for sharing the process! Valerie

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  14. Loving the beautiful textures you have created Morag a great view from your window.
    Happy PPF, Annette x
    http://nettysartadventures.blogspot.co.uk/

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  15. Beautiful effect and colours. Great work and very inspiring. Thank you for sharing

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  16. This is so lovely. I love the stages it went through and learning what you used to achieve all those lovely textures for each part of the landscape. Yes, a tropical view would be lovely but I have to agree, the views that the Highland and Islands offer are pretty hard to beat!

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  17. Morag this is gorgeous, your art is so full of magic, I love it!

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  18. this is gorgeous!! I love all the texture and the colors. Brilliant decision to make the foliage more abstract-love it!

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  19. beautiful calm paintings love the collage effects happy ppf

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  20. Love it, so beautiful and interesting to look at!

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  21. I LOVE all the thought and detailing that went into your peaceful landscape. Blessings!

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  22. The textures on your lovely painting add that extra dimension that takes it to another level. I love it, and the colours you have used. It's always interesting to follow your process through.

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