This is the finished painting. I toned down the blue shorts and kept the whole painting pretty muted in colour and tone. I cannot say, that I am overly happy with it, but I decided to leave it at that,  and treat it as a study. If I decide to do another painting, on this subject, then this study will be my reference, at what to do and not to do. Where I had trouble, was getting the  young man's legs right. The tone of the beach was too similar to the flesh tones, hence I was having awful bother, getting his legs to stand out, and blend in, or they were too proud and rigid. The right thing to do........scrape it down and begin again. Did I? No.....not taking my own advice. It's all part of the fun, success and frustration at times. Anyway, oil on board 6x8 ins. Joe

Just started this one yesterday, I will see how it goes. The good weather is supposed to make a return here next week, in the not so sunny south east. If so, we will make the most of it and get out there painting or sketching. I try to get as many ideas in the summer and autumn, to work into paintings over the winter.  Not that the winter months do not have merits as well, but I think we all prefer the sun and light.

A couple on a beach. First stage. Rough sketch on gesso board.

At a later stage

Carrying on from yesterday, about oil layers in a painting, I hope I did not confuse people, or make the fun of oil painting over complicated? One other reason for proper oil content in paint, is for good paint adhesion to each successive layer. It's the oil that binds the paint to the ground initially, then to each subsequent layer of the painting.


When painting alla prima, the whole painting dries as one film. So providing that the paint is not diluted too much with thinner and there is enough oil content in the paint, there will be no problems.  A famous Welsh artist I admire, Kyffin Williams, now deceased, always painted alla prima, but with a palette knife. He had to complete his paintings, no matter how large, in one session.  Everyone has a style, or way of painting that suits them, and that's what is the most important. Enjoyment and  creativity.

This little painting 4x6 ins, oil on board. Two women behind a counter discussing a topic.

My oil painting is going okay at the moment. I say okay, in that it's a struggle to change from fluid watercolours to the the heavier medium of oil painting. It's just me, I am sure. I do not get on with the mediums that are needed to dilute the paint, such as turpentine or white spirits. In the past I have avoided them as much as possible, hence, why much of my past paintings have been heavy in texture. I compromise now and use low odour mineral spirits and stand oil, when I need to dilute the oil paint.

There are all sorts of oil painting mediums that one can buy, depending on the effect required or the task, quick drying to slow drying. One rule always applies, fat over lean. More oil content in the medium or paint is required for each successive layer. Why? If a top layer dries on top of a wet under layer, the result is, the top layer will crack.......Simply because, the wet under layer is still unstable whilst wet. As it dries, it affects the top rigid dry layer detrimentally. I hope that this all makes sense. Joe

Woman sitting on a low chair on the beach. 6x8 ins oil on linen.

It's nearly September. What terrible August weather we are having here. It's so difficult to get out and about, looking for scenes or people to paint. The painting today, is from a few years back, colourful and heavy in texture. Two builders on a site discussing the job in hand  or a task. My interest here was the two men and the colours, set in  a featureless background. Oil on board 6x8 ins.

Here is the finished painting that I was working on. The sheep on the right of the work in progress post, has gone. It was just not working for me. It was one of those paintings, where I had it, then I lost  it, by an addition of another paint stroke. I will just leave it at this, now. The idea for me, is to complete these little paintings in one session, so as to keep it fresh and spontaneous.

A work in progress. Oil on gesso board 6x8 ins. It's a view on the Blackstairs range, due south. I climbed this peak almost three years ago,....... Now I recall, it was exactly three years ago, Borris fair was on. That is always on the 15th  of August. Anyway, the climb was tough, but wonderful, a feeling of achievement when I got to the plateau on top. This is one of the  stunning views, but I am still not sure about the composition. I am having a bit of trouble with the sheep on the right.