View of Bath from Bathwick fields I

View of Bath from Bathwick fields I Oil on canvas 24 x 60cm

From left: Widcombe, Bath train station with the London Paddington train just leaving, St Johns church spire, Bath Abbey, Empire Hotel, the roof of Bath Rugby stadium and far right St Michaels without church spire.

Summer over Bath from Solsbury Hill

Summer over Bath from Solsbury Hill Oil on canvas 60 x 25cm

Another in my series of Bath skyline paintings

Flag Iris River Avon II

Flag Iris river Avon II Oil on canvas 24 x 30ins

I have yet to resolve the background which I want to give more distance.

Watching some swans in my minds eye.

In my mind 50 x 60 cm Oil on canvas

Hot and cold colours together.

Surf and rocks

Surf and rocks  Oil on canvas 70 x 80cm

I am thinking of putting a figure of a castaway into this

Signing the commission in my studio - Poppy field night

Poppy field night Oil on canvas 5ft x  2ft

Signing the commission in my studio

Poppy commission

Poppies in red and ultramarine (detail) size 5ft x 2ft

A commission to do a large painting of poppies, Cadmium red, Cadmium red deep,  Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine, Cobalt violet, Cobalt, Cadmium Yellow

River Avon in Indian yellow

River Avon in Indian yellow
Oil on canvas 70 X 80cm

The first stage of the painting I applied the paint as quick as I could to capture fast brush strokes, the next stage was to finish the painting and not lose these strokes. In this painting I used a new colour, Indian yellow straight form the tube, it is a fantastic colour. 

Bab and Bougainvillea, Morocco

Bab and Bougainvillea, Morocco 51 x 61cm Oil on canvas

Bab and Bougainvillea, Morocco
A gateway to the residential area inside the Kasbah of Taroudant. Coming towards the Bab is a student wearing jeans a favourite of youth in Taroudant. In the distance is a line of washing which dries quickly in the heat.

Cherry blossom

Cherry blossom 60 x 76cm Initial stage

Painting this I have been conscious to keep the marks fluid and so the painting has to be done in one go. The next stage will be more considered and I will paint in a weather vane in the background.

Street in Morocco at dusk

Street in Morocco at dusk (Tauroudant)
Image size 50 x 60cm Oil on canvas

I have changed the central figure to a woman wearing a turquoise costume. The sun quickly went behind Tauroudant's city wall.
In the background was a small square where goods were traded to the locals. To the left of this figure was Bab Zorgane (an arched gateway) leading to the bus station beyond the city wall.

Street in Morocco

Street in Morocco 40 x 50cm Oil on canvas

Initial oil study for street in Morocco. Sun just going down and people come out to talk.

Magnolia blossom

Magnolia blossom Oil on canvas 76x 61cm

This is my initial sketched in oil painting , now I can see how to progress to the finished painting. I am happy with the light and shade values at this stage.

Vision 2

Vision 2  Oil on canvas 31 x 61 cm 2015 

This painting was painted as an abstract but I can see a landscape in some form. The deep
blues are made using Cobalt blue, Ultramarine, Cobalt Violet (Sennelier) and Violet Windsor (a strong purple).

Sketch of girl

Sketch of girl for portrait commission

An initial sketch for a portrait.

Bath Abbey late summer evening

Bath Abbey late summer evening No 24

This is number 24 of my series of 31 canvases which I have just completed. I didn't think I would get this far and now the end is in sight. I have only got 7 left to  paint.
I envisage four of these will be larger canvas (100 x 80 cm) dimensions and showing a particular series of the sun rising towards the top of the abbey and virtually disappearing in a 5 hour time span towards dusk.
If any one wants to commission these for their company or lobby that would be cool.

Bath skyline from Alexander Park

Bath skyline view  from Alexander Park, Bath

Sketch from Alexander Park in Bath . I was careful to put in the various churches details ready for my next painting in my Bath skyline painting series. The railings were useful to rest the A3 sketchpad on.

Bat skyline from near Sham castle

Bath skyline sketch from near Sham Castle

Bath skyline charcoal sketch I

A plein air sketch in charcoal from  the Bath skyline path from which I will be doing a small oil. Hopefully it will be part of a skyline series. A view which covers the important buildings, Bath Abbey, Empire Hotel and Bath Rugby ground.

Bath skyline thoughts

Bath skyline

Thoughts on using oil paints on location

Mostly I sketch outdoors with charcoal, graphite  and watercolour pencils. 
Painting Bath skyline outside using oils 'en plein air' was a reminder as to why I do this -
the difficulties of taking oil painting equipment ,easel, oil paint (I buy the large 200ml tubes when possible which are heavy as it is more economical), white spirit, rags, paint brushes, pallet, drinking water) to a location and then setting it up. 
Also waiting for the correct weather conditions before setting out in a climate such as ours, rain, grey cloud, cold winds, and short summers.
But I can easily do charcoal sketches outside and then use the reference in my studio where everything is already set up and I can paint on larger canvases if I choose. Also I find careful thought can be used in making marks and I can stand back and think about the picture with no time pressures. 
British artists that also came to the same conclusion include Anne Redpath and John Piper.

A selection of paints I use

A selection of the paints I use

I paint mainly using Winsor & Newton oil paint, some Senelier (Cobalt violet hue)  and some Michael Harding (Turquoise and Lemon Yellow).