The Painting Of Steephill Cove

I am painting Steephill Cove on a 24" x 12" stretched cotton canvas and will be posting its progress step by step. In the first stage I have drawn a little more detail than usual as I wanted to be sure of the relative size and positioning of the buildings the next stage will be to give the canvas an acrylic wash to seal the graphite so that it wont sully any pale colours, it also kills the white of the canvas and makes colour temperature, hue and tonal values easier to judge.

Stage one the drawing of Steephill Cove

Stage II

Stage II acrylic wash of Alizarin Crimson and Burnt Umber  wiped with cloth to lighten tone, warm colour chosen to help with depicting a really warm summers day. 

Stage III

I work from the sky which is furthest away and paint in the basic colours, then add the clouds and whilst I have the sky colours on the palette I use these to paint in the initial colours of the sea which I will adjust later on after the distant land, rocks and waves are introduced. 

Working from the headland furthest away I fairly loosely paint in the cliffs, rocks and foliage and will build up the detail and highlights working towards the middle distance.

I have added more detail and highlights in the background vegetation, shoreline rocks and painted in the buildings, beach and coastal defence rocks, you will notice that I have painted over the drawing of the tractor and trailer because the initial drawing wasn't large enough and it is always easier to paint over the background than trying to paint around a complex subject like a tractor and boat on a trailer.

I have put the detail in the sea and on the foreshore waves, weed etc. I've also added the tractor, trailer and boat which fishes for the crabs and lobsters which are available to buy either complete or as meals and sandwiches in theSteephill restaurants. I have also sharpened up some of the detail in the rocks behind and to the right of the tractor. The next stage is to put some people on the beach and finishing touches to the foreground and rocks on the right hand side.

Here in the final stages of the painting I have sharpened up the detail in the rocks on the far right, but not too much, and have added the people enjoying their day on the beach, note the fisherman just in front of his tractor and boat in yellow  working gear! I think this is now a completed picture and so I have signed it. Look out for my next stage by stage painting. Why not sign up as a follower? I'd love to have you aboard!

A Little Success

I have recently had a little success in painting competitions, firstly I entered the SAA's Artist Of The Year in the professional category and was awarded a Highly Commended for my pastel painting 'Yarmouth From Norton Point' and I entered my 'Great Mis Tor' painting of the Dartmoor National Park in the Patchings/The Artist magazine competition (the professional category) and this too was awarded a Highly Commended so I shall aim a little higher next year! The Paintings are pictured below for your interest.

'Yarmouth From Norton Point'

'Great Mis Tor'

Mottistone Manor Garden Drawing And Painting Workshop

These paintings were the result of a drawing and painting workshop that I ran at the National Trust's Mottistone Manor Garden last July 11th. After a damp start to the day the rain cleared half an hour into the session and out came the sun which lit everything up beautifully and made for a great days sketching, photographing and painting! Thanks to all at Mottistone especiallly the head gardener Robert and his team of volunteers for creating and keeping such a beautiful garden, well worth a visit! The highlight of the garden? All of it!

The painting above is of the top half of the herbaceous border and the painting on the right is of the herbaceous border viewed looking back to the manor house, they are painted in Artisan water mixable oils and were executed during the recent Open Studios event which I shared the lovely Quarr Abbey Gallery with my long time friend and fellow artist Ann Greenhill. Below is a series of photographs taken stage by stage during the  progress of the right hand painting which took a total of around 25 hours whilst the above painting took around 20 hours. I am running another workshop at Mottistone on September 5th. 

                           

Sketch And Paint The Cotswolds

I am running some sketching and painting holidays in the wonderful Cotswolds during the quieter times of year. We will be based in the splendid Best Western Wroxton House Hotel for six nights. On the first day we will start with some tutor demonstrations and a walk with our sketchpads around the local village of Wroxton. During the following days we will go out on three separate sketching and painting excursions, firstly to the historic town of Stratford Upon Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare. The second days excursion will take us to the beautiful village of Lower Slaughter a truly idyllic Cotswold village of honey coloured stone cottages which sit beside the river Eye. The third trip will take us to the 'Little Venice of the Cotswolds' where the river Windrush flows between beautiful Cotswold stone houses and shops, most memorable though are the highly picturesque and paintable low bridges which span the river at regular intervals. This painting holiday due to the location features a great deal of beautiful buildings, however there is a huge range of other subject matter to inspire artists of all tastes. This holiday is particularly beginner friendly and will also suit the more accomplished artists as I will spend a considerable amount of time working with artists on a one to one basis.

