READY TO PAINT SERIES

SAVE
$$$ HURRY!!
STOCKS ARE
LIMITED

HURRY!!
STOCKS ARE
LIMITED

POST CALL 7 FAX @ EMAIL

PO Box 8035 Phone: 02 4722 2260 orders@wpco.com.au
Glenmore Park NSW 2745 Fax: 02 4733 8583
BOOKS ONLY $17.99ea
Artist's Palette is proud to present the latest
Ready To Paint Series. Start your collection today!!These books are usually COL
L
priced at between $21.99 and $23.99 but we have them at the SPECIAL PRICE
THE ECT
ALLM
OF $17.99. Save up to $6.00 per book. All mediums are covered with step-by-step
instructions.These books offer a straight forward easy-to-follow approach and are a
great addition to your Artist’s Palette magazine.

HURRY!!
STOCKS ARE
LIMITED

HURRY ORDER TODAY

TITLE ■ MR ■ MRS ■ MS ■ MISS

Name __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
State______________________________ Postcode_________________________
Email___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Telephone (inc. area code)_____________________________________________________________________________________________

PLEASE DEBIT MY: ■ MASTERCARD ■ VISA

Card No ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ Expiry date ■■/■■
Cardholder name (PLEASE PRINT)_________________________________________
PLEASE TICK BOOKS REQUIRED
Signature____________________________________ Date ___ /___ /___ If you would like more than one of a
particular book please place quantity
■ Cheque/Money Order (Aust. only) I enclose a cheque/money order made payable to required in the box.
Woodlands Publishing Pty Ltd (ABN 30 115 093 162) for $ ........................

* All prices include GST. Please add Parcel Post $9.95

 Contents
es 8/10/07 10:50 AM Page 44
66

Issue No.8-2 2017

ARTISTS
F E A 28
T U12 R E
Scott Christensen
28 Brenda Holden
46 Jenny Greentree
66 Georgina Sirpica
Nor
FEATURES
8 The Histtory of Drawing
24 Drawing - Fundamental to good art
42 Inspiration - Hydranger
62 Gallery visit

PRODUCT REVEIWS
20 Aritsits' Easels
36 Drawing Materials
54 Art Paper and Canvas

62
Cover image by: Georgina Sirpica
rman Lindsay.

46
12 8

Artist’s Back to Basics 7

 F E A T U R E

The History
of Drawing By Trevor Lang

Most children seem to possess an instinctive urge to draw.

This inclination can be traced back to the earliest records of mankind
crawling on the surface of the Earth.

T
he need to illustrate his
surroundings has long been a
hallmark of the human. Some
claims suggest that our ancestors were
drawing on the walls of their caves
35,000 years ago – embellishing the
rocks with pictures of the animals that
they hunted for food and clothing.
Examples of such early artistry can
still be found all over the world.
Ancient Egyptians are believed to
have dramatically advanced the art of
drawing. Renowned as incredibly
skilled engineers for their work in
building imposing temples and the
legendary pyramids, the Egyptians
decorated their architectural
achievements with meticulous and
colourful drawings of theological
figures and other icons. Their drawing
work featured careful detail together
with colour and balance.
In the sixth century BC, the Greeks
became the new representatives of
balance in drawing – they introduced
an unprecedented technical influence to
the artform. Some 500 years later,
diversity was injected by the Romans;
however art in general may have been
stalled somewhat during this era due to
a focus on the practical business of
building a vast empire based on
authority and discipline.
The practical needs of the ancient
Romans are thought to be responsible
for the rapid development of
architectural plans and maps.
Mathematical precision was vital
to much of the drawing work

