Among the Greenery

6x6" watercolour on paper. $40. Available here 

This is a little local scene. There are lots of houses tucked in among the trees and shrubs at the edges of country lanes; the white and green make for a really nice contrast. I love painting architecture like this in watercolour- and I had fun with all of the leafiness too!

Edge of the Lake

4x10" watercolour on paper. $45 Available here 

I really like this type of 'panoramic' landscape format. I had a lot of fun painting the pine trees in this! They have such great silhouettes, I always enjoy when they pop up in a composition.

The Killary 2

5x7" watercolour on paper. $40. Available here

The second of my little Irish scenes. I really love playing with all of the different shades of green, blue and brown found in these landscapes- and trying to capture the texture of the grass and trees, and the light reflecting in the water!

The Killary 1

6x6" watercolour on paper. $40. Available here

I've been having trouble with oils and acrylics lately so I've started painting watercolours again- it's been a long while since I've used them. I'm having a lot of fun, remembering all of the techniques and tricks I like using! Here's the first of two little Irish landscapes I painted a few days ago.

Trio of Mushrooms

6x4" watercolour on paper. $30. Available here

Here's a little watercolour postcard of mushrooms I painted a few days ago. I really wanted to explore the range of soft yellows and browns the subject provides.

Small Cloudscape 1

 5x7" watercolour on paper. $30. Available here

The impossible has happened- I'm finding larger works easier than small ones right now! So I'm switching back to watercolours for a bit for my daily paintings. Clouds are a favourite subject of mine in this media, I find it very relaxing to paint them.

End of the Pier

6x8" watercolour on paper. $45. Available here!

I've done quite a lot of bright, colourful paintings recently so for a change, here's something calmer and more subtle- a view of the end of Ryde Pier. I loved how the structure was reflecting in the water.

Thatched Cottage I

6x8” watercolour on paper. $45. Available here

A thatched cottage in Shanklin, Isle of Wight. This was a really tricky subject to paint and I'd like to give it another go in the future. Windows like this take a while to complete, you have to be very delicate with them... easier said than done when your brush is starting to lose its point! I do like the way they look when finished though.

A Path By The Sea

6x8” watercolour on paper. $45. Available here

I've been in a watecolour mood lately! Here's one painted from a photo I took out of a bus window on my trip. I liked this little curving path running alongside the sea, just past Yarmouth. I've not done much watercolour since last summer. It was fun to work wet-in-wet again and let the colours run and blend.

I find watercolour a great medium to use when working from photos, as you can't really be too fussy over minor details; you have to see where it takes you, use your creative instincts and relax. And the results often wind up much more vibrant and atmospheric than the photo anyway, as is the case with this painting. Or so I feel... I hope you all enjoy the finished work as much as I enjoyed painting it!

Little Stream, Hertfordshire

5x7" watercolour on paper.  $30. Available here!

Here's a little watercolour painting of a local scene. It's a small river near the college I went to- I used to wander up near it on lunch breaks with friends. It's a very peaceful place, despite being near some quite busy roads. Here it is in spring/summer, green and sunny.