I've been really busy lately getting work prepped for upcoming exhibtions so I've not been able to post much onto the blog. I have been trying to get out when I can with the easel and started a little series of paintings from the same location in a nearby village called Whaddon. The view looks west and across a valley and I'm particularly interested in trying to capture the different stages as the sun sets.

I knew it would be tricky because the light moves so fast at sunset. It's a reasonably simple subject in terms of the drawing so that makes things easier to handle. For now I've been starting from scratch on each study but I might be tempted to map out the basic compostion on future efforts to save time when in front of the subject. Apart from the time issues, one of the hardest things is trying to find an equivalent in paint for the brilliant light and colours. I end up having to work part observation and part memory as the subject changes so rapidly. What I try to avoid is 'chasing' the light but it's inevitable to a certain extent. In some ways it's not such a bad thing since I want the painting to serve as an account of the whole experience of being there, not merely a snapshot. It's a fine balance. After about 30-40mins the subject will have changed so much it's probably best to start another one but I'm sometimes guilty of carrying on a bit longer than I really should!

Anyway, the three paintings...in the order they were painted (each done on separate evenings after work):


First effort above, earlier in the evening, not so exciting but it got me familar with the scene and the light was a bit more steady compared to later on.



This one above was done earlier in the evening with a higher sun. I don't know what possessed me but I went with an 8x20in board....rather ambitious for such a fast changing scene and it reminded me to keep things smaller for next time!


This was a better size (about 5x13in) and worked out quite nicely in terms of composition and balance of light. I was guilty of chasing the light a bit in this but it seemed worth it as every time I looked up the scene just got better and better!



Detail showing brushwork and sky colours of the above painting


All of the above are as they were when they came off the easel. As you can see, they're rough around the edges but far more valuable in terms of information than any photograph could give me. I might be tempted to do a larger studio piece based on these 'sketches'. I put the detail shot in as it shows  the marks, colour choices etc. I couldn't really look at the sun as it was so bright so it's more a case of trying to make a judgment whilst it's in my peripheral vision. Clearly, the sun is many times brighter than the yellow paint I used so it's interesting to see how an equivalent is arrived at. It's important to try and keep colour mixes clean so I get through plenty of brushes (saves time on cleaning them whilst in action).

Reference photos:


My palette for this one had less cadmiums as the colours in the early evening were less intense


I had the idea of doing two in succession but only managed one on this occasion. I'll use the spare as a starting point for next time.


See how the camera lies!! 


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  1. David I'm glad to see you posting and painting again. All very nice but the last is my favorite. Your brushwork is very nice as are your colors. Doug

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  2. Thanks Douglas! I think I'm going to approach most of these in the series as sketches so I don't get too hung up on trying to finish them off (and killing them off as a result). I've got an itch to do a big one in the studio at some point as there's a limit to the scale that can be used on location with this sort of subject. Hope you're well and getting plenty of summer painting done.

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  3. Very nice David. I think It pays off to paint the same place again and again as one can feel that you really know and feel the subject. I think my favourite is actually the 8x20 because of the golden quality of the sky. I think it would look great framed. Well done for working on a big format in plein air!

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  4. Thanks Valerie. Yes, it's 'big' by my usual outdoor standards, especially for something so fast changing. I've got a darkish frame with a nice gold trim that might just suit that one! I went out last night for another go and will post it up when I get the chance. No excuses now....I should have enought material now to have a go at something bigger in the studio :o)

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  5. I like them all and I really like the composition and can see why you keep going back. I seem to like the 8 x 10 at top the most. The hills have more texture and I like how my eye travels around. It also puts more emphasis on the tracks in the grass. Good job!

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  6. Thanks Randy. Yes, now you mention it I see what you mean. Compositionally, the first does have a bit more breathing space and the far distance is slightly less compressed than in the others. It's a nice simple subject to work with and one of the main things I was trying to avoid was having an equal split between land and sky. It can work on occasions but in this instance I think it's more interesting to have an unequal balance. I often wonder why our eyes/brain prefers something that isn't perfectly symmetrical...I'm sure there's a theory for it somewhere!