1 6Artist’s
10
8 ArtistBack
’sBack
Artist’s Palette
to to Basics
Basics

Pencil manufacturing in the early days
encapsulated in the life of their
burgeoning empire, and the Romans
can be credited with raising drawing
to a new technical height.
During the Middle Ages, artistry
again became the ruling force in
drawing; detailed linework is
recognised as a standout feature of
this period.
Later advances to the artform came
with the Chinese invention of paper;
and with the introduction of new
drawing tools such as the fountain
pen. Earlier exponents of drawing had
been limited to archaic materials like
animal skins and parchments (for
drawing surfaces) and rudimentary
drawing implements such as quill pens
and chalk.
Italians in the Gothic period are
credited with bringing fresh beauty to
the art of drawing. Natural subjects
including feminine nudes began to
showcase perspective together with
light and shade, allowing for more
realism. Portraiture also flourished in
this era and some of history’s most
important artists (like El Greco and
Leonardo da Vinci) became
prominent. Leonardo da Vinci is
famous for rendering anatomical
studies with unprecedented depth.
Since the nineteenth century,
drawing has dispersed into a multitude
of styles including expressionism,
realism, romanticism, impressionism,
cubism, futurism and surrealism (to
mention a few). All of these styles
F E A T U R E
have been utilised to express artists’
responses to their societies and living
environments.
D R AW I N G TO O L S
Perhaps the most recognisable
drawing tool is the humble pencil. The
graphite pencil was born in England in
1564 (also the year of Shakespeare’s
birth and Michelangelo’s death).
The first graphite ever discovered
was found in the Seathwaite Valley on
the side of the mountain ‘Seathwaite
Fell’ in Borrowdale (near Keswick) in
about 1500. The popular story is that,
following a very violent storm,
shepherds went out in the morning to
see their sheep on the mountainside
and found a number of trees had been
blown down – tearing away the subsoil
as they fell and leaving exposed to
view large masses of black material.
Pieces were dug out and the shepherds
first thought it was coal; but, as it
would not burn, they were at a loss to
understand it. It was found to be an
excellent medium for marking sheep.
Originally named ‘plumbago’, the dark
shiny substance resembled lead.
Graphite’s attributes made it
immediately popular for drawing. It
produced rich black marks, and did
not spill like ink. It could be
sharpened to a point to yield fine
durable lines.
Graphite is one of the physical
forms in which the element carbon is
found. The decay of the great forests
yielded, under sedimentary pressure,
the coal deposits common throughout
the world. Not so common are the
graphite seams formed by more
extremes of pressures.
The value of the material was
quickly discerned and mines were
taken over by the government.
Graphite was transported from
Keswick to London by armed stage
coach. It was found useful for
medicinal purposes, but its chief use
during Elizabeth I’s reign was as
moulds for the manufacture of cannon
balls. The local name for graphite was
‘Wad’ and even recently a graphite
pencil was referred to locally as a
‘Wad pencil’. Early in the eighteenth
century, much stealing and smuggling
of the ‘Wad’ occurred. In 1752, an
Act of Parliament was passed making
it a felony to steal or receive ‘Wad’,
punishable by hard labour or
transportation.
In the early development of the
pencil, fragments of graphite were
initially wrapped in string or sheepskin
to keep artists’ fingers clean; and later
held in metal holders. Before too long,
a process was developed for encasing
the graphite in wood.
A small cottage industry
commenced in Keswick to
manufacture artists’ pencils. They
were hand-made by the following
method: Starting with the piece of
Cumberland graphite, this was then
sawn into slabs. A piece of wood was
Artist’sArtist
Back
Artist’s ’sto
Back Palette
Basics
to 111
Basics 79

