Countryside walk

 I've just finished this oil painting, based on a photo reference I took in 2016.

82.
Countryside walk
7.8 × 11.8 in / 19.8 × 29.9 cm
oil on board

I decided to call it Countryside Walk because that was the moment when I saw this beautiful natural composition. As often happens when I walk with my dog in nature, I’m easily drawn to the beautiful play of clouds in the sky and the shadows cast on the ground.

For me, movement, freedom, and fresh air are the essence of nature – elements I tried to capture in this painting.

Below, you can see some close-up details of the brushstrokes I used to convey this feeling:

the clouds in the sky

the trees trees on the right

the distant trees

the grass in the field

I began this painting in January 2025, then set it aside for a while. Here is how it looked at the beginning of the process – just the main blocks of colour:

Stage 1

And here is a more recent stage:

Final stages of this painting

Crai reservoir

Today I decided to make the most of this glorious weather and so I went to paint the view of the Crai reservoir from a lay-by in the Brecon Beacons National Park.

81.
Crai reservoir
8 x 12 in / 20.32 x 30.48 cm
oil on board

It was an absolutely amazing place. The light changed constantly, and many bikers and cyclists stopped to have a chat and a peek at my painting.

I really needed to be out in this stunning national park.

Lay-by location on the A4067

Plein air painting in progress

The washing line

"The washing line" is the first painting of 2025 and the first painting made in Ystradgynlais, the village in Wales where I live now.

80.
05/05/2025
The washing line
7 x 9 in / 17.8 x 22.9 cm
oil on board

I painted it en plein air from my garden. I have always been fascinating by clothes lines and this is the first chance I had to capture it with my paint.

This painting has revealed me new aspects of oils and I like the fact that on the background there is the Brecon Beacons National Park.

This was my painting setting and view.

Black and white picture challenge 10 of 10

 the last day of this exciting black and white picture challenge is a couple of leaves.

For this final piece, I’ve created a life drawing of two leaves I picked up during yesterday’s walk. The one at the back is from an oak tree, while the one in the foreground is from common ivy. As always, I’ve used black ink pens.

Black and white picture challenge 9 of 10

 Today's drawing:

For this one, I drew inspiration from the woodland. During the dogs' walk, I picked up some organic materials to sketch later in the studio. So, here it is: a pine cone with two twigs of pine needles, sketched from life with black pens.

Black and white picture challenge 8 of 10

 Today's onions!

I may have been a bit too ambitious trying to complete this life drawing late in the evening, using only black pens. I thought onions and garlic on a tea towel would be a simple and quick sketch—but clearly, I was wrong.

Onions always make you cry, whether you're peeling them or drawing them. 😅

Black and white picture challenge 7 of 10

 For the seventh day of this black and white challenge, I drew this picture.

Today's piece is a life pen sketch of the "The Dog Rules" shopping bag by @totteringbygently. On the external part there are some illustration of a humorous dog story by Country Life cartoonist Annie Tempest, and when I saw it, I was immediately inspired to create today’s drawing.

Black and white picture challenge 6 of 10

 I needed a cup of coffee this evening. So, here it is my drawing.

This is a life pen sketch of my kettle, which was the only inspiring object I could find in the kitchen at the end of another super busy day. I’m in hot water now—time for a cup of tea!