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| 100. Woodland footpath 7.9 x 9.8 in / 20 x 25 cm oil on panel 12th August 2025 |
It features a hidden footpath descending to Penrhos that I discovered by chance.
I like the meandering line winding around the gentle slope where a lonely tree stood.
The scene is in Ystradfawr Nature Reserve, Ystradgynlais.
Edge of the Woods is a painting particularly dear to me, as it captures an idyllic vision of the Welsh countryside, with trees lining a gently descending slope.
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| 99. Edge of the woods 6.5 x 9.4 in / 16.4 x 24 cm oil on panel 11th August 2025 |
I painted it while it was raining, and I loved the peace and tranquillity of the place. It’s located in Ystradfawr Nature Reserve and depicts the countryside between the woodland and Penrhos.
It was completed in a single painting session.
Walking path is an oil painting created on an overcast day, when the light was flat and diffused.
I was exploring open land in Ystradfawr Nature Reserve, and this is the scene I chose to paint.
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| 96. Walking path 5.9 x 10.9 in / 15 x 27.7 cm oil on panel 6th August 2025 |
This walking path crosses a beautiful stretch of farmland, and many people enjoy strolling there. The two figures I added in the painting are actually a couple who live on the same road as I do.
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| Picture taken at the end of the painting session. |
I liked the idea of using an elongated panel for this landscape — it felt like a fitting format to reflect the path's gentle flow through the scenery.
Ystradgynlais Nature Reserve is an oil plein air painting, mostly done on the spot yesterday and completed in the studio today.
My main aim is to respond spontaneously to the subject in front of me, while also trying to simplify everything—avoiding minor details and getting to the core of it.
I like it when I can leave the task of assembling the picture to the observer, so that they can see what they want to see when viewing it from a distance. Nothing is detailed; everything is suggested.
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| 83. Ystradfawr nature reserve 8 x 10 in / 20.32 x 25.40 cm oil on board 11th June 2025 |
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| During the plein air painting session |
From 19th May to 10th June, I have been experimenting, studying, and wiping off.
My focus has been on tonal values and simplification through oil studies and pencil sketching. A couple of plein air paintings were done and wiped off because I wasn't confident enough to really see something new in them—and now I wish I hadn't done it. This is part of the learning process.
So, here is a mix of what I've been up to:
On 19th May, I painted this and then, in the studio, I decided to wipe it off.
Between 20th and 21st May, I focused on these four tonal value studies in oil on board:
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| four tonal value studies in oil on board |
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| study 1 |
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| study 2 |
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| study 3 |
From 26th to 30th May, I worked both in the studio and in the garden with sketches and an oil study.
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| A tonal value study adopting the sight-size technique for the first time (not a great result, but I was curious to try it) |
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| Tonal value preparatory sketch |
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| During the plein air painting stage |
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| Final version of the oil study |
On 2nd June, I did two oil studies of a still life in the garden. The first was from direct observation, and the second was from observing the first study itself. Why? To try to loosen up my brushstrokes and be more spontaneous.
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| Work in progress with study 1 |
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| Study 1 |
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| Study 2 |
On 3rd June, I directed my attention to the Brecon Beacons National Park by looking through my window.
Here are two studies of the same panorama at two different moments of the day.
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| Tulips |
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| Peonies and coffee cup |
Finally, on 10th June, I went out for a plein air session and ended up with two paintings of the same subject because I wasn’t convinced by the first one.
This is the first painting, which no longer exists.
The second painting was finished the day after, and you can see it in my next post.
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.
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| 81. Crai reservoir 8 x 12 in / 20.32 x 30.48 cm oil on board 10th May 2025 |
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.
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| Lay-by location on the A4067 |
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| Plein air painting in progress |
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