Tessa Spanton SWA Artist, tutor, writer



TESSA SPANTON SWA ARTIST, WRITER AND TUTOR

Welcome to my blog.
This is where I write about some of the things that inspire my work,
news of exhibitions and works in progress

Thursday 2 February 2012

Reid's Palace in Aquarelle Pencil


Reids Palace Maderia Aquarelle pencil (c) Tessa Spanton

I started writing this blog 2 years and I day ago. Last year I posted some paintings I had done of Reids Palace To see the post click here
I visited Madeira again last month and did some new paintings while I was there. I drew Reids again, this time from the other side as seen from the Cliff Bay hotel. I chose roughly the same time each day, around 11am, to make some sketches and a tonal study. I spent between 1/2 hour to an hour at a time. Much longer and the lighting had changed. It was sunny so the lighting of the building was good though some days so windy that my papers would have blown away if they hadn't been clipped down.
The image above was done with a blue aquarelle pencil and a little water, inspired by the Portuguese azulejos. Very convenient when working outside as all you need is one blue aquarelle pencil and a small brush that can be filled with water like a fountain pen.
When this was finished I started a watercolour of the same view. The building looks amazing, high up and rising up from the rocks where the sea is pounding below and looking like a pink confection against the backdrop of mountains.

This painting is not quite finished so I'll save it for another post.
I also had the opportunity to visit the gardens at Reids and that too will be for another post.

8 comments:

Erika Price said...

Lovely sketch Tessa, can't wait to see the painting you're working on!

Sue Paine said...

Lovely Tessa...looking forward to the painting! My Aunt had her 21st. birthday party at Reids in 1921 and somewhere ,either I or my sister have some photos.

Colours and Textures said...

I'd better get cracking finishing the watercolour!
Sue, how interesting I would love to see those photos.

Reid's Palace said...

Continue your great work and it was a pleasure to meet you in person. Hope you have enjoyed the garden tour.

Ulisses Marreiros
General Manager
Reid’s Palace

Zuda Gay Pease said...

Very pretty! It looks like an amazing place to visit!

Unknown said...

What a beautiful piece of work Tessa, and looking forward to seeing your 'colour' version. I'm sure that Reids will also be really interested in seeing the finished results! Maybe something their customers would also be interested in too!

Annuk said...

Wonderful artwork, Tessa!
I can really see the beauty and inspiration of the amazing place that inspired it!

Judy Nolan said...

Amazingly beautiful work, done just with a simple blue pencil!