loose watercolours

Going to have a short rant now: THIS is what should be in art books, demonstrations, videos, lessons - not the stipplers and spongers (to use a word slightly differently from its normal connotation - although I don't know.....). It isn't that sponging and stippling are techniques never to be used; they have their place. But NOT all the ****** time, and not as a substitute for actually PAINTING. These trees have more life and reality to them than a thousand sterile demonstrations on The Painting and Drawing Channel, and in How To Paint Trees the Cuthbert Dinwiddie Way (substitute real name at your pleasure). Give this man a book deal or a page to himself in Leisure Painter - and stop mucking about with the craftsy junk peddled by some of these "professionals" and "experts"; because with exceptions (Wendy Jelbert, Geoff Kersey, Arnold Lowrey, Joe Francis Dowden, Hazel Soan stand out) some of the key figures in the art-teaching world are just never going to take you anywhere but to antiseptic clones of their own predictable work. Right: I'll have a calming cup of tea now. Then I'm going to copy and steal this image for my own private education and inspiration.

(Dawn - wave this in front of your editors, and if necessary smite them with it!)

Alan, this is great. Thank you so much. Dare I ask for an indication of the colours used and mixed?

Alan - thIs is great and just had to go and try something along similar lines - about to post the result and hope you like my feeble attempt.

Thanks for these Alan. Very useful.

my friend Robert some times,well he makes me feel younger than I am,and with all his flattery I think hes trying his best to give Alan a big head,my mum used to say .. cock." nip corner shop for ten pounds of king edwards in thi cap." mauling about trying to do a book ,what a laugh that would be..but I like little snippets like this , they are not to tasking for my health at all, but ,alas that's all I can manage i love you guys see you Alan