Water and chemicals

On one of our regular walks near to Hale lighthouse on a grey, overcast Sunday afternoon, we stopped to  watch the scene at the endo of the path. The contrast was striking between the sandbanks and pools of water at low tide, with the white smoke billowing into the grey skyline from the chimneys of a chemical plant. So, I took a photograph. 

Working from this, I had rejoined my art class by zoom for a six-week course on landscape painting. But first, the tutor asked us to do a number of quick sketches before starting painting (see drawings and photography). My tutor-friend, Gordon, had advised me to practise drawing to help me paint in more detail. I got my eye in more by the second, smaller sketch. Looking again later at the photograph, I became aware that there were three chains of pools, linked on the river flats rather than a myriad of separate ones. Spending time looking at what's there in detail leads to a better painting.

I am thrilled with this one, though. It is A3, a step up from A4 I've painted on in the main. Although the photograph is grey through, I have gone my own way with colour. It works for me and I will return to this scene to re-paint the scene. One lesson for me is how to paint white withour using white paint!