Polperro Harbour from Quay Road #2

Polperro Harbour from Quay Road: A Sunny Day in Cornwall ☀️

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A Sunny Day Painting Polperro Harbour 🎨

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I love painting harbours, and Polperro in Cornwall is one of my favourites. This painting, which I call Polperro Harbour from Quay Road, really captures a sunny, bright day with all the lovely, busy shapes of the buildings and boats. It was a great day to be out painting and enjoying the fresh sea air. I think you can feel that warmth and light in the finished work.

When I started this painting, I wanted to focus on the strong contrast between the sunlight hitting the white buildings on the left and the deep, dark shadows on the right. This contrast is what gives the picture its light and drama. I used some of my favourite blues, like Cobalt Blue and Ultramarine Blue, for the water and the shadows, letting them mix and bleed a bit to keep it all looking wet and natural.

Look at the water in the foreground. See how bright the green is? I used a lively bright green for that area, along with some Yellow Ochre, to show the shallow water and the bright reflections from the sky. It’s important not to make the reflections too perfect; they need to move and feel like water. The little boats floating there help give the painting a sense of scale and life.

For the harbour walls and the dark boat moored in the middle, I used a mix of Burnt Umber and Neutral Tint. This creates those really dark, rich colours that make the bright parts stand out even more. If you look closely, you can see how I let the colours mix right on the paper without overworking them. That’s the beauty of watercolour!

The row of houses going up the hillside in the background is painted quite simply. I used light washes of colour and kept the edges soft so your eye focuses more on the boats and the activity in the foreground. The light hitting the orange and red rooftops, which I made with Burnt Sienna and a touch of Light Red, helps to anchor the picture and gives a nice warmth against the greens and blues.

This painting is a perfect example of how I try to capture the feeling of a place, not just every tiny detail. I want you to look at it and feel like you are standing right there on the Quay Road with me, looking over the water. It’s all about suggestion and leaving some things for your imagination to fill in.

I’m pleased to say that my original watercolour painting, Polperro Harbour from Quay Road, is currently for sale. If you are interested in owning this piece of art, please contact me for more information on the price and shipping.