Hi everyone,
A while back I started the Wavertree Mill canvas. I have finally finished the piece and wanted to share it with you.
Inspiration to do the mill - About two weeks ago my wife showed me an image on the Face book of where about the mill used to be. In all honesty we didn't really know there was a mill in Wavertree as seems the case with a lot of people? But I went for a look and eventually I found the area off Beverley Road where the mill was - there still remains cottages to do with the mill but where the mill was. It is over grown with out any trace of a mill ever being there...a real shame! It was demolished in 1916 but has been there since the 1400's so along history the image enclosed at the top this is the painting I'll do in colour with the quarry in the fore ground this was filled in around 1900 where Beverley Road is and built upon it is a shame there is nothing to mark where the mill but I hope my new canvas it'll stir some interest I've included some images of the mill as well.
Making a start - Firstly I did a few sketches of the mill and I wish I had of done the same with the shed building as when I tried to add this to the canvas it didn't go right but I decided to paint over this by adding in the sky then to add the shed building in again which is added now. But as for the mill the drawing went quite well and I can do bits to improve this as I progress with the canvas.
Bringing colour to the canvas - I've been looking forward to this. I 've now added a base coat to the sky and quarry face - this needs working on as the shade of the stone isn't right also the mill has had a touch of paint now when I added the mill I forgot to allow for the stairs leading up to the mill but these are now painted in. But it meant extending the wall as well on the quarry face which I've now done. Also I 've been improving the quarry face more and colours; it is in basic form but I'm sure 'll improve very much.
The finished Picture.
The sky - I added some clouds here using acrylic white and a dryish brush and just going lightly painting in the clouds they look quite effective I feel.
Tree back ground - After I got some basic colours into the back ground dark and light green acrylics, it was time to bring this area to life more using a fan brush I got the most effect from this in trying to make this area look like built up trees.
Mill - I feel I 've got quite a bit of detail into this which has helped to bring the canvas to life much work but enjoyable for example the mill building side showing the horizontal planking which I drew in with a ruler then using a fine brush painted these in and weathered a little in between them.
Wall - The wall was two or three coats of acrylic brick red darkened with black then I used a dry brush of a lighter brick red and Grey's and using a stiffish bristled brush I used a dabbing effect for the stone.
This is the canvas using a sepia effect. I think it looks quite atmospheric.
I was looking for stories on the Wavertree group regarding the mill and a lady called Karen gave me this story.
Mill story - There was a story in the Liverpool Haunted books regarding an entity that resided in the quarry that now is the Bluecoat field. Apparently young girls went missing and were never found after crossing it. The story goes that the windmill was turned so that when the sun rose it would cast a shadow of a cross over the quarry. After that, nothing ever happened again.
The painting overall looks good and it has been interesting to research the old mill. I still intend to find out about more stories and history on this subject.
But hope you all enjoyed the stages on the blog and the finished canvas at last.
Take care,
Ian.
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