Blog Archives
Recent watercolours
Hi Everybody
The Domes of St Marks Basilica in Venice from the Campanile Watercolour 10 by 15 inches. From a photo taken by me in 2008!
I haven’t been posting much of late but I am still producing a lot of watercolours!
Here are some of this years paintings , most can be found for sale on Artfinder/brianswatercolours or on Artgallery
I hope you enjoy them and please do let me know what you think
Happy Travelling
Brian
Prague in the Spring Watercolour sketch 10 by 8 inches
Sunset at Viking bay in Kent Watercolour 18 inches by 10
Meadow in the Norfolk Fens Watercolour 30 by 12 inches
Sailng in Mauritius Watercolour sketcg
Mauritius beach sketch
El Capitan in Yosemite Watercolour 18 inches by 12
Scotney Castle in Kent Watercolour
Low tide at Mousehole in Cornwall Watercolour 18 by 12 inches
The beach near Portowan in Cornwell Watercolour 18 inches by 10 inches
Fairhead at Ballycastle on the Antrim coast in Northern Ireand Sketch 10 by 8
Across to Fairlight in Sussex from Rye Watercolour 18 by 12 inches
Bewl Water in Kent. Watercolour 18 by 12 inches
Some more soon!
Brian
Stormy on the Antrim Coast!
Stormy seas at Portballintrae. Watercolour 18 inches by 8. The sea was so white with the spume created by the 70 miles an hour winds!
A very nice few days in Northern Ireland , but accompanied by a fairly fierce storm meant our trips around beautiful Ulster were a little curtailed , but very enjoyable none the less.
Meeting up with family and friends was of course great and the storm did give a somewhat different view of the Antrim coast.
However intermingled with our trips there was a little time to paints some sketches and take a lot of photos to paint when back in the studio.
The header painting is of the storm raging at Portballintrae, which is a delightful sea side town not far from Portrush and The Giants Causeway, although the weather put paid to any thoughts of a visit to it’s amazing hexagonal rocks!
Nearby is Bushmills with it famous Whiskey Distillery, and as we drove from there to Portrush the sea spray was coming over the road across the 100 foot cliffs, very spectacular!
So here are my sketches of a few places we visited
Glenarm with it’s Castle , Barbican and the river running into the harbour is a very nice small seaside town, with a great Jewellery Shop (Steensons) to retreat into when the rain and wind arrive!
The Barbican of Glenarm Castle. Watercolour sketch 8 inches by 10.
The Genarm river and st Patricks Church in Glenarm.watercolour sketch 10 inches by 8
In a break in the weather I managed to invent an Antrim Coast sunset, as they are very often really spectacukar, one of my 15 minute sketches.
Just beyond Portrush on the Antrim Coast lies the really nice seaside town and popular holiday resort of Portstewart. Not as busy as Portrush but a really nice place to visit.
Just for fun I have included paintings of two my favourite scenes painted during previous visits, which are Ballycastle and the Mourne mountains near Newcastle. I have resisted including more!
Fair Head on the Antrim Coast Watercolour on Canvas 24 by 12 inches
The Mourne Mountains from Murlough Bay near Dundrum. 21 by 9.5 inches
I know I have said it before but if you have never visted the Antrim Coast or even Northern Ireland then do so, it is spectacular and well worth it for so many reasons from The Titanic Centre, the Game of Thrones locations, to the coasts, the people and the food!
Happy travelling
Brian
You can see more of my watercolours at http://www.artfinder.com/brianswatercolours
Have look, there may be places you love and that you have visited.
In and Around The Mourne Mountains of Northern Ireland
The Shimna River near Newcastle and the Mourne Mountains. Watercolour sketch 11 inches by 8.
We have just returned from a very nice long weekend in Northern Ireland visiting friends and family and admiring the scenery. Alas it wasn’t great weather but even so still some time for some paintings and watercolour sketches, mostly imagined in sunnier weather!
This first painting however was painted a couple of weeks ago during the Irish Open Golf which was held this year at Royal County Down Golf Club, nestled below Slieve Donard (2790 feet high) in The Mourne Mountains. This course is arguably considered to be one of the best, if not the best, golf course in the World!
The 18th at Royal County Down Golf Club Watercolour 21 inches by 10.
The scenery is great and this watercolour, painted from sketches made whilst watching the golf on TV shows the view from the 18th Tee toward the Clubhouse and the Slieve Donard Hotel.
In Tollymore Forest park , accessed from near Newcastle, County Down , you will find Foley Bridge on one of the many great paths through the Forest.
Foley bridge in Tollymore Forest park. Watercolour sketch 11 inches by 9
Beyond Slieve Donnard , in the Mourne’s, near the Hilltown Road, is Trassey Bridge with views toward Slieve Bernagh.
