30 minute paintings.

acrylic on paper 21cm 14cm.

I was sitting in the back garden sun preparing some lessons for the next painting course which starts tomorrow at Orrel Park. Taking a short break I decided to practice what I preach and do a quick painted study and stop after 30 minutes. Reduce a simple scene into a mosaic of shapes not things and aim for the right value colour. It’s not how you finish but how you start. The acrylic paint was drying so quick in the heat really helps your speed painting skills.

I intend to do the whole course following the advice of painter Kevin Macpherson, using just 3 colours, ultramarine blue, cadmium yellow, crimson red and white. I think this could simplify the colour mixing problems faced by most students so it should be quiet interesting to strip things down to the bare essentials.

http://kevinmacpherson.com/

One week in Cornwall

7 x 5 watercolour and sketchbook drawing at St Ives harbour later in the day after doing the beach drawings.

Liverpool drawing. Otterspool Prom

SOLD

21cm x 15cm carbon and white acrylic.

I’m getting back to the painting and drawing after a long winter break. I walked from the Albert Dock to the Britannia Pub along the prom and back again, another first for me. I had no paints just a carbon pencil, white acrylic and some of Busters water. I'd gone for a walk with my wife and the dog, I’d decided to let some sea air blow through their bones...the dog that is, not the wife. The rails were full of fishermen along the way so I couldn't resist a sketch into the sun.