Stylised yacht in stormy waters painting by artist Alan J. Benge

In this whimsical composition, I have tried to incorporate the idea of a rough day on the ocean wave.  Design elements, suitably stylised include curly wave shapes, triangle sails and spiky fish with a fierce sun overhead.  Menacing seagulls soar above the turbulent sea.  Use is made of stripes, zig-zags and circles.  It was fun to produce this light-hearted work, and may well inspire all those who sail yachts to wear their life jackets, and also, to take seasick pills !

Hayman Island sketch in pastels by artist Alan J. Benge

Whilst on holiday on Hayman Island, Great Barrier Reef in Queensland Australia, I walked some of the marvellous hiking trails that criss cross the island. Along the track, there are viewpoints where you can stop and admire the view.
The artwork above was created as an on-the-spot sketch from one of the viewpoints I mentioned.  Fortunately, there was a small table at the lookout, and I was able to draw in relative comfort.  This view is looking towards other Whitsunday islands from Hayman. The islet that is prominent in the mid distance formed a handy triangular shape for my sketch.
The turquoise hues of the tropical waters were accomplished by smudging my finger across the illustration board to get variations in tone. The smudged finger technique was also useful for portraying some of the clouds. 

Anemone fish acrylic painting by artist Alan J. Benge

I like anemone fish. These cute striped inhabitants are the comedians of the undersea world that comprises Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Their immaculate yellow and black costumes are great attention getters.
On a snorkelling expedition in the Whitsundays, I spotted these colourful characters darting around the coral.  This proved suitable inspiration for the above original acrylic painting which I completed later, on dry land.   The fish itself has been treated in a realistic manner, but the background is an abstraction rendition of coral and shell shapes in a mix of different hues.
I envisaged this type of painting would possibly complement the decor of a beachside pad or apartment.  All artists can learn a lot from our undersea environment, as a source of creative ideas.

Sketch of Hobart boat harbour, Tasmania by Alan J. Benge

This is primarily a fairly detailed pen and ink sketch that I drew whilst on a visit to Hobart.  It is near the area where the yachts in the Sydney Hobart race come into Constitution dock.  If you get the chance to stroll along the wharf area at Hobart, it's a colourful scene full of interest and variety.
On a sunny day, there is lots here to capture the eye of any artist. 
I felt a birds-eye view of the wharves would be effective, so I took an elevator to the top of a nearby hotel overlooking the harbour.  A pencil outline established the basic composition, with the boats in the mid foreground, plus buildings and hills forming the background interest.
Later, my trusty artist's toothbrush was employed to create a splatter texture, and then a light blue wash was brushed over the nearly completed work.  Red highlights were added in acrylics to provide keynotes for this painting. I worked on good quality illustration board.

Yacht painting, Couran Cove, Queensland by artist Alan J. Benge

Pen and ink rendition, plus colour washes was the technique that I used on my sketch of yachts, anchored at Couran Cove, on Queensland's Gold Coast.
I liked the way the red lines of the yacht contrasted with the blue shadows and water effects.  The lines depicting rigging helped tie the composition together.  Boat harbours are excellent places to find subjects for your easel -  so to all aspiring artists - get on deck, and castaway your inhibitions.  Get painting, and "launch" your artistic career !

Hamilton Island panorama - original acrylic painting by Alan Benge

The Whitsundays are a source of inspiration for artists as all the ingredients for exciting paintings are here. Sea, sun, tropical landscapes, and a marvellous marine lifestyle.
In this original painting, I decided to have the mid-foreground framed by palms, with a selection of Hamilton Island golf carts travelling along the winding road. If you have ever visited Hamilton, you will have seen the golf buggies - the preferred means of getting around for many.
In the background of this acrylic picture, I painted in yachts making their way across a light blue ocean, with misty hill shapes and islands dotting the horizon.

Beaked coral fish abstract painting by artist Alan J. Benge

The underwater world offers great possibilities for the aspiring artist.  Faced with a wealth of marine life, fantastic corals, there are some marvellous opportunities for capturing this on canvas.
The above picture is of a beaked coral fish, and I have simplified the surrounding elements of the picture to appear as splashes of colour in red, blue, yellow or green.
I made use of a sponge to add texture, plus a toothbrush to create splatter.  I felt the fish stood out better on a mixed misty blue blackground, with the original white canvas forming a border around the picture.
Materials used were acrylic, and the original is not large, about 20 X 25cm, on a primed canvas panel.

Marine painting by Alan J. Benge of Hamilton Island, North Queensland.

This triptych panel was the result of a holiday that I spent at Hamilton Island, on the Great Barrier Reef.
The view from my hotel room was magnificent, so I was pleased that I'd packed my oil paints and brushes in case a good picture opportunity came up. I might add it was hard to find the time to do this trio because the beach beckoned, and swimming was an option I didn't want to miss.
However, after having a dip - the water was great by the way - I returned to my room and worked quickly on the panels.
Foreground interest was helped by the obliging white cockatoos which came and sat on my balcony. They were so friendly, that it was a job to keep them off the drying canvas panels which I put out in the sun on the balcony to dry.
I used a range of blues to depict the tropical surroundings. This view looks East towards the background, and when I painted this "en plein air" the hills in the distance were misty with haze.
The actual panel size was limited to what I had brought in my luggage, with each panel only about 30cm X 20cm.