by Chris | Apr 7, 2013 | Creative Projects
Creating a what? A Japanese album is sometimes known as an ‘accordion’ album, as the pages are joined zigzagging continuously throughout the book. This means that the whole album can be folded outwards to form one long strip of paper. Moleskine make them... read more
by Chris | Aug 10, 2012 | Paintings of Oxford
The Radcliffe Camera in Oxford is an irresistible subject for me. One of the finest buildings in the world, and a challenging perspective to attempt freehand. This angle is from Catte Street, and shows the church of St Mary the Virgin behind. I have tried to leave the... read more
by Chris | Jun 26, 2012 | Paintings of Italy
I promised myself this year that I would submit some paintings into public exhibitions, not just my own. This was partly to make myself try to paint to a higher standard, or at least try harder! So I painted this view of St.Mark’s Square and entered it for the... read more
by Chris | Jun 15, 2012 | Paintings of Italy
I wanted to paint something really bright and sunny again this week as our summer is a long time coming. So I’ve revisited an old favourite haunt in Venice, the square dominated by the Church of Saint Barnabas, which has found fame in popular culture by being... read more
by Chris | May 28, 2012 | Watercolour Paintings
Fishing Boats at St. Ives, Cornwall With all the beautiful sunny weather this week I just wanted to paint something really sunny and summery. Looking through an old sketch book I found a pen and ink drawing of some boats from when we were on holiday as a... read more
by Chris | Apr 19, 2012 | Paintings of London
The Shard nearly finished, April 2012 Yes the painting is nearly finished, but it was the subject I was referring to, known as The Shard. This is the most exciting architectural accomplishment of the decade in the City of London, and now the tallest building in... read more
by Chris | Mar 28, 2012 | Chedworth Roman Villa, Cotswold Paintings, Creative Projects
When a letter came through my door last Autumn inviting me to consider painting a wall in one of the most important Roman Villas in the country I was somewhat taken aback. What did I know about Roman Wall Painting? A major transformation project has been carried out... read more
by Chris | Jul 23, 2011 | Architectural Illustrations
OK so it’s a factory! But it’s a commission from a company who wanted a couple of paintings of their holding centres for a new showroom/lobby. So how to make a painting from an unpromising photograph? I enjoyed depicting the smartness of the building front to the... read more
by Chris | Apr 13, 2011 | Cotswold Paintings
Last Friday was the most beautiful warm and sunny Spring day so I packed up my paints to seek pastures new, and do some painting ‘en plein air’. I had not been down the Duntisbourne valley before (just west of Cirencester) but with daffodils lining the lanes it was... read more
by Chris | Apr 13, 2011 | Watercolour Paintings
Why do I like Malmesbury so much? The Abbey surely has much to do with it. I sang there with my choir (Wessex Male Choir) last year, and the atmosphere and acoustics were lovely. But in Spring weather such as we have had recently I decided to ‘get around’ to painting... read more
by Chris | Mar 17, 2011 | Watercolour Paintings
This is an unusual subject for me – a bridge on Exmoor, (but do you know which one?) It’s a famous one, and very old. I was commissioned to paint this as a birthday present for someone. I used burnt sienna as a base wash behind much of it which gives it the reddish... read more
by Chris | Feb 21, 2011 | Paintings of Oxford
I return to Oxford again and again to paint as I love architectural subjects, and Oxford contains some of the finest buildings in the world. I’m not sure this painting is completely finished yet, but with watercolour it’s usually best to stop while you’re winning, and... read more
by Chris | Feb 9, 2011 | Cotswold Paintings
Wishful thinking whilst we’re still in February, but I just painted this one for the cover of my ‘Cotswolds in Watercolour 2012’ Calendar, which needs to be printed soon, to be in the shops by Easter. I’ve painted this view a number of times before, but each time it... read more
by Chris | Jan 19, 2011 | Paintings of Oxford
It’s usually sunny in my paintings, but here there are people with umbrellas, and the mood is restrained and a little damp! I found a line drawing of this view in a drawer, which I drew many years ago, and realised that I never actually turned it into a painting. I... read more
by Chris | Jan 18, 2011 | Cotswold Snowscenes
The recent snow has inspired me to paint a number of snowscenes, and in this depiction of the Almshouses in Chipping Campden, I am revisiting a scene I have painted before. This is partly to contribute to an ‘Artist’s Guide to the Cotswolds’ on which I am working, and... read more
by Chris | Dec 14, 2010 | Cotswold Snowscenes
Eh? I hear you say, wait a minute, the left hand side of the painting is recognisable, but what is that building on the right? In fact the picture above is a painting by Chris Fothergill, but a very close copy of an ink and watercolour painting of the Market Place by... read more
by Chris | Dec 7, 2010 | Cotswold Snowscenes
Arlington Row, Bibury in the snow. I love painting snow, it’s so rewarding and pretty! But only from the comfort and warmth of my studio. Actually I did stand and do an drawing of the Bibury picture on the spot, but half an hour is enough. I have tried painting in the... read more
by Chris | Nov 25, 2010 | Cotswold Snowscenes
(This painting is a copy by me, in acrylic paints on canvas) Which is in fact ‘The Green, Northleach’ featuring Tudor House, home to Fothergills Gallery for 15 years from 1994 to 2010, to the left hand side of the painting! This painting by Lowry came to light... read more
by Chris | Oct 13, 2010 | Sketchbook Musings
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by Chris | Sep 15, 2010 | Sketchbook Musings
Yikes! My solo annual exhibition of paintings in the Westwoods Centre Northleach is only three weeks away! How did that happen? Will I pull it all together in time? I always get pre-exhibition nerves at this point, as it feels as though my soul will be on display to... read more