Shipley Glen in Watercolour

After the watercolour country lane tutorials I completed the other day I was inspired by the colours to work from some picture I took in Shipley Glen some years ago. I also wanted to play with the square format some more.

Often the challenge in working from photgraphs is working out how to render the image as a [ainting – filtering complexities and understanding the colours. It’s easier from the real scene and I can often see a watercolour in my mind’s eye, but it’s not the weather for extended en plein air painting. I’m quite pleased with this interpreation Trench Wood. I played with the colours a little to use my new Roman Szmal Urban grey, a four(!) pigment colour from this genius colourman.

I wasn’t quite so happy with the second picture. The lighting on the original photo was great with the green and yellow, but it didn’t translate as well. I guess you can’t win them all.

I am vert pleased with this picture from Shipley Glen proper – the Urban Grey has worked very well on the rocks, and I think it really gives the feel of this desolate patch of moorland, in early spring. I don’t think I am finished with these photos yet.