The Eyebrook in Spring

#14 The Eyebrook in Spring oil on canvas 8x8"

I thought I'd return to the Eyebrook and paint the same spot from the week before when it had been raining. The colours were so much more vibrant this time and the sky was reflecting off the water beautifully. I used a smaller canvas this time and I prefer the composition with the water leading your eye in, across the canvas and the back across the tree line.

I used burnt umber to mark out the initial shapes and to get the dark tonal values down. Then I mixed the main colours and got a bit of each in place so I could see how the colours would work together. I spent longer than I wanted to on the painting so next time I want to concentrate on working more quickly and not overworking areas.

Slawston Hill from Welham

#13 Slawston Hill from Welham oil on board 12x10"

I haven't been very good at posting in the last month. I've got a bit to update so there will be a bit of a flurry of posts now.

It was a lovely sunny morning when I painted this view across the Welland Valley in Leicestershire.  When I started the sky was completely clear but the clouds came over half way through which I was pleased about as I've been wanting to get more practice painting clouds 'en plein air'.

I set my easel on the side of a quiet single track road and I had quite a few cyclists and farmers stop to see what I was painting. It's lovely when people take a real interest and often they like to talk about their own experiences with painting which is nice.

A Mothers Day View

#8 Mothers Day Morning Oil on Canvas 5"x5"

It was a real Mothers Day treat a few weeks ago to get out in the fresh air and do this little plein air sketch.  I walked up a hill in my village where the week before we'd been sledging. Although the sun wasn't out the snow had melted and I painted the view looking over the fields towards the neighbouring village of Seaton in Rutland.

It was also the first outing for my new Open Box M plein air easel.  It was as good as I'd hoped it would be! Lightweight, versatile, a large mixing area and the smell of the newly oiled wood is beautiful.

My new Open Box M easel on top of the hill