grooved with a square groove, and the
slab of graphite was inserted in the
groove. The graphite was indented and
broken off level with the top of the
groove before a thin slat of wood was
glued to the top, leaving the graphite
Y O U R C H A N C E TO W I N
SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL!
In helping Artist’s Palette magazine
to mark the significance of our
50th Issue, two suppliers of art
materials have provided some
valuable gifts which we will offer
as prizes to our readers.
Simply tell us, in 25 words or less:
What inspires YOU to draw?
Send your submissions to The
Editor, Artist’s Palette magazine, PO
Box 93 Hazelbrook NSW 2779 – and
you can be in the running to win one
of the beautiful items detailed below.
From S&S Wholesale, we have a
Graphitint presentation pack. This
pack contains: A 10-sheet, spiral
bound A4 book of 200gsm
watercolour paper; a golden sable
watercolour brush; a pencil
sharpener; a 20-page A5
‘Watercolour Media’
18
12
10 Artist ’sBack
Artist’s Palette
to Basics
F E A T U R E
encased. This wood was shaped by
hand-plane and the shape of the knife
in the plane determined the shape of
the pencil.
Late in the eighteenth century, an
important development took place in
instruction manual; and a tin of
24 Graphitint pencils. Graphitint is
water-soluble tinted graphite.
Also from S&S Wholesale, we
have an Inktense presentation pack
which contains: A 10-sheet, spiral
bound A4 book of 200gsm
watercolour paper; a golden sable
watercolour brush; a pencil
sharpener; a 20-page A5
‘Watercolour Media’ instruction
manual; and a tin of 24 Inktense
pencils.
From Canson, we have several
valuable ‘Artists Drawing Albums’–
wire-bound embossed hardcover
books containing 80 pages of 180gsm
(33 x 41 cm) acid-free drawing paper.
Tell us what inspires you to draw and
one of these great gifts could soon be
on its way to your studio.
France when Nicolas Jacques Conté
combined powdered amorphous
graphite with clay, making a
substitute for the Borrowdale
material. He found that more clay
in the mixture made a harder point;
and a whole range of hardnesses
was developed. The graphite and
clay mixture was formed into thin
strips, then baked and encased in
wood – adopting the pencil style
which is still common today. This
principle is still used in manufacture
to produce pencils of varying degrees
of hardness.
Charcoal and chalk are other forms
of ancient drawing tools. The very first
drawing implement was quite possibly
a burnt stick. Soft limestone formed
with shell fragments was an early form
of chalk, and was available to mankind
throughout recorded history. The basic
substances of chalk and charcoal have
been developed through the centuries
and are still in use in an abundant
variety of forms.
The range of coloured drawing
mediums is vast. It includes coloured
pencils, drawing crayons, pastels,
and other pigment sticks. Colourful
choices available for today’s artists
are truly dazzling.
Pens, of course, have been around
for hundreds of years. Well before the
arrival of steel pens, artists would use
quills, reeds and sticks dipped into
ink. Rembrandt and Van Gogh both
famously created vigorous reed-pen
drawings during their careers. The
array of modern pens includes
fountain pens and technical pens,
with an almost limitless choice of
styles available for pen drawings.
Even ballpoint pens and marking
pens can be used for drawing by
adventurous and creative people.
D R AW I N G S U R FA C E S
Well before the invention of paper,
humans found a myriad of things to
draw on. Stone, bricks, bark, trees and
hides bore the artistic efforts of
mankind for thousands of years – but
drawings became far more portable
with the arrival of paper in AD105.
 F E A T U R E

Chinaman Ts’ai Lun ‘discovered’

paper during the Later Han Dynasty
when he mixed hemp, rags and
netting with water. After drying the
concoction on a flat surface he
presented the result to the Emperor
who promptly proclaimed that paper
had been invented. Papermaking has
since been magnificently expanded
and refined.
Paper is now central to the art of
drawing, with a comprehensive range
of paper surfaces available for artists.
Various hand-made papers are still
available for those seeking special
artistic enhancements provided by
authentic substances, while machine-
made papers have been developed to
address almost every conceivable
drawing concern. modern developments have greatly drawing too … for those who may
While some facets of drawing have enriched the creative potential for choose to delve into it. Many
remained constant through thousands drawing enthusiasts. There is a insightful books can be found
of years (the most basic of these fantastic wealth of further knowledge through your favourite art suppliers
being the instinct to illustrate), to be gleaned from the history of to assist in your quest. �

Artist’s Artist
Back’stoPalette
Basics 113
9
11
 I N S I G H T

Scott Christensen

Sun
Catcher
By Justyna Lupa

Scott Christensen’s paints his magical seascapes with a great passion and
affinity! He knows the sand, the breaking waves, the distant headland and
the seaside vegetation from his lifetime of living around the sea, and his
greatest pleasure is sharing this passion with an ever-growing audience.

