MORE ENGLE STYLE PAINTINGS – WATERCOLOURS

Mixing the paint on the paper and then shaping the resulting image. I had to do it in a number of stages, but I like the haziness it produces. Better than an earlier post of this scene which is of the Leeds Liverpool canal.

This one of Ambleside in the Lake District: a lot of overpainting and modification after the initial washes – a bit like the Venice painting I posted earlier in that I’m going back to my own way of working after starting with this new approach.

Just keep trying.

Other landscapes are available for purchase on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

LAST WEEK’S LIFE DRAWING – PASTEL AND ACRYLIC SKETCHES

Last week’s output from a couple of the life drawing groups I go to.

Other figurative work is available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

AINSDALE WOODS – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

Whilst out painting one morning I cycled back home through the coastal pine forest which runs between the railway track to Liverpool and the local airfield on one side and the sandy beach on the other. There aren’t people around at that time and the forest is still, warming  under the first rays of the morning sun.

Other paintings of the Southport area can be found on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

 

EARLY MORNING IN VENICE – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

I got messed around recently by someone who wanted some paintings of Venice . In the end it came to nothing, but I discovered this amongst my photos and I thought I’d use it to try a Nita Engle approach on architecture. Unfortunately I tightened up on the building details, but I do like the dark, dank canals opening up into the light. Might have another go and try and kill the detail.

Other paintings for sale are on my website grahammcquadefineart.com

P SEATED ON CUSHIONS – PASTEL PAINTING

Playing around with watercolours I didn’t have anything to post, but this morning I went to a life group and came up with this. I’m not sure how the model leant on her left shoulder for so long but she didn’t take many breaks. I tried to keep it simple with clean touches of pastel and on a few occasions I succeeded.

Other life paintings can be found on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

THE NITA ENGLE APPROACH – WATERCOLOUR PAINTINGS

I was browsing on Google and happened upon a forest scene which caught my eye. I found it was by an American Artist called Nita Engle. I liked her style and discovered a book by her called  ‘How to Make a Watercolor Paint Itself.’ I thought I’m up for that: while it’s painting itself I can go for a cup of tea, come back and it’s ready to frame. The book was very cheap and now having read it I realise that I use a lot of her techniques already, but not in a coherent way. It was also inspiring to see the reasons and philosophy behind her approach.

So now I am applying some of her approaches myself in these two paintings, which I have painted before and the forest one I have posted earlier on this blog. Its interesting to see the textures possible when not using a brush for application, but taking other approaches. However, it is a bit heart in the mouth stuff, but certainly worth a try and I am trying some more at the present.

I’ll post them in due course, but just having sold a few pastels I need to replace them on my website. It’s just like being back at work.

Other landscapes are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

 

STREET TRADERS OF SUCRE – ACRYLIC PAINTING

I had to sit looking after a painting exhibition today in town. Footfall has been slow, despite being in a prominent place in town, ( I really fear for all the small traders) and this week, the third occasion, I decided to take an easel and paint in the window to try and entice a few in. Up until now I have worked at the back of the shop on a table on some small scale stuff.

Well, today we got twelve punters; most were painters and I gave advice on painting to a couple. No sales. I think this was the lowest number ever – and we’ve done this for a number of years now. Anyway, this was the painting I did as I stood on my lonesome. It is a scene from Sucre, the Judicial capital of Bolivia, where small enterprises still thrive. Long may it continue.

Other paintings are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

SUMMER’S DAY – WATERCOLOUR SKETCHES

With a couple of days good weather I have got out on my bike to do a bit of sketching around Southport. The first one is near Ormskirk on Clieves Hills one the few hills we have around here and probably what many would regard as bumps.

Then down towards Formby where coming out of the woods I glimpsed these horses.

Other watercolour painting is available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

EVENING STROLL – PASTEL PAINTING

This was an image from my recent trip to Durham. We walked  along the River Wear in the sunny evenings which was useful for me to spot potential places to paint in the mornings.

The low sun lit up the early summer greens allowing for some great counter changes of tone.

Other pastel landscapes are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com