Waiting for the tide, Oban

Waiting for the tide, Oban

Soft Pastel on Colourfix paper

19 x 27 inches

I just got back from a walking holiday in Glencoe to find out I'd won the Pastel Guild of Europe's Get Dusty landscape competition with this painting- superb!!

Can't wait to try out the set of Girault pastels prize, I've never seen them here in the UK.

I just loved how these boats were sitting in the mud at funny angles and thought that it would make a good but challenging composition.

Ryan

Loch Lomond Sky

Here's a new landscape painting I did.  It is a dramatic sky over the view south/west looking down Loch Lomond. The view was stunning close to the second day of the West Highland Way and this point we'd just walked the length of Loch Lomond (~27miles) heading to a well earned pint at the famous Drover's pub.

You can see one of the tiny islands that dot the Loch.

Loch Lomond Sky

Pastel on Sennelier Pastel Card

24cm x 24cm

Ryan

Last rays- Glen Sannox

Last rays- Glen Sannox
Soft pastel on board
18x12inches

Another landscape from Arran. The previous Bastion painting was from the top left of the ridge looking down to spot this painting is from. Here we are looking back up Glen Sannox with the Bastion on the left guarding the entrance. 'The saddle' can be seen at the far end of the valley. We almost went that way till we say the descent!! Opted to come down 'the Devil's Punchbowl' onto the lush (and boggy!) slope on the left middle distance!

This painting was started on Canson board but I have to say the surface did not suit my heavy impasto style. Lesson learnt. I used one of the Canson boards and used Colourfix 'Supertooth' pastel primer tinted warm red on top to give my grip for my thick pastel layers.


Also tried out my new Henri Roche pastels- very lush and high quality sticks with high pigment content. Very nice - thanks to la maison du pastel

Here's the sketch

Ryan

The Bastion- amended!

I got some great new Unison pastels yesterday- their 'Heavenly Shadows' set. I'd not been happy with the shadows in the mountain of 'The Bastion' painting but didn't seem to have the right colour. The great thing with pastels on Sennelier la carte is that using a bristle brush, you can remove layers of pastel and the paper keeps its grainy surface and you can paint over the top.

I've lightened the shadow overall, especially as the Bastion ridge gets further away. By lessening the contrast between dark and light and cooling the shadow colour, it helps to acheive the effect if the ridge receding into the distance.

Ryan

Standing Stones, Machrie Moor

Standing Stones, Machrie Moor
Pastel on Sennelier La Carte
16x12 inches

Here's a landscape painting, the first I've done in absolutely ages. These stones are one set of about 13 on the amazingly atmospheric Machrie Moor on the Isle of Arran. We stopped for a while here and soaked up the atmosphere (and a dram of whisky).

In the painting I wanted to capture that atmosphere and sense of peace and remoteness that we felt there.

Ryan