DANCING LIGHT, FLEETING SHADOWS – WATERCOLOUR PAINTINGS

Another view from Ainsdale pine woods near to my home, where the firs and bracken have populated the old sand dunes down to the beach.

You can understand, in a more credulous age, the belief in sprites and fairies as the morning light bristles or crepuscular darks grow.

And another go at the view of the woods and path I posted a few weeks ago. The first one was quickly done on the back of an old painting and I loved the glow I achieved. Unfortunately some of the old painting had been cut down so it didnt fit my frames and mounts. Hence this second attempt on a fresh sheet.

Other paintings of the Sefton coast are available for sale at great prices on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

MORNING AT BEXHILL – WATERCOLOUR SKETCHES

Down on the south coast as we empty my mother’s flat of a lifetime of nostalgia, I started the day by doing a bit of painting on the seafront. Here the beach at lowtide looking towards Hastings.

And on the promenade by the iconic De La Warr Pavilion with the early morning joggers, dog walkers and strollers.

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

THE TRAFFIC PAUSES ON THE STRAND AGAIN – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

The repeat season continues with this offering. I posted a sketch of this before Christmas and now a more considered attempt. At least I got the buildings upright this time and achieved the smokiness you see in this contra-jour view. This is the waterfront at Liverpool and The Liver Building casts a shadow over the procedings.

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

ANOTHER ONE THAT GOT AWAY – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

Going into the new year I was fairly upbeat so I decided to have another go at my cactus dahlias – this is the third attempt for anyone who is counting. Being a diary I feel the good as well as the bad should get posted and this very definitely sinks into the second category. I suppose there are some good bits but you need to look hard though I am never downhearted by these issues as it is always a learning exercise… – not to try it for a fourth time.

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

ROSE OF SHARON – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

Another taste of summer and on Christmas Day – well summer is now on its way. This bush sits by my decking and is buzzing with insects in June and this year it was still throwing up the odd flower into November. I do find yellow a difficult colour to work with, maybe because of it’s opacity, but I was quite pleased with the way the top part came out.

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

AUTUMN WALK – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

Having travelled back from my Life Drawing class and needing to set up an exhibition this week, I have not had time to paint anything new. Then as I was browsing through images on my camera I spotted one I had done a couple of weeks ago and not posted. I recall at the time I wasn’t too taken by it, but after a couple of weeks my antipathy has softened, so here it is.

I also should post it as I have a rule to post everything I do, whether I like it or not, which I pretty much follow, another reason to inflict this on you.

Other landscapes are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

WAITING FOR THE TRAIN AT FORMBY – WATERCOLOUR SKETCH

Another sketch just to get the feel of the subject. I had come out of a life session and was getting the train home. The sunshine was bright and the figures were set in deep contrast making me get my camera out. If I do it again I must get the tracks right – it looks like a model railway and there isnt a conductor rail but the use of masking fluid to get the glinting tracks worked better than I thought it would.

Paintings of Formby and other townscapes are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

THE TRAFFIC PAUSES ON THE STRAND, LIVERPOOL – WATERCOLOUR SKETCH

The sun shone brightly when I emerged from a Saturday life session and I decided to have a look around and take a few photos before boarding the train home. In front of the Liver building the light came from the direction of the Mersey. I decided to do this sketch from a few of the photos, getting a view down The Strand with  people crossing the road.

In hindsight I could put more detail and colour into the people in the road and have the person walking away, coming at the viewer, maybe with a companion instead. Then, if I manage to get the buildings upright and get rid of the orangutan scaling the ventilation shaft on the right, maybe we’re in business.

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

ENTERING AINSDALE WOODS – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

Last Saturday the weather was bright and I got off the train a couple of stops early on my return from the morning life session in Liverpool. I walked back through the woods. With the birches resplendent in their yellows and oranges I took a few photos as I walked home. This painting was a view at the end of my walk with a couple of figures borrowed from another shot. In hindsight I should have given the man the dog, so it stands out in the light. I might try a few more images from my walk.

Other paintings of woods in and around Southport are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

RECEDING TIDE – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

I wanted to try out some textures on this one with the sky, sea, rocks and pebbles all requiring different approaches. I would like to have added further detail and texture, such as building up the seaweed and pebbles, but was aware that I was getting too fussy. It was a good exercise and like so many paintings, you get to the end and realise that there were slicker and better ways of achieving your aims. So perhaps another go later.  

For other seascape and beach paintings for sale, visit my website: grahammcquadefineart.com