Old building, Ravenswood Queensland painting by artist Alan J. Benge

Ravenswood in North Queensland is worth a visit to view the picturesque outback-style old buildings along its main street.  In this original composition, I used a limited palette of earthy colours, complemented by a pen and ink over-sketch with white highlights.  Use was made of splatter texture and the painting was created on an old sheet of plywood.  A simple wide white frame - with ribbed, corrugated iron-style lines - sets off the composition.
The texture could well signify an approaching dust storm, and it helps convey the magnificently harsh climate that all must learn to live with in the outback of Australia.

Mona Lisa - Aussie outback style painting by artist Alan J. Benge

The Winton Outback festival - held every two years - has grown increasingly popular each time it is held.  This is an early painting which I did for the festival back in 1989.  As you can see in the photo, this painting bears a superficial resemblance to another, more famous original which reposes in the the Louvre.
My own attempt is obviously not suitable for the Louvre, being more appropriate for the "Loo".  It was submitted as part of the Winton's Outback Dunny painting competition.  I recall that my original creation"Mona Loosa" was very popular with the locals at that time, and I often wonder what became of the painting after it was auctioned off in the main street.

Battling the bushfire - original painting by artist Alan J. Benge

The Australian bush can be peaceful and calm - yet it can also present a savage face to those who are caught in the devastating path of bushfires.  In this original acrylic painting, I wanted to show the bravery and courage of those who are forced to defend their homes and lifestyles in the face of adversity.
All hands are called upon to beat back the flames, including the woman in the foreground as wet sacks are used to contain the advancing scrub fire. Bushfires are a tragic reminder of how merciless and savage the Australian climate can be - but in my painting, I hoped to show that the true Aussie pioneering spirit of people working together can sometimes help save homes and lives.

Old Roma Hotel acrylic painting by Al Benge

Roma, Queensland has some fine old pubs in the old Queensland traditional colonial style.  They represent an individuality from times past which is disappearing in this modern age.  My acrylic painting was accomplished with small, on the spot sketches initially, then I did a larger acrylic version back in my studio, using thick layers of paint. There is a certain amount of artistic licence here - the main street of Roma is certainly not dirt these days - but this is my interpretation of the scene.  The two pedestrians having a conversation in the middle of the road is not all unusual, the further West that you go.

Far North West Queensland outback painting by Alan J. Benge

If you've ever travelled in the outback of Queensland, you will have noticed that once you get past Longreach, there are large stretches of countryside that could well be described as "driving across the surface of the moon."
However this arid, dry country has a distinctive individuality that makes it unique.  Admittedly, it is as flat in places as a billard table. But if you can gain a viewpoint from a hill or rocky outcrop, you will be rewarded with amazing views.
It is one such view that gave me the inspiration to create this outback landscape in acrylic. I found a suitable hill on my way out to an ancient dinosaur quarry near Winton.
 I wanted to convey the sense of a huge, dusty plain, with a relentless sun on the horizon.  To give the foreground more impact, I used silhouette shapes of a stockman, his dog and horse, in solid contrast to provide interest in this part of the composition.  A limited colour palette was used, mainly warm browns, beige, with patches of red.  The background hills are a hazy blur of ranges receding into the distance. 

Outback pen and ink artwork from Alan J. Benge

In this whimsical pen and ink drawing, I have depicted a cowhand, coming to town after hours in the saddle. Colour washes were added to highlight the buildings and main street of this Australian outback town.
I like to think that the horse is having a laugh at the bow-legged appearance of its rider !  On the right hand side of the picture, I've drawn in a typical old Aussie pub, with other similarly bow-legged cowhands looking on.  In creating this composition, use was also made of splatter for textural effects, plus highlights with coloured pencils to achieve some of the more subtle graduations in tone. 

Original painting - weatherbeaten Aussie outback stockman

It is said that the Australian outback produces characters who are truly individual. When I painted this portrait of a true Aussie stockman, I felt this face reflected something of the individual nature of this country.  To survive in such an inhospitable environment, people must be tough, resilient, and able to cope with demands that their city counterparts cannot comprehend.
It is these qualities that I have tried to capture in this study.
The palette of colours that I used in this painting involved primarily warm oranges and shades of beige, balanced with the blue/green tones on the shirt, and also in the lines portraying the face.  Shadows were made distinct to give the impression of a harsh Australian sun.

Australian outback mailboxes - acrylic painting from Alan J. Benge

In this bold, earthy painting of outback Australia, I have tried to capture the vivid brownish red hues of this vast land. I balanced this with a brooding, steel blue sky.
 In rural regions, mailboxes represent a link, or a symbol of communication with the outside world.  Another communication link that I painted in this composition is the row of telephone poles, stretching off into the distance.
A windmill stands alone in the background.  I hope you like my original acrylic painting depicting life in the outback of Australia.

Symbolic outback acrylic painting by artist Alan J. Benge

When I painted this composition, I restricted the palette to simple, mainly black and red simplified shapes on a white background to give a symbolic effect.
There is an element of counterchange in the trees on the right, and big splashes of colour with twirls, spirals and stripes work together to make up this stylized landscape.
I enjoyed creating this picture, and feel it has possibilties for further artistic exploration in the future.
In other words, I hope to paint more like it !

Outback painting of farmer with drought-parched landscape, Australia

In this acrylic rendition I pictured an outback farmer standing at the gate of his drought-stricken property.
 I used a limited palette of earthy oranges, reds, with black highlights.
I used a red tone on the farmer's shirt because I was attempting to have a warm colour in the foreground which would make it stand out more.
The dirt track leads the eye up to the house and windmill in the distance.