Welcome to my sketchbook
This will be updated regularly with photos and sketches from the creation of my paintings.
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The Red Crane – Watercolour Painting
The subject for this sketchbook is my Watercolour painting of an old fishing boat in Irvine Harbour. This steel hulled rusting boat had lots of character and strong colours but it was the small red crane on the deck that particularly caught my eye. The crane can be...
Background to my upcoming Solo Exhibition
My upcoming Solo Exhibition features paintings from my travels around Scotland and France. I have visited France many times over the years each time collecting sketches and watercolor studies of my trips. This year I was struck by how similar parts of the...
Sailing, sketching and climbing from Ardrossan to Fairhead in Ireland – Part 2
I usually paint large oils of fishing trawlers tied up in harbour. I thought it would be good chance to try something different for inspiration in the studio. I did a series of quick pastel drawings of fishing boats working out at sea due to the obvious difficulties...
Sailing and sketching from Ardrossan to Fairhead, Ireland – Part 1
I recently took a trip on a boat sailing from from Ardrossan to Fairhead in Northern Ireland. Once there the intention was to climb, conditions permitting, on the sea cliffs . Traditionally my main inspiration comes from the Western seaboard of Scotland....
Painting Demonstration at By Distinction Art
In December 2016 I carried out a successful painting demonstration on the premises of By Distinction Art in Glasgow. They have been promoting the Arts and cultural history of Glasgow for many years and recently they have erected a series of murals on Ashton Lane...
Sketches from Ionian Sailing & Painting trip to Greece
A recent sailing trip on the yacht Kiperissiy gave me a perfect opportunity to include some painting and to paint Plein Air in Greece. Getting away to the warm, sunny palette of Mediterranean colours was a real contrast to the Celtic snows and mist of the frozen north...
“West Coast of Scotland” Solo show with the Lime Tree Gallery
I have a new solo exhibition open now at Lime Tree Gallery (17th Sep to 15th Oct 2016). This page is a small insight into my process of capturing the Western seaboard of Scotland for this solo show. The full exhibition can be seen here. MALLAIG Mallaig is a fishing...
Why I use Michael Harding Oil Paints
I use Michael Harding Oil paint because of the vibrant colour range. The quality of the ground pigments and the right amount of oil means I do not have to add any other medium to the paint to get the buttery consistency I enjoy working with . There are no...
Sketching and painting at Glencoe, West Highlands
These are images from a recent painting trip to Black Rock Cottage on the Rannoch Moor looking towards Buchaille Etive Mor, (The Herdsman of Etive). This is a world heritage site and mecca for climbers, photographers and artists. Wild camping in early May is a great...
From sketch to finished painting – On The Hard, Camusterrach
This sketchbook page shows the methods I used for the watercolour painting, On The Hard, Camusterrach. This painting was inspired by a painting trip to the Applecross Peninsula. This painting will be on display at the RSW 5TH Open Summer Annual Exhibition in the...