Grandpa

I had mixed feelings when I finished the painting this morning. In one respect I was sad because I have really enjoyed painting it and listening to James tell us all about his times with Grandpa  but I was glad too that it was complete and that I was able to transfer the image and feelings that were in my mind onto the paper .  The quote "To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die" (Thomas Campbell) is so true. Grandpa certainly lives on in James's heart and I think all of ours now. He certainly was a master craftsman and engineer.

There is such focus and concentration on Grandpa’s face. …For this moment in time the rest of the world does not exist. It is just him and his model engine as he puts the finishing touches to its creation before lighting its tiny fire for the first time.

Ona

Grandpa WIP 6

Its taking me a while to paint the traction engine. Its by no means technically accurate but I do want to convey a feel of the complexity of the Allchin and the skill and attention to detail that has gone into making it and keeping it in good working order. I'm having to change the lighting on the engine from the reference photo so this is taking more thought too but its gradually appearing on the paper. I hope Grandpa would be forgiving of my mistakes. The photo I am working from is very grainy.

Hopefully I will finish in the next couple of days.

Any ideas for a title?

Ona

Grandpa WIP 5

At last, I have a photo that looks pretty close. I have now finished Grandpa's hands and the section of the traction engine in this area. I am pleased with how the lights and darks as well as the brighter colours in this area help to draw our attention from his face to his hands and the engine.

When I paint I'm not only thinking of the objects but the emotion or 'story' it helps to convey as well. I wanted to make his hands tell a story. To a model engineer his hands are so important. They are used to craft, with such care, the tiniest details but they also have to be strong. They are also older hands full of experience but at the same time worn with age. I have included a close up of this section in the next photo.

 Ona

Grandpa WIP 4

I tried so hard to get a more accurate colour balance in the photo for you this evening but the camera really doesn't like this painting :(  Does anyone else have this colour balance problem when they take a photo of a painting in which they have used mutliple glazes in watercolour?Try to imagine the background a more dark greeny yellow as in my last photo. I just couldnt get it looking the same as the painting this time without turning Grandpa a very strange colour and I thought it was better to have him looking ok.

Today I painted Grandpa's trousers. It took 10 glazes in all to get the depth of shadow effect that I wanted so that his back leg merged into the background at the bottom. I've also painted in the back half of his oil can. This looks a little dark at the moment. Its hard to get correct values against the bright white of the paper. I might need to lighten it a little but I do want this area to have the highest contrast so that it draws our eye from his face down to his hands and the engine so I will leave it as it is for now and adjust if necessary later.

 Tomorrow I will begin the engine.

Ona

Grandpa WIP 3

Thank you for all your positive responses to my progress on this painting so far. I have been mostly working on the jacket over the last couple of days, gruadually building up the colour with a succession of glazes. I've still got a little touching up in some areas of the jacket to do but it is basically done.  I love how the jacket seems to appear out of the page as each pale glaze is added. I still think painting in watercolour is pure magic. 

Ona

Grandpa WIP 2

I thought that I would bring you up to date with my progress today. I love this stage of a painting where I get to bring a personality to life on the paper. 

Today I have begun working on the clothing. I am using the same colours as I used for the background with the addition of the reds that I am going to use to paint the engine. I chose this colour scheme because I want the painting to evoke that 'oldy worldy days gone by' feel without me resorting to the monochrome approach of an old photo.

I am pleased with how the painting is progressing so far. There is always that moment, at least for me, when I begin a painting where I wonder if I am going to be able to create on paper what I can see in my mind. I always feel happier once I am at this stage and its beginning to take shape.

Ona