#124 'Wagoners Wells' 8x10"

This National Trust beauty spot in Hampshire, is just down the road from us. I had the idea to paint here as I did a sketch of it in March:

I adapted the view as I love the big trees in foreground.

I had limited time to paint it which worked well as I didn't fuss with the foliage! I made areas of muted greens for the back greenery and then painted the brighter greens on top with more leaf shapes. This helped to not put all the details in but still suggest its trees and branches.

I enjoyed painting this - the photo doesn't do the colours justice!

#113 'Vik Church, Iceland' 7x9.5"

 

I was standing a little way up a mountain to be eye level with this church. I thought it had an alpine feel and is actually very typical of Icelandic churches.

I simplified the scene and focused on the bits I liked - the contrast between the white building and the dark rocks. I used thicker paint then previous seascapes to emphasis the lush greens. The plain below the hill was so wide and expansive to the sea I had to reduce it a little for the composition and the board!

The distant cliff and land I made sure looked far away with very pale muted colours, not much darker in tone than the sky, to give a sense of space.

The sounds around me travelled and high up on the mountain were Oyster Catchers swooping and calling, they sounded like they were just above my head.

#110 'Vik Beach, Iceland' 8x10"

I did two more paintings yesterday from the Vik village side, where you see more of the rocks I thought they looked a bit like teeth!  I tried a more textured surface board and after a smooth board it felt strange and I didn't have enough paint on my brush a few times as it grips more. Not much sunlight and therefore little contrast between light and shade. Although the froth of the waves coming onto the black sandy beach was very strongly contrasted.

#109 'Reynisdrangar Vik, Iceland' 7x9.5"

 

I completed this second painting in the afternoon. The light changed half way through with the sun coming out which enriched the colours and contrast.
I walked down the beach it was hard going in the soft back sand and my gear. I liked the stacks smaller and at a different angle so I could see three instead of two of them - in the first painting.
I wanted to try and convey the energy of the sea, it was massive and so loud, with continuous spray in my face. I used lots of loose brush marks in the sky and sea. And putting some tiny figures in gave a sense of scale.

#107 'Arnarstapi Cliffs, Iceland' 20x30cm

The elements were against us today, still on the Western Peninsular we found this spot and within 10 minutes of painting the rain and mist came in, felt a bit like Cornwall! It was tricky as my view partly disappeared! And the rain was blowing in my face and eyes. My palette and board had a wet film on it, I kept wiping for dryer patches but it felt hard core! Thankfully after 45 mins the rain and mist cleared :-)

I liked the arch and waves crashing around the rocks. I heightened the colours as it was very monotone.

I enjoyed the day, even with the hardships. We are going whale watching tomorrow let hope we see some!



#106 'Skardsvik Beach, Iceland' 8x10"

First Full day in Iceland, we are on the Western Peninsular. The Weather forecast was cloud all day but the sun came out on this beautiful beach called 'Skardsvik'. The colours were like the Caribbean, I absolutely loved panting it!
The cliff and rocks are unusual because they are all made of lava from an ancient eruption. They were very dark in colour and almost black in the shadow areas. I used Raw Umber and Ultramarine Blue to make this colour (no white). I had to be brave in making it dark enough to contrast with the gorgeous sea greens. The sand (there is some speckled on the painting!) is also different because most of the beaches in Iceland are black, the shells on this beach make it the traditional yellow.
There were lots of tourists some paddling in the very cold North Atlantic Ocean and others watching me paint! Husband Nick enjoyed photographing waterfalls and lava fields. I'm chuffed to have completed my first oil painting abroad :-)

#105 'Beach Huts, Hayling Island 2' 9x12"

These huts look simple but are deceptively tricky to paint, it was a struggle painting with lots of wiping off and angst! It’s the biggest board I’ve worked on to date. I wanted a long thin one, but my order for them hasn’t arrived yet. I like the line of huts but that meant a lot of sky it was hazy and not much to it, which is so much harder if you have to invent things instead of looking at nature. 

I wanted to the sea behind the huts which is 'contra jour' - looking into the sun and therefore most of the huts are in shadow. 

It's about a 40min drive to Hayling Huts from my house and yesterday the weather was so different down there, blowing a hooley, so much so I had to hold onto my pochade or else it would blow over! Even with my weighted bag hanging from it. See pics below.

While I was painting I noticed a guy photographing me, he came over and asked if I didn’t mind and he said it looked a good shot! So I asked for copies of them the 2 below are his - Trevor Carpenter, thank you!

Considering how much of a struggle and thinking nearly up until the end that this feels like flogging a dead horse! It's actually turned out ok. It shows you shouldn’t give up on a painting as it may come through in the end :-)

#104 'Hayling Island' 8x10"

I was so lucky with the weather and light. The colours were gorgeous, and I loved the contrasted sandy spit with the deep turquoise blue sea behind. 