44
12
8 Artist’s
Artist Back to Basics
’s Palette
 I N S I G H T

T
he seaside with its vivid
colours, endless movement
and constant change is Scott
Christensen’s
C muse. His work
commits
c to canvas the beautiful
crystal
c clear days south eastern
Queensland
Q is famous for as well as
scenes
s of blustering seas during
dramatic
d storms and local attractions
such
s the distinctive Byron Bay and
Coolangatta
C headlands. His subjects
are
a close to his home and close to his
heart
h and this shows in his careful
rendition
r of colour and the attention
to
t detail in his work.
As a child, Scott remembers often installing conduit under major development through those early
drawing
d cartoons and even winning a highways. “My only chance to paint paintings,” he says.
stamp
s design competition when he was in the mornings, so I spent four After selling the second lot of
was
w just ten. “I was always the kid years painting for two hours every work, and with plenty of support and
that
t all the other ones would crowd day before work – from 4am to 6am,” encouragement from his wife, Scott
around
a in the classroom to see what I he says. decided to make the jump and start
was
w drawing,” he remembers. Eventually he had four paintings painting full time. “I was quite
And even though he has always that he was quite happy with so he put dissatisfied with my job,” he admits.
loved
l the sea and had a keen interest them in a local art show – and to his “And I guess deep down inside, I
in
i painting, it wasn’t until he was 26 delight they all sold! He then did always knew that I would end up
that
t he decided to combine the two. another four works and put them in doing something creative with my
At
A the time Scott was a leading hand another show, and once again they life.” Even though he did have the
working
w on drilling operations all sold. “I could really see my support, it was not an easy decision

Artist’s Back to’sBasics

Artist 45
Palette 13
9

for him to make as he had one-year
old twins at the time. “I was very
scared because I felt responsible
for the well-being of my family,”
adds Scott.
So for the first year of his new
career, he became a bit of a recluse –
completing his course in visual arts at
TAFE and spending up to ten hours a
day painting. “One of my greatest
early influences was my TAFE
lecturer, Sina Black,” says Scott and
adds, “she really opened my eyes
and helped me a lot.”
Luckily his hard work paid off and
in 2003, after just a year of painting
full time, Scott held his very first solo
exhibition called Stradbroke to Byron
– Seascapes, and was also represented
46
14
10 Artist’s
Artist ’s Back to Basics
Palette
I N S I G H T
by numerous galleries in the local
area. He capped off the successful
first year by winning two awards and
releasing two of his canvases as
limited edition prints and he has only
gained momentum since!
Some of his first paintings were in
acrylics but because of the heat in
Queensland he found that they dried
too fast and he couldn’t blend as
desired – even though he tried various
mediums. So he moved to oils and
says that he now gets his most vivid
colours from this medium.
As for the common theme through
his work, it’s been the ocean that
captured him even though he has
experimented with a few other
subjects like landscapes and flowers.
The ocean and surf are his passion and
Scott believes that your best works
reflect the subjects that you are most
passionate about.
When researching his paintings, he
will often go away with the family in
their caravan and take between 200 to
300 digital photographs. Even if some
of the photos are blurry, they’ll often
contain some sort of visual stimulus
for him such as the colours. Once back
in his studio, he’ll sort through the
images and refer back to them to do
sketches until he is happy with the
composition which he is then ready
to paint.
Most of the works are from beaches
close to his Brisbane home and
include places such as Fraser Island
 I N S I G H T

