In 1999 we had a week on the Greek Island of Aegina. Whilst exploring the island I came across the ruined Temple of Aphaea and made some studies.
Last weekend I was doing a watercolour demonstration for a local art club. As part of my demonstration, I started a small watercolour on a 14″ x 10″ Arches watercolour block based on the reference I gathered on that trip.
Notice also the smaller study made in the moleskine sketchbook that was painted directly onto the paper without any pencil preparation.
You can underestimate the value in painting on location. In this painting video you can see some of my “en plein air” methods. I don’t always have two paintings going on at the same time, however there are advantages in painting like this:
First of all it reduces the time spent waiting for the paint to dry as you can be working on the other painting.
Also you end up with two different versions of the same scene.
If you sell one of the paintings you did, you always have another one to refer back to. This will remind you of the scene for any future paintings.
Recording the scene in two different sizes also provides you with a different approach with your brush strokes. You tend not to add so much detail in a smaller painting.
Why not have a go yourself next time you’re painting on location.