Charles Evans Art

In this first image you can see I’ve done a very simple outline drawing. When I say simple, I mean no shading or crosshatching, just an outline. Also I’ve put in my sky which is done by pre wetting the area first and using my 1.5" flat wash brush, then simply drop in some cobalt blue and then a little bit of light red mixed into the cobalt blue for a few cloud shadow areas, before using the same brush slightly damp to suck out a few clouds.

Whilst my sky was still slightly damp I have put in the trees, which are merely a backdrop for the buildings. For these, all I have used is my No.8 round brush firstly going in with well watered yellow ochre and then a mixture of Hooker's green and burnt sienna whilst the first was still wet. Notice where the trees join, where what will be the buildings, they are much darker. For this I have used a mixture of cobalt blue and a touch of light red. This will aid to make the buildings stand out with a dark backdrop.

In the next stage for the far distance roof, which you can just see, I have used cobalt blue with a touch of light red. Very simply just block it in, but keep it fairly weak, as this building is a long way off. For the side of the building I have used a little bit of yellow ochre mixed with raw umber, again very weak. Now coming further forward, to two of the main buildings, the roofs for both of these buildings was a mixture of cobalt blue and raw umber using my ¾" wash brush. You will notice once these have dried, I have daubed on with the same colour only stronger, to give the impression of a few stone tiles.

For the pub itself (which incidentally is a place where the group and I had a really nice lunch that day) I used raw umber mixed with yellow ochre for the light side, then just raw umber for the darker side. For the windows don’t paint window frames paint the panes, at that kind of distance you don’t need to see sash windows and curtains behind them. I have used cobalt blue with a tiny touch of burnt sienna to give me a grey blue and just with the point of my No.8 round brush put a few blobs within the window space leaving a little white in between each blob to give the indication of white window frames.

On the stonework, once the building had dried, using my No.8 round brush and a mixture of raw umber and burnt sienna, I did a few strokes here and there to give the indication of stonework. For shadow which brings the whole building to life, I used a mixture of cobalt blue, alizarin crimson and burnt sienna. Notice how it's darker around the window areas and underneath the roof eaves.

Now for the ivy growing up the building, using my No.8 round brush split at the end, stipple on firstly using yellow ochre, fairly strong. Then a mixture of Hooker's green and burnt sienna then again my shadow mixture very strong. Remembering to put this colour on the opposite side to where the light is coming.

For an indication of flower boxes a few dots of cadmium red interspersed with a mixture of Hooker's green and burnt sienna. Notice that there is a big black area at the top part of the side of the building, this was a wooden bit where the name of the pub was written. For the black I have used French ultramarine blue mixed with burnt sienna. Once dried for the indication of some writing, again using the point of my brush, add good strong yellow ochre.

For the next building I have used exactly the same process as the last building and the same colours, but with a little less detail as I want the eye to go up the road to the pub as we did.

For the bushes around the house I have used exactly the same process and colours as the trees behind the pub. For the plants growing up the front of the building I have used exactly the same process as the ivy growing up the pub, but a little bit stronger and a little bit more of my shadow mix which of course is cobalt blue, alizarin crimson and burnt sienna.

For the little bit which is not so much a path, rather a kind of a gravelled area between the grass and the road, I used my ¾" wash brush and simply washed over with a mixture of cobalt blue and light red.

For the building just sneaking in from the left-hand side of the page, I’ve kept all the colours and the process exactly the same as all the other buildings but a little bit stronger. Notice how much white I’ve left in the window areas to try and capture that light coming in from behind me slightly to the left.

For the grass, to the right-hand side using my ¾" wash brush, firstly wash on yellow ochre and whilst this is still wet add a mixture of Hooker's green and burnt sienna and let all the colours mingle together.

I have used the same process for the grass to the left-hand side of the road. For the road itself, using my ¾" wash brush, bravely slap on a mixture of cobalt blue and light red making sure it gets weaker as it goes further away into the distance. Notice before it dried in the foreground area I’ve taken out a few shades of light using my ¾" wash brush slightly damp, just suck out a bit of colour.

Finally the scary bit, the shadow. I must say you have to be very brave to do this, but it does pay dividends in the fact that it brings a painting to life. I have used my shadow mix which of course is cobalt blue, alizarin crimson and burnt sienna and my ¾" wash brush and block those shadows in quickly so as not to disturb the now dry paint underneath and avoid the mixing mud on the paper.

Hey presto a lovely day was had by all in the Yorkshire Dales.