anand Byron Bay. Recently he flew

ddown to Sydney and took photographs
oof the famous Bondi Beach as well as
BBronte which he hopes to work on
lalater. And other places he plans to visit
ininclude Western Australia and also the
UUnited States, not only to check out
ththe beaches, but to get represented in
sosome of the American galleries.
To date, some of his favourite works
ththat he has painted include Clear Day
DDreaming as well as Storm Surge.
“W“With Storm Surge I felt like I had
rereally achieved a milestone in my
wwork,” says Scott. “I painted it in an
inintense two days where most of my much every time I finish a painting it ocean that he intends to explore, “I can
oother works can take up to two weeks becomes my favourite because I have still see a lot of room for improvement
toto come together.” worked on it for so long and been so within this subject matter,” he says and
Clear Day Dreaming is a work that intimately involved with it,” he adds. adds, “I don’t see the point of moving
hhe has received great amounts of “It’s only when I comes back to it a on, especially when there is still so
ppositive feedback on and it has been few weeks, or even months, later that much to be explored!”
oone of his most popular limited edition I see places where I could have
pprints. Many of the retailers of this improved it.” For information on upcoming
pprint have told him that customers When asked what his plans are for exhibitions, original works as well
hhave stared for up to ten minutes at the the future, Scott says that this year he as high-quality limited edition
ccanvas and one retailer even told him plans to slow down a bit and take prints of Scott’s work visit his
itit had generated the most interest out more time planning his paintings, website, www.scottchristensen.
oof anything he’s stocked in the last ten especially since the last few years com.au or phone him on
yyears. “I have to admit that pretty have been so hectic. But it’s still the (07) 3829 0673.

Artist’s Artist
Back’stoPalette
Basics 147
15
1
 D E M O N S T R A T I O N

Oils

Sunrise By Scott Christensen

Capturing that special moment when the suns rays herald a brand new day,
this peaceful oil painting is by renowned Queensland artist, Scott Christensen.

M AT E R I A L S

• Canvas
• Assorted oil paints: Pthalo Blue,
Viridian Green, Indigo, Burnt
Sienna, Cadmium Yellow,
Cadmium Orange, Forest Green,
Gum Leaf Dark, Cadmium
Yellow Light, Cadmium Green,
Ultramarine Blue, Lemon Yellow,
Titanium White,
• Atelier Artist Quality Gesso
• Assorted brushes: taklon
flats, combs, long liners,
taklon fan No 10, round,
sable, large blending brush
• Assorted colour pencils
• Mineral turpentine
• Paper towel
• Masking tape
• Solvent sealer

FINAL STEP
12
48
16 Artist ’s Back
Artist’s Palette
to Basics
 D E M O N S T R A T I O N
II
only ever use artist’s quality paint
and mediums and finish with a
solvent sealer.
I use a variety of brushes I have
c collected over the years and have learnt
nnot to throw any away as some of my
mmost used and abused ones adapt well
fofor various techniques. I have a large
vvariety, but my most used brushes are
tataklon flats, combs and long liners in
vvarious sizes as well as No 10 taklon
fafan and various round and pointed sable
bbrushes. I am constantly upgrading my
lalarge soft blending brush as I use it
ooften and it doesn’t take long before
ththe bristles stiffen up.
STEP 1
I use paper towel and mineral
turpentine for cleaning, and masking
tape for the horizon lines.
When it comes to paints, I use
different brands of oil colours and my
most used colours for the water are
Pthalo Blue, Viridian Green and Indigo.
For the sand I use, Burnt Sienna,
Cadmium Yellow and Cadmium
Orange while the shrubs and grasses
are painted in Forest Green, Gum Leaf
Dark, Indigo and Cadmium Yellow
Light. I also go through plenty of
Titanium White!
I work with professional quality oil
paints applied to 12 ounce canvas
which has been stretched around sturdy
timber frames that I construct myself. I
have tried purchased stretched canvases
and found problems such as the canvas
not being tight enough or of poor quality.
For primming the canvas, I use two
coats of Atelier Artist Quality Gesso,
giving both coats a light sanding
before I start. I do not want my clients
bringing a painting back to me 10 or 20
years down the track because the paint
is falling off! The frames I construct sit
off the wall about 32mm and when I
paint, I continue right around the edges,
so when the piece is finished it is ready
to hang.
Artist’s Artist
Back ’sto Palette
Basics 49
117
3
 D E M O N S T R A T I O N
STEP ONE
I usually come up with an idea after
browsing through my collection of
photographs and sketch it out in a
visual diary. At this early stage, shape
and size of the canvas is important and
I also believe it is vital to think about
where the work will finally hang. I
have found that a landscape size
canvas is great for hanging over a
lounge or bed-head.
It may take two or three goes at
getting the sketch right and if it
doesn’t scrub up at this stage, chances
are it won’t as a painting. Once I’m
happy with the balance, line and focal
point of the sketch I will add a bit of
colour – only for a rough reference –
and also add any notes. This gives me
a good starting point, however each
painting will move and flow in its own
way. I evaluate as I go, and I am
flexible to the outcome of each piece.
50
18
14 Artist’s
Artist ’s Back to Basics
Palette
STEP 2
After transferring the main shapes to
the canvas in coloured pencil, I use
masking tape to create the horizon line
and work from the sky down. The
water line is carefully blocked in after
removing the tape.
At this stage I am just blocking in
colour and I thin the paint right down.
I will work from top to bottom in
layers and apply slightly thicker paint
to each layer.
STEP TWO
I decided the sky was not warm
enough, so I blended a mixture of
Lemon Yellow and Cadmium Orange
and then proceeded to work on the
water. I blended some Viridian Green
over my base colour and laid in the
sky colour mixed with some Titanium
White into where the troughs or flat
areas of the ocean will be. This is the
stage where the waves are formed and
STEP 3
foam is added. I use an appropriate
sized blending brush and a very light
hand, adding colour and then blending
again and again.
I add some Titanium White mixed
with Cadmium Green
for the thin part of the wave where
the sunlight penetrates through. This
colour is exaggerated and is not used
in any other part of the painting.
I will also use pure Titanium White
for the sunlit foam as this will draw
the viewer’s eye to the wave
STEP THREE
Some form is now added to the
headland, starting dark and building up
in layers of base colours mixed with
some sunlit colour. I add sunlit colour
to the tops of the waves, and carefully
add and blend in lighter yellow in the
left horizon line, making sure not to
dig the brush in.
 D E M O N S T R A T I O N

