In the Green Room
by Andrew Sendeckyj
(Melbourne, Vic)
In The Green Room
Acrylic on stretched canvas done over a couple of weeks. 900 x 900. Since finding Mark's YouTube posts I have learned to love the process of painting water. This is my second surfing project and I've been working on the third one in the last week. This is a great learning and artistically liberating thing for me and each project has been more challenging and more fun than the last.
I start with a photo of a wave and then I fit a surfer in to give it a focal point. The water is the main visual focus but the surfer gives it a centre. I start by blocking in an under painting and then combining colour layers and washes over the top. Near the end I use a colour splashing technique to make the crashing wave come to life. I use cling wrap to cover the areas where I don't want the splashing and then go to town using different brushes, fingers, water, what ever I get my hands on. It's brilliant fun and I'm always blown away by the great effects and look of the finished job. I call it a random controlled effect. And it's really exciting to do.
I've only returned back to painting and drawing over the last six months. I enjoyed it as a young man, but life got in the way for 30 years. My wife is much smarter than me and she suggested I should take up some art classes and see if I can still do it. I took her advice and once again she was right. I've had a lot of fun, met some great people and have unleashed my repressed creativity. Apart from marrying my wife, it's the best thing I've done in a long time.
Thanks for your great tutorials and attitude to your work.
I hope you enjoy the painting, I sure did doing it.