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  7. A successful outcome to a very ambitious idea. I think they are all terrific, but prefer the first and the last. Re 'chasing the light'. I believe the attraction of plein air is the opportunity to capture the best of a scene over a period of 1-2 hours. I'm not sure it matters if you have the trees in the early light, to capture the richness of their green and the sun from the later light. The viewer doesn't really perceive the incongruity of the light, but the picture is all the better for the slight incongruity.

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  8. Thanks Ian. Yes, I think you're right. The painting does (and perhaps/rather should) reflect how the artist inteprets the subject over the whole session. I've done plenty of paintings where certain elements might come from separate moments during the session. The tricky thing is then to pull them all together so they make sense as a coherent whole.

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  9. Hey David,
    I read about your recent sales on Valerie and Tim's blogs. Congratulations. If you have a chance I'd love to see images of your paintings that sold.
    Doug

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  10. You are a master landscape painter. I love this sunset. The streaks of orange over the cool blue are so beautiful.

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  1. Happy new year everyone and I hope 2018 is a good one for you all 😃
    I've been busy over the last few weeks building a new website and the first day of the year seems like as good a day as any to launch it! 
    Do have a browse around at https://www.davidpilgrimart.co.uk and there are quite a few new paintings on there too. 




    I've integrated my blog/news into the new site so I'll no longer be posting to this blog but will leave it up for the time being for archive purposes. You can follow my new blog in the same way as this one and the new feed url https://www.davidpilgrimart.co.uk/feed/
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  2. A couple of weeks ago we had a scorching weather weekend so I decided to take advantage and head for the Dorset coast for some painting around Studland Bay. A few years ago I visited Old Harry Rocks with David Bachmann, Tim King and Valerie Pirlot and we were all pretty awestruck by the sight of the gleaming white chalk stacks. They really are a majestic sight in the sunshine and there was plenty of that with the temperature nudging 32 degrees.

    To ensure not getting burnt I was smothered in factor 50 and pretty well covered up, including one of those desert caps that has material on the back. I no doubt looked ridiculous but at least I wouldn't go home looking like a lobster. I also had my new custom umbrella rig which works well with the tripod/pochade setup and provides shade for the painting/mixing surface. It was still pretty brutal in the heat and I took loads of water to keep hydrated.

    Over a day and a half I managed to get five paintings done. I thought the subject lent itself well to a wider format and had a go with a bigger board (12x24in).


    'Late morning, Old Harry Rocks' - 12x24in, oil on board

    It was interesting to see the contrast in the later evening light with warmer light and the shadows cast from the other side. I ended up painting this after trudging the 20 minute hike back from the car park having realised I'd lost one of my hats somewhere on the headland. I don't think I would have returned if I hadn't lost the hat and as an added bonus I found the hat snagged on a tree branch I'd ducked under on my way down previously! 


    'Late evening, Old Harry Rocks' - 7.5x15in, oil on board

    I enjoyed painting this little beach scene and started off with the people in the foreground as I suspected they might pack up and leave (which they duly did after about 30 minutes). Towards the end someone lit a barbecue in the distance and there was a lovely subtle contrast of the cooler smoke in shadow and the warmer sunlit parts. 


    'Lazy summer afternoon, Studland South Beach', 6.5x9.5in, oil on board

    In addition to having the activity of the distant boats there was the added bonus of having some smaller vessels and kayaks around the rocks themselves. It's actually quite a noisy spot with all the jet skis and pleasure boats buzzing around. I tried a couple with different, slightly deeper formats this time round.


    'Kayak explorers, Old Harry Rocks' - 14x18in, oil on board


    'Blue sail, Old Harry Rocks' - 8x10in, oil on board

    It took 5 hours to get home with traffic piling back from the coast and my air-con wasn't working either. Still, well worth it for an enjoyable weekend painting by the sea :)






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  3. I recently spent a few enjoyable days painting with friends down in Cornwall and we were based in the Padstow area which has lots to offer when it comes to inspiring coastline. The weather wasn't too bad with just the one 'in a cloud' day.

    As always, Bedruthan Steps didn't disappoint and is always a challenge to paint


    'High tide, Bedruthan Steps' - 12x16in, oil on board  


    'Receding tide, Bedruthan'  - 6x8in, oil on board


    'Beacon Cove, near Bedruthan' - 8x12in, oil on board

    Portcothan proved a real find and the cliffs around the bay are superb.


