‘Plain Air’ watercolour sketches

"Fish delivery van at the 'Ice Box' Coal Harbour, Dun Laoire"

This is another example of watercolour done rapidly and spontaneously. Watercolour has the capacity for resourceful situations like this - i wanted to capture the white van against the dark wall of the fish storage ‘ice box’…(this is what it’s called locally) to show the contrasts and loved the colours in general of the whole marine life, with nets crab nets, trawler masts, etc. This scene has been done to death by me: as I’ve said many times before - marine life is a strong magnet that holds me and won’t let go. I think you can tell an artists love by their work; just look at the old English watercolour master Turners watercolours - breathtaking!

"Crab Boats at Bullock Harbour"

Another marine life scene with all the usual goings on at a pier/harbour. This was done again swiftly and action was needed to do a painting as this one: rain was imminent and speed and fast instinctive action was required to finish it before the whole page was soaked. You can probably see by my work the ‘quick strokes’ of the brush, especially in the foreground water. One thing i hate: the paint takes ages to dry in wet/heavy weather- that’s where you need a e multitude of patients for outdoor painting. It’s all worth it in the end i think.

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