Swithland Reservoir, still water. Photographs

Photographs of Swithland Reservoir: Vivien Blackburn

Yesterday morning was sunny with long shadows, clouds and a lovely light. I wanted to go out to take some photos and sketch in the morning - my husband decided to come but wouldn't go until the afternoon. So, of course, the sun went in!

I wanted particularly to look at this local reservoir - which for some reason I'd never been round. I'd checked the maps and a single track road went round one side of it.

The overcast skies actually made for some lovely light on the water that I think I can definitely get some work out of - minimalist and using that lovely limited colour range and sheen on the water. It started to rain and then we had a thunderstorm, so sketching was out of the question - for me anyway! and he-who-moans-when-bored wouldn't have been a happybunny sitting in the car watching the rain on the water.

(when new to driving, I ran the car battery flat by painting in pouring rain with the windscreen wipers on so I could see the sea - errrrm ..... without the engine running. Funny I thought - they are getting very sloooooow ....... cue AA man to rescue me with jump start!)







This reservoir is in Charnwood Forest, quite near the quarry I drew and painted earlier in the year in Swithland Woods - you can barely see the water now for the overhanging trees there.

The old bridge in the first picture carries a restored steam railway, The Great Central Way. They've used the station at Rothley as a set for quite a few films.

re: Frog Island - Deejay let me know that after my seeing my Frog Island sketches here and here, he walked along the canal to check it out before it changes forever, there was building work going on. It will be so sad to lose all these quirky old buildings to 'development'.

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