Poppies 1.2.3.

I haven't been well again, hence the rather low level of activity on here, it's either crippling pain or thought-stopping morphine. I've now mentioned this twice on what is supposed to be an art blog, not a health blog, so I promise not to labour the point again. These three are the result of a completely sleepless night when, for want of anything better to do, I squeezed some colours onto a palette with a view to doing some unambitious doodling. They are only about 5"x 7" and are purely from my imagination - no photographs or any references from books etc. I set out with one piece in mind and before I knew it, I was completing the third one, what a strange thing this hobby is!!! Watercolour on Langton 140lb Rough.

Cornwall montage.

This is something I've had going on for months, I do a bit, then leave it, then return again. It's another picture for my wife who is my most important (and only) patron and, if my output allowed, would have our home filled with this sort of thing. I must admit doing projects like the one here is a lot of fun, mixing cartoon style stuff with more representational images and adding a bit of humour. It was also nice to add a personal touch with our two kids running into the sea. The mount, if you haven't already guessed, is a photo mount which can be picked up very cheaply together with the frame, in a lot of hardware stores. My wife and (only) patron is very pleased with her latest order ! Watercolour with pen and ink on any old paper to hand.

Here comes the rain! Nr Widemouth Bay.

 

 

I have to admit I have had a tendency to "bottle it" when it comes to skies in watercolour in the past. To me, they require a good, confident technique and a degree of courage, I find it very easy to stay in my comfort zone, limiting the space in the composition for a sky and therefore, getting away with a safe, simple wash of Ultramarine or Cobalt. This can become a problem if you wish to paint atmospheric landscapes, as the sky dictates the whole tone, colour and mood of the picture. Also, if it goes wrong, the picture fails before it's hardly begun. So here I am, freshly delivered from safety, into the zone of the bold, or even chaos!! I had a devil of a job with this and more than once I was tempted to introduce it to the bin. The photograph was taken from a raised vantage point, pushing the horizon up to that dreaded halfway line, so I had to compress the rocks, sea and beach into a smaller space. Just to make things even harder for myself, I used an unfamiliar palette, namely Windsor blue, Burnt Umber, Cadmium Yellow, Paynes Grey, White Gouache and Alizarin Crimson. I found the blue very powerful and particularily hard to handle compared to Ultramarine or Cobalt Blue. The picture has been cropped a fair bit due to another bit of old Langton 140lb NOT (the same pad as for the previous picture, thankfully that's the last of it), which had a problem with the sizing. Once again, I've learned a lot and I'm really glad I stuck with it!!!

 

 

Port Isaac Street.

This blog has been a bit quiet lately. The fact is I've been rather unwell. A persistant kidney problem has really set in and knocked me flat. Staggering pain is not the ideal condition in which to make pictures, nor is a mind-blocking cocktail of tramadol and morphine. Then there is a living to be earned and all my energy has gone into that, I work with very vulnerable people, letting them down is not an option, regardless of how I feel. Despite all this, out of sheer stubborness, I did this on one of my better days. I didn't expect much when I started it, it was intended to be more of an exercise. In the photograph the sun is overhead and slightly to the left, putting all the buildings in shade. To add interest, I put the light source lower in the sky and to the right, hence all the shadows are as I have imagined them. I really went for it here and have never punched in shadows so boldly before. As I've said, I wasn't too bothered about the end result, but I enjoyed the technical challenge and learned a lot. It was done on a bit of ancient Langton 140lb NOT which had suffered from damp at some point and I didn't even bother to stretch it. It could do with some figures to add life and I may re-visit the subject with this in mind.

Strumble Head.

A very hastily sketched view in ink from long ago. Grabbing a few minutes recently, I threw some washes on it. It's strange how, after all this time, I can still clearly remember that great thunderhead speeding towards me as I frantically scribbled!! Strange also, looking back, how unaware I was that life for me was going to change, that it was going to fall apart, to shatter, and for a time I would wander under a sky too dark to paint. But the clouds blew away as they always do. It rains now and then, but now I live in warmth and light.   Ink and watercolour on cartridge paper.

Port Isaac.

Another picture from a photograph taken on a dull, colourless day. Originally, I set out to just do an ink drawing but I couldn't resist putting some washes on it. I then, as is so often the case, started to fuss over some of the washes. To me the result is a picture which isn't really sure what it's supposed to be. What I was pleased about was the light in the picture, as I said, the photograph is dull and overcast, I tried to brighten the scene and freshen it up and, to a point, I succeeded. As I type this the rain is lashing down outside and gusts of wind drive it against the window. Another cold, miserable, drab day. There seems to be no end to this disgusting weather, it's all the more frustrating as I determined to try doing most of my work "plein air" this year. Ah well, time to look through the photographs again!!!

Our Lottie.

 

 

Monday the 6th broke with tradition in that we had brilliant sunshine. In fact, it was so hot I got burned. We are way behind with our allotment because of all the previous bad weather, so, off we went to get things done. Tradition was broken a second time in that I took time out to do this sketch while my wife did all the planting. It was a novel if slightly guilty experience to sit and draw while Helen established runner beans and peas etc and is not, I hasten to add, how I would normally spend time there. She likes this picture but I'm not sure how many more times I will get away with such a leisurely morning!! Waterproof and water-soluble ink and watercolour on Daler 90lb NOT.