Everett on Bello Lookout

Everything seemed to go well in this painting except for Everett's face. I can paint an alright face if occupies the entire frame, but these small people with there small heads are really hard to do! Eventually I gave up and drew a smiley face on Everett. It illustrates his mood well. This painting was originally a photo I took of Everett at the Bellingen lookout off Hill St. It portrays the beautiful weather we had shortly after our arrival. Unfortunately the sunshine didn't hang around long and bad weather forced us indoors. It was amidst the boredom of a lousy day that I decided to turn the photo into a painting--So some good came of the rain. I call it 'Bello Lookout', how original! It's my first landscape painting including a person, but defiantly not my last. I enjoy painting people and including figures in my work because it adds a bit of a story to the scene. Facial paintings are also on my mind and not the kind you would see at the fair. No, I mean paintings of faces. My friend Ben Cook from back home volunteered a photo of his beautifully bearded face for me to have go at painting. Hopefully he doesn't come out a Picasso, though i'm sure he wouldn't mind. Its all a part of the learning process. You have to start somewhere and Mr. Ben Cook will be my starting point. Thanks mate!

We'll be leaving Bellingen tomorrow and heading to Coff's Harbor. I'm sure there's heaps to do in harbor but we only have one day to explore before our train departs. It leaves the following day at 12:30 AM and arrives early in the morning. Tomorrow night will be spent trying to sleep aboard the Country Link with an early arrival in Brisbane! weee!