Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Collection Unveiled:
The Cecil French Bequest
New exhibition
Opening 6 March 2018
40
28 6
Coming
next month
Try exercises, projects and demonstrations in
watercolour, drawing media, coloured pencils,
oils, mixed media and more, in the June issue
0
ON SALE 20 APRIL
n Tips and techniques
for painting miniature
portraits
n How to use water-
mixable oils, with a
step-by-step landscape
n Basics and beyond:
develop a watercolour
painting in layers
n Watercolour seascapes,
landscapes, animals,
buildings and flowers
n How to paint t
Bill Mundy Annabel Mundy,
8 64 watercolour on canvas watercolour on vellum, 3x212⁄ in.
(7.5x6.5cm). In the first of a two-
PLUS... part series, Bill Mundy discusses
the materials and techniques he
n Step-by-step uses to paint portraits in
OFFERS, NEWS AND COMPETITIONS scratchboard for miniature
12 The latest news on Patchings Art, Craft and beginners
Photography Festival 2018 n Try a mixed-media
24 David Bellamy introduces your second sketchbook approach to your work
challenge
n Be inspired: paint boats LEISURE PAINTER
36 Join Hazel Soan on a watercolour workshop in July and harbours in oils ON-SALE DATES
48 Subscribe to Leisure Painter and save money
n Try a step-by-step
Issue On sale
55 Paint on Isola di Ponza with Richard Pikesley June 20 April
68 Save money on practical art books
coloured-pencil still life July 18 May
using just four colours! Summer 15 June
72 Win Melanie Cambridge brushes with this month’s
PaintersOnline competition n Competitions to enter
73 How to enter Art Club of the Year 2018 with details AND LOTS MORE!
of fantastic prizes from Jackson’s Art Supplies
58 Spring landscape
Charles Evans demonstrates a landscape painting in watercolour
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TALKS
Diary
THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH
n A life in pictures
James Russell will
give an illustrated
talk on the artist,
Edward Bawden
at the Bankside
Gallery on 17 April,
6 to 8pm. A Life in
Pictures will explore
the life and work of
artist and designer, Edward Bawden, with previously
Painting days unseen works and some old favourites ahead of the
Following last year’s success, major retrospective exhibition of his work due to open
artists of all levels – from at the Dulwich Picture Gallery in May. Tickets are priced
students and amateurs to at £10. To book and for more information visit
professionals – are invited to www.banksidegallery.com/events
paint en plein air in the
beautiful grounds of Hole Park
in Rolvenden, Kent, on 9, 10
and 11 May (11am to 6pm). The
park will be open to the public
Artist , Janet Wikinson
t
to watch artists at work, and on
painting at last year’s en
plein air event 12 and 13 May a display of all
the work produced will go on
show in the Coach House. A booking fee of £18 per
artist, and a £7 entrance fee to Hole Park on the day
will be donated to Pilgrims Hospice. En Plein Air
Masterclasses will be given by Karl Terry, Rowan Drew,
Paul Gadenne and Mark Fisher. Telephone Joanne
Weaver for more information on 07415 891098 or email
her at www.joanneweaver-artworks.com for booking
forms. These need to be returned by 31 March.
Chris Forsey Blues, Gold, and Glittering River, mixed media,
t
n In conversation
Artist, Chris Forsey hosts an afternoon with the
president of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water
Colours, Rosa Sepple, at the Mall Galleries, London on
Saturday 5 May, 2 to 4pm. Tickets, costing £10 are
available from Chris Forsey at
christopher.forsey@btinternet.com
The 206th annual exhibition of the Royal Institute of
Painters in Water Colours (RI) takes place at the Mall
Galleries, London, from 6 to 21 April. Visit
www.mallgalleries.org.uk for details.
NEWS
The Big Draw
Registration is now
Ann Blockley Spring Hawthorn, watercolour, 131⁄2x161⁄4in. (34x41cm)
t
open for the 2018 Big
Celebrating watercolour Draw – the world’s
Ann Blockley will be holding a solo exhibition of paintings largest drawing festival,
at Bourton House Gallery, Tithe Barn, Bourton on the Hill, which takes place
Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 9AE, from 5 to 12 May, to annually in October.
celebrate the publication of her new book, Ann Blockley’s By registering you will be able to add your own
Watercolour Workshop. The gallery is open daily, excluding exhibition or event details to the register, claim a
Monday 7 May, from 10am to 5pm. For more information free welcome pack and gain access to downloadable
go to www.annblockley.com resources. Go to www.thebigdraw.org/login
Exhibitions
JANE STROUD RECOMMENDS
miniature paintings, throughout March.
n Mall Galleries
The Mall SW1. 020 7930 6844;
www.mallgalleries.org.uk
‘Royal Society of British Artists’: annual
exhibition, 21 to 31 March. ‘Royal Institute
of Painters in Water Colours’: 206th annual
exhibition, 6 to 21 April. ‘Wildlife Artist of
the Year 2018’: hosted by the David
Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, 2 to 6 May.
‘The Royal Society of Portrait Painters’:
annual exhibition, 10 to 25 May.
n National Gallery
Trafalgar Square WC2. 020 7747 2885;
www.nationalgallery.org.uk
Reflections – Van Eyck & The Pre-
Raphaelites’, until 2 April. ‘Drawn in Colour:
Degas from the Burrell’, until 7 May.
‘Murillo: The Self-Portraits’, until 21 May.
‘Tacita Dean: Still Life’, until 28 May. ‘Monet
and Architecture’, 9 April to 29 July.
n Royal Academy of Arts
Piccadilly W1. 020 7300 8000;
www.royalacademy.org.uk
Charles I: King and Collector’, until 15 April.
‘Works of Feeling: Pre-Raphaelite Book
Illustration’, until 27 April. ‘Tacita Dean:
Landscape’, 19 May to 12 August.
n Tate Britain
Millbank SW1. 020 7887 8888;
www.tate.org.uk/Tate_Britain
‘Impressionists in London’, until 7 May.
‘All Too Human: Bacon, Freud and a Century
t
Ben Henriques Nest, oil on slate, 15x20in. (38x51cm) of Painting Life’, until 27 August.
Still life n Tate Modern
Over 30 still-life works by the British contemporary painter, Ben Henriques, Bankside SE1. 020 7887 8888;
will go on show at Jonathan Cooper Park Walk Gallery in April. Focusing on www.tate.org.uk/Tate_Modern
the body of work he has painted over the course of three years, Ben shares ‘Modigliani’: until 2 April. ‘The EY
with us the beauty he finds in the everyday objects around him. Exhibition: Picasso 1932 – Love, Fame,
Work: Ben Henriques can be seen at the Jonathan Cooper Gallery, 20 Park Tragedy’, until 9 September. ‘Joan Jonas’,
until 5 August.
Walk, London SW10 from 19 April to 5 May. Telephone 020 7351 0410;
www.jonathancooper.co.uk n Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road SW7. 020 7942 2000;
www.vam.ac.uk
‘Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring a Classic’,
until April 8.
LONDON
n Bankside Gallery REGIONAL
48 Hopton Street SE1. 020 7928 7521; Parthenon sculptures that inspired him,
n Ashmolean Museum
www.banksidegallery.com 26 April to 29 July.
Beaumont Street, Oxford. 01865 278000;
n Dulwich
‘New Work/New Year: RWS Spring Picture Gallery
Exhibition’, 23 March to 21 April. ‘Print www.ashmolean.org
Gallery Road SE21. 020 8693 5254; ‘America’s Cool Modernism: O’Keeffe to
REbels’, celebrating the 200th anniversary
www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk Hopper’, 23 March to 22 July.
of the birth of Francis Seymour Hayden,
n Boughton
founder of the Royal Society of Painter- ‘David Milne: Modern Painting’, exhibition House Gardens
Printmakers (RE), 25 April to 13 May. of work by Canadian painter, David Milne
Tithe Barn, Bourton on the Hill,
(1882-1953), until 7 May.
n Bernard Jacobson Gallery Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire;
28 Duke Street, St. James’s SW1. 020 7734 n Gallery 8 www.annblockley.com
3431; www.jacobsongallery.com 8 Duke Street, St James SW1. 020 7930 0375; ‘Ann Blockley’: exhibition to celebrate the
‘Picasso’: featuring master paintings from www.8dukestreet.co.uk publication of her new book, Ann Blockley’s
1901 to 1972, until 12 May. ‘The Alchemy of Paint’: works by five British Watercolour Workshop, 5 to 12 May, 10am to
Artists: Tom Coates, Fred Cuming, Julie 5pm daily; closed Monday 7 May.
n The British Museum Jackson, Mary Jackson and Andrew Roberts, n Castle Park Arts Centre
Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery, Great Russell 21 to 26 May.
Street WC1. 020 7323 8299; Frodsham, Cheshire;
www.britishmuseum.org n Llewellyn Alexander Gallery www.castleparkarts.co.uk
‘Rodin and the Art of Ancient Greece’: 124-126 The Cut, Waterloo SE1. 020 7620 ‘Association of Animal Artists’: spring
featuring sculptures by Rodin alongside the 1322; www.lafp.co.uk exhibition, 31 March to 13 May.
n Jerwood Gallery n Sarah Wiseman Gallery ‘Virginia Woolf’, works by women artists
Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings Old Town, 40-41 South Parade, Oxford. 01865 515123; from 1850 to the present day, until 29 April.
East Sussex. 01424 728377; www.wisegal.com n Victoria Art Gallery
www.jerwoodgallery.org ‘Foundations’: solo exhibition of work by Bridge Street, Bath. 01225 477233;
‘Jerwood Collection: 25 Years’: marking 25 Daniel Ablitt, 5 to 26 May. www.victoriagal.org.uk
n Tate
years since the first work was purchased for Liverpool ‘Bath Society of Artists’: open exhibition,
the collection, until 15 April. ‘Quentin Blake: 24 March to 12 May.
Albert Dock, Liverpool Waterfront. 0151 702
Moonlight Travellers’, until 15 April.
7400; www.tate.org.uk/liverpool n Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village
n Laing Art Gallery ‘John Piper’, until 18 March. ‘Life in Motion: Down Lane, Compton, Guildford. 01483
New Bridge Street, Newcastle upon Tyne. Egon Schiele and Francesca Woodman’: 810235; www.wattsgallery.org.uk
0191 278 1611; drawings, 24 May to 23 September. ‘A Pre-Raphaelite Collection Unveiled: The
www.laingartgallery.org.uk n Tate St. Ives Cecil French Bequest’: including works by
‘Bomberg’: marking the 60th anniversary of Porthmeor Beach, St. Ives, Cornwall. 01736 Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Frederick Leighton
Bomberg’s death, until 27 May. 796226; www.tate.org.uk/Tate-St-Ives and Edward Burne-Jones, until 3 June.
n National Gallery of Ireland
Merrion Square, Dublin 2. +353 1 661 5133; All information given here is correct at the time of going to press, but you are
www.nationalgallery.ie advised to check details and opening times with the galleries prior to your visit
‘Emil Nolde’: paintings, drawings, etchings in case of unavoidable alterations to their exhibition schedules
and woodcuts, until 10 June.
