The pinacle of Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye is one of Scotland’s most iconic views. Legend has it that giants once lived on the Island and that the Old Man was one of them. When he passed away, he was laid to rest with his thumb poking out of the earth, and the ‘thumb’ is what we now refer to as the Old Man of Storr. Loch Fada lies below the Old Man and provides a beautiful view of the landmark.
This was my first painting on my trip to Skye. The morning was gusty and cold but down by the side of the Loch the winds were more gentle. The morning sun created beautiful light over the distant mountains and, with the wind blowing the clouds across the sky, the light was continually changing.
I created a mixed media painting using ArtGraf Taylor Blocks and watercolour to create an underpainting on which to then apply Unison pastels. As the light began to change more dramatically, I packed up for the day. What a wonderful experience to be able to complete the painting at the home of Unison Colour at Thorneyburn, in Hexham, Northumberland!