    'Headland at Portcothan Bay' - 8x12in, oil on board


    'Jutting cliff, Portcothan' - 12x16in, oil on board

    For the one below I made a 10 minute dash from the cliff to my car to grab a bigger board having eyed up the view. It seemed to demand an bigger effort and was worth the run in the mid day heat!


    'Portcothan Bay', 10x22in, oil on board

    Below shows the painting in a frame that has the new gilt effect hand finish I've been working to achieve on some pieces. It needs careful masking with low tack tape so it takes a fair bit of time but I like the overall effect.



    'Treyarnon Bay, late afternoon' - 8x10in, oil on board


    'Constantine Bay' - 5x9.5in, oil on board

    Polzeath has a lovely wide beach and lots of surfers which seeme to work nicely as a subject


    'Surfs up, Polzeath' - 11x14in, oil on board


    'Surfers at Polzeath' - 8x16in, oil on board


    'Early evening, Polzeath' - 6x8in, oil on board


    'Gerrans Bay, Portscatho' - 8x20in, oil on board


    'Waves rolling in, Portcothan' - 8x16in, oil on board


    'Clifftop perch, Trebarwith' - 9x11.5in, oil on board


    'Low tide, Camel estuary'  - 6x14in, oil on board


    'Low tide, Newquay harbour' - 8x14in, oil on board

    As soon as I left Cornwall I was missing it. Can't wait to be back!










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  4. The Algarve in Portugal is such a great place to paint. Inspiration is easily found amongst the dramatic cliffs and beaches and at this time of year the vegetation is quite lush with many wildflowers and more unusual looking cactus, yucca, palms and olive trees.

    I loved the colours of the rocks and sand which had a unique warmth in the sunshine. Even in more overcast conditions there is much to offer. The painting below was done from the pier in Lagos and perched on the right is the Mayor's residence. I was lucky with the timing of the tide with this one.


    'From the pier, Lagos' - 8x16in, oil on board


    Here's one below done just after the above, again from the pier in Lagos. I wanted to capture the warmth from the ochre/sienna stone in the cliffs which takes a bit of getting used in painting terms. The shifts in colours/tone were often very subtle, as was the aerial perspective.


    'Warm cliffs, Lagos beach', 8x10in - oil on board

    Another one from the pier in Lagos below. I was determined to use at least one of the larger boards I'd managed to get into my luggage and this was done on a more overcast day which still provides lovely colours from the rocks, sea and sand. The mayor's house is perched above cliff.


    'Low tide, Lagos beach', 9.25x23.5in - oil on board

    We found an interesting subject with the rooftops of Luz in the foreground where I painted alongside Tim and Valerie whilst the others headed down towards the beach.


    'Looking over Luz', 8x12in - oil on board

    It was quite a challenge to make the warm cliffs recede, especially on overcast days. It ended up being very subtle shifts in tone and colour and often with surprisingly little blue (perhaps reduced by the warmth of the local colour in the stone)


    'Sea stack, Praia Donna Ana', 11x14in - oil on board

    There was an old fort perched on the headland at Sagres and myself, Tim and Haidee opted to paint it whilst the others were camped just down the road. The light was quite strong as it was mid afternoon and I was flagging in the hear a bit. After a couple of false starts I managed to make some sort of  composition which just hinted at the fort in the top right. The distant headland and fort were both very long and flat so it was a tricky subject to deal with. 


    'Fortaleza de Sagres', 8x10in - oil on board

    I hiked around loaded with full kit in the baking heat for too long before attempting the one below. Having marched along the cliffs I thought I'd just try the beach below but it was about 150 steps down a long wooden staircase! Still, the subject was a real treat and I was tucked away at the back of the beach, keeping topped up with factor 50 as the sun was fierce and at it's highest point. I loved the way the rocks seemed to have subtle reflected light bouncing off from different sources.


    'Bathers at Praia Da Camillo', oil on board - 10x12in

    For something a bit different I painted a couple of pieces around the garden and this arrangement below caught my eye with the lovely white walls creating strong angles to contrast with the softer plants.