Letters
SHARE YOUR TIPS, SUGGESTIONS, IDEAS
AND QUESTIONS WITH OTHER READERS
Water-mixable oils go wrong using just alizarin crimson, raw content are rarely used so now I plan to
I have almost completed my first attempt sienna and ultramarine blue. This was set up a new bag with a tin of 12 first
at painting with water-mixable oil paints a good starting point. However, I soon preference colours then a few more
on a professionally prepared canvas. I did found that my work lacked variety. The separately. My aim is simplicity, quality
not stretch the canvas, using the supplied local daylight was a major factor, as the and least weight to carry out of doors.
wedges, on the advice of a professional colours were unsuitable in Cornwall and John Blatchford
painter. Now another professional has Bordeaux, where the light is so different.
advised that I should have stretched the For impact, I try to achieve strong tonal Abstract ideas
canvas before starting the painting. contrasts, which is especially difficult in More than a century has passed since
Which is the correct advice, or does it green landscapes. Another tutor asked if abstraction and expressionism made its
not matter? I could see the red in a tree. It looked impact on the art world. Yet in our
Ivor J Tucker perfectly green to me, but a touch of red community gallery here in New South
added to the blue and green made an Wales, Australia, abstract art seems to be
Tim Fisher (timfisherartist.co.uk) replies: immediate improvement. Others say that still regarded with considerable
Most canvases seem to have sufficient you need green to be added to the tonal scepticism.
tension when purchased, that there appears colours of the face in portraiture. In our public gallery, semi-abstract
to be no need to insert the wedges that are All tutors appear to agree on one thing: works, such as landscapes painted in an
supplied with it. However, the action of you should never use black with impressionistic, abstract way do attract
working on the surface and temperature watercolour – or white (except in efforts the public and seem to sell reasonably
changes can cause the wooden stretcher to to recover disasters). So why do the well. However, complete non-
change shape slightly, resulting in too much leading suppliers insist on including them representational abstract works do not
give on the painting surface. So I would say in their sets instead of the more have much appeal to our visiting public
it’s a wise precaution to knock the wedges in frequently used colours? and rarely find a buyer. It has been
before starting to paint. Tap the wedges I rarely use colours on their own, but interesting over the past year to note that
gently but firmly into position. normally mix them, whether I prepare these latter styles of artwork, although
There’s probably no need to add extra them in the palette well or apply them not attractive to the general public, have
tension to make it drum tight. If the wet into wet on the paper. Therefore certainly attracted the judges of our local
painting is in progress and a loss of tension mixability is a crucial factor. art shows. They have often been awarded
is noticed, tapping on all the wedges in turn Here are my colour preferences and top prizes and selected as the best works
will restore the status quo. Over-zealous some applications (all Artists’ quality): in the show.
hammering can result in cracking of the Alizarin crimson – universal mixer, skies I wonder if this experience is reflected
painting surface or even the wedges being Cadmium red – local reds in other community galleries or if this is
driven in too far and penetrating the outer Indian red – for darkening greens particular to our own experience over
canvas edge. Cerulean blue – mixing light greys, skies here in Australia?
Cobalt blue – cool or distant mixes, skies, Marlene Griffin
Watercolour advice greys
When looking at the list of watercolours French ultramarine – universal in green,
now available, the variety is mind skies and greys
boggling! So, where do you start? Lemon yellow – light greens, skies
Thankfully, I have attended courses by a Cadmium yellow – many greens, lawns
number of good tutors. They all worked Raw sienna – valuable and universal
with a minimum of colours, although mixer, primer
there were others hidden in their bags! Naples yellow – buildings (such as those
On opening Leisure Painter each month, I found in Bath)
like to do a quick scan of the contents Burnt sienna – darkens mixes, trees, roofs Send your letters to
before going into the details. A rewarding Burnt umber – darkest greys, trees, roofs Leisure Painter, 63-65 High Street,
exercise with watercolours is to see the list Sap green – portraits, foliage Tenterden, Kent TN30 6BD.
of materials then to glance at the results. Viridian – Cornish seas Alternatively, email the editor at
We all develop varied styles so first I home Raw umber – mid greys, trees, roofs leisurepainterletters@tapc.co.uk.
in on those closest to my own. What Light red – cloud shadow All letters published here win
colours were used and how attractive are Winsor blue – strongest sky (but stains) Jaxell soft pastels courtesy of
the results to me? All my materials are carried in a canvas GreatArt (www.greatart.co.uk)
A superb tutor told me that I could not bag for campers. Three quarters of the
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20007
p11-lpmay18.indd 1 07/03/2018 15:04:32
Patchings full page ad May_Layout 1 08/03/2018 13:53 Page 1
JULY 12-15
18 Celebrating 25 years!
PATCHINGS
ART, CRAFT & DESIGN
FESTIVAL
2018 NEW FOR
2018
Enjoy an Printmakers including
Laura Boswell & printmakers’
inspirational
materials PLUS the Mall
Galleries represented by
artists including Robert
day out!
Brindley RSMA, Lewis
Hazelwood-Horner RBA
and John Martin
ARSMA
t
The finished painting Spring is in the Air!, watercolour, 912⁄ x11in. (24.5x28cm)
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n Practise wet-on-wet and You will need
wet-on-dry techniques n Surface n Brushes n Miscellaneous
l Bockingford 140lb NOT l Da Vinci Maestro Series l Mixing palette
n Create a painting with just watercolour paper size: 35, sable, Nos. 4, 8 l B pencil
three primary colours 91⁄2x11in. (24.5x28cm) and 10 l Eraser
n How to paint a simple l Alternatively try a nylon l Paper towel
rounded vase n Winsor & Newton Cotman 111 or Prolene
Professional Water Colour by ProArte 101
See colours (below right)
I cut the tulip stems and arranged them in a vase of your choice. LP
Watercolour
Demonstration
continued
Step1
t
+ =
Transparent Ultramarine
yellow
+ =
Transparent Alizarin
yellow crimson
Step 2
t
1 Prepare a pool of
creamy transparent yellow.
2 Commencing with the yellow
tulips, lightly wet each petal
with water and apply the
transparent yellow mix, wet
on wet, sweeping the paint
in the direction of the growth
of the petal.
3 To give more strength and
to suggest shadowed areas,
add a little ultramarine to
the yellow mix to make
a soft warm green (above).
4 Stronger warm yellow
t
Step 3
tones can also be achieved When dry, use the No. 8 or the No. 4 Round
by putting a minute touch brush and the warm mix of yellow to apply
of alizarin crimson into sweeping brushstrokes along the central veins
the yellow (above). Apply to suggest the curve of the petals. A touch of the
whilst damp. warm green mix can also be added. Observe the
5 Paint the remaining deeper shades needed when a petal overlaps
yellow petals. another and within the cup of the tulip.
Step 4
t
Watercolour
+ =
Alizarin Ultramarine
crimson
+ =
Ultramarine Alizarin
crimson
Step 5
t
Watercolour
Demonstration continued
Step 7
t
Step 8
t
Wet the stems and run the brush Add a little alizarin crimson to the
either side with a mid-green mix green mix to give it more strength
so that the paint flows inwards. and drop it in the damp paint
A highlight can be left or lifted toward the top of the stem and
out with a dampened brush. on the shadowed sides.
Step 9
1 Prepare three pools of
t
Step 10
t
Watercolour
Core
shadow
Cast
shadow
Reflected
Highlight light
t
Step 11
t
t Step 12 on dry, on the rounded core shadow and to indicate the creases and soft cast shadow
1 Whilst still damp, apply a second slightly below the right-hand lower leaf to give more on the white cloth.
stronger shade of ultramarine with a tiny touch depth. Soften the edges of the shadow by 4 While damp increase the strength of colour
of alizarin along the top edge, the left side adding clean water so it blends into the base on the right shadowed side and add a few
and the area below the purple tulip, creating wash. Leave a lighter tone along the edge to brushstrokes wet on dry on the left side.
a core shadow to suggest its roundness. suggest the reflected light from the white cloth. 5 When dry add a stronger mix along the base of
2 Leave to dry and apply a stronger mix, wet 3 Apply a pale mauve wash wet on dry the vase so that it appears to be firmly grounded.
Julie King
If you enjoyed this
flower painting
demonstration you
may like to try a
larger selection in
Julie’s book Take
Three Colours:
Watercolour Flowers
(Search Press, 2017).
See page 68 for a
special offer on the
book. Julie will be
teaching flower and
garden painting at
Burrswood Health &
Wellbeing Centre and
Old Bank Studios,
Harwich, Essex this
year. For more about
Julie, her art and
classes please visit
www.juliehking.co.uk
t
The finished painting Spring is in the Air!, watercolour, 912⁄ x11in. (24.5x28cm)
Painting project
Part 1 How to capture the character of an old
building using watercolour, by Colin Steed
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n How to produce watercolour
studies of older buildings
n Colour-mixing ideas for
painting buildings
Colin Steed
Find out more about Colin and his
work at colinsteedart.magix.net
BUILDING STUDIES
Why not begin to make studies of parts of buildings
using pencil and watercolour? This will help you
to understand perspective, tone and colour.
paper where
t
t This shows the lower half of the gable end. It’s a good
example of colour mixes and techniques needed to paint
large recessed windows, roof water down pipe and foreground
planting. Because I was standing to the left of the building and
the window frame was set back in the recess we can only see
the thickness of the brickwork down the right side. The glazed
areas must then be painted slightly off centre and to the left.
I painted the glazing, using a strong mix of light red and cobalt
blue, leaving the white paper for the window frame. They were
painted in a loose way, leaving white specks at the bottom of
each pane to suggest a reflection. The down pipe was painted
leaving three small gaps to suggest supporting clips using burnt
umber and ultramarine blue.
When suggesting the foreground shrubs I left some gaps
at their tops. I worked from right to left using the side of the
brush and downward strokes changing colour and tone as
I worked. I used cadmium yellow, burnt sienna and Prussian
blue. The shadows were the final areas to paint, using
cobalt blue and light red.
t
Coloured pencil
t
Your reference photograph for this project: a view from Portree without reflections, as this was taken on a windy day
Painting project
Part 2 Follow Judith Heilbronn-Crown step by step
as you complete your drawing of a view from Portree
and clipped it at one edge only
LEARNING OBJECTIVES on to the board so that the waterline
n How to invent reflections of the tracing was on the horizontal You will need
n n
waterline and the markers lined up,
n How to draw a complicated Surface Miscellaneous
with the tracing below the drawing. l Canson Imagine l
Graphite pencil
picture I went over all the lines with a pencil, Mixed Media l Tracing paper
n Enjoy using coloured pencils pressing just hard enough to transfer l Ruler
paper 161⁄2x111⁄2in.
the lines clearly, but not with (42x29.5cm) l Sharpener
indentations into the paper. I checked l Clips
n Coloured pencils
t
Now to begin adding
the colour.
1 The thin dark waterline:
Derwent Watercolour
Vandyke brown.
2 Clouds: Coloursoft pale
blue lightly for the blue areas;
taupe oxide and a little grey
lavender on both the top and
bottom of the picture; and
Van Gogh cold grey deep in
the pencil lines of the lower
hills and mountains. As you
work, do the same on the
lower half of the picture.
3 Shadow areas of the
mountain (add lightly, with
the pencil almost horizontal
so that it just skims the
surface): Albrecht Dürer
cool grey 235.
4 Outline of the trees:
sharp Derwent Inktense
Ionian green to put in the
t
The finished outline, digitally darkened for outline of some of the trees then shade Procolour sunset gold.
reproduction purposes. The lines are in fact lightly the darker tree-covered areas and 6 Bright grass: Van Gogh permanent
very pale. While working I occasionally erased darker individual trees. green Light 618.
lines from pale areas where they would be 5 The distant areas at the base of the 7 The distant trees: Caran d’Ache Museum
visible in the finished picture. mountain (with a warm glow): Derwent 212 and Derwent Drawing crag green.
t
Step 2
t
Step 3
1 The upper edge of the lowest grassy area: Museum 034, Museum Now begin work on the low hills and waterside trees on the right-hand side.
220 and 240. As you work on the upper side, do exactly the same 1 The hill slopes: Royal Talens olive green with Luminance moss green
on the lower side. and a little Museum 220.
2 The slightly darker fields: Luminance moss green. As this is a colour 2 The darker areas: Inktense Ionian green with Caran d’Ache Museum
t
that does not smudge, you can press a little more firmly with this. 739 and a little Procolour phthalo blue
Coloured pencil
Demonstration continued
Step 4
t
1 The low slopes close to the
water on the left-hand side:
with moderately firm pressure
Luminance moss green.
