Sketchbook Rambles

Plein Air Pastel

2012-02-01T03:07:00.000-08:00

A plein air pastel painted on Terracotta Colourfix Primer. Looking West up the barranco El Chorrillo, Trevelez. A large white rock in the centre of the painting, glistens in the sunshine and I hear the laughing call of the green woodpecker somewhere above me.

Plein Air Sketch - Barrio Medio Trevelez

2012-02-01T02:47:00.000-08:00

Now the snow has retreated above the village I braved the cold air to do this watercolour/graphite sketch of the Barrio Medio as seen from my roof. The sun was quite warm so I managed to stay for a couple of hours before retreating down to warm up by the wood stove.

Gouache Plein Air Painting

2011-11-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

In the early morning Autumn sun, standing near the village of Busquistar, looking towards the Sierra de Lujar in the distance. Nice to be out painting again after a long hectic season organising walking holidays. Looking forward to doing a few more gouache/watercolour paintings of the amazing Autumn colours before I head off to Perth, Australia to visit my son and family.

Plein Air Pastel Painting

2011-01-13T07:22:00.000-08:00

It was such a beautiful day today, warm and sunny with the low winter sun creating interesting shadows on the snow and crags of the Piedra Ventana mountain, as seen from the flat roof of my house. The pochade box was a success, in that I can now do small "plein air" pastel paintings with this box sat comfortably on my knee and leave the easel at home. The 2 hours spent working on this pastel was just about right as the shadows were slowly disappearing. I hope to finish this painting tomorrow at the same time as the weather forecast is good.

2010-03-27T07:04:00.000-07:00

Well spring has finally arrived and I had a lovely walk up the Poqueira valley from Capileira. Birds were singing and the sun was shining. Walked down to a beautiful stone threshing circle (era) by a ruined farmhouse and had an amazing view to the north of the snow covered Sierra Nevada ridge and to the south right down the valley to the Sierra de Lujar, wonderful!

2010-02-09T09:20:00.000-08:00

Just finished this watercolour illustration of some traditional Alpujarran houses in the village of Fondales. I am working on a book, "Alpujarra Sketchbook", which I hope to have finished by Easter and for sale locally and on the web.

2010-01-19T08:57:00.000-08:00

A watercolour / gouache sketch looking across the valley to the village of Los Berchules. Looking west through pines and evergreen oaks, the musical sound of deep cowbells rises up from the valley below.

2010-01-18T12:14:00.000-08:00

Very strange weather. It has now turned very warm, melting all the snow and allowing me to get out and do a bit of sketching. This small pen and wash sketch in my tiny watercolour moleskin, is the view looking back across the valley to the Barrio Alto of Trevelez where I live. The GR7 footpath, that I was following, ends here as there has been a major landslide during the recent heavy rains. We are checking the state of this long distance footpath, as it passes through the Alpujarra, before our first walking clients arrive in March. So most of my sketches will be done from locations along this footpath between Yegen and Capileira.

2010-01-12T03:35:00.000-08:00

Looking south from my window, across the snow covered roofs of my neighbours. The light grey shadows are a lovely pale-indigo blue. This sketch was drawn on hot-pressed watercolour paper using HB and 2B graphite sticks.

2010-01-10T04:26:00.000-08:00

This is a watercolour sketch of the view down the Trevelez Valley from my house. I am confined to the house as snow and below freezing temperatures have made the steep paths and roads of Trevelez treacherous for walking without crampons. So I shall put another log on the fire and sketch from the window.