#83 'Reflected Watermelon' 6x8"

It's been so busy I haven't had the time or energy to do any painting. But I was itching to do one so I got into my studio by 6am this morning which gave me time to focus and work on this painting before any Open Studio visitors arrived at 11am.
I put the melon on tin foil and was pleased with the reflection it created of the skin. 
Painting it I was aiming for the translucency at the top and richness of the red, fun to paint and will have another go. 

The photo below is of me over the weekend painting in between visitors but didn't get much done so it was abandoned. I'm not complaining about having people come and visit as the Open Studio is going well :-) Making sales each day we are open and meeting some new arty people especially in the local area which is really great.

#77 'Citrus' 6x8"

I enjoyed painting these colours, fresh and clean. I liked the shadows - so much in them, also the harmony of colours and the challenge of a cut in half fruit, first one I've tackled! You have to really question what colour is that? And also tone, yellow is tricky as you tend to paint it too light. So I make sure the darks are dark enough without being dirty.
I also made sure my edges were varied with some soft and some crisp. I liked encorporating a bowl with the fruit, fun to paint. I hope my students will enjoy this too :-)
I put this painting up against one I did in January, no.7 quite a different!

No. 77 & No. 7

#62 'Black Down Sunset' 6x8"

My painting trip last night was a learning curve... Even though I have pared down my equipment to the essentials it all still weights a tonne! I walked about 20 minutes from the car park to this view, but I stopped after 10 as I thought I'd found a good spot it was the East side the light was warm and good clouds, I set up and then the hail pelted down, while I was waiting for it to pass I started to doubt my view as the clouds had come and it was now in the shade and quite dull (surprising how the sunlight can really lift a subject.) So I packed up and walked to the sunsetting view. I try not to take too long over finding a good subject to paint as you could always think 'the grass is greener over there!'

The clouds were magnificent when I was setting up and I was rather pleased with myself, but then I got my paint out and I realised I left my white behind. Some subjects don't have much white in them like a tomato but a cloudscape is so light compared to the land. I tried mixing the paint and using yellow to lighten. It didn't work so I called my husband he was coming anyway because he was going to photograph the area, but he had to come 2 hours earlier than expected. While I was waiting for him I did 3 little sketches here is one of them:

By the time I had started painting the clouds had all nearly gone and the sun was shining in my face! Due to the dazzle I could barely see my board and was absolutely freezing! I got back at 8.30pm last night pleased I hadn't given up but I will do a check list for painting trips in the future :-)

#55 'Camber Docks, Fishing Boat' 6x8"

I really enjoyed painting this little fishing boat, it's in Portsmouth where I used live. Being a sunny day there were many people milling about I was on a walk through so lots of people stopped to chat. Behind me were houses, a couple were out in their garden and offered me a cup of tea while I was painting, so kind of them!
I broke the boat down into shapes (as though I was painting a jug!) and simplified where I could. The reflections weren't strong but enough for me to work with. 
I will go back and do more at Camber Docks, it was lovely to paint in the sun too and not so bittery cold!

The picture below shows my painting near completion - it took two and half hours. I used my new 'Open Box M' Pochade from America for the first time. It worked like a treat. I put a piece of acrylic plastic in the mixing palette which is easier to mix on and clean off. Plus my Husband made be the very nifty paint brush rest you can see on the right. So chuffed.

#47 'Frensham Little Pond' 6x8"

I waited till the fog had cleared where we live and drove the 15 minutes to this pond. It was still foggy but actually looked really atmospheric and pretty. By the time I was ready to paint a lot of the fog had cleared but I still kept it quite tonal. I simplified the tree shapes and little house. The reeds were a a lovely yellow ochre colour - which I mixed with my three primary colours. 
It felt a very tranquil spot even with the many dogs and people passing and I will definitely do more in this area. 

#31 'Pine Tree, Devils Punch Bowl' 6x8"

A glorious weather day! It was wonderful to be out and painting in the Punch Bowl (Surrey.) Rather chilly though and as I'm not used to working outside yet it takes me ages to do even a small painting 6x8". I was there two and half hours and by the end I couldn't control my brush with the shivering! 

New things were tricky like the sunlight shining on my board and distorting the palette colours so I stood in my shadow. I had my back to a path which was very busy with dog walkers and people enjoying the sun. I found it a little distracting especially as they could see my painting form the path, I wanted to say 'don't judge it yet, it's not finished!' 

Doing this today it makes me realise how much I still have to learn with painting en plein air (outside) but it gives me impetuous to do more!

#27 'Two Boats, Emsworth' 6x8"

I met a friend in Emsworth, Hampshire today so I took the opportunity to paint this morning. Shame about the weather! Windy and drizzle. 
I tried standing with my pochard but my head was above the sea wall and got the brunt of weather so I tucked myself down and perched on a stone.  I should have checked the tide times as the sea went out quicker than I was painting it! I quickly put the sea in around the boat while it was still there. The flat light was difficult to pick out the tones. 
As the drizzle got harder my palette became soaking and the paint was congealing in the water! My board also got wet and was resisting my brush strokes. Not Easy!! But there were moments I really enjoyed like the two swans that flew straight over my head honking, and just being by the sea was great :-) Definitely go back there as there is lots of painting fodder.

Daily Painting #15 'View from our Bedroom' 6x8" Oil on Board

My first landscape Daily Painting! These are Larch trees, a deciduous pine, lovely shaped branches, with rich orange against the winter sky. I have missed painting landscapes and really enjoyed this one. 
I usually have Classic FM on for company in my Studio, painting this there was silence apart from the birds singing and my animals snore! Matte, my dog was in the bed and Miffy shown below was interested in my palette!

Daily Painting #8 'Aubergine' 6x8" Oil on Board

The composition was set up with the aubergine and coloured papers, I then moved myself around to find a good viewpoint and height.

I looked through my viewfinder to draw with a paint brush onto the board.

Althought he aubergine is very dark in tone I worked on getting a good tonal range throughout.

It was fun to use a big brush and sweep down the body of the aubergine.