#436 'Snow Pastels' 30x30cm

Just after sunrise when there's still a bit of colour in the sky but no direct light on the scene. It was a few days ago -8 with wind chill, bitter but worth it :-) 
Reminds me of Farrow and Ball colours! Lots of mixed greys - warm and cool. More snow paintings to come!

#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 :-)

'Skies 1 & 2' Pastel on paper, 10x15" & 8x10"

Gorgeous sky again had to draw it. I haven't really used pastels much before, so I  experimenting with what they can do. I need to invest in some more colours and surfaces. I had a look online and got rather overwhelmed with the 400 colours I could choose from in just one make!

Also the surfaces, this one is with a sandpaper style rough textured like sandpaper, great for pastels as they stick to the paper nicely. 

I kept it quite loose in the marks and not putting much detail in. A couple of colours I overlaid with another but mostly it's one layer. I also let some of the brown paper show through to add unity to the whole - like an oil painting.