#258 'Dusk, Beer Fishing Boats' 15x45cm

I had started this on Beer beach a couple of weeks ago, but it was the end of the day and I was pooped after painting since dawn, so I decided to leave it finish to the studio. I'm glad I did because it was a challenge! 

The boats were the easiest bits and fun to paint. The sea and sky ... Because it was dusk there wasn't much light shining on the boats so they were silhouetted against the sea and getting the tonal value right was hard. And the sky being a small strip needed to get the colour intensity and tone right - 4 attempts later!
I painted the boats with a short flat brush - Rosemary & Co 'Ultimate' range and then painted the sea in a bigger size of this brush it didn't look right too uniformed in the strokes, scarped it off and re did it with a large round brush. Better!
The foreground stones of the beach also tricky as I don't want to make it too blocky and strong as its not the feature of the painting, but it was dark because of the time of day.

A good learning painting which is harder to do when painting outdoors as the time is limited and you are just focusing to get the painting down.

Been preparing 40 board (see pic below) for a trip to Dorset - I wont be using all 40 boards! Having a week in a caravan in November & hoping it's not a mistake! But looking forward to painting the Dorset coast.

#252 'Morning Light, Beer Beach' 5x10"

I thought the sunrise was going to be a bit of a damp squib. So I had started another painting of the fishing boats but without the light it wasn't working so when the flash of orange appeared I picked up my easel and almost ran to the edge of the beach! Then painted a quick oil sketch to get it down, sunrise seams to change more quickly than sunsets. I started with the bit that would change the quickest and the most important -  the orange in the sky and water reflection and then painted everything else around it including the land.

This was the last painting of Beer....back to Surrey.

I stepped back to look at the painting and thought how nice the scene looked, it's the red boat I painted when I first arrived in Beer.

#251 'Beer Head' 8x10"

I looked around after I finished the previous boat painting I posted and saw the light on the water and sky and thought I've got to paint that! So I turned my easel around and started straight away. The light only lasted about 30 minutes so it was a scramble to get it down. 

I blocked in the main shape of the cliff first and then the water and sky. I had painted the same cliff the day before from a higher aspect but haven't posted it as Im not convinced the painting works! It's not easy because the cliff is white chalk but there was no light on it, it was behind therefore in silhouette. Underpainting in one colour and then picking up areas over the top seams to unify.  Also keeping the paint for the water thinner in some places and thicker where the light hits.

There were some figures, so small you can hardly see them, but there there :-)

The scene reminds me of something Monet would paint!

#250 'Fishing Boats, Beer' 8x10"

An enjoyable afternoon painting with some local artists from friends and instagram buddies from the Devon area. 
The light wasn't great flat and dull but choosing a colourful and interesting shapes to paint helps when there is no light to feature.
Spent quite a bit of time getting the composition right, decided to chop the last one in half. I also put in the pontoon on wheels but it was too long and made the composition unbalanced so took it out. I added an upright instead - the person which helped. 
Kept the brushwork quite loose and free not wanting to be too exact. Also matching the style of the loose sky to the boats.

Happy to say this painting is my 100th of this year :-) 

#249 'Dawn Fishing Trip' 15x40cm

I really like the shapes of the boats and the morning activity when the fisherman are loading up ready for day on the water.
It needed fast painting as there was little time between the sun coming up and the boats disappearing over the edge of shingle. They are pushed by the tractor down the 5 meter drop into the sea, and when they ome back they are winched the steep slope back onto the brow of the beach. 
I had barely got the main shape of the left red one and it had gone and then the navy blue one the other side! It's good to do quick studies as you dont have time for procrastinating just totally focused and laying paint down.

#248 'Sunrise, Beer Beach' 8x10"

We were up each morning for sunrise, this was the first. With fast painting to get the colours and shapes of the clouds down before they changed. And a bonus to have a little fishing boat puttering into my scene, I put it in without too much detail just general shape.

I pre mix my colours before the sun has come up and the display starts. Quite tricky as its dark when I'm doing it- I need a light! But helps to be able to dive into the paint once the colours start....I can also tweek the pre mixed to get the colours to match what I'm seeing but its a good starting point, see my piles of mixed paint below.

#247 'Fishing Boat, Beer' 8x10"

We have just spent 3 nights in Beer, Devon. I was recommended by painter friends that it was a good place, and it was! Really enjoyed the interesting beach with the fishing boats and very steep drop to the sea, great cliffs each side too.
I eased myself in when we arrived with this painting of a typical fishing boat in Beer. The light was unsual, still yellow sky and milky green water. I enjoyed painting the silhuetted shape against the light background. Tried to keep the brush work fresh and not overwork it.