Comments for John Haywood Watercolours

Comment on My first ever front cover! by John Haywood

John Haywood — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 22:47:18 +0000

In reply to Bill. Thanks so much for this Bill, I really appreciate it!

Comment on Some green shoots! by John Haywood

John Haywood — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 22:37:38 +0000

In reply to Rob Ellis. Thanks so much for this Rob, I really appreciate it! This latest version is probably closer to the original reference photo in terms of colour. I do know what you mean about that improbable glimpse of sky. It doesn’t look as if it should be there does it! It is in the reference, so it’s more down to my execution than anything!

Comment on Some green shoots! by Rob Ellis

Rob Ellis — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 08:18:50 +0000

Both brilliant, John, but I particularly like the freshness of the green in B. I seem to spend half my life trying to paint this sort of thing – unsuccessfully! One small caveat; I can’t get my brain to see the blue gap in the trees as a gap in the trees! Why? I don’t know…

Comment on My first ever front cover! by Bill

Bill — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 16:53:15 +0000

Congratulations — very evocative painting!

Comment on Testing times by Rob Ellis

Rob Ellis — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 09:26:34 +0000

If it helps, I often find myself struggling to finish a painting but I just tell myself it’s a MAWGUN (pronounced Morgan) Moment = “might as well give up now” and, since I know I always get them in the middle of any painting, I push on through and the end is normally okay. When it feels difficult to enthuse about even starting a painting, I look for a complete change. For example, I’ll switch to a pen-and-ink drawing or just a pencil drawing or two in order to face myself with new challenges. Or I’ll find a new challenge in a new kind of subject – something I haven’t successfully painted before. So, for example, I’ll go from portraits to landscapes or animals or full-length portraits or even still-life. Another challenge is a texture or material that I haven’t really painted before – could even be a particular type of sky. One of these will usually freshen things up until I find something that I’m desperate to paint again. Good luck!

Comment on All hands on deck! by Rob Ellis

Rob Ellis — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 22:54:34 +0000

Man the pumps! Actually, I assumed the painting was you delivering paintings to an exhibition… Excellent figure work, by the way.

Comment on Binning Monro watercolour palette by The Little Brass Box Company by Creature Carl

Creature Carl — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 18:20:39 +0000

Just scored a pristine Little brass box binning munro locally. The cheapest midlife crisis gift I could possibly give myself. Cheaper than a Leica MP camera anyway. The paintbox is actually a lot nicer than I thought it would be. The finishing and enamel was much better than I expected for being a handmade box. Now i just have to dedicate more time to actually painting. If anyone is on the fence, just buy one.

Comment on Exciting exhibition news! by John Haywood

John Haywood — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 11:51:03 +0000

In reply to Louise. Thanks so much Louise, this is all really kind of you and I’m so pleased you like these! I sometimes wish I could give up work and just paint, but with the amount of paintings that I sell I’d most likely be hungry and homeless very quickly! xx

Comment on Exciting exhibition news! by Louise

Louise — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 23:43:00 +0000

That’s good news John! Wish I could get down to see. Have to say I love your puddles! 😂 that ditch at the bottom of your post is great, but I love the waterlogged painting already. What a pity you can’t just give up work and paint! Good luck with the show xx

Comment on A grey day watercolour painting by John Haywood

John Haywood — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 07:03:47 +0000

In reply to Rob Ellis.

Hi Rob and thanks for all of this! I shall correct my ‘institute’ error straight away but will undoubtedly be blaming my looming rejection on this transgression! As for the tonal sketches… you’re quite right – some bear much closer resemblance to the final painting than others. In this case, the sketch was probably closer to my original photo which was very dark – and when I started painting I thought that by trying to go so dark might not work so well. I’m finding the sketches really helpful for working out colour mixes as I do them and for working out ‘what’s most important’. When I start painting, the sketch is helpful but the painting usually ends up taking on a life of its own. Good luck for today’s announcement Rob – my fingers are crossed for both of us!