Alan the Impatient

I've just taken some snaps of the final four skylines paintings in their varying states of completion to show someone tomorrow and its no good, I can't wait, I'm too excited about the one that is unequivocally finished, so here's a detail from it. Just be aware its only had a quick and dirty colour correction applied, and your monitor won't be set up the same as mine. Why am I so excited? It is head and shoulders the best thing I have ever done from a colour point of view. Sadly, the photo loses all it's subtlety and delicacy, but you still get the idea of the way it seems to glow.

It shows the local five star hotel, the Runnymede-on-Thames which overlooks the mead, at dusk. The setting sun is off stage to the left while the lights from London, Heathrow and the motorway almost make a second sunset off stage to the right. It is so subtle in the flesh, from its indigo and umber clouds to the sky which seamlessly slides from a dusky salmon to a polluted pthalo blue, with the barest hint of white between the two. The buildings truly match the stucco, brick and tiles of the real thing in this light with the tonal variation between full sun, half sun and deep shadow carefully considered. Everything hangs together with a mix of simple forms, calligraphic brushwork (for parts of the skyline not in this crop) and the simplest hints of detail and, even if I say so myself, it takes a very plain building and some road signs and turns them into a thing of beauty. All this just deepens my frustration with the above snap, there will be a better photo in due course but this really is a see-it-in-the-flesh sort of painting.

As to the others, the one being tweaked - well by George, I think I've got it - now just needs some deeper shadows on one tree and a smoothing of one patch of sky, the final one is still on target for the weekend and as to the other I thought was finished, I have now identified why I was uneasy and know exactly which parts I need to finesse and how. I'm really looking forwards to seeing all seven together, finished, for the first time. Can you tell I'm excited?