Strolling on Weston beach

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I'm off to Brean in a few days and looking forward to getting the oils out on the coast.  I'm going to be forced to paint outside as I can't risk getting paint all over the mother-in-law's caravan!

This photograph I took on Weston beach last year.  You can see Brean Down in the distance.  There's an abandoned old fort at the bottom that would make a great location for a short scary film but that's another project.

I rode my bike up to the top one evening a couple of years ago and there's a tremendous feeling of solitude.  The first stars were just coming out as the wind rattled through you.  The view was tremendous, stretching for miles and miles.

Why are there no craft fairs in Birmingham?

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I've spent countless hours recently trawling through the listings on Google trying to find craft fairs in the Birmingham area with very little success.  They seem to be everywhere if you live in the north or south but for some reason the West Midlands is a no go region.

I'm trying to find a regular local craft fair where I can exhibit my stuff and hopefully sell a few but as yet I've had no luck finding anywhere.  For the time being I think I'll just have to continue with eBay.

This painting I did following one of Bob Ross's TV shows.  I'm very pleased with the result.  One of the things I like about oils compared to watercolour is being able to take your time doing the sky.  Watercolour skies for me were a mad rush to get it all in before it dried.

My first attempt at oil painting

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Having only used watercolours I felt the time was right to have a go at oils.  This is my first attempt.  I followed the TV lesson presented by the late Bob Ross and was pleasantly surprised with the finished painting.

I loved working with oils.  There seems to be much more freedom than with watercolours.  I just wished I'd tried it a lot sooner.

I can't wait to get outside and have a go at real life.

"Sailing Home" watercolour painting

I made this one up as I went along.  Unfortunately I forgot to put in the reflections for the boat and house.  Oh well, never mind!  I'm trying to develop a rougher, more loose style.  Perhaps I should have put a boat on the foreground beach.

 

I'm still waiting for my Bob Ross starter kit to arrive so I'll have to plough on with watercolours until then.  I'm quite looking forward to trying oils.