Starting my plein air painting of
"Painters with 'James Craig ' in Garden Island dry dock"
I had originally stored my paints, brushes, canvases, table, chair and easel in the deckhouse of the James Craig, but I realised that the ritual of unlocking and sorting through all my stuff wasted too much time. Now I keep the half-finished canvases on the 'tween deck of the James Craig, and leave the table and easel in a corner on the floor of the dry dock.
unfinished plein air painting of
"Painters with 'James Craig ' in Garden Island dry dock"
It's quite a hike down from the ship to the floor of the dry dock.
unfinished plein air painting of "Painters with 'James Craig '
in Garden Island dry dock"
I choose a position where the ship looms toward me between the walls of the dry dock.
Unfinished plein air painting of "Painters with 'James Craig '
in Garden Island dry dock"
I try to make sure that I have enough room for the mast, rigging and the dockyard crane overhead.
unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
I knew that it would be overcast and so prepared a few canvases with a black imprimatura (underpainting). I find that this gives the clouds a more 3 dimensional quality.
Artist Jane Bennett with her unfinished plein air painting
of 'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available
Portrait of the artist in full PPE (personal protective equipment) regalia.
Artist Jane Bennett with her unfinished plein air painting
of 'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available
Hard hat, hi res jacket, tinted safety glasses, earmuffs and metal capped boots.
Unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available
There is another tall ship, the HMB Endeavour, in the dry dock, but I can't get too close to her as she is being sandblasted back to her original wood and can barely be seen in the dust haze.
Unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available
The dark bulk of the 'James Craig' stands out dramatically in front of the threatening clouds.
Unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available
I was worried that it was going to rain. It's risky starting such a large canvas as it takes so many trips back up to the top. The dockyard steps are narrow and a wet canvas has to be carried on its own without other luggage.
. Unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available
Suddenly I realized that I wasn't the only painter on the dock floor, as 2 white clad men started to haphazardly spray patches of red on the prow of James Craig.
Unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available
They cheekily "offer" to pose for me. They don't actually mean it, but I paint them in anyway.
Their figures provide a useful gauge to judge scale. This painterly device is known as "staffage" - the size of the figures can be compared and contrasted with the size of the ship
Tim Drinkwater, the dockyard manager of the Sydney Heritage Fleet, told me that the painters would only be there for 8 minutes, but that was long enough for me to block in the basic shapes.
The painters came up later to take photos of my painting of them.
They will be back to finish their painting on Tuesday.
I like the patchy 'work in progress' look of the hull, so I'll try to finish my painting before theirs.
My half - finished painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available
This canvas is in a 'portrait' format - vertical rather than the more usual horizontal one, which is unusual for a painting of a ship.
My half - finished painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available
I wanted the ship to dominate the canvas and used the extreme perspective to make it feel as though it is towering over the onlooker, and the prow almost poke you in the eye.
My half - finished painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available
I am quite short, so I have to fold the legs of the easel up and set it on the ground as I'm not tall enough to paint the masts and rigging with it in the ordinary position.
My half - finished painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
Available
At least this way it won't fall over in the wind.
My half - finished painting of 'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available
They keep moving the dockyard crane. Any further to the left and it will be out of the picture. I can only just manage to squeeze it in without it looking too cramped.
My half - finished painting of
"Painters with 'James Craig ' in Garden Island dry dock" 2013
oil on canvas 75 x 100cm
Available
I like the final position of the crane, though, as it won't be obscured by the masts and rigging. It gives the composition a little more drama, as it looks as though it could topple into the dock with a gust of wind.
My half - finished painting of
"Painters with 'James Craig ' in Garden Island dry dock"
2013 oil on canvas 75 x 100cm
Available
The end of my first full day painting on the floor of the dry dock - time to lug my easel, paint, chair, paints, brushes and large wet canvases all the way up the stairs of the dock and across the gangplank to my studio on the 'tweendeck of the James Craig. It's a long way up and takes several trips so I won't need to join a gym anytime soon.
My studio on the 'tween deck of the 'James Craig'
World's coolest studio!
Available
 |
| 'James Craig in drydock being painted' 2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm Available |
 |
| 'James Craig and HMB Endeavour in drydock 2' 2013 oil on canvas 75 x 100cm Available |
Related posts
Australia Day 2011 at Darling Harbour Part 1: Endeavour