Landscape Watercolour of Kusadisi, 15" x 11"

The port area of Kusadisi, Turkey, with the mountains behind the town.  Key steps for this painting were 1) Sky wash from top to bottom, cutting round the car, figures and pedestrian crossing. 2) After that was dry, wet the areas where the mist will be over the mountains, then drop in the darker was of the mountain.  3) Middle ground trees and buildings on left and right.  4) Car shadows and then the figures, and foreground shadow and 5) White highlights (not too many) on figures and signpost. 6) Tyre marks on road with dry brush strokes.

Landscape Watercolour of Westerleigh, 15" x 11"

Another pub fairly local to me, the Old Inn at Westerleigh or Ye Olde Inne, and the Parish Church behind.  Before the big town of Yate arrived on it's doorstep it was probably a quiet little village but now it's more a 'rat run' route from Yate to North Bristol.  I think the best thing I did on this one is adding the little angled shadow on the pub sign.  Sometimes it's the smallest little details that matter.  Somehow I forgot to add any people on this one.  Maybe they're all in the pub.

Landscape Watercolour of Girona, 15" x 11"

The Ramblas is of course a popular boulevard in central Barcelona, but the nearby city of Girona has it's own little version.  It starts at one end of the Pont de Pedra, a wide foot bridge in the old part of the city and leads down to the Jewish Quarter and Cathedral.  Like it's bigger brother, the Rambla here has many restaurants, a row of trees down the middle and narrow streets running off the sides.

Landscape Watercolour of Yate, 15" x 11"

Hollisters is a small DIY shop in my home town.  Small, but they stock everything, and long before the big supermarkets and chains moved into town, it was and still is a great place to get good advice.  Locals will know there's no pedestrian crossing here, but I thought it aided the composition.  To the left of the shop there's a quaint row of cottages set back from the street.

Landscape Watercolour of Lanzarote, 15" x 11"

The white-washed houses in Tias, so typical of Lanzarote, many single storey and with flat roofs.  Of course they're not really white, unless there's really bright sun on them.  They're taking in the surrounding colours and reflected light.  And the STOP road sign was a bit of an after thought to add some detail.

Landscape Watercolour of Tuscany, 15" x 11"

My entry for this summer's Steve Hall Watercolour Competition.  It's a Tuscan scene but not sure where exactly.  Anyway I would encourage any UK watercolour artists to have a go at his competition and his web site.  Steve Hall paints in the loose Wesson style and he runs very popular watercolour courses also.  See more about all this by going to his web site and click on Newsletter.

 This was the photo for the challenge...

Landscape Watercolour of Athens, 15" x 11"

I decided to use an older sheet of Bockingford I had left over for this scene near the Acropolis in Athens, and a row of restaurants beside the old Roman tuins of a market place there.  Well I noticed the difference in the Bockingford compared with Saunders Waterford - Bockingford is whiter and paint seems to dry quicker so you have to keep an eye on things.  That's the last sheet of Bockingford for a bit I think, unless I can't afford Saunders.

Landscape Watercolour of Exmouth, 15" x 11"

My impression of a sunny day in Exmouth, South Devon. This is the edge of the central square (most of which has been pedestrianised now) in Exmouth looking up towards the municipal park.  I think the buildings in the middle were Tapas bars and restaurants.  Not too much detail was put into the buildings save for the chmineys and roof windows.

Landscape Watercolour of Mykonos, 15" x 11"

Mykonos is an iconic greek island and the main town here characterised by typical narrow streets and white washed buildings.  I suppose my focal point here could either be the church bell tower or the couple walking or the left hand truck. I added in pigment into the dark shadows while still wet, just to add a bit of interest and depth.

Landscape Watercolour of Arrecife, 15" x 11"

Low tide on the fairly large lake called 'El Charco' in Arrecife, Lanzarote.  The tidal lake offers sheltered mooring for smaller craft away from the Atlantic a short distance to the right.  I reduced this fairly complex scene to simpler shapes especially the background buildings (not painting in every terrace and window) and the myriad of boats. Many boats are just indicated with a bare bit of paper left unpainted, in a fairly random fashion, except for the foreground craft which had a bit more detail.