CITY-SCAPES AND INDUSTRY

It’s always fun to try something completely new, particularly if you’ve managed to get yourself into a bit of a rut, which is easy to do, and something that can sneak up on you without you realising it until it’s too late. Landscape subjects, no matter how varied, can become repetitive after a while, and it’s easy for inspiration to take an unexpected vacation. I’m constantly looking for new ways to light old subjects, or just to show them from less obvious, and surprising angles. I have favourite locations, and am always happy to revisit them time and time again, providing I can continue to find new ways to represent them. I’ve known of artists who have made a career out of painting exactly the same views over an over again, revisiting them at different times of the year and different times of the day, and apparently never running out of inspiration!

So if you’re looking for a change, why not consider something a little more urban. Apply the skills you’ve learned in the pursuit of painting landscapes, to something more geometrical in form. City sky-lines can be exciting, and the clean, straight, perspective lines of buildings, be they high-rise flats or flyovers can be extremely challenging!

Industrial subjects, such as power plants or factories can be a surprising source of inspiration. They’re not all boxes; often they have gantries and conveyor belts running at all angles. Add to that the expultion of steam or flame, and the results can be entertainingly complex.

And if you’re looking for something different, why not go for something completely obscure? Textures and weird compositions can be found in the unlikeliest of places. There is a scrapyard in Leyburn, piled high with old, rusted vehicles that I’ve promised myself a visit to on many occasion – maybe now is the time!