Church Lane, Christchurch UK acrylic painting

Church Lane, Christchurch

This is painted in Acrylics on a 16″ × 20″ canvas. It depicts a street situated in the Dorset town of Christchurch,UK. The street has lots of character and a contemporary view is seen here with the houses adorned with satellite dishes and the tarmac with road markings. I was drawn to the buildings and the rich colours of the bricks, and the signs of weathering and repair over the years (100s). The figure of a tourist is there to help with interest and scale. Painted in 2012.

swans and boats at Christchurch harbour,UK

Swans and Boats at Christchurch harbour,UK.

This painting was based on a photograph taken back in the summer of 2010 at Christchurch Quay/harbour, in Dorset,UK. It actually took ages to paint, not because on any technical difficulty but because of having to prepare other work for exhibitions, print cards and do commercial computer imagery. So this painting was started back in late july 2011 and left unfinished until the early part of sept 2011. I did not latterly enjoy doing it and found it a battle to get it looking reasonably ok. Maybe it was the composition that was wrong? I have to say that when the painting was photographed it tends to look a lot better, and does seem very sunny. Painted in oils on canvas,16"x20".

from the website...
This artwork was painted in oils on a canvas measuring 16" x 20". The location is the pretty town of Christchurch, Dorset, in the UK, on the popular quay populated with many tourists, and swans and ducks, as it has been for centuries. It was based on a photograph taken back in the summer of 2009, though the actual swans are from other photos taken at the same time and repositioned in photoshop. From this final photoshop composition a drawing is produced and this then becomes the start of the painting. Normally such a painting would take about 4 days, spread over two or three weeks. But on this occassion I became very busy after starting, that it was several months before I finished it. I did not like doing it in the latter stages as my original interest had wained, but was determined to finish it, as I never like to have uncompleted pictures around. Overall it is quite pleasant and it does give the feeling of a sunny day. Other pictures of swans of Christchurch are top be found here on this site.

Christchurch Priory Dorset

Christchurch Priory Dorset, west view, oil painting

Christchurch priory, west view


This is a painting of Christchurch priory from the west aspect. I did a previous painting which depicted the northgate entrance, and is here.

Being a piece of complicated architecture naturally meant that some time would be spent drawing it out and getting the details correct. The figures help a great deal to give a sense of scale. The church is in the coastal town of Christchurch in Dorset, UK. The painting is on a 20" x16" canvas, and painted in oils.

from the website...
The town of Christchurch, Dorset, UK boasts a wonderful priory, painted and photographed many times over the centuries. Construction first started in 1094 AD as a norman church. It took several centuries to construct and is a landmark for several miles in all directions. This painting is in oils on a canvas measuring 20" x 16". The original photograph was taken in the summer of 2010. The late afternoon sun helps to pick out the details of the churches architecture. This is a very popular view of Christchurch Priory, photographed and painted countless times over the centuries, even though it never changes its appearance. Buildings are always a welcome challenge but the gravestones are in a way more interesting having many varied colours on the stone due to weathering over the centuries. The people were added later from similar photographs to add interest and scale.  
 

Oil painting collection 01

Oil painting collection 01-pictures of Christchurch UK

swans at christchurch harbour
river avon christchurch
christchurch priory

These are the first oil paintings placed here on this site. They were all painted during summer 2010, and based on photographs. The locations are all in the historic and pretty town of Christchurch, Dorset in the UK. The painting of the swans at Christchurch Quay was based on a photograph originally taken during a winter, a few years ago.
Christchurch priory is 12" x16", river avon is 16"x20" and swans at christchurch harbour is 12"x16" in size, on canvas.

from website...
swans at christchurch harbour
This is based on a photograph I took in 2003 during the winter months. The painting pictures a scene at Christchurch Quay, UK, where ducks and swans are quite happy to stroll about with the holiday tourists. The golden winter sun is quite low down as can be seen and shows up well the feathers and construction of the birds from the side. Hengistbury Head can be seen in the distance, past the ongoing mooring of yachts in the area. The photo was heavily altered in photoshop to give me a composition that I was happy to work from.
It is painted in oils on a canvas board measuring 12" x 16". 

river avon christchurch
This oil painting depicts the river Avon at the town of Christchurch, Dorset,UK. It is based on a photograph taken from one of the bridges in Bridge Street. The multi coloured canoes and canoeists add a lot of interest and work well with the strong blue colour of the water. The water reflections were difficult to paint but are probably the center point of interest and worth the time taken to do them well. The artwork is based on a number of photographs, particularly of the canoes, as I wanted to get a good composition using them. The photos were cut up and rearranged to create a final 'master' composition to create the painting with.
The painting is done in oils on a canvas board measuring 20" x 16".  

christchurch priory
The town of Christchurch, Dorset, UK boasts a wonderful priory, painted and photographed many times over the centuries. Construction first started in 1094 AD as a norman church. It took several centuries to construct and is a landmark for several miles in all directions. This painting depicts a view from the well kept high street, looking at the main gates to the entrance of the priory. The painting is in oils on a canvas board measuring 12" x 16". The original photograph was taken in the summer of 2010 but then heavily cropped to give the 'straight on' composition that is seen. I wanted to get the gates archway lined up with the main door way. The late afternoon sun helps to pick out the details of the churches architecture, and does describe a later part of the priory with the stone appearing to be more golden and less weather worn ( bottom of the tower).