    'Garden archway', 11x14in - oil on board

    The piece below was painted on a very dull/wet afternoon and I was lucky to find a spot that was vaguely sheltered under a tree. However, the rain intensified and eventually I struggled to see what was on the painting or palette. Still, glad to have captured something from the moment.


    'Terrace with plants', 11x14in - oil on board

    Karl found a great spot with some lovely olive trees and I joined him for this small one below. 


    'Olive trees, Cama Da Vaca', 10x6in - oil on board


    'View from Cama Da Vaca', 8x16in - oil on board

    We had a cloudy day in Arrifana and the flat light wasn't ideal. After a fruitless walk down to the beach I decided the others had the better idea staying back at the top of the cliff. I eventually settled on this view of the main headland with it's accompanying stack at the end.


    'Beach at Arrifana', 8x14in - oil on board

    This one below is a small 6x8in and needed a bit of resolving afterwards to restate the foregroud. It was nice to capture the glinting light which appeared momentarily, as did the flash of yellowy warmth on the slice of rock in the centre. The coast path seems popular with walkers and understandably so.


    'Early afternoon stroll, Cama Da Vaca', 6x8in - oil on board

    Some of the most dramatic coastline we saw was at Praia Da Cordoama which we also viewed from a loftier perch before heading down closer to paint. I love this sort of subject and you feel very in touch with elements whilst at work. In terms of painting experiences it doesn't get much better in my book 😊



    'High sun, Praia Da Cordoama', 10x14in - oil on board


    'Praia Da Cordoama', 8x16in - oil on board

















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  5. Recently I was kindly invited by David Bachmann for fantastic week of painting with friends on the Algarve in Portugal. It's fair to say I enjoyed every single minute and it was great to paint and socialise with friends and soak up the wonderful coastline. It was a real tonic to get out with the easel and paint in the sunshine (well, with the odd bit of rain here and there) after what had seemed a very long and drab UK winter!

    Amongst the group were David Bachmann, Tim King, Karl Terry, John Stillman, Tony Dakin, Mo Teeuw, Haidee-Jo Summers, Valerie Pirlot, Andrew Roberts, Mike Richardson and Rob (I can't recall Rob's surname - cellist with the Seville orchestra). I thought it would be nice to share a few group/action shots.....it appears we were generally either painting or eating/socialising 😊


    I'm perched on the cliffs here painting at Praia Donna Ana 


    Stunning views to be had on the wilder west coast (Praia Da Cordoama). Being on the Atlantic coast it has certain similarities with the Cornish coastline with dramatic cliffs and beaches.

     

    Tim attempting to convince us the view was best from a more precarious perch!
      

    A well earned lunch break in the midday sun.


    Valerie working on painting having just flown in earlier that day!


    Tim at work


    Karl in his element, painting in the gardens


    Tim somehow found his way to this seemingly inaccessible spot (above) from where he produced a lovely painting on the house and surrounding foliage.


    Valerie, Tim, Mo, Karl and Tony lined up for action


    Haidee, Rob and Karl on the cliffs near the house.


    David taking in the wide angle view of the beach at Lagos.


    A nice leisurely lunch.
    (left to right Tony, David P, Karl, John, Andrew, David B, Mo, Haidee, Valerie and Tim) 



    A happy bunch enjoying a stunning view on the west coast.
    (left to right Rob, Mo, David B, David P, Haidee, Tim, Tony, Karl, John and Mike) 


    Tim getting a little respite from the rain with my improvised umbrella rig.

    Paintings in the next post.






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  6. I'm looking forward to this year's annual exhibition with the Royal Institute of Oil Painters which opens to the public on Wednesday November 30th at the Mall Galleries in London. As usual, there are a host of interesting events lined up during the exhibition which runs until December 11th. I hope to make it to the paint evening on December 6th which is always good fun.

