Description

Evening Glow is a contemplative painting of the Birmingham cityscape. It captures the misty atmosphere at dusk. As the mist descends, the traffic shifts. It becomes calmer. You can spot a distant moving car with streaks of light coming from its front.

The Grosvenor Casino glows pink, peeking through the mist. Meanwhile, a lone cyclist approaches, pushing through the mizzle. Furthermore, on the left, you can see the fading glow of another car’s taillights.

Inspiration for Evening Glow:

This artwork draws inspiration from a favourite intersection. I returned on a quiet, misty evening. The top of the glowing red casino was covered in fog. A lone cyclist was determined to cross the busy junction.

Techniques and media used:

To create this piece, I started with my camera. I shifted it slightly to the right. The initial photo captured the traffic and streetlights with a dynamic streak. The car appeared distorted, adding to the atmosphere.

I made several sketches to refine my composition and values. Following this process, I then gridded up a drawing and applied a pink undercoat. Once that layer dried, I subsequently focused on the darkest areas first. After that, I gradually built up additional layers and glazes. This technique, therefore, allowed the oil paint to shimmer beautifully.