2 The lower edge: with slightly
heavier pressure of moss green
for the slightly lighter colour at
the top of the gentle slope.
3 Give the house a grey roof.
Step 5
t
1 Shadow areas of the mountain,
details on the small crags and
shadows in the brighter areas:
Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer cool
grey 235. Use a cotton bud to blend
and smooth the areas of shadow
that do not have fine details.
2 Top shadow edge on the highest
peak: a little Luminance violet brown and 4 The warmer areas of the mountains:
Derwent Watercolour indigo Coloursoft ochre, Derwent Drawing
3 Continue with the bushes and trees, varying yellow ochre, and a very small
the colours in the greens. amount of Prismacolor peach.
Step 7
t
Coloured pencil
t
The finished picture The View from Portree, coloured pencil, 1612⁄ x1112⁄ in. (42x29.5cm)
t
Step 8
Judith Heilbronn-Crown
Judith’s work can be seen on the UKCPS’s
After I completed the picture I decided it way up the picture, which improves
website: www.ukcps.co.uk. Its annual
would look more attractive if it were cropped. the composition and makes the picture
exhibition will be held at The Arts House,
The waterline is now roughly a third of the more interesting.
Stratford Upon Avon, from 2 to 11 May.
David Bellamy
HOW TO ENTER
Only online entries can be accepted. Only original work will be considered and informed later in the month.
sketches based on reference photographs must have been taken by the artist 4 You will be invited to send a high-resolution image of your winning entry to
or used with the permission of the photographer. Only one painting per artist Leisure Painter for publication in the magazine at the end of the year.
each month will be accepted. 5 All work entered will be featured on our website at www.painters-online.co.uk.
1 Online digital entries must be sent via our website at www.painters- 6 All entries must be original. Submission of entry in this competition automatically
online.co.uk. Click through the Current Painting Competition links to constitutes acceptance of all the competition rules and agreement to allow
Leisure Painter Sketchbook Competition. You must be registered and Leisure Painter to publish, republish and repurpose entries in print and digital
logged in to PaintersOnline before you can upload an image. formats, including but not limited to magazines, promotion materials, websites,
2 Upload your May entry by the closing date of 11 June at 12 noon. databases and as part of downloadable digital products.
3 Entries will be judged after 15 June and the winning entrant will be 7 The judges’ choice will be final. No correspondence will be entered into.
LP05 25-27 Webb_Layout 1 09/03/2018 12:46 Page 25
t
Morning, Broadsands Beach, watercolour on Jackson’s Eco paper 200lb medium rough, 12x17in (30x43cm)
Watercolour basics
and beyond
Part 5 Practise the dry-brush technique as you
paint a boat and water study, with David Webb
Watercolour
l 3B to 5B pencil
n Miscellaneous
l Mixing palette with large wells
l Board
l Masking tape
l Water
l Kitchen towel
Step 1
t
t Step 2 colour, remove most of the water with edge then from the right. This will
Mix a little raw sienna with cobalt blue in kitchen towel and make a series of dry- suggest sparkling light on the water.
a mixing well. Load a large brush with this brush strokes running from the left Allow to dry.
Step 3 t
t
Step 4
Use the same mix to paint the boat, but Finally, mix a strong wash of cobalt
use plenty of water in your wash this time. blue and light red. Use this to paint David Webb
Now paint the muddy areas. Start at the the shaded areas of the boat, lines and Find out about David’s work
top, working downwards, gradually buoys. Use it also to create a few darks and workshops by visiting
introducing a little more raw sienna to to indicate foreground shadows, www.davidwebbart.co.uk.
warm up the foreground area. Allow to dry. stones and seaweed.
t
The finished painting Boat Study, watercolour on Bockingford NOT 200lb (425gsm) watercolour paper, 8x11in. (20.5x28cm)
Product report
Caran d’Ache
Prismalo Aquarelle
Tim Fisher introduces techniques and ideas for you
to try with these top-quality water-soluble pencils
Colour process
Prismalo pencils have reasonably firm
leads, which lend themselves well for
making fine marks when drawing.
Taking a selection of colours from the
large tin of 80 pencils, my first painting
shows an ancient bridge covered with
wisteria flowers (Wisteria Bridge, left).
I selected a sheet of light grey
Clairefontaine Pastelmat paper. Working
on papers with a small amount of tint
offers the maximum benefit from the
range of pale colours provided in the
larger set.
Technique 1 Outline drawing The subject
was drawn using beige 403. I found
I could lift this colour out with an eraser
to correct any mistakes. The background
of the bridge was a mixture of sky and
weeping willow.
Technique 2 Scraping Colour was scraped
onto the dry surface using yellow green
230 and light blue 161 with a sharp
t
Wisteria Bridge, Prismalo watercolour pencil on light grey Pastelmat, 13x10in. (33x25.5cm) t
Figure 1 Scraping colour onto the dry surface
Product report
scalpel (Figure 1, below left). This beige 402 and silver 498. The tower some of the brick detail and emphasise
method saves leaving any unwanted body in the middle was mainly washed the dark areas around the tower and
marks behind when the pigment is over with ochre 35. The surrounding under the bridge. I picked out detail in
wetted. Finding how many shavings foliage was a mix of spring green 470, the foliage on the right using green
to add was a bit of trial and error, but light olive 245, green ochre 25 and ochre. I also found silver very useful
when I felt I had sufficient I wet the yellow green 230. Sky blue 141 made for indicating some of the brickwork
surface with a synthetic No. 8 brush a good colour for the wisteria blooms. and the stems of the creeper.
and introduced the background Technique 4 Dry pencil colour The foliage was emphasised by
around the bridge. Clairefontaine will only tolerate re-working the greens as dry pencil
Technique 3 Paper palette washes applied washes for so long before all to denote details within the grasses
Using a piece of scrap paper as a palette, the colours start creeping outside the and leaves.
I scribbled down pigment before adding edges and back runs start to form. This To finish, I added more sky blue to
more washes of colour. The bridge is the best point to stop, dry the surface darken the wisteria blooms then worked
and roof of the tower were a series of thoroughly and move on to dry pencil, white 001 over the areas where the
washes using grey 005, beige 403, light which I did using cocoa 405 to pick out light was catching the masonry. LP
l Beige 403 1 I drew the scene using beige 403. Graphite outlines
l Ochre 35 can go a little grubby when a pencil is used for drawing.
l Carmine 80
Prismalo pencils produce a clean line, which, if necessary,
l Ultramarine 140
can be washed away when making corrections. The
l Gold 499
edges also dissolve nicely when adding liquid colour.
l Cocoa 405
2 I started by adding the sky using a paper palette
l Orange 030
onto which I had scribbled ochre, carmine 80 and
l Raw umber 049
ultramarine 140.
t
Step 2 Step 3
t
Product report
t
Step 1
1 I drew the barn with a waterproof pen.
2 I wetted the sky area with clean water then added a wash
of ultramarine to the upper part, followed by a mix of
carmine and ultramarine for the lower clouds.
t Step 2
1 After letting this dry, I added a wash of golden ochre to the
sunlit stonework, followed by a mix of golden ochre and ultramarine
for the foliage. To darken the greens where necessary I added a little
carmine to the mix.
2 Shadows and darker areas were added with washes of sepia
or a mix of carmine and ultramarine.
3 I let the paper dry thoroughly before adding detail using the
sepia for the barn shadows, fencing and the twigs on the trees.
I added foreground grasses with golden ochre.
4 Texture was added by flicking a water brush pen against the tip of
the golden ochre and allowing the pigment to spatter onto the surface.
5 Where colour had crept too far corrections were made using
a small portion of magic sponge eraser.
Step 3
t
If you want to
experience a tried-
and-tested versatile
set of pencils that
have been around
longer than any other
product of this type
then Caran d’Ache
Prismalo watercolour
pencils are the ones
for you. Find out
more by visiting
www.carandache.com
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The finished painting, Butterton Barn, Prismalo watercolour pencil on Sennelier 140lb Rough paper, 10x13in. (25.5x33cm)
Oils or acrylics
Nightwish
Paint an atmospheric beach scene with figures at sunset, with Elena Parashko
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n Mix and apply the colours
of a sunset
n How to paint sea, sky, land
and reflections
n Add texture with the scumbling
technique
Step 1
t
Oils or acrylics
Demonstration continued
t Step 2
1 The reason for waiting for the blue part of
the sky to dry before painting the sunset colours
was to avoid the problem of them mixing and
creating a green join line. I began with the most
intense glow of the sun in titanium white then
radiated progressively stronger colours from
there. Next to the white, I blended cadmium
yellow medium, then added a touch of cadmium
red to this colour to make a light orange, and
finally more cadmium red for a darker orange.
2 By the time this glow reached the edge of the
mountain range on the left, I reversed the order
of colours so the glow became paler the further
it was from the sun. I gently blurred the sunset
colours into the edge of the blue-sky colour for
a softer transition.
3 After the sky was completed, I painted the
distant mountain range using the sand paint
colour.
t
Step 3
This step involved painting the entire sea horizontal brushstrokes. I went back to my down with a touch of sand colour before
area with reflected sky colours using original colour mixes and toned them applying them.
t
Step 4
1 For the reflection of the mountains in the I lightly scumbled the light orange sky colour. colour, made from the blue sky colour
water, I mixed the sunset colour with some 2 To create some texture in the sand and to darkened with a bit of sand colour, using
of the mountain colour. To paint the ripples, soften its hard and dark edge at the waterline, a medium-sized Round brush and circular
I used the original light blue-sky colour and I lightened the original sand colour slightly movements. The highlights on the clouds
applied it with the chisel edge of a small flat with titanium white and scumbled the whole were painted in a similar fashion using
brush. To create the glow on the mountains sand area. some orange sunset colour.
directly below the white ball of the sun, 3 I positioned the clouds with their shadow
Step 5
t
t
The finished painting Nightwish, oil on canvas, 16x38in. (41x96cm)
Watercolour
March hare
Enjoy painting a loose and lively study of a hare, by Rachel McNaughton
Step 1
t
t
Step 3
1 Continue into the lower background and about halfway up
the hare. From that point start to use upward strokes of raw
sienna and quinacridone gold to suggest wet-in-wet grasses.
2 Splatter as well while the paper is still wet. To do this, fill
your brush with colour then tap against your finger to flick
the colour onto the paper. Leave to dry.
Step 4
t
1 Make sure your paper is
completely dry then rewet
the body of the hare quickly,
taking care not to disturb
the first wash (this is tricky!).
Paint the hare again using
the same washes, but avoid
painting his chest and eye.
2 Drop in more colours
while he is still wet; you
might need to add more
colour to your washes.
3 Add more upward grasses
with flicks of browns and
golds to create better-
defined grass.
4 Fade the colour from
the bottom ends of the grass
out gradually with a clean
damp brush. Leave to dry.
t
Step 5
1 Paint the hare’s ears with the burnt umber
and ultramarine wash, fading into raw sienna.
Try to make a darker area on the back ear to
define the ear shape at the front; a ragged
finish will give the impression of fur.
2 Continue over the head with the lighter colours
and fade out near his nose so that looks lighter.
3 Use Winsor violet (take care – Winsor violet
is a very strong colour so use plenty of water)
for the shadowed areas, allowing the colour
to run wet in wet.
4 Paint another layer on the nearest legs
only. Leave the furthest legs unpainted and
again don’t paint his chest. Leave to dry.
5 Paint the background legs with a burnt
umber and ultramarine wash (a bluer
mixture than before.)
Make sure the eye area is dry and paint
the whole area with light red leaving
a small highlight.
