and here's the finished piece in watercolour with body colour and aquarelle pencil highlights. This took a little longer than most of my watercolours in the application of colour in this night scene. For example, the foreground grass was achieved in about four washes to achieve the depth of tone and gradation, as with the sky. About A3 size on Saunders Waterford 140Ib NOT.

for a watercolour night scene of Winchester Cathedral. I've drawn in and around the cathedral several times and I'm basing this view on a photograph I took one evening in early spring a few years ago. (The fulll moon is positioned just to the right of the right-hand finial). About A3 size on Saunders Waterford 140Ib NOT.

I'm in the envious position (some would say) of having no pressing commissions for watercolour illustrations so it's time to self-indulge - here's one of Lisbon Cathedral from 2005. I'm thinking of more like this...? Image size approx. 360 x 280mm on Saunders Waterford 140Ib NOT.

and one from the archives that I did soon after the launch of my website in 2011 - doesn't time fly! St Michael's Church, Southampton's oldest building still in use today, is a Grade 1 Listed building founded in 1070 and situated in the medieval walled town.

Watercolour showing a view of a typical "type 22" design discovered on Hayling Island. Hexagonal in shape, these were positioned on various strategic vantage points throughout the country to appose the threat of a German invasion. This one had the opening enlarged so the landowner could make use of it. The distant view seen to the right through the trees is of Portsmouth. Image size 340 x 500mm on Saunders Waterford 140Ib NOT watercolour paper.

and showing the completed artwork. Image size 340 x 500mm on Saunders Waterford 140Ib NOT watercolour paper.

and completing the left-hand side of the picture (as I'm right-handed) to bring the grassy area to the foreground. The pillbox itself was rendered using very wet into wet washes using a range of colours: Cerulean blue, French ultramarine, Alizarin crimson, Yellow ochre, Neutral tint and Light red all blending together to create the decayed and textured concrete and completed with a fine brush for detail. The white painted notice was rendered using French ultramarine, Burnt sienna and Yellow ochre and acts as a welcome contrast to the dark shadows and background. Basic washes have been laid to build-up the grass in the foreground ready for detail work including the use of opaque body colour for highlights.

showing a view of a lockgate on the Oxford Canal at Napton on the Hill with an adjacent Second World War pillbox. Taken from photographs during my recent canal boating holiday, this watercolour piece is for a future exhibition on Britain's WW2 defences to resist a German invasion of England.

showing a proposal for the conversion of old farm buildings

showing a street scene of a proposedhousing development

I seldom post my commercial work but I enjoyed working on this aerial view and subsequent individual views of each plot. The aerial view was set-up traditionally by hand with the help of drone photos of the existing site. The brief was to show the rural position and surrounding landscape of the site. The building and gardens in the centre left foreground is existing. Watercolour over pencil on 90Ib Canson Aquarelle Montval - the aerial view is 230 x 570mm.

from Southampton Water showing the old chapel once part of the hospital at Netley Abbey. I did this originally in 2013 and worked it up a little for a recent sale. Watercolour over pencil, 248 x 387mm on 140Ib NOT hand-made paper from the original Wookey Hole paper mill.

of a pretty stone-built cottage near to Morecombe Bay Lancashire. Watercolour on 140Ib Arches NOT (Cold Pressed) paper at 247 x 387mm

and a watercolour showing an evening setting at the UEA student halls. 210 x 370mm on 140Ib Arches NOT (Cold Pressed) watercolour paper.

I still have a few signed copies of my book at the discounted price of £15.00 + 1st class postage (inland @ £3.45 - still cheaper than rrp!). Let me know if you would like one!

to my book launch on Thursday - come and say hello - everyone welcome!

and the final building of the commission. Showing the two stages of the drawing, the Assembly Roxy in Roxburgh Place dates back to the early twentieth century when it was built as a parish church to replace an old chapel. It is now used as an events and performance venue and is part of the Assembly Festival at the Edinburgh Fringe. Drawn from numerous photographs taken on-site and using Google maps and Street View. Image size 200 x 680mm on stretched Canson Montval Aquarelle 85Ib NOT paper.

All welcome!

Work started on the Assembly Hall in Edinburgh in 1846 as a theological college and home for the Free High Church and eventually the United Free Church of Scotland. Today it is used by Assembly Festival as a venue each August as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The artwork is a measured elevation drawing from the original architects' plans drawn at 450 x 630mm size on stretched 85Ib Canson Montval Aquarelle NOT watercolour paper.

An advance copy of my book has just arrived - make a note in your diary for the book launch on Thursday 31st May from 6.00 to 9.00pm at Anise Gallery, 13a Shad Thames London SE1 2PU

The Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh was designed by John Henderson and opened in 1787 as a meeting place for social gatherings and is now used as an arts venue for public events. It is one of a commission to illustrate four buildings in the City most notably used to host performances in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The artwork is a measured elevation drawing from architects' plans drawn at 320 x 680mm size on stretched 85Ib Canson Montval Aquarelle NOT watercolour paper over 4 to 5 days.

showing a recent commercial piece - my usual subject of vernacular-style buildings with traditional materials to the Peterborough region. This one took a while due to the presence of the Great Crested Newt! I still set these perspectives up by hand as I know what I will get and I prefer to draw than sit at my computer (I do use SketchUp from time to time).

Good to see my illustrations being put to good use in this article in Dwell magazine for Pearsons Estate Agents - nice one Rockit Design!

I started this one as a demo piece for my one-day residency at the Spice Island Art Trail back in June. With a few hours on my hands I thought I'd better finish it before teaching and commercial work takes over. Its from a photo I took walking up to the chapel in the Royal Victoria Country Park. The weather was quite changeable and I have tried to reflect this in the sky and light effect. 37 x 29 cm on 140Ib Waterford NOT

Aerial view of Fordingbridge Hospital due for conversion into residential accomodation. An interesting commission, my brief was to portray the existing listed building in proposed landscaping. Originally a workhouse the building was designed in the Queen Anne style and has a date stone of 1885.

