Brushstrokes...

As you can see I've been painting!   I was never going to be content with just sitting here mixing colours, so I looked on YouTube for tutorials on painting.  I was spoilt for choice, I couldn't believe how many generous souls there are out there willing to pass on their knowledge.   I came across a tutorial on painting a seascape,  and thought it was something I could tackle.  I will confess that this is the second attempt.  The first was obliterated,  I used a much smaller canvas, and rushed it.  I was very dissatisfied with the end result. So I removed it by washing the canvas.   Today I started again.

I had a bit of an early start,  to the day and to painting. Woke up at 4.30 a.m.,  now what use is that?   I was a bit worried about my BP check,  it was up last time, so that means having it checked twice more...  I thought I'd set my alarm, but I hadn't,  so after managing to fall back to sleep I then managed to lie in.   Anyway the BP was normal, 125/80,   that's were meditation comes in handy!   So with that out of the way the rest of the day was mine.  After a coffee,  a spot of nostalgia with The Waltons, lunch it was time to hit the new canvas. 

I chose a bigger canvas, and watched the tutorial again.   I realised what I'd done wrong, a basic mistake, I'd not thought about perspective - doh!   I also prepped the canvas,  which made life easier.  I also took more time over things,   and allowed some drying time,  that was the easy bit as there was tennis to watch!     Over the course of the afternoon the painting began to emerge,  and one that I was much happier with.    There is still work to be done,  need to add some clouds and waves, and work on the sea,  I also want to add a boat. 

I don't like to think of myself as a perfectionist, but I think I am, not that I reach perfection.  But I do need to be satisfied with what I produce,  it has to meet my exacting standards, if not then it is either destroyed or recycled.  I do try to stick to recycling where possible,  it is easy with canvases,  you just give them a good soak.

I did pop up to The Range for some art materials,  I'd run out of a few colours, couldn't afford the good stuff,  but what I bought claimed to be of artist quality.  I did spend a bit more on the canvases,  and splashed out a whole £1.99 on a palette!    Well almost time for Happy Valley... need to watch the last episode.   

Thanks for stopping by