February 18th 2016 Barafundle Bay

Despite a heavy overnight frost the forecast was good with clear skies so we went down to Pembrokeshire to do a spot of painting. We parked at Stackpole key and then walked along the coastal path. It wasn't too far but I had decided on taking the pochade box for easy of carriage. I later regretted not having taken the easel. I found the view I wanted of Barafundle Bay but it was against the light and quite busy for a little (10" x 8") painting. I wished for my easel and larger boards but I was stuck with it.

The biggest issue was the large dark area of woods on the opposite side of the bay. I had to include some detail to make sense of the mass and it ended up being a bit fiddly but anyway I persevered and the painting got finished. I am concluding I need a bigger pochade box but no heavier. Something I have to ponder on.

Finished painting

10th February 2016 Towy in flood near Dryslwyn

It was forecast to be a reasonable day today so I made the most of it and went down to Dryslwyn and painted the Towy in flood. There is a dead (Oak) tree which was the main subject in the composition. The river had burst its banks and water was over the fields making for an interesting picture. 

It had stopped raining by the time we got there and I had a couple of hours before lunch and as it happened a few spots of rain. Anyway it went okay and I got the bulk of the work done. When I got home I added the last tree on the right and did some more work on the foreground.

Friday 5th February 2016 Cefn Sidan

An extremely windy day with some ferries cancelled in the Irish sea but there was an opportunity to get down to the beach. I took the pochade box although I much prefer painting on the easel. The pochade box carries less windage and can be closed in the blink of an eye on the down side the painting is a lot smaller and fiddly.

The rain had stopped and I got 3/4 hour with a little shelter in the dunes and a view to the sea. The visibility came and went a bit. I probably could have given more tonal contrast to the painting but I got across the effect I wanted.

Storage and transport box for wet paintings

As I mentioned in my previous post I felt I needed some means of transporting my wet paintings back home and or storing them temporarily if we were in our camper. I found some bits and pieces in the workshop and came up with the above box.

It is not cabinet maker standard but it is strong and practical. It is basically two lengths of 4ins x 1ins with four slots held apart with a third piece at the bottom.
The front is merely the back of one of the primed boards the rear is permanently attached to give the box rigidity. The top is merely hinged with a catch.  It will hold Four 18ins x 14 ins primed boards. This is a good size for my Jullian easel.

I will probably fix a handle on it, maybe pinch some webbing from Mrs Cox's sewing bric a brac.

Monday 1st February 2016 Saundersfoot Beach

   

 I think I have learned that you can't use the weather as an alibi to not go out and paint. If you waited for a dry sunny day with no wind you would rarely get out with your easel. Yesterday The forecast was not great but there could be a gap between the showers. We went off to Saundersfoot taking a chance. Despite a howling gale and an overcast sky I got an hour and a bit to get a painting on the easel.

I left the painting as it was when I came off the beach other than removing a few flies and specks of mud and sand Jac (our cocker spaniel) had flicked  on it. All went reasonably well equipment wise but I need to make a box to carry my paintings home.