Summer comes to Shanklin

I love the loose painterly approach to a figurative painting. I just think the composition a little too unbalanced. More colour variation in the sky might have helped. However, a really good painting in my humble esteem.

A scene I know well - it's hard not to lose a little balance on coastal scenes; too much cliff and any headland detail looks cramped and you lose the sweep of the sea - too much sea and the landmass looks like an afterthought; this is where those extra long canvases come into their own. While the weight is all on the right in this painting, I think it still works: perhaps more variation in the sky, as Richard suggests, would be a good idea, though.... I've had to wrestle with this problem too, living on the island and replete with such scenes as we are: and it's strangely difficult - you'd think it would be easy to paint a bit of coast and sea, but: it ain't.... Like the loose treatment here.

Lovely brush work James.

Thanks to the 3 of you for your encouraging words; I take the point about the sky; it needs more variation (trouble was it was such an intensely blue and cloudless day I felt a bit in awe of it after so much grim weather!) With regard to the balnce, yes: the original colour pencil sketh was on A%, much better balanced!