Ballet Dancer adjusting her Shoe

Artists have always enjoyed painting dancers for the beauty and elegant lines they create. One of the most famous painters of dancers is, of course, Degas, who sketched and drew them in pastel countless times.

He is my inspiration in visiting the subject over and again. What holds my attention is the subtle changes of direction in the line of arms and legs and how to express that in watercolour.

I prepared for this watercolour painting by making a line drawing in pencil first to familiarise myself with the pose.

ballet dancer adjusting her shoe, watercolour

St Helen's Church, Wheathampstead, watercolour

This is another painting inspired by my visit to Wheathampstead. I really liked this church; its spire is quite unusual for our region of England but I saw a few more like it when traveling across Northern France, so assume it must be Norman in influence. 

St Helen's Church watercolour