Occasional thoughts and comments on watercolour painting and sketching. You can sign in to this page so your comments will have a username, or just comment as 'Guest'. Names do help discussions though... :o)

Painting 'vertically'.

Painting demonstrations sometimes need different tactics so people can see -which brings some interesting puzzles!

Danny McShane

Sep 32 min read

Loosening Up

I'm often asked how to paint more loosely - this is what I usually say .

Danny McShane

Sep 28 min read

And Repeat...

While there's no shortage of subjects to paint, painting the same thing a few times can be fascinating.

Danny McShane

Aug 112 min read

Plastic Palette Mod for easier mixing

A simple mod to a popular plastic palette to give deeper dishes for mixing larger washes

Danny McShane

Jul 113 min read

Taking the website name literally? 😂

Paul Dodd, a fellow painter more tech savvy than I am, sent me this .gif made of elements from some of my recent paintings. I'm more than...

Danny McShane

Feb 21 min read

My Colours

The colours I use in my paintings

Danny McShane

Nov 9, 20245 min read

Simple Lightweight Sun/Rain Shade for Plein Air

Summer had been threatening to appear but seems to have disappeared back behind rainy forecasts for July, but when the sun does shine the...

Danny McShane

Jul 1, 20243 min read

Urban Sketching

Fill a sketchbook and discover your surroundings.

Danny McShane

Jun 9, 20246 min read

Half Rigged Clipper

Painting a sailing Clipper from imagination on a Full Imperial sheet.

Danny McShane

May 30, 20243 min read

Outside In? An Indoor Plein Air Demo.

Stonehaven Art Club invited me to give a talk and demo on plein air watercolour and the puzzle was always going to be how to illustrate...

Danny McShane

Apr 13, 20244 min read

My Instagram was hacked

UPDATE 2: 10 April '24. I've bitten the bullet and started a new Instagram page under the username dannymcshane365 (you can't re-use one...

Danny McShane

Mar 23, 20242 min read

Warm Bare Hands for Painters

As it turns wintery, plein air painting gets a bit harder to dress for and hands start to feel the sharp end of the chill. Not everyone...

Danny McShane

Nov 18, 20233 min read

Why Watercolour?

I'm personally smitten by watercolour to a degree that surprises and delights me every time I paint, so I'm trying to put that into words...

Danny McShane

Oct 26, 20237 min read

Just how realist?

My attention isn't usually held for long by abstract art, but I've been surprised to find I quickly lose interest in hyper-realism as...

Danny McShane

Aug 22, 20233 min read

Outside or In: Why "Plein Air"?

Plein air painting might be an acquired taste, but then it becomes an addiction.

Danny McShane

Aug 22, 20237 min read

You Gotta Pick a Palette or Two... or Three.... or Four...

A watercolour palette is one of those things that can be taken-for-granted simple or fiendishly fascinating to many painters. The...

Danny McShane

Jul 12, 202315 min read

Painting the Boathouse at Fyvie Loch.

Sometimes a plein air painting isn't quite what I wanted when I finish on site and I've no qualms about trying to improve it later. My...

Danny McShane

Jun 21, 20233 min read

Being Watched

Spent a chilly hour at Balnagask, Aberdeen sketching from the Car Park... Looking over Balnagask Golf Course to the 200m tall legs of the...

Danny McShane

Jun 21, 20231 min read

Does Size matter?

As in dimensions, that is, not gelatine size etc (though that's another topic worth a post) :o- e.g. Imperial v 1/4 Imperial... Not...

Danny McShane

Jun 17, 20231 min read

Painting Donmouth

I painted this plein air in a stiff Southerly breeze. Donmouth is where the River Don meets the sea (you'd never have guessed?) on the...

Danny McShane

Jun 16, 20232 min read