Step 6
t
Rachel McNaughton
Find out about Rachel, her work and
classes at www.artbyrachel.co.uk
LP
Hazel Soan 2018 adv3.qxp_News 1st 21/02/2018 15:50 Page 1
Includes
artist & WORKSHOPS FREE ENTRY
to the festival
Master Wet-Into-Wet worth £10!
YOUR TUTOR
Hazel Soan is a highly
successful international artist,
the author of many books and
a contributor to The Artist
magazine. With African wildlife
as the subject, Hazel will
demonstrate how to master
wet-into-wet watercolour to
maximize transparency and
paint speedily. Hazel will explain the properties of pigments,
the attention to the amount of water, consistency of paint and
YOUR MATERIALS
diffusion of colours. Participants will paint from similar reference,
Each participant will receive,
applying colours wet-into-wet, and with guidance from Hazel. The
courtesy of St Cuthberts Mill,
Saunders Waterford paper supplied is perfect for blending colours
five half imperial sheets of 638gsm/300lb
wet-into-wet and the rough surface keeps the paper damp longer
Saunders Waterford Watercolour Rough White Paper
as it tallies in the troughs. The 300lb paper buckles minimally with
and a 14x10in. Saunders Waterford Rough Block,
excess of water, making painting wet-into-wet very manageable.
worth over £50(rrp). Saunders Waterford is a superior quality
The morning session will run from 10am to 1pm and the afternoon
watercolour paper made by St Cuthberts Mill and comes
session from 2pm to 5pm.
with the Royal Watercolour Society’s endorsement. It is
mould made using 100% cotton to high archival standards.
PATCHINGS ART, CRAFT & PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL 2018
One of the UK’s finest practical art, craft and design events, set in
60 acres of picturesque Nottinghamshire countryside. The event
showcases some of the best professional artists and craft makers,
along with paintings, textiles, jewellery, glasswork, photography,
ceramics, woodwork and sculpture. There will also be art and craft
materials for testing and purchase, guest artists, demonstration
marquees and hands-on workshops. The festival at Patchings Art
Centre in Calverton, Nottinghamshire, runs from Thursday to
Sunday, July 12 to 15, 10am to 5pm daily.
For further information visit
www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk
GREAT VALUE –
BOOK YOUR PLACE TODAY!
BOOK NOW
For more information and to book your place, please visit
The cost of each three-hour session is just
£65(inc VAT) per person and includes tuition
from Hazel Soan and Saunders Waterford
www.painters-online.co.uk/
Watercolour Paper worth over £50(rrp), courses-holidays/reader-workshops
PLUS free entry to Patchings Art, Craft & If you don’t have internet access please telephone
Photography Festival for the day, worth £10. Liza or Nicci on 01580 763673
LP05 37-39 Birch_Layout 1 09/03/2018 13:33 Page 37
t
Figure 1 Diagram showing the effect of light and shadow on hills and valleys of water. As a wave breaks, the foam dissolves into lacelike patterns.
Changing colour
The sea offers a mirror-like surface to
the sky, which is why the light parts of
the time. Nothing will take the place
of careful observation.
When buying pastels, invest in as many
buffs, greys, grey-greens and off-whites
as you can. These colours are vital to
and exploring ways of capturing aspects waves reflect the sky colour. The foam, working in pastel since most pastel boxes
of marine painting from deep sea to which is produced on the tops of waves contain predominantly bright primary
shoreline to crashing waves, in pastel, as it forms breakers, will pick up warmth colours. As pastels cannot be mixed as
watercolour and oils. or coolness from the weather conditions. other media – only overlaid – you need
To paint the sea successfully, you need If the sun is out, the foam will be warm a good supply of these tertiary colours.
to watch it in order to understand what in tone (cream) or on an overcast day,
goes on when the wind blows and the bluish white, but in both cases never pure Your choices
tide advances or retreats. If you can visit white. Remember, nothing is pure white I am working with two very different
the coast, just spend time watching what in nature. All whites need to be modified types of pastel here: soft pastel and
happens when waves form. There are with a little warm or cool colour. oil pastel.
troughs and peaks forming all the time, There is no neat recipe for sea colour. Soft pastels are sometimes referred to
resembling liquid hills and valleys (Figure The sea will appear different colours in as chalky although they are made from
1, above). There are ripples and foam, different locations, weather and tidal kaolin clay bound together with pigment
surges and calm. Light hits the sides of conditions. However, the following blues (colour). These pastels will create an
t
these hills and casts shadows, and it is this and greens are colours I find useful: effect quickly and very well, an advantage
Pastel
t
the reference for the two paintings below
if you are an impatient painter, like me.
The chalkiness means that pastels create
not only colour but also texture very well
and can be smudged softly if required.
Coloured grounds
Pastels are available as sticks or in pencil
form. Although pastel pencils are cleaner
to use, they cannot give the generous
sweeps of colour that sticks create.
I tend to use pastel pencils for detail only.
The vibrancy of pastel lies in the friction
made on the surface by the pastel and
pressure applied in that stroke. This
causes the particles to stand up and
render more colour this way. If too much
smudging is used, the colour will soften,
and become duller. Also over-spraying
with fixative can flatten the particles on
colour, making the picture look dull
and tired.
Pastels are normally worked on
coloured surfaces, which affect the
colouring and atmosphere of a picture.
I painted Norwegian Fjord (left) on
a buff-coloured piece of pastel paper.
Because there were many blues and
greys in the photograph (above left),
which were cool in character, I decided
to use a warm base on which to work.
The picture was worked from the sky
downwards, beginning with mid tones
of colour, with lighter and darker tones
added. The technique I used was a series
of linear marks, overlaying colours and
occasionally smudging colour, for
example where you see mist. To illustrate
the difference when using different
coloured grounds, the second piece
(below left) is the same picture worked
over a piece of red craft paper. The
effect is dramatically different.
On the final picture of a fishing boat
in soft pastel (right), I used a piece of
black pastel paper and worked up the
colour using vigorous marks and very
little smudging.
Oil pastels
Oil pastels are made from canuba
wax, which are used in cosmetics and
confectionary, and bound together with
colour in stick form only. These pastels
resemble wax crayons, but are softer and
render more intense colour. Oil pastels
can be softened with heat, or diluted
with white spirit, or used on their own,
as I have and blended together using
linear marks or broad sweeps of colour
made by laying the pastel on its side.
Oil pastel paper pads are available for
working on, which I have used, or acrylic
t
t
Venice, oil pastel, 812⁄ x11in. (21.5x28cm).
Venice was worked on white oil pastel paper.
I blended the colours by using short
vigorous marks.
Short strokes
As with soft pastel it is better to work
from top to bottom so in my final scene
of Venice (above) the sky was created
first using ultramarine and cerulean blue
together with white and grey, while I fused
the colours together with short strokes. The
same colours were used in the sea, keeping
the marks horizontal. The lights in the
distance were applied after scraping out
some of the pastel and laying in white with
yellow. The rest of the painting was laid in
with olive and browns with black to create
the wet foreground pavement, building
and jetty. LP
Linda Birch
Linda is running her annual summer
school at Hamsterley from 2 to 6 July. Find
out more about Linda and her work by
visiting www.theartistlindabirch.co.uk
Scratchboard
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n
n
First steps with scratchboard
Understand the tools needed
I confess – I’m a self-taught scratcher.
I know that sounds a bit odd, but let
me explain. I am a scratchboard artist
and a bit of a detail freak. Scratchboard
is a form of direct engraving and it’s like
Australia than in the UK. It is a similar
concept to the scraperboard you did at
school, but this is scraperboard all grown
up and the quality of the boards allows for
some phenomenal work. Although I also
n Hints on techniques working in negative. work in pastel, coloured pencil, graphite
Scratchboard certainly has more pencil and charcoal, I always seem to
recognition in the United States and keep coming back to scratchboard.
TOOLS USED
This image, produced by the wonderful American scratchboard artist, Rick Plasters (www.rickplasters.com), shows some of the tools he uses
and what effects he gains from them
3 Cross-hatcher (makes
t
t
I Have my Eye on You, scratchboard, 8x10in. (20x25cm). Tools used: X-Acto knife, a fibreglass brush and watercolour was used for the eyes.
I added the watercolour as a light wash and ensured the first layer was dry before adding another layer. I built up the depth of colour by
adding further washes. You can scratch more highlights into the colour, if desired.
If you like detail, this medium could which gives me access to videos of The scratchboards comprise a one-
really suit you. It is portable, inexpensive workshops, newsletters and the eighth inch thick masonite board, which
and therapeutic, and requires only a few opportunity to upgrade to a higher level has a layer of white kaolin clay, topped
tools to create something that will have at some stage. The ISSA has an annual with a layer of black ink. The knife or
everyone’s jaws dropping. It is not a exhibition, with a weekend of workshops tool used removes the black ink,
quick art form, but one to savour and and I am considering going to next year’s revealing the white clay underneath.
watch as it grows slowly and enjoyably. venue in Ohio, to meet my scratching Adding washes of diluted Indian ink
It is also very forgiving, providing you heroes, see and drool over their work over the scratching already done then
haven’t been too heavy handed and close up and get to know better the re-scratching helps to build the layers
scratched down to the masonite board, artists I have met online and learn more and create the visual aspect of fur or
as mistakes can be re-inked and techniques, with the aim of improving texture that you are trying to achieve.
re-scratched. I have been pleasantly my work and trying to get closer to Tonal values are achieved by how
surprised and relieved to find it is their standards. much ink is removed, but a very light
possible to recover an image I once Facebook has a Scratchboard Artists touch and a lot of layers are
thought lost. page, as have the ISSA. From their online recommended. A 5x7in. (12x5x17.5cm)
All the big names in this medium say, presence, I know many of the greatest board costs around £3.50 plus postage
all boards, and I suspect, all paintings artists in this field. They are so welcoming from Jackson’s or Cass Art.
too, go through an initial ugly stage, but to new scratchers and even those whose
by carrying on, the ugly duckling turns works sell for thousands of dollars are Your tools
into a beautiful swan. I hope this article happy to offer help and advice to those Once you have the board, you can start
will interest you enough to want to try who ask, and actively encourage with just a knife. I use an X-Acto knife
this technique for yourself and, next everyone to spread the word about (or Jakar craft knife), preferably one with
month, I will provide a tutorial taking this wonderful medium. a cross section at the top to insert a No.
you through the stages of creating 11 blade, which seems to be favourite.
your own masterpiece. The boards The knife is the predominant tool of
Made in America, by Ampersand choice for most scratchboard artists.
Internet inspiration (www.ampersandart.com), the boards can Once used to the process, you can add
I joined The International Society be purchased online from Jacksons Art to your tool collection a fibreglass brush
of Scratchboard Artists (ISSA) Supplies (www.jacksonsart.com) and Cass (a tool used for jewellry cleaning. Fine
(scratchboardsociety.org) in the USA Art (www.cassart.co.uk) among others. oil-free steel wool and tattoo needles are
and am one of, currently, only two UK Ampersand also offers a wonderful range also great tools, but really anything
members. I joined at Associate level, of boards and panels for other media. sharp and abrasive works.
t
t
Roaring Tiger, scratchboard, 8x8in. (20x20cm). A X-Acto knife was used for scratching the fur and a fibreglass brush was used for the teeth.
to rub off a bit too easily. When varnishing, which makes marks
tracing, place the carbon paper right magically disappear and makes the Many tiny scratches were made for the skin
side down between your image and whites or colours pop. Add a few coats texture. This takes time and patience using
the board and trace round the basic of varnish in dry conditions, as moisture an X-Acto knife, fibreglass brush and a tattoo
needle. I used the brush very lightly and
outlines and key points so you can in the air can affect the spray of the sparingly and both this and the tattoo
see where to scratch. varnish causing white spots to appear. needle helped soften the marks of the knife.
