Three Boats in the Shade on the River Tamar

Here is my new watercolour of three boats resting in the shade on the banks of the River Tamar in Cornwall. I loved this scene because of the strong contrast between the cool shade in the foreground and the bright light hitting the far bank. The boats were sitting quietly on the mud as the tide dropped, which gave me some lovely shapes and reflections to play with.

For this painting I kept the foreground cool with mixes of ultramarine blue and a touch of neutral tint. The distant bank has warmer touches of yellow ochre and light red to bring it forward a little. I dropped in fresh greens for the grass and trees, letting the colours mix on the paper. The masts and rigging make a nice pattern across the sky and help lead your eye around the scene.

I tried to keep the brushwork loose and simple. The shadows under the boats help them feel grounded, and the broken edges on the mud flats give a bit of texture. It is always a joy to paint boats at low tide because of all the interesting shapes you get.