Bath, UK, 15" x 11"

A fairly loose rendition of a typical Bath street, and trying to capture the warm ochre of the stonework.  I'm also mixing different silhouetted shapes with the figures coming out of shadows, as I quite often do now, shadows on the far buildings, and some street furniture catching the light and contrasting with the background.  I have achieved the soft edge of where the rooftops meet the sky by doing a little wet in wet, with the building was being slightly thicker than the sky wash.

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press, 300 Gms

Venice, Italy, 15" x 11"

The Arsenale area of Venice and a fairly quiet canal.  Based on a photo of mine taken last year.  Good exercise in simplification and leaving out all the architectural details and just going for an impression of the old buildings and all the different colours you find in their old facades.  Again a contra jour, into the light study which works well for figures and light things against the shadows.

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press, 300 gms.

Malaga, Spain, 15" x 11"

While waiting at the bus stop in central Malaga, I did a quick sketch which then later became the basis for this painting.  Still really a sketch and a simple study of the edge of a building, cars and people emerging from the shadows.  A key part of this painting are the washes - the graded wash on the sky (slightly stronger away from the sun) and the foreground street inheriting the colour of the buildings above.

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press, 300 gms

Here's my latest YouTube Video up on my YouTube Channel.  This time an exercise in painting shadows and with the light behind me!

Exmouth, Devon, 15" x 11"

A third study of some boats at low tide in a small inlet on the estuary.  A little bit of wet in wet on the reflections - you have to make sure the second paint you are adding is a slightly thinker consistency and the first wash is not too wet.  Just a very simple rendition of the background shapes of the warehouses (almost abstract) and use of some white gouache for highlights, masts and ropes.

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press, 300 gms.

Las Palmas, Spain. 15" x 11"

The end of the long beach in Las Palmas and raised open square beyond overlooking the bay.  A beach has many colours when I observe them.  The more I look, the more colours I see.  Painting done with my trusty 3 colour palette (with a neutral tint added for the darks), which I enjoy using more than my full palette to be honest.  It's interesting sometimes to see the output of some colour combinations without it getting to green/brown/muddy.

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press 300 gms.

Pisa, Italy, 15" x 11"

I'm probably the only artist to visit Pisa and not paint the leaning tower.  The side streets and little squares around the area however are a lot more interesting.  This is the Via Santa Maria leading up to the tower from the centre of the city to the south.  A small ice cream cafe here on the corner of the square and looking into the light with almost abstract shapes of figures and cars.

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press 300 gms.

Tetbury, UK, 15" x 11"

A loose painting of Silver Street in Tetbury, just near the centre of town.  Figures in shadows are tricky.  Generally I suppose with most clothing styles, they are darker than their shadowy surroundings.  Here, they are almost the same tonal value so maybe a bit more difficult to pick out.  A painting here though to play around with values and shapes and having a bit of fun making the car appear with just a bit of negative work around it.

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press, 300 gms.

Exmouth Devon, 15" x 11"

A bit of contra jour in Exmouth with some Yachts at low tide in the estuary.  With the side of a large mop brush, it's quite easy to drag across rough paper and get the little sparkles I have in the foreground.  Not too much paint on the brush either.  Also the softer the hairs on the brush the better.  The tops of the boats going into the distance are just simple lines and shapes to give the impression of a line of them and their shadows.

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press, 300 gms

Cala de Mijas, Spain, 15" x 11"

Maybe a midday scene this one and off season, so quite streets and just a solitary figure out in the sun.  I normally like to have figures going into or out of the shadows rather than having then in isolation and also rarely paint with the sun behind me as in this one.  So I decided to go in heavy with the shade on the left to balance the brightness on the right.  A bit of wet on wet with the soft edges on the buildings on the right and the skyline.

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press, 300 gms