I haven’t painted in while because my lovely Mum in Law died last week, it wasn’t expected and very sad.

I am now back to work and this weather has been glorious for plein air allbeit a little hot!
I timed it just right for this contra jour – sparkle on water – tonal painting.

The tide went lower and the reflections on the posts disappeared before I could put them in. Luckily I was there long enough for the tide to come back up and I could paint them!

Also the light moved really quickly off the water and wet mud, it was very light in tone just warmed a little with Naples Yellow.

Because the yacht is silhouetted in the strong morning sun it is quite dark in tone even though it’s a white hulled boat! 

The people in the boat moved around a lot but stayed sitting for enough time to capture them. I didn’t want them too pronounced so they come out of the shadows.
The jaunty lean to the boat helps with the composition.

A local chap asked to see my painting when it was 3/4 finished, he said he really liked it and ended up buying it almost off the easel – I wanted to finish it first and let it dry a little 🙂 
A great start back to painting…