Sunrise – Falmouth Harbour

This was without doubt the most challenging painting I have ever tackled – bar none. So many lessons learned . . . achieving the luminosity in the sky was the challenge.

I like to think I can replicate most skies with a seven colour palette, but not with this one, I needed another red/pink I hadn’t used. A friend lent me the colour I needed to achieve the desired colour AND luminosity, but . . . the paint was a different brand to my normal and darkened on drying a lot more than I was used to.

Oils always dry darker than when applied, so you have to mix your paint allowing for this. I’d say my normal paints darken by about 5% when drying. The new brand dried about 20% darker, so impossible to guess. This meant on application it looked great, but became so intense overnight it looked completely wrong by the morning. When I finally realised what was happening, I managed to make better allowances for this and eventually over many, many tints, I achieved what I was hoping for.

When I got it right, the sense of relief was immense.

Now that it’s done and all the headaches are behind me, I’m delighted with the result. So many are familiar with this scene. Falmouth.

I look upon this painting as an achievement . . . and one I’m incredibly proud of.

A limited edition Giclée print from an original oil painting.