Welcome

Hi, I'm Richard (Ricardo), an emerging artist who works in Watercolours and practices with The Chinese Brush. Expression with 'Water' and 'Colour' is a gratifying pursuit. I aim to make my 'Chinese Brush Strokes’ dance for you.

Both my Watercolours and Chinese Brush Paintings cover a range of subjects; landscapes, however, will always hold a draw for me. A whole section of my site is dedicated to the History of Chinese Landscape Painting; I hope you will find time to browse this, and if you practice with the Chinese Brush, find it a helpful resource.

I spent my childhood in a small Suffolk Village. At the age of fifteen, I joined the Royal Navy, serving for twelve years, during which I had two commissions in the Far East.

Ricardo kitted up to line the upper deck prior to entering Sydney, Australia in the Autumn of 1966.

I discovered my interest in art while serving in the Royal Navy during a quiet middle watch crossing the Indian Ocean on the way to the Far East. During those early morning hours, my duty was to log teleprinter signals onto a perspex board using a chinagraph pencil!

This particular watch was very quiet, with no incoming messages to log in, so using the chinagraph, I doodled out a portrait sketch of one of my shipmates onto the perspex surface, as you do! My pal was impressed with the likeness that I had achieved and encouraged me to pursue sketching further.

On reaching Singapore, I purchased an A3 sketchpad and charcoal sticks and spent my shore time in bars sketching folk. I never priced my efforts but was usually offered a drink or two. I recall, on one occasion, checking into a hotel in Wellington, New Zealand, only having enough cash to fund my room for the weekend. My mates bought me sandwiches from the ship, and I spent the weekend sightseeing and sketching folk in bars.

After leaving the Royal Navy, I successfully applied for a three-year course at my local Art College in Portsmouth. Some of those sketches came in handy for my interview!

My College Jacket

During the first year, we concentrated on foundational drawing. I remember sitting in a circle with my colleagues listening to 'A Brown Girl in the Ring by Boney M' while sketching the relative forms of various cardboard boxes! I went on to specialise in Graphic Design.

In the final year, we all had to write a dissertation; as a subject, I opted for 'The History of Chinese Landscape Painting', and you will find a revisited version here on my site.

After completing my studies in Graphic Design, I spent five years teaching this subject to Youth Training Scheme Students before opening my own Graphic Design Studio, Lines Designs, in 1988. From then until 2015, we generated designs, artwork, and printing for clients in Portsmouth and Hampshire.

I now have more time to enjoy Watercolour Painting (both at home in my Studio and on location), Chinese Calligraphy, and Brush Painting.

Looking down the Cliffs of Moher from Doolin

I am pursuing freedom in my work. In Watercolours, this means encouraging the Water to work with various pigments to express itself truly. As one of my Tutors, Hazel Soan, pointed out, "Don't use Watercolour to paint a Landscape; use a Landscape to produce a Watercolour." In other words, let the Pigments and Water do their business!

More recently I became interested in Chinese Brush Painting. I meet regularly with a local group in Lavant. The goal is to portray your subject's 'Essence or Chi', for example, the Horsiness of a Horse! As with watercolour, I approach a variety of subjects, but I can envisage focusing more and more on Landscape painting, with free calligraphic brushwork being my vehicle for achievement.

Detail from Winter Happiness (Striking the fireworks)

Whether I am on my travels abroad, at home, on our allotment, or in the beautiful countryside surrounding me in Hampshire, The New Forest and West Sussex; I hope to express and share my pursuits with you here, both in Water Colour and with the Chinese Brush.

Ricardo