stream of living water

oil on canvas, 52ins x 20ins, 1320mm x 510mm

The river Rheidol running over grey and peat coloured rocks below a weir. At the center of the stream water constantly changes colour, flickering and heaving like nothing else on earth. I remembered a school hymn: "...where streams of living water flow, my ransomed soul he leadeth".

making the painting:

oil panel made on the spot : colours in the top half were painted in comparison with the bright water running through the middle of the view.

The colours in the lower half came from first looking at the less bright light reflected to the side of the main current.

Each range brings out different characteristics of the water which will be combined in the painting.

drawing on canvas : triple primed fine linen to give a smooth surface for glazes.

		first underpainting on canvas: a straight line of yellow cotton helps visualise the flow pattern.

		building up base layers for glazing : thin opaque paint over the initial idea.

		glaze base colours : form a coloured reflecting surface over which thin darker glazes will re-create the deepest colours in the oil studies.