Landscape Watercolour of Minster Lovell, 15" x 11".
The quaint picture-postcard village of Minster Lovell in Oxfordshire, and painted on a cold January day (some time ago). The village is just really one street with many thatched cottages and no satellite dishes in sight. There could have been many subjects to paint here and in the end I decided on the end of the village, the road heading east and the low winter sun lighting up the mellow tones of the cottage walls.
Post number 500.
Landscape Watercolour of Newquay, Cornwall, 15" x 11".
The fairly steep road and narrow road leading down to Newquay Harbour, with views up the northern coast of Cornwall. I thought the contrasts between the fairly dark background, the sunlight roof, darker walls, then the light foreground added interest. I think I could play around with this composition again, maybe introducing more buildings in the middle ground and moving the people to the other side...
Landscape Watercolour of Chipping Sodbury, 15" x 11"
The old buildings of Ridgewood Community Centre, once a workhouse a century ago but now a centre for clubs and societies promoting learning in the community. The shaft of light in the middle of the sky was unintentional, but one of those happy accidents with watercolour. Dry brush strokes for the lamp posts and tyre marks on the road.
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 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 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 Yate, 15" x 11"
A scene near to me and the White Lion Inn with a few locals enjoying a few beers in the rare UK summer sun. The background trees were rendered with a sword or dagger brush, an odd shape of a brush but brilliant for random foliage effects and also long straight lines like phone cables etc.
Landscape Watercolour of Iron Acton nr bristol, 15" x 11"
A nearby farm I visit many times for it's great 'Farm Shop' selling fresh local produce. It was after a recent visit, I was just reversing out the car park and had this view with the main barn centre and smaller buildings and lean to's hanging on the sides. I made up the farmer (I don't think they have a dog - sorry).
Landscape Watercolour of Yate, 15" x 11"
The entrance leading up to St Mary's Church in Yate, near to where I live. I pass this church every day in to work and took a reference photo in late afternoon as the basis of my sketch. I left out quite a bit of detail, the village hall in the middle, a bench on the green, but I think they would have detracted from the scene. I also tried a bit of scratching our with a knife to define the side of the road on the right. You have to time this just right - too soon while the paper is still very wet, and the paint seeps back into the line.
Landscape Watercolour of Newquay, 15" x 11".
Low tide at Newquay Harbour exposing a sandy beach at the bottom of the steep cliffs and the narrow access road going down to the Yacht Club there. I think if I painted this scene again, I would go for a shot looking up the slipway here and have the sun coming towards me, maybe some highlights on the tops of the up-turned boats.
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