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Tuesday, 7 April 2015

Cottages Newport with Mynydd Carningli.


Okay so I didn't read a book in the garden yesterday but I did get on with painting. The above is the cottages above St. Mary's Church in Newport Pembs. I could have put a few gravestones in the foreground but I don't think the painting needed them. The background shows Mynydd Carningli.

Today we have a couple of the grandchildren so I doubt much will get done but I expect we will have a nice day.

Monday, 6 April 2015

Boathouse Laugharne by Moonlight


I finished this painting yesterday of the Boathouse Laugharne in moonlight. Moonlight has a special quality about it. I don't do that many nocturnal scenes but its nice to do the odd one for a change.

I am not sure what I am painting today I have several options. I guess I will pick up the brush and see which one comes out on top. Mind you I may just sit in the garden with a book?

Sunday, 5 April 2015

Morning mist Three Cliffs Bay


I always get up early well at least before 7am. So when we stopped at Three Cliffs Bay we were down on the beach as the mist was lifting. The painting above shows a couple walking across the beach with the sun breaking through the mist. Getting the atmospheric effect relies on scumbling. This is a technique as old as oil paints. It basically involves putting, dragging, stippling opaque paint over a darker one generally when it has dried to some extent.

Saturday, 4 April 2015

Newquay Harbour




This is a little painting looking down on Newquay harbour. It is the end of the season and most yachts are craned out on the harbour wall but one yacht is still enjoying the fresh winter morning.
There is only a gentle breeze with waves lapping the shore.

Friday, 3 April 2015

Bank of the Seine


Here is another little vignette from my sketch book I did last week. In itself it is nothing just a passing moment as we went down the River Seine. The picture will eventually be disregarded but it was not a waste of time. It interested me and hones your skills to draw and paint very quickly.

I entered into a discussion the other day about the need to learn the fundamentals about any art or craft. Specifically I was talking about watercolours.

The discussion arose because we had been looking at a nice piece of work that was spoilt (in my opinion) because the artist had not stretched the paper and the result in the frame was a cockled surface like the North Atlantic. I couldn't sell anything in that condition. It was a pure waste in my eyes as obviously the artist had a great deal of talent and had spent a good amount of time on the work which was truthfully unfit to sell. Learning the basics may be boring and it understandable that people want to just get on with...painting, playing music, turning wood or whatever but there are basic technical points that underpin all these skills that should be learnt from the beginning. It rarely pays to cut corners you end up cheating yourself.

Thursday, 2 April 2015

Les Andelys


I mentioned we had been to Normandy for a few days. I didn't do much other than walking but I did do the odd sketch. The little vignette above is of  the church in Les Andelys. This is the town that was built for the workers who constructed Chateau Gilliard.

Chateau Gilliard was King Richard (Lion Heart) 's Castle. Although he was King of England he left England when he was 6 years old and never came back, not even to see Robin Hood! (Please note Hollywood). His heart is buried in Fontevraud Abbey and his heart in Rouen Cathedral.

I have started working on a painting of Newquay and should be finished tomorrow.

Wednesday, 1 April 2015

Not to be missed - David Cowdry Exhibition Aberglasney


Yesterday we managed to find time to take our eldest grandson to see David Cowdry's current exhibition at Aberglasney. (No I can't explain why Alex is talking to David holding a cabbage!)

What I can say is the exhibition is not to be missed. Stunning winter scenes and some wonderful atmospheric works. David is a very modest man who seriously underestimates his own talent. Anyway don't take my word for it go along and enjoy the gardens as well.