Gareth Naylor

Atmospheric paintings of Japan

Tag: Shonai

  • Watercolor painting of Japanese haystacks

    Watercolor painting of Japanese haystacks

    Today I was just going to sit in the studio and paint. But then my wife suggested that I go out and paint as it was such a beautiful day. 

    My relaxing day suddenly became a hectic one. Now, I was planning a trip and wondering where would be the best place to go. 

    Should I look for a watery place such as a port or a river as I might be doing a big exhibition next year on the theme of water? But then it is autumn and the leaves are so beautiful so maybe I should be painting them before they’ve all fallen off the trees.

    And then I have to take into account that I only have about 8 hours.

    Eventually, probably while in the shower, a place in the countryside called Yufuin came to mind and the other possibilities were abandoned. 

    And that’s how it started. But as so often happens when I try to go to Yufuin I never arrive. On the way, I always stop because I see a scene that I want to paint. I think this is a good thing. In my opinion, outdoor artists must always be opportunists. 

    I stopped at a place called Shonai. It was midway between my starting point, Oita city, and Yufuin. 

    In this place, the road runs next to an enormous gorge and the sight was so spectacular I had to stop and paint it – or at least try. I did two paintings and both were disappointing. 

    Anyway, I thought it would be a good idea to see the river close up. So I tried to descend down to the river at the bottom of the gorge along a small trail through a bamboo forest. I stopped though when I reached a waterway with no apparent way around it. 

    Next to the waterway, there was a huge sign that was peppered with rust and had tiny flakes of paint sticking off it but which despite the damage clearly said danger in Japanese. 

    I accidentally brushed my hand against the sign which was sharp and for the next hour worried about blood poisoning despite knowing that such a shallow graze was harmless.

    After my misadventure on the mountain I’ve become more anxious.

    And then it was back to the road to look for another scene. There wasn’t enough time for Yufuin now so the next painting scene had to be nearby. And luckily fairly soon I came across a field with some beautiful Japanese haystacks. 

    The shape of these haystacks and the arrangement of them in the field was like a very beautiful work of art. After finding a place to park I was soon in the fields looking for a good composition.

    Unlike the first scene this was quite an easy one to paint.

    As well as the haystacks I liked the stubbly rice field. It had a wonderful pattern and I could spend hours playing around trying to capture that amazing pattern and texture.

    I also liked the contrast of the yellow trees against the cool blue of the background mountain.

    This was truly a wonderful subject and the light was glorious. What more could you wish for? Well, perhaps the chance to do another painting.

    That’s all,

    Gareth.

    Postscript

    I originally wrote this story in December of 2014, I edited it in 2022.

  • Paintings of an old shed and barn in a small, rural Japanese town called Shonai

    Paintings of an old shed and barn in a small, rural Japanese town called Shonai

    Around 2021, I began to organize all my artwork.

    This is a momentous task as I have over 1000 paintings.

    In the process, I found the painting above.

    It is an old painting which was done around 2013.

    And I still remember seeing the rather dilapidated but picturesque shed in the painting.

    I was cycling along the main road through a small, Japanese town called Shonai that is deep in the countryside.

    At some point, I turned off the main road and onto a very narrow side road.

    And along this road I saw the shed.

    I think that as soon as I saw this shed, I felt the urge to paint it.

    And I’m happy with my painting of this building as I caught the slight lean of the structure as well as the irregularities of the structure. 

    Also, I think the light blue roof looks very good.

    And I think the rice field looks beautiful.

    The viewpoint of this shed is very good. 

    As the gutter by the side of the road, guides the viewer’s eye towards the shed which is the focal point of the painting.

    However, I think the foliage is not so well painted or the other buildings.

    And yet I’m happy I didn’t throw away this painting.

    Because it is a precious reminder of where I’ve been, what I liked to paint and also what my artwork used to be like.

    It is so easy to forget these things and not even realize you’ve forgotten.

    Watercolor painting of an old Japanese barn
    “Beautiful, old Japanese barn”

    And here is one more painting of Shonai.

    I think it was that old Japanese barn on the left that captured my interest and made me stop and paint this scene.

    It is such a beautiful structure.

    And I think I’ve done a good job of painting that barn.

    The fields are well done. 

    I love the combination of yellows and browns and those soft brown dots in the foreground field.

    I’m not sure how I did those dots but I’d definitely like to use that technique in future paintings.

    Everything else, such as the other buildings, the foliage and the figures are just passable.

    And sadly, the mountains are not very well painted. 

    In reality they look amazing. 

    I normally say that I’ll have another go at painting a picture that doesn’t quite work but for some reason with this particular picture I don’t feel the urge to have another go.

    At least not yet!

    I have painted this particular scene a few times since though because I found the view very beautiful.

    It was near here that I did a painting of some Japanese haystacks in 2014 that I’m really happy with.

    That’s all for now,

    Gareth.

  • Paintings of a picturesque Japanese village called Shonai

    Paintings of a picturesque Japanese village called Shonai

    During my wilderness years of getting on my bicycle with my art gear and cycling off into the blue yonder of the Japanese countryside I found a picturesque village called Shonai.

    And I think it was around 2011 that I painted these pictures of Shonai.

    Looking at the painting above, I find that I like the colorfulness of the sky. 

    I can see touches of blue, a light orange and even a dash of red in that sky. 

    It’s very exciting.

    And the shapes of the buildings are well painted. 

    I am disappointed, though, with the trees, bushes and grass. 

    That said, with trees, bushes and grass you need a combination of softness and contrast and that is difficult to achieve in watercolor.

    And yet overall, I like this painting because when I look at it I feel very relaxed. 

    I don’t know how I managed to convey that feeling of relaxation. 

    So I have to study this painting and learn how I created that feeling of relaxation.

    Then, hopefully, I can express that feeling of relaxation in my new paintings.

    Watercolor painting of a farmer pushing a wheelbarrow in rural Japan at evening time
    “Idyllic rural Japan”

    This is another painting of Shonai.

    I really like this particular scene and I have painted it several times. 

    I think what I like in particular is that meandering path.

    It looks so interesting.

    Also, it leads the eye of the viewer into the painting and makes them look towards the distant mountains.

    And I’m very happy with my painting of the distant mountains. 

    There are some nice subtle effects in the distant mountains. 

    And the sky is bright and warm but also pleasantly softened and subdued.

    I’m also quite happy with the trees in the background too. 

    I managed to paint the shape and edge of them right.

    However, I’m a little disappointed with the houses.

    They are a little too blue. 

    If I’d done the walls white or brown it would have been better. 

    And I think the utility poles need to be a bit thicker.

    They look like they will snap at any minute.

    But the overall feeling of the painting is very satisfying for me.

    And when I look at this painting I experience the feelings of calmness, light and space.

    Watercolor painting of a Japanese river in the countryside
    “Countryside river”

    This is a painting of the river that runs through Shonai. 

    I think this painting captures a little of the ruggedness of the natural Japanese landscape.

    And this painting almost works. 

    The river is quite beautiful and the grass by the side of the river too. 

    I also quite like the sky and the distant mountain.

    But the foliage is not well done. 

    The shadows need to be softer and a little simpler. 

    Also the trees in the top left hand corner and the tall trees in the middle don’t look very beautiful.

    I think, though, that this scene has potential and if I did another painting of it it might look very beautiful. 

    Final word

    Looking at these paintings I had the fancy that it would be interesting and fun to revisit these places in Shonai and to paint them again. 

    I’d love to see the difference. 

    I hope that happens but presently I have too many projects.

    That’s all,

    Gareth.