Plein air painting 153 29th july monday morning riverside at northam

Plein air painting 153

A view across the River Itchen at Northam showing various industrial units. Further back can be seen some of the more larger buildings in the centre of Southampton. The tall chimney is part of the RHS hospital. Northam bridge would be off left from this viewpoint.
The landscape painting is done in oils on mounting board sized at 14 x 7.5". It was painted on the 29th July 2024, a Monday morning.

The picture below shows the plein air easel (Pochade Box) set up during the painting. 

Plein air painting 148 

On a hot afternoon I painted this view of the clock tower, part of the Civic centre, Southampton, which is a grade II listed structure. The tower is 157ft high. The easel is set up in West (Watts) Park with Commercial road running through the scene. To the (off) right is Cumberland place which was closed to traffic, but very noisy anyway due to ongoing roadworks.
Painted in oils on mounting board, sized at 9.5 x 12" on the 18th July, 2024.
Below shows the painting easel set up with a part of the bicycle used to transport the equipment around the city.

Plein air painting 146

At Victoria Park, on the suburbs of Southampton, a vintage bus and coach rally was held on a very overcast day. I estimate there were probably 45 or so public transport vehicles, plus a number of vintage cars. The single decker bus situated in the center of the painting is an ex- London Transport.
This event was all held in the imposing shadow of the Royal Netley Hospital Chapel, very close, on the banks of Southampton Water. The rain on this summers day did manage to hold off for most of the time painting this scene, apart from one brief but hard shower.
Painted on Sunday 14th July 2024. It is painted on mounting board sized at 9.5 x 12", in oils.

Below is a photo showing the easel set and work progressing.

Plein air painting 147 17th july cemetery wide afternoon

Plein air painting 147 

Southampton 'Old' cemetery provides many interesting views to other local artists and photographers. The large area features a Victorian cemetery, rarely used for burials now. Nature is constantly attempting to take over the site and bury the wonky headstones in long grass and ivy. This view shows such a scene as see from one of the main routes through the area.
This 'wide' plein air painting is sized at 14 x 7.5", done on mounting board and painted in oils. Created during the afternoon of 17th July 2024 while standing in the shade on this hot day.

Below is a photo showing the pochade box set up on the tripod with the painting almost finished.

Plein air painting 145 11th july bbc from outside sea city museum

Plein air painting 145 

The building taking centre stage is owned by the BBC, and houses both the Radio Solent service and BBC South, the television service for the south of England. Opened in 1991, it replaces facilities held at South Western House, near to the docks. The road its situated on is Havelock Road very near to the central station and Civic center. Two TV studios are contained in the complex, one able to hold a small audience.
The painting was done from a position outside the Sea City museum (part of the civic centre) during a hot morning on the 11th July 2024. Road works are taking place on the closed road outside the studios. The scooter rack is a recent addition.
Painted on mounting board sized at 12 x 9.5", in oils. 
Below a photograph of the pochade box set up with the finished painting during that morning.

Plein air painting 144 4th july park isaac watts

Plein air painting 144 

Dominating the scene is the statue of Isaac Watts as installed at Watts park in central Southampton. He was an English Congregational minister, hymn writer, theologian, and logician, born in the town in 1674. Painted during the morning of the 4th July 2024 on mounting board sized at 12 x 9.5", in oils, with a number of people dropping by to see what I was doing, including someone who had seen me in the past, but in a different location.

139 16th june old law courts

139 Plein air painting

Southampton's Old Law courts (grade II listed) are seen here on the left, along Castle Lane, a dead end. They date from the 1850's, and were in use until the 1970's.The red brick building on the right is Lansdowne House, with the foot of the steep road beside it known as Landsdowne Road. The lamp post has been hit at some recent point.
Painted one Saturday morning on mounting board, sized at 12 x 9.5", and done in oils, during the 16th June 2024.

Plein air painting 141 25th june graveyard

Plein air painting 141 

Within Southampton lies Southampton common, and within that the marvelous 'Old Cemetery', a large Victorian site now largely left to nature. This was painted in oils one hot summers morning on cardboard cut to 12 x 9.5". (25/06/24).

Below is a photograph showing the set up used for this plein air painting. On the left is the bicycle that transports all this around! 

Head painting exercise - 'Blakes 7' set 02

Blakes 7, a popular television series from 1978 -81 featured a number of popular characters. This further selection features top left, Commander Servalan, top right, Olag Gan, bottom left, Cally, bottom right, Space Commander Travis.
Each on is done in oils on cardboard sized at 12" x 9.5", during spring 2024.

