Changing Sails Charlestown

Hi, I now have a place to paint all to myself which is lovely. The first painting completed in my studio was painted from a photograph and sketches I made a few years ago. We were visiting Charlestown in Cornwall. The harbour at Charlestown has been used many times as a film and TV location and often has sailing ships docked. This year the sails were being changed on one of the ships and I thought it would make an interesting painting. The time had come to have a go at the painting. I have just bought a set of Hazel Soan watercolour paints and this was the perfect project to get to know the paints. The paints were great to use and performed well. I had to simplify the rigging whilst retaining the impression. I painted on rough Saunders and Waterford paper which is a lovely paper to use and is very forgiving.

Changing Sails, Charlestown.

                                                   

Moonlight pastel painting

Hi, Just a short update on my painting. I have recently finished a pastel painting based around Charlestown in Cornwall. It is a great place to visit and usually there is a sailing ship in dock in the harbour. The harbour, dock and ships have been used as a location for a lot of films and TV series. Taboo and Poldark have both been filmed on Location at Charlestown. I wanted to paint a sailing ship in the harbour with moonlight reflected in the water. I used a number of photographs I had taken, both day and dusk, to produce a basis for the painting. I haven't painted using pastels very much but having just finished the pastel course with Jane Ward I wanted to have a go at my own composition. Overall I was pleased with the result particularly the sky and the moon light. It was very difficult to create the silhouette of the ship and harbour so that it showed enough against the clouds in the sky. It was great fun to try.

Painting of Bedruthan Steps Cornwall in Mixed media.

Hi, My latest painting is of one of my favourite places, Bedruthan steps in Cornwall. The coastal scenery is very dramatic and I thought it would be a good idea to paint the view from a higher perspective and I think it has worked well. I also decided to use both watercolour and pastel. I painted the painting to a reasonably finished stage and then used the pastels to add the final texture and drama to the sky.

Bedruthan Steps.

Pastel course

Hi I have just completed the online pastel course by Jane Ward. I enjoyed the course immensely and gained a lot from it. I would thoroughly recommend this course. The project included Lake District scenery which I love having spent several holidays in the area. Here are my last two projects. The final piece had an under wash of acrylic paint.

 This is the acrylic under painting before the pastels were applied.

Completed painting.

Pastel course and rose brooch.

Hi, I have just completed the fourth project in the pastel course by Jane Ward. This course is a great way to get started with pastels and is available through Jane's Etsy shop. It was lovely working on a project so bright and cheerful. I have also completed an embroidered brooch. The rose embroidery was designed by me and was stitched on silk Haboutai. All brooches are available from my Brushes and Bodkins Etsy shop shown above.