011. L.S.Lowry: A Footbridge

My copy of L.S.Lowry A Footbridge

L.S.Lowry, A Footbridge 1938

Oil on Canvas 53.3 x 43.2 cm

Private collection

A Footbridge by L.S.Lowry

This is the last (famous last words) of artists I have decided to copy because for some unfathomable reason I felt the need to include them. 

Where to start with Lowry? There is no denying his popularity and following. He seems to have tapped into a certain consciousness. I remember, years ago, I worked as a consultant and one of my clients was an industrial one. I remember the fierce pride they had for one of his paintings hanging behind their desk. 

What I like about Lowry, even a bit jealous of, is he had a system. A bank of templates and methods he could pull on. For example, when you see a lampost in one of his paintings, there is no denying it is his. There is also, of course, the infamous matchstalk men.  

There is no denying his artistic skill, and his work is a good example of having to know the rules before you break them. For me though where it starts to fall down, is given his talent, His tutelage, when it came to imagination the best he could come up with was the fantasy land equivalent of Stoke-On-Trent. I just find it all a bit dull. 

Colour. 

Lowry used a palette of just five colours and paints made by Windsor and newton they were;

• Prussian Blue 
• Vermillion 
• Yellow Ochre 
• Lead White 
• Ivory black 

For my copy I used the following;

L.S.Lowry colours

The reason I used two ivory blacks is; I find the Senellier one better for doing shadows and halftones, whilst the Windsor and newton one is more suited for when I actually want black. 

I did read somewhere that using titanium white with a mixing white can get a hue in acrylics closer to Lead white. From not just this painting this but others I don’t think it does.

Composition 

This suffered from the same fate as my Karl Capek copy in the fact my canvas was a different ratio than the original. One thing I wish I had done before starting on the copy, was to do some sketches with perspective lines and establish the vanishing point, as in hindsight I could have used that info to fill in the gaps. 

Technique

I did read that Lowry used his fingers to blend and the end of his brush to scratch. Very early on I did try and imitate that to try and get into the flow.  I felt a fraud, to the point I was worried the art police might be called. I think the fact he did this is overplayed. Both techniques have alternatives, and it doesn't add or take away anything.

Missing a trick with white

One trick I did miss; Lowry famously started all his painting with an all-white background. I was still playing around with contrasting backgrounds at this time, but I believe my painting would be more Lowryesque If I had done that. 

If you look at how the light falls across the middle of the field and path; If I had that stark white in my face at the start I could have worked light to dark. This would have given the painting more depth.

Now, aren't Lowry works supposed to be flat I hear you cry? Yes, but... As I said near the start. Lowry is a good example of knowing the rules before you break them. To achieve that flatness he uses the rules of perspective & value. If you need a further example; Take a look at a real Lowry painting and then at one of the squillions of fakes on eBay.I bet you five pounds. The ones of eBay are flat and the real Lowry looks flat. 

All in all, whilst this is by no means a favourite picture and is being hung in the corner wall of my office. I am glad I did it as it allowed us to concentrate and think more on the act of copying.