May Challenge

This is the latest photograph in the ongoing (fun) competition between Mick Carney and myself . .www.thepaintingstruggle.blogspot.com/

This is a complicated scene  (I don't know where it is) so the first decision was what to leave in and what to leave out. I decided to omit the canal boat on the left hand side but otherwise follow the basic scene, simplifying as I went. I did a preliminary sketch to see how this would look and then proceeded to do an outline drawing.  If you study the photograph you have two distinct near halfs. The left hand very light side, mainly the building (hostelry?), the largest shape and the dark right hand side, the bridge predominating. I decided not to have such an abrupt separation and deliberately lightened the right hand side, then making the large windows and door of the house as the key elements linking them to the hand rail and the boat under the bridge.

 18 x 15" Waterford High White Not

I painted in stages starting with the top roof and carried on from there linking things up as I proceeded.

Colours used were a mixture of Burnt Sienna, Permanent Carmine, Burnt Umber and Cerulean for the roof, mixing on the paper. I also put these colours in the left hand side of the bridge. Others used were Cobalt Blue and Cerulean for the sky, Raw Umber in various places and for the first time Hansa Yellow Medium (PY97 Daniel Smith) mixed with various blues for the greens, instead of W & N Transparent Yellow (PY150) which I have discarded. I think that's it.

The painting was completed using one brush which was the Da Vinci Artissimo 44 Size 2 Kolinsky mop. This is roughly equivalent in size to something between a 12 and 14 round Kolinsky. A superb brush, one of my favourites even if it is expensive.

Initially I was quite pleased with the result but in the light of the following day have some doubts, which happens all too often. Comments welcome.

Painting at Beer

Beer is a beautiful small unspoilt fishing village situated on the South Devon Coast between Lyme Regis and Sidmouth. This last weekend we  booked a B and B right in the centre. I had never been  before, nor knew anything about the place, but one of my painting friends has had a permanent caravan  there for years and another recently visited for a short break. Listening to them talk enthusiastically about the area decided us to go at fairly short notice.

Beer is situated on the cliffs above a lovely cove and the beach, although of pebbles rather than sand, makes for a delightful view.  I noticed the place we stayed in had a number of framed prints from a local artist called Ben Bradshaw, rather too chocolate box for my taste,  but obviously popular and very prolific  judging by the amount of his work, in various forms, around the village. His originals sell for £300 - £500 apparently.

There are two good gallerys in the main Fore street,  one called Steamers and the other the Marine Gallery. They appear to be owned by the same person or persons and I was particularly taken by some of the paintings in the Steamer Gallery. Some very good artists featured here.

On to painting. I took all my outdoor gear with me and, although conditions were slightly windy, decided to attempt a painting. My wife hired a deckchair and got on with her latest book from her reading group.

DAY 1.

The beach has numerous attractive boats and other miscellaneous gear lying about so there are plenty of possible subjects. The main problem was the wind and also the pebbly beach which is loose underfoot, so it brings problems in setting up to paint. I chose a spot in a corner just off the beach with a cement base and settled on a particular large boat, surrounded by numerous others of varying sizes. After drawing the main boat, which was interconnected with numerous others, I kept drawing adding more and more until I had a really busy drawing. This was a major mistake. Not long after I began to paint I realised I had a probable disaster on my hands, notwithstanding the various onlookers who made approving noises. There are a few who say nothing so make of that what you will. One thing I have learned is not to pursue failure so I soon gave up and the partially completed painting finished up in the nearest rubbish bin. Lesson from this. Take more care and simplify. Also take a little more time about deciding what to paint. I do that more and more these days but still suffer relapses, as on this occasion.

DAY 2

The unsatisfactory end of my painting session made me determined to have another go the following day, helped by a slight moderation of the wind factor. Otherwise the weather was excellent. The previous day I had taken lots of photos so had a clearer idea of what to concentrate on. On this occasion I braved the pebbly beach and parked myself well forward as you will see from the painting. Down went the groundsheet and this helped but easel, chair and  me were still slightly rocky. The wind remained a factor although not a major one, despite this the whole lot went flying on one occasion, water pot and all but fortunately no real damage.

This is the result completed in about 2 hours. This time I followed Charles Reid's advice when painting outdoors in that, rather than completing the drawing in one session, I drew some then painted and repeated this two or three times. This is to combat the way light changes over the course of a painting session.

Boats on the beach at Beer Waterford 16" x 12" Not 

I'm not delighted with the above. I feel I can do much better and have some excellent photographs to work with. Hopefully a much better painting will emerge which I can display on here. What else about Beer? We shall definately return. Excellent fish and chips from the Beer Fish and Chip shop/restaurant and another very good meal in a quality restaurant called Steamers. We also indulged in clotted cream teas (twice!). 

Latest Plein Air

This is my latest effort, painted last thursday at Dundas Acqueduct, a few miles outside Bath on the A36 Warminster road.

Saunders Waterford 16" x 12" Not - Dundas Boats and Barges

Dundas acqueduct is a popular location, part of the Kennet and Avon Canal, a favourite of barge owners and canal holidays. The area where we paint is a spur of the canal which runs to a basin close to the main road. It has a shop where you can hire boats and bicycles, an excellent cafe/restaurant, and is usually quite busy or indeed very busy.

On this particular day the waterway  was packed with end to end barges plus a few other types,  used either as houseboats or parked up. On certain weekends you can take canal trips and some are also available for wedding parties and celebrations of all sorts. A very lively place although it was quiet when I started and only the odd person stopped and tried to engage me in conversation, something that Judi Whitton (and others) say you have to `nip in the bud'. It is difficult as one doesn't want to seem rude, but concentration can be affected if onlookers are too persistent.

I started painting at around 10am and finished at noon. This was my usual attempt at painting with a first time finish, using paint straight from the paintbox (a mix of full and half pans) without overmuch mixing or messing about. Obviously some overpainting takes place but I try to keep it to a minimum. My (attempted) methods are based on those used by Charles Reid and Judi Whitton. I used several different blues and yellows for the greens. The large tree in the background had leaves that are very grey/green and I used Primary Blue - Cyan (PB15-3 green shade- Maimeri) mixed with Cadmium Orange (PO20 Maimeri) to create this greyish effect. If you play around with these two colours you can create some wonderful greys but take care which Cad Orange you use. The Windsor and Newton version is a mixture of Cadmium red and yellow, while Rowney do use PO20, the correct pigment, but add a yellow to it. Unless you use pure Cadmium Orange you will get a different colour.

I looked at the painting the following day in my `studio' and made some small colour additions. Otherwise I am quite pleased with it. I have done several others at this location, not all from the same viewpoint.