My Mallorcan sketches

All my sketches from our Mallorcan Holiday in the beautiful Soller Valley:

 

Puerto Soller boatyard - our breakfast view over a cappuccino con crema & Napolitano chochlatino (not sure about the spelling!)

 Can Prohom high above the Soller Valley - good welcome and good cake and fresh orange.

 Soller Cathedral - right hand entrance porch from over a cool Coke at Café Aro at Placa Constitucio.

 Placa d' Espanya at Fornalutx where we met the Policia Locale who helped find the wallet I lost last September

 Fishing boats in the corner of the marina at Puerto Soller below the old monastery now a maritime museum.

 The old monastery at Puerto Soller viewed from lunchtime at the Nautilus Bar. The view vertically down to the Mediterranean is absolutely spectacular!

I was sitting under the ramp up to the Town Hall in Soller at the Placa Constituticio to sketch this one looking towards the Carrer de Vives. This was my final sketch.

 The Tobacos at Placa Constitucio, Soller over a cool San Miguel at Bar Firo

The upper lighthouse overlooking the Puerto Soller Bay. This sketch is from over lunch at the picnic tables to the Refugi.

 

The lower and disused lighthouse at the entrance to Puerto Soller - looks good from any direction!

This was the view from our first cappuccino and cake breakfast in the Port. I wasn't quite warmed up.

Manarola, Liguria, Italy

Manarola one of the 5 towns of the Cinque Terre, Liguria, Italy.... just 4 more to paint in pen and watercolour!

Duomo di Siena, Italy

Duomo di Siena from the terrace alongside the Basilica Cateriniana San Domenico. I think I'll stop the painting there.

My view of Barkers Pool Sheffield

I was up 'til 2.30 this morning to get this far - just couldn't stop! I even straightened the guttering on the red building - perhaps I should have done that on the original detail design drawings I helped on in 1986! Need to erase all the dirty marks left by my T-square, yes T-square, I'm a bit of a Luddite, or maybe re-writing history as is the fad for the last 5 years. 

Siena, Tuscany

Lines, lines, lines.... love them!

Matera, Southern Italy

Due to unforeseen lack of artist talent, had to put my painting of Portofino on hold this evening. Did this sketchette of Matera in Southern Italy to cleanse my mind... and palette! 

Venice Washday 02

Another washday in Venice. That's my ironing board  and iron in the background - thought it was apt with all that washing hanging there!  I do multie-task in my studio (ie. workroom) - the ironing board usually supports my paints, brushes and water bottles.

Edinburgh finished

That's it. I've (plus others) decided to stop there. It's such a complex scene I thought I'd emphasise the part the attracted me - Cockburn Street curving up to the Royal Mile  topped by the crown steeple of St Giles' Cathedral or more properly known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh (according to Wikipedia). Every time I visit Edinburgh I wonder how the steeple/lantern stands on it's 4 legs without spreading, but it's been there since the 15th century so they must have got it right! 

Sheffield Skyline

Sheffield Skyline looking up Fitzwilliam Street towards the University Arts Tower - that's where I spent the last 2 (of 5) years of my university career - a long way up (20 storeys) and a very very long time ago now!

Manarola, Liguria, Italy

I started (top left hand corner) some time ago! I'll be packing it in soon before I go crossed eyed. Time to blow the candles out. goodnight.

Comogli, Italy

The finished (maybe) work. thought I'd try a low angle shot with my camera phone again. It's "very colourful" I've been told!

Edinburgh extra

By accident, my phone camera caught these views of my painting. They reminded me of being there - looking up at the cliff of buildings tumbling down from the Royal Mile!

More Edinburgh

It's coming along nicely but very, very slowly - this is not in my loose style! I might just stop sooner than I originally intended.

Edinburgh - my favourite view.

Photo of stage 2 of my Edinburgh view. Not sure if it's politically correct to admit to but I do love drawing straight(ish) lines! I've been wanting to do my favourite view of Edinburgh since our visits there in 2013 and 2014. Just the watercolour bit to do now - should be ready for Christmas!

17 Calle D'Alaro, Puerto Soller, Mallorca

The view from the balcony at the front of our rented house was fan-b*****-tastic (see my previous Bay/Harbour blogs). This is the view round the back and side - shady seating/eating areas and a sunny area for 4 sun beds - but it was too hot to sunbathe! 

Old Monastery Puerto Soller

The Old Monastery (now a Nautical Museum) above Puerto Soller, Mallorca. This view is from the outside area to the coffee shop where I consumed my cappuccino on several hot and sunny mornings. It's a view I've drawn/painted this view many times on our holidays to the Port over the past 15 years.

My Ringinglow Village - Flyer

"My Ringinglow Village" is now on the flyer for Heeley Art Club in October. Pay us a visit - it's free!

"My Ringinglow Village"

"My Ringinglow Village" - another one for the Winter Garden in October. This and the previous image posted have been selected. This painting is a compilation of buildings, landscape, sheep and snow that frequent our village at over 1000ft above sea level. We do have llamas and alpacas but they would look really odd in a painting!

Oxford - Bridge of Sighs

My first ever visit to Oxford. The city is not only jam packed with bicycles and dreaming finials/pinnacles but it has a Bridge of Sighs. That's me sitting on the steps of a side door to the Sheldonian Theatre sketching the view.

Barker's Pool, Sheffield

My take on the Lib Dem Conference in Sheffield in 2011. There was quite a lively crowd outside the City hall with a lot of shouting but it seemed good natured with some police officers amongst the crowd chatting away to all comers. The beautiful red curtain walled building on the right is one I helped to detail in 1985(ish) during my career as an architect. It is my only painting with a political slant - I didn't create the placards - I just used the ones that were  most apt!The reason I'm posting it today is because there's an enlarged image of the painting now on display at the New Market on the Moor in Sheffield until 7th July. There are also 6 of my paintings on display at the Great Sheffield Art Show tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday in the Octagon at the University.