Polperro Harbour from the steps

What really caught my eye was the big harbour wall on the left side and that little wooden balcony sticking out from the building. It creates a natural frame that helps lead your eye right into the middle of the water and the boats.

For the background houses up on the hill, I made a conscious choice to use soft edges. By keeping the shapes a bit blurry and not too sharp, it helps give the painting a real sense of depth. It makes the houses look like they are further away while the boats in the front stay the main focus. I find this technique works really well when you want to show distance in a busy village scene.

I used a mix of ultramarine blue and some burnt sienna to get those deep shadows under the balcony and along the wall. For the water, I used some cobalt green and cerulean blue to capture that nice coastal feel. The white houses were mostly left as the paper itself, but I added a tiny bit of lavender in the shaded parts to make them pop. It was a very enjoyable process to balance the heavy stone wall with the light reflections in the harbour.

This painting is currently for sale. If you would like to own it or want more details about the size and price, please do contact me. I am always happy to chat about my work and help you find the right piece for your home. Polperro is such a classic spot for us painters and I think this angle captures the quiet charm of the place perfectly.