Continuing The Struggle....

Still up north, and finally, yesterday, it was good enough for a proper sketching trip. I headed over to Sheildaig and turned off into Applecross.  I thought the clouds were coming over so with no time to lose, I stopped and did a couple of pencil sketches. Sheildaig was looking lovely in the sunshine, with a snow-capped Beinn Alligin rising in the background.  Had to sketch in pencil for speed as it was a bit cold.

In terms of composition, I was keen to try and capture the pine trees in the foreground. There was a lovely specimen close by, so I had a go at sketching it too.

By this time I was freezing, so it was back in the car, and on to Fearnmore, to visit my favourite corrugated iron hut. I thought I should sketch it from a different angle, so here's my first attempt.

Fearnmore Shore (sketch)

I thought a composition with the boats in the foreground might look interesting. I then followed up with a closer view, making more of the old wooden posts.  This time I used some wax crayon to get the rusty colour of the hut.

Fearnmore Fishing Hut (Another sketch)

I was quite pleased with this composition, and I was trying really hard to capture the birch trees slightly silhouetted against the sea in the middle distance. Again I was a bit cold after this, so it was back to the car to warm up. Then another couple of sketches of Fearnmore before heading off again.

The Road Past Fearnmore (Sketch)

I like this view of the road at the entrance to Fearnmore and have sketched it before. There are some nice little shapes of colour.

Abandoned Cottage sketch

And I did this abandoned house very quickly - I liked the little window and took photos of the textures....there may be a painting somewhere in this.....

I was a bit sketched out by this time and headed back to Kenmore, by the sea.  Had a walk in the adjacent woodland and then came across this lovely group of mature birch trees clinging on to the edge of the hill. I loved the angle of tilt, thought they were a crazy little group, showing so clearly how they struggle against the effect of the wind. It was beginning to get dark, so this was definitely my last sketch of the day.

Old Birch Trees (Pencil Sketch)

On reflection it reminds me of Cezanne's picture of Olive trees. I'm not sure of the title.  Actually, I just tried to find it in google, but couldn't see it; however my search has alerted me to just how many paintings of trees Cezanne did, and Van Gogh too. Gosh, I've got a long way to go...

Sunny Applecross

Spent Sunday in Applecross, lovely day, but a bit hazy, almost sultry.  Did a few sketches in various favourite spots.

Applecross Bay Sketch

In Applecross Bay the tide was out and the sun was low in the sky to the west.  I love those beech trees on the south side of the Bay - they make me think of some of Nash's paintings of trees - however I was a bit nervous about trying to sketch them.  I don't think I've quite captured the essence of them here - I haven't managed to convey the featheryness of the carmine-coloured branches.  The beach itself is interesting - large stones sitting on a bed of small white shells - not sure if I've captured that either.

Further north on Applecross, the sun was shining on Shieldaig, although the Torridon hills behind were looking a bit hazy and indistinct.  I did a quick charcoal sketch.

Shieldaig from Applecross

Once I started this, I found I had to take the sketch over the two pages to try and capture the grandeur of the view.  I could have done with a bigger piece of paper.

Fearnmore Boat High and Dry

And down in Fearnmore I did a sketch of the boat I missed the last time I was there.  Decided to do this in ink.  Not really sure why I chose ink, but I used to sketch all the time in ink and it is quite good for giving the impression of seaweed.  I'm trying to draw more boats just to become more proficient at capturing them - practising really.  But this boat was interesting because it was high and dry - not sure if it would work as a picture.

It was so lovely to bask in the sun in Applecross.  Such a contrast to the weather a few days ago when it was cloudy and overcast.  However, in the spirit of sketching-whatever-the-weather, I had done this sketch down at Kishorn Bay.  

Overcast Kishorn Bay Sketch

At the time I wasn't very pleased with this, but looking at it now it does capture that subdued colour of an overcast day.  I was also trying to capture the sand patterns in the foreground.  But the tide was coming in a bit quickly and I had to stop.

As always, it was good to get the opportunity to gather a few sketches, and a bit of sketching made me feel better.   Especially in such surprisingly beautiful weather.

Revisiting the Fishing Hut

In the studio again Friday - so happy to be there as I missed Monday - and I wanted to keep the focus on the corrugated iron fishing hut.  Over the week, I had been looking at this studio sketch.

