Nedre Foss Farm (Gård)
Hi all,
I was inspired to paint this scene after completing the December challenge that we did over at @Edo and @Jack's FB group, Watercolour Art On Paper. Highly recommend you to apply there - lots of fine artists and painters to enjoy and interact with, and there's nothing better than a monthly deadline to loosen that painter's rut!
This subject is an old farm complex in Oslo called Nedre Foss Gård (gård = farm), which they completely renovated to its former glory, turning it into a brewery pub, wine bar and a restaurant. I took the reference photo just before Christmas, early in the morning, after a heavy snowfall.
I kept the composition quite true to the original, although I simplified several elements, also replacing the random guy in the photo with a couple, and a kid on a snow sleigh. I must admit, this painting really was going nowhere, and I almost tore it up. I was happy with the sky, as usual, but I didn't know how to finish it. Essentially, I found that I wanted the sky and the light to be the "stars" of the show, and glazed the foreground and building quite heavily with ultramarine/burnt sienna, in two layers. So even if I still fiddled too much and didn't plan it well enough, I'm quite happy with it now! I think it's progress
I welcome all feedback, as always!
(Painted on the reverse side of a 12x9" Saunders Waterford, rough, W&N pigments: ultramarine, raw/burnt sienna, alizarin crimson and light red)
Reference photo (and free to use for anyone who wants to give it a go!):
Buildings and architectural elements in the landscape intimidate me, but you have done masterful work with those elements in your painting! Bravo! And you've enhanced the light beautifully to create a mood that the camera didn't capture, which illustrates the benefit of being there on the scene to experience it oneself, doesn't it? You've taken in the early morning aspect of the day as you composed it in your camera and then were better able to communicate it than if only working from a photo someone else took. I can "feel" your painting, if you know what I mean.