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John sent this image to me a couple of days ago (sorry John; I haven't managed to get to the blog before now), he says, "You are right, not a lot of pictures, (he is referring to the fact that July has not produced as many paintings as previous months) but a grand turnout at L.H. today.
I thought I would try acrylic en plein air, and downloaded a river landscape to copy--- and then lost it! So I used a photo of Lake Vernwy ? Sic. All the strong colours of acrylic showed me up I fear and another one for the reject drawer, do publish it as " how not to do a landscape"."
The grand turnout he refers to was the first meeting since lockdown, of LHAG at St Mary Magdalenes' church in Little Hereford, that was organised by Leslie Connolly. (more of that later). I don't actually agree with you John as I definitely don't think this painting is irredeemable. Yes, the foreground and lake are perhaps a bit bright but was that the colours in the photo you had? The sky and background is very good (just cover up the lower part of the picture and check it out) and the tree is fine. I don't think you have actually finished it, because I can see pencil lines around the boat? Don't lose heart, put away the photo and make your picture work with the background. Soften the brightness of the lake with glazes of greys, darker under the boat to "sit it" in the water. If you want a hint of the rigging leave it in pencil, but drag some of the glaze over it so there are "lost bits" Then soften the building, with the same glazes, but leave more dark than you have left of the blue lake, breaking the white lines in places and take the edge off the bright red. The sun may be hitting the roof so that will be lighter than the walls, lost edges will stop it looking "cut out" Make sure the tree doesn't appear to be "through the roof" by covering the white highlight on the trunk which extends over the roof.
A glaze is a very thin wash of transparent colour so you don't want too many opaque paints in it. Your background is yellow and purple, this will make a grey, or orange and blue or brown and blue, the greys may appear too dark, but go easy with white which is very opaque, a cheap one may be less so! Preferably thin it with medium if you have any but if not, water. Only one pass of the brush is best and if it covers too much wipe it off with soft rag leaving a thin residue behind. Let it dry and do it again if necessary. Take your time with it and keeping leaving it and coming back to see if it is in keeping with the background. You have nothing to lose so why not give it a go?
I did ask if someone might draft something about the meeting for those who couldn't make it, John (see above) says it was a "grand turnout" and Kathy who says she "doesn't really do open air sketching" has told me that there were about 9 members and Sam and Bridget came to say "hello" but not to paint. Lesley Connolly says George had done two lovely drawings and Eva a good painting of the church. I saw that Lesley C had done a sketch in her A3 sketchbook covering two sides, but I didn't think to ask for a photo of it. If anyone would like to send copies of the work they did I am sure the rest of us, that didn't make it, would love to see them.
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