![]() ![]() The cliffs have been rendered with Daniel Smith Watercolour Ground, which is similar to Gesso, but easily painted over with watercolours. ![]() ![]() In this watercolour I broke up the skyline with wreaths of mist as it tended to intrude right across the composition. These were days of constant excitement amidst outstanding scenery. I’d just been sketching the frenetic activities of a gaggle of Nubian vultures gorging themselves on a carcass. This scene shows a group of buffalo, wary of the intruders to their patch in the Gol Mountains of Tanzania. It’s much greater fun to be out in the wilds or at least brandishing the old-fashioned paintbrush somewhere nice and remote. Technology is supposed to make life easier for us, but I find it just adds an extra burden, being so incredibly slow and error-prone. I find it almost impossible as I live quite an action-packed life with little time to spare – in fact I don’t paint so often these days because 21st-century life just is too demanding of one’s time. Some folk may wonder why I don’t use Facebook, even though there is an account in my name (which I don’t use). The painting was done on Saunders Waterford 140lb rough paper. This is at its clearest in the two beasts 3rd and 4th from the left, where they are moving away from the viewer and their bodies are slightly leaning over to the left as they turn away. Fast movement is depicted not just by blurring the legs slightly and placing them in running positions, but also by the angle and attitude of the body. To make the main animals stand out I deliberately simplified the ground directly behind them. The lion watched them with indifference, probably having eaten so many he couldn’t face any more for a while! I enjoy working on a narrative like this, where there is more than just the visual image. The scene shows wildebeeste startled by a lion during the annual pilgrimage across the Serengeti, when the line of wildebeeste runs from one end of the horizon to the other. Now that summer is here I hope you are all getting out with your paints – make the most of it. The painting is also featured in my new book, Seas & Shorelines in Watercolour, which is doing extremely well, and even those who have no intention of painting the sea will benefit, as it includes a wide variety of skies, buildings, rocks, cliffs, figures and birds, as well as some exquisite daubs of mud! For more information see my website. This painting, with several others is now on show at Beaulieu Fine Arts, in Beaulieu High Street on the edge of the New Forest, postcode SO42 7YA. The paper is Saunders Waterford High White, Rough 300lb The large white parts are simply white paper, but where I went too far with the paint I have scratched out highlights with a scalpel, mainly to the right of the white water. A hint of sparkle on the water was achieved by drybrushing a light grey wash across the central areas. In this watercolour I have added birds, with the closer one acting as the centre of interest. ![]()
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