THE SHRIMPERS OF SOUTHPORT – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

The project of doing some local scenes has once again taken another backward step, in a similar way as with the last two paintings I posted.

I went down to the beach to observe  the local shrimpers coming back from the sea with their harvest and decided on a scene to paint, but I was disappointed with the result and abandoned it at the sketching stage.

I then cobbled together the  scene which I  painted above, but I made so many changes and additions as I progressed, that  I would need to do it again if I were to contemplate trying to sell it. At least the exercise crystallised my thoughts as I  dragged parts from six  photos but even then I had to make up bits.

In the end I got something which might work and I can now go back and get some more reference material,  aware of what it is I’m looking for.

Other local Southport scenes are a available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

BIRKDALE PAINTINGS – WATERCOLOUR

Another medium term project I have set myself is to assemble a set of paintings from around the vicinity where I live to show in my framers shop window around Christmas. The framers is almost opposite the end of this church. This was a first go at St Peter’s Church which I feel is a little stilted.

Another painting which didnt come out as well as I would have liked is a view of Duke Street Cemetery  which is an old municipal cemetery started in Victorian times.

I was working from a number of photos, trying to get the best view through the trees along with the turn of the path. What I have done is getting the tombstones on a different scale to the chapel building. I did wonder why I needed to slip in memorial stones to fill the gaps. So here is another one for rework – though I am not sure of the commercial value of a graveyard,  I do love the spring sunshine working through the unfolding leaves.

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

MORNINGS ON THE CANAL – WATERCOLOUR SKETCHES

Well, we have been suffering a few days of good weather around here, so I have been getting up early and getting down to the Leeds to Liverpool Canal to do some early morning painting. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, this is a project I am doing on views of the canal – so this is the fact-finding part,

In earlier days I took my bike and combined painting with some exercise, but for a variety of reasons I have taken the car and gone directly to a particular stretch of the canal.

As it has been at a more leisurely pace I have taken a flask of tea with me. At the time of getting up – around 5-30, by the time I get to a suitable site and sit on my stool, a cup of tea really helps me to focus. I am quite pleased with these sketches and the tea may have something to do with it.

I may work some of these sketches up into paintings – so you have been warned. I have also taken a number of photos as well, so I am accumulating the information,

Paintings of the canal and narrowboats  are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

JUGGED TULIPS – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

   Just a birthday card for a family member. I thought that I would use the opportunity to try out something for a bigger painting.

Other floral paintings are available on m website: grahammcquadefineart.com

BREAKFAST ON THE CANAL – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

I am working on a couple of projects at the moment. One is a set of paintings based around the Leeds Liverpool Canal which meanders across the countryside close to me. I went out the other week and  posted a painting I did on the spot. This is a view of a couple of the narrowboats I posted then, but viewed from a different angle where I spotted a couple of the owners having an early morning cuppa in the sun. It seemed a good subject to start off the series.

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

A CLUTCH OF PASTEL AND CHARCOAL LIFE DRAWINGS

I  have been doing work in dry media recently after  a notice appeared, from the landlord of one of the groups I attend,  decreeing that paint should not go down the drain in the building. Despite my protestations that this was a ridiculous constraint for an art group nothing has changed. I even asked the secretary of the group to find out from the landlord what their concerns were and told the secretary how we might reduce blockage risks, but he seemed more concerned with defending the landlord than serving the club and its members – and he still hasn’t got back to me .

Now, after seeing members of the committee disposing of paint down the drain, I might restart my acrylic work. Anyway, before my blood pressure rises any more,  here are the rest of my paintings:

  Other life drawings and paintings for sale can be found on my website: grahammcquadefinearts.com

THE ESCAPE COMMITTEE – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

When out walking the other week I saw this sheep with her lambs waiting for us to pass before they made a bolt for the field in front of them . I arranged them into an overlapping group to accentuate the anticipation and tried to keep the colour range tight. I painted it in a single sitting as it seemed to come together fairly easily and am pretty pleased with the outcome.

Other animal paintings can be found  for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

THE CANAL AT BURSCOUGH – WATERCOLOUR SKETCH

With some good weather I got off to the canal early Monday morning and sat in a deserted pub garden by the side of the canal  and painted this. I was going to do another but by then the locals had woken up and as it was the bank holiday there was more than the usual activity. When everyone has gone back to work and the sun comes out again I will get back there,

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

WATERCOLOUR DEMONSTRATION PIECE

I was asked to do a painting demonstration of a townscape in watercolour which I delivered on Friday night. This picture above was a dry-run I did just to check timings and jot down a running order. I gave the  actual painting I did on the night to the club which is why I’m posting this.

I did the original version  and posted it on this blog in October last year, so this image might appear familiar.

The demo seemed to go well, though the tree I did by throwing various autumnal colours onto  water sprayed paper ran a bit more than I had anticipated as I had the painting at a steeper angle than I normally work at and the paint escaped across the paper.

Other paintings of Liverpool are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

LAND GRAB – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

My internet connection has been down these last few days, so I have been delayed posting, though I have been painting, At least with painting there is very little that stops you operating.  I remember when I broke my right arm, I started to doodle with my left hand – perhaps it’s something I should have persisted with…

Anyway back to the present; in April I posted a  watercolour sketch called All Sides Now. Above is a variant of this idea worked up into a more finished piece. I am quite pleased with the result here and it has moved the idea on a bit. I will have a go at reworking All Sides Now and also see where this could lead.

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