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Inspiration from Artists Week 17 . J W M Turner
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Posted
I must say that Turner has to be one of my favourites but his sketches have been unknown to me until now. They are wonderful. I have limited access to internet at the moment as in Spain using data roaming but I fully intend to have a closer look when I return home next week. Thanks Alan for a real education, looking forward to your piece in TA
Posted
I've preferred Turner's watercolours and sketches to his oil paintings since I was presented with a book called 'Turner Abroad' many many years ago. He made half a dozen visits to Wales too and I love his painting of the Welsh castles in particular. The second painting is of Llangollen my place of birth - wonderful! 
Posted
Ellen you ask what's not to like about Turner but the jury remains out for me. I've returned to the above postings several times, mainly to the sunsets, but they still hold no magic in my eyes - I feel as if I'm all alone here but I can't get away from the image of dry strained washes - perhaps Alan could explain what it is that appeals to so many.
Posted
I can’t Michael, it’s a visual thing that either appeals or doesn’t!
He uses a variety of directional brush strokes in his sunset skies, in fact most of his skies, each one a statement and for me, so much better than simple graduating washes as with the wet in wet technique which I’m not overly fond of… it’s hit and miss!
He does use this technique on occasions of course.
His combination of colours also, that gorgeous Florence Red and Madder Lake set against Blue Verditer as one example…
Of course, my examples are simply plein air sketch book studies, they aren’t meant to be anything more…
Posted
Thanks Alan. When I was teaching watercolours many moons ago one of the problems with beginners was getting them to mix up enough wash and to remember it is WATERcolour - once they got that concept their work improved immeasurably - I guess I'm still in that mindset. As for light in watercolours few, IMHO, get anywhere near Ng Woon Lam - his use of light is magical - perhaps another name for the list Paul.
Posted
I feel quite disadvantaged, as I am on my travels again,(Warwick this time). My husband recently bought me another book on Turner. I was shocked when I saw one of his early watercolours, a detailed pencil drawing of a church interior, coloured in with watercolour! Not what you associate with Turner at all, but very, very good technically. So he could do it when he wanted, just like Picasso. But I am sure that we are all glad that he let loose. Even if his work is not to your taste, he had a very strong influence on other artists.
Posted
Interesting comments on Ng Woon Lam. I agree the colours are wonderful and there is a great sense of aerial perspective, but they are not the colours you see in Venice, which he portrays. Venice water is green, the wet walls are green too. The dry walls tend to be earth colours, but I see none of the characteristic colour at all. They are more representative of a Spanish fiesta, rather than the Italian lagoon.