Painting castles by the sea
Updated: 4 March 2023
Bamburgh Castle, and the others (Alnwick, Dunstanburgh and Holy Island), are quite a distance from me.
Art day-tripping
Though I could paint on the Northumbrian coast in the UK as a day trip, it would be a long day.
I'm up for that, though I've chosen not to chance a sea fret robbing me of painting time after an early rise and a long journey. Sea frets are never predicted and are always a bit of a stopper for an artist.
Instead, I've made the most of the petrol and travelling time by staying in Bamburgh for a few nights.
Sadly, I've only managed to go twice since becoming a fully kitted and experienced 'plein‑airAn artist who works outdoors'* artist. I'm overdue for another busman's holiday there, as it's now been 4 years and counting since my last visit. I might have to try a day trip or three.
I often begin in 'exploring mode' with a small sketchbook first, making pencil sketches like this. I'm simply recording what I see and trying out different viewpoints.
As I explore I'll start making thumbnail sketches like this. It's illustrated here at about actual size. These thumbnails are the beginning of me 'composing(Designing))'* paintings and prints.
The beginning of a studio painting, inspired by my sketches and on location paintings. Even at this stage I can back-track – I've started this studio painting again since, on a new canvas.
An artist's preferred way of working
Before attempting anything in my art studio, I visit a location studying it intensively. I make numerous sketches and paintings while there.
I'm not just exploring the location, I'm also trialling landscape painting and print ideas, called 'compositionsA fancy art word for the design of a picture'*.
Ideally, I seek to experience a place at different times, in different weather conditions, and from many viewpoints. There's a lot of walking involved in my art, not just to the site, but around it as well. All of this is my preferred way of working.
Adapting painting process
It's not always possible to spend a lot of time in one place, and to revisit it in quick succession if at all, of course. I originally planned to build this collection over three intensive study visits – I've completed two.
So a change of plan is due. I'll just have to rise to the challenge of building a core Northumbrian art collection with less art reference and developed ideas than I'd hoped to amass.
My preferred way of working does not have a fixed order in reality, and I'm always developing it.
The Northumbrian coast is a beautiful and dramatic fairytale landscape I'm determined to visit again… and again… so while this collection of art is taking years to create, it will (fate willing) get made.