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back to painting

6/12/2013

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Picture
I've been painting much less for a few weeks now, and I'm sad to say that it's because I lost my dog and sketching buddy, Scooby the German Shepherd. My faithful mate for years and a massive part of the family, we all miss him hugely and I've found it hard to get out there and paint or sketch, with the notable exception of a snowy day about 10 days ago.


But life goes on and I've now got a couple of paintings on the go. I finished one of them today - Elgin High Street, 1863. Normally I start my paintings from one of my sketches and I neglect the detail in the painting in order to strengthen the atmosphere and character of the subject. In this painting I really wanted to produce, if you will, a watercolour version of an old photograph. The world wasn't in black and white then, just because the photos were! To rebuild Elgin of exactly 150 years ago, I used lots of old photos of the place, people and their transport. But, as always, I sketched the scene first. You have to grin and bear it if you intend to sketch on a busy high street but I was intent on positioning myself exactly as the original photographer of one of the photos I was using. I suspect he was leaning out of the top of what is now a pound shop, and used to be Woolworths. I stood outside the door and sketched at ground level.


Then, in the studio, I tried to bring them all together. A brief resume of the changes that this street has seen:


1. There are almost no chimneys in view these days. There were lots - and in this view they're almost all churning out smoke to emphasise the change.
2. Several of these buildings have been demolished and replaced with concrete buildings, which is a shame. The most notable one is the white-fronted building just to the right of the non-working fountain.
3. The buildings receding down the left hand side now house a large shopping centre.
4. The whole area is pedestrianised now whereas there were definite areas for walking and for driving - carriages! I've done my best from monochrome photos to guess a colour scheme. The only bit I agree to falsifying is the kerb between the central grey area and the road on the left. That's been added for artistic reasons, and seems to have been roughly level 150 years ago.
5. The central area has seen a few changes. There was apparently a sort of 'pallisade' around the base of the fountain, shown here. The war memorial, dedicated to those who died in the Great War, was almost 60 years in the future. Also, the curious wooden building in the foreground behind the two gentlemen has long gone. What was it? I don't know, although I know this area once housed an underground toilet - perhaps someone who knows could enlighten us. Lastly, the trees growing in the wrought-iron pens outside St Giles' Church, centre, were very young then. Now there are fewer, but they're bigger!


From my point view, though, the most surprising thing is how much is still the same! This has helped to 'root' me in this town, and I hope it might do the same for my audience. I've really enjoyed the process but it'll be a while before I take on that much work again. For now, my next painting will be a return to my artistic roots - I only wish Scooby couldv'e been there!

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    A professional artist living and working in the beautiful north of Scotland. My work is realistic and quite traditional, though strongly interpretational in nature. My inspiration is the beauty of Nature, and the wonderful colours and moods she shows everywhere.

