Painting this scene on the Gravesend Riverside was quite an experience! It brought to mind the adage: “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread”. Especially if you attempt to do it in watercolours.
But, as our Gravesend Art Group – http://www.gravesendartgroup.co.uk/ – had challenged us to do something with the theme “River Thames”, I found a photograph by talented fellow artist Paul Relf – http://paulrelfpaintings.uk/. The Gravesend Rowing Club with the Royal Terrace Pier in the background! Seeing that I’m always drawn to sketching / painting people, I immediately noticed the figures giving some life to the scene. This was it!
So, drawing it in pencil was maybe the most important step – getting the proportions and perspective right (or shall I say right-ish, which is no small feat for someone who isn’t an architect.) Every once in a while, I had to turn the photograph as well as my drawing upside down in order to let the right (more creative, artistic) part of my brain simply pick up what I wasn’t able to figure out with the left (more logical, mathematical) side of my brain. After this painstaking process, I could pick up my brushes, mix some watercolour paint and start painting.
Applying artistic freedom, I was able to skip some of the detail of the original photograph, but I have to confess that I am quite pleased with the end result.