This is the preliminary sketch from the photograph. Very quickly done, as I have dropped behind with this particular picture, probably because there is no deadline on this one. As I said before, I am just painting these forts for my own amusement
There is very little detail drawn in so far. This is just a basic framework put in with the grid ready to transfer onto watercolour paper, which hopefully will ensure that the perspective is correct, and that everything goes into the right place. I quite like finishing the drawing straight onto the surface that is going to be painted. It just feels more immediate that way
I have started to have a few thoughts on colour. I think I will go right across with a mix of cobalt and pthalo blue. Let that dry hard and glaze the sea with another coat of pthalo blue. The horizon line is quite low, so there won’t be too much of that
When that is hard, I could put in the shadows perhaps this time with a mix of cerulean blue and violet, just to show where they are. When that,too, is hard, give the metal work a glaze of pthalo green as a base colour. That should set me up for having a crack at all that rust and dirt and seaweed. The shadows can be deepened up with a dark brown
Once I get those base colours in, then things will get more interesting, I am sure
offtoafineart 
I meant to write after your first post about this subject matter which I think is brilliant – but because I also have a personal connection with these sea forts. I spent some time living in Whitstable and did a number of boat trips out to the sea forts off the coast there and your last post brought it all vividly back to me! So much so I did a quick search on google images for the Whitstable sea forts as I thought I may try my own approach on the same subject matter. Still not convinced I’ll give it a go yet but wanted to thank you for reminding me of them, and to wish you well with your painting – I look forward to following its progress!
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Thank you, John. I found them an interesting subject but wasn’t sure that anyone else would. It was some years ago that we went to see them sailing out of the Pool of London, as I may have said. Interesting that trips were run out of Whitstable, and maybe still are. I could imagine them going from the end of Southend Pier too. It was a fascinating trip, and vaguely weird as you got close to them and viewed them in silence. people were just overawed by them
So far, I have transferred the drawing to watercolour paper and spent some time last night finishing off the drawing freehand. I might well get a base coat on this evening, and then see how the colours work. I will do some work-in-progress posts anyway. I just do not know how this painting will finish up. Could be a disaster! Thanks again for your interest
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Thanks David – I also remember a certain eeriness when up close to them –
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Sorry David – pressed send prematurely! But was just echoing your experience of them. I’m working on something at the moment but when I’ve finished I might have a look on google images to see if there’s anything there that fires my imagination to do a companion piece to yours!
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I will look forward to seeing what you come up with!
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