The Man from the RA he say…

No…not this year alas…So it’s 2-0 to the RA…will have to think of something truly spectacular for next year...

I’d already seen the article in the RA Magazine on some of Tracy Emin and Humphrey Oceans selections and they were certainly ‘different’ from my entry, so I wasn’t that surprised that my painting wasn’t selected…but there’s always a moment of “Why don’t they like me..." Still, onward and upward, there’s always next year and next month I want to enter one of the swirling watercolours for the RWS/Sunday Times Watercolour competition…so let’s see if that fairs any better…Good luck to everyone else that entered the RA, I know there are a few of you out there that read this :) and if you don’t get in this year, try again next year…I know I will :)

Blenheim Palace over the lake

Blenheim 06, the Palace viewed from over the lake…

Giant Bulrushes

Blenheim 05. Giant bulrushes…Have been playing around with perspective again, flattening the architecture while letting ‘nature’ run wild. Am also building up a number of different ways of applying the masking fluid which are starting to give nice flowing lines (not that easy with masking fluid…) All in all, I’m very pleased with the way these are going…

I got lots of sketches for paintings done while invigilating during Artweeks, this being the first of those…Am increasingly enjoying changing the views to make a better picture, rather than being a slave to the accuracy of the scene…which I’ve been doing for FAR to long :)

Can't think of a title, but here's a picture :)

Painting days are a bit all over the place this week, but here’s today’s effort. This is the barn on the right hand side of the road as you drive towards Burford. It looks like builders are about to move in and turn it into a house, so I thought I’d have a go at it before it changed or got hidden from view.

Am really pleased with the way the watercolours are going at the moment, the uniqueness of the style is getting stronger and I’m increasingly pushing the painting further away from the source material…well that’s the aim anyway :)

Sheep...

Blenheim 04...now with added Sheep!...

Straight(ish) edges

Blenheim 03…playing around with some square shapes and straight edges in this one…trying to balance the presence of the building in the background.

It's a Miracle...

Miracles will never cease…I actually did some painting today! NOTHING done in April…will hang my head in shame. Still, today is the 1^st of May and here is a new Blenheim watercolour, number 2….lets see how much inspiration strikes this month :)