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Landscape With Hilary Swank, 2011-04-03 By Russell Spencer (RS2150) Acrylic on Canvas, 1224 x 916 mm Contact Russell Look at large version Look at progress pictures Until not long ago I had always painted with the surface flat on a table. This makes it difficult to paint sizable pictures. In 2011 I bought an easel and resolved to try painting some reasonably large pictures while standing up, like a proper artist. The first few attempts were complete failures that I abandoned and painted over. Then I decided to try a style that I developed in a few very small paintings many years ago, and this is the first result.This picture went through a few stages, most of it being repainted at least once. At one point it was much too bright and much too yellow. At first there were more figures, and they were all very rudimentary like the green man on the hill, who is the only one I kept. I was much happier after I added some slightly more realistic figures. The girl running is based on a spectacular photo of Hilary Swank running on the beach. When I finished it I swung between thinking it marvellous and thinking it awful, but people's reaction to it has been very positive, so I've settled on marvellous.