Fearnmore Hut studio sketch

Clearly it is somewhat messy, but over the week I thought I could see a good composition within it, underneath the scribbles.  So I wanted to try it again, a little differently.  I went back to one of the sketches I did on the spot to capture a better look of the fishing hut.  I started with charcoal and added some oil bar.

Fearnmore Fishing Hut - emerging picture stage 1

When I reached this point, I noticed that the shore behind the hut was a bit lighter than I had intended, but I felt that this worked quite well.  So when I took it to the next stage, I tried to hang onto this.  I also wanted to capture a more ghostly and mysterious look, and decided to darken it down with graphite and ink at the same time as adding white acrylic.  So the next stage looked like this.

 

Fearnmore Fishing Hut - emerging picture Stage 2

There are gains and losses in this.  The contrast is better and the treatment of the hut now suggests windows and other interest; but I have lost some of the marks which gave the picture energy and interest.  I then took a fresh piece of paper - thick watercolour paper - and decided to have a go at the same composition with a little bit of colour.

Fearnmore Fishing Hut - emerging picture Stage 3

 I started in charcoal and then realised that I had forgotten to add gouache, so I added this a little late.  I liked the foreground pebbles treatment in this, but it was a little difficult to hang onto.  I should of course have protected it with masking tape or masking fluid, but this didn't occur to me at the time.  Anyway, I added more ink and water, and the next time I stopped, it looked like this.

Fearnmore Fishing Hut - emerging picture Stage 4

Sadly I've lost that delicacy in the foreground, but the black rocks look not bad.  And there is some interesting texture for the hut.  Now I'm not sure about having three buildings in the composition, so in short,  I'm still not sure about the strength of the picture.  Ah well.  I need to think a bit more carefully before I make another attempt.

A Flavour of Applecross

Spent yesterday gathering some sketches of Applecross.  I was keen to try and do some coloured sketches - I think sketching in colour helps me to think in colour and therefore to handle colour back in the studio (was thinking about Van Gogh describing what he sees in paint colours - his prussian blue skies etc).    It was pretty windy, so on the exposed Applecross coast I decided not to get out of the car.  I went to my favorite viewpoint at the windiest point on Applecross, and did this sketch in chalk pastels.    

Applecross viewpoint sketch copyright Aileen Grant

I was concentrating on the colour shapes (that triangle of brown), the angle of the road and the storminess of the sea.  The islands (Skye, Raasay and Rona) were barely visible, floating in and out of the cloud.  Meanwhile the car was rocking in the wind.  I wondered if it might be possible to get blown over.  But luckily that didn't happen.
Another stormy sea attracted my attention, close to Callekillie.

Sketch of Stormy Sea, Rona and Cottage copyright Aileen Grant

I think I was concentrating on the sky and the sea so much, that I was not paying enough attention to the colour patterns in the foreground.  But it's a good enough study or future work (I hope).

My next stop was Fearnmore.  Usually I go further and don't stop until Fearnbeg, but I was thinking I should visit all these Applecross villages (in time) and do some sketching in each, so Fearnmore beckoned.  As this part of Applecross was in the lee of the stormy wind, I decided I could get out and sketch.  Went down to the natural harbour, and was excited by this lovely corrugated iron fishing hut.  I got out the graphite stick and some oil crayons.

Fearnbeg Beach Hut 1 copyright Aileen Grant

Fearnbeg Beach Hut 2 copyright Aileen Grant

 It's a lovely little structure - really quirky - and looking at these sketches now, I think I'd like to do a painting of the hut.  I think the elevation with the door is more interesting for a painting, but we'll see.  The hut lies within a small cove and I scrambled around the black rocks, taking a few photos of the village and views towards Torridon.  It felt very old and weathered. 

It is interesting how these old corrugated iron buildings are almost the same colour as their context - I did this sketch of an old fishing shed in the south of Applecross on Wednesday.  I'm sorry I didn't do this sketch in colour to capture the colour relationship between the corrugated iron, the stonework and the bracken, but hey ho, I used graphite stick instead....and I took some photos to capture the colour.

Applecross Fishing Shed graphite sketch copyright Aileen Grant.

As always, I've been inspired by Applecross.  I hope I have gathered enough material over the last couple of days to sustain me back in the studio in the days to come. Watch this space.