#474 View From Tilford Bridge

I painted this subject this time last year. I like going back to a place and painting it again as the knowledge and experience from the first time is there and helps inform the next go. (in theory!)
I liked the willow trees and their reflections in the water, the cows for life, and the water reeds to foreground interest. 

Now that the paint is nearly dried I cant decide whether to add a thicker layer to make the colour richer and the tones a little stronger... 

Oil on board 12x16"

#466 Blue Canal Boat

Not a subject I would have gone out to paint but a friend asked me to help her with plein air painting. 

When I first started painting outside I would choose a single object like this boat as it was similar to a still life - light a dark on a single element. So she honed in and I did a little of the surrounding. 

Canal boats are so tricky with their perspective being long and narrow but this little fella was a short version and seemed to have a character! 

An enjoyable paint but got terribly sunburn on my neck, not used to the sun yet!

#462 'Early Summer The River Wey' 35x45cm

Clambering over dewy wet grass some of it as tall as me in search of an inspiring composition and scene....Morning light with the greens so bright plus the gate and reflections, worth a paint!

A canvas bigger than usual 35x45cm as I want to challenge myself which I do with so many greens to mix and get right, focus on cool and warm, light and darks. Considering there isn't much to the composition I'm pleased with the outcome.

This is the start with my mixing palette as well.

#453 'Frost Meadow, The River Wey' 10x12"

A really chilly start it was -1 and frosty grass with a contrasting beautiful glowing sunrise. A new painting find for our local area, I like the open meadows, windy river and the sheep were a bonus. Will go back in Spring...

Beginnings..

#343 'The River Wey, Tilford' 24x30cm

It was a toss up between Waggoners Wells and Tilford Green. I was painting with Sarah Manolescue when we got to Tilford there was bridge works happening and it wasn't obvious what to paint. We walked around thinking we should maybe try Waggoners, but often the grass is greener, so we looked from the bridge and this is the view. Quite lovely! The sun came out and the cows even wondered into our scene.
Not easy standing on the super old bridge (built 1128) as it has one narrow lane and we were so close to the traffic, so much so they even stopped to have a nose at our paintings!
Here we are:

Enjoyed painting this, a challenge with all those greens, but it helps to mix pools of tonal colour before painting and I applied a burnt sienna underpainting....

#213 River Wey, Ripley 10x10"

I painted with the Surrey Hills Plein air painters on Friday, a nice spot, near the lock at Ripley. 
A tricky subject with lots of greens and the boat end obscured by the grasses. Sometimes paintings work from the beginning, others like this painting I was 3/4 through and I still wasn't sure whether it was going to work out. I'm not 100% sure about it, but pleased it's not a disaster! 
It does make a difference with the type of board it's painted on. This was the textured (like sandpaper) gessoed board which some subjects seam to really lend themselves to. 
I'm pleased I continued and didn't give up on it. Every painting is a learning and experience :-)