The start of a watercolour commission

After a number of very grey overcast days, today has been glorious. Wall to wall sunshine all day.
Yesterday, looking at the forecast, I decided I would paint the watercolour I have been meaning to paint for some time, so I got everything out, and printed out some photos (my computer skills when it comes to printing photos are dreadful, I struggle to print 2 images onto one sheet of paper, so this task took way more time than I ever thought it would) at least I would be ready to begin in the morning.

I began my day with a lovely walk across the fields to Lower Slaughter where the wheel on the water mill was sloshing around with the sheer volume of water cascading through it. Often I walk past it and its so pretty, but the wheel isn't going round, so this morning I stood and became quite mesmerised by it, until another dog walker with two very 'barky' dogs needed to pass by on the narrow path, and so we moved on. I am very fortunate with Maggie, she is a quiet, social little dog who trots along happily, tail up where ever we go.
Once back home I couldn't wait to begin!

First I needed to test if the Cotton Rag paper I was using would be suitable for masking fluid, as there are some breaking waves which I would like to include, so I painted a little test on the side of the picture, made a cup of tea whilst it dried then made a few colour trials on top of it. I'm sticking to a limited palette to keep continuity and unify the painting, so about 4 colours will be enough.

This is pretty much stage one.
Wetting the paper all over and working flat I drop the blue into the sky, continuing down the page in the sea and up onto the beach area in sweeping the bands of blue. Immediately I stroke in the colour of the sand from left to right, allowing the colours to merge slightly with the blue, leaving no part of the paper without colour.
I watch as the paint settles then add more colour strengthening it where I felt it was a little pale and adding a darker colour to the sand area. By the time I have added more to the foreground the top has begun to dry, so I can add the horizon and a darker section of water for the distance. I add more blue using a slightly brighter mix then stop.

You should just be able to make out the figure starting to emerge from the paper.
This now needs to dry, so lunch is called for, otherwise I might fiddle!

Next I use a dark blue and a little of the Copper beach colour and paint the rocks.
Then I darken some areas of blue and define some of the beach sections a little more.

I also add blue to the underside of the waves as this will help them to look as if they are rolling once I remove the masking fluid.
I decide not to leave the masking fluid on overnight, as the sample on the side was a bit stubborn to remove.
Wood pulp papers are far more forgiving when it comes to masking fluid, so Bockingford for example would be a good choice of paper. However, I wanted to use Cotton Rag High White as I love the way the paint absorbs into the paper giving lots of depth to multiple washes.

The paper must be absolutely dry before removing masking fluid, otherwise it can tear the paper with it, so I left it for ages and baked some chocolate brownies.
Once they were in the oven, I needed to tidy up and by the time I had done all that, the paper was dry.

I used to use a piece of cotton to remove masking fluid, but Terry came back from teaching in NC the USA in 2016 and brought back a rubber square of masking fluid remover. Its like an eraser, except it picks up the rubber off the paper. It mean less rubbing and seems to be gentler on cotton papers. You can see it pictured just above my palette.
So this is the stage I got to today.

We are due for sunshine again tomorrow, so I plan to finish the painting then. I have no idea how it will all work out, but I'll let you know.

the minefield that is social media

Goodness me, has it really been that long since I wrote a post?
I must stop telling myself that I should only write something that people may want to read, that really does limit me somewhat, so perhaps I should write when I think I have something to say.
After all, people write stuff about nothing at all.

So other than walk the dog, and do a minimal bit of tidying up and paper shuffling, today I have done nothing.
My excuse is, that I have been poorly for the last 10 days, so I'm pacing myself and taking things slow. Like a long distance runner (only in my case, I'm walking)

I am bucking the trend here by admitting this, because it would seem that if you are on social media, then life is exciting, fun filled, busy and of course successful on so many levels. This goes without saying, so I shouldn't have said that. 

I do find SM confusing. I have only recently realised that when someone says DM me, its not some weird fetish of some sort.
People I don't know and have never met ask me to 'like' their page.
I find myself talking out loud to the screen saying 'why, when I have no idea who you are'? and I don't.
(if that's you, then you knew this already, but then, I doubt if it will be, because you are unlikely to be reading my blog)

It is a mystery to me the Facebook etiquette when it comes to clicking 'like'

I'm not sure how one would react to some posts, for example, someone I barely know posted regarding a relationship breakup that would appear to be on the acrimonious side as well as somewhat recent.
If the 'friend' (whom I barely know) is 'delighted to be rid of the b*****d and the person they are currently having relations with (although that wasn't exactly the way it was put) is now welcome to them..........who clicks 'like'? (and they did!)

(that was a rhetorical question by the way, please don't feel you need to answer it)

Does 'like' mean - yes, you are well rid of them, or does it mean 'poor you how awful'
Is 'like' some sort of encouragement? I hardly know you but I'm now gripped by your saga which is now unfurling and I would be delighted to keep reading about your misery?

Undoubtedly spurred on by these 'likes' the drama increased in its informative suggestions regarding the attributes or otherwise of the offending party and their various personal habits.
It became, over a short space of time what can only be described as entertaining, awaiting the next instalment a morbid curiosity.

This all reinforces my view that my posting a little photo of a painting we did in a workshop may not be as gripping as a 'social soap' but in 2020 if I have nothing to tell you, I may still have something to say.

