#153 Morning Light, Staithes 8x8"

I mentioned a few posts back that I had the lurgie and I still getting over bronchitis and don't feel up to painting outside so I looked through my sketchbooks to find a pen and ink I did in Staithes June last year. (see pic below)

Painting from a photo is tricky as the photo is very limiting especially in tonal value. But it really helped to have drawn and seen the view in person.

When there's no time pressure of plein air painting I can afford to experiment. I put a tonal base layer (see pic below) and then working over the top to bring up the colour intensity and tonal contrast. Doing this allows for a more painterly and harmonised feel.

Getting the light on the water the right tone took a couple of goes as you think it's lighter than it is. Squinting I could see it wasn't much lighter just a different colour!

P.s I painted here in June, looking from the opposite direction no.87

#141 'Boats on The Beck, Staithes' 8x8"

I have painted a similar view on the last trip to Staithes in July (#87) I wanted to try again on our recent visit...
...When I got back to the cottage I was happy with it. The format was wrong for the composition and the paint application wasn't what I wanted. 
I left it until today when I looked at it again thinking can I improve this painting? The answer was no! It was fundamentally wrong eg composition. I have attached it below. So I decided to use the paintings from this area and do another one! Pictured above. 

Painting it again meant I had familiarised myself with the subject and so could draw it out more easily and concisely. I was drawn to the boats in the scene so that's what I honed into, cropped off one to improve the composition.

One of the troubles I had outside was the sunlight had come around quickly and was shining directly onto the boats so neither side had shadow. Which was so different to when I started it. 

I used a different method of starting today's painting. Mixing some greys, greens and browns and painting in the mids and darks even over the boat hulls and painting over the top wet into wet, bringing up the colour, intensity and tonal contrast. Which then gives a harmonious and connected feel to the whole. 

It also makes a big difference to the finish with what board you work on. The first landscape format was textured and grippy. The second square was a wood panel with 3 layers of acrylic primer, and slightly sanded as well. I like the way the paint behaves on the this finish more than the brought prepared panels. Very happy with the finish of today's painting, glad I tried it again :-)

#137 'Sunrise, Staithes Beach' 9.5x12"

This is the last sunrise from Staithes, I have enjoyed painting at this quiet time of the day and capturing the beautiful colours which are so quick to disappear. 
I have been experimenting with thicker paint, and not doing an under painting to start, just doing it in one thick go. Which is working well unless I'm being indecisive or unsure about an area and then the paint gets too thick, so I scrape off and start again! I like the thick lucsious quality of the oils although it's harder to control when there is loads of it on the board.
The early light really influences the whole scene, so to harmonise the palette, every colour mix I add a dab of peach colour from the sky. 
I painted this Monday morning we drove to the Lake District straight after. Lake paintings to follow :-)

#136 Sunrise The Beck, Staithes 9.5x12"

Another windy morning but lucky with the rain and had some great fluffy clouds. I really enjoyed painting the sky, a real test of observation under limited time.
I had to strap my pochard to the railings as the wind would blow it over and difficult to do any detail as it buffeted my arm.
But I still enjoyed it! A' large' painting with lots going on, I used a connected palette of colour, linking my mixes so the painting is harmonised.
As I painted the sky the clouds and colours just kept improving. which is frustrating when you have committed to certain cloud formation and colours. I did add a light orange glow on the horizon but to have added anymore I would have needed to scrub it off and start again. It's getting the balance in changing to improve but not obliteration what you have. 
It feels as though these paintings are at the limit of my comfort, pushing with size, application of paint - making it thicker, challenging subjects, composition, and the elements! I hope it will help my skills in the long run :-)
You can see the same little fishing boats I painted in yesterdays sunrise painting.
I now have another two other paintings on the go which I have started here (both tricky!) I will complete them soon. I wanted to get them started here as there's so many areas I'm itching to paint, and we leave tomorrow morning for the Lake district.... 

