Twilight – Watercolour

It stays quite light into the night at this time of year where we are. This is something like the scene looking west, from one of our local roads, into the setting sun.

Into Disrepair, Trout Fishing – Linlithgow Loch – Watercolour

A last minute entry for this month’s “Challenge”
Give a man a fish and you’ll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he’ll sit on his backside, in a boat, drinking beer.

Chesley Bonestell Revisited – Watercolour and Acrylic

Chesley Bonestell (1888 – 1986) painted imaginary scenes of the planets. His illustrations were said to have inspired the American Space programme and much of what he painted has turned out to be fact. He collaborated with well known, science fiction authors and this is from the book, “Beyond Jupiter” by Arthur C. Clarke where his work helped to describe how interplanetary travel would be possible by using the gravity of Solar System bodies to “slingshot” probes. If you have never looked at his work you are in for a treat. Try these links for starters:

http://bonestell.com/the_chesley_bonestell_archives005.htm

http://www.novaspaceart.com/Prints/Limited%20Editions/Bonestell/Index.html

This scene is after “Saturn from its largest moon, Titan, 760,00 miles away” from the aforementioned book.
His notes say that”The sky is blue since Titan is large enough to retain an atmosphere”

Haymarket Chaos – Pencil and Ink

A quick sketch to “vent my spleen” at the continuing chaos caused by the work being undertaken to install trams in Edinburgh. Although I’m not a native of Scotland’s capital city I feel ashamed and dismayed that this disruption has gone on for years. Perhaps one day we will be told why all this happened. In the meantime this is the view at Edinburgh’s Haymarket, one of the busiest junctions coming into the city. There are four main roads which meet at this point and many diversions need to be used. My late mother was born and brought up just around the corner and would have been dismayed at all of this. In the meantime, visit Edinburgh at your peril.

Rocks at South Queensferry – Watercolour

I have spent the best part of a week trying to paint rocks. You might think such basic things would be easy but I have found out otherwise. Lots more practise is needed, (and patience).

This scene, which is part of a larger painting, is on the beach next to the Forth Rail Bridge at South Queensferry on the east coast of Scotland. Its quite a barren and rocky place with loads of shapes to tease. The romantic in me realises that these boulders will probably have witnessed, among other things:

One of the furthest north settlements, by the Roman army, as early as the 1st century.

Queen Margaret, in the 11th century, crossing the Forth at this point on her way to build Dunfermline Abbey

The surrender of the German High Seas fleet in 1918 which steamed past this point and later headed to Scapa Flow where it scuttled itself.

The first air raid of WW2, September 1939, when Luftwaffe aircraft tried to sink ships next to the bridge.

Aye, if only these stones could talk.

Watercolour of the bridge over the River Forth with the Wallace Monument in the background.  This is NOT the bridge where the battle was fought in 1297.  The original one was a wooden structure and was further upstream.  Eat you heart out, Mel Gibson.

Goin’ Fishing – Watercolour

We go fishing once a month but not in the accepted sense. We actually visit a great fishmonger based next to Newhaven Harbour. Last visit “netted” around £35 worth of varied stuff. This was the view from the door of the shop.

Mill Dam – Watercolour

This is the dam area for Preston mill as attempted in my previous post. Mills used to have these reservoirs to ensure that the waterwheel continued to work through dry spells.

Preston Mill – Watercolour

This old mill dates back to the 18th century but there has been a mill on this site for at least a couple of hundred years before that. It is situated near the village of East Linton, East Lothian about 20 miles outside Edinburgh. The present building was in use until the middle of the 20th century. It is a great place to visit and sketch being a crazy collection of buildings which have been added to, and taken down, over the years. It is now looked after by The National Trust for Scotland.

Summer – Watercolour

Another entry for this month’s Challenge. Its a scene from last year and, hopefully, this will be repeated in the months to come – if the rain ever stops.
Thanks to greyseal for reminding me that watercolour still exists