Anita and I have just spent a most wonderful weekend at a friends cottage by the sea at Wells on the North Norfolk Coast. We were so lucky with three dry, bright sunny days - though the wind did gust by the quayside and at the beach. Its a delightfully quaint location with myriads of boats of all types and sizes and a vast beach with a row of beach huts and pine woods and the sea miles out.
On the Friday afternoon after a long chat (hadn't seen each other in a while) we strolled down to the quayside and sketched around near the harbour masters office. 
These boats were the first of the three or four boat sketches I did but I'm glad to say they improved.
On Saturday we were out from 11 am to 5pm , having started with a visit to the beach which must be half a mile from the town along a raised pathway (catches the wind) but we cheated and took the car down to the beach car park and cafe. We started on the main beach and I sketched some of the row of beach huts in my mole skin. I then actually did a full panoramic watercolour from the side to get the full sweep of the beach length (there seemed to be hundreds of them in all different colours and loads and loads of steps and railings) but the masking fluid I used was so old it stuck and went like dark rubber and spread across the painting.
These boats were the first of the three or four boat sketches I did but I'm glad to say they improved.On Saturday we were out from 11 am to 5pm , having started with a visit to the beach which must be half a mile from the town along a raised pathway (catches the wind) but we cheated and took the car down to the beach car park and cafe. We started on the main beach and I sketched some of the row of beach huts in my mole skin. I then actually did a full panoramic watercolour from the side to get the full sweep of the beach length (there seemed to be hundreds of them in all different colours and loads and loads of steps and railings) but the masking fluid I used was so old it stuck and went like dark rubber and spread across the painting.
Afterwards we came off the main beach to an area near the life boat house where we found a bench to plonk our materials on and sketch together.
This final image is my favourite boat sketch and the sunniest morning where I sat on some grass above a wall looking down to beached boats. It was a protected spot and I chose it for the contrast of - you've guessed it - some flowers growing.
We really enjoyed ourselves but I won't go into the amount of food we put away or late nights chatting, painting and having a glass or two.
9 comments:
Sounds wonderful! I love the colors you've used and the sketches of boats in particular.
I wish I had an irl artist friend!
What a weekend we had Joannie...Thanks so much!
Well, it doesn't get any better than this: two artist friends spending time talking, visiting, eating, and creating art.
Sounds like you had a wonderful time and came away with a nice bunch of paintings.
Oh what fun! I love your sketches especially the ones of the boats.
Beautiful sketches, Joan! And it seems to have been a wonderful day, too!
Being near the sea is so exhiliarating for the soul and one's artistic flow...I get happy chill bumps thinking of the great time you two gals must have had...painting, chatting and giggling the days and nights away! :) Joyful happy little pieces here! :)
Beautiful sketches and colors!
Thanks everyone. Yes, we had a lovely time together. Don't forget enlarge by clicking on image to get better detail.
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