passing time on iPad …

Rosewall Hill, looming. Digital painting.

Rosewall Hill, looming. Digital painting.

Between visitors to my recent exhibition, Beneath the Surface, in King’s Lynn, I thought I’d make good use of any ‘downtime’ and try out the digital painting app ArtRage on my iPad. It took a few attempts to get the hang of, but it’s becoming compulsive and I like to think it may have a positive effect on my use of colour and mark-making.

'What remains'. Digital painting.

‘What remains’. Digital painting.

Anyway, these are some of the results, inspired by a day spent exploring the surrounding moorlands and remains of the Levant and Geevor tin and copper mines in Cornwall on a recent St Ives holiday. The two digital paintings above are the latest ones and I think I’ve learnt to exploit more of the subtleties of the tool/colour/effect options of the ArtRage app since I produced the first examples below.

I’ll probably always prefer to use physical paint on paper or canvas, but in situations like this in places where I don’t want to make a mess or leave work drying while I talk to someone, the iPad might make a useful sketchbook alternative.

Geevor Mine, Pendeen. Digital painting.

Geevor Mine, Pendeen. Digital painting.

Levant: verdigris leach. Digital painting.

Levant: verdigris leach. Digital painting.