I used fast thinly painted strokes to cover the board quickly, then go in with thicker paint over the top. 
It's right at the south tip of Hayling but looking north - towards the South Down hills, really like this area and will go back. 

#103 'Morning Light, Emsworth Harbour' 8x8"

The sun was sparkling on the water, directly behind this red boat. I quickly set up and by the time I sketched it out with my brush the sun had moved and it was no longer behind the boat! I carried on anyway and got the main shapes in especially the water. Not easy looking into the sun and dazzling sparkles! I had my cap and sunglasses on, does anyone reading this ware sunglasses to paint? Sometimes I have to as my eyes are sensitive and water to much.

After one hour a dog walker had returned and couldn’t believe how much I'd got in already. But the scene had changed so much I couldn’t continue. 

Back in my studio I didn’t like the painting it was rough looking (see below)

So I decided to start again on another board, which I’ve not done after a plein air paint before. I wished I'd had a rougher surface board to work on originally as it helps to show the sparkle as the paint catches in the dimples. In fact this board I used was super smooth.

I spend a session painting the picture, and by the time I finished it I realised the one I did outside was better!

So I went back to it today and worked on it again, remembering the light was what drew me to it so emphasised that with thick light paint. 

I’m happy with the final outcome :-)

#102 'Crabbing at Langstone Harbour' 8x10"

This is my kind of subject! I love painting water, buildings, people and the evening light was fab too. 

I painted this view back in 2000 when I first starting painting properly and I haven't painted it since. It used to be something I'd see daily when coming off of Hayling Island bridge where I used to live.

When I got to the harbour, it was bustling with families crabbing, I walked around to find a good aspect and decided I liked the life it added with the people. Set up and at least 8 of them came over to just where I was panting, no good for getting them into my view! But the two boys stayed there long enough for me to paint them. I was surrounded by shrieks with the kids pulling up the crabs on there lines, and dropping them into their buckets.

The evening light didn’t last long and I was franticly painting in the sky and water as it takes up so much of the composition it needed to be right and well observed. The paint was thick for the sky and thin for the water which seamed to work well.

Summer Workshop no.2 at Frensham Little Pond

We had a lovely day yesteday at Frensham Little Pond. A good spot to draw although we were lucky it wasn't raining, the wind was wipping up from the water and quite chilly. 
My students worked really hard on drawing what they saw, ready to use the information in September for oil paintings. Some had never drawn outside so a new experience, which can be quite dawnting. 
We broke it down firstly small, quick thumbnails to work out the composition and subject matter.

And then a larger more careful line drawing with tones noted down on it, using a scale of 1-10, 1 being the lightest tone you'll see and 10 the darkest. This is helpful when painting it later.

Finally a tonal drawing not using any outlines, just blocking in the basic shapes.

It was great to be outside with my students and them getting stuck into it! They said it gave them confidence to be drawing outside as they were in a group and not so likely to be singled out! 

#101 'Paddling at Tilford Bridge' 8x8"

This is a known spot for families, grest for splashing around in the River Wey. I got to the bridge early and had an hour painting before anyone else arrived. These two boys with their grandma turned up and they were straight in the river. I initially thought oh dear a distraction, but actually when I saw them in the water I thought they be great in my painting! I worked quickly to try and capture them, you can imagine they didn't stay still for long! When they got out I called them over and explained they were in my painting. They thanked me, with I thought was very polite! and then 'high fived' each other, which made me smile :-)
The painting itself I did 90% outside, but wasn't that happy with it when I got home so went over most of it, tweeking the tones and colours. I'm pleased with the result now. 

Here is the painting in progress by the river, the boys and had just got into the water.

#100 'View from my Studio Window' 5x7"

Yippee! I have reached number 100 daily paintings. I had big plans for my 100th picture but it turns out to be this little oil sketch I did from my studio. But still with the same thoughts - carefully observed from life, small and in one day.

If you are thinking of doing the 'almost daily painting challenge' I urge you to do it, even if you just do it for a month. I have committed to doing it for this year 2016 year. It has improved my painting skills, and I'm really enjoying the 'journey'. You get so much out of it.
Here's to the next 100 paintings!

