The little Church of Spaarnwoude

I often paint this church, cause it has a lovely silhouette and a nice light colour.
A few months ago, i made a walk in the area, and did visit this little church, not that I go in, but you can walk around it, cause it is build on sort of a hillside, you have always a good look on this picturesque building.

The sun was low, so I decided to make a Contre Jour picture, David Curtis tries always to paint against the sun, cause his paintings, become more interesting that way he says!
Well if you know who David is, he is certainly right!
So this is my photo I took that day, its early in the year, so a low sun!

After a few preliminary sketches I decided to paint a misty scene, a first wash of Cobalt Blue and Burnt Sienna. Then a second wash for the church, same colours, plus a small amount of Light Red and Raw Sienna.
For the green I took Cobalt Turquoise, and Yellow Ochre, cause they are opaque colours, and would give me a bright green on this grey background.
The dark tree on the left is Neutral tint Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Umber, same as the fence!
I added a puddle and the fence reflections, and a figure with umbrella.
When dry i pre wetted the area’s I want reflections in, and made them!
Still wet I splattered some Turquoise in and Cadmium red dots!
With a razorblade I made the wire on the fence, and finally I made a few crows on the right!

IJmuiden binnenhaven

Impression in two colours!
Winsor Blue and Burnt Sienna

Middel Westzaan

Watercolour in letterbox format on Bockingford paper 200 Lbs.
54 x 25 Cm
The house is still there, but the sheds are gone long ago.
Keep it light, you can always add darks later.
Reflections are done on randomly wet paper, dont wet it all, cause you got to have happy accidents, and that is not gone to happen when you play safe on pre-wetted paper!

Farm Velsen Zuid

A plein air watercolor on location.
painted on Arches 31 x41 Cm
140 lbs rough

Jack Russel

I was inspired after a visit on the Rien Poortvliet museum in Tiengemeten, this man can paint draw sketch WOW!
So I tried a little dog when I got home!

Done with conte pencils and watercolours

Winter in Holland

Its winter in Holland, and the traditional Mill
in a winter landscape is always making a picturesque

picture!
On W&N Lana watercolourpaper

Plein air painting, on Canson Fontenay.
It was a windy day with lots of clouds in the sky,
but no colour what so ever, when I finished the
sky, the sun came out, and the blue sky appeared.

To late to change my painting, but a good lesson!
You have to wait for the right moment?

Lifeguard boat returning to there base.

200 lbs Bockingford 

Naples Yellow, Ceruleum, Raw Umber, Cobalt Blue. Light Red.

Winsor and Newton colours

Lifghthouse

After a simple sketch I wetted the sky behind the lighthouse for the wave. I painted quickly with a wash from Cobalt blue into the wave, after that I painted the rocks in with raw Umber, and gave them some shadow, also the wet rocks where painted in direct. The sea was washed down in one go. Cereleum and raw Umber. As last the lighthouse, not to fiddly, but a bit sloppiness give the best result!

Less is More

Watercolour is always difficult, once you put the brush down,
it wil be there forever, you can try to correct things,
but it will not improve your painting.
Less is More is a golden rule, simplefy things, and your watercolour looks better!
This one is three washes, first the backgroundcolour covered the whole paper.
Half imperial Bockingford, second was the barge, when that was dry, 

I did the foreground wash and reflections.