The details are then added when I will give you details of varnish I added layers of diluted Indian ink, waited
the scratching starts using your tools, spray next month. until dry then re-scratched and repeated
and the finished image becomes your Animals and birds are particularly to ensure good coverage and depth.
interpretation of the reference you are good subjects as the fur and feathers
working from. If desired, work can be tend to suit the techniques well, but
coloured when the scratching is done, some artists create phenomenal
using watercolour, inks or Inktense
pencils, or left black and white.
landscapes, architecture and much more.
The late, great Diana Lee wrote a very
Jenny Dalleywater
Please contact Jenny with any questions
You will need to remove more of worthwhile book about scratchboard you might have about scratchboard
the black ink if you wish to colour called Starting from Scratch (available or if you are interested in workshops:
or the black ink will just move from Amazon for around £22). This has jennydart18@gmail.com
around and muddy the colours. been my bible and is an invaluable
t
Coda, scratchboard, 5x7in. (12.5x17.5cm). Tools used: X-Acto knife and a fibreglass brush. I used a combination of watercolour paints and
coloured pencil for the eyes. In this scratchboard example (from a photo by Karen Broemmelsick of her dog, Coda), I produced the white
area above the dog’s head by rubbing alcohol.
Acrylics
LEARNING OBJECTIVES found, through necessity and trial and as a substitute for raw sienna in
error, that with these few I can mix any most cases. There are myriad whites
n Useful colour-mixing ideas colour I want for wherever I am in the available, just as there are many
n Know your brushes world. As a result, I don’t need to alter different browns. But to me, none
my colour palette for differing subjects or of them are as useful as the colours
n How to paint a simple tree different landscapes. My regular colours that I use.
are: Payne’s grey, permanent alizarin Not every colour will be used for
crimson, burnt sienna, cobalt blue, every painting, and the amount you
1 Thoroughly wet your stay-wet refill 2 Pick up your first paint and squeeze 3 Leaving a little space between each
t t t
paper and place it on the wet sponge the amount you need onto the palette – one, squeeze out the other colours you
in your palette. there’s no need to be mean, but equally need for your painting. Place each pool of
no reason to waste it. paint near the edge, and leave an area in
the centre for mixing colours together.
MIXING COLOURS
Mixing colours is as simple as picking them your palette. Depending on the amount of the than one brushful of each colour. It is good
up and combining them on a clean area of mix you need, you may need to take more practice to rinse your brush between colours.
1 Wet your brush and dip it into the 2 Take the paint to a clean area of your 3 Take the loaded brush to the first
t t t
pool of your first paint to pick up some palette and wipe the brush on the palette colour and mix the paints thoroughly
of the colour. surface to transfer the paint. Rinse your on the palette.
brush then pick up your second colour.
Acrylics
USEFUL MIXES
t Green mixes
t
A virtue of using so few colours in my basic
palette is that I have become familiar with A lot of beginners struggle with greens, but
how they all combine, and have learned to there’s no need to worry. The examples on this
mix so many different hues and shades of page show a few of my favourite green mixes,
existing colours to suit every occasion. The though there are many more. Spend a little t
Hooker’s green and Naples yellow, a
following mixes will be useful additions time practising mixing some up, and record nice shade of green for lighter trees and
to your repertoire. which ones you found useful. luscious grasses.
You will notice that the mixes here all involve
t Neutral mixes Hooker’s green. Although it appears fairly
It’s easy to mix mud by mistake, but synthetic and unnatural on its own, Hooker’s
interesting neutral colours – those made by green is a very versatile mixer. When combined
combining primary and secondary colours – with the other colours in your palette, you can
are worth looking at. They provide important create a huge range of organic, naturalistic
contrast to brighter colours and add realism greens that can be used for a large variety of
to your work. The mixes here aren’t tasks in your painting. On top of that, because
glamorous, but are useful to know, as all of the mixes are based on the same colour, t
Hooker’s green and raw umber is a
they will add realism to your work. it all sits in harmony in the painting. good dark mix that works well for stronger
foliage, particularly in the foreground.
t
Earthy brown made up of raw umber
and cobalt blue t
Hooker’s green and burnt sienna make
a lovely mid to dark green for some of the
darks in your foliage.
t
Hooker’s green and alizarin crimson,
another smashing dark green. If you mix
these in equal quantities, you can make
an effective black.
t
Warm brown made up of raw umber
and burnt sienna
t
Dark grey made up of raw umber and
t
A mix of Hooker’s green and raw sienna
t
Hooker’s green and Payne’s grey
Payne’s grey combine to make a red-green, perfect for combine to make a cracking blue-green,
dry or winter grasses. suitable for poplars and conifers.
Step 1
t
Acrylics
Demonstration continued
Step 4
t
Paint the basic structure of the tree with
simple lines as shown, then clean your brush.
t
Step 5
For preparing single colours, the process
is the same as for mixing – you take the
colour from the squeezed-out swatch
t
Step 6
and transfer it to a clean space on your Add touches of the Naples yellow to the tree
palette before adding water there, and to create texture and interest, concentrating
loading your brush from here. This on the left-hand side.
keeps the original swatches clean while
ensuring you water your paint down
to the right consistency. Prepare the
Naples yellow, adding water until it
feels creamy.
Step 7
t
Step 8
t
Step 9
t
t
Acrylics
t
Step 10
t
Prepare Naples yellow and This article was adapted from
stipple it on lightly as highlights Acrylics for the Absolute Beginner by
– these are added to the top of Charles Evans (Search Press, 2017).
each area of foliage. Save money when you buy art books
from our bookshop at Painters
Online. Turn to page 66 for details.
t
Step 11
Make another green mix (see step 7), using the same colours,
but add some Payne’s grey this time. Split the No. 8 Round
(just as with the No. 18 flat) in this mix. Gently stipple the
trunk of the tree to suggest ivy on the base to finish. t
The finished tree
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Reference material
Inspired by nature
Part 1 In this new series on drawing and painting wildlife and nature,
Michelle Campbell discusses how and where to find your inspiration
LEARNING OBJECTIVES I generally draw a few sketches from Take flowers from your garden and
an idea I already have then transfer position them in a vase on a table. You
n How to source and use reference my sketches onto watercolour paper, may want to add fruit or a bird. Look at
material occasionally changing them by adding birds in your garden rather than working
n Techniques for sketching nature different elements. from photographs, still life or a model
then using your imagination is the best
n How to look at your subject with Reference way forward.
an artist’s eye Reference material can come in the form If you want to draw animals, use your
of books, magazines, newspapers, found own pet as reference. Observe how your
Suggestions
Collect objects you like, magazine
cuttings that inspire you and colour
swatches, and make a journal or an
inspirational board. Each board you make
could have a specific theme or colour
scheme so you can identify each one.
These boards help you gather inspiration
for the times you are feeling uninspired.
Once you have gathered enough
inspiration, you should have a vision t
Your reference photograph for this project
of what you would like to draw or paint.
EXERCISE 2
Sketch and painting
For this exercise, I used the reference drawing,
which I made on my travels, the leaf reference
(below) and observing the blackbirds in my
garden. They all inspired me to paint
The Blackbird’s Song has Sung (right).
t
Reference drawing, along with the leaf drawing
below, for The Blackbird’s Song has Sung t
The Blackbird’s Song has Sung, watercolour, 1934⁄ x1934⁄ in. (50x50cm)
Materials
l Plain paper
l Pencil, preferably
a 2B or a HB
Step 1
t
Step 2
t
1 Once you have drawn the outline, begin pencil harder on the surface of the paper.
on the large veins, again using a hard 4 Stand back and look at what you have
drawing method so the lines are heavy and achieved from a still-life reference object.
thick. Begin from the stem again and work Be inspired to pick something up something
your way down to the middle until you else and draw it.
reach the bottom.
2 Begin on the finer veins, using a lighter
method with your pencil. These veins tend
to be fine and intricate. We don’t want detail Michelle Campbell
here but we do want to see the veins. Again, Michelle is an artist and illustrator.
it does not have to be exact; use your Visit www.michellecampbellart.com
imagination, too. to see more of her work.
3 Add any dark blotches you see, using your
LP
LP05 52-54 ParashkoTech_Layout 1 09/03/2018 15:25 Page 52
Computers
Technology –
an artist’s tool
How to manipulate two photographs on your computer
to prepare them for painting, by Elena Parashko
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n How to combine two
photographs into one painting
n The benefits of using scanners
and computers
t Step 1 Scanner
t
The original
t
landscape photo
from the family
Computers
t
Step 2
1 Level 2 Lighten
Horizon lines in seascape paintings must surface of the ocean on the far left of the I also felt that the photo of the landscape was
be straight and level so when referring to photo to establish where the horizon line too dark, obscuring details of vegetation and
a photograph that has been taken on an actually was. I use Paint Shop on my making the atmosphere too cloudy and gloomy.
angle, it’s helpful to level before printing. computer to edit the photos. In Paint Shop I therefore adjusted the brightness and contrast
Because of gravity, the surface of a body this function is called ‘straighten’ but other levels until the photo was light enough, but
of water will always be level so I used the software programs may call it ‘level’. before the rich colours were bleached out of it.
Step 3
t
1 Mirror
In the original photo of the family group,
they were walking to the left. However,
when superimposing them onto the
landscape with the sweep of beach on
the right, it made more sense to have
them walking to the right. It was a
simple matter of clicking on the ‘mirror’
effect in Paint Shop to reverse the photo.
2 Crop
If a photo has been taken with a lot of
unnecessary background, or if you want
to zoom into a small part of the photo
then it is very easy to crop off the
unwanted parts of the image. This is
almost like using a viewfinder in real life
to isolate the important part of the view
that you want to paint and block out the
distracting parts. In the photo of the
family, none of the background (except
for their shadows) was relevant so I
cropped around them pretty tightly.
t
t
Step 4 Print
After the original photo of the landscape the two figures on the right so they
was levelled and lightened, I printed it out appeared to be on the same flat beach
and worked from this version to paint the surface as the figures on the left. In the Elena Parashko
entire landscape on the canvas. When it was original photo they were walking up Elena is the author of the
dry, I printed out the mirrored and cropped onto a slight rise. And finally, I used empowering book Survival Guide for
version of the family photo. To help me my imagination to paint the reflections Artists: How to Thrive in the Creative
decide the best positioning of the figures in of the family in the wet sand. Arts, available via Amazon. She also
the landscape, I moved this photo around Basic computer technology is readily runs painting retreats in Fiji and
on the painted landscape. When I was happy available these days and should be Tuscany. For more information about
with the composition I painted the family considered a useful tool for any artist. her work visit www.elenaparashko
into the landscape, making a few changes You don’t have to be a computer expert .com or email info@elenaparashko
to ensure that the figures looked like they to take advantage of these functions. .com. Her blog www.survivalguide
belonged in the scene. If you don’t feel confident in these skills, forartists.com has a wealth of
Firstly, I changed the colour of some of the just ask someone who is, write down the information for artists.
clothing so the people would not fade away steps to do what you want to do then
into the background. Secondly, I lowered practise your artistic independence.
t
The finished painting My Happy Place, oil on canvas, 24x48in. (61x12cm)
PAINTING HOLIDAY
Isola di Ponza is one of Italy’s best- crystal clear waters. Ponza has a and the remains of a castle. Your hotel
kept secrets. It is a small unpretentious surprisingly rich history and there are is conveniently located for painting the
island with only a few hotels and a many archeological ruins. Its isolation main square and harbour area of the
population of 3,300. A simple and destined it to be used as a penal town of Ponza and the beach at Chiaia
quiet way of life is maintained with colony in the past and today it is a di Luna. There is only one road that
most people keeping a few chickens, popular film set location. There is runs the length of the island and two
rabbits and goats. Apart from a small plenty to paint here – the white and other villages, which are served by the
amount of tourism, fishing, boat blue-grey cliffs, sea stacks, grottos and local bus.
building and boat repairs are the main secluded bays, the busy little harbour
Travel details
activities. The island is formed of a with its pastel coloured houses and
Price per person £3,295
caldera rim of an extinct volcano. It has fishing boats and the Giardino
a rocky coastline and is surrounded by Botanica Ponziano, which has a villa Single supplement £450
Number of students 12
Media Oil, watercolour and mixed media
Suitability Intermediate and advanced
students
Price includes flights, ferry, hotel,
breakfasts and dinners, travel escort
and guest artist
Tinted charcoal
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n Use tinted charcoal for
drawing and washes
n How to observe a still life
Some areas
appear as lost
line edges S ometimes we notice a readymade
still-life group on a windowsill,
which just cries out to be
sketched and painted. Depending
on the angle at which we view the
arrangement and the amount we
decide to include, the subject is
immediately there for us to draw
or paint. Quite often I find that the
subject itself, with its colours and
textures, automatically suggests
Noticing a medium to me that suits the
variety of content and arrangement.
negative This figure and accompanying
shapes will books gave me an easy choice of
add interest medium – the subtle tints of charcoal
to your study pencils. Derwent’s range of tinted
so take charcoal pencils proved to be ideal
this into for what I had in mind. When
A consideration I sharpened them in preparation for
when drawing, instead of sharpening each
choosing into a bin, I collected the fine powder
Take the angle
advantage into palette wells (as I do with
you wish watercolour pencils) and used these
of strong to view the
contrasts mixed with water for the painted
subject from example (right).
to bring the
form forward B
Investigative sketch
Left shows my investigative sketch,
executed in the tint, peat, with
vertical and horizontal guidelines
drawn to line up components.
