Pin Mill

Boats are tricky to draw and paint but I think you have done well with this Fiona. Very brave to copy a Seago!

Hi Fiona, this is really lovely. In particular your use of hot and cold colours. As usual you are inspiring me to get my paints out, they haven't seen the light of day for a few weeks!

Well done, Fiona. Beautiful colours in sky and water. You also painted the reflections very lively. Good work!

I think you're getting a very recognisable palette Fiona which suits your painting very well. Your boats are extremely well done making this a very lovely watercolour.

Really lovely painting Fiona, nice composition, very well painted

Well !! What can a man say?? This is delightfully painted, Fiona. I love the peachy colour blending the sky with the water while the sails and the rigging are excellent. Smashing painting!

Lovely fresh watercolour. It may be Raw Sienna ?I see in some of the sky and sea but it works really well ,creatiing a lovely mood and unifying the whole scene.

Very impressive watercolour, beautiful subject :)

Another very nice watercolour Fiona that has worked well, with a lovely freshness and mood of tranquility about it, I also think the boats and reflections in the water are great and agree with Many of the comments already made --- well done, another nice one for the portfolio.

Thank you Stephen, I think I may have another go at a boat painting, but nothing too complicated. Go on Hayley, get your paints out and thank you for your lovely comment.

Many thanks Mia, Val, Petra for your encouraging comments. Thank you Lionel, you are far too generous with your kind comments.

David it is raw sienna, although it does have a pinkish look to it. Thank you for leaving a comment. Thank you Lesley, very much appreciated coming from the 'Queen of boats' lol! Thank you very much Graham for your kind words.

Beautiful contrasts of soft and crisp, lights and darks.

I agree with all thats been said and may I just add that the practice and learning you have done in the time I have been on POL is really paying off, this is lovely Fiona.

Fiona all has been said above, a lovely painting well done

Wonderful light in this one, Fiona and coupled with the strong dark of the ship, it makes a dramatic painting. Lovely reflections and water. Even although most of the action is centred on the right hand side of the painting, it is a very well balanced painting as you have cleverly added the birds on the left hand side which does the job perfectly. Great work.

A striking watercolour Fiona. I like this.

Many thanks Caroline, Carole and Glennis. William, thank you for your very kind comment, it's encouraging to know my practise is making a difference, I do hope it is anyway!! I am enjoying the process much more these days, I still have one or two that make it to the rubbish bin. Thank you Thea, I tried to darken the water bottom left also, to balance the picture, but it doesn't show so well in the posting.

I think you've captured the Thames barges pretty well, Fiona, and the whole painting is super. I love the brilliant light and the brushwork is excellent. I use predominantly Arches now. I found the hot pressed paper dreadfully difficult when I tried it for the first time but have grown to love the transparency it offers. I think you'll find it lovely to use once you get used to it. The rough and cold pressed papers are great too. Overall a fantastic brand.

Thank you Seok. Im trying the rough paper first and I do like it. The first thing I noticed was how much more transparency there was in the washes, also the paint lifts out wonderfully for leaving highlights. Thanks again Seok.

Well done Fiona. i know you like barges as we all do. Good attempt. They are hard subjects. But Boats are not that hard if you follow basic rules. ( Could say read my book!!!) You've started with them now keep going . You'll be a master in no time with this sort of result.

Ps Arches is a fab paper. You'll love it and use no other. Its very forgiving and will take alteration very well

Thank you very much John for your encouragement and advise....I'll have a look for your book! I've done my second painting on Arches....it's lovely paper.

I shrink from painting boats - especially ones with masts and rigging, Like the broken reflections in this, and your palette works well too. Watercolour is ideal for boats on water though, if you can convey them as confidently as you have here. Agreed, Arches is a wonderful paper - a bit expensive, but it really is a case of getting what you pay for. You can get a crispness with it, too, which isn't at all easy with some other types of paper.

I think I will be a regular user of Arches Robert, thank you very much for your comment.

great image and treatment

Thank you very much Brian, your comment is very much appreciated.

I really like this Fiona , you have made a good job of the boats.

Thanks Denise, I wish I had your drawing skills so I could make a better job of them.

I'm in awe of your ability to produce the tones you have here Fiona. I particularly like the subtle change from sky to the water in the foreground (or should that be foreshore?). The boats are excellent too.