Gale in The Trees, 2007,
acrylic on canvas
80 x 120 cm

This study was supposed to be the first in a series on the same subject. The following two documents provide some background information.

From an entry in my diary, dated 13 March 2007:

For the painting provisionally called ‘Gale in the trees’ or ‘Sound/Song of the wind in the trees’:

1) Add some tree trunks where appropriate (varying the curvature), as well as twigs, which should be drawn or ‘dashed in’ very vigorously (albeit variedly) to suggest their tuning-fork vibrancy in the wind.
2) Lay in some light grey impasto, not too thick, in the highlight areas (guy’s shoulders and back, particularly the heart area; her forehead, cheekbones, hands; the tree trunks, twigs and undergrowth; and the sky).

3) NB: The impasto in the upper part of the painting should be particularly thin – so as not to interfere with subsequent ‘crossborder’ washes (blue wind).
4) Lay in the undercoats for his and her hair and clothes.

5) Both the impasti and the undercoats to follow, where appropriate, the ‘complementary-colour principle’, as follows:
- For hear coat (which will be green): broken red.
- For hear hair (which will be red/golden brown): broken dark grey/green.

- For the sky (where the blue wind will be visible): slightly orangy, very light, broken grey.
- For the tree trunks (which will be grey/blue/black/brown): neutral lightish grey.

- For the skin areas (face, hands): same as for the sky. (Try using a cold-hue wash this time).
- For his coat (which will be off-white): same as for tree trunks.
6) Suggest that her eyes are closed. See if you can do something to suggest eyelashes.
7) Put in the swirling washes representing the wind (broken blue – see Point 8 below). Put them in vigorously, without too many swirls (Remember: it’s a strong wind!), one at the time, using a sufficient amount of retarder, so as to be able to remove the wash where the trees and tree-branches overlap it. Vary the thickness and intensity of the washes so as to suggest perspective, starting from the background.

8) NB: The blue of the wind should be the same as the blue in his temples/hair/heart area (suggestion of radiance). She may have a smaller, darker (shrivelled?) heart.

9) Lay in washes and any additional details in the middle ground as appropriate.
10) Finish the painting with various washes (skin, clothes, etc.).
11) NB: Vary amount of elaboration across surface. Keep Chinese/Japanese painting in mind. Keep linear composition and mass-distribution in mind. Keep close to the material properties of the medium; follow its own penchants.
12) Try to find a better title.

Right: Gale in the Trees at an early stage of elaboration.


From a message to a friend, dated 18 March 2007:

Vendredi j’ai fini le tableau dont je t’avais envoyé une photo… Il est maintenant plus coloré (du vert dans les cheveux de la fille, du rouge dans son manteau, du jaune et du brun par-ci par-là dans les arbres et le ciel…) mais quand même encore assez macabre ! ... J’avais l'intention del’élaborer davantage (surtout rendre les mains et le visage de la fille plus beaux, moins cauchemardesques) mais quelqu'un m’a dit d’arrêter…que je risquais de perdre l’énergie de départ, de tout gâcher – et je me suis laissé convaincre. Je n’ai même pas ajouté les bandes diagonales d’outremer qui devaient représenter le vent…Je le regrette un peu, parce que je ne suis pas du tout convaincu que ce conseil était valable (il ne faut pas trop écouter les autres en tout cas…)…. Je me propose de faire une autre version, moins sombre, du même tableau…cette fois sans m'écarter du plan de départ.