The early 20th century Wilson Steer/Slade school of water colour established a lightly toned pure and simple approach with undisturbed washes as a reaction to the overworked washout and stipple style of their predecesors.

Unfortunately, during the last century, this became a formula and water colour became a byword for wishy-washy, light toned irrelevance.

In these painting however, the medium is used to express the full tonal range but without pretending to be oil by keeping the feel of liquidity that can be its main attribute together with the quality of light created by white paper shining through washes. To enhance these qualities these paintings are carried out with pure water colour without preliminary drawing.