January Plein Air

The temperature gauge in my car read 0 degrees but I was unprepared for the intense cold which makes ears, nose and hands ache. Ears and nose can to a certain extent be protected, but it is a difficult thing to draw and paint while wearing gloves - even mittens are tricky.

I was standing near Broadway Tower, a local landmark and Folly, built on an ancient beacon site with spectacular views all round, which means precious little shelter from wind, rain or as today, intense cold. There is also, which I didn't know, a nuclear bunker on site. A different kind of folly perhaps.

The trees are bare, stark against the large expanse of sky. The land drops away sharply behind the Tower from this position. No comforting distant horizon line where sky and land meet. No hills or woods to act as a backdrop against the old stone walls. Today the smaller branches and their little twigs are hung with frost giving the appearance of early blossom.

I chose the view as I enjoyed the little building in front of the tower and it was best seen from the side of the road opposite a handy lay-by, which meant I could draw looking over the low wall until my hands were ready to drop off, and then get back into the car and turn the heater on until it was warm enough to hold a paintbrush and apply some washes in relative comfort.

There are numerous other view points here and I am looking forward to making return visits as I know from experience that when painting plein air, no two days are ever the same.

Happy New Year

                                                                Little Brown Tea pot


At this time of the year it is traditional to take stock of the year just gone and make plans for the year ahead, catch up on all those things which have been pushed to one side to do 'later' and, in my case, try and stock up on art materials.

Although it has been cold recently, it has not been soooo cold as to make it impossible to paint outdoors, even with watercolour. There is a certain beauty in the winter landscape and the recent frosts have turned the fields and hedgerows into a land of crystal enchantment as if from a fairy tale.

However, if you live in part of the world where winter really means FROZEN, then perhaps January should be dedicated to the art of Still Life. Even traditional subject matter can be inspiring if you are willing to experiment with composition, change the size or format of your usual paper or canvas, and play with colours not usually to be found on your palette. It's all about being creative. We are always learning, and this seems to be the ideal time of year to play with our materials and see where it leads us.

Some of my New Year resolutions;

- Travel further afield for plein air painting and sketching.
- Push boundaries more - don't just stick with what I know I can do.
-Make better use of my sketchbooks.

Oh, and
- Try to update this blog on a more regular basis than of late. Who knows? I might even make it through to February !

HAPPY PAINTING

Festive Greetings

The mince pies are made

The presents are wrapped

The family start to arrive tonight.

Wherever you are, I wish you a Merry Christmas

and a year full of hope and new beginnings.

Enjoy the Festive break

Seasonal favourites

There are certain subjects which I look forward to re-visiting each year in order to paint.. Daffodils in Spring for example, straw bales in Summer. Autumn brings harvest time, pumpkins and stunning colour in the foliage. Winter trees are another favourite - and snow, but here in the Cotswolds one can't guarantee to have it every year.

This is not as monotonous as it may sound. Because these are seasonal subjects, one may only have a few weeks in which to study them, the way the light plays on them, their surroundings and so on before they are gone.

By the time they return a year later one has largely forgotten what one did the year before, and so the thrill of discovery awaits anew - and each year there is the possibility of discovering a little bit more to add to the store of ones knowledge.

Painting on Location

Painting or sketching on location, en plein air ,can be one of life's greatest pleasures and it is always so rewarding to achieve something on site which is uniquely your own.

Yet the very idea seems to instill panic in many people who are put off the idea because they don't want their efforts seen by others.

It happens to us all at first -  a lack of confidence. One way to overcome this is to have a painting partner who will come with you or even a group of like-minded people, as onlookers tend to shy away from large numbers !

However I have found that such fears are unfounded. It is surprising how often someone will come and stand in front of you and conduct a lengthy shouting match on their mobile 'phone apparently unaware of your existence. One time I was enjoying making a sketch while sitting on a bench when someone appeared from nowhere and flopped down beside me. I turned briefly and smiled only to receive an indignant stare in return, and after a while off they went without having spoken a word.

The other side of the coin is far more fun. Never, as yet, has anyone come up and told me what I am doing is rubbish (perhaps it will come). True some people come up, glance at my sketch and move away. They may indeed be thinking that it is rubbish, but they do not say so.

More often people will make a comment such as "How lovely, I wish I could do that" which opens up an opportunity for conversation if you wish.

Others reveal themselves to be 'dabblers', some turn out to be professionals, others students, or 'just-doing-it for-fun-on-holiday' sketchers. Either way I have shared some amazing conversations with people from Europe, America and Japan. I have been privileged to see some beautiful sketchbooks and allowed a glimpse into another's life. I have also mostly been happy to answer questions from those just starting out on their great adventure in painting.

Language never seems to be a problem. Somehow when those with a common interest meet, there exists a spirit of friendship and goodwill, and whatever your level of ability you will feel the benefit of having shared a moment of understanding and enjoyment.

There is nothing quite like it for building up your self-confidence.

Making the most of sketches

Recently I visited a Lavender farm and was bowled over by the beauty of the colours and the richness of the fragrance. Even though I have been there before I had forgotten what a potent mixture it was for the senses.

I think it is because it is a relatively short season when the fields are all bursting with full strength colour. A bit like painting daffodils in Spring or pumpkins in Autumn, one just gets the hang of it and then they are gone for another year.

Sketching on site on occasions like this - when you have not gone there for the whole day with the intention to do nothing but paint - can often be nothing more than quick 'note-taking' whether on paper or in a sketchbook. Here I had a small block of watercolour paper.

Because it was busy I tried to be discreet and not get in anyone's way - however, painting seems to attract many people (and repels others !) so one has to get used to being engaged in conversation despite an urgency to complete something before having to be elsewhere, or more usually, before the next burst of rain comes along.

Sometimes what is produced here works well in it's own right - little gems which have more to say than a painting which has taken longer.                                                                                                   
Mostly, I find the smaller sketch is more useful in providing a reference for a later painting, for hopefully it will have 'captured the moment', the feelings, the impression of what was there at the time. Referring to it will bring back the memories, colours and fragrance of the day just as if you were there. 

Museum Sketching

Yesterday I went to the Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock as part of the West Ox Arts drawing day.
Working in museums requires different skills to those more normally employed. It is not practicable to set up an easel in a small gallery where other members of the public are wandering in and out and where in some cases small children are running around. Museums too are wary of paint being splattered over their exhibits !

Instead I figured this was an occasion which required a sketchbook, pencil, fibre-tipped pens and, with a little subterfuge, a miniature palette and a waterbrush. With practice it is possible to hold most of these things in one hand while drawing with the other, standing in front of the glass cabinets.

On the spot, I concentrated on sketching various exhibits, memorising any unusual details and colours which could be added later if it wasn't possible to complete it there and then.

The page could be given unity by the addition of a border and some annotation. In this case I kept the handwritten notes to the barest minimum and placed them where I thought they would look most interesting. Another time I might give the placement of the drawing more consideration if I know there will be a larger area of writing so that the two will work in harmony as part of the overall design.

Most important of all is to remember that an experience such as this should be enjoyable ! You don't have to go to a museum to try it, why not do something similar with your favourite objects at home ?