Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 300 gms
I might have given a bit too much space to the beat up old red car in the composition here, but hopefully with the glimmer on the bonnet it adds to the impression of the strong sunlight. The street vendor on the right was selling shiny fresh green peppers - it must be tough to try to make a living out of selling just one type of veg! I can remember his parasol had seen better days.
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 300 gms
Continuing my series of streets in Alexandria (more to come from my reference photos) and may be went a bit looser on this one which I prefer. Tried to capture the feeling of the heat of the day and that the place needs a massive makeover with all the unfinished tower blocks with multiple floors just being a shell.
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 300 gms
A wander round the backstreets of downtown Alexandria and now and then you stumble across an open area offering respite from the intensity of the narrow streets. Whilst some street vendors proudly show off their produce on the shady side of the street, those less fortunate opposite have theirs hidden from the midday sun under layers of drab tarpaulin.
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 300 gms
Alexandria Bay - The Easter Harbour looking up to the Fish Market at the end of the bay. Small terracotta tiled shelters, almost like a bus shelter, give welcome shade from the midday sun. It's also a great place to rest your fishing boat and give the hull some much needed attention.
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 300 gms
The sweeping bay of Alexandria and a walk along the El Gaish Road. Towards the fishing port at the end of the bay, many smaller boats are perched up behind the low sea wall, maybe for some protection or maintenance. Anyway a good chance to have some fun in this sketch with a bit of wet in wet on the horizon and some dry brush strokes on the palm leaves, which lend themselves well to that sort of treatment.
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 300 gms
An evening stroll along the Wharf in St Ives Cornwall. Had to get in a reference to Ice Creams, this being a popular summer resort. St Ives has for a long time been a rich centre of all forms of art (Barbara Hepworth, the Tate Gallery, etc). Artists are quite rightly attracted by the light (one of the most southern points of the UK) and the mild climate. Even Turner has done a few sketches of the area!
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 300 gms
Alexandria Port Gate and a chaotic scene of all forms of transport, cars everywhere, taxis, local buses, horse and cart, man and cart, and pedestrians trying to avoid it all. Many red-bricked tower blocks remain unfinished in the area, presumably waiting for the day when funds permit their completion.
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 300 gms
View from the Fort of Qaitbay back to the city of Alexandria. A main tourist spot of the Fort itself and location of the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. A little harbour here has many street vendors offering refreshments for visitors to the citadel and everything from lightship replicas, to toy camels.
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 300 gms
A street in the Al Shatby district of Alexandria Egypt bordering the Shallalat Gardens. Shallalat Gardens occupy a big area of Al Shatby neighborhood, characterised by wide boulevards lined with tall washingtonia palms. Had to get in the old yellow topped taxis!
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 300 gms
An anonymous vegetable trader down an anonymous street in Alexandria. Apart from the focal point of the stall, I wanted to also capture the essence of the beautiful ochre-coloured building behind with it's turquoise shutters and the confusing myriad of cables running above your head (I would hate to be a telephone engineer there). This painting allowed me to try out my new Nicholas Simmons Escoda size 20 brush - a synthetic brush with great holding capacity and a very sharp point. The brush easily dwarfs all my other brushes. Apart from the figures, I did the whole painting with this one brush.