Next step
For the main artwork I wanted to
include shapes of closed pages rather
than just see the sides or spines of
books so the chosen angle was
more from above.
Final study
Figure 3 (right) was another option,
as I included more of the sill and
contents. Natural tint was my choice
for the underpainting that you can see
on the right-hand side of the picture,
as it did not interfere with subsequent
overlays and was useful when mixed
with sand to produce the pale hue
A An obvious place from which to t
Figure 1 Investigative Sketch, of wall surrounding the window.
drop a vertical guideline as it lines Derwent tinted charcoal pencil A fine spray of fixative is essential
up with B which helps to position ‘peat’, 12x8in. (30x20cm) over dry-pencil work, whereas
another component accurately for the final picture, you will find
that the addition of water will fix
the image. LP
Tinted charcoal
t
Derwent tinted
charcoal pencils on Trudy Friend
sketchbook paper, Find out more about Trudy and her
12x8in. (30x20cm) work by visiting www.trudyfriend.co.uk
COLOURS USED
Peat Natural
Heather mist
Burnt orange
Dark moss
Sunset pink
Forest pine
Figure 3 Still Life, Derwent tinted charcoal pencils on Saunders Waterford 90lb Rough watercolour paper, 10 12⁄ x8in. (26.5x20cm)
t
Watercolour
Spring landscape
Enjoy the process as you paint a study of sheep
in an English landscape, by Charles Evans
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n Colour-mixing ideas for
spring greens
T he seasons of the year are often
summed up as much by the wildlife
and animals of the landscape as the
changing colours. Spring lambs, such as
You will need
n
l
Surface
Langton Rough
n Daler-Rowney
Artists’
n
these, say it all really. LP
How to create form in your 140lb watercolour watercolour
animal studies paper 81⁄2x121⁄2in. l Cobalt blue
t Step 1 l Yellow ochre
n How to create a balanced (21.5x31.5cm)
Make a simple outline drawing. At this stage, l Burnt sienna
composition n Daler-Rowney
the sheep look massive in the foreground but l Raw umber
Sapphire brushes
all becomes clear as the painting progresses. l Alizarin crimson
l Flat ¾in.
l Hooker’s green
l Round No. 8
l Charles Evans
l Rigger No. 3
sand
l Dalon 1½in. flat
one-stroke brush
t Step 2
1 Using a 1½in. flat wash-brush, pre-wet your
sky area with clean water and don’t worry about
the trees or church, cut through them with the
sky. They are all going to be darker than the
sky anyway so it really doesn’t matter.
2 Add well-diluted cobalt blue from the top
all the way down.
3 Wash out your brush and suck out a few clouds
with it before adding a touch of light red to the
cobalt blue and dropping in a little cloud shadow
underneath where you sucked out the clouds.
Watercolour
t Step 3
1 Once the sky is completely dry, change to the and the mullioned parts of the windows.
Round brush and pre-wet the whole of the church, Have all this done while the pre-wet is still
excluding the roof to the left. Use fairly weak damp so there is still softness to the colours.
yellow ochre and just fill in the right side of the 2 Once all the stonework is dry, use a
church, followed by raw umber to the left of the mixture of cobalt blue and light red to
church. Don’t forget at this stage to fill in the spires fill in the slate roof to the left.
Step 4
t
1 Again, let everything dry before filling
in the small amount of detail in the
church. With the Round brush, use
stronger raw umber to indicate the
details in the stonework.
2 Now mix cobalt blue and burnt sienna
for a darker blue to fill in the windows.
3 Finally on the church, add the shadow
to give it more depth and shape. Do this
with a mixture of cobalt blue, alizarin part of the church to the left by the tower. Also
crimson and burnt sienna. Notice the add a more watery version of the shadow at the
strong diagonal shadow cast on the small top of the tower to indicate an overhang.
Step 5
t
1 Now it’s time to start with the trees around
the church, again using the Round brush. All the
colours used in the trees are well watered. First,
at the top of each tree, quickly stroke in a little
yellow ochre, followed by Hooker’s green mixed
with lots of yellow ochre then followed by a
little light red, just here and there, and not
much. The final colour is cobalt blue for the
darker parts of the trees.
2 Notice especially the dark of the tree behind
the tower to the right. These darks help to push
the tower out and make it more prominent.
Notice also at this stage, dropping in a few
touches of blue in the background will indicate
more distant trees. When painting this lot, paint
around the fence posts. Try to avoid using
masking fluid unless absolutely necessary.
Step 6
t
Watercolour
Demonstration continued
Step 7
t
Step 8
t
The next bit is very simple but be
careful not to paint into the sheep with
your watery mix of Hooker’s green and
yellow ochre. Simply fill in the field: not
just in any direction, but shape the field
with your brushstrokes. While still wet,
drop in cobalt blue, here and there,
especially in the foreground.
Step 9
t
Step 10
t
Watercolour
t
Step11
Using the same brush, pre-wet both lambs. Fill in
using a weaker version of the Charles Evans sand.
Step 12
t
Much the same as you did with the main body of the
ewe, indicate the shape to the bodies of the lambs with
just a few dabs of weak cobalt blue and burnt sienna.
Use this mix underneath the belly of the top lamb and
down the insides of its back legs. Again using the strong
mix of cobalt blue and burnt sienna, paint the nose,
eyes and knobbly knees of the standing lamb.
t Step 13
1 Finally mix a little shadow colour, cobalt pleasing little springtime scene which,
if I say so myself, is really quite cute. I
Charles Evans
blue, burnt sienna and alizarin crimson, Find out about Charles and his work by
and with a few simple strokes, drag some hope you enjoy having a go at this one
visiting www.charlesevansart.co.uk
shadow emanating from the sheep across as much as I enjoyed painting it.
to the left. And there we go, quite a
t
The finished painting Spring Landscape, watercolour, 812⁄ x1212⁄ in. (21.5x31.5cm)
Product report
QoR watercolour
Steve Strode puts QoR watercolour by Golden through
its paces to produce fresh landscapes and still lifes
The tests
I associate Golden with its excellent range
of acrylics so I couldn’t wait to get started.
I had been sent two sample palettes to
work with, offering a small selection of
their extensive 83-colour range. The
watercolour usually comes in tubes, but
the samples I tried came as dried pigment
rather like that found in a pan.
The colours I tested were rich and easy
to work with, and the dioxine purple was
particularly strong. Golden rightly states
that the colours are vibrant and intense,
and this is true. Much is said about the
luminosity and brilliance of the QoR
pigments even after drying, but they did
dry a little lighter even after two glazes in
the test I carried out. I would recommend
that when you are trying out new paints
to run tests on a sheet of paper to see how
well they perform for you. Also look at
how they mix with other colours, making
darkest darks, washes, glazes and general
responses to mark making.
The colours
The colours handled well and, like other
pans I have used, their intensity was
dependent on the build-up of layers.
The reds and yellows were particularly
vibrant and did well in comparison to
my usual paints.
The future of your finished paintings
The taster palettes come with a good range
A re you in the market for a quality regarding fading and preservation has
t
of small samples of QoR paints watercolour? US Artists’ paint been well examined by Golden’s experts.
manufacturer, Golden claims to Regarding lightfastness, Golden has
have produced a range of paints that are extensive research on its side and notes
unmatched in the history of watercolours. that the binder only changed its colour
According to its promotional information, slightly under accelerated light exposure.
the new QoR line of paints (Quality of As regards the paints having greater
Results, pronounced ‘core’) ‘retain the resistance to cracking and peeling, it’s not
best qualities of traditional watercolours, yet a problem I’ve ever encountered with
while their exclusive binder provides other watercolours so like lightfastness,
more pigment in every brushstroke. This it’s beyond the remit of such a short test.
unique QoR formulation accentuates the One of the important criteria when
luminosity and brilliance of pigments even adding quality paint to your palette has
after drying, with vibrant colours to rival to be value for money. The QoR paints
the best acrylics or oils’. This is all based come in 11ml tubes and are a little pricier
on the science behind the use of an compared to their competitors. The value
ingredient, called aquazol. Originally used for money can only be measured in
in conservation, Golden saw its potential how long a tube lasts in a like-for-like
as a binder for watercolour. It states that comparison to those you’ve used before.
t
I liked the selection of greens I tried, and aquazol can hold more pigment than the Perhaps one reason for the more expensive
would certainly add them to my palette for same amount of gum arabic whilst smaller tubes is due to Golden’s statement
plein air studies retaining the blending, glazing and lifting that the binder holds more pigment than
t
Formby, QoR watercolour, 6x934⁄ in. (15x25cm)
the traditional gum arabic. behind its product, it also realises, it’s you, try a few on your own palette, because
There were no unexpected results that the watercolour artist, who will determine ultimately the only review that really
arose from using QoR paints and I found how well it performs. Anecdotal evidence matters is yours. LP
they held their own as an Artists’ quality from myself and other artists I have
watercolour. There were colours I found spoken to suggest a liking for a selection
particularly interesting, especially a few of different paint brands on the same QoR watercolour comes in 11ml tubes
of the greens for plein air work, and some palette. Different colours gain a place (from £12.95 for Series 1 to £19.95 for
of the ‘power’ colours, such as a purple there based on how we feel they perform. Series 4) and in introductory sets of 6x5ml
for flower painting. All paints come with their own pros and tubes (£33.95rrp), 12x5ml tubes (£59.95rrp)
I think you have to live with any paint cons, and it’s up to the artist to find the and 24x5ml tubes (£114.95rrp). Find out
for a while to see how it really performs. ones that suit their needs. QoR has a large more by visiting www.qorcolors.com
Although Golden is aware of the science range of colours to tempt you so why not
t
Pomegranate and Grapes, QoR watercolour, 6x8in. (15x20cm). The QoR paints handled well; they were easy to blend and gave nice translucent glazes.
LP
LP05 64-66 Alcock_Layout 1 09/03/2018 16:23 Page 64
Inspiration
Inspiration
t
Albert Bridge, oil on board, 12x16in. (30x40cm) 2013. This was painted during Pintar Rapido. I knew little about Chelsea, which was the location
for the first Pintar Rapido competition in 2013. I’d remembered Albert Bridge though and thought it would make a good subject. My painting took
me nearly four hours to complete on a very hot and sunny day.
