Description

Nocturn Intersection II is my second interpretation of one of my favourite places to paint. It is located in Birmingham, at this busy road intersection where Hill Street and Navigation Street meet. This spot is right at the heart of the city and looks directly at the iconic, brutalist Birmingham New Street Signal Box.

On a very wet, busy evening, cars traverse the yellow traffic box; meanwhile, the wind whips the clouds into a frenzy. Additionally, I have even added some of the rain spots that were on my camera lens when I took these slow shutter shots for inspiration.

Inspiration for Nocturn Intersection II:

Birmingham isn’t just a city to me, it’s a living pulse. Rain-slicked streets, neon-lit corners, and the shimmer of wet tarmac under streetlamps all inspire my artistic practice.

This intersection comes alive when the rain reflects the light of the passing cars. Moreover, my slow shutter photos capture this movement and energy in a very dynamic way. As a result, the images showcase a vibrant blend of light and motion, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the scene. Furthermore, the soft glow from the wet pavement adds an extra layer of depth, making each shot even more captivating.

I use the brutalist architecture of the Signal Box as a contrasting, brooding mass, and the rest of the skyline seems to pin down the dynamism and contain it within the yellow diagonal lines of the traffic box.

Techniques and media used:

A good composition is key to any painting. I have used the yellow diagonal lines to draw your eye within the scene. The main characters are the traversing cars, with their glowing and distorted headlights. These leave dancing reflections on the glistening road surface.

Limiting my colours to greys and blues unites the image. It highlights the contrasting flickers of oranges and reds of the activity within. However, oil paint requires lots of drying time, so I need to work in thin layers. This helps in building up rich colours, with final layers of translucent reds and yellows on top of dry white paint to make the light areas shimmer and glow.