#97 'River Wey, Farncombe Boat House' 8x8"

Some paintings flow and are easy others don't, this was a stop start struggle and pain! I am still unsure about it, but thought I'd share it anyway. 
You can tell the bits I enjoyed which were the boats. I wondered around for a while trying to find a composition I liked. I was drawn to the light hitting the boats and the contrast under the bridge. This has turned out a bit blocky but it was a good exercise to do and it's an interesting place lots of boats stored waiting to be hired or sold and also a lock on the canal, I'll have to go back and have another go.
I have used my husbands laptop to write today's blog, so I haven't edited the photo. My computer is being fixed at the moment, I miss it! Good practice using this laptop as we are going away in the summer and I will be painting :-)

#96 'The Barns, Tilford Green' 8x8"

I felt inspired to go back to the area we had our summer workshop this week. Some of my students were drawing this view and I thought that's what I'd paint if I was here. I really liked the dark barn and the light roofs silhouetted against the range of green foliage behind. 

On the middle of Tilford Green I was getting stuck into this painting when the cricket people appeared, I didn't know they played a match on a Saturdays! I had 50 minutes to get most of it blocked in. I worked like a demon it was a good exercise as there was no time for fussing. I was amazed at what I could do in such a short time. I had 90% completed and I finished it in my studio. I worked up until they were ready but then I couldn't clear up quick enough and I had 2 crickets escort me with all my gear to the edge of the grounds, they were friendly though!
The photo below shows the end stage. The photos weren't that helpful as the darks were just a mass of darks you couldn't see any tonal detail unlike when you're out there and looking. 
I'm pleased with my painting and a change from London buildings!

Summer Workshop on Tilford Green

I did this drawing at the weekend in preperation for the workshop I was running today for my students. Set on an English green with old buildings, a pub and barns and a great sunny day, so lucky with the weather. The workshop aim was to produce drawings that will be used as an aid for oil paintings in September.

We did small thumb nail drawings to explore our subjects and work out composition. Then a larger well observed line drawing and then tone, not much then :-) 

A picnic together in the sunshine at lunch was so lovely, a successful day! 

This photo shows them working hard!

It's a great area for paintings I will go back there and do some plein air painting of the drawings, like the one below of an old bridge.

#94 'The Bridge Tavern, Camber Docks' 8x8"

I was visiting my Mum in Portsmouth so I did a painting while I was there. Camber Docks is an interesting area with old buildings and lots of fishing boats and reflections.  I have painted one there before in April.
It was quite hard to decide how much to include in the composition, I used my viewfinder and camera and decided to crop the boat. I had painted 3/4 of the picture before anyone sat outside, I was lucky with the weather! I had just sketched the people in with my paintbrush and the guy got up and sat next to his wife! Tricky to do but having them in adds some life to the painting. There's a lot of detail which again is hard to put in without it looking tight and controlled. I tried not to tidy up lines and edges and just leave them (something I say to my students a lot!)
I worked on getting the light shining on the building and boat, putting in the shadows so it showed the light.

#93 'Tower Bridge, London' 8x10"

I wanted to make the most of being in London especially overnight. I persuaded my husband to get up at 5am (after the concert the night before!) and we heaved our equipment through London to the Tower Bridge view. It was a gorgeous morning, calm with great light shining onto the bridge.

I used a different board to the day before, with a lot more texture so the paint doesn't slide so easily on it, the finished result suits the subject matter.
I put in all the dark tones first behind the bridge, without those it wouldnt show the light tones of the bridge. I kept the colours quite limited to blue, brown & ochre which gives a harmony and quiet feel.
I'm happy with this painting worth getting up for and traipsing through London!

#92 'Big Ben & Houses of Parliament' 8x10"

My sister kindly brought us Lionel Richie concert tickets in London (he was amazing!), so we made the most of our overnight stay and I did 2 paintings.

This one I painted Sunday afternoon standing on Hungerford bridge. I have never painted in such a busy thoroughfare, oh my! I had to keep my elbows in for people streaming past me. And once the painting was taking shape I then I felt like a celeb with the amount of photos and videos tourists were taking of me, quite different to the normal quiet painting I have been doing! But once I got used to it I enjoyed it and added to the London painting experience.
I concentrated on the skyline as it's the bit I liked, all the different shapes. The sun was shining in my face (contre-jour) so most of the buildings were in shadow so they were silhouetted.
I wanted to make the shadow areas colourful and interesting. With lively brush strokes and not too laboured buildings. I'm really pleased with the outcome :-) My first London painting...

#75 'Morning Shadows' 8x8"

Being inspired by the weekend workshop, this was an early morning painting in a allotment. I've not been to an allotment before and it was quite lovely, especially at this time of the year. It was huge with over 100 plots based in Compton, Surrey. Sadly it was locked when I got there, not realising this was the case but thankfully one person came and opened up. 
It was peaceful standing painting with the sunshine on my back and the birds tweeting! Being caught up in the moment I didn't realise the guy had left and locked me in, oops! But again I was lucky as I finished someone else came and I was free :-)
I'm happy with the painting, quite a complex setting, the shadow shapes on the shed attracted me and the bright sunshine lighting the pots.