An acrylic on 16 x 20″ canvas of the wonderful Woody Bay on the North Devon Coast. I haven’t visited this location for many years and was delighted to find it as impressive as I remembered. A rocky beach with a Victorian swimming pool and remains of an old pier. Well worth a visit if you’re in the location. This is situated in the Exmoor National Park.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Bay,_Devon
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/heddon-valley/features/woody-bays-victorian-heritage
A couple of pictures from my latest foray up the very steep Roborough Hill near Pilton in North Devon. I’ve slightly tinted the black and white images to give them that look of an old school 1930s travel book. I remember, as a boy, looking through those old musty picture books of the world and it was from these very books that fuelled my inspiration to travel. These pictures will eventually become large Bidiford Black paintings.
The main reason why I was there today was to pick a place to photograph the Spitfire flying over the country’s hospitals with ‘THANK U NHS’ under it’s wings. I decided to return down the hill and finally took the picture below.
Sandy Lane Poppies 1220 x 610mm acrylic on panel. A painting of the dusty lane that leads to the Burrows Carpark in Braunton just behind Saunton Beach. I was quite taken by the poppies in the hedge and the stark neon whiteness of the sandy road.
A large digital painting I’ve been dabbling with on and off for a few years now! Using the app Procreate on my iPad image size 3,915 x 1,690 dpi. This image was captured on a GoPro camera between sets whilst surfing off Combesgate Beach in North Devon. In the distance you can see the back of the break with a few surfers making the most of a kind summer swell.
Below are the three layers I’ve used to create this large image. Once connected the final image is complete.
Above the completed image on the left and on the right just playing with photoshop to exchange the painted sky with a photographic one! Time to now move on as this composition is finally over and dusted. Al
Presently I’m working on a series of sketches of some of my colleagues at North Devon District Hospital at Raleigh Park, Barnstaple. Pen and Ink on thick cartridge paper. So far I’ve drawn ODPs (Operating Department Pratitioners), a member of our Support Staff and Recovery Nurses. I’m also experimenting with Uni-Ball Needle Pens and the moment instead of my usual traditional knib or Staedtler fine draughting pens!
A Bideford Black painting of Northam Burrows in North Devon 560 x 420mm. From a lockdown exercise walk and an incoming storm inspiration for this picture came about. I particularly liked the pebbles caught in the diminishing light! Al
A large acrylic painting on gesso primed 900 x 460mm board! This is of the old Tug / Service Vessel built in 1953. It is now lying at rest in a little inlet on the River Torridge near Appledore Shipyard in North Devon. I was taken with this image on a walk along the coast from Bideford to Westward Ho with all the rubbish and feeling of dereliction. In a dimly lit inlet this boat appears quite striking in the bright spring sunshine reflecting on the creamy white paintwork. After discussions with locals there appears controversy with regard it’s presence! Al
https://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/register/3004/cannis
I was looking awhile ago on Instagram and a friend of mine called Jessica had posted this on her page. The image was taken at Westward Ho in North Devon. I decided to make this partial sketch experimenting with the opaqueness of the dark stones against the reflective sky. Acrylic on reclaimed canvas 500 x 500mm.
https://www.albrownartist.com/post/westward-ho-setting
Perhaps a painting to come of the Cannis a Thames tug/service vessel at rest on the River Torridge. https://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/register/3004/cannis
This is the final stage of this acrylic on gesso primed hardboard 1000 x 450 mm. The subject the top of Roborough Hill looking back down to Barnstaple and a fantastic view all the way back up the River Taw to the coast. I use this as a cycle route during lockdown and this view is ten minutes from my home in Pilton, North Devon. As usual the titanium white paint stands out too much due to photography! Al
Al Brown Artist. 