Yesterday I went with David to paint plein air at Beeleigh Falls, Langford, Essex. Early afternoon the weather was lovely and we arrived to find that a gentleman Max was already there sketching. Looking around we found it was an excellent painting site with lots of different views, so I took loads of photos before I started. Numerous bridges, the weir, the canal. So I used my water mixable oils from Winsor and Newton, whilst David did a very detailed drawing. Our subject was a bridge on the canal (see blog photo). Anyway a struggle as usual and not finished yet. Firstly the water mixable oils are really convenient for outside but they take some getting used to. They dry dehydrate very quickly on the board, which is an advantge if you are putting on under painting, but then I moved on to using liquin on the next layer. Colours are very good but not too happy with the lemon yellow which does not cover or mix as well as the other colours. I try to stick to a limited pallette, and I try to mix all my own greens, but still find painting when everything is so green very difficult. And there is that stage in the middle when I hate it all so much I want to give up and start again, but plodded on despite all the mistakes. A very civilized enjoyable afternoon, especially when I discovered David had bought coffee...... and everyone with a dog walking by stopped to have a look and I made a fuss of the dogs. Anyway went home feeling really good thinking you can't beat painting outside for challenges and learning. And at home I have two big detailed watercolours progressing and I seem to paint in an entirely different way for them than for oil. ...........so off out now to get the milk and then maybe I will start again. Lets hope the weather holds and also we win a few more medals. Bye from the painting idiot.