Robert Phillip Jones

Hi Robert I think I have found your gallery [blog with the rat?]...I like what I see in your gallery.

You have found me, indeed. Take a look at www.isleofwightlandscapes.net, too. I don't think we're supposed to advertise on this site, but I'm not trying to sell, honest; well, not via this site anyway. But do take a look. I shall be adding some more paintings here in due course, and adding to the blog. Lots of things I want to say, and the subject of painting is so much more interesting than the politics, housing and health and other issues that have preoccupied me for the last 40 odd years. Thanks for the kind words: I am still not too sure about the No Man's Land Fort painting, to be honest; would like to do it again in a really severe sea. Oh, and the rat was Ralph, aka the Great Ralph. A true pal and comforter ... eeeh, I miss him!

Hi Robert, had a look through whats on here and then at your site... no one has pulled me up about my galleries pointing folks at my other websites... anyway... bottom line is i really like your stuff. Not usually a fan of watercolours but you do them very nicely.... but my favorite is the ploughed field and bare trees one... 23rd out of 25... not sure what media that was... Ade

Praise from Phil and now from you is praise indeed. I am less concerned (to the extent I ever really was) about "advertising" on the site than I was before; I must have been in less than confident mood when I wrote that. I'm blowed if I can remember which painting you're referring to = I'll take a look and remind myself (the website is a bit neglected just now, because I get someone to run it for me, and he's been ill) but I suspect it was oil on board. By the way, while I've always admired a certain type of watercolour, ie the free and loose school which doesn't involve ghastly great blobs of the vile masking fluid, I have only very recently taken them up, to help break my rather tight approach: didn't expect to enjoy it, but it was a huge liberation, great fun, and I've discovered that the claim that it's more difficult than oil or acrylic is actually bunk - it's just different. Thanks for comment, and as for advertising - well, there are bargains on every counter at isle of wight landscapes; become an art collector as well as a painter...

I'm getting senile, that painting is Chromacolour on hardboard (on which I very rarely paint). And it's very interesting that you like that one, because I do too, and virtually no one else does - ooh, it's very grey, they say... we like a bit of colour... well so do I, but not all the time. And it WAS grey that day... It's been neglected and unloved at 2 exhibitions in the last year, but I shall keep showing it because I just like the brush work on the trees and the very loose sky. Thank you! You've cheered me up!

No probs. I think it's got lots of colour... I just like blues and greens... on the system 3 issue: System 3 does the job for me. Use it stright from the tube, use it reasonably thickly ... don't water it (much)... and personally I like to put a coat of gloss medium over the top to unify it all together. If find it nicely saturated and I like the relatively fluid consistency. Personally not really used anything more expensive... don't see the point... it's like buying flash brushes or expensive canvases... indulgence not necessity (sp). The point is really when I get good I might upgrade...

If System 3 works for you, as it obviously does, then don't worry about sticking with it. I agree about using acrylic more or less as it comes out of the tube, with only as much water as you really need; and I'm going to try a knife painting again soon - again, it helps me break away from my strong tendency to be tight and niggle at things. On the expense front, Cryla, Chromacolour and even Liquitex still represent good value; and while I've not tried them, the Vallejo range looks interesting. W & N top grade acrylics (were Finity, not sure what they're called now) are pricey but very good. And finally, what do you mean "when I get good"? When you get even better would be more apt....

Hi Robert, no you are not going mad when commenting on what should have been my ship picture "Slow Ahead Both" My mistake in downloading the wrong file from my lap top! That was actually a hotel near Lake Garda in Italy where I stayed a couple of years ago.As far as I know it has not yet set sail on the lake!!!

From the title of your website you obviously reside not too far away from me in real life (I am within sight of the Isle of Wight) but in truth I reside in the State of Confusion, which is a happy place to be and populated by many of my friends and acquaintances!

My late father would have loved this one like I do. He loved painting ships all his life and lived in Southsea in his last years so the fort in your painting features in quite few of my daddy's ship paintings.