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  • Home
    • Available Work >
      • Typhoons on Patrol
      • Ben Rinnes View
      • The Water Tower and Standing Stones at Garmouth
    • Our Prints >
      • Coastline Prints >
        • Nairn to Findhorn >
          • The Findhorn Beach Huts
          • Findhorn Bay
          • On Findhorn Beach
          • Findhorn Shoreline
          • Nairn Harbour Sunset
          • Sunset at Findhorn Bay
          • Findhorn Sunset
          • Looking West from Nairn Beach
          • Nairn Harbour from Central Beach
          • Evening in Findhorn
          • A Walk on Roseisle Beach
        • Burghead to Hopeman >
          • On Hopeman Beach
          • Burghead from the Beach
          • Burning the Clavie at Burghead
          • Hopeman West Beach
          • On Cummingston Beach
          • The Beach Huts at Hopeman
          • Hopeman Harbour Reflections
          • Hopeman Harbour and Beaches
          • Sunshine at Cove Bay, Hopeman
          • Burghead Harbour from the Sea Wall
          • Fishing Boats in the Inner Harbour, Burghead
          • Hopeman Harbour from the Headland
          • Ketches Unloading at Hopeman
          • Sunsrise Over Burghead
          • Cummingston Sunset
          • Low Tide at Hopeman
        • Lossiemouth >
          • Seatown and East Beach from Prospect Terrace
          • Moray Clubhouse View, Lossiemouth
          • Moray Golf Course, 17 Long
          • Two Bridges at Lossiemouth
          • A Walk on West Beach, Lossiemouth
          • Lossiemouth's Old Bridge Sunset
          • Lossiemouth Memories
          • Old Friends
          • Lossiemouth's Old Bridge
          • Fishing Boats at Lossie
          • Covesea Lighthouse View
          • Sunset Over Lossiemouth
          • Setting Out from Lossiemouth
          • Sunrise Just for Us at Lossiemouth
          • Covesea Lighthouse Sunset
          • Lossie Beach to Ourselves!
        • Kingston to Portessie >
          • Sunset on the River Spey
          • Kingston Beach
          • Setting Out from Buckie
          • Memories of Portgordon
          • Over the Yardie at Buckie
          • The Rooftops of Portessie
          • The Spey Viaduct from the River
          • Strathlene Caravans
          • A Walk at Strathlene
          • Buckpool Shoreline
        • Findochty to Cullen >
          • Portknockie Harbour
          • Bow Fiddle Rock
          • Cullen Harbour and Seatown
          • Cullen Beach from the Castle
          • Findochty Lights
          • Through Cullen Viaduct
          • The Two Kings at Cullen
          • Cullen Harbour View
          • Findochty Harbour
          • Over the Rooftops of Cullen
          • The Ruins of Findlater Castle
          • Findochty Shoreline
          • Cullen Auld Kirk
          • Portknockie Harbour View
          • Sunrise at Bow Fiddle Rock
          • The Harbour at Portknockie
          • Seatown from Castle Hill, Cullen
          • Cullen's Rocky Shoreline
          • Morning Light Above Cullen
        • Fordyce and Portsoy >
          • Portsoy View
          • Summer in Portsoy
          • Sandend Harbour from the Brae
          • Tom's Jetty, Portsoy
          • Portsoy Caravans from the Brae
          • Portsoy Memories
          • Portsoy's New Harbour View
          • Summer at Portsoy (Greyscale)
          • Fordyce Castle and Kirk
          • A Walk at Sandend
          • The Rocks at Whitehills
        • Banff to Pennan >
          • Banff Harbour Sunshine
          • Crovie Shoreline
          • Banff Links
          • Macduff Harbour View
          • Gardenstown from the Old Church
      • Landscape Prints >
        • Brodie Castle
        • Ben Rinnes View
        • Craigellachie Bridge
        • The Water Tower and Standing Stones at Garmouth
        • Buckie High School
        • Gordon Castle
        • The Red Kirk, Mosstodloch
        • Winter Sun over the River Spey
        • The Northern Lights over Lochindorb
        • Springtime at Winding Walks, Fochabers
        • Pluscarden Abbey
        • Elgin Cathedral
        • The Old Bridge, Keith
        • Keith Town Station
        • Craigmin Bridge
        • Duffus Castle
        • Fordyce Castle and Kirk
        • Evening Light, Craigellachie
        • Inheritance
        • Our People
        • Still Is Our Land
        • The Canmore Engine Bridge, Alberta
        • 'The Castle' - Durham University College
        • Loch na Bo
      • Around Scotland >
        • Eilean Donan Castle
        • Loch Maree Sunset
        • Carrbridge
        • Lochnagar
      • Aviation Prints >
        • Typhoons on Patrol
        • Lossiemouth - Home of the P8
        • 32 (The Royal) Squadron
        • Lossiemouth Flypast
        • 'Remembering the Few'
        • Team Norway
        • Patrol's End
        • Homecoming
        • Pride of Moray
        • Jailbreak!
        • Texans over the Menai Strait
        • 51 Squadron 80th Parade and Flypast
        • Sea King Standby
        • Sentry: 30 Years of Service
        • Lancasters at War
        • Pumas' Desert RV
        • The Airborne Technician
        • The Navy Team
        • Team Lossiemouth
        • Pride of Moray Comes Home
        • 100 Years of US Naval Recon
        • Jaguars on the Break at Lossiemouth
        • Shadow Over Lincoln
        • Coming Home
        • P8: Protect, Serve, Defend
        • Lossiemouth Departure
        • Spitfire
        • The Cabs are Here!
        • Top Cover
        • Where She Belongs
        • Buccaneer Home
        • 120 Squadron - The First Hundred Years
        • 51 Squadron Centenary
        • 100 Years of 39 Squadron
    • Selected Commissions >
      • The Lodge
      • On Call
      • Oakbank
      • Laddie
      • It's a Dog's Life
      • Bramble
      • The Boys
      • Strathlene Shoreline
      • Sunset at West Beach
      • The Birch Woods
      • The Boys at Walla Crag
      • Speymouth View
      • June's House
      • A Nice Day For It!
      • Lady in Red
      • Three Amigos
      • No 42
      • East Beach Engagement
      • Reul A Chuain
      • Royal Dornoch Golf Course
      • Torridon Walk
      • Trev
      • A Forest Walk
      • Jack Russell
      • Spitfire and Texan
      • Nimrod MRA4
      • The Grey Lady
      • The Fisherman
      • The Escaping Airman
  • Rob's Blog
  • About
  • Framed Prints
  • Buying Our Work
  • What You Get
  • Contact Us
  • Shipping
  • Testimonials