Kaikoura Ranges Oil Painting makes the best present

I was lucky to be asked to produce a painting of Kaikoura as a surprise birthday gift from my client to her husband for a milestone birthday. Below I will show some of the steps while I painted this beautiful scene.

Photo courtesy of Neil Protheroe of Images Abound.

After sketching out the scene I started painting in the sky.

The first layer of colour put a strong foundation in place for me to add to in the following layers.

Almost done here. You can see that the houses have developed with long winter shadows extending away from the houses and trees.

Detail of houses.

Detail of mountains.

Proud as punch of this painting for the loveliest client. The colours are relaxing and I know the clients will get a great deal of enjoyment out of it.

900 x 500mm, Oil on canvas.

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The Process of Painting Sheep

In 2020, I had the pleasure of creating this commission of black faced sheep for my client. I loved the image she had taken from her farm and I knew it would make a great painting. The configuration of the sheep in a ‘V’ shape made me think they were like a ‘gang’ of sheep. As I painted their characters revealed themselves.

Value layer. First layer.

Value layer close up. You can see the pencil drawing underneath.

Above is what I call the ‘values’ layer. This monochromatic layer is where I focus on the lights and darks of the forms. It is a chance to see if everything is sitting where it should be and that it looks 3D. Any composition changes can be made now before committing to the colour layers.

First Colour Layer.

The first colour layer is simple blocks of colour to make a foundation for the following layers. It is also ideal to paint the sky right across what will become trees in the background.

Trees have been added.

Adding in the faces.

Really coming together.

With the addition of the darks and lights the painting really starts to pop!

Fine grass and sheep details added.

Tags added to the sheep’s ears. This was a very important detail to the client whom breeds these sheep.

The final piece 900x450mm Oil on Canvas.

I always love a challenge and this painting was no exception. I had not painted so many faces into an oil painting before. It was a lot of fun seeing the personalities of each sheep develop.

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My most challenging landscape painting yet!

I am so proud to now finally reveal to you the finished Naseby painting. This painting has been a long time in the making, but as we all know good things take time. It is a commission for the best clients an artist could hope for.

But first, the story behind the painting.

Like every good project, it started with a conversation. I asked “When is your favourite time of year to visit this spot?” The answer was autumn, when the leaves had turned into dreamy, warm tones. So we waited a few months, and in May of 2018 Mark and I drove to Naseby - a little over 5 hours from Christchurch.

Up at sunrise the next morning I remember the crisp autumn air, the stillness of the water, the dew on the grass, and the stunning golden morning light on the trees. We wandered around some of the clients’ favourite spots in Naseby and I could quickly see why this was their favourite time of year. Naseby was popping with yellows and oranges, and I was so incredibly inspired!

It was apparently a difficult choice to make as the colours gave such a wide array of amazing shots. However, their favourite fishing spot, Coalpit Dam, was chosen from the several hundred photos I had taken that morning.

It wasn’t until August when the easel became free for the Naseby project after finishing a portrait commission. Or should I say easels; the canvas is so large I had to buy a second easel to hold it up. This was the largest canvas I have tackled to date.

The scale of the canvas took some time to get use to. At 1620mm wide by 760mm high, it was a lot larger than my usual landscapes. My inner critic was rather tough on me, and I questioned myself consistently. I was really surprised at how mentally challenging this project was, and it wasn’t until the final stages that I had convinced my brain that it was all going to work out just how I planned. I’m thrilled with the final result, and the challenge of getting through the self-critique has made it all the more rewarding.

I love that my clients challenge me, and this project has been one of the most challenging landscapes I have ever worked on. I have learnt so much and feel so proud that this is now complete. I also have the bonus of enjoying it while it dries before the trip south to deliver it to its lucky new owners..

In time I will release a ‘behind the scenes’ video. For now, check out the photos below.

Thanks for joining me.

Looking proud next to the final painting.

‘Morning Light on Coalpit Dam’ 1620x760mm, Oil on canvas, 2019.

Behind the scenes progress photos:

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