Newark on Trent

The visit to Newark on Trent included my first ever outdoor watercolour painting session. Working outdoors is very different to painting from photographs. The light changes quickly, the paint behaves differently, and it is hard to stay focussed on the chosen composition. It is great fun though.

Learning to paint and draw is one of my long term goals. I want to extend my visual arts experience beyond photography, but I am happy to take it slowly and enjoy the learning process. There is nothing better or more rewarding than a moment of real progress.

The end painting in Newark wasn't successful as I struggled with the tonal range and selecting the colours. At home I abandoned my 'live' painting and worked from a photography using only one colour. This allowed me to focus purely on the tones and this was the final result, showing Newark Castle in the morning light. A moment of progress for me....

There was time in Newark for some photography. I scouted for alternative painting subjects before settling for the more obvious castle scene. I also captured a number of reflections and river textures plus some selections from the canal side buildings: