Counting the strokes

[Allan Rahbek]

Hi,
This is the bellringer in the church tower on the isle of Anholt.

Oil on linen, 50 x 45 cm

[Dan Landrie]

Beautiful job Allen, makes me wonder what time it is.

[Allan Rahbek]

Originally Posted by Dan Landrie

Beautiful job Allen, makes me wonder what time it is.

Dan, thanks,

it was made from a photo taken last years Whitsun, may 27. at 17:41 : 34 to be precise

The bellringer ring the bell for an hour and finish with 9 long strokes, hitting the bell and letting the tone fade out before he strike again. He had 9 matchsticks to secure that he did it right.

[Carlos Ygoa]

Allan,
So nice to see another figurative of yours. I had been waiting.
Your inimitable and envious way of painting has succeeded again in evoking atmosphere and quiet concentration. Masterful technique as usual. I admire very much how you resolved his garment, and how you have given solidity to his head in profile.

Originally Posted by Allan Rahbek

He had 9 matchsticks to secure that he did it right.

If he didn

[Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco]

Allan, what a successful composition ! Beautiful edge work too, very subtle, a real pleasure to look at
Ilaria

[Cindy Procious]

Wow!

What a wonderful painting- I love the story it tells. I especially love the colors you've chosen for the man's face - everything is so light and open, and painted with such confidence.

[Alexandra Tyng]

Allan, I love the way you add to the description of your life with each new painting. In this one, the subject matter is unexpected. Sometimes the setting (as in the elevator) is unexpected, but really it's all part of your realm. It is as much a description of your rich imagination as of your outer environment.

The simplicity and serenity of this one is so striking. I love the colors and brushstrokes of the scene outside the window--like a jewel--with the bell-ringer's profile silhouetted against the light. It makes a compelling focal point. The arches of the deep window niche pull your eye to the left, while the figure balances the composition to the right. You probably arranged the intuitively but I couldn't resist commenting on it. I also admire the way you painted the textured walls, the man's face, and the folds of his gown in the light.

[Marina Dieul]

Allan,
great work! I love how the light sculpts all the scene, and the face in particular.
Nice composition, beautiful colors : a treat for the eyes!

[Allan Rahbek]

Thank you all for the nice words.

This painting was an educational treat for me because of the wide value span. I had to lighten the darks quite a lot to avoid a total black and white effect. I believe that a painting should look right in most lighting situations and this tended to be too dark in low light before I lightened the inner wall.

Carlos,
I too, found the counting system to be cute.

[Thomasin Dewhurst]

Very, very nice painting, Allan. I really like the way you worked the painting so thoroughly and still kept your brushstrokes so fresh. Confident and courageous. How long did it take you and how many times did you redo things?