Turner Revisited – Pencil with Blue/Grey washes (just like Turner) in watercolour, on a watercolour Moleskine.
Every January, for the last century, the National Art Gallery; in Edinburgh, exhibits the Henry Vaughan collection of 38 watercolours by JMW Turner. Vaughan’s bequest stipulated that the darkest month of the year was to be chosen as this would protect the paintings from harmful light. I’ve been going for many years and never fail to find something new in these wonderful creations. This “posting” is inspired by one of my favourites – Old Dover Harbour http://www.nationalgalleries.org/collection/online_az/4:322/result/0/19212?initial=T&artistId=5582&artistName=Joseph%20Mallord%20William%20Turner&submit=1 but I did not want to even remotely plagiarise his work. Where Turner painted 18th century cargo vessels I’ve attempted to depict sailing trawlers from a hundred years later. (I even made a model boat to get some of the proportions correct). I’ve had a lot of fun doing this and hope its been worthwhile. 2009 is going to be great as the gallery will host a major Turner exhibition entitled “Turner and Italy”.
Linda Bachrach 10:13 pm on January 5, 2009 | #
Absolutely beautiful!
Rudat 5:34 am on January 6, 2009 | #
I agree, this is beautiful! And an interesting story too. It’s wonderful to read about different cultures and their traditions.
trebor61 5:44 am on January 6, 2009 | #
Thanks folks for offering such nice feedback again. In Scotland it is possibke to be never more than 40 miles from the sea so this is, perhaps why I adore Turner’s work. He loved painting the sea. If I could have some of his ideas wear off on me and, maybe, some of Constable’s clouds/skies then I would be in seventh heaven.
Mhuire 7:21 am on January 6, 2009 | #
I love sea, and I love Turner, and I love boats. So, I love your painting, too. Thank you.
Margie 7:57 am on January 6, 2009 | #
this is beautiful. On my monitor I more of a purple than a blue, so I’m seeing the sparkling interplay of the purple/yellow complementary pair (in a slightly muted version). I like how you were inspired and made it your own painting. Love the diagonal lines.
amiplasse 9:08 am on January 6, 2009 | #
Beautiful!
trebor61 4:27 pm on January 6, 2009 | #
You all are very kind which leaves me with a problem. What do I try next? I’m in a sort of “Painters’ Block” at the moment.
Blow, breath of inspiration, blow!
Shake and uplift this golden glow!
And fill the canvas of the mind
With wafts of thy celestial wind.
from “Becalmed” – Longfellow
Margie 4:44 pm on January 6, 2009 | #
Go back to what Santa brought: your Inktense Pencils! I want to see more with those. (I just left you a post on your Inktense flowers with two links about the pencils.)
Longfellow obviously wants you to paint a wind-themed piece. I want you to do it with Inktense and bright colors…. there you have it!
Sophie Brown 2:31 am on January 7, 2009 | #
You could do something like a guy playing bagpipes. Or Nessie. Unless you’ve seen her I guess you’d have to make that up. Or some kind of historical Celtic thing carved into a rock. I doubt that’s terribly helpful.
trebor61 9:46 am on January 7, 2009 | #
AH! Margie. Setting me the “easy” targets first eh? You have set me a challenge which I may/may not be up to. I’ll see you in a few months probably. (See message on “Inktense Flowrers”).
Sophie – Bagpipes!!! Nessie!!! I have to tell you that the definition of a considerate Scotsman is someone who knows how to play the ‘pipes – but doesn’t.
Thanks for the comments folks.
Sophie Brown 12:12 am on January 8, 2009 | #
You could got to a pub and draw objects there, bottles and so on, signs. Or you may have something in your house with more character than the rest. No character in my apartment–built about 5 years ago. But people have steins and different items. ONE TIME something I did turned out well (a class assignment)–get some of your books painted up in the different colors. And I have a music box with Jiminy Cricket on the top so it was kind of fun.
roseindigo 1:11 pm on January 8, 2009 | #
One of the ways I try to conquer painter’s block is: I wrote down every item in my house and yard on small slips of paper, cut them up and put them in a vase, and I mean everything—-from a garden tool to the wheelbarrow, a pin to the couch and kitchen table and stove. When I feel blocked I pull out three of those slips at random and see what I can do with them as far as combining them into something related. Some interesting combinations have come out of this, and some real challenges.
