Tuesday 25 March 2014

March Snow in Samoens



I thought we had seen the last of the snow and I was nearly putting the skis away. But Wow nearly 50 cm of fresh powder. Here are a few photo's to try and persuade how beautiful snow is, and also cheeky chap called Robin that caught my eye.






Picnic anyone.





At last icicles











Heading down


A fine place for a stop

Saturday 22 March 2014

Daffodils in Watercolor


Jonquilles.....Daffodils in Watercolours

Sorry for not blogging lately but the air pollution in the Alps got the better of me. 
Can you believe I'm saying too much sunshine and no wind brought on severe Asthma. 
With rest and keeping indoors advised, I thought I'd get the paints out and have a gentle paint 

I'm not sure what it is with Daffodils but they are my nemesis flower!! 
Every Spring they tempt me and catch me out. I think it's getting the tonal range right or that's what I think today after playing around for a few hours. Techniques included ' taking to the sink'!!  and Cropping



Finished size


Inspiration from the Wednesday market


Saturday 15 March 2014

Flowers in Annecy Watercolour and Pastel




Flowers in Annecy 
Stage one Watercolours


I've often thought about painting the inside of a florists. All those lovely colourful flowers and exquisite shapes. We had a trip out to Annecy and seeing this super florists shop front, I did think it would make a fun and challenging painting project. I started  with a watercolour wash over the entire paper using lots of Primaries for the flower heads. Mixing the right shades for the Aluminum pots was difficult.I found Indigo mixed with hints of Ultramarine and Indian Red worked pretty well. I used clingfilm on some of the leaves to get some interesting texture, this did work well with the Primroses in the front.
While painting I was aware of complimentary colours so placed the Blue pot next to the Orange Lilies, the Daffodils near the mauve Frescias and lots of Red tulips and juicy green leaves.

After finishing the watercolour wash I felt that the painting didn't quite shout the tune I wanted.
A few days later out came the Inscribe Pastels, these bright hard pastels are ideal for giving splashes of colour but I knew this was a route of non return. Painting in the Late afternoon Spring sunshine imagining pots of Tulips and Lilies, a china cup and basket of Daffodils and Primroses sitting under the wooden palette was such fun. I do hope you like it, it's certainly a different subject to a snowy mountain scene

Flowers in Annecy
Watercolour and Pastel


Step by Step Watercolour course with personal feedback and guidence
The perfect present for a budding artist




Wednesday 12 March 2014

Fabulous French Vistas


 Here are the colourful beauties that get me down the pistes and take me (safely) to see truly spectacular mountain scenery.



The Mighty Mont Blanc shimmering in the afternoon sunshine. I was delighted to hear from Leisure Painter today saying ' The readers are really enjoying your Mont Blanc article' and seeing some of the paintings that have come in to Leisure Painter it fills me with joy to think that other people are been inspired to put brush to paper and painted some fabulous vistas of Mont Blanc. Here's a link




 Last lift down.

 The Mole, what a great mountain name


Saturday 1 March 2014

Challenges of painting and skiing


Sixt from Samoens painted in Watercolours.
For Sale Size 19 x 12 inches

This has been my view for the last few weeks, when the sun came out and it was warm enough to paint outdoors I had to give it a link of paint. I find Painting the view 'en plein' so much more rewarding. 
I study so much more and try and figure out how to achieve on paper what I see. 
Later I realise it's more about the feeling and atmosphere. 
I had a little Tree fear but with the help of masking fluid, a water spray and a palette knife in hand it became an exciting and challenging part of the scene, with lots to learn.


The Pink Shutter house in Sixt





It's been French and English School holidays so the slopes have been a bit mad. My skiing is coming on, but what is more worrying is the out of control people around you. And with colourful  skiers jostling for space the quiet pistes of Sixt looked more than appealing.




This is a day later about Four miles away, the slopes and chairlift all to yourselves.
The slope above was my first 'powder' I think this is the technical term. 
Great fun thanks to Chris and Allie and a wonderful typical mountain chalet perched on the edge 
serving homemade soup with a great big slab of Cheese