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Can you paint a cobbled street

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21.08 slaley hall maluillustration PROMO - low res small

Gerry Mellor

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Hi folks, Do you have any examples you could share, where you've painted cobbles, (in watercolour), or any tips on how to approach them? (the straight-ish/square, slightly rounded, but not the pebble random layout type....they're probably called setts and not cobbles, but it's a very old street - see image below) I'm in the middle of a painting at the moment where I used drybrush technique, followed by linear strokes, hoping the result would be a 'hint' of cobbles on a sunlit road. It hasn't turned out as I imagined, so I thought to seek examples. (I want to avoid the use-lines-to-show-edges, as I don't want an 'outlined-illustrative' look). Thank you in advance.

Edited
by Gerry Mellor

AnonymousUser-8 AnonymousUser-8

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Gerry I was going to tell you my technique for stone walls, tiles, paving etc. But then I read the end of your posting and you don't want an illustrative look...which is my style. So I'm of no use to you. However before I go in with pen I tend to do a wash of an undercoat, depending on the stone colour. So a grey or buff. Then I use coloured pencil and do each stone individually. I guess not good with sets. I then go in with pen. I just felt a bit mean if I didn't explain what I do, being I paint stones a lot. However I did look on YouTube and there are lots of ideas on there about painting cobbles...but I think it's the round sort. Sorry not overly helpful. 
DSC04115

Lynda Green

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I would go about it by dropping different colours onto wet paper, then when it is dry picking out some corners and edges. Something like this, hope this helps.
21.08 slaley hall maluillustration PROMO - low res small

Gerry Mellor

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Julie, thank you. Any response is always worthwhile on this forum, I believe, and it's certainly appreciated. Thank you. I never thought of youtube so I'll have a peruse. Lynda, thank you for sharing. I like the effect and will keep it in mind, to suggest edges and corners, as you say. I'm concerned I'll be too tempted to overwork the edge-finding, but the beauty of experimentation and developing is giving it a go, and I'll certainly aim for the effect where the setts are 'suggested' enough that the viewer completes the detail in their mind. Thank you.