Here is the third of my London buildings commission. Channel 4's headquarters at 124 Horseferry Road was designed by Richard Rogers and completed 20 years ago - 8 years after his Lloyd's building. This presented me with a real challenge in order to represent the building both accurately and aesthetically - you can judge the result for yourself... Done on Saunders Waterford 140 Ib NOT at 570 x 380 mm.

This is the second of the London buildings commission. The RSA building in John Adam Street is the home of The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce. It was designed by the Adam brothers and completed in 1774 as part of their innovative Adelphi scheme. An interesting fact is that the statues above the pediment and the wall plaques are not original. These were left off at the time due to cost restrictions and the plaques were added in 1980 and the statues in 1994. The artwork measures 500 x 360 mm.

A commission (from my son!) of this remote 17th century building in the south of France which he visited this year. Done from his photographs on Arches 140Ib paper 340 x 460 mm

This view is looking west and shows the existing tree and buildings in the background. Notice the rills which are designed to bring water from the pond to irrigate the garden.

This view was set-up as a 3D model using SketchUp and shows the view looking north towards the entrance to the existing rose garden. The emphasis in this view is the water feature and to predict how the cherry trees canopy will provide shade to visitors strolling the gardens.

I did a series of visuals for Dan Lobb, garden designer extraordinaire a few months ago and here are the results. Dan is a Gold Medal winner at Hampton Court Show and was short listed for this design competition to 3 finalists. Dan's brief was to create an innovative design for the soon to be restored walled garden at Mottisfont. Unfortunately as I write this has been put on hold and is awaiting further funding. Good luck Dan!

I started this a while ago as a result of a conversation I had with someone in the Oceans shop in Southampton. Oceans opened earlier this year as a souvenir shop and restaurant and houses an exhibition space celebrating the maritime history of the docks and cruise ships visiting the City. They sell my postcards of Westgate Hall and Tudor House and it was suggested I did one of the memorial as well. So here it is! Done on Arches 140Ib NOT surface at approx 280 x 400mm

Walking past the Cenotaph I snapped a photo on my iphone and did this in my studio. For a change I have included passers by to give a sense of scale. The Cenotaph is the only structure in the city designed by Lutyens and was influencial on the design of the Cenotaph in Whitehall. Unveiled in 1920 it was originally dedicated to the fallen of the First World War. Done on 140Ib Saunders Waterford NOT paper in around 6 hours.

The SAI exhibition opens on 21 April at the Anise Gallery Shad Thames London. All welcome at the reception on 20 April from 5 to 8.00 pm. http://www.anisegallery.co.uk/stories-in-light-and-line/

Happy New Year to one and all!

To start the year I've just completed this watercolour for my friends Jess and Matt. It's taken from a photograph that Jess took whilst in New York in 2008 and has been a long time coming (finally got round to it Jess!). It's been a while since I visited the Big Apple - April 1969 to be exact - which was only 10 years after Frank Lloyd Wright's building was opened - and it looks as stunning as it did then. It was taken over the Christmas period thus the seasonal canopy over the entrance.

For the first time ever Anise Gallery will be exhibiting a collection of art works by members of the Society of Architectural Illustration (SAI), the world’s oldest and most prestigious architectural illustrators organisation.With a keen interest and passion in illustration, Anise Gallery is excited to have this unique opportunity to bring together the leading architectural artists, illustrators, model makers, animators and photographers in one show.The art works on display will span from traditional watercolours and pencil sketches to CGIs and photo real imagery reflecting the diversity in disciplines that the SAI as an organisation represents and encourages.

April 22 to May 20 2012. For more info go to: http://www.anisegallery.co.uk/?page_id=46

I can't seem to avoid Mottisfont and here's another sketch I did the other day. This time a full frontal! I arrived early on a very grey and overcast morning to meet colleagues and students from BA(Hons) Illustration course at Solent University for a day's drawing. I had around an hour and a half before they would arrive so sat on a conveniently placed bench and did this. The challenge was to make the view come to life even without sunlight and shadows - I added the lawn stripes for effect. Looking forward to the spring weather so I can get outside more - it's been a long winter!

I am thrilled to announce the opening of my exhibition at Southampton Solent University with a reception on Thursday 27 October at 6.00 pm. A Point of View is an exhibition of my recent watercolour studies including local views of Southampton's heritage buildings. The show continues until 7 January 2012.

Here's the finished watercolour. The view is the same as the sketch but worked up from photographs taken on the day. I have tried to capture the drama of the castle against the lightening sky with the sun casting much of the building in its own shadow. Stokesay Castle stands proud in the valley of the river Onny just north of Ludlow. It was clearly designed to charm both its owners and onlookers when it was built in the late 13 century and is a visual treat of vernacular building today. This took nearly three days to paint but was worth the time and effort.

This is a departure from recent work posted. After visiting Stokesay Castle in Shropshire here is a location sketch I did - finished watercolour to follow.

Drawing on location is a sure way to recharge batteries and put all those worries aside. Drawing and sketching "en plein air" can be a most theraputic experience and a few hours spent at The Hospital of St Cross certainly provided this. The Hospital is part of several Grade 1 listed buildings in the serene and tranquil village of St Cross near Winchester including almshouses and a church dating back to 1132. Here you can compare my waterclour sketch, drawn in about two and a half hours, with a painting completed in the studio done from photographs taken on the day. I didn't quite get the proportions of the tower right - have to be more observant in future!