The Last Life Lessons.....

Sometimes we have canine models at the PORTRAIT class

and our last model of the term.......

                   

LINO PRINTING

Lino printing is going on as I write, in our studio.

and here is the evidence......

So what do I need?

People have been asking what to bring to the next Summer School, our three days 9th,10th,11th September at Natural Surroundings at Bayfield Hall, near Holt. Well, as you know the aim is loads of WATER COLOUR technique, so obviously bring any water colour equipment you have to include your usual paints and brushes, jar for water, kitchen paper, water colour crayons, oil pastels, wax candle/crayons, pen, ink, anything else you might think of, and most importantly PAPER. 

Size needs to be about A4 or bigger. Tiny pads, A5, don't really give enough room for you to experiment on and experimenting is exactly what we will be doing. So water colour paper, lots of cheap or 'practise' paper. For this I often use 'goldline' water colour studio practise paper, costs about £18 for a hundred sheets, from Barnwell's Newsagents in Aylsham. Have some 'good' water colour paper too, and perhaps some good cartridge (drawing) paper which can be useful to practise painting on. I also use waste computer paper, or old white envelopes even, to have by me in order to test colour, water, or effects on. 

Confidence with water colour is vital, and confidence comes with practise!

A board will be crucial, at least A3 size, and a little bigger would be better. Plus clips or tape to hold your paper in place if it's windy. You will need a chair, the sort I have shown you is cheap, comfortable and light. Also something to put all your equipment in, a rucksack or trolly perhaps, because I will ask you to go out into the natural surroundings to practise what you have learnt.I will have some sets of water colours and some squirrel brushes for sale, both very reasonably priced and tried and tested, so don't feel you must go out and buy something which might be expensive and inappropriate, (unless you want to of course!). I will also have crayons and various bits and pieces which you can borrow on the day.
I will be having my lunch and coffee ( perhaps some cake too?) in the cafe, which is excellent.
This course is now full. If you want to go on my reserve list in case someone has to drop out please let me know and likewise if you want to know anything else just give me a call.

Two pieces of work.....

Two pictures here, one entire and one a detail. I have colour enhanced the 'detail' example so you can see what a difference it makes to the look of the thing, much brighter and perhaps a little garish but better that way I always think than allowing the look to be dulled down, as often happens with a photo. I hope that you can see that these show an example of how composition and use of colour have been central to this term's work, so that, for instance, the gorgeous orange globe can be seen for the impact of its colour and shape, not just for the fact that it is an orange. So the idea of the object itself becomes less important than the impression given by the shapes and colours within the picture plane.

SUMMER SCHOOLS

we enjoyed two days at Bayfield at the end of June, and two days at Gressenhall in July, both courses went really well but I stupidly forgot to take any photos for evidence to show you. The life drawing day on Monday also went very well, twelve of you with me in Marsham Village Hall, and some who had never worked from a life model ever before. But putting all their experience of drawing the variety of subject matter

we have used over time into action they coped well and made some lovely drawings, and yes here is the evidence, just informal photos but enough to give you a feel for the quality of work executed. so well done all of you!

WATER COLOUR TECHNIQUE

I was explaining to some of the group at Hempton this morning how to use cling film to create a fascinating water colour texture. Unfortunately there was no cling film so I showed them as best as I could with ordinary plastic instead which obviously does not work as well, but served as a diagrammatic way to indicate what to do ....

so here is an example, two photos, as the painting is long and thin so you might be able to imagine how it fits together, and if you look closely you can see the underlying texture and pattern overlaid and worked into with painting and pen work.

DATES

someone asked about dates today and so here is a recap, next week beginning Monday 21st is our last week, except for Wednesday groups who have an extra week,(because we lost one week earlier) so the last lesson for them in on Wednesday 30th.
Don't forget LIFE DRAWING on Monday 28th at Marsham Village Hall, 10-3.
And the WATER COLOUR SKILLS course at Natural Surroundings on 9th, 10th, 11th September has enough bookings to go ahead, so please confirm your booking next week with me so I can keep a check on numbers since space and my time defines how many people I can take.