Local Hero
In 1997 my publisher Di Rollo asked me to do a painting of the Forth Rail Bridge. After securing reference and a night in Edinburgh we decided to visit the Camusdarach Beach near Mallaig where some of the scenes from the film Local Hero were shot. The weather was appalling as we drove through Glencoe but once we reached Glenfinnan viaduct the sun began to shine. The drive to Camusdarach Beach is long but stunning. We checked in at a bed and breakfast in Mallaig and found the beach just as the sun was beginning to set.
There was hardly anyone around apart from a young lady sitting in the dunes, playing a Celtic melody on her violin. All we could hear was the gentle sound of waves lapping on the beach and her notes accompanying them. I had the soundtrack to the film Local Hero written by Mark Knopfler so his wonderful music was also filling my mind as I gathered my reference.
Eigg and Rhum
The next morning, after a hearty Scottish breakfast, we returned to Camusdarach Beach where I painted a couple of watercolours. This time the colours were completely different, white skies, turquoise sea and bright blue skies.
However, using the watercolours painted “en plein air”, the reference photographs and my memories from the previous evening, I produced a watercolour of that memorable evening with the lady playing her violin. It was published as a limited edition print titled Eigg and Rhum Sunset.
What appears to be a very simple subject is actually quite difficult to render with the palette I’ve used. When using blues and yellows together with merging washes, there is the very real danger of creating unwanted dirty, muddy greens.
