The gorgeous heatwave that Scotland and the rest of the UK has been experiencing seems to be on its way out in Scotland. Saturday past, however, felt like I was somewhere other than Scotland with the temperature soaring and clearing clouds making way for strikingly blue skies. I took advantage of this weather by spending the afternoon outside watching Wimbledon followed by the World Cup third-place play-off. It was my second time in a week watching the football on the big screen in The Pear Tree pub's beer garden though the atmosphere was considerably less tense as there was not so much at stake. Less tension made the sun even more enjoyable and created a real summer vibe.
After chilling - I mean melting - in the beer-garden, my friend and I grabbed some food before I headed to Holyrood Park for a wonderful painting session surrounded by nature. While sketching I reflected on the previous time I had been there last year; I had been in the midst of my postgraduate dissertation and it had provided me with great escapism. This time I could fully enjoy the setting without dissertation deadlines looming! The temperature was perfect for sketching, still really warm but not overly so, and with a refreshing breeze. I also managed to get a bench to sit on which is always a bonus when sketching outdoors.
I painted a view towards the east to give my face a break from being in the sun (wanted to avoid the "lobster-look") and, more importantly, so the details of the view I was sketching were fully illuminated by the sun. The warm sun cast a distinctly orange hue over the landscape almost as though a giant photo filter had been placed in the foreground.
After I was satisfied with the appearance of the outline, I began adding light washes of watercolour paint to provide a base layer of the landscape. For the moment, I left the sky blank. That was to be the final part I painted.
After adding the initial light washes, I gradually built up the depth by increasing the concentration of paint. This has the effect of boosting the painting's saturation which gives a much richer finish. Painting in the sun makes this deeper saturation easier to achieve as the heat ensures the paint dries quickly allowing for 'wet-on-dry' painting which always results in a more intense outcome.
While in my painting happy zone, a bunch of teenage boys decided that nearby the bench on which I was perched was the best place to hang. The peaceful sounds of nature were quickly replaced by grime and trap music and their chat! It didn't bother me much though as I can block out distraction when painting and when excerpts of their conversation were registered by my ears, it was interesting to hear what this, obviously unrepresentative sample, but sample nonetheless, of teenage boys spoke about.
I bet you wouldn't be able to guess, so I will just say it. Ready? Foxes and hedgehogs. No, not "the birds and the bees" (*cringes at that phrase*), but actual foxes and hedgehogs in the literal, not metaphorical in any way, sense.
After adding the initial light washes, I gradually built up the depth by increasing the concentration of paint. This has the effect of boosting the painting's saturation which gives a much richer finish. Painting in the sun makes this deeper saturation easier to achieve as the heat ensures the paint dries quickly allowing for 'wet-on-dry' painting which always results in a more intense outcome.
While in my painting happy zone, a bunch of teenage boys decided that nearby the bench on which I was perched was the best place to hang. The peaceful sounds of nature were quickly replaced by grime and trap music and their chat! It didn't bother me much though as I can block out distraction when painting and when excerpts of their conversation were registered by my ears, it was interesting to hear what this, obviously unrepresentative sample, but sample nonetheless, of teenage boys spoke about.
I bet you wouldn't be able to guess, so I will just say it. Ready? Foxes and hedgehogs. No, not "the birds and the bees" (*cringes at that phrase*), but actual foxes and hedgehogs in the literal, not metaphorical in any way, sense.
Anyway, just as the prime of the evening sun was dissipating, I finished the painting, took my customary "end of painting" photo, and left to enjoy the hour or so walk back home in the last remaining moments of daylight.
The bright natural lighting actually made for an annoying photo as it has washed out the colours spectacularly as well as giving it an overly yellow tone... Rather that due to a heatwave than a wash out with rain though!
Thanks for reading!
Read another post about me making the most of the heatwave up the east coast of Scotland here
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Helen C Redman
