Chris Richards' Uploads

A colour sketch in preparation for a larger piece. The scene is from woodland very close to my home on a spring morning during last year's lockdown.

A colour sketch of Llyn Brianne in preparation for a much larger piece. The sketch was done in acrylic, but then I changed my mind and started the full-sized piece in oils.

My second oil painting of 2020. Hargate Forest in autumn morning light.

This was my first full-scale piece of 2020. One of my favourite locations in Wales.

A 4x6" colour sketch of Amroth Beach, Pembrokeshire in preparation for a much larger piece. The light that day was gorgeous, but the level of detail in the distance really could do with a larger canvas to make the most of it.

A 4x6" colour sketch of Sgwyd Gwladys in preparation for a much larger piece. Sgwyd Gwladys is a beautiful waterfall - one of many on the Neath 'Waterfall Country' walking route starting in Pontneddfechan.

A quick 4x6" colour sketch in did in preparation for a much larger painting. Llyn Y Fan Fach is one of my favourite locations in Wales.

Winter sun shines on walkers on Cefn Sidan beach, Carmarthenshire.

I've seen so many wonderful skies since returning to Wales. This one is dawn over the sleepy village of Llandybie.

Hail clouds rolling in over freshly ploughed fields. Acrylic 4x6".

This little acrylic was inspired by the autumn morning skies over Penrhos. My partner and I lived with her parents for a time while we renovated our first house. I used to hang out the 3rd floor window in the mornings to take reference shots of the skies.

Another tiny 4x6" acrylic. This one is of Rhossili Bay in the Gower - voted one of the top ten beaches in the world according to Trip Advisor.

I started painting with acrylics again towards the end of 2018. On 4x6" canvas wraps, they were so small, but so much fun to paint. I was pleased with this one except for the fact the magentas for the foxgloves weren't as vibrant as I hoped. The location that inspired it is Irfon Forest in Mid-Wales. I can't imagine it's a particularly touristy spot, but it's an absolute hidden gem with extensive views over the Brecon Beacons.

In late 2018, I started trying to be a bit more playful with art and experiment. This was a quick watercolour sketch I did. I'd like to revisit this one as a full watercolour painting.

A birthday card I drew for my partner not long after we first met. The dog is her Labrador, Jack looking over a slightly artistic licence version of Ystradgynlais.

Just playing with pastels. This one's tiny.

In late 2018, after some time not doing any artwork, I really wanted to get back into it. I fancied doing something different and invested in some soft pastels. This was my first go with them and it was a hell of a learning curve about how they adhere to the paper, and how they blend. I'm not really sure the pastels I was using were soft enough for the look I wanted, but I like how loose this one turned out.

One of my early oils from 2017. I was still getting used to the medium. I liked how the oils worked well for the misty distant hills, and I used glazing for the first time on the clouds.

I got a pack of loose watercolour paper from eBay in 2018. The side this was painted on had a really strange pitted texture on it. I thought it might be interesting but I didn't like the way the paint gathered in the pits. I just use it for sketching and testing colours these days.

Daler Rowney and Winsor Newton do a watercolour called Sepia. I absolutely love the tone of the Rowney one and had a play with it here. I'd really like to do a proper sepia painting some day.

Playing with quick, minimalist watercolour landscapes.