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New print: Broadsands in winter

illustration of Broadsands beach in Paignton, south Devon by Beth Hill

The latest in my range of coastal illustrations captures the view of this popular beach in Paignton, Devon. ‘Broadsands in winter’ shows the beach on a cold January day at low tide, with the skeletons of last year’s samphire flowers still clinging to the sea wall and the steam train chugging over the viaduct in the background.

illustration of Broadsands beach in Paignton, south Devon by Beth Hill

The story behind the illustration

The inspiration for this illustration was back in January of this year, with a blustery trip to the beach. I have already illustrated this area from the coastal path above, but really wanted to capture it from beach level too. I was also really keen to capture Broadsands in winter, as my previous illustration had been a summer view.

In summer, the sea wall is normally covered in rock samphire, so was really hoping there might be something of interest that I could include. I was in luck! As well as the shoots of this year’s leaves, there were also the skeletons of last year’s flowers – perfect!

@bethathillfolk

I really want to create more wintery illustrations, so headed down to Broadsands beach in Paignton. In summer it’s lined with lots of pretty beach huts with pastel doors, and usually packed with people enjoying the beach and water. However, at this time of year the vibe is totally different, with lots of doggies playing and people wrapped up for a bracing walk. I knew that the sea wall was usually covered in rock samphire in the summer, so was hoping to find some flower skeletons – I was in luck! Here’s the quick sketch I did while I was there, including a few scribbly people! Now to pick out a suitably wintery colour palette to use for my illustration… 🎨 . #artistsoftiktok #coastalart #natureartist #devon #artwork #artlife #fypart

♬ Sea Light – Muspace Lofi

I must admit, I did wrestle with a few elements in this illustration of Broadsands in winter; the colours (that green must have changed about 10 times!) the wet sand, the steps and whether or not to include the steam train (it was a yes to that last one!)

I also debated about including some of the figures that I had sketched when I visited, as the beach is so well-known for winter walks, but decided against it. My illustrations capture that moment of quiet (apart from the steam train in this case!)

illustration of Broadsands beach in Paignton, south Devon by Beth Hill

There’s always a moment of nerves when the prints arrive – Are the colours ok? Does the composition work? Will other people like it? I’ll leave you to answer that one yourself!

@bethathillfolk

I love coming home to presents! 🎁 My latest coastal illustration is hot off the press and I’m so happy with how it’s turned out 😁😁😁 Introducing ‘Broadsands in winter’ with samphire and a steam train too 🚂 . Illustrations inspired by nature from Devon artist Beth Hill . #artreveal #artprint #artforyourhome #coastaldecor #ukartist #paignton #torbay #devon #lovethebeach #coastalliving

♬ Beautiful – Soft boy
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New print: Oddicombe

Meet my latest illustration: introducing Oddicombe beach in Babbacombe, Torquay. I’ve captured the view from the snaking cliffside road, showing a first glimpse of the beach through the trees.

illustration of Oddicombe beach in Torquay, coastal art print

The story behind the illustration

I initially took some snaps from this spot back in 2018, back when I first started drawing local landscapes. It wasn’t until early 2022 that I actually created a sketch, as previously I’d considered the view too ‘ordinary’. However, following the restrictions of covid lockdowns, I found myself fuelled by a renewed appreciation for the natural environment.

It was another 18 months before I pursued this one again, revisiting the spot in summer 2023 to create new sketch and check out the plants and flowers that grow there. I took a break from actively promoting Hillfolk in2023, so this new sketch was destined to remain in my book for another six months.

Fast forward to 2024 and I started with a fresh enthusiasm and creative focus. I spent many evenings adding the details, working out how to simplify shapes and arrange the leaves and flowers like puzzle pieces.

@bethathillfolk

I get asked this A LOT at craft fairs! So much so that I’ve now started taking my ipad to events so people can watch me work on my illustrations. It’s really helped! 🎨 Digital art does have a bit of a rep as ‘cheating’ as there are plenty of pics out there that have been made by tracing photos or adding some whizzy filter at the click of a button. But thats not how I work. I’m a bit old school, starting with a research trip and prep sketches, then moving on to a rough colourlayout. This illustration probably took about 30 hours, but I’m hoping the final result and level of detail reflects this! . #ukillustrator #digitalfineart #coastalartist #landscapeartist #natureartist #illustratorsontiktok #tiktokart #fypart #artprocess #illustrationart #artprint

♬ In The Forest (Acoustic Indie No Copyright) – Instrumental – Lesfm & Olexy

I’m really happy with the end result, and thrilled that Three Degrees West (the cafe on Oddicombe beach) has agreed to display my print too!

