I recently managed a visit to London and thought I’d head for Tower Bridge and HMS Belfast (something I’ve fancied painting for a while). I was limited with the kit I could carry so had to keep the scale reasonably small with the pochade (as opposed to French easel). It was a grey day but I find grey days can offer just as much if not more interest, especially in terms of colour which isn’t cast into deep shadow or bleached out by the sun. To add a bit of spice to the challenge, HMS Belfast is painted with camouflage colours which make it blend with the surroundings……now there’s a nice little painterly problem to solve.

It was more detailed than I imagined but I still tried to simplifiy things down. I didn’t want to end up with a technical maritime piece…more a study of the subtle tone and colours. Hopefully I got some way there…it was cold though…the November wind really funnels along the Thames!