peter town

Shingle washed together

#naturalforms – fluid sculpture

Natural forms, this project covers a wide area with the common theme of flowing lines. These can be found in the delicate contours of a body, the arch of a tree bough and in a stone sculpted on the seashore. Natural forms are created by growth, decay, erosion, and all the forces of wind rain and sun.

However, these shapes are formed by nature and not by the hand of man and so they have our admiration for their satisfying subtlety, beauty and fluidity.

Shingle washed together resembling a cluster of cells [Cat: 0340, East Dean beach white blank, 8 x 8″ / 20 x 20 cm, Acrylic on canvass board, 2017]

Testing colourways

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Using the digital palette, I can try out various colourway on screen, while this could be done with the physical paint, this method gives me the freedom to try many more combinations.

This example is using an image from the Bridge series [Cat: 07 NATURAL FORMS 020]

Background colours

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The background colours are now decided, and I can arrange the canvas boards into groups by size ready to start painting.

The canvas boards sorted into groups [Cat: 07 NATURAL FORMS 020]

Paint testing

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The colourways have been decided, so small quantities of test paint can be mixed.

Mixing the paints [Cat: 07 NATURAL FORMS 021]

Creating a digital palette

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Using the eye dropper, I create a digital palette by sampling each of the colours. The matches are good but not perfect and quite adequate to work with.

The colour match is surprisingly good [Cat: 07 NATURAL FORMS 019]

Planning the order

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Colourways – working out possible colour combinations in my sketchbook helps me plan the order in which I lay down the paint.

The sketchbook keeps the process in order [Cat: 07 NATURAL FORMS 027]

The finished palette

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This palette does not follow any accepted convention, I make it up as I go along. Pleased with the result I can see ideas taking shape in my mind. I am ready to scan it into the computer.

Cool on the left, warm on the right [Cat: 07 NATURAL FORMS 013]

Another batch

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The band clamp in action holding the frames together until the glue sets. There are advantages to making your own frames, for me, it gives me time to think about the paintings.

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Clamps hold the frames [Cat: 07 NATURAL FORMS 004]

Frames ready for gluing

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There is not real reason for me to make my own frames, except that I enjoy the process. The next batch is ready for gluing and the frame will be held together by a band clamp while the glue dries.

Ready to be clamped [Cat: 07 NATURAL FORMS 010]

Making the frames

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Cutting the wood to make the frames, this is done on a mitre saw and I keep the pieces grouped together in fours so that the grain and wood colours match when I assemble the frame.