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Daily Paintings

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Tricycle Life Drawing Group (London)
I joined a life drawing group at the Tricycle Theatre around the corner from where we live. As I was late, I had to sit right in front of the model and I decided to start off with drawing the tendons and muscles of her neck and learn a bit more about the anatomy of that body 'part'. Half an hour later she assumed a different pose, which was also interesting to draw.
Mosel Valley, Germany
We were in the Mosel Valley in September. One georgous autumn afternoon we took the boat from Traben-Trarbach to Bernkastel. I had my sketch pad on my lap as we drifted down the Mosel river. The boat's speed only allowed me to work on each sketch for 20-30 seconds or so, so I was forced to quickly record the essence of each view. A great exercise.
Trees visible from our apartment

To practise mixing greens, I painted the tree in Netherwood Street, visible from our apartment. I have tried to pay attention to the shadow and light areas and the temperature of the different planes of the foliage. The ever changing light was a further challenge to deal with.

Paul's Apples
This painting was done in 2 days really. Before Paul would eat them all, I quickly painted them.

Sky and clouds

These two cloud studies were done from our bedroom window. Cloud forms change incredibly fast and it was fun to paint against time.
Canterbury Cathedral
When we were in Canterbury we paid a visit to the famous cathedral. The weather was brilliant and because the church was built of yellow stone, the flooding light set everything on fire. We must have spent several hours in there, and were blown away by the the 12th-century gothic architecture, the colours, the space. It's like walking into a forest, the gothic style leaps and soars like a rocket. The stained glass windows almost blindingly cast brilliant blues and reds on the cathedral space. I can imagine how impressed the people of the time must have been, pilgrims and visitors. I recently read about the gothic style in my book "European painting and sculpture" by Eric Newton - while the Byzantine style of the previous centuries was concerned with refinement, the gothic style is the work of a lover. And it shows, the whole building just glows with passion.
I felt that this place just has to be put onto canvas. After taking several photographs I managed to work out perspective and composition on our way home. Several Dutch painters of the Golden Age painted church interiors, It would be good to study their paintings for ideas on the use of colour and a 'greatness' effect. There are a few of those masterpieces in the National Gallery here in London. I have now prepared a linen canvas with a mixture of naples yellow, cerulean blue and a wee bit of alizarin crimson, to create a light olive-coloured ground. Once this is dry I can set up the dead layer and then take it from there. One of many ideas I hopefully get time for..