Trassey bridge crosses the River Trassey, a tributary of the Shimna River. Watercolour sketch 11 by 8 inches.
Near Dundrum is Murlough Bay, just North of Newcastle and here I have sketched Downshire bridge viewed from the North with views across to the Mourne Mountains, Slieve Donard on the left.
Dundrum has also a great Restaurant with Rooms, The Buck’s Head with Alex Greene as Chef and co owned with Bronagh McCarmick. We had a really terrific lunch there using local ingredients. I can highly recommend it if you are there, and only 35 minutes from Belfast.(www.thebucksheaddundrum.co.uk)
Downshire Bridge,a watercolour sketch 11 by 8 inches
From there it isn’t to far to St John’s Point and it’s tall Lighthouse, the second tallest in Ireland I believe. This was imagined in brighter weather as the mist was impenetrable that day!
St John’s Point Lighthouse. Watercolour sketch 11 by 8 inches
Wherever you go around the Mourne’s the views are spectacular and the Town of Newcastle is well worth a visit too with its great promenade by the sea and the River Shimna.
Northern ireland is a great place to visit with its wonderful scenery and so many attractions to see. If you havent been , get it on your list of places to go!
Happy Travelling
Brian
PS Don’t forget you can see some of these and many more Irish watercolours on my Blog , http://www.brianswatercolours.blog and also at my shops on http://www.Artfinder.com/brianswatercolours and http://www.Art Gallery.co.uk/briantucker.
A Great Week in Northern Ireland.
A Panorama watercolour sketch of Donaghadee on the North coast of County Down.22 inches by 8
It was great to spend a week visiting friends and family in Northern Ireland and revisiting many great locations there, luckily I was able to fit in a few watercolour sketches along the way!
Readers of this blog will be familiar with how much we enjoy the North Antrim Coast and the spectacular scenery there.
Even the drive from Larne to Portrush is spectacular with the Causeway Coastal Route hugging the coast for so many wonderful miles.
We based ourselves this time in a great house rental in Whiteabbey (Abbeyselfcatering.co.uk) which I would strongly recommend as it’s location, near to Belfast and Carrickfergus is a great touring base for all of Northern ireland.
Whlist in Northern Ireland there wasn’t a lot of time for painting but I did manage a few “en plain air” sketches which are in this blog and were painted during out visits to the areas.
Firstly, The Giants Causeway, sitting on those famous hexagonal stones, and dodging the showers gave me time for couple of quick sketches .
The Giants Causeway. Watercolour sketch
And also the next bay with the amazing rock formations –
It is a busy place and pre-booking is well advised as coach loads of visitors, some from cruise ships, go there to marvel at this natural phenomenon.
Just a few miles further down the road is the famous Carrick -a-Rede rope bridge which is some 98 feet above the rocks below.
Here are two sketches one on cartridge paper which will give you some idea of the Bridge.
Sunset at Carrick-a-Rede. Sketch on Cartridge paper.
Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and headland with Scotland in the far background.
In the great seaside town of Ballycastle is one of the finest beaches you will see with the backdrop of the cliff known as Fair Head. This has been one of my favourite subjects over many years and here is a recent quick watercolour and a studio watercolour painted before this visit.
Fair Head and Ballycastle strand. Watercolour 14 inches by 10 on Arches 300 gsm paper.
Fair Head on the Antrim Coast. A Studio Watercolour in mixed media on prepared Canvas 24 inches by 12. Yes that is Scotland again in the background.
Of course for me a trip to Northern ireland would not be complete without a glimpse of the Mourne Mountains 30 miles south of Belfast. No time for a sketch so here are two studio watercolours of these beautiful mountains above Newcastle and Murlough Bay.
Studio watercolour of The Mourne Mountains from Murlough Bay. 21 inches by 9 on Arches paper.
And lastly a semi abstract watercolour of the same scene painted a couple of weeks ago.
Semi abstract watercolour of the Mourne’s on Arches paper. 18 inches by 9.5.
This was a short but lovely visit to Northern Ireland with is wonderful scenery, people, food and drink. ( Yes, I did manage a quick stop at the Bushmills Whiskey Distillery in Bushmills to collect some supplies!)
I hope that you will enjoy these sketches and watercolours.
If you would like to see more please download my free Guide Book to Ulster which you will find in the Header to this Blog, or search of for the book on the Apple iBookstore.,where it is also free.
Some of these and many more of my watercolours are for sale on http://www.Artfinder.com/brianswatercolours
Happy travelling
Brian
Large and Small watercolours for sale on Artfinder
Watercolour sketch, Faversham Standard Quay, 25 by 22 cms
I love to paint watercolours and I am pleased to say that there are quite a lot of people that own my paintings around the World.
I really enjoy hearing that they enjoy the places depicted which may be their favourite places, or reminders of holidays or places that they would like to go to.
