Beach Cafe Cala Mijas on the Costa del Sol

Cala Mijas, 22" x 15"

A beach cafe scene at Cala Mijas on the Costa del Sol.  I decided a different approach on the sky.  The whole area was whetted first - uniformly.  While still damp, I laid down the sky wash.  I think it allows for more even colour, but you need to watch out for the wash accumulating in dips in the paper if it's not stretched.  Getting a hair dryer on the job can prevent this.  Also while the sky was still damp, I laid down the sea wash and allowed a bit of bleeding between the two.  Resist the temptation to touch up the sky or go in again with more colour.  Many a time I've painted the sky with two washes and you do loose a bit of freshness.

 

Comments

[PGira]

Always nice to receive your watercolours in the mailbox.
I like them most of the time, but this one is slightly different because of the female figure on the left. Many times I find the persons in your watercolours a bit too much like the figure in your watercolour from 8 dec.; a bit too dark and widelegged and whiteshouldered...
The woman in todays watercolour on the contrary looks very elegant, even though she has no detailed feet, kind of intriguing with the burberry suitcase..Overall it looks that you took more time to do the people in this watercolour, the figures in the background and the couple under the umbrella.and the details in the shadow of the beachshop. I like the red square, the wooden panel,in the dark shadows.

Good distance too, the beach and the sky meets sea line.

[Tim Wilmot]

Thank you Peter for your kind comments. I used to spend more time with figures in older paintings. Maybe I should go back to that! Thanks again.

[Julian Andrade]

Thanks for your information. I'm always testing differents ways for almost everything. Painting sky it's a challenge and a watercolor can be wonderful only with a beautiful sky.

[Tim Wilmot]

I always use biggest mop brush I have for skies. I may also pre wet paper for a more even wash.