Julian Masson portrait - oil painting

Pictured here is French artist Julian Masson, currently residing in the UK. 
He is framed in this composition standing in amongst one of his works, a mobile named " Frequency Hopping" which consists of cut card triangle shapes painted with various textures, hung from a frame work suspended from the ceiling. It's influenced by H. Lamarr’s work.

Julian's work explores our relation with technology and the connections between Science and the Arts. His web site is https://jfmmasson.com/
The painting is sized at xxx x xxx", painted on canvas, in oils. Originally the painting started to take shape in late summer 2023. Some progress was made before the work was abandoned until the following spring, when completed.

Plein air painting 135 

This unglamorous view is of a traffic junction in central Southampton. It is a junction along Western Esplanade road within the heart of the city. The long red brick wall hides the railway line running parallel to the road. On the left can be seen the footbridge crossing the line, with the building beyond it being offices built above the central station. 
This was painted one Thursday morning (06/06/24) on mounting board sized at 12 x 9.5" in oils.

Plein air painting 129

This is another view of Debenhams, Southampton, but from the other side as shown in the previous post, and painted about a week later (18/05/24). The road featured with a sweeping curve is Houndwell Place, and the ex-department store's architecture follows it. In the foreground is a supporting column, part of old offices converted into student apartments a few years ago. On the right side is a recently hit road sign!
Oil on mounting board cut to 12 x 9.5".

Plein air painting 133 central hall

Plein air painting 133

This distinctive building is the Central Hall, built in 1925 as a Methodist church, later becoming a part Hampshire Education Authority during the 1960's, and since the 1990's has been owned by the New Community Church. It resides along Kingsway, Southampton. The roadway outside the building was risen a number of decades ago for a redeveloped traffic junction which visually 'eats' in to the base of the Hall. In the background can be seen 'Dukes Keep'.
Painted in oils on mounting board cut to 12 x 9.5", one Monday morning, 3rd June 2024.

Plein air painting 131

Western Docks, a part of the dock complex at Southampton, is shown in this Saturday morning view. A number of large cruise vessels are shown at this popular viewing point for shipping. In the background can be seen a 'One' container ship, berthed at part of the terminal, the cranes towering above. 
Painted in oils on mountboard sized at 14 x 7.5" on the 25th May 2024 in front of a stream of passers by taking an interest.

Alice and the nasty head tree - digital illustration

A young girl called Alice in a fantasy world of her creation, is meeting a 'nasty head tree' monster.

This encounter takes place in a wicked old forest full of twisted, dead trees. The tree in question is able to move about and hangs on its branches, heads of past victims. The tree has a face of sorts. Out of its mouth protrudes a long tongue, used to grab its victims. Alice has so far resisted the efforts of the tree during this terrifying encounter.
Digitally painted in early 2024.

The image can be seen in greater detail on this link.

Plein air painting 128

This street view from within Southampton shows East Street looking towards the High Street, with Queensway cutting across the view. On the right side can be seen the empty Debenhams building, opened in 1959 (as Edwin Jones) and shut since 2020. The crane is deployed on the Bargate building project which can be seen rising behind the hoardings.
Painted on a Sunday morning (12/05/24) in oils on cardboard, sized at 12 x 9.5".

Plein air painting 124    

One Sunday morning (21st April) was spent standing in Houndwell park, looking across to a number of large cranes being used in conjunction with the Bargate development, having been stalled until recently. It was a sunny morning and Palmerston road is seen cutting across the composition. On the left behind the large trees is the vacated Debenhams departmental store.
Painted on cardboard sized at 12 x 9.5", in oils.

Plein air painting 111 

Oxford Street, in the city of Southampton, Hampshire is home to a number of pubs, bars and restaurants, as well as small exclusive shops. Mainly pedestrianised and populated with buildings from the Victorian era. This painting was done on a paint out day with the Southampton Art Society, one sunny Thursday morning although most of the street is in shade.
Painted in oils on mounting board sized at 12" x 9.5", on the 20th July 2023.

Plein air painting 109

Plein air painting 

Rhinefield house, set in the New Forest, Hampshire, is a grade II listed building, built in 1877, and now used as a hotel. Attached to it is a 16 hectare garden designed by William Romaine-Walker and Augustus Tanner.
The painting shows a wonderful and very large pond, with the house located behind the viewer. In the distance is a wall with a gated entrance. It was painted on the 6th July 2023 during a very hot day on mounting board sized at 12" x 9.5" in oils.

Plein air painting 106

Houses (possibly schools) surrounding Salisbury Cathedral (Wiltshire) can be seen in this plein air landscape, done on the 22 June 2023. I believe this to be the intersection between Bishops walk and North Walk. It is painted in oils at 12" x 9.5" on mounting board. It was again a very hot day and I used a parasol for cover. Part of an earlier drawing can be seen in the top left which the paint did not cover up.