Continuing my hut theme, I was painting on Thursday with the Clifton Art Club at Doynton Old Rectory Gardens, Doynton, Gloucestershire. The gardens are amazing with many possible subjects but I had already planned to paint the Shepherds hut in the field. I chose this view to include the lovely old oak in the background and a bonfire lit by the gardeners. I was sheltering by the hedge from the strong sun which meant the large blank wall was nearest to me so I have added an extra window to break up this featureless space.

I usually carry around my tobacco tin sketching set and a small sketchbook wherever I go.
This lightweight homemade set of 20 watercolours and kit in one tin means there is no excuse to do nothing.
A layer of thick plastic (melinex)  separates paint from brushes and acts as palette. I can fit in 11 items (a wetting out brush, 3 sables, 2 reversible brushes, an HB pencil, rubber, sharpener, and 2 grades of black watercolour pencil). No room for water, which I carry in a miniature drinks bottle plus a soya sauce bottle for individual drops.

At the moment I'm trying out a Royal Watercolour Society Fabriano Artistico sketchbook. A plastic sheet keeps the  paper below dry when painting. I've just sawn up my watercolour pencils so I can take a mini set to France. I tested them out on this View of Glastonbury Tor from Draycott Slates last week but they don't work as well as I hoped on this paper. Despite being hot pressed paper it still has more texture than the Sennelier Grande Luxe sketch book I normally like to use.

Driving up to Scotland for our holiday, we camped at Loch Earn in Perthshire where I did these loch-side oak trees just bursting into leaf.
Nearing Loch Earn in the evening we were excited to see a young pine marten cross the road. Next morning we saw two red squirrels chasing each other.

'Cake Shop' road signs take you to a special destination at Inshriach Alpine Nursery at the bottom of the Cairngorms near Aviemore. Interesting plants, lovely gardens for painting and fabulous homemade cakes, tea or coffee in the 'Potting Shed Tearoom' with views of red squirrels, woodpeckers and various small birds.  For my birthday we spent a week at their Gardeners Cottage.

On the first days oil painting I got as far as three shades of blue flowers from the same blue poppy. I had pre-primed this panel with cerulean blue Artisan oil paint. A Ferrero Rocher chocolate box is ideal for transporting wet 8x8" oil paintings held in place with masking tape loops.

Unfortunately the weather was very windy, cold and rainy at times on most days so I did not get as far with my outdoor painting as I had hoped. Although it was June, a fairer description would be April Showers. The season was late with some daffodils and primroses still out. We did manage several walks, including to Loch an Eilein and up Cairngorm where I got good close up photos of a ptarmigan.

Having visited several times before for cake, I knew there were two subjects  I wanted to paint - the blue poppies by the stream and the pond surrounded by trees. But there are plenty of other subjects with many interesting plants, sheds and outbuildings.

The nursery is closed two days a week which was great for sitting out painting undisturbed, and if rainy there are the greenhouses to shelter in. For my birthday painting I was able to sit inside the cake shop and shelter from the wind to paint  'Viewing the bird feeders'. There are chaffinches and a red squirrel. Normally you would enjoy this view while eating cake.

I mainly use Artisan Oil paint  as you can clean your brushes in water and it does not stink out the house/car while on location. However water splashes can ruin your image if it rains before your paint has dried. A fair proportion of this painting of the pond was done with me holding up my umbrella over the picture.

There were views out of the cottage windows with roe deer and snipe in the marsh below and red squirrels and woodpeckers on our own peanut feeder so I could attempt drawing squirrels and birds. We even had a badger visit. On the one constantly rainy day I was able to paint this view of the rear shed with Inshriach fields behind from indoors.

Cakes, birds, animals, scenic walks and painting subjects. The only thing missing was the warm weather which arrived the following week.
We don't have to go as far for the cakes in future as the owners daughter makes the same recipes for Emmelines in Abergavenny.