I always enjoy receiving painting commissions. Quite often it’s a subject that I haven’t painted before and in many cases the whole process can be very stimulating. At the end of 2023 I received a commission which I titled Cheviot View. The client wanted me to paint a watercolour for a friend that was having a landmark birthday the following December. It was of his favourite view in Northumberland.
I met up with the client at the viewpoint and painted a sketchbook watercolour on location. It was a dull afternoon but I knew that the scene she wanted would be a lovely painting. I decided early on that this was landscape that needed to be painted during that narrow window of autumn, when colours are warm and golden with reds and ochres. I also knew that either early morning or late afternoon sunlight would be the optimum time of day.
As autumn 2024 drew near I picked a sunny afternoon and travelled again to the viewpoint, very close to Corby’s Crag. However as I neared the spot the sun disappeared behind low clouds and the moment was lost. I still painted a sketchbook watercolour and enjoyed an hour or so taking in the wonderful panorama but I knew I had to return. A few days later there was another glorious sunny afternoon so I set off praying that I’d be able to capture the last rays of sunlight on the autumnal leaves.
Fortunately the conditions were favourable and I was able to paint another sketchbook watercolour and gather reference photographs.
The actual commission was painted on a full sheet of hand made watercolour paper and because of the size I was able to add in lots of topographical details like specific hill shapes, farm buildings and woodland areas.
The composition stretches across a wide, rolling landscape — a patchwork of fields, hedgerows, and wooded areas that recede gently into misty, distant hills. Layers of transparent washes are used to convey depth and atmosphere. I used cooler blues and purples in the far distance to contrast the rich, earthy yellows, greens, and browns in the foreground. This helps to create a sense of arial perspective.
The sky is a luminous blend of colours — from soft violet and blue at the top to radiant yellows and oranges near the horizon — typical of the calm serenity of a late autumn afternoon. Wisps of clouds add delicate texture to the sky without overwhelming the tranquility of the scene.
I wanted to capture both the expansive scale of the Cheviot landscape and the fine textures of its fields and foliage to give the painting a sense of movement and natural rhythm. By the time I’d finished, I felt that the overall effect was peaceful and radiant and brought back my own memories of taking in this stunning vista.
The client was totally taken back when the painting was unveiled at my Studio and Gallery.