Since painting windmills on location in Norfolk, I’ve enjoyed tacking this unusual subject matter. Earlier this year I travelled to Holland to work on some painting commissions for a client. The client wanted some scenes that were typically Dutch. My research took me to this particular scene where I did two small watercolours on Arches watercolour blocks.
Painting outdoors like this is a great inspiration when tackling the subject matter in the studio. The sketches take you back to the moment in an instant. You begin to recall the challenges and struggles you encounter when trying to capture the scene on the spot.
I also made some charcoal studies in my moleskine sketchbook which are great for carrying about to make quick studies and for taking notes. A combination of charcoal or pencil drawings with watercolour can give you an outcome which brings back memories. It’s not just the memories of the view you were painting but also the trip itself.
Using the on the spot studies, my own reference photographs and my experience in painting skies, I’ve produced this original watercolour which is now available as a limited edition print titled “Windmills, Early Morning Light”.
Although the time of day was more like late morning, I felt that an early morning scene would suit the subject more.