Views
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Pergamon
This is a view from the Asclepion of Pergamon towards the Acropolis, which true to its name is on the top of the hill in the background. We visited Pergamon as one of the seven churches mentioned in the Revelation to St John, found at the end of the bible. However, to me one of…
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Sandpit
There are many quarries near where I live. A few of these sites are still being worked, but most are now inactive. In this region (and quite possibly elsewhere too) a disused quarry will tend to turn into a lake, so we have several man-made lakes around here as well. The lake that I have…
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Chion-in (知恩院)
I find it rather odd that the less paint I put on the paper the more effort it takes me to do so. I have long admired those who can seemingly capture the essence of a scene with just a few broad and (apparently) lazy brush strokes, rather than getting caught up as I often…
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Sunset Regatta
Another piece based on my imagination and mainly composed of triangles, this time with just a few supporting semicircles. I’m not a sailor, but nevertheless I rather suspect that most regattas aim to finish before sunset so that they can see what is going on. However, that detail would have somewhat spoilt this arrangement.
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Tropical Beach
Loosely based on a photo taken on Mirissa Beach in Sri Lanka, here is another experiment using watercolours and quite a lot of water. Once again my first attempt was too wet, meaning that the background trees grew enormous as they spread over most of the sky! This second version was closer to damp rather…
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Fishing Boats
The fishing boats in Negombo keep different hours to the tourists. We saw some of the boats still at sea whilst we were having breakfast, but by the time we were walking around the town the fishermen were all back to unload their catch, repair their nets etc. The boats were all quite colourful, and…
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Sunset at Galle
Sooner or later I am sure that my watercolour paints will do exactly what I want them to do, but in the meanwhile I have to be content if a watercolour painting bears even a passing resemblance to the image that I have in my head! This sunset is no exception – I was quite…
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Trichromatic Safari
Two things surprised me on a short safari that I took in Sri Lanks to see their native elephants* in the wild: The first was just how many other groups were chasing around the park looking for the same elephants that we were searching for – although I suppose that is just down to the…
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Tuk-tuk
The roads in Sri Lanka (as in many other countries) seem to be full of these three-wheelers. If you are looking for a lift they are very useful – otherwise they are something to beware of, both for pedestrians and for larger vehicle drivers. The tuk-tuk in the foreground of this painting is driving along…
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Albaycin
This area of Granada is a warren of narrow alleyways, some of which pretend to be fully fledged roads along which cars with scratched sides venture! At night the lighting of these thoroughfares creates many interesting pools of light and corresponding shadows. This drawing is an attempt to capture this lighting effect using charcoal. In…
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Alhambra
This place looks good in any light, but following a tip from a colleague in my art group we ate dinner one evening in a restaurant that overlooks the Alhambra across a small gorge. In doing so we had brilliant views of the site as dusk fell. Whilst my clumsiness with the pallet knife might…
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Cat Temple
In the suburbs of Tokyo there is a curious temple, properly called Daikeizan Gotokuji but popularly known as the Cat Temple. The story goes that a local ruler was invited by a cat into the temple and thereby found shelter from a sudden and violent thunderstorm. In gratitude, the ruler dedicated the temple to the…
