Sunday, 12 March 2017

How to paint... Evian, France from hotel balcony

From my hotel balcony in August 2013, I painted a gloriously dramatic scene of typical French buildings, cars, people, lake and distant hills. Evian is a wonderful location. It was mid-afternoon and hot! This one is time lapsed. Enjoy.


Sunday, 1 January 2017

Brilliant Light at Sea Palling, Norfolk


Sea Palling, Norfolk, England - 22" x 15"

I wanted to capture the brilliant light, shadows and atmosphere at Sea Palling, Norfolk. The counter-change of the church buildings works well, I think. Notice the lines in the poughed field, and the hedgerow leading the eye to the focal point. Painted on Saunders Waterford 300gms/140lb rough paper.

Saturday, 30 July 2016

Norfolk Farm Buildings and Church, England


Farm near Wormegay, Norfolk, England  22" x 15"


The wide ploughed field, farm buildings and church make a pleasant composition. . Steps in this painting were, 1) wash of sky and foreground, then left to dry.  2) Churche shadows and background buildings, adding the dark pine trees behind the main building.  Lastly telegraph pole and shadows.  Notice the counter-change and focal point of the white church roof and the white farm building. Roughly indicated tracks lead the eye to the focal point. Can you spot the figure? Shadows for me would be the last stage. Painted late March.

Friday, 29 July 2016

Farm at Burnt Fen, Suffolk

Farm at Burnt Fen, Suffolk
I wanted to capture the atmosphere of the fens. Darks and lights! Space and earth! Fresh application, sharp and fuzzy edges. Strong focal point reduced to silhouettes. This remote fenland farm was a very tempting subject. It's close to the Norfolk/Suffolk/Cambs borders.The earth is so lush and peat-rich here and in the summer when the soil is dry, dust clouds pretend to be fog! This subject is one I love to paint. It has classic Rowland Hilder elements - ploughed field, vast range of darks and lights, and smells of the toil and labour of the land.