But not everybody has room on their walls for larger pieces and so I have started offering smaller versions of some of my larger watercolours, even some tht have been sold in the past.
They all wiil appear on http://www.Artfinder.com/brianswatercolours and are I hope will be very affordable.
Here are some recent ones for you to see
Boating on Lake Bitterer in the English Lake District Watercolour on Arches paper, 29 by 13.5 cos. £120 on Artfinder.
The Original Large watercolour of Autumn at Lake Buttermere, 46 by 26 cms £200 on Artfinder.
Dawn at Broadstairs in Kent. Watercolour on Arches paper, 35 by 25 cms. £135 on Artfinder
A Larger watercolour Of Broadstairs, 35 by 26 cms currently in an Exhibition at “The Drawing Room Gallery ” in West Malling in Kent.
“Stormy Skies at Fair Head” on the Antrim Coast of Northern Ireland. Watercolour 29 by 13.5 cms on Arches Paper. £120 on Artfinder
Larger Watercolour “Stormy Skies over Fair Head”. Watercolour . 40.5 by 30.5 cms .£220 on Artfinder.
And an even bigger one of this same scene, this time a Watercolour on a Primed Canvas which is good to use for really large watercolours
Watercolour on canvas ,60 cms by 30, ready ready to hang as no frame requred .£245 on Artfinder
So if you notice any more of my Watercolours that you think you would like to buy a smaller version of on Artfinder.com/brianswatercolours, just send me an email and I will endeavour to paint one and put it up for sale.
Happy travelling
Brian
The 150th Open Golf at St Andrews!
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews
This coming week sees The 150th Open Championship being held at The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews and so I thought a short post with just a few paintings of that Course and a couple of other Open Golf Venues would be in order.
The Old Course at St Andrews was first established in 1552, 470 years ago!
First of all the view from the Swilcan Bridge up to the Clubhouse on the Left and the 18th Green
The Clubhouse and 18th hole and the Swilcan Bridge
Many think that The Old Course at St Andrews represents the ultimate golf challenge with its narrow bumpy fairways, small or in some case double greens, and fearsome rough in the summer.
And add to all that the changeable and often strong wind that blows on the East Coast of Scotland and this is a truly formidable challenge to any golfer.
With the World’s finest Golfers taking on the Challenge this coming week ,and trying to win the coveted Claret Jug it will be four days of massive excitement around the world.
Across on the West Coast of Scotland lies the fine Golf Course at Turnberry. With it’s great views of Ailsa Craig off the shore and long, fast fairways, deep rough and again very tricky winds this is also a very difficult previous Open Golf venue. Turnberry was last a Venue for the Open in 2009 but is not listed at present for future Opens.
Ailsa Craig seen from Turnberry Golf Course
In 2019 and previously in 1951 The Open was held at Royal Portrush Golf Course in Northern Ireland. It will host the 2025 Open as well.
Founded in 1888 The Club achieved Royal patronage in 1895 from the then Duke of York.
This watercolour shows the 5th Green and Whiterocks Bay beyond.
Portrush is on the spectacular Antrim Coast Road in Northern Ireland, featured on this blog many times.
The 5th Green at Royal Portrush Golf Course on the dramatic Antrim Coast
Scotland is a Country of magnificent scenery and over 580 Golf Courses. There are countless wonderful beaches too and to give you some examples here are just two watercolour of places at the far North of Scotland, painted for commissions some years ago.
The Sea Stack at Sandwood Bay in the North west of Scotland, sometimes described as the most beautiful and unspoilt bay in the UK
Balnakeil Beach and Bay near Durness in the North West of Scotland
If like me you will be watching and enjoying The Open Golf I hope it turns out to be exciting and fun for all involved. If you don’t play golf just enjoy the Scottish scenery.
Happy travelling
Brian
There are quite afew new watercolours for sale on my Www.Artfinder.com/brianswatercolours Site
Please do check them out
Thanks
Brian
Sketching on the Antrim Coast (The Causeway Coast)
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.
A new idea- Crazy or exciting?
Hi Everybody
Last week I posted about the beautiful Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland.
It started me thinking that a series of the same panorama for each season might be fun to paint and then I wondered, how about just doing one watercolour with all four seasons in the one painting!
Crazy or Exciting?
Well I decided to have a go today and here is the result, hot as they say , off the press!
It starts from left to right with summer first so that I could include some yachts sailing below a cobalt blue sky. Then comes Autumn with a softer ultramarine and cerulean blue cloudy sky before winter with dark skies and rain and snow landing on the Mourne’s highest peak, Slieve Donard and below it a colder sea foaming up on to the beautiful sandy beach. Lastly we are back to spring with big clouds in a cobalt sky.
I know it’s a bit weird but it was a lot of fine to try to paint and maybe you will like it.
