Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Confetti tide

Confetti Tide
5 x 10 watercolour

I've been studying waves and the ocean's movement in watercolour, trying to figure out how to capture the motion in a freeze frame of the eye. Its a lot harder than imagined. Both in concept and in the medium as well.

This wave breaking on a smooth shore reflected colours of the sky and the shore and the cliffs sourrounding it and reminded me of confetti. There aren't a lot of sandy beaches in Newfoundland but the ones that exist are beautiful and stretch on for what seems like miles, becoming treasured places that people are loathe to share with the world in case they become overcrowded.

Of course here, there isn't the commercialism associated with beaches in other parts of the world. You won't usually find a plethora of buckets and spades and inflatables or t-shirts that you have to pass on your way to the shore. More often than not, you simply come upon the beach almost by accident, announced by a small sign and a few cars.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really enjoy the color mix you're using here. I am so impressed with you! Every couple of days I come in here and you have some other project to share with us. I'm lucky if I can even finish a weekly drawing challenge over at wetcanvas.

Making A Mark said...

Jeanette - I can only echo Jonathan's comments - this is so good and I am so impressed!

I feel as if your project to paint the sea has engaged your soul and overcome your liking for precise controlled marks. I'm edging forward by inches and you're striding forward in leaps and bounds!

Jeanette Jobson said...

Thanks Jonathan. Part of me wondered if the purples and yellows in this were too overpowering, but then those colours were in the water in varying forms and just seemed to happen.

As for productivity, there's something internal that makes me produce regularly. If I stop, I'm afraid it will disappear!

Katherine, the Watermarks project is a turning point for me most definitely. Its the catalyst that pushed me back into painting again and I'm enjoying the freedom from the tight drawing I was locked into for so long.

You have a plan, I'm just going where the image strikes me right now.

Mary said...

Jeanette, I love this, I really like these pieces of yours that are abstract in a sense, and your use of lose color is fantastic.

Anonymous said...

Another nice ocean stuudy you did...like the one you did over at Watermarks. Great work!
Ronell

Jennifer Rose said...

I really like all the colours in the water, water always looks better when its not just painted blue. well done.

Most beaches around here during the summer are crowded, but thats why we like going to Lunan Bay. Yes there are people there but not a whole lot (probably to do with the fact there are no bathrooms and no place to eat). The only downside is that sometimes you can't walk down the beach without any shoes on because of all the jelly fish that were left from the tide :/

Anita said...

I remember painting the sea and being amazed by the colours I saw when I really looked - you've captured that here. Lovely! And watercolour really lends itself to the sea too (logically!).
I spent my childhood years playing on Kenya beaches, white white sand and miles and miles of nothing. We could be on the beach all day and not see another soul. People ask if I would like to go back and I say no because now it is wall to wall hotels and I love my idyllic memories too much to spoil them.