Alan's 'sketch of the day' exercise.

I dont know //I think it is very good//// certainley darker than your usual ones ,,Fiona looks like it is comming dusk ,, maybe it would look ok in acrylic how do you like the old holland watercolours .?

Certainly different - and that's good, shows your individuality. There's drama in it. The yellow (lemon yellow) works well, and I always like a touch of Venetian Red. I'm really quite surprised the only blue here is Ultramarine - maybe the Old Holland brand, which I've not yet tried, is a particularly strong one? How did you find it? I don't think the colour generally is muddy - it's dark rather than muddy - but while I wouldn't call the drawing of the bridge "rubbish", it's not quite good enough in my very humble one to carry the painting, and of course it needs to, being the main feature in it. I'd "cheat", if it were me, and strengthen and tidy it up with a little crayon work or even a little acrylic, like Chromacolour because it's so readily compatible with watercolour. It's the picture that matters, after all, not the purity of the method used to create it; in fact you could probably draw into the structure with Indian ink: the basics are all there, it's just that it's a bit fuzzy in places - and you can still do something about that. Still - doesn't matter, because Alan's challenges are a great learning mechanism - and I can certainly see you learning in this painting, which is always exciting to see.

PS - the water is especially effective.

Sombre perhaps, definately not muddy, and I rather like it!

Self criticism is important if we want to improve but I think you are a little hard on yourself Fiona. When i saw this at first I was really impressed, vibrant, good tonal contrast, then i read your description and felt perhaps I was wrong but first impressions are what count!

the artist John Pike said ,during my time doing art work for magzines and publications, I often used white acrilic and other aids ,because a magazine photo hides them ..but for works to be shown to the public I never touched the stuff ..so ,to judge weather a watercolour is muddy .on a pc.mmm well thats another story,,,

I really like the colours Fiona, especially the addition of yellow. I'd call that an inspired choice. Well done!

Very atmospheric with good tonal depth. Particualrly like the sky and water. The buildings however look a little flat. Varying the tonal strength across the buildings to give it a three dimensional effect would have improved it and created recession within the overall painting. However it's still a good painting, nice and loose.

Great interpretation Fiona - now for the next challenge !

I admire the way you are tackling these challenges, Fiona. In my view, your attack of the vapours has produced a very atmospheric painting, gothic in nature. I like it! Well done. By the way, thanks for your kind comments on my Walk in the Park. I will be deleting it today.

I like this very much. I feel tranquillity with good tonal depth.

Fiona, even if it is not what you wanted it to look like, it has still turned out to be a very attractive painting. Had you not criticized your own work everyone would have said what a lovely evening scene you have painted.

Thank you all very, very much. I'm grateful for all your comments, and I appreciate your honesty. I don't think I'll go back to it and make changes, I'll put it to one side and take forward your advise and what I've learned, on to the next one. Alan, keep setting the challenges, I may not get around to doing all of them but I'll certainly try! I love the Old Holland watercolours by the way, they have a lovely depth to them and I'm not a fan of bright colours and these seem to be very earthy. Robert, the only blue I used was Ultra Marine but I mixed a little Vandyke brown with it but the Old Holland U. marine I find is a darker hue, it's lovely. Lionel, don't take your painting off yet I need to study your technique!! Robert, thanks for your advise re the buildings, funny, my sister-in-law suggested the same. I may try washing a little of the olour out to give the tonal effect.

PS Apologies for the late thanks.......the power was off most of the day and night.

I like this mysterious feel. I hope your power outage is not related to flooding .....

I like this mysterious feel. I hope your power outage is not related to flooding .....

Thank you Gudrun, no not flooding, lightning.

This is rather spectacular, Fiona, definitely not rubbish! I really like the palette - it gives the whole painting the feel of a very pretty nocturne. I like it!