I would love to get your comments.
I have popped it on to Artfinder in case someone really likes it!
I am now thinking of other scenes that might work with this idea so who knows you may see some more.
With our second jab due quite soon and half of the UK now vaccinated seeing friends and family and even some travel is becoming a reality, thank goodness.
It is a fantastic UK vaccine achievement which we all are very proud of and congratulate those who have made it happen – well done!
Stay well and safe
Brian
Four Seasons in one watercolour. Summer,Autumn, Winter and Spring Watercolour on Arches paper 54 cms by 25.
Summer
Autumn
Winter
Spring
The Mourne Mountains
Many many years ago when I lived in Northern Ireland a visit to County Down and the Mourne Mountains was always a treat, whether it was to go to the beautiful beaches, or to play golf at Royal County Down Golf Course or to wander down the Ards Peninsula and see Strangford Lough, no matter where the scenery was alway superb.
The gentle rolling hills, known as Drumlins are a characteristic of the soft and gentle countryside but with the promise in the distance of the Mourne Mountains rising above the busting seaside town of Newcastle.
If you have followed this blog you will have seen my watercolours that try to capture the amazing beauty of the wilder Antrim Coast but County Down is a greener, if that is possible, part of Northern Ireland
I have painted this area quite a lot over the years and so here are some of these watercolours that try to capture the Mourne Mountains.
From as far away as Belfast the mountains are visible even though they are over 30 miles away.
As you approach Dundrum the mountains become even clearer and view from near to Dundrum shows the broad extent of the landscape.
As you approach the mountains a visit to Murlough bay will give you fine views of the coast and the mountains
This famous nature reserve is a really great place to visit.
Here are a couple of watercolours painted from photos taken at that beach
I am indebted to Gerry Judge for allowing me to use two of his fine photos as the basis for the next two watercolours
Firstly the same general scene as above but now at sunset
And secondly an old derelict cottage in the heart of the Mountains
This next watercolour, painted many years ago, is the scene from near Hilltown and was used as a background by a well know Belfast Chef, Alex Greene, in the series on TV “The Great British Menu”. It was exciting to see my watercolour being used by him.
At the foot of the Mourne Mountains lies the town of Newcastle , a busting seaside resort and where the Simna river reaches the sea. Nearby is Tollymore Forest park a marvellous place to visit and to enjoy the woods and forest of the mountain. A walk there will take you to Foley’s Bridge , one of the many Game of Thrones ;coalitions in Northern Ireland.
Lastly here is another watercolour of the Mourne Mountains views painted quite a while ago.
I hope you have enjoyed this quick trip to the Mourners Mountains. If you have never been then do go there to enjoy the great hospitality and scenery of this ;lovely part of the UK.
Stay well and safe
Brian
Three New Watercolours – Cornwall, County Down and Northumberland
Hi Everybody
I am always on the lookout for interesting scenes to paint as watercolours and although most of my watercolours use photos that I have taken , occasionally I see a photo that I would like to have a go at painting too.
This has happened twice this week and with time available due to the lock down I was lucky enough to get the permission’s of the two photographers to paint these watercolours. I am indebted for their permissions.
The first one is of a small town in Cornwall, called St Clements, which is near Falmouth.
I saw the image on a blog that I always enjoy reading called Cornishbirdblog.
http://www.cornishbirdblog.com
Even if you don’t live in Cornwall, and I don’t, I would recommend it as it is always interesting to read.
So here is my version of a photo of St Clements and I do hope to visit there one day.
Watercolour of St Clements in Cornwall. 15 inches by 11 on Arches 300 gsm watercolour paper
The second one is of a place I do know well, The Mountains of Mourne in Northern Ireland.
I have painted quite a few watercolours of the area before but an evening photo taken by Gerry Judge really caught my eye and so here is my watercolour interpretation of it.
You can see Gerry’s excellent photos at Gerry Judge Photography and I am very grateful for his permission to use the photo as a basic reference for this watercolour
The Mountains of Mourne from Murlough Bay at evening. Watercolour 22 inches by 14 on Saunders 300gsm watercolour paper
And lastly a watercolour from one of my own photographs, this time of Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland where we enjoyed a short break a couple of years ago. I have tried again to capture that early evening scene of calm waters and an interesting sky.
Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland. Watercolour 22 inches by 14 on Arches 300 gsm watercolour paper.
With several more weeks of this current Lockdown still to go I hope to paint quite a few more watercolours
I hope you will enjoy these two anyway.
Stay well and safe
Regards
Brian
PS If you have a photo of a favourite place that you would like a watercolour of, please email me at
brian@brianwaterecolours.com
and send me the photo for an immediate quotation. Turnaround times are very quick, prices include shipping, and many people have been pleased with their new watercolour.