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New print: Anstey’s Cove

natural wood framed print of illustration of Anstey's Cove on Torquay, Devon

Happy to share the release of my latest illustration, featuring Anstey’s Cove in Torquay on the south Devon coast.

A favourite with locals, I’ve wanted to capture this beach for a few years now, but until recently have not been able to decide on the best view. When I first started creating illustrations of local views, I went in search of bright, pretty flowers to include in the foreground. When I did my first recce at the cove in 2019, all I could see from the vantage points was nondescript undergrowth, so put the idea to one side.

View over Anstey's Cove towards Long Quarry Point

However, I’ve recently been looking back through my old photos from previous site visits for some inspiration. I’m not sure if it’s related to the events of the previous couple of years, but I’ve started seeing more beauty in the everyday. Looking closer at the view, I could make out campion seed heads, ash tree saplings, nettles, bracken and hemp agrimony.

natural wood framed print of illustration of Anstey's Cove on Torquay, Devon

I built my composition, overlapping shapes and colours in a patchwork of blues and greens. Hopefully it captures the spirit of this area, with the iconic Long Quarry point in the distance. Visit my shop to purchase my Anstey’s Cove illustration in sizes A5 to A1 as unframed or framed prints.

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The story behind… my Thatcher Rock illustration

I thought I would make use of the blog function on my website to share with you the making of some of my illustrations. What better place to start than the beginning, with my first nature print – Thatcher Rock.

Why I chose Thatcher Rock

This view is one that reminds me of when my husband and I first started dating, as it was our ‘go to’ spot for a picnic or takeaway. We’d always park on Ilsham Marine Drive and sit on the higher green. This area is smaller than the main green, but has a great vantage point over Thatcher Rock. The Monterey pines frame the view and give the area a lovely secluded feel – we always preferred it over the more manicured main green!

Back in 2017, when I decided to start capturing some of my favourite local views, I popped up to the area to sketch a rough layout and check out what plants grew there.

Growing up on the farm, I had learnt the names of some wildflowers and grasses, but my knowledge was patchy! Each recce was a fact finding mission – taking photos and sketches of fauna and researching any unknown species. My little haul above shows the range of plants I discovered. I mistakenly thought the seed head was Cow Parsley, but now know the distinctive black seeds are Alexanders. 

The process

Printmaking has always inspired me, and for my first illustration I wanted to use a limited palette of just 3 or 4 colours. Back then, I was still using a mouse to ‘draw’. However, I found this quite tricky, as I’m actually left handed but hold the mouse in my right hand.

I drew upon my graphic design skills to create the illustration in a programme called ‘Adobe Illustrator‘. Working digitally meant that I could adjust the colour scheme and composition until I was happy with it. This was such an advantage over traditional painting for someone as indecisive as me! Here’s a little vid showing how I build up the layers:

The final illustration was part of a set of three, together with my first view of Cockington and Walls Hill. I chose these views, as they were two of my favourite spots for taking the dog for a walk. The other two have been discontinued, but my Thatcher Rock piece continues to be a popular print. Thank you to all those who have chosen to have this one in their homes!

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The story behind… my Italian Gardens illustration

framed print of meadow flower illustration, Torquay

This summer, flower beds across the Bay have been planted with the most gorgeous meadow flowers! I absolutely LOVE it! So much prettier than the traditional formal planting. Here’s the Italian Gardens in Torquay…

I took the girl down with me to Torquay seafront and we sketched the view from the Italian Gardens, looking towards Rock Walk and the Riviera Wheel. It was so lovely to hear the positive comments from passers by, and it’s definitely proved to be a popular backdrop for a selfie! Find more photos from our day out on my Facebook page >

Here’s the girl sketching her interpretation, along with the page from her sketchbook below. I love how she has captured all the different shapes and sizes of the flowers 🙂

There were so many wonderful flowers, it was hard to know what to leave out! Here’s my initial messy sketch…

Next step was to import the sketch into my design software and make an initial colour study. I use a programme called Adobe Illustrator, which uses shapes and layers to build up the image. I normally like to use a limited palette of 4 or 5 colours, but this one demanded a pop of colour! See a short video of how I build up my work using layers here >

Sometimes it takes a while to build up the final piece, but this one of the Italian Gardens took only 2 days! Once I get an idea in my head I need to just run with it and keep working until it’s done! As the foreground was so busy, I kept the view behind fairly simple, using blues and greens to make it recede into the background.

And here’s the final thing! I loved creating it, I hope you like it too 🙂 It’s available now from my shop, both as framed and unframed print, in sizes A5 – A2. Shop now >

framed print of meadow flower illustration, Torquay