When I create an oil painting from a sketch I’m transported straight back to that place. Painting definitely helps me to feel more connected to landscapes.
Painting really helped with the frustration of not being able to get to the mountains during lockdown. During the January 2021 lockdown I created an entire collection of oil paintings based around the landscapes of the Cairngorms. I found it incredibly therapeutic. It was my way of exploring the mountains, loch and glens of this beautiful area using my paintbrush while I couldn’t get there myself.
I have lots of sketchbooks filled with tiny paintings and drawings from adventures over the years. One of my favourite things to do is look back at these and remember the trips.
Painting outdoors definitely helps me to remember places more clearly than taking photos. When I look back at my sketchbooks I can always remember all the tiny details. How I felt when I was there, what I was having for lunch at the time, the temperature and so on.
If I’m in the mountains on a beautiful day then I have to stop myself from sitting down at every view and painting it. Colour and open space are the things that most inspire me to paint. I love painting the mountains and wide open beaches of Scotland, and I have recently been working on a series of paintings of bothies and mountain huts.
Painting mountain landscapes combines two of my very favourite things. Being outdoors, especially in the mountains, is something that I absolutely adore. I grew up in a very outdoorsy family in the north of Scotland, and love the incredible and varied landscapes up there. We spent our family holidays in the North West Highlands or in the Lake District, hillwalking, camping and exploring.
I try to take my sketchbook every time I’m outdoors, especially in the mountains. I usually complete at least one small painting on every trip I go on. It does depend on the patience of the people that I’m out with though, and often I’ll just do something quickly while everyone else is having their sandwiches.
Painting outdoors can be idyllic, or otherwise! I had some incredible days in Snowdonia this summer where the sun shone every day and sometimes it was easier to just stop and paint than to carry on walking in the heat. Other times I have to stop painting because I’m being attacked by insects or because it’s so cold that I can no longer feel my fingers!
I carry a very small and lightweight painting kit with me when I’m in the mountains: a tiny watercolour paint set, two waterproof fineliner black pens and two Pentel Aquash brushes. These brushes are brilliant because they have a reservoir for water and you just squeeze to release it – no mess or need for carrying water containers.
I wouldn’t call myself an expert at watercolour. It’s just the medium I use for collecting inspiration outside because it dries quickly and is easy to carry. It’s great though, because it’s fairly easy to pick up and you don’t need very much equipment.
When I’m back at home, I paint in oils. Sometimes I turn the sketches I made outdoors into an oil painting, other times they might just give me colour or composition ideas for a future idea.
One of my most memorable mountain days was a spectacular autumn day on Beinn Alligin in Torridon. The oranges and browns of the surrounding hills were glowing in the sunshine and stags were roaring in the glens below. I stopped for five minutes on Sgùrr Mhòr to get a very quick painting of the Horns of Alligin with Beinn Dearg and the rest of the Torridonian peaks behind, but I could have completed many more paintings that day.
My top tip is to simply get into the habit of always carrying a little sketching set. Then, when you see a view that inspires you, you have everything you need to have a go at painting it. And also just remember that one of the nicest things about doing this is that you have these to look back on for years to come. They don’t need to be masterpieces, just little drawings, memories, maybe a sentence or two about the day – it’s the best kind of diary and so rewarding to look back on!
People can sometimes be scared of oil painting because they have heard words like ‘solvent’ and ‘medium’ associated with it. Actually, once you know the basics, painting in oils is just like using any other paint except that it takes a bit longer to dry. There are so many resources out there to help you learn the basics. Youtube is amazing and there are so many online courses you can do now. The vibrancy and texture that you can get from oil paints is just amazing, I highly recommend giving them a go!
Find out more about Shona on her website adventuresketchbook. com. You can also follow her on Instagram and Facebook @adventuresketchbook
Interview: Sarah Stirling SUMMIT#103 | AUTUMN 2021 | 21
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