SUMMER ON FORMBY BEACH – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

Here’s the view into the sun that you get on this coast in the afternoon, when the light coruscates off the sea and wet surfaces and the paddlers are just dark outlines in the distance. There is a mystery about it.

Besides, I need a few more sea-side paintings and so it was a good opportunity to try this approach. Perhaps the foreground group is a bit dark, but they are a foil for the distant figures and the glistening sea.

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

BEACH DAYS – WATERCOLOUR SKETCHES

We arrived back on less balmy shores yesterday, but last week allowed time to accumulate a lot of sketches, which, as I’ve nothing else to show, may whet your appetite for holidays of your own in my coming posts.

Where we stayed at Kovalam there were plenty of rocky outcrops interspersed with sandy beaches. The sand had a golden tint and the sea was warm

Fishermen pulled their boats up on the beaches during the day providing crows with a perch to survey their surroundings. At night these same boats littered the horizon with clusters of lights as they lured the fish into their nets.

We sat on the seawall in the evening, eating south Indian curries prepared in the shoreside restaurants – waves breaking on the rocks below – and watched the movement of the boats.

It was great to have a whole new set of places to paint. Even better if you could find a place in the shade and sit without interruption for an hour or so before heading off for a well deserved (even though I say it myself) cold beer and a freshly made vegetable samosa or two.

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

TIDAL TANGO REVISITED – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

I thought that it might be worth re-showing another painting which recently sold at my small exhibition. It is of a breaking wave. I was pleased with this and was surprised that it took three or four exhibitions before it managed to find it a home.

After new year I changed all the paintings in my exhibition from a beach/sea theme to one of local landscapes. As I was in the shop setting up the new exhibition, a lady, who had purchased a beach painting earlier, came in saying she was pleased with her painting and was on the lookout for another of mine. Hopefully there may be more sales.

Below is an image of the latest exhibition – apologies for the quality. Yesterday I was told someone had taken one away to see if it complemented their decor ( apparently she often tries quite a few prints/paintings) so one can only hope that it cuts the mustard.

It’s been a busy week as I’ve also been preparing for a workshop I’ll be delivering on Sunday at Blackpool. I’ll be needing a holiday after this.

All manner of paintings are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

EARLY BIRDS AT FORMBY POINT – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

Another beach painting for a planned upcoming solo exhibition. This is Formby beach early on a promising summer’s morning, as the crowds gather.

Having just returned with all my paintings, unsold, from a local exhibition yesterday and next week picking up another unsold painting from a long running exhibition, things feel far from promising. After a bright start to the year, I seem to have have sailed into the doldrums. You question yourself, your subjects, even the economic climate. Probably a mixture of all three with changing fashions and market saturation thrown in.

Fortunately I enjoy the process and challenges of painting, but the studio can get overrun with stock building up and, with it, a feeling of talking to yourself.

Plenty of choices for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

FLOOD TIDE AT SUNSET, THE TOURISTS PART AND GULLS RECLAIM – ACRYLIC PAINTING

Another beach scene. I had earlier painted a larger version of this with more sea and sky. I then realised it was the silhouettes of the figures against the criss-crossing rivulets at Formby that grabs the attention. Too much scenery dilutes the figures’ impact. The man carrying his shoes is an interesting detail. I presume they’re shoes – not fish that he has caught.

The returning gulls were something I added to build the story.

It can be a long way back from the sea on this coast.

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

AFTERNOON ON THE BEACH – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

Another in the beach series.

I loved the light bounching off sea and wet sand, the figures silhouetted and casting long shadows and splashes of colour breaking through against the dull background, as light penetrates fabrics and plastics.

I had a bit of trouble with this at the start, as I wanted the foreground figures to be much larger, but when I drew it, the perspective and, with it, the illusion of depth, was lost. I had to either flatten and thereby compress the field of vision or, as I have done, make the figures smaller and get that long view to the horizon.

Hopefully you get the feel of a sunny day on Formby beach as the afternoon edges towards evening.

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

BROKEN FENCES – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

I did this a week or so ago as part of my beach series. Which, having spoken to Glyn, my framer yesterday, I can display in his window around Christmas.

This one though, I wasnt too happy with it. Then, a couple of days ago, I decided to add some walkers, a dog, and gulls to the right hand side. Small details, but they seemed to balance the piece and I’m now happier with it. As you probably already know, I’m a sucker for a broken fence. Then, couple that with the strong diagonal and it had my full attention.

I think now there’s a feeling of completeness about it.

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

SUNDOWN AT FORMBY POINT – ACRYLIC PAINTING

I had a bit of trouble with this one. It was so easy going in too dark too early which then seriously limited further options. With a bit of messing about I think I managed to get the subtlties in the dark areas – though the sea is coming up a bit too blue on this image – it is greyer.

It was a wonderful evening down there that day. I had done a bit of sketching and taken some photographs. It looked like it could be worth hanging around for the sunset and it certainly was.

Afterwards I headed home for something to eat, but the numbers on the beach and others making their way down, made me realise that perhaps the party was only starting.

I’m getting to old for that – I’ll just stick to the painting.

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

DESCENDING TO THE BEACH – PASTEL PAINTING

Another in the beach series of paintings. The bright afternooon light illuminating the trodden path to the beach. Reflected light from marram grass made it look like a fibre-optic light display and in the distance strollers explore the tidal expanse.

I’ll just need to remember to get that horizon line level.

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

REMEMBER THOSE DAYS? – PASTEL PAINTING

The promise of a day at the seaside. The anticipation and then the joy as the sea came, at last, into view.

There is a boardwalk at Formby, which lifts you over the final dune from where you get the first sight of the sea before dropping you down onto the seemingly endless expanse of beach below. It’s enough to set those small legs running.

Another beach scene, this time with a bit of human narrative. I guess we can all remember those days. For me it was Camber Sands in Sussex which has similar dunes and beach and created similar feelings in a young boy.

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