Morning folks! A couple of weeks back I thought it would be an interesting exercise to return to an old painting that I had done before and to paint it again, having a look at the difference. This scene on the Ashdown Forest in Sussex appealed to me: the winter sun was just trying to break through the hazy cloud, casting a milky light across the scene, rendering the Scots pines as partial silhouettes. I love being up on the Forest in autumn and winter - it's appearance is rugged and gnarly, the heathland floor covered with what can only be described as a mess: bracken, gorse, heather, all wearing their rather drab winter outfits, sprawled across the ground as if they've returned home from a particularly heavy night out! It has so much character though and the challenge in painting it was to convey its resolute winter attitude, while finding a way to cope with the forest scrub's chaotic appearance - random shapes everywhere I looked.

I painted this in 2010 and at the time was very pleased with it. To be honest, I still am; it documents the place and the time in a way that still resonates with me, despite its technical shortcomings. Anyway, landscape painting isn't just about our technical prowess; as I often say "Experience is more important than aesthetics."

The second painting that I made recently is of the same scene, using the same reference and I'm equally pleased with that too. Both paintings are the same size (35cm x 25cm.) At a glance they are similar, however on closer inspection there are significant differences in the way that that they have been painted; I see the second version as an improvement in a number of ways, many of which are subconscious and simply the function of a development in my painting technique that has evolved over 12 years of regular painting and practice. I'm not going to spell these differences out, but why don't you have a look at both and try to identify where you think the improvements are (if indeed there are any!) and what lies behind those improvements? It may give you an insight into some of the skills that you can practice and develop in your own work. I'd love to hear you what you think (I'll post a comment in due course with my take on it too.)