Watercolour Walkabout: All things Painterly.

This is one of my first Watercolour Paintings done with a limited palette and the wonderful help of Frank Clarke's D.V.D.'s.

Painted as part of a monthly landscape challenge on Wet Canvas. This is a wonderful site with lots of advice and "how to's" and they have helped me to progress as an artist.

This is a painting of a jetty in Port Augusta, South Australia. I was given permission to paint this from a photo taken by Zonifer Loyd who posted her lovely photos on Flickr.

This is a painting of Barn Hill Station near Broome in Northwestern Australia. The caravans here are perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean. One of a series I painted on our last trip to Barn Hill in 2010.

Camels on a Broome Beach at Sunset, painted in Broome in 2010.

Moon rising over Barn Hill, Northwestern Australia. Painted on vacation in 2010.

Red Hill from the Water. Painted on vacation at Barn Hill, Northwestern Australia in 2010. My photo reference for this picture was taken by myself from our 12' dinghy whilst out fishing.

Painted on vacation in 2010 from a photo I took of the South Beach at Barn Hill, Northwestern Australia.

This is a painting of Wynjanna Gorge off the Gibb River Road in Northwestern Australia. Painted in 2010 from a photo I took when we toured this gorgeous region.

A painting I did whilst on vacation in 2010. I was kindly given permission to paint this from a photo taken by a lovely lady on Flickr - Tina Negas.

Painted from a reference photo of Fisgard Lighthouse, which was posted in the IRL at Wet Canvas. This was painted in 2010 whilst on vacation in Northwestern Australia.

Fishing Boat Harbor - Fremantle, Western Australia.

I tramped through sloshy paddocks to get the reference photo for this painting. Taken at Fortesque River in the Northwest of Australia.

This is a painting of a Golden Crowned Grey Crane.

Oh My God. Bright isn't it!

One of my favourites (my daughter-in-law) loves it too. Painted from a reference photo in the Wet Canvas Image Reference Library. Painted in 2011.

Another Flower - Arum Lilly - painted from a reference photo in Wet Canvas's IRL. Painted in 2011.

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YELLOW ROSE.
A painting in progress. Hope I haven't posted this too early, it might be a disaster, but what the heck, sometimes you try and win and sometimes you fail. No big one, it's only a bit of paper.

Well, my easle's set us, painting supplies at the ready, gentlemen - start your engines.

Picture drawn out and paper stretched. Using 300 gsm medium grain watercolour paper.

The background has been put in using a mixture of Sap Green and Sepia. I have also dropped in a little mauve made up of Alizarine Crimson and Ultramarine. I wanted the yellow rose to stand out against it's complimentary colour of mauve.

Tried unsuccessfully to do transparent watercolour leaves, so after much scrubbing of paper, I applied paint straight from the tube - hardly any water in my brush.

This is the result. A flat brush double loaded with green and burnt umber.

Here I have added some shadow areas to the rose. This has allowed me to see more easily, where my highlights will be.

I have masked out the highlight areas and washed the rose with a pale Cad. Yellow wash, then a very pale Aliz. Crimson wash.

Deepening the intensity of yellow with repeated weak washes of Cad. Yellow.

O.K. I feel the intensity of the yellow is now at the correct point. Now to deepen the shadows.

Put in shadows using burnt sienna with a touch of Cad. Red. I think it is enough. Now to take off the masking, finish off the buds and voila - it will be finished.

I think it is finished.

Any comments may be left on my Home Page.

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Sturt's Desert Pea. Painted on A4 300gsm paper in Gouache using a limited palette.

We're back from our 2011 holiday to the North West of Western Australia, and I will upload all of the paintings I did on the trip.

This painting is a repeat of the rose I called Juliet. It was painted in a different pink using a slightly different technique. I painted quite a few of my pictures several times whilst away, trying to hone my skills.

Betty's Tea Service. A still life from a reference photo in a monthly challenge on Wetcanvas.com. This was my first attempt at painting silverware and I thought it would be very challenging indeed. As it turned out, it was not too hard to paint and I am quite happy with the result.

Beachcomber. 9" x 12" A scene I painted often, although mostly not with the figure. This is a lovely serene place and I enjoy painting this picture, regardless of how many times I have done it.

Sunset Staircase. The Stairs at Barn Hill Station go down to the beach. The reference photo for this painting was taken at dusk when the water was very still. Painted on Arches 6" x 8" paper.

View of the Cliffs at Barn Hill with caravans and tents set up. 6" x 8" Arches paper.

Moon Rising at Barn Hill Station.
This shows one of my 6" x 8" paintings set into a mount and enclosed in a cellophane bag, ready for sale. I sold quite a lot of these at the Sunday Markets at Barn Hill.