    I'll have the following five paintings on display at the exhibition:


    'School trip, Sennen beach' - 8x12in, oil on board


    'Surf's up, Sennen beach' - 8x12in, oil on board


    'Cafe culture, Campo Santa Maria Della Formosa - Venice', 12x16in, oil on board



    'Bright sparkle at Cowbar Head, Staithes' - 6x8in, oil on board



    'Low tide, Gweek' - 12x16in, oil on board








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  7. At the end of September I spent a fabulous few days painting with friends in Venice. Amongst the crew were David Bachmann, Herme Bachmann, Tim King and Wyllis Heaton (all the way from California!). It was such a good trip all round and I hope the paintings in some way reflect the impact that Venice had on me this time.

    The weather was a startlingly sunny contrast to previous trips and we were blessed with almost constant sunshine. Venice really does sparkle in the sun and I've always wanted to experience it in those sorts of conditions. I decided to try and explore some different parts of the city that would be a bit off the beaten track and less flooded with crowds. We now have quite a good knowledge of where might be best to head for (and best to avoid) and that certainly helps when it comes to the paintings.

    The subject for the painting below was a real find in Dorsoduro and the yellow house with that punchy green tree was too good to resist. It's nice to see Venice when there are trees with foliage as there aren't that many and they make interesting contrasts with the architecture.


    The yellow house, Rio Del Carmini
    Oil on board, 10x12in

    There was a nice warmth to the subject for the painting below and a I wanted to try and capture the subtle harmonies of tone and colour that seem to bounce around the buildings and into the water.


    Late afternoon, Rio De La Panada 
    Oil on board, 8x10in

    I've always wanted to paint the facade of the Salute close up and I've long admired the works by the likes of Sargent and Seago who I think painted it from boats on the Grand Canal. You'd need a small mortgage to paint from a Gondola in Venice these days so I settled for this spot on the Dogana instead. The light moved very quickly and after about an hour the whole facade was completely in shade so I focused on capturing the lighter passages early on.


    Morning light, Santa Maria Della Salute 
    Oil on board, 8x14in

    The painting below was actually a second attempt at the same subject (the first attempt was a wiper from the previous day). Having had a 'trial run' it was actually useful in getting to understand what the light was doing and the nature of the tones and subtle colour temperature shifts. There was a facade to the right which was in full sunlight which bounced a fair amount of seemingly impossible warmth into the shadow areas which made it quite a challenge to pitch at the right levels. The light moved quickly so once again I went for the light parts early on before they disappeared into full shadow. It's a fascinating subject though (with some complex shapes in perspective to decipher) and I was happy to have got closer to what I'd aimed for with this piece.


    Early morning, Scuola Grand Di San Rocco 
    Oil on board, 11x14in

    After painting the front of the Scuola and fuelled by a 2.5 euro 'cappucino & pan au chocolat' I went round the back of the building to paint a nice little view from the small bridge overlooking the campo. The sun created a nice shadow on the columns on the right which I wanted to include in the composition.


    Late morning, Campo de Castelforte
    Oil on board, 8x12in

    The Ospedale is another subject that's been on my 'must paint' list and thankfully we were there when the light seemed pretty good. Tim and I stood side by side on the bridge painting this one and we worked at some pace to capture the fleeting light as the sun sunk at great speed. The marble facade has some unique tones and colours in the shadow sections (lighter in tone than I expected) which contrasted quite markedly with the warmth of the sunlit sections


    Fading sun, Ospedale, Campo Giovanni E Paolo
    Oil on board, 8x10in

    Tim and I chanced an evening sortie into the somewhat unknown area around the Madonna Dell'Orto and were rewarded with this subject below. The colours really are quite something when the light is like this.


    Evening light, Rio De La Madonna Dell'Orto
    Oil on board, 10x13in

    David and Herme went for an explore along the Zitelle and recommended that I join them. I was delighted to find they had discovered this subject and I didn't hang about having a go myself. It also had the added bonuses of being a blissfully quiet spot and standing in the shade too.


    Afternoon sun, along the Zitelle
    Oil on board, 8x12in

    We all headed down to Campo San Barnaba in Dorsoduro on one morning and our intended subject was off limits so we pitched up in the main square and I opted to paint Wyllis who was stood under a cluster of flags across the canal.


    Artist at work, Campo St Barnaba
    Oil on board, 8x10in

    At the end of the first day we'd all gathered on the Riva in the evening so I had a go at a little 6x8 to try and capture the light effect looking towards the Salute. The sparkle was bright so I spent most of the session squinting hard! I wanted to make sure I identified and included the critical elements to define the subject without getting bogged down with unnecessary detail.


