Twilight
A soft, luminous light created when the sun is below the horizon and Earth's surface is neither completely lit nor completely dark.
From the fiery horizons of Thailand to the proud roots of the British landscape, the magic of the folkloric 'blue hour' is brought to life. Taken from the French l'heure bleue, it describes the elusive 10 minute window for photographers to capture the moment just before and after the sun appears. Richard explains: "With it comes the promise of times ahead. It's about waiting for the clouds to pass, the colours to form and the sun to rise or set. Its an awe and beauty we all take for granted".
To recreate the vivid hues, Richard uses two different oil paints and his own chemical formula, with timing crucial for blending and applying layers. The colours are more radiant on glass than when they are first squeezed from the tube, as the medium adds its own refractive luminosity. Richard says; "I wanted to study the visually-striking display created by indirect sunlight tinting the sky. With glass naturally responding to changes in light, the paintings will continue to evolve over time".
A Rivers Tale
Location: Surrey
Music: 'The River'
by Ryan Amon. The Sketchbook.
"As you get deeper into twilight, the world appears darker & darker. I tried to capture this within the golden reflections in the water".
Not Letting Go
Location: Surrey
Music: 'A Hard Teacher'
by Hans Zimmer. The Last Samurai.
"Here I capture the sunset and the subtleties and softness of twilight, focusing on the smallest colour changes in the water. It's the time of day when the water appears to transform into polished metal".
Focus On The Light
Location: Surrey
Music: 'The Origins of Time'
by Johan Johannsson.
The Theory of Everything.
"Taken on a misty, ethereal morning, this image was technically difficult to paint. I almost lost this artwork whilst trying to get the gradient of the colour between each segment of the trees to work".
Never Give Up
Location: Surrey
Music: 'The Berlin Song'
by Ludovico Enaudi.
"Our family motto is 'never give up' and this painting represents us. As the tallest trees, my wife and I are standing guard to protect our children. The canopy above is free so they can grow and see the world. My son also helped me to paint a small part on the lower right, so this is a real father-son piece".
Sky Of Substance
Location: Thailand
Music: 'The Plains'
by Ryan Amon. The Sketchbook.
"During our many trips to Thailand, I have always been amazed by the colourful skies there. Hot and humid, the country offers a different view of the twilight; as it is so close to the equator, you have just minutes before the sun goes down rapidly. It was a challenge to work on the vast colour changes of the sky".