Day 28

This was my attempt at capturing the colours of the surface of water.

Day 27

Yesterday we had a heavy downpour of rain, as is common for Singapore weather. On my walk home after work yesterday, I noticed the clear rain drops on all the leaves. I took a few photos and used them to help me with today's drawing. It is my first attempt at drawing the water drops and whilst I am content with this drawing, some drops are more successful than others.

WHY?

Why oh why did I decide on water as my theme for the 100 days project?!
Ok, I do really know. I have been wanting to fulfil this urge I have to be able to show water in a realistic way with traditional two dimensional materials.

However, I feel quite unsure about my progress so far. Whilst I am happy with the glasses of water, I seem to not be able to comprehend or complete a successful painting of water that is not still!

So I have reached out to the internet and search for a few works that I truly love, which depict water. The below is a piece by Brett Whiteley called 'The Divided Unity.'


More information can be found here.

Day 26

Today I thought if I go back to my Ebb & Flow line drawing and perhaps add tones, of a darker blue and a lighter blue it may add to a sense of volume in the water. So I did, however, I think instead I made the drawing look more like a furry texture than moving water!!! Oops.

Day 25

I needed a break from painting the glasses of water. I have really enjoyed it previously but my creative mind was starting to get frustrated and I could see the works becoming too much of a formula. So I have gone back to drawing and instead of trying to achieve realism I wanted to try and just use lines to represent the movement of water. I really don't know if I will do another one as whilst it was very enjoyable to do, it felt so relaxing, I am not satisfied that the result can be considered as a finished work. However, this project is about process not just the final result.

Day 24

I did a smaller work today, 12 x 12 inches in size. I went back to my first series of photographs of water in a glass, to source my composition. I am behind in completing my works for the 100 days project, so whilst I am getting a bit tired of representing water as seen in a glass; I still working at it and am content with building up a series of work.

I know if I am having a niggling feeling saying, 'I'm done with the glass of water.' I need to be exploring another way of successfully representing water very soon. However, by committing to the 100 days project, I also know I cannot afford to procrastinate, which is what I usually would do when I start to feel this way.

Either way, here is today's painting.

Day 23

I was going to write something like; 'YAY, I have completed this work'.... However, I think there is a bit more fine tuning in the background and foreground shadows to be done and I have not signed it. Oh well, for posting purposes, it is 98% done.

Day 22

Today I am using another reference photo which has lemon in a glass of water. It is from the same group of images that I sourced / photographed a few days ago. Though, this time I selected a higher level of water in the glass and there is only a single piece of lemon in the water.

Again, I am aiming to complete this over two days.

Day 21

It was time to keep working on lemon in a glass of water painting and finish it. I realised that the palette was very light and this frustrated me when mixing colours. Whilst I am pleased with the final work, there are still a few small areas that I could improve on for next time, including refining some of the finer details. However, I felt to let this work be and not to stress about it too much.

Day 20

I enjoy how the water visually distorts the shapes of objects submerged due to the refraction of light. I took a number of images of a glass of water with some lemon in it. Then I have tried to interpret the photo in my painting. This was quite a challenge. I selected a larger canvas for this work, so it took me two days to complete.

Day 19

I had a lot of leftover grey paint, so I used it for this small square piece. It was fun to do a smaller work today, though I have created a lopsided glass!!

Day 18

I finished the painting today. I did keep the foreground grey and had completed some fine tuning with the darkest and lightest areas.

Day 17

Today I continued with my painting. Unfortunately I ran out of my white paint, and since it's late in the evening, I can not go to the shops now. So I will have to wait until tomorrow to finalise this piece.

I am still a bit unsure about the foreground colour, (grey), but I know I need something a bit neutral as if I use a strong colour then it should be in the glass reflection. It could be fun to have a vibrant orange and I am still considering changing the foreground colour. Either way, I will have to wait until the shops are open tomorrow and then I can go and buy some more paint.

Day 16

Today I am working with a familiar subject; a glass of water. Instead of returning back to drawing, (where I feel I have more control), I am trying to develop my painting skills and am using a very close colour range to yesterday's work. This is Part 1; hopefully I can finish it tomorrow.

Day 15

Today I finished the oil painting. I need to remember that it is only day 15 and I won't be a master of anything yet. I am feeling a bit dissatisfied with the final piece. I think I need to develop a better understanding of colours so I can mix more accurate hues/shades of the water, as well as developing the way I apply the paint onto the canvas, as some of my lines and shapes are inaccurate.

It is a process. Every creation is about learning and gaining more experience.

Day 14

I got out my oil paints today and have started a painting to further explore various colours to represent water. Again I have used masking fluid to keep some areas completely white and have laid down a base blue and started adding some areas of tone.The painting is in the first stages of development and I endeavour to complete it over the next few days.