A painting of the road to Cobbaton in North Devon. A dreary wet afternoon and saw this driving towards Cobbaton Combat, a military exhibition/collection which is well worth a visit if you’re in the area. Painted using Bideford Black on handmade paper 400mm x 500mm. I quite liked the wet reflections on the road leading into darkness and a blind corner. I must say I do so prefer the summer. Al
Bucks Mills on the North Devon coast, England. A wonderful little village nestled in the trees overlooking the sea. Once a small harbour with evidence of old lime kilns on the stoney beach. I particularly liked the small artists retreat house owned by the National Trust. Next harbour along the coast is a very picturesque cobbled stoned village called Clovelly. Al
A picture taken last year on the small roads in North Devon. Loved this tree and the water highlighting the road ahead. I think perhaps the use of some more Bideford Black will be in order. Al
A quick preparatory sketch exploring the tones and contrasts. It took about 45 mins using charcoal, Bideford Black, pastel & titanium white. Also a little scraping with a surgical scalpel.
A wonderful afternoon spent at Durdle Door in Dorset England. Warm spring sunshine and clear blue skies, although in a lot of places in England there was heavy rain. It appears that this area a Dorset has a microclimate that promotes clement weather. On one side of the rock is Durdle Door with it’s famous stone arch and on the other Man Of War Bay. After a few visits I think I prefer the latter. To get there don’t go to Lulworth Cove and walk, go up to the campsite on the hill and walk down it’s a much shorter walk. Al ps Paintings to follow!
A study in my own Bideford Black of a friend’s picture of her son. Entitled A boy and a puddle: a journey in wellies. Loved the composition a little like a previous picture of mine of a boy on Camden Lock in the 70s, also on this webpage. Overall this painting took about an hour and a half still trying to achieve a more spontaneous kind of composition so every study I do at the moment has to be time constrained. Just trying to escape my illustrator/draughtsman training and background. Al
A quick study of the Tarka Trail near Chivenor in North Devon England. Painted using my own sourced and prepared Bideford Black pigment. Loved the dark shadow and highlighted cow parsley on the left of the trail. Still trying to free up my paintwork. Al
Spring sunshine at last but with a little warmth. An evening walk around Pilton in North Devon, England. Still a bite to the breeze but the promise of summer heat is on the way. Al
This painting was completed in the early 70s. I must have been about 14 years old. This was completed at school using gum arabic masking and gouache paints. Only found this the other day in my mother’s attic a shame about the small tear but pleased to see it again. Al
Abbey Road near where I live in Pilton Barnstaple. Walking into town and managed to remember an umbrella. The neon cheap spring sunshine was still breaking through a bank of black storm clouds. Managed not to get wet all afternoon. Couldn’t resist holding my iPhone close to the ground and taking this image. Al
A wonderful day walking to the beach at Blackpool from Hartland Abbey. Blue sky, warm spring sunshine and idyllic surroundings. Rock formations on the beach are amazing. The cottage on the seafront here was used in recent films such as Sense and Sensibility and The Night Porter. Plenty to draw and sketch and perhaps some paintings will come of the visit. At last the warmth of summer is coming. Al
Al Brown Artist. 