CAMBODIAN WOMAN – PASTEL SKETCH

Being a bit tied up with family issues I just had time to sketch out this portrait of a Cambodian Lady I spotted when I paused on a cycle ride by a river near Battambang – the second city of Cambodia. The light on her face accentuated her features as she squatted by some sugar cane that she had collected. I have a few pictures of different people of southeast Asia I took on my recent travels and was considering creating a small collection.

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

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ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CANAL – WATERCOLOUR SKETCH

This morning I was roused from my slumbers at 5-30 and the sun was shining, so I went out to do some painting. It’s still cold here, but I took some tea to drink whilst the washes were drying and all was well with the world.

This was the second sketch of the day. I crossed the canal and ventured towards Clieves’ Hills – an area I paint a lot.

Here are some earlier sketches I did when we had a warm spell in April. They are up on the Cumbrian Coast in the Lake District. It took us an age to get there and on the way back the car started to do some very strange things. We limped home but it wasnt a happy day.

This is a view of the area as we climbed the hills behind Ravenglass.

This was a view over the River Esk as it comes to the sea at Ravenglass. The gorse was in full flower with bright burst of yellow all over the hillside – though from the sketch above you might think that they were daffodils.

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

PARKLIFE – WATERCOLOUR SKETCHES

In Siem Reap in Cambodia (the city’s name means Defeat of Thailand – no punches pulled there) we sat in the park with the flying foxes roosting in the trees. Groups of tourists were brought to see them and as the guide spoke , enterprising icecream sales people swooped to feed the stationary tourists.

A few days earlier in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam we sat in another park. A group of children sat to my left painting, Tai Chi sessions were everywhere and one man even washed himself,( sorry, I wasnt quick enough with my camera as he shoved the hose pipe down his shorts to clean the nether regions) then cleaned his bike, changed his clothes and after donning a new hat – he wore a grubby old hat whilst cleaning his bike, – rode off into the traffic.

Landscape and townscape paintings are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

ROUND AND ABOUT VANG VIENG, LAOS – WATERCOLOUR SKETCHES

We left the enchanting town of Luang Prabang on the banks of the Mekong and travelled into the hills on some very dodgy roads to Vang Vieng on the Nam Song River which looks quote impressive with boats going to and fro along it. Then you see people wading across it , sometimes barely knee deep. The town looks down at heel compared to Luang Probang, but I managed to hire a bike and explored the surrounding countryside. This is the dry season and those who cant afford irrigation pumps leave the paddy fields for pasture for their cows. The fields have raised sheltered decks dotted about.

This small roadside farm could have been anywhere in the world, except that the fencing was made of bamboo. I was cycling back to Vang Vieng and had an hour to spare so why not paint it. I like the almost meditative aspect of sitting down painting, pausing a while, and studying the view in front of me. Even if you come out with nothing the time spent in contemplation is worth it.

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

FLOATING DOWN THE MEKONG TO LUANG PRABANG – WATERCOLOUR SKETCHES

The second day of navigating the upper reaches of the Mekong. I did these first two in the misty morning.

The afternoon sketches were much brighter when I looked at them – It seemed I was affected by the intense light.

We arrived at Luang Prabang which was once the capital of Laos. Today it is a laid back town on the confluence of two rivers mixing eastern and French styles. A welcome break after some of the frenetic cities we have visited.

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