I only do this in the winter when I’m housebound. When the weather is good and I can get outdoors it seems I never feel blocked.
Sophie Brown 8:41 pm on January 8, 2009 | #
I hope you see this as we’re both regulars. I got a job in CT working at inn for 2 months so I didn’t want to just disappear. I have a boilers license which has proved much more helpful in life than I would have thought. I don’t have a laptop so I’ll be off the grid and I’m actually looking forward to that. It’s a cushy job more on the level of a vacation than anything else and really ought to do me some good. So I’ll have a lot to look at when I get back! I’m leaving Sunday. If you disappeared suddenly I’d be concerned so I thought I’d extend the courtesy of explaining my absence. I’ve been drowning in the city recently, and you know how fresh air and some space can make all the difference. I love it by like Jim Croce says, “New York’s not my home.”
trebor61 1:55 am on January 9, 2009 | #
An excellent idea roseindigo, which I’ll certainly keep in mind. I should be able to try this as my house can become a bit cluttered. Thanks for the comment.
Congratulations on the job, Sophie. It’s good of you to let us know, through this “post”. I’m sure, as I do, that everyone wishes you good luck with your “vacation” and will look forward to hearing from you on your return. Don’t forget to take your sketchbooks.
Sophie Brown 9:12 am on January 9, 2009 | #
I won’t. The house itself is really pretty. Trees, lake, snow, not too many visitors. I’ll actually be staying in one of the regular rooms with a fireplace. Boiler, shoveling snow (they have a motorized blower) making myself generally useful). I really need this. One of the maintenance guys had a massive heart attack. They don’t want my cat roaming the halls but she’s welcome to stay in my room. It’s just generally a good situation. And I’ll be back!
Margie 11:28 am on January 9, 2009 | #
Sophie, I, too will miss your comments. I am curious: what is a Boiler’s license? What do you boil? Forgive me, I live in the south and if it has something to do with being cold, I’ve just never heard of it.
Your situation sounds divine (except shoveling snow, if there’s too much): solitude, peace, quiet, the beauty of nature. I hope the next 2 months give you all you (and your cat) need for rejuvenation.
greyseal 4:16 pm on September 29, 2012 | #
What…trebor61…????? Our dear Uncle Bob has a secret multi colored side of him which he only lets out in January!
Uncle Bob 10:20 am on September 30, 2012 | #
That’s me! Split personality
I had forgotten about this. I still go to the turners every January and learn something new every time I look at this painting. I noticed that the link, which I placed above, is out of date, so try this
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-old-dover-harbour-tw0223
If you look, very closely, at the point where the mast of the right hand boat crosses the top of the hills you will see that Turner forgot to erase the pencil lines. Not many people see that and shows that the man was human after all.
Uncle Bob 10:22 am on September 30, 2012 | #
Incidentally “61″ was my age when I started to post stuff. Doesn’t time fly especially when you are annoying all you people.
greyseal 12:03 pm on September 30, 2012 | #
I think Turner is all about the drawing. He certainly did not miss the opportunity to juxtapose light and dark values when he could, some seem to be impossible in real life, but it works anyway. Then, he never seems to forget the 3 elements of good landscape composition. (fore mid and background elements) I wonder, if I were transported in time to look over his shoulder, if this composition was anywheres near what you or I may ACTUALLY have seen. Since I will likely as not never be in that part of the world, I leave it to your good judgment to say one way or the other. A handshake!
greyseal 12:05 pm on September 30, 2012 | #
Oh thanks for the Tate post! Goes great with some music by Handel!
Uncle Bob 2:57 pm on October 1, 2012 | #
Handel’s water music perhaps?