Painting in Norfolk
In September 2009 my wife and I went to Norfolk with our daughter and her two children to Norfolk for the week. Although it was a family holiday, I turned it into a painting trip. Every morning I would get up early before everyone woke up and I would go off painting. Over the week I ended up with lots of Norfolk Paintings from which I derived inspiration for studio works.
We were staying in Burnham Overy Staithe which was an idea location to paint all the small boats berthed at low tide. It was also very handy for nearby places like Wells-next-the-sea, Burnham Overy Mill and Brancaster. Norfolk Paintings and Limited Edition Prints available from www.alanreed.com
Burnham Overy Mill
My strategy was simple and very productive. I would start a watercolour on a watercolour block 14″ x 10″ or 12″ x 9″ containing rough Arches paper. Sometimes I would draw a few guidelines in pencil, but usually I would get a wash of colour down first. Whilst that first wash was drying, I’d repeat the process in my sketchbook, but without any pencil. I would end up with two versions of the same scene. You can see the difference in the two watercolours I did above of Burnham Overy Mill.
Watercolours of Norfolk
At the end of the week I ended up with some of the most lively watercolours I have ever painted on location. Some of the watercolours painted on blocks have subsequently sold. The sketchbook studies are a joyful reminder of a wonderful week in Norfolk. It was so productive that we returned the following summer where I was able to visit other places including some of the colourful lavender fields at Heacham. Painting on location really does help you to see things in a more simplistic way. You become much more economical with your brush strokes which makes for a fresher, more lively painting.
Some of my Norfolk Paintings can be seen at our Studio & Gallery in Ponteland.