    Evening sparkle from the Riva
    Oil on board, 6x8in

    I was determined to paint Colleoni statue at some point. It was the last day and I was running out of gas so it took a couple of attempts to get something worth keeping. I ended up with quite a tiny panel (5x9in) and it was nice the way the sun was starting to dip. The marble on the statue is a tricky colour to work with and has a cool, greenish tint in certain parts which are amplified (but still quite light in tone) when in shadow.



    Colleoni Statue, Campo Giovanni E Paolo
    Oil on board, 5x9in

    We managed to find some nice subjects in the San Toma area and this is a subject looking back up the Grand Canal towards Rialto. The Gondolas have such distinctive shapes and made a nice feature in the foreground. The Vaporetto boats are such a part of the hustle and bustle on the canals and they often make good focal points since they follow the same path so you can get a reminder of how they look every few minutes or so.


    The Grand Canal from San Toma
    Oil on board, 7x15in

    A thoroughly enjoyable trip to a remarkable city.






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  8. Earlier in July I joined EAGMA members for a few enjoyable days painting up in Staithes. The weather wasn't very kind so painting opportunities were a bit hampered but we all made the most of things and it was good to see a part of the UK coast I've never explored before. Everyone made me feel very welcome and we stayed in an excellent Georgian apartment just a stone's throw from the harbour.

    I tended to work small as the weather was so changeable. I often think the rapid switches from sun to heavy cloud/rain are some of the most difficult to deal with when working outdoors. It's comparable to painting a still life and having someone keep turning the lamp on and off....infuriating!!

    Anyway, here's a few that made the trip home....

    Almost got blown off the harbour wall by the incoming squall whilst painting this one below and lost a couple of brushes and my turps pot into the rocky depths below. I was perched on some giant boulders to get the elevated view of the 'sparkle' and nearly got blown off. Those distant clouds were actually heading straight towards me and I was rather taken by surprise at how quickly and violently it suddenly whipped up. At least the painting survived...just!


    'Bright sparkle at Cowbar Head, Staithes' - oil, 6x8in. 

    Small size was the only option here really as the light/shadows moved so fast....


    'Evening light looking down the Beck, Staithes' - 6x8in, oil on board. 


    'Morning light towards the harbour, Staithes' - 8x10in, oil on board


    'Artist painting at the Smugglers' - 11x15in, oil.

    This one above is my friend Andrew King who kindly let me paint him whilst we sheltered from the deluge. We had our fair share of wet weather and I got thoroughly soaked painting this one below.
      

    'Low tide and drizzle, Staithes' - 8x10in, oil on board. 

    I had to work lightning fast for this one below as the light was fading. Managed to capture something which was a relief as I'd spent most of the day wiping off disastrous efforts in the pouring rain!


    'Late light on the terrace, Staithes' - 6x14in, oil.


    'Cowbar wharf, Staithes' - 8x16in, oil on board


    'Down in the Beck, Staithes' - 11x14in, oil on board


    'Odin, Port Mulgrave' - 12x16in, oil on board

    Below is the abseil route I had to take to get down to paint the boats and clutter at Port Mulgrave!




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  9. Port Isaac offered some shelter from the less favourable weather and the harbour area has a small number of boats which seemed to be positioned in exactly the same spots as where they were this time last year. These two boats were tilting nicely and I was rather taken with the wet puddles in the sand


    Boats at low tide, Port Isaac (10x14in, oil on board)

    I'd spotted the subject of the hillside (shown below) and returned when it was raining to find it actually had more appeal in the foggy murk. Quite tricky with a narrow tonal range and subtle colour shifts but an interesting subject to tackle. I needed the umbrella up for this one! 


    Nestling in the mist, Port Isaac (8x12in, oil on board)

    Another rainy day, this time at Newquay harbour. The harbour is like a little oasis against the more commercial/modern backdrop of the rest of the town....a good option for the damp/grey days.


