Derwentwater Spring time

 The path to the lake Work in Progress size 24 x 24 inches

I'm making my way along a path full of Spring flowers, I can see Borrowdale fells in the distance. 

I love seeing snippets of the lake, through trees, tantalising you towards the sparking lake edge.

I'm at the stage where, I'm trying to make out the foreground, without overworking!! I have my work sat on an easel where I can easily glance at it while passing by. Picking a few flowers from the garden. Aubrietia and Primroses, I have placed them on the painting to get an idea of composition and also help with colour hues.

I'm imagining Violets and Primroses with a blanket of Bluebells, maybe a few White Sorrel or beautiful Wood Anemone. Walking along paths full of Spring flowers gives me many ideas 

I'll keep you posted on how it's coming together

Fancy joining my Personal Watercolour Course with feedback on each Painting and many helpful ideas and tips.  

Flower Meadows Swaledale

 Flower Meadows , Swaledale

Painted in Oils 

Size including bespoke frame 31 x 31 inches

For more details 

https://janeward.co.uk/2026/04/02/flower-meadows-swaledale-2/

Useful Oil materials

A behind  the scenes , beginning of an oil painting. Location is Derwentwater, the season is Spring, a glimpse of a sparkling lake through the trees, wild flowers and beautiful sunlight catching the trees and lightning up the leaves.

A Limited palette of colours a few Blues, pinks, shades of Lemon through to Ochre, white and Black.

A few trusting palette knifes, a couple of long handled brushes and what I call my Squidgy 😁 it's actually a cookie dough cutter , here's a link, it took me a while to find one. I use it for many things, taking of colour to reveal underpinning, softening to create mist and scraping colous into skies. It's a great addition into my oil painting techniques. 

Ready for a Challenge

 

Are you ready for a challenge ?

 Have you been painting in Watercolor for a little while and would like to take it a step further. 

Well... Watercolour Course Four is ideal, the photo's above show you what we will paint in the six projects. There are video step by step demonstrations with each project, material guide and most importantly personal feedback with each project. I get to know your paintings, see your style and help to point you gently in the right direction.

The course is in English, and is ideal for home study wherever you may be. I've just finished reading a Kristin Hannah book ' The four Winds' which is set in Texas and California,and was a fascinating read.

 American artists are more than welcome to join my painting course, if you would like to take your painting projects to the English Lake District, this could be perfect and you will love my Yorkshire accent 😀 

Watercolour Course For with Jane Ward

Price £80.00

Sketching at Sutton Bank, North Yorkshire

You can't beat a walk along Sutton Bank, the view is declared to be one of the best in Yorkshire. I can't disagree. The wildlife and fauna is always a joy and the rich history of the Battles fought here is so interesting.  The Battle of the Byland fought around the dramatic Cliffside, the Scottish warriors led by Robert the Bruce defeated the English in 1322. You can't help but imagine how difficult is was climbing the steep  wooded slopes. 
 

Lake Gormire a true  hidden delight, and a great walk up and down with beautiful Spring flowers along the way.

We watched a  Marsh Tit enjoying the sunshine

I managed a quick sketch in the warm Spring Sunshine

You don't need much gear, just a sketch book, a small watercolour palette and a couple of watercolour brushes. 

I use just a couple of these brushes, they contain water, so you don't even need a water pot, perfect for any outdoor colour sketches here's a link 

The small Watercolour palette that I'm using and have enjoyed using for sketchbook washes is made by Rosa and here is the link

Penhill from Osmotherley 

Cleveland Way 

Original Oil painting 

For more details https://janeward.co.uk/2023/02/14/hambleton-oil-painting/

Bluebell Wood Oil painting.

 

Bluebell Wood

Painted in Oils on Board 

Size 12 x 12 inches unframed.

Price £200

For more information https://janeward.co.uk/2026/01/11/small-oil-paintings-2026/ 

Moonlight Glow, Thirlmere

 

 

Moonlight Glow, Thirlmere

Oil on Board

Size 15 x 15 inches including bespoke frame

£325.00

For more details 

https://janeward.co.uk/2026/02/18/moonlight-glow-thirlmere/

I love to see the new Moon, I do find I feel more inspired and often wake up through the night 

to see it bright in the sky.

I used a limited palette of colours, palette knife and a few different objects for scratching out or correctly termed 'sgraffito ' which comes from the Italian word to Scratch :-)