Standing on the edge.

  Of all the sketches for the Wainwrights in Colour project there are one or two which stand out for some special reason. So it was for this painting from the Whin Rigg chapter, page 8.

The viewpoints.

 It was 13th April 2008 when I was on the Illgill Head, Whin Rigg ridge obtaining the references required for work on thses two fells. There was hardly anyone else about, I seem to recall it was maybe a Tuesday. Unusually enough AW even marked on a map the exact location for these viewpoints so all I had to do was find the exact spot where he stood for his reference photograph. Not quite straightforward as AW's shoreline of Wastwater is incorrectly drawn, possibly due to a poor contrasting reference photograph.)but once found all I had to do was to take the shot. In his drawing he includes a figure on the top and a couple of the lower viewpoint (possibly added in later to give a sense of drama as the y are slightly our of scale.) Just as I was lining up the camera a couple (who I later found out were German tourists) came and stoood in exactly the right place in the scene. How spooky is that?

Ticking off the Fells

  It seems a while since I had a good day out on the Lake District Fells, something which I hope to put right in the next few days. The lack of walking is purely down to the fact that I have been so busy in the studio getting work done for the Wainwrights in Colour project. The fells are now getting completed at a reasonable rate with a good "first time" success on most of the sketches, seldom do they get scrapped and put in the bin.

Seatallan from below Scoat Tarn.

However, one or two sketches have caused some problems like this one below of Arnison Crag. For no particular reason the first two attempts at this scene I just wasn't happy with but fortunately the third go came out right so now it is framed with the other sketches for this fell and is just awaiting collection by the customer.

Arnison Crag from Keldas

Looking out on Winter/Spring.

 The idea of heading over to the Lakes for the day crossed my mind when I heard that snow was forecast in Cumbria. Overnight it had caused chaos up in Dumfries and Galloway. Its not that I need to have a walk on the fells for the sake of it but rather that there is just one reference for the project that would like to tick off. It is a view of a fell which Wainwright drew in full winter conditions and I would like to capture it in the same season if at all possible.
 With the wonders of modern technology is was able to get an one the spot weather report from Sean McMahon who is located in Cumbria. (if you are a fan of the Lake District, fellwalking etc his website is well worth a look Striding Edge.) Following his report I decided to give a day out a miss- too much low cloud I thought to make my day a success.
 So was a day given over to sketches in the studio. As I did so I looked out across the moor to seem the mixture of weather today, sun, rain and light snow showers all passed by. I work on about 6 to 8 sketches at one time, whilst washes of watercolour are drying on one sketch I move on to another. Hardly "mass production" but a good method to make the best of my time.
Here's another couple of small sketches (out of the six) that I completed today.

High Street from Blea Water.

I managed to get this reference for this shot on my second visit here. Luckily I timed it just right as moments later the low cloud engulfed the summit.

Broad Crag, Scafell Pike.

This little sketch measures only about 9cm x 7cm so I was able to complete it in between other work. All in all it was a successful day, the trip to the lakes will happen soon enough.

Too early for a "Spring clean?"

It's taken a while to get the top two rooms of the gallery re-organised after the exhibition but today was the day to get stuck into the task. With  new stock arriving shortly I needed a wel laid out space to display the goods. At the gallery I am lucky enough to have four seperate exhibition rooms so now I have  made the largest one upstairs into the "Wainwrights in Colour room" this has space to show the remaining works which are un-sold at this time of which there are only 18 with another one sold just last week.

Meantime back at the studio I continue to work through the sketches required to complete the sold fells from the project.