Float My Boat

Very nice pen and wash Thea. Good composition as well with those colourful boats lined up.

Really good pen and wash, a real feel of that 'fishing boat bobbing sea' [ sorry doing it again - quoting!]

Thank you very much Louise and Debs. I need a bit of encouragement so I appreciate you taking a moment to give this. Debs, that is exactly what I wanted to convey - boats bobbing about but not able to go far because they are tethered to the harbour wall. I had to change a lot about the scene as the harbour wall was actually very dark and the sea was that dull greeny-grey that the British sea often looks like. I jollied the colours quite a bit to make it look a bit more cheerful.

Thea you made me stop talking about having a go at my watercolours again seeing as you are out there experimenting. I am between oils, waiting for some more canvasses. This is very good. Self-criticism to a point is ok ...! I can't do smileys!

It floated my boat, lovely.

The first attempt may not have made it Thea but you've certainly cracked it at the second attempt! I feel a little sea sick looking at the bobbin boats....great movement in the boats and the lively pen work.

Thank you very much, Gudrun, Karyl and Fiona for adding that note of approval that my shaky confidence desperately needs with this medium. Gudrun, I am afraid that I don't experiment much at all, if ever. This is a new departure for me as I have done pen and wash before but always left it after one work feeling despondent and gone back to pure watercolour again. This time I am determined to stick at it until I can gain some degree of competence. Fiona, I went in too heavy with the pen on the first one. This time I went down a few sizes of pen to a 0.1 and I like the effect better as the penwork doesn't overwhelm the painted parts. There are others who are much better at drawing than me and who would want the penwork to dominate with just touches of colour from paint. My drawing needs to gain more dynamism before I can work like that.

This is Fab Thea and for me closer to a pen and wash than just about anything you have done before, as the pen lines can be seen around the boats and going up the ropes, you have developed a lovely light touch with the pen as well, love the row of brightly coloured boats as well they really get the attention, and judging by the comments you have had already many others are agreeing x

Hi Thea, Lovely movement in your boats, which are delightfully depicted by the penwork. I find the vertical lines to the painter rings a tad intrusive/repetitive , though, but don't know how you could express the tying up otherwise. You have chosen a difficult linear composition here. You are quite right though in painting first and then going in with the pen, it has worked well. Not a criticism, just hopefully a helpful comment.

Thank you very much Ros and Ruth for your encouragement, especially as I am feeling my way at the moment. Ruth, I had to think about all the ropes and I decided to use fine lines, vary the heights of the rings slightly and also the fall of them. I think they did need to be there or the composition would have made less sense. It was a dilemma though, you are right. Hope you are keeping well.

As has already been said Thea lovely movement in the water and I like your understated harbour wall. I hate to disagree with Ruth but I agree with you, it does need the ropes to make sense of the overall composition and your light touch with the pen is perfect. ( Sorry Ruth :) )

Hi Thea. What lovely portfolios you have. I do like your paintings very much. I wish I could paint like that. Lots of colour, light and movement. Lovely.

Absolutely gorgeous, loose style, and full of atmosphere. A really good ink and wash study.

Thank you so much, Val (loved your drawings, by the way), Isobel and Mark - so kind of you to add such nice comments. Mark, I am newish to pen and wash, so am having a bit of a P& W fest to see if I can't improve my technique. I enjoyed this though as I love painting boats so I got to practice and also do what I love.

This is one of my favorites, Thea - I love the simplicity of lines and the immediacy of the atmosphere. And such beautiful washes. It's stunning!

Thank you very much Seok - that is very kind of your.