For the first of the monthly painting projects, I thought we’d start with one of the iconic locations on Skye, Talisker Bay. With its dark sand, masses of pebbles, and sea stack, it’s a very paintable location, and a favourite of mine.
This is the January 2019 painting project’s reference photo, to be the inspiration for a painting. The style, medium, and size of painting are up to you. Click on the photo to get the largest version of it or go here.
When you’ve finished your painting, email me a photo on
art(at)marion(dot)scot
for inclusion in a photo gallery at the end of the month, ideally with a few sentences about it (think: things you might say when talking to a friend about the painting). I’ll post photos with first names only, unless you ask me otherwise. Seeing what different people have done from the starting point is interesting, intriguing and inspiring.
What would be my starting point? Thumbnails considering options. Then choice of medium. For me this location lends itself to continuous line drawing with ink, but also to texture paste and acrylics. Also to a limited palette of Prussian blue, burnt umber and white, which together give a beautiful range of greys.

The two paintings in the photos above I did once I decided which photo to use for January’s painting project. Studio cat Ghost said he couldn’t decide which he liked most and went to sleep on my lap. The one on the left is done with acrylics, working with opaque colour, mostly dark to light. The one on the right with acrylic ink, working in transparent layers.
________________
You can become a Project Patron and view the exclusive project content when it’s published here. It also includes the option of a short critique of your painting if you wish.
For Project Patrons:
- Painting Project January 2019: Talisker Bay Thumbnails
- Painting Project January 2018: Demo Talisker Bay