Oil Sketches

Oil Sketches

A January evening on Eggardon Hill

Oil on oil paper

21x50cm

I usually start a commission by exploring some ideas with oil sketches on a special paper designed for oil paint. I can then share these ideas with my client to see if we're on the same page regarding the mood, palette, and format of their painting.

In this case the client wanted an uplifting painting with a little glimpse of the sea. The final painting was a 100x40cm painting and turned out very close to this sketch.

View to the sea

52x21cm

oil on paper

This is another sketch for a commission, this time from a house in South Bowood looking South towards the sea. I'm still preparing ideas for this piece, exploring a range of different skies. It will eventually be a long 8-foot painting!

Morning view towards the sea

38x20cm

oil on paper

This is an early morning sketch with a view towards the sea. The final painting will be 5-foot wide.

West Milton 1

47x21cm

Oil on paper

This is one of a series of sketches looking down into a valley in West Milton where my client is converting a barn into a home. The shapes of the hills are very distinctive in this part of Dorset, so I really wanted to capture skies that complemented the landscape. Luckily, it's only 10 minutes drive from my house, followed by a walk up this steep hill, so I just waited for interesting clouds to appear, then headed over.