"Irish Servant Making Butter" - Oil Painting by Avril Brand
Oils on canvas (40 × 40cm) (original sold)
Painting depicts an Irish servant girl making butter in her rich master’s kitchen. (County Antrim, Northern Ireland) – possibly early 1900’s
Update 21 February 2009
Finished…… at last!
This painting took a long time, inbetween all the others I am working on. Even my darling dog found a place here.
So, this is how it all began two years ago:
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All my other paintings are drying out so I decided to work on this one. I did the drawing about two years ago and even painted the first wash but never got around to doing anything else. So, at last my Irish servant girl is being painted!
I had a very old, very blurry photo to work from. Maybe that is why I left it for so long. As you can see, it is not very easy to exactly what is in the photograph. But, supposedly, it is of an Irish servant working away at making butter in her rich master’s house. Probably late 1800’s.
I will update as I go along!
Update
Well, now my imagination has really gone haywire!!! Thanks to the blurry photo which I no longer want to use, I decided to do ‘my own thing’ and create items which I have always wanted to put in a painting but never knew when!!
Last night, as I was painting away just before midnight, my doggy sat watching me, impatient as usual, and he was so cute that he ended up in the painting too!!
I spent some time researching old kitchens of the Victorian era so in went the old cast iron wood burning stove, the copper pots and utensils and the cupboard in the passage. I changed the doorway (smaller), added a flagstone floor, etc.
So far, I am still only working on the left side of the painting and having so much fun thinking about all kinds of stuff that will be going into this old kitchen!!
Oils are so lovely to work with… you can change the entire look with a few strokes of the brush or the rub of a finger! Hope you like it so far!!
Update 1 October
What I love about the old Dutch Masters is how no detail was left out. The details and clutter of everyday life makes me see new things every time I see an old Dutch painting. Not that I am comparing my work to the Masters, but it sure is lots of fun to find objects in my house to include in this painting.
Comments
Looking good Avril, it is going to be an excellent painting:)
Thank you, Romo… my photo of the painting is not much better! I struggle to take photo’s at night and tomorrow I will take a better photo, I hope!
– Avril Brand
Avril it is gorgeous, wonderful artwork, and beautifully rendered, and so like the photo, so very well done sweetheart, make sure yoi finish it, it is a winnder. hugsxxx
Aww… thanks, Hilary. I hope I can do it justice. It’s only in the beginning stages and a lot will have to depend on my imagination.
– Avril Brand
Looks like you’re right on track with the underpainting.
Thanks Jim. I will have to do a bit of research about butter making in the old days to see exactly what kind of tools she is using. As for the rest… artistic license… I put a larger window at the back and drapes… LOL! As longer as I don’t put a microwave oven in, I think it will be alright!
– Avril Brand
your prespective is perfect in this can’t wait to see more of it.
Thanks Byron. I remember that it was one of the most difficult drawings I ever did! My lines are just brushed in… I use an angle brush which makes it a lot easier to do shapes but I will be straightening the lines as I go along.
– Avril Brand
One of the best way to paint from an image that is blurry is to make the painting even more blurry. that way you don’t need to invent things. Although that isn’t really your style.
I have tried to sharpen the photo but that only fills it with ‘noise’ and makes it even worse. You know me too well, Samuel… LOL.. I will have to invent things!!
– Avril Brand
Great work Avril. Well done
Thank you Walter, :-)
– Avril Brand
I have no doubt that this will be another masterpiece :)
Thanks Nancy… I upload the changes and new layers as I finish them
– Avril Brand
Very lovely atmosphere Avril! Looking forward to seeing the finished result.
Oh thanks Eva and Klaus!!!
– Avril Brand
brilliant work..perfect !
Thanks Alessandro… it will take some time but eventually it will be finished! :-)
– Avril Brand
coming along wonderfully Avril,,:)
Thank you my friend!!! :-)
– Avril Brand