UPDATE

i have just finished this large watercolour of Fair Head which I am including in this post for you to see.Based on photos and sketches done last week whilst there.

It is painted in mixed media on prepared canvas and is 60 by 30 cms
Currently for sale on Artfinder
I hope it makes a nice Header for this post

Hi Everybody

We have just returned from a great few days on the Antrim Coast of Northern Ireland.

We were  lucky to have very nice weather and enjoyed our stay at the Ballygally Castle Hotel which makes a good base for visits to the spectacular Antrim Coast.

We had not been to the area for 3 years and as we originally came from Northern Ireland many years ago it is always great to return and enjoy the scenery, food and meeting friends and family.

It is also great to be travelling and sketching again!

Armed with only my sketchbook, a Micron 0.2 mm waterproof pent , a few brushes and some paints I managed over the short time to visit and paint a few watercolours which I can now, hopefully turn into some larger watercolours.

My equipment for those interested.

Daniel Smith watercolours in a travel box, Escoda travel brushes, and my 12 by 9 sketchbook.

We also visited a couple o places we had not been to before, and enjoyed some new viewing areas that have been constructed along the Coast Road near Carrick-a-Rede and Ballycastle. 

So here are the sketches. They were all done very quickly in the notebook ( Volume 11!) which is just 200gsm paper so not quite so easy to lay washes down on.

This first sketch is of Ballygally Bay, with the Hotel on the far right. The headland looks like a human head profile. 

The view in the other direction at Ballygally Bay shows the coast further on too and was from our hotel room window.

Every mile of the Coast road as it hugs the sea is spectacular and on the odd occasion it deviates inland the scenes are great too.

Here is the road leading to Waterfoot Bay and Glenariffe, one of the beautiful Antrim Glens.

From just beyond Glenariffe the view back towards Glenariffe Mountain or Lurig as it is often called is quite amazing. Lurig, with a plateau at its peak is so distinctive. This classical U shaped valley is one of the finest anywhere.

Towards Glenariffe mountain for Waterfoot Bay

Further along the coast is Kinbane castle which today is not accessible but from a previous photo I have painted this sketch to include it. The view from there of Fair Head is spectacular and also from the new viewing point which overlooks  at Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. All along the coast Scotland can be clearly seen, as it is only 15 miles away at the closest point.

Fair Head and Kinbane castle. In the background is Rathlin island the the Scottish coast.

This last sketch of this visit is of Fair Head again but this time from the small road that goes to “Marconi’s Cottage” near to Fair Head and just beyond Ballycastle  Golf Course (well worth playing!). The cottage is now a contemporary house but has reputed associations with G Marconi when he was experimenting with radio signals from Northern Ireland to Scotland in the late 19th Century.

Fairhead from the road from Ballycastle showing “Marconi’s Cottage site”. Scotland clearly visible on the horizon.

Lastly here is a recent larger painting of Whitepark Bay and Rathlin island and one of Fair Head from Ballycastle Beach. Both are 14 inches by 10 in size.

Early morning at Whitepark Bay on the Antrim Coast with Rathlin Island nearby. 14 inches by 10 on Arches 300gsm paper

Fair Head from Ballycastle Beach

It was so nice to be back of this wonderful part of the UK with arguably one of the finest coastal drives in the world!

Happy travelling

Brian

PS visit my shop on Artfinder for more Antrim Coast watercolours for sale.

http://www.artfinder.com/brianswatercolours