Outdoor Artist - Autumn Fields

 

Sometimes I like to create small paintings which I can then use as greetings cards for nearest and dearest. I did this one for a family member.

Painted En Plein Air at Milton Country Park. To see more paintings like this, visit my website www.davidwoodfineart.com

 

 Does anyone check these things out? 

Well, if you do... this is for you.

Finally we had some amount of SNOW in Cambridgeshire! I've been waiting sooooo long and you know me I was out first thing and walked to find a decent scene to paint... far from the maddening crowd. I did two paintings in all and was out for arounf seven hours... I felt a bit worse for that, but ok now.

Do you like to know the history of the places where you live

 

I love finding these things out about the places I paint... and Cambridge, UK is full of history! 

 

Biggin Abbey, the summer residence of the Bishops of Ely, was never occupied by monks, it stood on a formerly moated site in the north-west extension of the parish, opposite Bait's lock on the river Cam. It still has a Chapel in the attic known as "Monks Prison". This would of been a great place to have a Summer residence, as it is not far down the River Cam, where the biggest medieval fair in Europe was held... the Bishops could then purchase their Oysters, Wine and other things

 

I loved painting in the snow and trying to capture some of the atmosphere and history of this place.

 

 

Winter is a really interesting time to paint the landscape, it can often lead you to getting all thoughtful and deep. 😉

Painting sunrises in Oil Paint

It’s impossible to predict how the landscape will look and what you will encounter, when you go out plein air painting, you have to be prepared for anything. Especially the case with sunrises; will there be too much cloud cover, that you don’t see anything at all?

 

All you can do is just turn up prepared, that’s a good attitude to have for lots of things. I was fortunate in this case that there was some cloud cover to provide some beautiful some interesting shapes in the sky. I even had two friendly horses come over to see what I was doing, sadly I had no carrots or apples, I offered to paint them a carrot, but they weren’t impressed by that. 

The sun kept me warm, while it was rising, although it was difficult to paint contre-jour. 

Clouds did eventually cover the sky and what was a beautiful sunrise, illuminating the land before it, soon was covered in grey clouds and fog; which has its own appeal.

Winter Plein Air in Cambridge.

What excites you about painting?
One thing I discovered, this year, that excites me about painting, is that I love subtle colours and winter is a good time to see them. All those subtle violet greys, green greys, and neutrals.

Finished Painting

 It's easy to get caught up in them and to not see the larger tones and colours that make up the bigger masses.

On this cold winters day, last weekend, virtually no one was about, except the occasional dog walker, it was so peaceful. I was drawn to this scene by the subtle violets of the tree trunk and the earthy, yellow ochres of dried rushes.

The days are shorter now and so the clock is ticking when it comes to painting outdoors, but I'm pleased with the outcome and hope I have captured something of the colours and peacefulness.

Painting in an around Cambridge, with my Plein Air kit, I often come across beautiful areas of natural beauty, ideal for creating works of art. Here in my recent video, I visit a nearby nature reserve, far away from the hubbub of the city.

 

 

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Painting Plein Air in Norfolk - Video

Recently traveled in search of newer pastures to paint. Join me on the trip as I head out to Norfolk.

Plein air painting, in historic Cambridge.

Plein air painting, in historic Cambridge. Beautiful doorway of Pembroke College. See some interesting things whilst out painting, like the car from Only Fools and Horses. Then there's of course the challenge of dealing with urban traffic, but he wasn't there for long and a good day painting was had.

Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

On a rather cold today in Cambridge, but I still managed to knock out this watercolour and pencil sketch of The Fitzwilliam Museum. Just using three colours, yellow ochre, burnt umber and cobalt blue....having a limited palette really helps capture the tonality of this scene.

The Great Outdoors!

After being indoors all day painting at the easel, in fact pretty much all week. I was in need of some open space, peace from the rat race and noisy neighbours, and to find my place in natural surroundings. I took myself off on my bike to Clayhaith.

Sunset, Clayhaith - David Wood

I did this watercolour sketch as the sun was setting, the atmosphere and colours were amazing.

For me twilight is the most mysterious and magical time when looking at the landscape. There are often amazing colours and harmonies to be seen and the contrast in tones pales out to beautiful hues. But once the sun had sunk the temperature also dropped dramatically, thoughts of hot tea and buttered toast, a warm abode and wishing I had brought an extra per of socks. Time to go home.

Rower in thought

Signed
Wooden Frame
Oil on Canvas
Size:18 x 12 cm (including frame)
£160.00

Cambridge Rowers

“The Cambridge rower series of paintings have become a study not simply in composition, were I consider the shape in the canvas and more often with the small rower paintings it is a triangle within the rectangle (canvas).The subject of rowers is a local scene, I live five minutes from the river and I can often be found by the river sketching, painting or simply looking. In my paintings the rowers are often caught in  stillness, quiet moments in-between each endeavour to get to the next fixed point. The scenes are very much views of the individual, who inhabits their own personal space, physical sense and in their own minds. These scenes often portray a reflective or introspective quality. They are an attempt to capture single moment in an otherwise non-static activity."

For more, please visit my website www.art-davidwood.co.uk