Equestrian & Wildlife Artist – Katy Sodeau

I have now completed the oil version of the London scene painting project I started working on here.

Wellington Arch

The oil painting isn’t quite as loose as I was first aiming at, but I’m quite pleased with it. I’ve invented a viewpoint that’s much closer to the cavalry horses than could easily be achieved with photography. And have concentrated attention on the quadriga at the top of the triumphal arch.

Having decided the earlier watercolour was fine as watercolour, but that the painting idea was worth exploring in other media, have started a much more close focus version in Alkyd Oils:

Wellington Arch, Preliminary Oil

The perspective and lighting is obviously not meant to represent a naturalistic view… but I’m quite happy with it so far, just need to be able to preserve the dynamic effects when I do next stage and add a little more detail…! ….erm, somewhat easier said than done

A longer post this time, to try and explain the development process behind a painting.

I’ve recently been working on this watercolour painting of the Wellington Arch, quadriga and cavalry in London. I’ve always liked the idea of painting sculptures of horses in combination with real horses. On a recent trip to London I realised that if I waited for the cavalry to return from Horseguards Parade they’d pass through the arch and possibly make a good composition.

A straightforward photo of the Arch reveals that it needs some forethought to avoid ending up with the main subject too central to the composition, and also needs a low viewpoint to get something interesting happening in the foreground.

Whilst waiting for the cavalry to return from the changing of the guard I worked on a small oil sketch which helped me work out the relative placing I wanted for the arch and foreground subjects. When the cavalry returned I took a series of photos from a low viewpoint and with the arch at the angle I wanted.

Photograph of Wellington Arch

Pochade Oil Sketch

Working Sketch

Back at home I worked up some compositional sketches selecting and adapting the horses I wanted to use from the photos, the last sketch of which is shown above. (Please note my working sketches aren’t meant to be pretty they’re normally just for my reference and are scribbled very quickly!)

Despite having produced the watercolour at the top of the page, the story of this painting project isn’t over yet. I think the watercolour could make a nice souvenir piece so I’ll probably leave that one as it is. However looking back at the sketch I think when I’ve sorted out the perspective and neatened things for the watercolour I’ve lost some of the potential drama of the subject. So will probably try a similar view but in a different medium and see if I can increase the impact of the quadriga and horses. Possibly doing some things rather naughty according to normal artistic ‘rules’ such as using pure black and ignoring recession! Will let you know if it works….. so watch this space.

*Have now started oil version – see here