#135 'Sunrise, Staithes Harbour' 8x10"

Haven't posted in a few days as I was prepping for an eight day painting trip we are now on. My husband and I are away in North Yorkshire Staithes, a small fishing village I previously visited in the summer. It's a really inspiring place and everywhere you look is another painting opportunity.
We started this morning and I did this one at the top of the village looking down on the harbour. It was bitingly cold with the wind in my face and my fingers slowly seizing up with cold.

There were so many options for compositions I choose this view as it had all the elements I like! 
I put the sky in as it was changing colour fast. getting the tone light enough and a good intensity of colour, the sea came next as it mirrored a lot of the colour in the sky, with sweeping strokes for the breaking waves. Putting the cliffs in was a bit of a shock with the tonal contrast but with it helps make the sky look pastely and soft, I kept the cliffs fairly translucent and dark. Then to tackle the roof tops! I focused on the sky line as that was the interesting bit with getting the angles of the roofs and chimney pots, also changing the tone and colours of the red slate. The miniature boats were just a suggestion with hardly any detail.
It took 2.5 hours, a long time whens it's cold, but I felt happy for being there and the painting at the end.
I did another one in the afternoon but it needs more work so will go back tomorrow and finish it.

#91 'Early Morning Staithes Harbour' 8x10"

An early start on the final morning I completed half of this before I drove home. I liked the dark tones and a touches of bright sunlight coming through.
I finished the painting in my studio the next day. It was a challenge to keep the plein air freshness of working outside - when there isn't time to fiddle and overwork and be too careful. Which happend when I painted the sky, it was too careful and laboured looking, so I wiped it off and did this one in minutes with thined paint and quick brush strokes. Also getting the side of the boat in the shadow dark enough to show the bright red on the light side was tricky.

The pen and ink below I did on the first morning to get myself accustomed to the surroundings. I did a painting of it later but I'm not happy with it, so I thought I'd tackle it in my studio and see if it can be improved :-) and if so I will post it!

#89 'Fishing Boat, Staithes Harbour' 7x9.5"

I painted this on Saturday afternoon, bright sunshine and a busy beach. Lovely to be amongst the children playing in the sand and the dogs rushing into the sea.

Love this boat especially the coloured buoys catching the sunlight. It was quite windy so I depicted it in the sky, painting it quickly and loosely with some medium.
I painted the figures as they walked into my view. The guy next to the boat was up and down and bending he was painting the boat, quite tricky to capture him while he was moving! But I'm happy with the result and his yellow wellies :-) 

This pen and ink I did while I was in Staithes, a great view I may paint at a later date. 

#88 'Staithes Beach' 7x9.5"

Second painting in Staithes on the Plein Air workshop. Love the little red boat so much so I painted it another 2 times after this!
Blocking in the dark tones first gives a good backdrop for the sunlit boat house. Also careful to observe the sand colours - not just yellow :-)

The photo below shows I have cropped in to paint the areas I am drawn to.

#87 'Staithes, The Beck' 8x8"

I had an amazing 3 day Plein Air workshop up in Staithes, North Yorkshire. A wonderful teacher, Haidee-Jo Summers and I loved being immersed in painting to eat drink and sleep it :-) Also lovely to talk to other artists and exchange tips.

I produced 6 painting over the weekend, I will post them daily on here. This was my first.
It's an estuary off the harbour, soft greys and those rich red roofs. The boats have a certain shape and colours (very paintable.)  I can't believe what an inspiring place to paint it is, definitely going back there!

I tried a new technique in all the paintings. Putting a slightly thinner mix in of the darkest and mid tones which were muted down. This gives a harmony to the whole and helps with tonal connection. Also it blocks in most of the board in 30 mins or so. Then add the lighter tones and more intense saturated colours. I am really pleased with the outcome. Although it felt tough doing a different method and out of my comfort.

Here is a pic of what I saw and my palette...