Dog Beach

Posted by Stephen Quirke on March 21, 2011 under Art, en plein air, painting, seascape, Strand beach, watercolor, watercolour | 10 Comments to Read

Gordon’s Bay mountains from the Dog Beach in Strand

This is 560 x380mm on Arches 300gm Cold Pressed.

This afternoon the whole family zipped down to the Dog Beach to take Mia and Sprocket for a spin.  This is on the opposite side of Strand beachfront from The Pipe.  It was kind of last minute so I cut a sheet of paper and grabbed my easel.   I can tell that I have not been painting regularly enough.  I used a palette that fits nicely in the easel.  But some of the colours were dry and crumbly and others were wet and runny.  How does that happen?  I suppose it is different mixtures.  And the palette was very dirty.  Winsor green had dribbled across the wells.  mmmm – I think I must be the most disorganised watercolour painter around.  I have four different palettes!  Who does that?  And with the cost of colours, who can afford this?

Anycase it was fun down there.  A slightly different perspective on the same mountains.  We are enjoying the autumn days at the moment, with a little less South Easter.

Here is the first wash:

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  • Leslie White said,

    …and i was going to comment about the beautiful rosey color in that top one. I still will! Beautiful roset color in that top one, Stephen. :) Sometimes I have multiple palettes going.

  • Stephen Quirke said,

    Hi Leslie – yeah I have it up on a board above where I work and I have a feeling I will do some finishing work on it. I think some judicious glazing can bring it to life. Something you have suggested in the past. I will see how my time pans out.

  • Carol King said,

    Stephen, I like dog beach. I only wish you had added Mia and Sprocket! That would have been cool.

    Lovely colors even if your palette was dirty.

  • Stephen Quirke said,

    Hi Carol – Dog beach is interesting because there are more reefs going out to sea and we are closer to the turn in the bay where the mountains lead out to Kogelbaai. Heh heh – Sprocket and Mia were running down the beach but came to visit briefly with me as I packed up. Yeah that would have been cool. Actually – quite a few people strolled by and if I had had just a little more time (sounds like the blues) I would have added them to the painting. Cheers hey S

  • Linda Halcomb said,

    I like the way the beach grass seems to “roll” like the sea. Beautiful color!
    I also am a muliple palette person. I used one for years and years. But I discovered several new colors that I like to work with so I started a second palette last year. I also use a little ten well round one occasionally. I guess they all have their place!

  • Stephen Quirke said,

    Ah yes – that is nice to know – actually different palettes make sense – though it can be expensive to maintain them.
    Thanks for the feedback on the painting – it was nice to find vegetation right down where the waves break.

  • Arts Web Show said,

    Beautiful scene.
    It strikes me how simple these painting seem yet how much they capture

  • Stephen Quirke said,

    thanks Richard – that is lekker feedback – all the best your side – I so enjoyed your last song recording.

  • Carol King said,

    Hey Stephen! Where’ve you been? No new paintings in a while. This is not like you. Just checking in to make sure you’re ok.

  • Stephen Quirke said,

    Hi Carol
    thanks for passing by to check – that is very precious. I am in the process of hatching something quite special and have had to do some intense research. And I have caught up with some painting this weekend – which was a massive relief. I have been to visit your side too. I love the bicycle painting and stories – I just wonder how you keep up with all the comments – phew – S

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