Namibia Impressions Coastal Morning - Adding Scale

Well I've decided to do another 30 paintings in 30 days challenge hosted by Leslie Saeta. I have a love/hate relationship with these challenges - I like to see the new body of works at the end and making sure I get into the studio each day but the self-inflicted stress well... it is not so much the painting, it's the posting on the blogs and social media that I find taxing.

My first painting for 2017 is another Namibia Impressions of the sunrise on the coast line just after the fog has lifted.

Namibia Impressions Coastal Morning

40x50cm (16x20inches)

Oil on stretched canvas
Day 1 of January 2017 30 paintings in 30 days

Contact me about this painting

450€

(50% goes to Save the Rhino Fund)

I started this in 2015 when I did my first Namibia Impressions series, but somehow I always felt something was missing. I scaled my concept up to a 40x50cm stretched canvas but it wasn't quite working.

Here is how it was

the colours are a bit off, especially in the sky as the photo was taken indoors but it will give you an idea of the previous shapes.

As I looked at the painting, to some advice from Nicholas Wilton - he has great tips and I have followed him for his advice for the last six months or so - came to mind about 'scale'. I noticed that all my marks were more or less the same size. I covered the canvas with liquin and but in larger areas of paint. I should have taken some photos at this stage, but as so oftern happens I was in the painting 'zone' and didn't even think about it. It immediately made the painting come more to life. As I worked on it some more I realised that the marks were still similar shapes, so adding the vertical marks gave another dimension. I am more pleased with it now and I am calling it finished.

Leave your feedback in the comments, as I'd love to hear from you.

Off to visit the rhinos and elephants

Coastal Morning

Namibia Impressions Series

50% of proceeds go to Save The Rhino Trust Namibia

Available

As you read this I will be in Namibia visiting the rhinos and elephants again. Or at least I hope so. We were there two years ago at the same time of year - THE RAINY SEASON. That time we were lucky (well for us not the locals) as the drought was in full swing. This meant that the animals would all congregate around the waterholes making it much easier to spot them.

This year the drought has broken and it is much wetter, although it seems to be easing up so we may not get as wet as we first thought! This of course means that the animals will be more widely dispersed and more difficult to spot, but we are still hopeful.

This time round we are taking in the Savuti Channel and going into Chobe national park in Botswana. Keep your fingers croseed for us.

Namibia Impressions Series

Coastal Heat

12x12inch

AVAILABLE

Day 13 Namibia Impressions 13 The Beginning of the Journey, Save the Rhino fundraising

Namibia Impressions 13, The Beginning of the Journey

Oil palette knife painting
On narrow gallery wrapped canvas

400€
50% of the sale goes to the Save the Rhino Trust 

who patrol and monitor the desert adapted black rhinos of the Namib desert

Contact me about these paintings or to commission larger versions

I was taken by the colours on the ground as we flew over Namibia, the blues, purples, cyans and ochres had me fascinated. This is my version of that feeling. Some areas have lots of texture, others are smoother, it took a lot of paint.. The underpainting pokes through in places to add depth.

A close up

Namibia Impressions 21 - Kunene Sunrise painting by Marion Hedger

Namibia Impressions 21 - Kunene Sunrise

30x30cm (approx 12"x12")

Oil on canvas panel.

One of my fundraising paintings towards SAVE THE RHINO TRUST NAMIBIA, in aid of black rhino conservation

It seems to be a growing trend among artists to include a poem or quote when showing their art. I'm not very poetic myself and cannot understand much poetry - but I think I am improving! I like reading the snippets various artists have chosen and we have started looking at poetry with my granddaughter.

Here is a quote that I feel relates to this painting and my fundraising efforts.

“There's always a story. It's all stories, really. The sun coming up every day is a story. Everything's got a story in it. Change the story, change the world.”
― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky

Day 12 Namibia Impressions 12 ACEOs, Save the Rhino fundraising 30 paintings in 30

Namibia Impressions 12 ACEOs Series 2

2.5"x3.5"

Gouache on watercolour paper over a watercolour wash

Will be Available in my Etsy store at 18 euro each
or make me an offer for all 6.

50% of the sale goes to the Save the Rhino Trust 

who patrol and monitor the desert adapted black rhinos of the Namib desert

Contact me about these paintings or to commission larger versions

Day 12 sees a group of ACEOs based on the coastal fog around the west coast of Namibia this time with a slightly different colour combination. 

 

I love these colours so much I couldn't resist offering a more affordable way to buy art. These miniature paintings look great framed or displayed on a small easel on a shelf. They look even better when two or more are displayed together. See my Pinterest board for ideas on how to display small format art.

How they might look framed

 

Day 1 Namibia Impressions 1, Save the Rhino fundraising 30 paintings in 30

 

Namibia Impressions 1, Swakopmund Fog

Oil palette knife painting

30x30cm (12x12inches) on 3mm MDF canvas panel

Available 

50% of the sale goes to the Save the Rhino Trust who patrol and monitor the desert adapted black rhinos of the Namib desert

My first paintings are abstracts representing my feelings of Namibia.

Close up

 

Day 10 Namibia Impressions 10 ACEOs, Save the Rhino fundraising 30 paintings in 30

Namibia Impressions ACEOs Series 1

2.5"x3.5"

Gouache on watercolour paper over a watercolour wash

Available in my Etsy store at 18 euro each
or make me an offer for all 6.

