Plein Air Watercolour at Malmesbury Abbey

I painted Malmesbury Abbey plein air on a calm afternoon in Wiltshire. I stood by the path through the graveyard and looked towards the grand Norman front. The soft light on the stone was lovely, with cool shadows under the arches and warm notes on the sunlit blocks. I kept the drawing simple and aimed for a fresh, loose result.

I started with big washes. For the sky I used a light cerulean with a touch of lavender. The stone went in with warm browns and a little ultramarine for the cool shade. I saved the paper for sparkles on the headstones and roof. The deep entrance needed a strong dark, so I mixed ultramarine with a warm brown to get a rich neutral.

The greens were fun. I mixed spring green with cobalt blue and a little yellow ochre for the field, then dropped in viridian with a touch of alizarin for the cool shadows. Dry brush gave me broken textures on the walls. A few splashes and negative shapes suggested the leaves above and the scattered stones.

For composition I used the path as a lead in line to the porch. Figures add scale and life. Windows and carvings were kept as simple marks and lost edges. My plein air tip here is to work fast, keep values clear, and put the strongest contrast at the focal point around the doorway. If this scene is of interest, join me for more demos and workshops, both online and in person.