9,000 steps I took carrying all my plein air kit around London yesterday! You’ve got to be fit to do this outdoor painting lark 🙂 This is a different view of the same subject I have previously painted, also different light and weather. It was cold, the wind was blowing down the Thames and it was spitting on and off.
I was just setting up and a big gust came and blew the whole pochade and palette I caught it but sent my swinging cup of turps everywhere, very smelly!
I was drawn to the bridge and the lovely pale green arches and contrasted shapes. The sun came out once while I was painting, so fleeting, I took a photo and put in where the shadows and light was. The composition took me a while, I painted it 3 times to get it right, fitting in Big Ben but emphasising the bridge, the area I liked.
It was a complex subject and choosing what to put in and what to leave out, the details – too much fiddling and it becomes contrived not enough and it’s wishy washy. I hope I have the right balance!
There were lots of tourists, and I was a target again! This time not only being in their photos but taking there selfie shots, I must have done at least 5.
