Painting stages from the allotment painting

Usually when I paint, I switch off completely and just when I am nearing the finish I think... oh not again, I forgot to take photos during the painting.
This time I remembered to take some, I think they seem a bit washed out, the colours look much richer and fuller when I look at the actual painting, but I still think it may be nice to share the process with you. I managed to crop them so they look reasonably neat, without stuff in the background.

The canvas board is 10 x 12 inches, its small enough to carry with me and complete within a couple of hours. I first prime the surface (I usually do four, ready to paint on).
I start with a very dilute wash just blocking in the shapes and composition. I can change my mind and alter things, its just the start but its a nice way to work quickly.

Adding a few more blocks of colour now. Again I can change things, its all very fluid at this stage.

In go the lights.

Then the big rich colours, no more dilute blocking in, its down to the serious stuff now.

Then the finishing touches. Knowing when to stop before I start to fiddle. Often the weather or indeed the cold is the deciding factor!

Painting in the allotments this morning

After all the rain we have had, I have been busy indoors catching up on all sorts of things and haven't really minded not going out to paint too much, but today we had sunshine so I left everything and took the opportunity to go to our local allotments.
There I was merrily painting away when a passer by (you always get a few) came for a look.
Now people who watch you paint can either stand quietly and say very little, or they chat away to you (which can sometimes be a bit irritating, especially if you are trying to catch the light) it is often the case however, that people tell you either all about how they can paint, or that they know someone who paints... well... this morning, a chap got talking to me and told me that he used to go to art college indeed he was really good at painting, so good in fact, that he could have been a professional... but he got in with a bad group, people told him... he would have been really good but for the drink!!
Anyway, I thought I would share that with you!

This is my painting, done this morning on a 10 x 12 inch canvas board, fresh off the easel, the picture is a bit wonky and I will take a better one another time. I am happy with it, I'm all fired up again and hoping to go painting again tomorrow.

At the allotments Jan 23rd 2014

A wet start to 2014

Well, this was my walk this morning, splodging through water! It has rained non stop all day, the river Windrush is so full and is moving so fast that it has burst its banks in places.

The ducks are now having to swim instead of walking along on the river bottom (which seems to be what they often do) and they no longer have to leap off the side and into the water but can just walk straight off the edge!
We are due for more rain tomorrow so I shall be checking the river levels again later this afternoon!

The edge of the footpath is 3m to the left of me