Project 6 – Farm Track – Charles Evans Art

Step 1

A nice old farm not far from my house in Northumberland, I need some really good strong contrasting colours in this. So you will see from my outline drawing and my initial sky wash that I have made the sky very strong and dark. After pre wetting the sky area I dropped in yellow ochre in the base part of the sky followed by cobalt blue and light red, firstly fairly weak, and then a much stronger mix for the dark clouds. Then using my 1.5” wash brush suck out the clouds.

Step 2

For the little bits in the distance, the brick buildings, I used a mix of raw umber and burnt sienna, and then the same mixture stronger on the dark side. For the roofs, again cobalt blue and light red. For this I used my No 8 round brush.

Step 3

For the house on the left I used yellow ochre with a touch of raw umber for the light side and then raw umber in the same mix for the darker side. For the roof I used raw umber with a touch of light red, all of this again was done with my No 8 round. For the bushy bits again with my No 8 round firstly drop in a little bit of yellow ochre and then whilst this is still wet tap in some hookers green and burnt sienna mixed and then a touch of cobalt blue into the base.

Step 4

Now for the two big buildings. For the nearest one I used raw umber and yellow ochre but nice and weak. Notice the light areas I have left here and there. For the one further away I used cobalt blue and a tiny touch of burnt sienna but a heck of a lot of water in it, keep it weak. For the roofs on both buildings I again used cobalt blue and light red.

For the shadow in these sections I used a mixture of cobalt blue alizarin crimson and light red, and with my no 8 round brush keep the shadow good and strong. Remember this is all about contrasting strengths.

Step 5

For the bushes I used my ¾” wash brush, and simply stipple on firstly with yellow ochre then hookers green and yellow ochre. Add a touch of blue here and there.

Step 6

Now for the big hedge on the right, again with my ¾” wash brush and I was really hard with the brush, firstly split it then stipple on strong yellow ochre, followed by strong burnt sienna, followed by my shadow colour again. All this was done whilst the first colour was still wet.

Step 7

Into the road still with my ¾” wash brush a mixture of cobalt blue and light red and keeping it nice and wet. Then drop a little bit of just light red onto of it here and there.

Step 8

Still with the same big brush I did much the same for the bush on the left hand side but keeping it weaker. For the grassy areas either side of the path, these were just big wet strokes with firstly yellow ochre then hookers green and yellow ochre, then hookers green and burnt sienna. But be conscious all the time of where you want your light to come from, for instance, notice where I have left strong yellow ochre here and there.

The telegraph poles were next, for theses I used my No 8 round brush firstly going in with yellow ochre to the right side, then raw umber followed by ultra marine blue and burnt sienna as a black on the dark side. The telegraph wires were done with the same black mix but using my rigger brush in one quick easy stroke. Don’t prevaricate with these otherwise they will end up lumpy.

Step 9

Finally for the strong shadows, it’s the obvious shadow mix, cobalt blue, alizarin crimson and burnt sienna. There we go quite an atmospheric little picture this one.