Brewing the Darkness

This is my latest work, codenamed "Brewing the Darkness" for the time being. Yes - I am churning them out at the moment, mainly because I already had 2 which were almost finished, and I made this board up in between painting times. It seems to be going back to my earlier paintings of how I used to do the skies. I did them in acrylics, but found that the same techniques can be applied in oils and come out with the same effect, except you don't have to do it just before drying time to do the half blends of the clouds with the oils, as they stay wet!

I am not yet sure of where it is heading, or what its message will be. It started off as just layering on the background of paint. I felt the need for something bluish as I quite like the way the blue works in oils, so began doing a layer of paint mixed with a bit of linseed oil to help with the drying process. This is what eventuated!

Alias: "Brewing the Darkness" - Linseed/Oil under-painting

I then began to add the oil paint, keeping to the same style and feel of the under-painting that I had done. I tried working it with a palette knife to keep with the same Turner inspiration I have been building on for the last year or so - but found it difficult to keep the emotion and feeling that was openly apparent from the first layer. I took a bold move and added in some crepuscular rays which hopefully will begin to reveal a focus point for the painting.

Alias: "Brewing the Darkness" - Re worked, layering on the paint, with crepuscular rays.

I did some quick research on crepuscular rays and say that they are also known as "God's rays" and also as "Jacob's Ladder" - both Biblical references! I wait in anticipation as you do as to where this painting is taken. Yes - not even I know the direction of this one yet!!!


27//02//07

Have finally worked out where this one is going after a bit of doodling during the first week of classes of uni.
For the first time since my Rome painting, I have included people. A Father and a son, standing at the end of a pier.
I'm not yet sure of the message, but it will be somewhere along the lines of Like Father, Like Son - playing with the idea of God and Jesus as well.

Alias: "Brewing the Darkness" - Added in the pier with the Father and Son.
Re-worked sky with palette knife to be more in the style of Turner.

11//03//07

The finalizing of the painting has been done. This image is the last step before the final painting, which can be seen in Gallery 6 in the next few days. I've added in a on the pier and lighting on the handrails and figures. The final image (not shown) has a brighter horizon on the right of the painting.

Alias: "Brewing the Darkness" - Added in the light on the pier and handrails.
The final painting has a brighter horizon to the right.

The final title for this work is "Like Father, Like Son; Gods Son Raised from the Dead" - playing on the idea of the figures on the wharf, as well as the play on words "Gods Son Raised..." with Gods Sun Rays - linking to the crepuscular rays mentioned before.