I have been inspired by Olly’s videos and blog to bush the dust off my watercolours and try to turn some field sketches into something more finished. I live in the Trent Valley, Nottinghamshire and it is fairly featureless except for big skies, tree clumps, the odd power station and of course the river. I was stuck by Olly’s use of rocks in the foreground of his Kimmeridge Bay scene, and thought maybe I needed to think more about the location of the horizon line in the first attempt.

Putting the horizon higher on the paper in the second attempt certainly gave space for something in the foreground – but it seems to push back the distant view. I wonder what people think – is the first image OK or is there more interest in the second? Should I emphasise sky or water? I know there are no rules here – but I am trying to use a more panoramic aspect ratio (8 x 5) and I’m struggling with the composition (not to mention the technical issues…).