Sunday 10 August 2008

SP_018_Lemnos


A speedpaint from a photo of ruins on the Greek island of Lemnos.

I'm not sure about the purpose of the ruins, but Hephaestus seems to have been "givin' it large" on the island at some point in history, so maybe it is part of a temple in his honour. Whatever the subject, I was drawn to the photo becouse of the beautiful rusty colours and the dark brooding sky on the horizon. There's something magical about the rocky earth and gnarly windswept costal colours of the Greek Isles that I just go dizzy over.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I live in England where - despite most residents seeming to think this "green and pleasant land" is nothing more than a whimsical, nostalgic view of our country - there still seems to be vast tracts of quaint fields, hedgerows, tiny winding lanes and beautiful little villages built from local stone (Google Earth flyover anyone?). Okay, the "pleasant" bit might be pushing the boat out (so to speak) when it comes to numerous areas, but there still seems to be a preference for overtly lush greenery in many parts. I think that is why I love the look of more hardy, arid landscapes - and probably why I love the local heathers and gorse bushes the most.

2 comments:

Xumca said...

Hmmm... interesting color palette. Most "scenic" paintings seem to have colors chosen specifically to balance and calm the viewer, whereas this one purposely grinds an edge into the eyes.

I think it's quite refreshing to have a scenic picture that's aggressive rather than placid.

Shibaal said...

I too live in the UK, but the stark difference being I live in a concrete jungle and too reach some lush greenary, one has to traverse a good few miles to do so! BTW that's some nice rustic colours you have there!