cumbria – Graeme Skinner

For future reference

Graeme Skinner — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:39:50 +0000

There can never be too many reference photographs can there These are for when my hand decides it’s ready to use a paint brush again, when we went for a wander at Long Meg the grass looked like it would work in an illustration or two.

Lowther

Graeme Skinner — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 11:19:05 +0000

It’s been a long long time since I was last on the grounds at Lowther Castle, I’m guessing over 30 years and it was known as Lowther Park (or something similar) and was very different than it is today – in fact I can’t remember exactly where the previous park was located in relation to the castle. Anyway, being at a bit of a loose end at the moment Julie suggested we visit Lowther Castle as it’s close by and the weather was nice. Most of the photographs are for my reference when I can draw and paint again….

Well it’s been a while

Graeme Skinner — Sun, 31 May 2026 14:27:38 +0000

I’ve not painted in far too long, it hurts to paint which is rather annoying when I enjoy the time with a paintbrush as it’s a good opportunity to switch off the brain anyway I decided to try and paint something a week or so ago, luckily I could manage a few minutes at a time before the niggling pains stopped play. As it’s been a while since I painted anything I wanted to go back to basics and grabbed a 25x18cm piece of paper, some cobalt blue and raw umber watercolour, and some white gouache for a painting of the sea at Silloth, Cumbria.

A drift of balloons

Graeme Skinner — Sat, 30 May 2026 12:50:21 +0000

I was pottering in the garden early this morning when I noticed a nice drift of hot air balloons in the distance, so I grabbed the camera

Hyacinthoides non-scripta

Graeme Skinner — Sun, 10 May 2026 11:33:27 +0000

In search of bluebells….

Quick trip out to wander amongst some bluebells, some of the woodland was private so we looked from afar

From Little to Long Meg

Graeme Skinner — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:18:39 +0000

We’ve searched for Little Meg Stone Circle a couple of times and walked past it without seeing it so the other day we decided it was the time to find it at last. Luckily it was nice weather for a wander and we found it easily (it helps to look up the location before you head out). It’s quite a small group of stones, and the prehistoric rock art was difficult to see, but it was still worth visiting.

We then left Little Meg behind and walked round to St Michael & All Angels Church which I’d not visited before.

We found a hobbit listed there

We then headed off down the footpath and ended up at Long Meg…

In reference to…

Graeme Skinner — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 16:03:42 +0000

I was in need of some crashy wave reference photographs, and as it was windy and the tide was in we headed out. Sadly when we got there it was also in pounding with heavy, icy rain so we only spent a couple of minutes out of the car.

Wandering

Graeme Skinner — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 10:36:38 +0000

A few snaps from our morning wander, some I took just for reference

Fjall

Graeme Skinner — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 15:25:59 +0000

A Quick(ish) watercolour in an attempt to switch my brain off for a while, I picked a random Lake District reference photo and splattered some paint

Lakeland, A4 Watercolour

A mixed bag

Graeme Skinner — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 15:35:35 +0000

As my head is now fried here’s a mixed bag from yesterday (when we timed some drives from different parts of the area to see if we could live there or not and still get to places we need to be), and some from today on the coast blowing some cobwebs away….

Taken in my perpetual search for the Shire (and somewhere to dig a nice Hobbit hole and hide with a good book or two).