A New Year of Ideas

 Happy New Year everyone. I have decided to start the year by publishing 3 video tutorials using my watercolour technique. It's a fairly simple 4 step process. 

1) drawing

2) initial wash

3) add dark tones

4) details

The equipment I use is simple, a matchstick pen similar to the one Edward Wesson would have used, A large mop brush and a limited watercolour colour palette consisting of warm and cool colours - windsor yellow, quinacridone gold, colbolt blue, ultramarine blue, burnt Sienna and permanent rose. 

All the details are in the video.

If you enjoyed the video please subscribe to my Youtube channel and give me a like. 

Before the Evening Tide

This painting was produced at a workshop with the talented Chris Forsey. It is a mixed media technique using watercolour, acrylic and pastels. The composition was taken from a site sketch I produced while on holiday in June 2012.

I went on to produce a more stylised version of this painting using techniques from Neil Meacher. The image can be viewed here.

This was created on a very wet day after a visit to Tintagel Castle. I can remember visiting this area in the 1990's and I sat eating an ice cream on the harbour wall. During the flood of 2004 this harbour was left littered with cars some of which were washed out to sea. Read the story here. The afternoon was sunny and hot but there was a stiff breeze blowing from the sea and this was where I got the idea to produce the picture Blue Fisherman.

The various steps to achieve this image and it's sister Blue Fisherman

River at Boscastle

I created this painting from a sketch I drew outside the national trust visitor centre in June 2012. I was struck by the way the afternoon sun had lit up the buildings on the opposite bank. It had just rained and the sky behind the houses and above the hill in this view was black with stormy clouds.

I used this sketch to create a stylised contemporary art work. I love the art of Neil Meacher a member of the Royal Watercolour society and I have tried to create a work in my style using his techniques. The image can be viewed here.

It was hard to imagine the devastation that was witnessed by the flood of 2004. The house in the centre of my image was completely destroyed and rebuilt to with-stand future flooding. The rebuilt car park was also raised 12 foot to help with-stand a future flood.

This is the second time I have been to Boscastle I recorded my first visit back in 1990. You can read about it here.

Below is the original sketch book sketch and studio painting

Blue Fisherman

 Blue Fisherman is inspired by a trip Boscastle, Cornwall. The harbour was busy with boats and there were people fishing from the banks. Although the sun was out there was a harsh wind cutting though the valley.

This watercolour painting is for sale £110.