SUMMER ON FORMBY BEACH – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

Well for us in northern climes the corner has been turned and summer is on its way, though, no doubt, a rocky (and icy) road lies ahead. So here is a painting of what we’re aiming for. I did this as a pastel a long while ago and wondered whether it would make a watercolour. I love the shadows of the marram grass, the distressed fence, and the way the beach disappears into a hazy blueness. It makes a hopeful change from my recent winter beach scenes.

Here’s to the new year. Have a good one.

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

THE BEACH AT FORMBY POINT – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

Maybe the season of repeats. Here is another version of a painting I posted a few weeks ago. I decided the cliffs of sand dunes needed simplifying and enlarging and I removed clutter from the foreground. I also simplified the cloud formation and made them compliment the dunes better. Its a simple scene, but its about the openness of the beach which seems to roll on forever.

Merry Christmas – as its a nice day we are heading off for a walk along the beach on the Wirral. Hopefully there will be a few potential paintings waiting for me there.

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

END OF THE DAY AT FORMBY POINT – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

I did a version of this in an earlier post, but felt that it focussed on the figures rather than the sense of place. Hence the rework; taking on a lower angle and focussing on the sand and reflections and the openness of the space and pushing the figures and furniture back.

As you can see above I was able to put some paintings in my framer’s window this week ( apologies for the reflections in the glass). At least I have a small exhibition which can be viewed from the open air. I had hoped to be in another mixed exhibition in one of the town centre’s empty shops but the organiser decided to abandon it. I was looking forward to manning the gallery and doing some painting in the shop.

As soon as I got home from my framers I had an email from a guy who wanted to buy, off my website, one of the big paintings that is in the photo. For some reason my website didnt allow him to purchase them on line. The painting had been on the website for a couple of months, but he decided to purchase it after I had taken it along to my framers and set it up in the exhibition. I shouldnt moan. Anyway, as he’s local he said he will call into the shop and collect it – at least he gets a free frame which I dont supply on line.

So we’re off to a good start. I just have to find a replacement.

Other landscapes are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com. Hurry they are running out fast – or should that be seeping slowly…

VIEWS OF FORMBY BEACH – WATERCOLOUR PAINTINGS

Last Monday afternoon, goaded by a splash of sunshine, we headed for the beach at Formby. Sunlight shot through through the gathering clouds and made intriguing contrasts in the fading light.

The car park shut at 3pm, and arriving at two, it only allowed for a short walk along the beach. Fortunately I brought my camera.

With the number of storms of late it was noticeable that the dunes had been well scoured by the waves. When I returned I decide to paint a few of the images I collected.

Other paintings of the Sefton beach are available on my website: grahammmcquadefineart.com

MORNING EXERCISE AT FORMBY POINT – ACRYLIC PAINTING

I have sold a number of beach scenes at Formby of late, so stocks of this subject were low and I wanted something not too taxing to paint as I worked on a more difficult painting.

It puzzles me why a local beach scene is such a popular subject but I suppose sunny days at the seaside are always uplifting and can hold happy memories – that is, until you have to paint masses of marram grass and footprints in the sand.

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

OFF TO THE BEACH AT FORMBY POINT – ACRYLIC PAINTING

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Staying with the beach theme started on my last post; another view of the Sefton coast, this time at Formby. I did this in acrylics and I am happier with the depictment of the vegetation compared to what I achieved with the pastels. I am tempted to repeat the previous post of the Alt Estuary in acrylics.

The painting comes from a watercolour sketch I did a few weeks back, one sunny morning when I visited the beach.

In the distance ( through the gap) on the acrylic painting are the impression of some seabirds which I thought I saw as I sat painting. When I blew up the images I saw that it was litter left by the previous day’s tourists – still, the white blobs are birds in my eye.

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

MORNING, ST LUKES CHURCH, FORMBY – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

Maybe I’m undergoing some sort of epiphany or, then again, perhaps not, but I am painting a number of churches of late. I have a couple more in the pipeline, but this is a completed one.

I had been over to the sand dunes at Formby to do some early morning painting and was making my way back to the road when I glimpsed the church through the chestnut and sycamore trees. I squeezed in under a dilapidated fence and sat and painted the back of the church, though it was the light coming in through the leaves of the trees that adds the punch to this painting and I didn’t do that justice in my sketch. So here is my second go at home, sat in comfort, listening to a spot of Mozart – you can almost feel the sunshine.

Other churches and local paintings are available for sale on my website grahammcquadefineart.com

DOWN TO THE SEA AGAIN – ACRYLIC PAINTING

My daughter and her boyfriend came up the other day and we went for a walk along the coastal path north of Liverpool. This is another place where the path brushes the beach – at the end of Lifeboat Road in Formby. What little remains of the lifeboat station are some well washed bricks down there on the beach.

I am a sucker for the broken fences and the shadows that they cast – perhaps I could make a bit more of them here. And with the windy day came the churning waves eating away more of the sandy beach.

Other beach scenes are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

WASH DAY AT MARSH FARM – WATERCOLOUR SKETCH

Yesterday I decided to join a painting club on one of their summer site visits. I had just joined this club, mainly for the exhibition possibilities, and they sent me their summer schedule which contained some places I had not been before in the area. Marsh Farm was one, and as it was a nice day I thought I would get out and give it a go.

Apart from my old wooden stool falling apart from under me as I painted, it was a good day. Above is the group painting the farm, whilst I sat on a bank by the track – one of the few comfortable places left with the demise of my stool.

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

THE COASTAL PATH AT FORMBY – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

The coastal path from Southport to Crosby takes you along sandy beaches, through Pinewoods and skirts an army rifle range before depositing you in front of Anthony Gormley’s Another Place. Here, in the painting, the path leaves Formby as the morning sun breaks the scrubby, wind sculpted trees and dances over the long grass.

This is another repeat of a painting I have posted before. I hope I have got the light in the grasses better and improved both the contrasts on the pathway and the textures in the bracken and brush.

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