An interesting fact about Turner

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Yacht approaches the coast: JMW Turner c 1842

Last week I visited the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki to see the Light from Tate: 1700s to Now exhibition. This was an interesting collection, as it featured many facets of how light was and is represented in art. The work stretched in time from the 18th Century to the present day. The first paintings were from Joseph Mallard William Turner, and anyone who has been fortunate to visit the Tate Gallery in London, will have viewed many of his famous landscapes with vast skies filled with light and texture. And for all that I enjoyed the whole show, I wish to write about a few paintings which appeal to the type of work I like to do.

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I am in love with clouds

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Looking towards the CBD from Devonport waterfront

I often take photos that appeal to the artist in me when out walking. Clouds are a particular favourite of mine to draw or paint and I have sketched them many times using various mediums. A couple of weeks ago the clouds were dark, low-hanging, and extremely threatening, but to look at, they were spectacular. I decided to wave aside any qualms about attempting to sketch clouds which were almost black, and yesterday grabbed a watercolour pad and got stuck in. I sketched the outline of the whole scene quickly, using a dark water-soluble graphite pencil. With a size six watercolour brush I wiped water through some of the pigment edging the clouds and left the work to dry.

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