Painting - snow and trees on Froggatt Edge, Derbyshire

"At the Edge", Froggatt Edge, Derbyshire.
Oil. Alistair Butt © 2008.

The reference material (sketch and a photo) for this oil painting came from a snow fall early last year on Froggatt Edge, Derbyshire. A slightly hazy afternoon sun provided a wonderful light behind the trees and on the snow with its highlights and shadows. The small path leads over the edge and down to some interesting large rocks.

The Painting:
The painting was started by drawing in the basic elements (outlines of the hills, tree trunks etc) with thinned oil paint. Following this the main darks were established - these being the rocks, dark vegetation (bracken and heather) and the larger tree branches. Next to be painted was the background hills before painting the darker (shadow) areas of snow.

The trees smaller branches were then painted before painting in the sky and then the snow covered sections on the distant hills. Some further small branches where then painted or re-established over the sky and distant hills - this is not the ideal/recommended way to do it.

Having established the darks for the snow, the mid and lighter toned areas were painted around the almost black stones/vegetation before finally adding some tall grasses. Lastly the path was painted.

Painting - fields, fence and frost... North Nottinghamshire

"Between Two Fields", Pinxton, Derbyshire.
Oil. Alistair Butt © 2008.

This location near Pinxton, Derbyshire is a usual 'stop and have a look' for me. While looking very rural, the roar of the traffic on the M1 motorway, which passes just behind the middle distant hill, is a constant distraction.

It was late afternoon, a lovely winter sunlight and some distant cloud along with the remaining frost clinging on in the shadows cast by the hedge. And it was this that attracted me on this day, the contrast between the warm and cool areas either side of the wooden fence, which has, over the years of visiting, slowly fallen apart.

Paintings - boats, harbours etc - Norfolk

"Wallowing in the Mud", Thornham, North Norfolk.
Oil. Alistair Butt © 2008.

Low tide on a wonderful bright but hazy afternoon at Thornham on the North Norfolk coast. The boat numbers vary at Thornham, both due to the season and the fishing trips that depart from here. Like anywhere along the Norfolk coast the tides rule, coming in and going out very fast - a falling tide allows more drawing/painting time and can provide more visual interest (e.g. reflections, reflected light) in the mud/sand due it being still wet.

Painting winter trees, mist, frost, stream in landscape - Amber Valley, Derbyshire

"Rising Mist", Amber Valley, Derbyshire.
Oil. Alistair Butt © 2007.

A short walk on a very cold frosty day allowed me to come across this view of the river as it winds it way down the Amber Valley in Derbyshire. A wonderful combination of the low winter sun and mist transformed this view in something a little bit different. What really attracted me was the way the light passes through the mist as it enveloped the trees along the river banks and then ended in a pool of sunlight on the water surface.

Not the quickest of oil paintings to produce, not in painting time, but just waiting for sections to be dry enough to then over paint. After a quick under painting to establish the main areas, the background for this painting, in this case the far bank of trees on the right, were painted first before progressing left to complete the bank of trees above the skyline.

The sky from white to pale yellow, which doesn't show to well on the above picture, was then painted around all the branches and twigs. Moving down the areas of mist was then painted along with some details for the left hand bank.

To allow some time for the above to dry, the foreground had some additional mid tone painting done, the water with mist and reflections were completed before adding some mid tone work to the right hand bank.

The background was just dry enough for the three main foreground trees to be painted and these were a joy to paint, the left hand one of the three has some mist being caught by sunlight on either side of it.

Having completed all the darker foreground trees, along with their branches, the foreground could be completed. This entailed painting (adding detail) the left foreground bank vegetation which was covered by frost, repeated in areas on the right hand bank, followed by more branches and vegetation on this bank where sections were catching some light.