This is the finished picture of the hotel
The lights and darks helped this painting enormously, which was why I was so grateful for the sun shining just long enough for me to get a shot telling me where they were
The chimneys were hexagonal so each side had a different tonal value. They were fiddly and not sure now whether they were completely accurate, but from the point of view of giving an illusion of their shape, they seemed to work
I used raw sienna mixed with Naples yellow for the sunlit building and also for the path, which is my favourite mix for giving the appearance of sun on stone. The path was a gift for the composition, that bright open gateway surrounded by dark shadow.
Another problem was the plethora of green in the foreground. I used three different mixes which seemed to work, as well as some different plant shapes. The violet flower clump broke some of it up, and that good old favourite, red spots dotted here and there helped to take the eye
I have started to use the odd bit of pastel to get myself out of trouble where I might need a bright light colour over a dark background. I find that is a useful device and a nice change from gouache which isn’t always successful anyway
Will I have to call myself a mixed media artist? I don’t think so
offtoafineart 
absolutely beautiful David 🙂
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Thank you Margaret
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ABSOLUTELY stunning! Words simply fail me. Could you please be kind and give an account of the beautiful gardens? Especially what are in those eleven sections of the garden.
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The eleven sections at Gravetye Manor are, as I remember, the Flower garden which was the view I painted, and which is very much in bloom at the moment. The Azalea Bank, the Croquet Lawn, the Wild garden, and the Kitchen garden usually enclosed within a brick wall to create an eco climate, and which originally would have provided all the soft fruit and vegetables to the house. The Glasshouses, the Orchard, the Wild Flower Meadow, the Upper Lake, the Little garden, in the front of the hotel, and the East garden. I didn’t go there so not sure what that is. Hope that helps
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Merci, monsieur.
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De rien
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Such a wonderful inspiring painting, once again. Thank you so much for sharing.
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thank you Christine. Nice to hear from you
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Hi-David , My great great grand-father John Turner owned Gravetye from 1850 till 1870,
it was the home my great grandad James Warner Turner grew up in before jumping on a ship
at 20 years of age and coming to Australia.
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Gravetye is a lovely hotel and must have been a lovely home. It was a privilege to be commissioned to paint this beautiful house, by a couple who enjoyed their stay there so much, that they wanted to commemorate it with a painting.
Thank you for providing this piece of your family history. Really fascinating
Thanks again, Bill
David
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