Not a lot this week. It has been bitterly cold.  Didn't even manage to go swimming this week, one day because I had a painful shoulder and the other because a huge traffic jam stopped me getting to Newport.  Went to art group on Tuesday and what could have been a good presentation, turned out to be rubbish because of poor sound quality our end.  Shame.  Didn't go painting on Friday because i) it was very cold and ii) meeting later and in a pub was going to be a bit like a coffee morning, and it would have been a long way to go on the bus for that.  I know.  I'm being a bit miserable.

Done a few gouache and watercolour sketches but nothing significant.  Tried doing what is called Master Studies where I take parts of a good master painting and try to match colour and paint stoke.  Not easy, as I don't have that many books to choose from.

Scaffolding surround the house at the moment for the replacement of facia boards.

Hopefully next week will be a bit better because it was certainly a bit difficult to get up and at it this week, and certainly was on the edge of a bit depressing!

 Christmas and New Year are over and now we can sort out the next 12 months.  Weather has been absolutely ghastly and generally have ended up doing a lot of reading. We've had strong winds, rain and then it would become freezing cold.  Managed to get in some swimming over the last two weeks, but often the pool was very crowded.  Still, should be ok next week.

Photoshop has been put on hold for the time being because I'm trying to sort out some of the settings on the camera.  Hopefully once I feel ok with that, I will go back to try the software editing of my photos.

I have done quite a few full preparation for paintings, although only moved on an painted a "proper picture" a couple of times.

This was just a prelim study of FollyLane

Two watercolour pictures from studies.  

I think there is progress in working this way and I certainly get to know the subject better.  I don't always carry them through to final painting if I think they don't really stand well as a painting.

Also done some gouache and oil painting but again don't do if the subject is weak.  Continued with gouache studies.

Back to normal next week.  Perry's toes are getting better and I have pulled a muscle in my back!

 Weather bitterly cold again!  Difficult to take a walk with Henry.  Poor boy.  Swam 100 lengths this week (over 3 days!).  

Plein air this Friday was at East Cowes and followed by coffee in my favourite Artisan cafe.  We only did an hour because it was very cold and in addition, it rained so that I got spots of water on my painting.

Tried another "challenge" this week, working right through from Notan sketch to final painting.  The procedure was fine, but the final watercolour painting was not too good.  However, I did repeat the painting in gouache and oil.

This shows part of the preparation work.

 

Here is the oil painting version.  This is the third challenge  I've done and it does make my think a bit harder when I am painting.

Additionally Perry has printed off loads of our landscape photos into very small format and I am working my way through them painting small gouache studies. Done 8 so far.

Perry's toes are still swollen and his foot hurts quite a bit.  Looks like it will take a while to heal properly.

Using paint shop pro hasn't been much of a success for me so far.  I'm too lazy and get distracted.  However, we have been watching Jack Reacher on prime video.  Much easier than PSP. Christmas in a couple of days, so merry Christmas to everyone.  If you are reading this Chris C, I have been late in sending out my cards this year, but will send you an email asap. xx

 Another bitterly cold week. Managed to go swimming twice this week.  Amazing. I did my annual assessment of my achievements in painting etc for this year.  Mmm.  Not too good.  I had hoped to spend considerably less than last year, but not the case.  Still it wasn't as much as last year, so that's at least positive.  I also didn't sell as many paintings.  Following this assessment, I felt I really should try harder and be a bit more positive about painting, and get on and do things.  So, I found a photo I quite liked, and did all the appropriate preparations

Here's the start.  I did follow it with a painting, but it was a bit naff, so I'm now doing another one (can see in the background) but I'm only half way through.

We also bought an updated Paintshop Pro.  As I've never used it before, I'm starting from scratch and working through the tutorials.  There is loads of stuff I will never use, but I hope |I will be able to get some things from it.

Went out with our little Plein Air group on Friday to Brading, well the graveyard behind the church.  It really was very cold so we abandoned to the Roman Villa after an hour and had coffee and cake and celebrated Mike's birthday.

The paint wouldn't dry so I limited the amount I put on, and just touched up with ink.

Roast beef today, so I'd better get on and do it.

 Bitterly cold weekend and incredibly windy.  So we've stayed inside, hunckered down.  Perry fell  on the stairs this morning and has dislocated his toe, which means he's a bit incapacitated at the moment.

Went out on Friday morning for the plein air painting and although it was cold, very, painted at St Helens.  I did have to work quite hard because, although it was occasionally sunny, it was also cold and windy and finding somewhere interesting to paint and sheltered, was not that easy.  Only Elise and I this time.

Looks a bit wishy washy.  Need to use a bit more colour, but difficult when everything is a bit dull.

Did an oil pastel painting on Wednesday, but forgot to photograph it.

Think I'll just mess with my watercolours this afternoon.  At least it's in the warm.

 Another pretty full on week.  Back to the vet with Muffin, and yes, back on medication for a week, plus he has to wear one of those awful cones.  Sent off for a softy one, which I think he appreciates.

This Wednesday I was totally on my own at the Priory, but I did produce an oil pastel sketch - also include the one I did last week,

This is the one I did on Wednesday.

This is the one from the week before.

Friday I went back out painting with the group.  It was at Ryde and the weather was pretty dull. I did a few very quick sketches.  I was on the edge of feeling uncomfortable with the person I had a difficulty with, but managed to ignore it.  Still a bit unsettling.

Just this week, everything seems to have broken - oven door, back door and now the dryer door!

Bits arrived for the Portable Painter - now need to update.

New boards so my "painting room" should be tidier!

Was doing some water colour yesterday, and found I had been doing too much gouache.  Must get back to practising  a bit more.

Henry is having a huge challenge with his eating lately, because I've included peas.  They are driving him mad because he can't just suck them from his puzzle bowl.  Meals now take 25 minutes.  Good for us but obviously not for him!

 What a week.  Weather has been completely upside down.  Two days of freezing cold, including snow and today we are in our second day of gale force winds. Swimming only ended up as one day this week, but now I have a new swimsuit I've run out of excuses!

Continuing with my oil pastels on a Wednesday at the Priory, but I think I'm going to have to bring in more than one reference photo because I finish the picture in an hour and we have a two hour slot.  Still we had a jolly time over our coffee and cake.

I did manage to go to Osborne House on Friday, on my own, even though it was absolutely freezing. Managed a sketch, but it was bitterly cold and my fingers started to hurt.

I was pretty amazed by this tree, it was so twisted.

I've been checking my colour palettes as well to make sure they have the correct colours.

Some are a bit better than others and I will have to change over a couple of colours. Also found that I need to revisit the brushes I use for each palette.

Also put in an order for another palette that I have covetted for ages and some accessories to go with it.  They arrived along with a new pair of slippers. Lovely.

Muffin and Henry are still ok, although Muffin is asleep most of the time.  No long walks for him.  

The boat appears to have survived the cold and now the very strong winds.  Thanks goodness.