« August 2012 | Main | October 2012 »
Landscape Watercolour, Perranporth, Cornwall, 15" x 11" on Bockingford Rough Paper 140lbs.
View up Cliff Road in Perranporth (with possibly a surfer making their way home), and the silhouette of numerous small hotels and B & Bs which hug the hillside with great views over the bay. Perranporth is one of the popular tourist resorts on the dramatic North Cornish coast, popular with families and surfers (surfing shops almost outnumber the coffee shops here!).
| |
|
Landscape Watercolour 15" x 11" of Albufeira, Portugal, on Bockingford Rough Paper 140 lbs.
Midday in the Old Town part of Albufeira on the Algarve and the shops are starting to close for the siesta. I can remember there was lots of detail in the view in front of me and it was a temptation to paint more detail - the church on the hill and merchandise on the point of sale racks outside of shops - but golden rule for watercolour is try to simplify. I think I could have made those background greens a little lighter and bluer to push them back further. Anyway, next time. If I make a 'mistake' on a watercolour, I rarely try to correct it (e.g. wash it out). I would prefer to disguise it in some way, or better still, do another painting and choose a different subject!
| |
|
Landscape Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford Rough Paper
View South along the bay in Alexandria. I am constantly experimenting with the rendering of palm tree leaves (of the Date palm variety). The main trunks are normally an easy choice - one thickish dry brush stroke and a bit darker at the top or bottom. But then the leaves, I flip between doing them with a rigger brush, or a sword brush or even a smaller pointed mop. This time I elected for dry brush strokes on the foreground tree and ditto for the shadows. Must try not to put on too many leaves else it looks over worked or false and aim not to make it too symmetrical.
| |
|
Landscape Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford Rough Paper 140 lbs
Low tide at Staithes and the banks of the Roxby Beck, the smallish river that flows through Staithes exposing it's banks of mud and algae. The 'coble' fishing boats are a trademark of Staithes and used to be the traditional boat of the local fishermen there, but now they're more of a static prop and feature in all of the postcards of the town.
| |
|
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford Rough Paper 300 gms
Alfriston Church, Sussex, in the Autumn and my entry into Steve Hall's recent monthly watercolour competition. Steve Hall is the master of loose and fresh watercolours. Anyone interested in entering his competition can see this in his newsletter at http://www.stevehallartist.co.uk/newsletter.htm
| |
|
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford Rough Paper 300 gms
Centre of Bodmin Cornwall and the late summer sun streaming down from the west, lighting the perimeter buildings. I had a bit of fun with the tree on the right - there were very large trees along the road side and I let the wash on the trees do their own thing and join up with their shadows. It made for quite a nice effect and it was a temptation to get in there and correct the flow.
| |
|
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford Rough Paper 300 gms
Shire Hall, Bodmin, with it's imposing solid granite front facade, and a little square in front, was built in the 1830s to house the county assize courts (criminal courts). The courts were moved to Truro in the late 1980s and the building now houses the town Tourist information centre. Had to get the cornish flag in there with the white cross on a black background. The bunting was out I think for the Olympic celebrations.
| |
|
Recent Comments