STEP 4

The sunlit sand dune in the semi
fforeground is painted over with a
mmixed warm Cadmium Yellow. A
wwarm blue colour is mixed and
bbrushed then blended deep into the
ooriginal base colour to show some
sshadowed depressions in the dunes.
BBlending Titanium White over some
oof the Ultramarine Blue warms up the
sshadowed sand dune in the foreground.
Form is given by representing
rrippling with a mixture of Pthalo
BBlue and Titanium White. I then begin
t to add the distant grasses with a small
t taklon fan.
STEP FOUR
I add more grass by working from
darks to lights, from the background
to the foreground and using the
appropriate sized taklon long-liner. I
add some Cadmium Orange to the
clouds, blending them out towards the
left. This colour is then added to the
water, the headland, the sunlit sand
and a little in the sunlit foam.
FINAL STEP
Only the finishing touches are left
now. I decide that the sky needs a bit
more happening so I add more clouds,
and carefully blend them away to the
left. I add more Titanium White where
the sun is rising, blending it into the
water as well.
The headland is a little dark, so I
work some brighter detail into it and
blend in some foam spray around the
bottom where the waves crash against
the rocks. The middle sand dune needs
a little more light as well and a little
Cadmium Yellow Light does the
trick. I add touches of pure Titanium
White to the wave foam, and a few
highlights on the sunlit grass and then
sign the work.

MASTER HINTS AND TIPS

• Subtle blending of my colours is an important feature
in my paintings. It takes practice to blend wet-into-
wet oil paint and in working out what consistency the
new layer of paint must be. It also helps to have
different sized blending brushes for each particular
part of the painting. Old taklon brushes that lose their
straight edges are perfect for the job and I will
sometimes mistreat a taklon brush to give me the size
blending brush required. I am always wiping off
excess paint and cleaning my blending brushes while
I work.
• If you find it hard to blend your colours using the
wet-into-wet technique, you can achieve much the
same results by adding liquin to your paint and work
in layers. After each painting session, leave your
painting in full sunlight for two to three hours, and by
the next day, the paint should have a hard enough
skin to work over the top. You can dilute equal parts
of liquin and mineral turpentine.
• Working over the top of the last layer with subtle
glazes is a good way to change existing colours that
you are not quite happy with. For example, if you
have decided that you have missed a shadow cast
from an object, it is much easier to mix a translucent
dark purple glaze and apply that over the top of the
image than to mix all the different colours created by
the shadow and add them
• Once you have developed some basic technical skills,
they are much like different muscles – the more you
practice and flex them, the greater they will become!

