Linton Lock Old Mill

I've been meaning to paint the old mill at Linton for a couple of years, and last friday afternoon I finally got around to it. It was a great day to be outside, painting. Lots of birds, including a pair of terns diving into the river, and I had a heron for company, feeding under the weir. No nettles this time, no flies, and no swan guano.
The painting is a little bit chocolate boxy, but overall, not too bad.

 The old mill at Linton.

 Early stages blocking in.

 The heron sat on a ledge. 

 In progress, in situ. 

 Adding the sky and water.

 Fly-past by  Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane. The Red Arrows flew past in formation earlier.

 Just about there.

 Ready to pack away.

 I sat and watched the heron feeding for a while. It was catching small fish.

 The sun was starting to go down by the time I finished. Plein air painting has to be fairly quick.

The finished painting.

Linton Lock Old Mill.

Oil on canvas off the old swing.

An Ice-Breaker: Almost Too Hot To Paint.

After humping* my portable(?) plein air easel across several fields to the path around the lake (Thorpe Underwood Estate), I tried to find the path. The easy and most direct route was blocked by a family of mute swans (2 parents and three juveniles), and I didn't fancy a: disturbing them, or b: wrestling them to get past. Have seen how big they are and how aggressive? So I decided that a tactical retreat was in order and would take the path in the other direction around the lake. The trouble is the path was completely overgrown, largely with nettles. Finally, bitten and stung, I set up and started to paint. Given that this is the first plein air painting I have done since last summer, it was all about (re)learning.. So there I was, stripped down to boxer shorts (not a pleasant sight) toiling in the hot sun, feeding the midges and large, ugly b****** flies. When it came time to pack up and leave, the swans were on the lake, so I was able to take the shorter route, through their 'rest area', picking my way through their abundant offerings (guano). Have you any idea how big swan sh*t is?
Rant over. Dodgy painting, but plenty of lessons learnt..and I did enjoy it......honestly.         

Here it is.
             

                  *Humping - British informal. carry a heavy object. NOT, Sara, what dogs do to your legs.

Thorpe Underwood Lake

Ouse Gill Beck.