If you have read thus far, then I applaud you for your perseverance and it only leaves me to wish you heath and happiness for 2020

A fun workshop

Last Saturday I had my first workshop in quite a while, it was a full house, and I was really looking forward to painting with others again.
I had to drop my little dog Maggie off at the dog sitters (a total holiday for her, playing with friends for the day) at 8.00 then I drove to Marlborough to set up for the day. I arrived laden with flowers, lilies and tulips, and the room smelled divine.

What a joyous group I had, 4 of the lovely ladies had travelled all the way from Kent to be with me for the day, how nice is that? we began with some small studies, just to get us going, then once we had the hang of it, we were off, and the results were super.

Ruth was so enthusiastic, when the paint began to run on my demo, she said "Ooooo, there is goes" and it certainly did! and Joyce had begun so nervously, worrying that she would not enjoy her day, and she had a great time! (whew)
The whole group were a joy to teach, and I realised what I had been missing these last months, so thank you to you all.

Two more dates have been organised, details of which will be on my website soon.

When I picked Maggie up, she was shattered, she curled up under the kitchen table and snored whilst I ate my dinner!

The following morning, the flowers had opened even more and the looked glorious, so I spent my Sunday, paints in hand, having a wonderful time!

I decided to loosen up a bit more, so that the flowers were more suggestive. I quite like the idea of taking it even more towards the abstract. I'll probably try something very dramatic and just go for it!

Writing magazine articles again

Its been quite a while since I wrote for Leisure Painter magazine, but I came back with a lovely bright Spring-time subject using watercolour for the May issue.

Spring Blossom 15 x 22 inches

I wanted readers to get their paints out and experiment before embarking on a painting. I don't know why we do it, but we do seem to expect to paint a finished 'painting' each time we wet our paint brushes, when a little bit of a warm-up may be far preferable. 
The pressure is off and we can just 'go for it'
So this was all about softening edges, merging one section into another, even if the previous section had dried! 
How do you make it look like it was all painted wet into wet in one go?
Of course it wasn't, so how do we do it?

Experimenting joining wet into wet sections together

Then there was the 'allowing paint to run' bit! 
Eeek, I know its all be bit daunting, but once you let it go, you can tilt the paper and bring it back again!
Then how about creating some scrummy textures by dropping a medium into the wet paint, Oooh, just watch the paint separate into little clumps of textural goodness. Be patient though, it doesn't happen instantly.

Creating textures in watercolour

I will be demonstrating these techniques using seasonal flowers in my workshop in Marlborough on 18th May.

I hope you can come and join me.

Great memories

It has been a wonderful week, I have loved the beach and the waves have been great. Despite my costume filling up with sand in the most bizarre places, the body surfing has been such fun!

I managed to read an entire book! which did not include  pictures!

Riding on this little train has been fun

The weight lifting kept me fit

Our last evening

Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to read about my week away, especially those of you who have emailed me with comments and suggestions. I have now been back at home for more than a week and it all seems so long ago.

A sight for sore eyes

When the sun begins to set, the lighting on the beach is stunning, everyone comes out and walks along the sands, enjoying the last hours of the day.

The entire beach however, was entertained by a very confident young lady, who was having her photo taken but not as most of us would, no, she was striking a variety of 'provocative poses' on the beach! Many involved various props such as scarfs and a hat.

Some of her poses certainly attracted some wonderful lookers on, and I couldn't resist taking a photo of the bizarre situation which unfolded in front of me and continued for some time. 

Tipping

Tipping is so confusing, I think resorts should have some ‘tipping advice’ for guests, a discreet little write up somewhere, just letting guests know, what to tip for and when to do it?

When I go to a restaurant in the UK, tipping happens after the meal, we don't make a song and dance about it here, its all very 'discreet' .... left on the table or in with the payment, almost as if the customer is embarrassed about leaving it. If staying in a hotel, the room servicing its not tipped, we don't leave cash lying about in our rooms.

So here, I find myself watching to see when it’s done, in the buffet a family arrive and the chap extends a seriously warm greeting towards the waiter, as if the waiter is their long lost brother and the waiter in turn, treats him like he has know him for years, all broad smiles and attentive service all night. Water topped up, wine topped up,  would you like anything else, all such wonderful service.
Then on departing, a farewell handshake with so much bravado I’m waiting for an embrace!

This is happening at other tables too, It’s no ordinary hand shake though, oh no, there is a surreptitious exchange of the dollar, somehow affixed to the palm and exchanged on contact. How it’s stuck there goodness knows, it seems almost seamless and each party is aware of it and enacts the performance. Some performances warrant a stage, others quite frankly, an Oscar.

I have never heard of tipping for a buffet.

It was day three before I worked out that I should leave a tip each day for the room service. (unheard of in the UK, well certainly the hotels I would stay in)
I don't know how much I should leave, so I decide to leave a $5 bill. It had been two days and I felt a bit embarrassed about it really. My next decision is where should I leave it?
I can’t just leave it on the side, no one would take it surely?
I need to place it in plain sight, but not as if I had just left it lying about.
After wandering about thinking of various places to leave it, ( a crazy bit of stress on holiday) I settled for next to the fan shaped bed spread and left for dinner.
Then I began thinking 'would it be the same person each day'? 

When I got back the place looked like a bridal suite! There were flower petals strewn all over the bed, chocolate on my pillow, the towels were arranged like swans in the bathroom, there was more moisturiser than I would need for the entire week, my night wear was arranged in a most artistic manner (just a little weird) and a thank you note was written for me on the guest pad!