Artist’s Back to Palette

Artist ’s Basics 151
19
5
 F E A T U R E

Artists’ Easels
There are more types of artists’ easels available today than many people
probably realise. Here we take a look at just a few of the styles on offer from
three different art supplies retailers.

THE ART STORE

Telephone 02 6162 0982

M/04 WITH CRANK

➤
• Constructed of oiled, stain-resistant M/11 INCLINABLE
➤
beech wood. • Constructed of oiled, stain-
• Canvas holder height is adjusted by a resistant beech wood.
crank mechanism. • Inclinable angle adjustment
• Adjustable working angle. allowing canvas to slant
• Extendable centre pole for use with forward up to 15 degrees.
canvases up to 235cm. • Canvas holder can be
• Pole and canvas are locked in the adjusted with a simple ratchet
desired position by tightening screws control.
at rear. • Features sliding canvas
• Sturdy base with four castors and supports and shelf for paints.
leveling bolts. • Simple assembly required.
• Two storage trays.
• Ideal for restoration work.
• Available walnut lacquered on request
(ref M/03).

➤ ➤
M/25 CONVERTIBLE LYRE EASEL M/12 BIG
• Constructed of oiled, stain-resistant beech • Constructed of oiled, stain-
wood. resistant beech wood.
• Inclinable angle adjustment up to 15 • Canvas holder can be
degrees or in horizontal position. adjusted with a simple ratchet
•Canvas holder height is adjusted by two control.
sliding shelves. • Anti-vibration inner spring.
• Contemporary use of two canvases. • Features sliding canvas
• Ideal for oil and watercolour painting. supports.
• Simple assembly required. • Can also be used for display.
• Simple assembly required

50
18
20 Artist ’s Palette
Artist’s Back to Basics
 F E A T U R E

THE MEGA SHED PTY LTD

Telephone 07 3255 5406

MONTE MARTE® EASELS

➤ MCG0007 Monte Marte®
Small Pine Table Easel, gift
boxed. Maximum canvas height
57.5cm. Folds flat and has easy
➤ MCG0024 Monte Marte® tilt adjustment.
Big Desk Easel with box and Elm
gift box. Maximum canvas height
85cm. Features adjustable
aluminium brush and paint trays.
Folds up, and has a leather carry
handle for ease of transporting.

MCG0010 Monte Marte® ➤

Large Elm Studio Easel with
castors. Maximum canvas height
115cm. On lockable roller castors,
this studio easel is enormous
value for money.

➤ MCG0001 Monte Marte®

Tripod Floor Easel, Bass Wood with
Carry Bag. Maximum canvas height
105cm. Includes nylon carry bag.
Lightweight and easy to carry with
adjustable tripod legs and brass
plated steel lock down lever.

➤ MEA0007 Monte Marte®

Floor Display Beech Easel
170cm. Maximum canvas
height 125cm. Beautifully
finished fine grain Beech, ideal
for displaying medium to large
sized artworks. This is an
excellent piece of furniture.

Artist’sArtist
Back’stoPalette
Basics 19
21
51
 F E A T U R E

S&S WHOLESALE PTY LTD

Telephone 02 9875 1155

BEST EASELS
Every artist should know the joy of using exquisite equipment. BEST Easels are known as some of the finest in the world. Each BEST easel is
handmade from North American Red Oak, sanded to a smooth surface, then hand-rubbed with oil to reveal the inherent beauty of the wood grain.
There is no compromise in workmanship or quality. The craftsmen at BEST nail, glue and woodscrew every joint, guaranteeing strength and precision.
Made with the professional in mind, BEST Easels are amazingly stable, completely functional and truly beautiful.

Deluxe Lobo ➤
Inexpensive, compact and very versatile, this BEST ‘Lite Best’ ➤
quad based easel is perfect for the mixed This versatile easel is ideal for
media painter. It has a forward tilt for glare beginner to intermediate artists,
reduction; and, for the pastel artist, it allows schools and colleges. It has the
the pastel shavings to fall directly to the floor. unique ability to tilt forward past a full
It also features a built-in shelf for supplies vertical position. It is solid,
and books. multifunctional and reasonably priced.
It also folds flat for easy storage.

