Wood Cutters
Woodland management is a common enough activity in state owned forests and this scene would be a weekday, or working day, sight. Its from memory and imagination and I think because of the method of painting it hovers between a realist and a fantasy scene. Without knowing the title of the painting you would be forgiven for thinking this was a secret meeting of witches, casting their spells.
The method delivers an image which would appear, at first sight, to be ‘photographic’ but on closer inspection we see the lines which define a sketch. I find myself in the gap between these two painting styles. Sometimes a painting can look like a photograph (here or here), or a non realist work (here or here) and I have to try not to stray too far into either camp. Realism does have a magnetic effect on the viewer and it draws him/her into the painting. It also speaks of proficiency in producing the real world so any deviation from reality in the painting becomes a deliberate statement and not a shortfall in skill. Check out this site for a bit of good advice regarding fitting the medium to the subject matter of the picture. Its not entirely the same as the point I’m making, but somehow it seems to strike a chord.
This painting does not have a definite structure, it grew from the background towards the viewer, with each layer composed, based on what went before. For me it gives a good impression of the chaos and randomness of a woodland. The only relief is the stream on the lower left which is the ‘pathway’ into the painting. The brush is in constant motion over the entire surface of the painting, creating a ‘random pattern’ which is in fact obeying the strict rules of design and composition. Its time consuming and tedious. (see previous post)
Here’s the video. By the way, the all the videos are 720 HD which means you can change the quality settings on your viewer to large size High Definition. This is why I’m limited to under 15 minutes. Its a trade off between quality or quantity. Until next painting, bye, bye!
PictureS 
There is nothing more beautiful then watching art being created before your very eyes!
Great point about painting styles. I agree.
Wow, great work! Are you using any reference or just painting from your mind?
Thank you for the comment. I did not use any material (photos, etc) for this painting. I make ‘thumbnail’ sketches before painting and use these to remind me of the plan after the initial sketch gets covered up (see ‘Abandoned House – Time Lapse Video’). As I was saying in the post, sometimes I wander into the area of fantasy and the painting begins to look unreal. If I spend too much time studying photographs or thinking about the subject, the painting becomes very ‘photographic’. I try to paint from imagination if I can, but sometimes I’d have to check what a particular tree species or building actually looks like, so I either Google it or go and take a photo.
Thanks for this Liam- liking the brush strokes!
Thank you for “liking” a painting that I recently posted, which brought me to view this one of yours. Not knowing what to expect from the title “Wood Cutters – Time Lapse Painting” I was expecting the worst… some sort of old growth forest being invaded by men and machines leaving a pathway of clear-cut destruction. I enjoy your rendition on the subject much more.
I agree with your thoughts on painting “between” two styles of painting. I find myself painting more or less realistically (sometimes) and following the laws of physics. I like to paint from memory and imagination, so there is plenty of room for experimentation with the movement of lines and energy, causing different forms of matter to have different textures and motion.
I only started painting regularly very recently – November 2011. I admire your commitment to painting and sharing your work. Thank you very much.
-Rebecca
PS: If you don’t mind me asking, how did you come across my painting and blog?
Thank you for the comment. I searched for tags on painting, that’s how I found your site. It goes to show how important it is to tag the post, or a posting might never be found. I prefer the tag ‘painting’ as opposed to ‘art’ which can be almost anything. I look forward to seeing more of your work. Thanks again.
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wow! i think i’m already a big fan of this blog……this is amazing and so helpfull…:) i love it
Glad you like.