50% of the sale goes to the Save the Rhino Trust 

who patrol and monitor the desert adapted black rhinos of the Namib desert
Contact me about these paintings or to commission larger versions

Day 10 sees a group of ACEOs based on the coastal fog around the west coast of Namibia. I love these colours so much I couldn't resist offering a more affordable way to buy art. These miniature paintings look great framed or displayed on a small easel on a shelf. They look even better when two or more are displayed together. See my Pinterest board for ideas on how to display small format art.

How they might look framed

 

Day 9 Namibia Impressions 9, Save the Rhino fundraising 30 paintings in 30

Namibia Impressions 9, Etosha Sunrise

Oil palette knife painting

15x20cm (6x8inches) on box canvas
Edges are painted black

Available 80 euro, international shipping included

50% of the sale goes to the Save the Rhino Trust 

who patrol and monitor the desert adapted black rhinos of the Namib desert
Contact me about these paintings or to commission larger versions

Another 6x8"for day 9. The sun rise and sunsets in Namibia are wonderful. Sometimes very bright, sometimes more subdued.

How it might look framed

Day 6 Namibia Impressions 6, Save the Rhino fundraising 30 paintings in 30

Namibia Impressions 6, Break of Day

Oil palette knife painting

30x30cm (12x12inches) on 3mm MDF canvas panel

Available 200 euro, international shipping included

50% of the sale goes to the Save the Rhino Trust 

who patrol and monitor the desert adapted black rhinos of the Namib desert
Contact me about these paintings or to commission larger versions

Day 6's painting evokes the early morning drive to see the Sossevlei sand dunes. We left camp extremely early and this was snapped on the way.

A close-up

And how it might look framed

 

Day 14 Namibia Impressions 14 Horizon Shimmer, Save the Rhino fundraising

Namibia Impressions 14, Horizon shimmer 2

Oil palette knife painting

15x15cm (6x6inches) on box canvas
Edges are painted black

Available 60 euro, international shipping included

50% of the sale goes to the Save the Rhino Trust 

who patrol and monitor the desert adapted black rhinos of the Namib desert
Contact me about these paintings or to commission larger versions

Day 5 Namibia Impressions 5, Save the Rhino fundraising 30 paintings in 30

Namibia Impressions 5, The Water Hole

Oil palette knife painting

30x30cm (12x12inches) on 3mm MDF canvas panel

Available 200 euro, international shipping included

50% of the sale goes to the Save the Rhino Trust 

who patrol and monitor the desert adapted black rhinos of the Namib desert
Contact me about these paintings or to commission larger versions

Day 5's painting evokes an Etosha waterhold, - not yet time for the animals evening drink.
Painted on a smooth blended background with touches of impasto and using stronger colours which reveal themselves late afternoon.

A close-up

 

And how it might look framed

 
 

Day 15 Namibia Impressions - Etosha, Save the Rhino Fundraising

Namibia Impressions 15 - Etosha

30x30cm (12"x12") 

Oil on 3mm thick MDF canvas panel

Available 2 00euro, international shipping included

50% of the sale goes to the Save the Rhino Trust 

who patrol and monitor the desert adapted black rhinos of the Namib desert
Contact me about these paintings or to commission larger versions

 Close-up

How it might look framed 

 

Day 3 Namibia Impressions 3, Save the Rhino fundraising 30 paintings in 30

Namibia Impressions 3, Etosha

Oil palette knife painting

30x30cm (12x12inches) on 3mm MDF canvas panel

Available 200 euro, international shipping included

50% of the sale goes to the Save the Rhino Trust 

who patrol and monitor the desert adapted black rhinos of the Namib desert

Day 3's painting sees a change of colour. This evokes the Etosha pan and the heat of the day. Are those reflections or just the heat shimmer of another beautiful day?

Close-up

Day 4 Namibia Impressions 4, Save the Rhino fundraising 30 paintings in 30

Namibia Impressions 4, Etosha Pan

Oil palette knife painting

30x30cm (12x12inches) on 3mm MDF canvas panel

Available 200 euro, international shipping included

50% of the sale goes to the Save the Rhino Trust 

who patrol and monitor the desert adapted black rhinos of the Namib desert
Contact me about these paintings or to commission larger versions

Day 4's painting evokes Etosha Pan, a dried up salt lake which floods in the rainy season. Painted on a smooth blended background with touches of impasto and using stronger colours which reveal themselves late afternoon.

Can you spot the flamingos?

Close up

The Story so Far

Day 7 Namibia Impressions 7, Save the Rhino fundraising 30 paintings in 30

Namibia Impressions 7, Horizon shimmer

Oil palette knife painting

15x20cm (6x8inches) on box canvas
Edges are painted black

Available 80 euro, international shipping included

50% of the sale goes to the Save the Rhino Trust 

who patrol and monitor the desert adapted black rhinos of the Namib desert
Contact me about these paintings or to commission larger versions

A smaller painting for day 7 which once again evokes Etosha Pan, a dried up salt lake which floods in the rainy season Looking into the distance it is impossible to tell where the pan ends and the sky starts.. Painted on a smooth blended background with touches of impasto. The cool pastel colours invoke the early morning light.

HOW IT MIGHT LOOK FRAMED