I am a big, big fan of New York. There’s something wholeheartedly charming about it, despite the numerous skyscrapers and manically busy streets. Today I’m showcasing the work of Katherine Milns, who has created a whole series documenting the beauty of New York in a variety of different mediums. I hope you enjoy her work as much as I do!
Your paintings of New York have a unique style to them. How did this develop?
I love drawing and my oil painting style has developed through drawing with paint. I cover the canvas with a bright orange ground, then draw the streets in a neutral colour. I block in thin layers of colour to bring out the detail, then work in to create depth, tone and texture where I need to. I started using a bright coloured ground years ago as it lifts all the colours in a painting. Sometimes I just leave some of that ground coming through.
My watercolour painting style developed later. As I had worked for so long in oils, I wanted to create vibrant colours not washes. With more complicated subjects I sketch them lightly in pencil first. I then work from light colours to dark using some wet-in-wet, dry brush and some block painting. I paint very loosely to start, then allow the painting to dry. Afterwards I work in and pick out some detail and contrasts with a smaller brush and darker colour.
My new York prints are monoprints and I use pencil or pen to draw the imagery.
Let’s talk about process. What steps do you take when creating each piece?
I love photography too and use it a lot in my work. Using a camera allows me to take a number of photos, creating the most interesting compositions. Dramatic towering perspective and bright skies and light inspire me, so I can spend a lot of time photographing one street or subject until I know I have captured the one photo that I will want to work from. I spend some time, editing photos and sketching from a number of them before deciding on the best one to paint from.
I like to sketch while I’m out and about when I have time. It gives me a record of my instant response to the subject. I can often record colours differently to the camera and this helps when I’m producing a painting. However in a sketch I rarely capture enough detail to produce a finished painting if I was to work just from that. So I am always glad of a photo as back up.
What inspires your pieces of New York?
I got engaged in New York. It was the most special holiday for me and my now husband. It was such an exciting time. Even before we got engaged, or I knew we were going to, I found the city so incredibly exciting! I loved the drama of the skyscapers, the lights, the vibrancy, colours and the constant buzz and hum of the city.
What do you hope your pieces tell viewers about the city?
I hope some of this excitement comes across in my work.
What has been your favourite thing/place to paint and why?
My 2 favourite places to paint have been New York and Rome. In New York it was everything yellow! The taxis, the road signs, the traffic lights. In Rome it was the domes and fountains.
Finally, do you have any tips for readers who might be interested in visiting New York?
There is so much to do, do as much as you can. Get a good map, write down all your must sees and visit all the sights in one area at a time. New York is much bigger than you might think. It takes a long time to get from top to bottom!
You can see more of Katherine’s work on her website, and you can follow along with her sketching adventures on Twitter and Facebook.
Have you been to New York? What did you like most about it?
