Millennium Bridge Life – Original Painting

Millennium Bridge Life – Original Painting

About the Image:

St Paul’s Cathedral stands centre stage in the Millennium Bridge Life Painting. Glowing white marble in the sunlight as it’s pale dome is defined by a lavender sky. This begins our journey. The waves of colour rippled by light clouds, textures, like white lichen, floating in the atmosphere. The colours are cool but this is not a cool day. The sun casts long shadows on the bridge, defining the geometric features in a grid-like pattern on the pavement. A slope that leads under the Bridge to the Thames itself. A dark area with hints of life that are difficult to discern. People vanishing on their journeys along the Southbank
The bridge itself is a contemporary structure of clean lines and angles. All shining glass and steel, its surface is reflecting the sunlight and movement around. And there’s plenty of movement on this Bridge. The walkway is teaming with masses of people. Tourists, visitors, people going to and from work. Shoppers, families all are here.

Moving en mass with a common goal to reach the other side Some are intent on their destination, others gaze around taking in the scenery, Still others are looking for something or someone. On the North Bank you make out the riverside architecture, offices with a sought after river view.

On the sky line, there are hints of other landmarks as well as St Paul’s, The colours are cool blues and purples, light sky tones down to deep dark hues. Hints of cadmium red amidst the massing crowd. And the occasional glint of golden yellow peeks out and lifts the scene. A hint of the sun that is unseen but is so evidently present. People wandering around in shirtsleeves, carting their belongings. The day has obviously started out cool but now people divest themselves of these unnecessary layers to enjoy the warmth.

Millennium Bridge Life in this painting is good. Everyone feels glad to be alive!

The busy Millennium Bridge is always full of people crossing from St Pauls to the Tate Modern. As with tourists everywhere, they are a mixed bunch of people from various places. I wonder what stories they would tell? The lady in the gold outfit, the Girl with the bike or the man with the bag?
During the creation I experimented with colour in the sky. The bright purple I used initially felt a bit too much for what was really quite subtle and muted colour piece, so I toned it down a bit.

Creation The picture is painted on watercolour paper. She draws the lines with masking fluid to a planned arrangement before painting it with a watercolour wash which gets covered with clingfilm. Once this is removed the picture is further developed using acrylic inks which are left to dry before the masking is removed to reveal the final picture.