Pack well
To find out about competitions coming
up look out for announcements in the
art press or check out some of the
websites I’ve listed below. Once you’ve
enrolled, plan well ahead for your day
out. Keep all the details for the
competition to hand. Most will require
you to register your canvases, boards
or papers to be stamped on the back
between particular times and to then
submit finished artworks at the end
of the competition.
Pack all your equipment well in t
Bishops Bridge Norwich, oil on board, 12x16in. (30x40cm). Painted during Paint Out Norwich.
advance and make sure you have warm I’d identified this bridge as a possible subject when I’d had a wander round Norwich the day before
the competition started. I completed this painting within the three hours allowed for the heat.
t
LP
LP05 64-66 Alcock_Layout 1 09/03/2018 16:24 Page 66
On the day
Once started, I generally relax into the
process of painting. I find the general
public are usually very curious to find
out why there are so many artists around.
I try to pause for a few seconds to answer
any questions and, if I’ve been given
exhibition invitations, I take this
opportunity to pass them on. You
never know, they might be the person
who wants to purchase your creation!
You may have a chance to scout around
the particular location a few days before
the competition for possible subjects prior
to the competition and if you do, all to
the good. If you think you might want
to come back another year, why not have
a good look around at the end of the
competition for possible subjects next
year and try a few sketches before
going home?
As well as being great fun I’ve found
these competitions are a great way to
develop my work and I’ve learned a
lot about how to paint and adapt to
different surroundings, time constraints
and circumstances. I’d urge anyone who
wants to improve their plein-air work to
have a go and see what you can do. LP
Paul Alcock
Paul is based in Southend-on-Sea,
t
Milsom Street, oil on board, 16x12in. (40x30cm) 2011. Milsom Street was the location Essex where he teaches and finds
I was allotted for the Bath Prize competition and my painting took three sessions, coming inspiration for many of his paintings.
back at the same time of day. I’d hardly painted outdoors since my student days when Paul demonstrates painting techniques
I created this painting. Taking part in the competition got me out and about painting the and runs workshops. Visit www.paul
middle of a busy city, which I hadn’t tried before. I was pleased when my painting sold alcock.co.uk for further details.
in the exhibition and auction that followed.
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LP_FullPage_MAY18.indd 1 22/02/2018 14:58:01
LP May 2018 Books p69_News 1st 12/03/2018 12:59 Page 6
Books
WHAT TO READ THIS MONTH
Creative
with
flowers
In her new book
on Painting
Flowers, Sian
Visit www.painters-online.co.uk/store and click Dudley wants to
on the link to books to buy the latest practical share the joy she
experiences when
art books available from LP’s online bookshop painting flowers
in watercolour.
This exuberance
Drawing for her subject
every day comes across
Presented as a visual diary, very powerfully,
My Year in Small Drawings with plenty of
by animator, illustrator and techniques to experiment and ‘play’ with on the journey.
teacher, Matilda Tristram, The emphasis is on a loose style, rather than the more
encourages you to look rigid framework of traditional botanical painting. Having
hard at the detail in said that, there is plenty of practical advice and
everyday objects before information on equipment and techniques, but with a
recoring them in your focus on experimentation to challenge yourself to be
sketchbook each day. The creative and find your own style. Practical demonstrations
practice of regular drawing and step-by-step projects range from single stems to
is an important one and, groups of flowers as well as flowers in the landscape.
by eliminating the need to Painting Flowers – A Creative Approach by Sian Dudley.
search around for subject matter, and simply drawing what’s in Crowood Press, (s/b), £16.99.
front of you, you will soon find unexpected and extraordinary
subjects, while creating your own unique record along the way.
Matilda offers plenty of good advice alongside the drawings,
such how to simplify what’s in front of you, which tools to
choose and how to use them to best effect, as well as ways of
introducing colour to your work.
My Year in Small Drawings by Matilda Tristram. Quarto Publishers,
(s/b), £9.99.
30-minute
landscapes
Landscapes in
Watercolour by Dave
Woolass is a new
addition to the
popular Ready to Using grids
Paint in 30 Minutes Giovanni Civardi has spent decades drawing, painting
series from Search and teaching portraiture and anatomy, and has written
Press, which is ideal numerous books on the subject. The latest two provide
for anyone keen to a quick solution to students wanting to draw expressive
get started but short portraits, using grids to capture their subject accurately.
on time. David Starting from a photograph, Giovanni clearly explains
introduces 33 quick how to create a pencil sketch, using a grid to transfer
and easy paintings – one section at a time. With practice the student will be
all postcard sized to able to create detailed drawings from photographs and
make them easier to paint within the 30 minutes. As well build the confidence to tackle the subject from life.
as step-by-step demonstrations, tracings are provided for Drawing Using Grids: Portraits with Character
anyone who struggles with drawing and simply wishes to by Giovanni Civardi. Search Press, (s/b), £8.99.
get straight on with adding colour. Drawing Using Grids: Portraits of Babies and Children
Ready to Paint in 30 Minutes: Landscapes in Watercolour by Dave by Giovanni Civardi. Search Press, (s/b), £8.99.
Woolass. Search Press, (s/b), £12.99.
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rfu. Small Groups * 2 course lunch * B&B accommodation available.
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Email: info@watermill.net
www.callingtonartschool.com
www.pennine-art.uk
Call Bill or Lois: 0039 327 379 9178
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• Stunning locations - easy walking 23-26 Jun Sketching Buildings in Pen and Wash
10-13 Jul Coast and Countryside in Water Based Media
a s • All abilities and non-painting
loca ys SUPPLIES
14-17 Jul Rocks, Waves, Sea and Sky - Acrylics
CHINESE BRUSH PAINTING on partners welcome 18-23 Jul Final Frontiers of Outer Space - Fantasy Watercolour
studio based
wit tion • Well equipped studio 24-27 Jul Come Roaming with Your Sketchbook
We have an extensive h
• Small numbers to ensure 31 Jul-3 Aug Experimental Drawing & Painting - water based media
groof high quality,
range some studio sessions
up supplies,
authentic Chinese Brush Painting
individual attention 20-23 Aug Loosen up Your Watercolours
3-8 Sept Immerse Yourself in Fantasy studio based
beautiful accessories and specialist books. 17-20 Sep Rocks, Waves, Sea and Sky - Acrylics
Picture by David Webb
SUPER P
25-28 Sept Immerse Yourself in Monet’s Waterlily Ponds and
DOUBL AVE
30 Sep - 3 Oct Watercolours - Beginnings and Beyond
300 titles in stock studio based
All Destinations researched thoroughly • Starterby Alpha beforehand S 4 - 7 Oct Sketching Buildings with Pen and Wash
DEAL
packs for beginners
ews demonstratesinAt theAlpha
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use only proven tutors from around the world
£169
19-22 Oct Painting Animals in Watercolour studio based
nce on one of her Paint ‘N Canvas holidays 27-30 Oct Flowers and Seedheads in Watercolour and
Art Materials included on selected holidays Additional Media
01934 733877
both in this country and abroad. What they
on is her dedication to getting out there and
- Plain wood or painted
- Inlay frame specialist
Watercolour Pencils and Pastels
8 & 9 Dec Animal Portraits in Pastel
- Large, standard and bespoke sizes Art Holidays in Dorset, The Studio, Boscombe Spa Hotel, 4 Glen Road,
of what is around you. “Wherever you look Boscombe Manor, Nr Bournemouth BH5 1HR
ng to paint,” she says. “You can never be bored Exclusive - St Ives/Nicholson style
a sketchbook.” frames available on-line
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e is warm and encouraging, making her MAY
holidays
2018
Call 01427 787318 or visit
www.painters-online.co.uk
e for beginners who need a bit of courage to www.ashcraftframing.co.uk/store
utside the comfort of a studio. On offer this year
ekly classeslpheld on a Thursday
CLA may_NEW.indd 70 morning at her 07/03/2018 15:11:33
May 18 Holiday of the Month_Layout 1 07/03/2018 09:46 Page 3
Art
rt
r breaks
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Ex
E moor PAINT WITH FREEDOM
www.shorlandoldfarm.co.uk
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Holiday of the month at La Liberté
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WATERSHED STUDIO Painting Holidays at
Linda’s home in France
Professional Individual
& Group Tuition
Friendly at
aatmosphere
mosphere Small Groups
Courses fofforr all abilities Private groups welcome
also Norfolk & Sicily
r ners welcome
Non-painting part
partners
rt
Ready-made groups also welcome
www.learntopaintinfrance.co.uk
With Mike Hall Des RCA.
A
llison Bond and her family have been running courses from Join popular ar�st
Watershed Studio – a purpose-built studio in an idyllic rural and experienced
setting just four miles from Clacton on Sea – for the past 17 tutor Mike for
years and have built up a reputation for a warm welcome, a long weekend
excellent courses and delicious farmhouse food – there’s even or a week’s all
recipes on the website! A testimonial from a student on one of its inclusive pain�ng
courses says it all: “Watershed Studio has space and an holiday in France.
atmosphere that is both welcoming and relaxing. The food, which Small pain�ng groups in Limousin.
is home-cooked is wonderful and Allison is always there to solve All levels welcome.
problems and help in any way she can.”
Allison runs one and two-day art, music and creative courses See the website for details
from March to November, with studio facilities for hire at other or call Mike on
01256 850167 or 07774 616361
times, as well as the garden and marquee during the summer.
bscshep@aol.com
The studio, which is housed in a redundant farm building, has
been recently refurbished and can seat up to 40 people, with
excellent secure off-road parking and good facilities. Allison has Art Shops
Call Anna-Marie to discover sourced an enviable list of tutors for her courses, covering most
advertising opportunities media, including watercolour, pastel, oil, acrylic, collage, and line
and wash, as well as willow sculpture and other creative crafts.
available to you. Many of the tutors will be well known to Leisure Painter readers,
including Robert Dutton, Tim Fisher, David Webb and Charles
T: 01778 392048 Evans. Courses to look out for in the next few months include Pegasus Art
Expressive Textured Landscapes and Flowers in Mixed Media with Suppliers of the finest art materials
E: annamarieb@ Soraya French in April, Land, Sea and Skies in Pastel with Margaret
warnersgroup.co.uk Glass in May, Exploring Patterns and Colour in Gardens and Flowers
using Mixed Media with Tessa Pearson also in May, and Expressive
Drawing and Mixed Media – Skies and Marshes with Robert Dutton SHOP ONLINE
PAINT SOSPEL IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE
in September. For a full list, visit the excellent website. www.pegasusart.co.uk
Relaxed, informal painting holidays in the
South of France. Provence Alpes For more information contact Allison Bond at Watershed 01453 886560
Cote d’Azure. www.paintsospel.com Studio, St. Clere’s Hall Lane, St. Osyth, Clacton on Sea, Essex info@pegasusart.co.uk
Email:paintsospel@gmail.com CO16 8RX; telephone 01255 820466. Email:
Telephone: +44 (0) 7961393364 allison@watershedstudio.co.uk; www.watershedstudio.co.uk
Contact: Valerie Walsh
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Your FREE
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PAINTERSONLINE &
Melanie Cambridge Competition
PaintersOnline, the online home of
Leisure Painter and The Artist, has
teamed up with Melanie Cambridge
ENTER NOW
to offer you the chance to win one of To win one of six sets of
six sets of her Artist Brushes, ideal for Melanie Cambridge Artist Brushes
watercolour and gouache, in a zip-up please visit:
carry case worth £35(rrp) per set. www.painters-online.co.uk
Each set contains five brushes: 1in. Oval wash, No.7 the home of
Round, No.4 Round, No. 0 extra long-haired Round Leisure Painter and The Artist
and No.4 extra long-haired Filbert in a black zip-up magazines, and click on the links
case. The brushes are made of differing synthetic hair, to competitions. Closing date for
developed exclusively for artist and tutor, Melanie entries is May 16, 2018. Winners
Cambridge with her trademark emerald green long will be selected at random
handles and silver-coloured ferrules. from all online entries.
