Saturday, 16 June 2012

Down by the River

With the official end of the indoor season of Avon Valley Artists  members  were given the option of painting outdoors or continuing at St Marys Church Hall. There are some members who are not enthusiastic about painting outdoors so were receptive to this suggestion. It was agreed it would happen on an ad hoc basis with members doing their own thing rather than a common subject. I wasn't too happy and said I would be painting outdoors, weather permitting, and those who wanted to do so could contact me and I would tell them where I planned to paint.

In the event I was the only outdoor painter this week and when I called in at the hall afterwards found nine members happily painting away. The weather has been terrible recently - cold, wet and windy, more like late autumn - but on Thursday was just about acceptable, at least for a short period.

Intially I picked the area close to the hall and alongside the River Avon, known as the Shallows. It was slightly windy and on the cold side but I was well kitted up with  warm clothing and also wore a pair of woollen fingerless gloves  my sister made me.This keeps hands warm but allows free use of fingers and consequently brushes.

A suppose you could call this a kind of warming up session as I decided to do a quick painting, probably best described as a sketch, rather than attempt a two hour masterpiece! This was the result.


Looking down towards the Riverside Pub. 16" x 12" Fabriano Artistico 140lb Not.

It took about 40 minutes and was accomplished mainly with two brushes, an Escoda 1214 Size 12 retractable and a Rosemary retractable rigger. A restricted palette was used with greens mixed from various blues and yellows and greys primarily Ultramarine or Cobalt Blues with Burnt Sienna. I am moderately pleased with the result as it was never intended as a serious painting..

Afterwards I called in at the Hall as I was only two or three hundred yards away, actually on the river bank, and had a chat with fellow AVA artists who were busy painting. Whatever the weather grandparenting duties might prevent me painting  next week and definately the following one but we shall see. 
at

14 comments:

  1. ann @ studiohyde16 June 2012 at 05:58

    Whoops! why does blogger do this...I had added a comment, got all the way through and it then told me there was an error...grrrr. So here, I am trying again. I am surprised at the large paper you used here Peter, very big I think for outdoor work, well done. Love the reflections too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Peter Ward16 June 2012 at 07:02

    Thanks Ann. Actually I don't normally paint any smaller than 15" x 11" regardless. 16" x 12" is my most used size and I'm increasingly into 20" x 14". I'm not really a sketcher as such - I just described the painting as such because it was done very quickly.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unknown16 June 2012 at 07:38

    Keep on sketching Peter, it works for you. Loose and evocative. I like it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Peter Ward16 June 2012 at 09:18

    Thanks Mick. I should have put in a photo of the actual scene but forgot (again) my camera, also a shot of me in my outdoor painting gear, complete with fingerless gloves (grin)!.

    ReplyDelete
  5. renate16 June 2012 at 13:21

    Hello Peter:) Love your painting. It says enough about the surrounding you worked in. Beautifully done!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Peter Ward17 June 2012 at 00:41

    Thanks Renate. I should have posted a photo of the scene - may do so in future.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yvonne Harry17 June 2012 at 04:19

    Fresh and spontaneous, as this sort of painting should be. Like it

    ReplyDelete
  8. Rui17 June 2012 at 06:59

    Hi Peter,

    Another winner. I really like your way of painting.

    I wish I lived on your side of the woods (I live in Walton on Thames) as I seem to have the same problem as you of getting company to paint outside.

    Keep those gorgeous paintings coming.

    Kind regards,

    Rui

    ReplyDelete
  9. Peter Ward17 June 2012 at 08:39

    Thanks Rui. Painting outside is different and, while it has its problems, can be very rewarding. It certainly gets the adrenalin flowing.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Peter Ward17 June 2012 at 08:40

    Thanks Yvonne. It was certainly spontaneous that' a fact!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous17 June 2012 at 20:19

    Hi Peter, This is very clean and crisp...the little saved "whites" have my eye dancing around the paper.
    Carol

    ReplyDelete
  12. Peter Ward18 June 2012 at 01:16

    Thanks for your kind remarks Carol.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Robert P. Armas18 June 2012 at 10:31

    Peter,if you want to call it a sketch,fine,but it really worked out well and has all the characteristics of a finished watercolor.In my eyes it is a fine,loose style watercolor.Well done my friend!Another winner.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Peter Ward18 June 2012 at 11:38

    Thanks Robert. I'm surprised how it seems to have gone down quite well.

    ReplyDelete