Painting: The Boatyard

 Painting: The Boatyard

The Boatyard, oil on canvas, 30in x 40in (76cm x 102cm)

Background and Context

The scene I chose for "The Boatyard" is quite ambitious as there is a lot going on. However, I had previously done a small monochrome oil study of the same view which helped me scale it up.

The compositional elements explore the connectivity between the natural environment and human activity through commercial interventions and leisure. On one side of the river is a chalk pit from which chalk is extracted. The chalk is then sent across the waterway by way of an overhead chute which dominates the skyline. Beneath the chute is a boatyard and marina.

Process

My aim was to continue to use empty spaces as a tool to bring the composition together and to let the eye rest. For example, in the top right corner I have a large boathouse which stands starkly on the horizon with a background of dark trees. In front, the brown/grey underpainting of the canvas is left untouched. I use the painted canvas rather like a piece of drawing paper, where line and solid blocks of colour are added as required, but the surface is not fully covered. My inspiration comes from the work of Michael Raedecker, which I have discussed previously.

Inspired by the industrial scenes of Charles Sheeler, the chute and riverside walkway make strong diagonal lines across the painting.  In the middle foreground I have created abstract shapes in the midst of the boatyard.  

In the foreground I have used the opportunity to play with the free handling of paint to depict and represent the qualities of water - techniques which I picked up from studying the working methods of Peter Doig and Michael Andrews. I painted in the dark tonal areas first and then the lighter ones before letting the paint drip and drizzle down the canvas. I oversaw the movement of the paint, and made sure that areas of the canvas I had identified were left bare. These bare patches represent mid tones and create the openness I am looking for. I omitted waterside plants as I felt that they would be too “fussy”.

My inspiration for the use of brighter colours within the boatyard and grassy banks builds on the palette used by Dame Laura Knight and John Singer Sargent. The more muted look of the water in the foreground has more connection with the colours used by Michael Andrews in his “Thames Series” (See previous research).

The oil study I did previously was really helpful in the way that I was able to practice the use of dribbling paint, and I honed in on the technique for the bigger painting.

I built up the painting using layers and it involved three stages. During the first phase I concentrated on the chute and the dramatic skyline. I added the crane and buildings and some shapes to define objects in the boatyard. In stage two I tackled the boat in the foreground and added some further details. A row of vertical wooden poles along the staging provides contrast to the strong horizontal line above. I painted the dribbling water effects last.

Outcome

The painting was a challenge in that it is a bold and complex image. I had to undertake some simplification and use my judgment as to what to leave out. Having already made the oil study helped with this task. The painting gave me the opportunity to experiment with dramatic compositional elements, such as the strong diagonal line of the overhead chute. I also was able to play with the physical qualities of the paint and the use of the canvas surface. The large expanse of river in the foreground enabled me to develop my loose application of paint using drips and drizzles. My experience with using a brighter palette worked well for the sky and middle distance. At the same time, I used strong tonal differences for the shadows and muted colours for the water. I set out to create a realistic interpretation of the scene, offset by areas of negative space and abstract shapes, leaving something indefinite about the work which is difficult to pin down. The edgelands setting is at once serene and turbulent. In summary, the painting contains a certain disjuncture and subtle agitation of elements which I find exciting.