The oval wash brush is very soft and can be used
both for large-scale washes and on its edge to paint When completing your details please make sure
fine lines. Round brushes are made of slightly stiffer fibres, meaning they keep a fine you opt in to receive our great regular email
newsletters so that we can keep you up to date
point for details. The cream-haired filbert is ideal for gouache work having great spring
with what’s new at Painters-Online, including
and resistance when using paint straight from the tube. For more information visit the latest features, images in the galleries, new
www.melaniecambridge.com competitions and other great offers.
& artist
in association with Patchings Art Centre and Jackson’s Art Supplies
FIRST PRIZE
£500 worth of Jackson’s art
materials vouchers, £100 towards
the cost of a workshop or Jan Brown Cilgerran Oaks,
t
TWO RUNNERS UP
£250 worth of Jackson’s art
materials vouchers for each club
HOW TO ENTER
The competition is open to art clubs across the registering. Then upload your digital entries via responsibility can be accepted for loss or damage
UK. Only online entries can be accepted. Only the link on the Competitions page. Payment will in transit, incoming or outgoing, whilst on the
original work will be considered and paintings be added automatically to your basket; please competition premises or during the exhibition.
based on reference photographs must have been remember to pay before you leave the website. Originals selected and submitted for final
taken by the artist or used with the permission of 4 Upload your entries with the non-refundable exhibition must be fully insured by the artists.
the photographer. Photography, except where entry fee of £20 by the closing date of 8 8 Original works must be left with the organisers
incorporated into collage, is not acceptable. September, 2018. throughout the exhibition.
1 The non-refundable entry fee of £20 covers the 5 Entries will be judged after 9 September when 9 All entries must be original. Submission of entry
FIVE entries per art club of two-dimensional work selected work will be called for exhibition. All in this competition automatically constitutes
in any media. work must be framed (canvases excepted) ready acceptance of all the competition rules and
2 No entry should be larger than 120x150cm WHEN for exhibition from 13 October to 11 November at agreement to allow The Artist and/or Leisure
FRAMED (canvases do not need to be framed). Patchings Art Centre, Nottinghamshire. Painter to publish, republish and repurpose
3 To enter, first register your club at www.painters- 6 Successful art clubs will be notified during the entries in print and digital formats, including but
online.co.uk via ‘login/register’ and add your club week of 16 September about delivering their work not limited to magazines, promotion materials,
profile to the biography area of the club account. between 1 and 8 October to Patchings Art Centre. websites, databases and as part of downloadable
Please include a name of your main contact when 7 All care will be taken with entries but no digital products.
Art clubs
OVER TO YOU FOR THE LATEST NEWS ON CLUB
Demonstrations
Bedford Art Society
Watercolour artist, Ali Yenye, will
demonstrate his techniques for
painting people on Friday 4 May,
7.15 for a 7.30pm start at Putnoe
EXHIBITIONS AND ACTIVITIES Heights Church, Bedford MK41 8EB.
Entry is free for members, £5 for
visitors. Contact Jean Paterson on 01234
307210 or visit www.bedsartsociety.co.uk
for information.
Hipperholme & Lightcliffe
Art Society
Jane Austin will give a
demonstration on The Play of Light
on Figures on Tuesday 1 May, 7.30
to 9.30pm at Brighouse Rest
Centre, Park Row, Brighouse.
Non-members welcome. For more
details visit www.handlas.co.uk
If you would like to see your art group’s winning paintings reproduced
here, encourage visitors to your next exhibition to vote for their favourite
work then simply send us the details. Full details are given below right.
231⁄2x153⁄4in. (60x40cm).
Nikki’s painting was awarded the
Paul Banning Award for Drawing
and was also chosen as the
People’s Choice on the opening
night of Wokingham Art Society’s
t
Corstorphine Art Group
annual exhibition. Raymond Ronaldson Loch Watton,
oil, 113⁄4x161⁄2in. (30x42cm).
Raymond, a self-taught artist, only
t Hilary Dancer Love London, acrylic, 271⁄2x351⁄2in (70x90cm) voted best in show at recently took up painting and joined
the annual exhibition of the Wokingham Art Society the Corstorphine Art Group this year.
The group meets monthly, for
demonstrations and critiques. For
more information visit
www.corstorphineartgroup.co.uk
t
Sutton Coldfield Society of Artists
Judith Gruman Glorious Borrowdale,
oil, 22x30in. (56x76cm). Judith’s
work was voted the public’s
favourite at the 70th anniversary
exhibition of the society. For more
information about how to become
a member, contact Wing Lien on
0121 323 3826 or visit
www.suttoncoldfieldsocietyofartists.co.uk
t
Stirling Art Club
Graham Turpie Five Boats Crail,
mixed media, 18x22in.
(45.7x56cm). The group meets
on Friday evenings from October
to the end of March, 7.30 to
7.30pm at Mayfield Community
Centre, St. Ninians.
For more information visit
www.stirlingartclub.co.uk
Online gallery
Jane Stroud’s selection of works from the PaintersOnline gallery
WWW.PAINTERS-ONLINE.CO.UK
t
Tony Wiggins Peonies in a Chinese Bowl, watercolour, 15x 22in. (38x56cm)
T ony Wiggins came to watercolour painting fairly late in life, but has developed a passion for it,
particularly painting the delicacy of flowers. Here he explains how he set about painting this
delicate watercolour of Peonies in a Chinese Bowl. If you would like to see more of Tony’s work, post
a comment or upload your own images to our free online gallery, visit www.painters-online.co.uk
A love of drawing was instilled in Tony by his I transferred the drawing to Saunders
father as a teenager, but it wasn’t until early Waterford HP paper. This needed to be COLOURS USED
retirement and a move to Spain that he found accurate and drawn lightly due to the Winsor & Newton Professional
he had the time to practice his pen and ink complexity of the petals. I started painting the Watercolour in:
drawing. A surprise 60th birthday present from lightest areas on the petals, keeping the Cobalt violet
his wife of a two-day watercolour course had brushstrokes in the direction of the form – Permanent alizarin crimson
Payne’s grey
him hooked! Books by David Bellamy and always a good habit to get into. I added a very Burnt sienna
Richard Taylor helped him to improve his skill pale wash to the bowl, with shadows at the Yellow ochre
with the medium, and some years later he sides to give it definition, then went back to French ultramarine
came across an online art school run by Anna the petals and worked with various mixes of Opera rose
Mason. Inspired by her book, The Modern hues and tones to represent the lights and Permanent rose
Scarlet lake
Flower Painter, he joined the school and has darks in each petal. Once all the petals had Transparent yellow
been working on his flower paintings ever been painted, I applied the darkest hues in the Permanent sap green
since. Here he explains how he painted his shadow areas, continuing to darken them until Winsor lemon
bowl of beautiful peonies. I achieved the correct balance. I finished with Cobalt blue
“The photograph for this painting was the blue Chinese design on the bowl. The Bright violet (Holbein)
provided by Anna Mason’s online school. whole painting took approximately 20 hours.”
PAINTERSONLINE
The online home of Leisure Painter
Develop your
Here are links to some of the
best practical art videos online,
painting
with
skills
artist
recommended by our website
editor, Dawn Farley
Visit http://painte.rs/2Fi6Nzy
paint a
daffodil in Since 1931 The Artist has been created by artists,
watercolour for artists. Published every four weeks, each issue
with Jarnie
M
artist
www.painters-online.co.uk MAY 2018 £4.40 I N K A N D W AT E R C O L O U R : 2 N D O F 3
bluebell wood in
landscapes, with simple exercises and tips
THE PRACTICAL MAGAZINE FOR ARTISTS BY ARTISTS – SINCE 1931
I
always find it very beneficial to look at take as little equipment as possible with
Julie Collins aspects of any subject separately. A me and this includes several sketchbooks,
studied painting at the University of winter landscape can be a very medium sheets of watercolour paper, a
City Art Gallery’s open exhibition, confidence. watercolour. If the weather is inclement
until April 21. Painting and drawing outside is an you may find me in a shelter or working in
www.juliecollins.co.uk important part of the way I work. I will the car. TA
How to
some water, the
red colour
M
separates out
from the ink. You
create very exciting can
effects when
working with
Indian ink in this
way
primroses in
to use as a backgroun
When this was d.
dry I painted the
twig with
Tips for adapting your sketching Twigs study 2,
burnt sienna and
French ultramarin
ink and watercolou I worked wet-in-wet e blue.
kit to maximise your en plein air (26⫻18cm). r, 7⫻10 ⁄ in 1
4
changes in tone
, thinking of the
In this example in the twig. When
experience and brush. I also
I used Indian ink,
the dipping pen completely dry
I added some
this was
included fine waterproo line with my
burnt sienna watercolou French ultramarine and f drawing pen,
Inject some magic into your
watercolour
rs. I sketched very create some definition size 0.3 to
with the ink and quickly and give extra
dipping pen, and
watercolours with Ann Blockley to adding some watercolou
quickly swopped
to the subject.
with a fine drawing
Take care not
life
to be too neat
that I was careful r with the brush. pen as this will
to leave some Notice deaden
your work rather
AND MUCH MORE! in this piece white of the paper
Lastly, it’s extremely
paint is completely
than bring it to
important that
life.
the
M
SPECIAL
pen, as damp use the
paper will ruin
Prodigious young talent Discover new ways to Try these 3 simple ! your pen
TREES Trees are, for me,
the
watercolour. There perfect subject for ink and
Keiron Williamson use pen & wash for stages for painting possibilities are
are two examples
endless. Try experimehere but the
demonstrates his skills portraits & landscapes spring daffodils which technique
s and tools you nting to find
prefer.
Autumn tree, ink
and
watercolour, 5⫻41
5 ISSUES
⁄2in
(12⫻11.5cm).
Here I only used
a brush to
work with burnt
sienna
waterproof drawing
ink,
French ultramarin
e blue and
3 sienna watercolou
: 2 N D O F burnt
INK AND W AT E R C O L O U R rs.
The ink has made
beautiful
texture where
it dispersed
Winter Landscapeinto the paint
DEMONSTRATION
STAGE ONE
try using a
exercise for you to Draw your composition
This is a fairly simple acrylic inkWinter tree, ink pencil. Apply wax
andinwatercolou
to
watercolour and lightly
limited palette of A small watercolou r, and
brushof the trees
ther sides
7⫻4in (18⫻10cm
).
touch of burnt was used with to
sienna.
branches to create a resistFrench ultramarine blue
Working
using small brushes, wet is important
see and a
you can’t , even when you
the as thisAs
paint.
MATERIALS
FOR
was completely will keep your could are
dry wax very well, you
theI scribbled
work lively. Again,
when this
Not surface watercolour
drawing pen, size some detailof in with
Bockingford 250lb Youon
try this
0.3. a test piece
could try the same my black fine
paperwww.pai paper before committing thing with a dipping pen
nters-online.co.uk real painting.
HB pencil your wax to the
of a
Putty rubber Make two pale mixes
two
White wax candle combination of the artist May 2018
first should
and burnt sienna watercolours. The 59
French ultramarine the second
be more blue and
watercolours test
more brown. Again,
Brown acrylic ink they dry
these to see how
£5
pen
Brush, stick and dipping
*
to your
How
before applying
with the
painting. Starting
M
a wash to
blue mix, apply
line;
just above the horizon
browner
then change to the
mix enough
mix. Take care to
whole
paint to cover the
to paint a
sheet
cherry tree in
watercolour
M
G
FINISHED PAINTIN
SUBSCRIBE TODAY
10⫻6 ⁄4in
3
P R I S M A L O
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