My failed attempt to be Alvaro Castagnet by Walter Watson

I love Alvaro Castagnet's style, I also have 2 DVDs of his - he's very entertaining and a talented artist. I agree it looks so simple, how he uses a restricted palette, sloshes water all over and achieves such impact. Your painting looks really good where you've done the darks on the left hand side, especially the building, the bike and the cars. The paving also works and gives perspective and atmoshere. Maybe the guy on the front right doesn't quite work so well, but I think you've done a very good painting overall.

Agree with everything that Pat's said. You've done well but the man doesn't work. Perhaps you could just crop the right hand side leaving in the light part of the paving and remove him! Otherwise it's a lovely painting. Well done!

Well, you're not Alvaro Castagnet, are you? Which doesn't mean you're not as good, just that I always think it a mistake to follow anyone else's style too closely. Alan Owen manages it with Ted Wesson and James Fletcher-Watson (and Edward Seago, amongst others!) but always brings his own style to them.... This painting still works in its own right; the figure - well it does work and it doesn't: it's not you, that's the snag .... Think of it as an experiment: not one that went wrong, but a learning experience. I'd much rather see your style in your paintings than Castagnet's: nothing against his work at all, he's brilliant but ... I wouldn't want to do it myself: I think you've got to take what you want and need from dvd's, and not think yourself inadequate in some way if you can't get the same results. Many years ago, when I was learning how to paint and also how to write (used to be a freelance journalist) I got entranced by Bela Bodo's oil paintings, and J B Priestley's writing - attempts to adhere too closely to both added up to disaster - but I still learned a lot from both, when I stopped trying to "be" them; you're not the callow youth that I was (and neither am I, any more!) so I don't suppose you modelled yourself on Castagnet, but I think you need to absorb different styles and adapt them to your needs - it takes time and practice. My best suggestion, I think, is not to go against the grain - you've gained from his palette and colour mixing, but you've got your own style already, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it - not only that, but you're dealing with a wholly different environment and light. Sorry if I've gone on too long and been obscure by the way - I've had my Saturday dinner, and its concomitant alcoholic crudities....

I like it very much Walter, love the palette.

Hi Pat, Louise, Fiona and Robert - many thanks for your comments - I invented the man in the foreground and you are right he looks a bit odd - however, it is interesting to try someone else's style of painting because it makes you question your own way of doing things. PS to Robert - "Alcoholic crudities" -----that'll be drink, then.........

It will indeed Walter; and I am suffering for it grievously today.... surprised I made as much (relative) sense in my post above as I seem to have done!

This is a very nice Walter Watson. You have kept enough of your own identity in this to make it work. I agree with Louise , Just crop the man out. :)

Hi Walter, I'm not too sure about the crits of the man, as he's at the edge of the painting he should not have too much detail and he does stop the eye drifting off the picture. it's interesting how we all see different thing in a painting.

Hi Stephen -Many thanks for your constructive comments but I followed Sarah's advice and cropped the man out - I think it did look better.