Part 3 Sunlight and shadow. Build drama and contrast in your acrylic landscapes with the addition of collage, by Tim Fisher

by Tim Fisher

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

■ How to paint sunshine and shadows in acrylics

■ How to add collage to your acrylics

■ How to change a scene in a photo to work in a painting

Mussel Sheds, Brancaster Staithe , acrylic on mountcard, 14x20in (35.5x51cm)

When the sun starts to shine we often become more inclined to dust off our brushes and get out the painting equipment. Strong sunlight creates wonderful contrasting shapes and colours, giving the possibility of a striking composition. I can spot more potential subjects to paint when the sun is out rather than on a dull day.

As the season wears on towards summer we tend to lose the variety of spring greens and foliage tends to take on a uniform green colour. However, this effect is greatly offset by the effects of sunlight and shadow plus our own ability to add colour and interest into scenes that may not be readily apparent.

Coastal inspiration

I find acrylics are a versatile medium to work with, offering opportunities to include texture and other techniques into the painting. Coastal subjects are a big attraction where boats and waterside structures provide inspiring subjects to paint. I enjoy visiting Brancaster Staithe in Norfolk where I can find lots of ideas. I particularly like this little corner overlooking the mussel sheds (above right). The view constantly changes as the tide comes in and out moving the boats around, plus the hustle and bustle of fisherman processing the day’s catch of shell fish is always interesting to observe. I wanted to portray a warm sunny day with a sky containing light wispy clouds. This would require a lot of blending which can be difficult with acrylic especially out of doors in warm sunny weather. There are several ways to keep the acrylics moist whilst painting.