The Luxurious Wroxton House Hotel sits at the edge of the Cotswolds in Oxfordshire just a few miles from Banbury and is the ideal base for a sketching and painting holiday. Those artists with a taste for the quintessentially English village will be in heaven on this holiday. Another little piece of heaven is the Wroxton House Hotel itself with it's sumptuous accommodation and 'Restaurant 1649' that offers a contemporary menu in the oak beamed surroundings with inglenook fireplace.

Wroxton House Hotel 

Sketching and Painting Holidays 

2012

5 Day (6 night) Sketching and Painting Holiday

September the 30th - October 5th

2013

5 Day (6 night) Sketching and Painting Holiday

January 20th - 25th

February 17th - 22nd

April 7th - 12th

The accommodation and painting package cost per person is £835 based on two sharing, the cost for a non painting partner is £510 ( a single room will cost £929)

All rooms are en-suite and equipped to the very highest standard. The above prices include breakfast and evening meal with packed lunches availaible at £5.00 each.

For more information and /or to make a reservation please telephone 01295 730777 or e-mail reservations@wroxtonhousehotel.com

The Sketching and Painting Holidays

I will do some drawing and sketching demonstrations along with some painting demonstrations in various mediums over the 5 days both in the hotel and on site as well as giving one to one tuition along the way. You are free to work in whatever medium you have chosen to bring with you and I will be able to advise and help you with your medium, I work in most! If you e-mail me I will send you a list of what you will need to bring to help make your holiday truly memorable! I look forward to seeing you and painting with you!

Powder Mill Cottages, Dartmoor

This is the final of my four paintings in the Dartmoor series they are all 90 x 30 cm in size and are painted in 'Artisan' water mixable oils. I am looking for a Devon gallery to take these paintings and to represent my work and I, some of the other paintings are here, earlier on this blog site, should be be curious and wish to see all four together drop me an e-mail and I will willingly send you the images. I love Dartmoor and the wide expanses of the high moor and if I didn't live on the Isle of Wight I would like to live on Dartmoor or close by!

Sketching and Painting Cornwall

I am running two fantastic sketching and painting holidays at the wonderful 4 star Treglos Hotel at Constantine Bay near Padstow in the painters paradise that is Cornwall later in the year, the first starts on October 15th and the second starts on November the 19th both are for six nights (5 days of sketching and painting) and includes breakfast and 4 course evening meal, jacket or tie to be worn in the restaurant after 7.00 pm. The rooms are all en-suite and there is 24hour room service. The Treglos has its own 18 hole golf course for those non painting partners, indoor swimming pool, many excellent Spa facilities, a Snooker room and much more besides, so there is plenty for the non artist to do for the stay when not relaxing in the luxurious comfort of Treglos. 

The cost for the October break is £650 per painting holiday guest, per room (based on two sharing) and for a non painting partner it will cost £400.

The cost of the November break is £600 per painting holiday guest, per room (based on two sharing) and for the non painting partner the cost will be £350.

For more details about the Treglos visit   http://www.tregloshotel.com/

For full details of the Sketching Painting Holiday contact me, Murray at  hello@murrayince.com

I have a fantastic itinerary planned including a trip to St.Ives, the Cornish artists Mecca, a trip across the river Camel to Rock (a small town) to sketch and paint the view back across the river to Padstow and Constantine Bay and a trip into Newquay, the surfers paradise. Jim, Rose and I look forward to giving you a warm welcome and a holiday to remember, Don't leave it too long to book as I have capped the number of artists at 10 so that I can devote a considerable amount of time on a one to one basis and so the holiday really is suitable for the complete novice to the more accomplished artist and the holiday will run with as few as five! 