    Three boats, Newquay Harbour (10x9in, oil on board)


    Incoming tide, Newquay Harbour (12x16in, oil on board)

    A few from the cliffs/rocks which are always impressive (but difficult to paint, especially when it's breezy!)


    Early morning, Bedruthan steps (12x16in, oil on board)


    Beach at Bedruthan (11x14in, oil on board)


    Headland at Bossiney (11x8in, oil on board)

    I had a go at a couple of larger ones (14x18in) at Bedruthan, trying to focus on the moments of sunshine and the dramatic effects it has on the rock formations. I struggle more with cliffs when there isn't much sunlight to work with as everything can end up quite dark and drab. I've always fancied painting a really big cliff subject to give the sense of being there, perched on a cliff edge, looking down in wonder at the water and rocks. It's not an easy thing to do though and I've yet to achieve it but might try something in the studio based on some of these works.


    From the cliff, Bedruthan (14x18in, oil on board)


    Rocky headland, Bedruthan (14x18in, oil on board)

    Back to the beach for some brief sunshine, this time at Polzeath where the runs of water in the sand made some nice patterns to work with. Enjoyed working on a slightly larger (8x20in) letterbox format.


    Low tide, Polzeath (8x20in, oil on board)









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  10. I recently spent a very enjoyable week with friends painting along the Cornish coastline (Padstow region). Amongst the crew were David Bachmann, Mike Richardson, John Stillman and Karl Terry. We stayed in a nice place at Trevone Bay and whilst the weather was somewhat mixed there was still a feast of great subjects to get stuck into.

    I was glad I had a chance to catch the evening light just a few short steps from where we were staying. The view had tempted me on a number of evenings but the weather & tide wouldn't play ball (figuring out what the weather's doing is one thing but the tide adds another layer of complexity!). I do enjoy these sorts of subjects when you have to work quickly and with an intense focus to try to capture the essence of a fleeting moment. Some tiny figures popped up on the rocks and I gently hinted at them to help with the sense of the 'bigness' of the subject, even though it's done on quite a small panel.


    Evening light, Trevone Bay (6x14in, oil on board)

    A similar sort of experience at Treyarnon Bay, ideal for a smaller format (6x8in) since the scene changed so rapidly!



    Evening light, Treyarnon Bay (6x8in, oil on board)

    In a similar vein, another moment of sunlight was grabbed at Trebarwith Strand with this rapid 8x10 study. I tried not to muddy the colours, taking care to focus on the tonal variations.


    Silvery light, Trebarwith Strand (8x10in, oil on board)

    I think because the weather was so mixed, when the sun did appear I was often inclined to focus on the effects of the light. It makes such a dramatic difference when the sun comes out! A couple more from Treyarnon bay where I spent an enjoyable few days with my family last year too, giving it an extra special fondness as a subject :)

    This one was a more subdued light but it meant I could work on the more subtle colours and at a slightly less frantic pace.


    Low tide, Treyarnon Bay (8x14in, oil on board)

    A stronger light in this one below, throwing up broader tonal contrasts


    Sun sparkle, Treyarnon Bay (8x14in, oil on board)

    We half dodged the rain to try and get something down at Daymar bay. I had an umbrella to stave off the worst of it and right at the end the red barge peaked round the headland with impeccable timing and positioning!


    Daymar Bay (7x14in, oil on board)

    It's useful to have beach figures to provide a sense of scale against slabs of rock like the ones at Trebarwith and Constantine. I found the 'letterbox' well suited to a number of subjects but I like to mix it up with other formats always so end up taking far more boards than I need. My kit is never light!


    Trebarwith Strand, (8x16in, oil on board)



    Incoming tide, Constantine Bay (6x14in, oil on board)

    A slightly larger piece (12x16in) in a more conventional format from Constantine. With the way the light and tide change (amongst other things), I find 12x16/18x14in are pretty much the largest I can manage in a single session. I'd love to try bigger though, perhaps over a couple of sittings but it's rare to get the same sort of conditions and I often feel the 'vibe' has changed when I return to something a second time.  


    Rock pools, Constantine Bay (12x16in, oil on board)


    Below is a photo overlooking Bedruthan - from the left Karl Terry, John Stillman, myself, David Bachmann and Mike Richardson.



    More from the trip to follow.








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