I so enjoyed painting this view last week that I felt it merited another go but this time larger, so this is a half imperial sized painting from a slightly different angle:
I was quite pleased with how this turned out. My aim with the different angle was to help maintain the viewer’s focus on the centre of the painting by including the lamp. I hoped that this would stop the viewers eye from being drawn out of the painting on the right hand side.
Here are the two recent paintings of this view side by side for ease of comparison:
Sunshine on the Southbank, London 
Sunshine on the Southbank, London (II)
I like both of these paintings, albeit probably for slightly different reasons. What I do like about them both is that they are both evocative of London’s Southbank and certainly remind me of the atmosphere there during our brief visit. I’d welcome other people’s thoughts on these about which of them they prefer: with the lamp or without the lamp?
I was about to start on a third view of this scene, this time a landscape version, but at the 12th hour I thought better of it and decided to do a quick study of something else instead. This is a view looking up at the front of Tate Britain to one of the statues that tops the steps of the main entrance:
In retrospect, I wish I’d stuck with my original intention and gone for the landscape view of the South Bank! Fortunately, this didn’t take long so it’s no great loss!
In other news…
I was pleased – and a little relieved – to finish and deliver a commission that I’ve been working on lately. It’s a present that isn’t due to be delivered to it’s recipient until the end of July, until when I’ve been sworn to secrecy! Hopefully, if I remember, and if it’s well received, I’ll share it here as and when I’m allowed!
I was also delighted to sell another couple of paintings to a collector in Wales. These paintings are currently in transit and, all being well, I’ll share them once I know that the collector is happy with them!
Finally, it’s been brought to my attention that Jackson’s Art Supplies have re-introduced The Frazer Price Palette Box. Now long time readers will know that this is my favoured sketching palette and that I’ve been championing it for many years now!
It’s great that it’s finally been brought back into production and that many others may now be able to enjoy painting with this wonderful palette!
From a purely selfish point of view, it does mean that the value of my collection of the original palettes, of which I think I have three, has taken a massive nose dive! I’d previously seen some of the original palettes changing hands on Ebay for well over £200, but who’s going to pay that now when you can get a brand new one for £100! Ah well, there goes my daughter’s inheritance!
On the plus side, the interest generated by Jacksons reintroducing this palette has led to quite a surge in views of my video review of the palette.
The graph below shows the views of my Frazer Prize Palette Box Video on YouTube from when I uploaded it a few years ago until today! You can see the spike in the past few weeks as more people have been watching my video review. It’s basically been driven by people watching the videos by Jackson’s Art Supplies, or reading it about on their site, and then looking around for some more information about them.
I’ve love to hear from anyone that does buy one of these palettes!
In the meantime, I’m off to track down my next subject matter!
9 thoughts on “‘Sunshine on the Southbank II’ watercolour painting”
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Yhe new Frazer Price Boxes will hardly lower the value of yours as the new ones are plated in brass. Note timely made of brass. As an owner of a Craig Young, I was disappointed to see that as I would have happily added it to my collection.
Thanks so much for this as I had realised that these new ones were brass plated, rather than solid brass! Makes me feel a lot better about the original ones that I have – thank you!
Evening John,
Great paintings, as usual, I agree that both have their merits, I prefer the one with the lamp as it does what you intended without drawing too much attention to itself, and it also screams Southbank. However I prefer all of the figures in the original, I feel they draw me in a bit more.
Interesting to see what the Frazer Price will do, I did look at the review on the Jacksons site, but as things would have it I only did this because I was comparing it to your latest palette acquisition the Binning Monro which I remembered feeling slightly jealous about :-). I have an early Windsor and Newton plastic field box and I have to say I do love it for it’s compactness. It has been around the world with me and is robust and lightweight, but there is something alluring about those beautiful brass boxes and the problem with the new one is it comes in at £125 and is Electroplated rather than solid brass. So if I was getting one I’d still be looking for an original and I don’t think the release of these new ones will affect the price of the old ones other than push them up further as people are inspired by the new but want the old.
Cheers,
Warren
Hi Warren and many thanks for this. I think I’m with you on the figures on the two different Southbank paintings. That first one, without the lamp post just feels a bit more immediate and I think the figures play a large part in that. Thanks too for your insights on the new Frazer Price Palette! I hadn’t realised that they’re electroplated rather than solid brass. They should still last a lifetime (especially if I were to buy one at my age!) but it does give me some comfort about the original ones that I have! Ultimately though, I think it’s what you feel comfortable with and I like the fact that you have a favourite palette that’s travelled with world with you. I think that familiarity and attachment is hard to beat! Many thanks Warren, much appreciated.
Great news about the FP palette, more folk can enjoy one, but maddening for you! But yours are Original, different brass, worth a fortune. Hold onto that thought! As for the South Bank, my vote goes to the lamp! All the best, Patricia
Hi Patricia and thanks so much for this! Glad you like the lamp version (especially as the landscape view of this scene that I have in mind also includes the lamp!) As for our Frazer Prices, yes, hopefully we can both take some comfort in the knowledge that we have originals. Many thanks Patricia
Wonderful paintings!
Thanks so much for your kind comments, I really appreciate it!