Sailing

It's been a while since I've painted anything. I haven't really been in mood so I decided to pull my finger out and do something about it. There isn't much to this piece, but at least it's a start and has me in the mood to paint again.

Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

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Phoenix

I've had the photo of this one sitting on my computer for some time. I had been planning to paint this with Acrylics but never got around to it. I came across it, once again while looking for something to paint and decided it was about time I used it. There wasn't a storm coming in the reference image, but I decided the colours looked great with the red of  the sails and kept it.

Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

Iluka Bay

I have done this one before, but with Acrylics. The original didn't have the boat on the sand. I was told it needed something there, so bored one night I decided to reproduce it and add the boat. At first the boat was blue and I thought that's great, a blue boat next to blue water, so I change it to bright orange.

Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

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Loomberah

I came across this road on another of our little explorations. Just out side of Tamworth in NSW, Australia, on the back roads of Loomberah. We were heading to Dungowan to let our dogs at the time run around on public land via the river. They loved their "Drivies" as we called it. We only had to touch the car keys and they'd be out the front door and in the car, looking at my partner and I as if to say "Hurry up, lets go, lets go."

I know the foreground trees need more work, but to be honest, I got sick of doing this one. It seemed to take forever just putting the detail in the mid ground trees. You can see the reference photo on my SXC account here.

 

Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

Frasers Reef Pool

For me, this piece was more about the water, then the surrounding landscape. Each time I'd been past this spot, the water had always been stagnant and near empty. My partner and I decided to go to the beach, it was a hot day. We hadn't planned on going for a swim, but the tide had been high enough to flush this pool out. 

My partner, who isn't all that fond of water, was the first person it. I couldn't believe it. Once I'd put the camera down, I too was in like a shot. It's only about 3 - 4 foot deep, but it's makes a lovely floating spot and it's very secluded.

Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

Moobi Hills

This one is landscape from a reference photo I took while my partner and I were out exploring. It's at the back of Calala, near Tamworth in NSW Australia. It's over looking the Moobi Hills. My Great Grandfather and a group of men, worked during the "Depression" creating a lookout up there.

It's still standing today even if the local council doesn't look after it.. The workmen and their families lived up there in tents during the middle of winter. My own grandfather use to walk miles down the hill, bare foot, through the snow, just to go to school and then back again.You can see the reference photo on my SXC account here.

Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

Pelicans at Sunset II

As my mother well knows, I have a great love of water. There is something about it that's soothing, calming and even mesmerising. I also have a great love of animals as well, so as you can imagine, I couldn't resist painting this picture. Taken in Iluka NSW Australia on sunset, the colours caught my eye, as well as the Pelicans. I was half tempted to call this piece "Mine" after the Seagull's in "Finding Nemo".

They are so use to fisherman tossing fish guts backing into the water in the afternoon, that if anyone, like me turns up at the right time, they will converge and hope for a fishy treat. Sadly I disappointed them and they soon spread out.You can see the reference photo on my SXC account here.

Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

Misty Pond

I really love this one. Painted from one of my own photos. I was lucky really. I was living in Tamworth NSW Australia at the time and it had been so long since I'd seen snow. It was winter at the time and I'd heard reports it was snowing up at Hanging Rock, in the mountains above Nundle. Well I got my boyfriend to drive me up there. It's about and hour or so from town.

There wasn't that much snow when we got there and we decided to head down the road a bit further. The road had been closed off at Sheba Dam so we went in for a look. There wasn't much snow on the ground, but this painting is one of the sites we got to see.You can see the reference photo on my SXC account here.

Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

Update: I was talking to my mother on the phone a few days ago and this place was mentioned. I'm told this old bridge/walk way is no longer there. It's been pulled out and replaced.

Pelicans at Sunset

This scene is only five minutes walk from where I live. It's on the Clarence River, at the boat ramp in Iluka. I couldn't believe the colours in the clouds or my luck. I just happened to have my camera with me. You can see the reference photo on my SXC account here.

Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

Stormy Weather

Okay, another one with moving water, but it was the clouds that begged me to try painting this piece. I love storms, despite my mother's fear of them. I enjoy watching clouds roll in across the sky, how the wind whips at them and how dark they can actually get. Most of all, I love the smell of the coming rain and the thunder.

 Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

Winter Wonderland

This was a bit of a challenge for me. I've never tried reproducing a mountain like the one in the background before, but I'm please with how it turned out. The moving water on the onther hand, could do with more work. I've never been good at water, unless it's still.

 Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

River

This is one of my first attempts at creating a water reflection. I don't think it turned out too well, but it was good for practice.

 Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

Island Home

From the imagination. I hadn't used Twisted Brush for a long time and decided to reacquaint myself with it. The mountains look terrible as do the clouds, but I'm happy with the way the water turned out.

Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

Desert Rocks

A little something from the imagination based on my love of these colours. It's not complete, I need to add more grass in the foreground at the base of the rocks, but I think it works as is.

Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

Lake

Another painting based on colour that caught the eye. The pinks, blues and greys in the water was a real attention grabber. I think the background hills are a little to light, maybe a re-work for a future date.

Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

Reflection

It was the colours in the sky, that led to me doing this piece, though I did add a bit too much yellow. I'm not convinced this one actually works. The setting is nice enough, I'm just not sure on some of the foreground colours.

Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

Pink Sky

I had three reference versions of this piece to chose from, but I decided on this one. The bright pinks against the grey sky really caught my eye and proved to be a temptation I couldn't resist. The ice capped mountain on the left and trees on the right, I did in a dark blue because black just appeared too flat. I'm still not convinced the blue works. I may have to re-work this one.

 Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

Rocky Island

When I came across this image in an documentry I was watching on Canada, I just had to paint it. I love the colours of the sky and how it reflects across the water. The island of rocks in te foreground are a real eyecatcher which only adds to this piece.

For some reason, the colours aren't showing up on this thumbnail. Too get to full benifit, make sure you check out the full size.

 Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

Desert Landscape

This little creation came right out of my mind. For some reason I really love the colour of red desert rocks and the way the light and shadows fall. I added the house and shed afterwards. It needed something in the foreground and shrubs weren't doing it for me.

Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels

Scottish Bay

 For a while now, I've been watching a friend, create some beautiful misty landscapes. I've always wanted to give it a try but never thought I was capable. This is actually the second version. Something happened to the program and as I was putting the finishing touches on the first one, and it vanished. I wasn't too happy about it but at least I enjoyed redoing this one.

Created in Pixarra, Twisted Brush, 1600 x 1200 pixels