Ingleborough in acrylic!

We are very fortunate living where we do: The edge of Ilkley moor is just across the road from us, Bolton Abbey is just over the hill and Skipton and the gateway to the dales are just 6 miles down the road. Ingleborough is one of the 'three peaks', set in some stunning scenery. One of my work routes takes me between Penyghent and Ingleborough and up to Blea Moor skulking in the foothills of Whernside. I get to see this landscape in all weathers, all year round and it holds a particular fascination for me. On a crisp winter's morning with fresh snow and frost it is absolutely breathtaking; on a foul night in November with the rain being driven horizontally against the windows and a strong wind literally shaking the train on its wheels it is an unforgivingly bleak.

I wanted to produce a painting that reflected some of the character of this place: the empty landscape, the bare peaks, the dominant skies and weather. Once again I have used acrylics applied with a knife, canvas size 16" x 20"

Simple basics...

My approach to painting is 'simplicity' - the simpler the better. I use a very limited pallette of colours: red, yellow, blue, white and burnt umber and that's it! Note that I do not use black paint except sometimes as a base colour. In some paintings I apply the raw colours direct to the canvas and then mix as I'm working them. Sometimes I apply a background colour before beginning, normally from an acrylic aerosol and quite often whatever colour is available in my workshop! I have used red oxide, black and beige in the past.

Dales Landscape, acrylic on canvas, 12" x 16"

A very swift painting, done from mental images of a bright spring day with heavy showers of rain. Canvas was sprayed with black paint before starting and some colours were mixed on the canvas. Painted using a knife.