Now I love painting but to be really inspired I need a challenge - this might be a particular scene or effect I want to try and capture - then I can get real enjoyment from trying even if the end result doesn't work. But you can't feel like that all the time. This Saturday for example when I had a couple of hours to spare, where better than to spend it in my studio. So I taped up a pack of sample papers from St Cuthbert's Mill and decided to have a bit of fun. The samples are 8" x 6" and there are ten in the pack of various weights, makes and tints. One was definitely not heavy enough for what I had in mind, but that was good as the remaining nine fitted onto my board very nicely thank you.

