SURREY artist Chris Forsey gave Newton St Cyres Art Group members a demonstration in acrylic paint and acrylic inks of a seascape based on the North Cornwall coast on July 31.

Chris worked on mountboard painted with gesso for a textured surface. He had previously laid a thin coat of Cryla golden yellow acrylic as a ground. He worked from photos taken in the area.

After lightly sketching the composition he loosely painted the sky in indigo with a touch of purple dioxazine mixed with Galeria Matt medium to increase the flow.

He then mixed the purple with orange to create a brown shade for the cliffs.

He always starts with darker colours and shapes using a Rosemary flat brush. Payne grey and burnt umber FW acrylic inks were added to the cliff with a palette knife for texture. Cryla golden ochre and indigo made a soft green for grassy tops. The sky was revisited using indigo and white.

The same mix was used to lighten the beach and sea, and then the reflections of rocks were added.

The side of the brush was used to add pure white to the waves and breakers and a tooth brush to add spray to the rocks. Lastly Chris used the side of a palette knife to add grasses to the foreground and light here and there on the rocks.