scott base acrylic painting

A recent painting I did as a gift for my Uncle who spent two terms down at Antarctica's Scott Base. This was my impressionistic and stylistic take on an aerial view of the base. Lots of fun to paint... I learned a lot as I painted it as well.

This was the original aerial photo that I used as inspiration for the artwork.

This was initial sketching using pencil, liquid graphite, white poster paint pen and green highlighter. The list was me trying to sort out the order of the layers in my head.

This was a big sketch of my painting layout to help guide the colours as I laid them down.

First layers were white gesso, then a bright layer of Phthalo Blue acrylic dropped into pools of water on the surface of the canvas. Then I lay on plastic film (glad wrap, cling film) to make patterns.

Next was a layer of white gesso all over the top, once again using the plastic wrap to add texture. I looked at lots of images of snow and ice and I really wanted to try and get that dazzling look of bright blue showing through white ice. I got a big mess in these early stages! Paint all over me!!

Needless to say there was even more mess when I started splattering dark acrylic paint over the top. The colour is a homemade version of Payne's Grey that I love to work with... Mars Black mixed with Phthalo Blue and Phthalo Turquiose. I concentrated the splatter in the are where the buildings would be because the camp appears to sit on a really dark looking gravel.

Of course I forgot to take photos at the next stages, but I used Phthalo Turquiose for the buildings, and my Payne's Grey for the shading and shadows, gesso for the highlights.

Part way through I wasn't sure if I was going to be happy enough to give the painting as a gift, and then it just came together, and I am pleased as Punch with the final outcome.

Must paint more! Very exhausting, but also therapeutic!!