Padstow Harbour

'South Western End Of The Widecombe Vale'

This is the third of my series of four 900 x 300 paintings of Dartmoor National Park in 'Artisan' water mixable oils. 'O'er The Widecombe Vale' (see below) features in my book 'Landscape Painting In Artisan Water Mixable Oils along with many other landscapes, if you are looking for a book that explains about water mixable oils, the equipment used and how to paint with the wonderfully liberating medium then go to my web-site www.murrayince.com where you can purchase a copy of my book from my web shop or you can  buy one on e-bay and I will be pleased to sign a copy for you or as it also makes a great gift for artist friends and family I will sign it for them!

Godshill Church Painting Demonstration

'Godshill Church, Isle of Wight'

This was the point that I had reached at the end of approximately 90 minutes of demonstrating with Winsor and Newton's 'Artisan' water mixable oils at the very friendly and welcoming Isle of Wight Art Club at the Riverside Centre on Tuesday November 15th 2011.

As it turns out in terms of time this was about a third of the way to completion as I spent approaching a further three hours bringing this painting to a conclusion as you will see in the picture below. I did a little more modelling on the church,  distant trees and hedges, added more detail to the grass/hay in the field, and added the shrubbery in the right hand forground. I also added the tree coming in on the right and then finished the lower forground with tha addition of more grasses, weeds and  general highlighting including a little more in the clouds.

Many thanks to all at The Isle of Wight Art Club for their welcome and interest, I thoroughly enjoyed myself!

Painting Holidays On The Beautiful Greek Island of Samos

                                                                     

New for 2012 are my painting holidays based in the lovely Amena by-the-sea Apartments in Karlovasi on Samos (above), there are four weeks to choose from June 1st to 8th or June 8th to 15th and again in October 5th to 12th and 12th to 19th. These holidays are half board (breakfast and evening meal) and includes around 18 hours tuition. The cost is 610 euros per person based on two sharing a studio apartment, non painting partners are welcome, costing 350 euros per person, a deposit of 200 euros per person will secure your place(s) on these holidays, just e-mail me with your request for your places on the holiday of your choice and I will send you a Pay-Pal invoice and upon my receipt of your deposit your place is secured. Participants are to make their own travel arrangements to Samos. As an optional extra on the free Wednesday there is a one day excursion to the ancient Roman city of Ephesus in Turkey, the cost for this would be approximately 95 euros, this includes return ferry to Samos, Transport to pick us up at Kusadasi  ferry terminal and Hakan our personal guide for the day will guide us around Ephesus, a truly magnificent piece of ancient history. If you are interested in one of these (even though I say so myself) fantastic holidays and would like more information please  get in touch, places are limited with a minimum of eight and a maximum of twelve (artists). The Island of Samos is steeped in history and is an artists paradise. Demetra, Diamantis and I look forward to seeing you there! Personally I can't wait!

HF Holidays, Give Yourselves A Treat!

I am delighted to say that I will be leading the following holidays For HF Holidays in 2012 :-

Landscape Painting in 'Artisan' Water Mixable Oil Paint 5 nights at Freshwater Bay, IOW 30th April - 5th May
Seascape Painting 7 nights at Freshwater Bay Isle of Wight 19th May - 25th May
Landscape Painting in 'Artisan' Water Mixable Oils, 4 nights at Bourton On The Water  August 25th - 29th

If you haven't experienced an HF Holiday yet then I urge you to have a look, I promise you, you will not be disappointed, they are the most enjoyable holiday experiences that I have yet witnessed and can't wait to lead my 2012 holidays. HF's houses are all located in stunning settings, the food is wonderful, the social aspect is truly refreshing and there is a wide range of activity holidays to choose from, or you can use the house for a base and follow your own itinerary.  If you decide that you would like to book an HF Holiday, and why wouldn't you. Contact me and I will send you a voucher entitling you to £50 off of your first holiday.What are you waiting for? I am really looking forward to meeting you and taking you out for some fantastic painting whether total beginners or more seasoned devotees.