I just published my latest video:
Painting outdoors in the autumn Ep35
Tag: painting outdoors
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Coping with 100% humidity.
I mentioned in my last post that I used a gas burner for 10 minutes to dry my watercolour. For the second painting I used a different approach. I left a lot of the paper white, I didn’t paint over the whole surface in other words. I thought this approach worked really well and I will doing this again for sure.
The light started to fade around 3pm so I packed up my gear and made my way home. Another fulfilling day in nature was had. Funny the positive effect it has on me being outdoors. I guess it’s the same for everyone. Anyway, I love it, whatever the conditions. 😃
Last Wednesday I visited Björnö nature reserve. It was a very damp and grey day which is totally normal for this time of year in Stockholm.
For my health’s sake, my current mission is to be outdoors as much as possible. I recently acquired a fisherman’s tent to protect myself from the elements while painting. It works really well especially the way it protected me from the wind. Even a light breeze can be very tiring while spending a whole day painting in damp, cool conditions.
I managed two watercolours, the first of which is featured here I used a lot of water so that I could mimic the misty view that was in front of me. The only problem about doing this in 100% humidity is that it never dries. Thankfully I had my trusty gas burner, it took 10 minutes to dry the cotton paper!
For the second painting I used a different approach, less water, but more about this in my next post. I had a great day, I really feel very lucky to have this this kind of lifestyle, to be more or less free to choose what to do with my day. Recommended 😃
What a contrast to the week before. Then I was in Croatia enjoying warm and sunny conditions, on this day (last Monday) I took myself out to Sandhamn by ferry. Sandhamn is a popular harbour during the summer months but now in late autumn it’s empty.
It was a grey day, 7 degrees, rained from time to time and the wind gusted to 16m/s. It was important to somehow find shelter on the harbour. Thankfully I had a stool with me so I could keep a low profile behind some seating on the pier.
The highlight of the day was to go to the local pub/restaurant and eat freshly baked cod and drink a local beer.
It’s a short working day. The light started to fade around 3pm. I took the ferry back to Stockholm at 5pm, it was dark by then.
After two days of painting in a small format I took the step up to painting on a quarter-sheet ( 36.5 x 26.5 cm ). This is not a huge size or anything but for a person who hasn’t been well it’s a very big step. It feels really good to have my energy back or my mojo as I called it in yesterday’s post. I am now able to deal with the two hours or so it takes to complete a painting of this size.
I painted two watercolours a day for the rest of my time in Makarska. Not every watercolour was a success but I was happy enough with most of them.
Yesterday, I was back painting out in the archipelago here in Stockholm. Strong winds, 7 degrees, grey skies and rain from time to time. If I had the choice, I think I’d stay in the Mediterranean for the autumn. 😉
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Painting in Croatia
I just spent a lovely week in Makarska, Croatia. I was painting non stop and getting as much autumn sun as I possibly could. It was an important trip for me. I feel that I have at last rediscovered my mojo after a number of bad years which are now behind me. I feel good, so nice to be painting at a level that feels rewarding.
The first two days I painted in an *A5 format that I frequently use when out sketching. The first day I painted four and the next day I painted three watercolours. I just wandered around Makarska and found endless inspiration wherever I looked. The light was fantastic. I sat in the shade and didn´t shiver and I painted all day with just a break for lunch.
I will post more watercolours from the trip soon. I moved up to a larger quarter-sheet format, difficult in the beginning but I overcame the monster that was in my head. Poor self-confidence basically.
I would recommend Croatia in the low season to anyone who wants to sketch outdoors and avoid the cold.
*17.5 x 12.5 cm
I visited Utö during the month of September to spend two days camping and painting. The island was so quiet, the evenings can be cool but if you are lucky you can still get a beautiful warm day.
This video has no dialog, instead I thought I’d let the sound of the lapping water and the beautiful view speak for themselves. The film is short, 7 minutes long.
I have included a description of the gear I used in the film down below. I hope you enjoy it, please do send me comments and let me know what you think – be it good or bad. You can support the making of these videos, visit my crowdfunding page, there you can follow my weekly vlogs, see bonus material, and even receive original watercolours as thanks. https://www.patreon.com/meldrumart
Here is a list of my most important watercolours that I use while sketching outdoors. In this watercolour I mostly used – Cobalt Blue, French Ultramarine, Verditer Blue, Jaune Brilliant No1, Yellow Ochre and Vandyke Brown. My easel is no longer for sale on Amazon unfortunately. My camping chair is a Swedish brand called Walkstool Comfort 45cm/18in. (www.walkstool.com). The hammock tent is by Hennessy 4 Season Expedition Zip. (https://eu.hennessyhammock.com/products/4season-expedition-zip)
While sketching I use a Winsor & Newton Field palette My watercolours (tube) :
– Holbein Titanium White
– Winsor & Newton Cadmium Yellow Pale
– Holbein Jaune Brilliant No1 .
-Winsor & Newton Naples Yellow
– Winsor & Newton Yellow Ochre
– Winsor & Newton Burnt Sienna
– Winsor & Newton Cadmium Orange
– Winsor & Newton Cadmium Red
– Daniel Smith Alizarin Crimson
– Winsor & Newton UltraMarine Violet
– Winsor & Newton Cobalt Blue
– Winsor & Newton French Ultra Marine
– Holbein Verditer Blue
– Winsor & Newton Cobalt Turquoise Light
– Holbien Vandyke Brown
– Winsor & Newton Neutral Tint.
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Painting plein air locally
I try to be out in the Stockholm archipelago as much as possible. But sometimes the weather isn’t kind and I’m forced to stay home. This was the case last week when there was gale force wind with heavy rain. It wasn’t raining all the time though so I was able to nip out and paint a scene close to where I live.
The building I chose to paint is called Danvikshem, an Art Deco old folks home, it is a dominant feature on the local skyline. I sat myself down outside an apartment in Finnboda and had a go at capturing the scene.
While out sailing in the archipelago we would sometimes take a day off and just hang in a beautiful spot. This would give me the opportunity to paint. The four watercolours here are of the same scene on Själbottna island painted over two days.
I realise that my first watercolour is usually rushed and therefore not so good. I guess it’s a necessary evil, a process to slow down and really see what is in front of me. The third watercolour was an attempt to capture the advent of rain and dark thunderous skies. Finally the last watercolour was painted the next morning just before we lifted anchor and sailed off in some direction I cannot remember.
The watercolours are 18 x 13cm in size and were painted on the 16/17th of July, 2022.
