Pochades and Weather

Ok so I haven't been keeping up to date... so what!
I thought its about time to stick in some posts from last year as I have a couple of minutes. I'm currently working out in Uganda, and work has been hectic, hence the lack of posts since November!

As we are aware, last summer was a complete write-off, so much so that I finally relented and took the family away to spain for a week (I travel for work - hence my abhorration of travelling for pleasure). But just to show what a miserable summer we had - here's a couple of pochades, painted from the passenger seat of my car from Ribblehead - and yes I completely omitted painting what Ribblehead is famous for (the viaduct) and concentrated on the view to the south.

The first was painted in about 1 hour, just after it had paused the relentless downpour, a faint light in the distance suggested that the sun may actually breakthrough - it didn't.

Pochade Penyghent from Ribblehead 8x6" oil on board.

And the developed painting. I have thought recently about redoing this, and when I get home I will probably tackle it. Perhaps with the foglights / rear lights blazing away to amplify the misery of the summer of 2012. Granted it wasn't all bad - I managed to build a log cabin in the garden which is my new 'studio'; mine for as long as the wife doesn't move her sewing projects in there...

Summer Ribblehead 2012 - 20"x16" ish - oil on canvas

And another quick pochade (again about an hour), again typifying the miserable summer...

Summer 2012 Ribblehead 8x10" Oil on board.

 

The hill with the cloud obscuring it is Simon Fell, part of the Ingleborough massif. I think I am getting the hang of painting miserable skies... BTW if you have any comments or tips or suggestions, please don't hesitate...