Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Ode to the Sea - the study


" It slaps the rocks and when they aren't convinced, it strokes them and soaks them and smothers them with kisses. With seven green tongues of seven green dogs or seven green tigers or seven green seas, beating its chest, stammering its name.  Oh sea, this is your name."

I always have an affinity with the sea and Pablo Neruda is my favourite poet who has written so many exquisite poems that have the sea in them.   I have been listening to this one - Ode to the Sea - while I paint a little slice of the sea.

This piece is a  6 x 12  study in oils and right now I'm concentrating on getting the shapes of the water reflections in place.  A lot harder than anticipated!  My plan is to create a similar piece on a much larger scale.  Like most pieces I prefer to work out the colours and kinks on a smaller scale first.  Then I go into the main piece more relaxed and confident of my colour choices and technique.

This view of a section of water is an amalgamation of photos and life studies of a fairly calm sea, close to shore.  The subtle variances are so very complex. If you haven't studied water before, I suggest that you do.  The ever changing light and colours and shapes of waves and reflections are amazing.

5 comments:

RH Carpenter said...

Stunning!!

Hedera said...

A lovely combination - the poem and the sound of the sea...
Best of luck with the painting..

Jeanette Jobson said...

Thanks Rhonda, its coming along.

The sea is addicting, all water is to me Hedera.

Anonymous said...

I would say that looks like Laguna Beach :)

Jeanette Jobson said...

It has similar land/seascapes, but the video is filmed in Biarritz in the south of France, not Laguna. The water study is the view over the side of a boat out of Bay Bulls, Newfoundland.