➤ BEST Deluxe Table Top ➤ Classic Santa Fe II

This heavy-duty professional table A double mastered easel
easel can be used by itself on any complete with two canvas
flat surface. Beautiful and strong, holders and painting tray. It
the Deluxe Table Top will provide features a marine style winch
artists with a solid base on which which raises and lowers easily,
to work, accommodating canvases allowing works weighing up to
up to 80 inches vertical and 82 90 kilograms. The double-
inches horizontal. mastered H-frame offers extra
stability and the plastic front
locking castors offer ease of
mobility.

52
20
22 Artist ’s Back
Artist’s Palette
to Basics
 F E A T U R E

S&S WHOLESALE PTY LTD

Telephone 02 9875 1155

ACADEMY EASELS
Academy Easels are the economy range of easels produced by Jack Richeson & Co. They are strong, carefully designed, well finished and affordably
priced. These easels are the perfect solution for cost conscious artists, looking for excellent durable material at an attractive price. Academy Easels
offer a true coming together of quality and affordability.

Academy Aztec
➤
The Aztec is an adjustable and sturdy H-Frame
easel which features a centre ratchet system to
adjust the height. It has a maximum canvas
height of 51 inches. This beautifully finished
easel folds flat for easy storage.

Academy Basset ➤
This easel has a ratchet system
for easy canvas height
adjustment and goes past a
vertical tilt. The sturdy base has
levelling feet. It offers a
maximum canvas height of 39
inches and provides a perfect
support for the canvas.

➤ Academy Lobo
Made of hardwood, this easel is
fully adjustable and can be used
horizontally for watercolour work,
vertically for oils and acrylics, or
tilted forward for pastels. It has a
base shelf for storing materials.

➤ Academy Cascade
This varnished lyre easel features
vertical tilt and a non-slip ratchet
system, which provides artists with
easy canvas height adjustment. It
offers a compact easel height of 67
inches and an extended easel height
of 85 inches.
Academy Dulce ➤
With its H-frame construction and
laminated quad base, this easel offers
great stability for working seated or
standing. This easel also features a
slide lock system to adjust the height.

Artist’s Artist
Back ’stoPalette
Basics 21
23
53
 D r
D R a
A w
W iI n
N g
G iI n
N s
S p
P Ii R
r A
a T
t iI o
O n
N

Drawing:
Fundamental to Good Art
A true test of an artist is not how well they can paint
… but how well they can draw. Those that draw
well will naturally produce better art works because
they know form, proportion and balance; all the
things that drawing teaches.
Contributed by Brett ‘Mon’ Garling F.A.I.H.A. Dip. Ed.

B
orn with a fascination for
anatomy, Brett Garling gained
the nickname of ‘Monster’ at
age five due to his early collecting of
bones and animal specimens. ‘Monster’
was quickly shortened to ‘Mon’ and the
22
24
50 Artist’s
Artist ’sBack to Basics
Palette
name stuck. Brett is widely known as
‘Mon’ to friends and collectors alike.
‘Mon’ was born in Pambula in 1970.
He spent his childhood in rural towns
such as Lightning Ridge, Narrabri and
Dubbo where his love of the bush and
its characters was nurtured. These
themes now play a dominant role in
his work.
Completely self-taught, he takes great
pride in the fact that the influences of
the modern art world have not clouded
or plagued his development. He has
used the greats such as Streeton,
Roberts and Hoff as role models.
Brett Garling’s fascination with the
technical aspects of casting in bronze
has led him to establish his own
foundry where he casts his own
sculpting works. ‘Mon’ is now widely
regarded as an expert in the field of
sculpture and casting. He was awarded
a Fellowship in 2006 by the Australian
Institute of History and Arts in
recognition of his contribution to
‘Traditional Sculpture’.
Brett’s works are held in private and
corporate collections world-wide. In
2004 he opened his own gallery, where
he now exhibits a permanent collection
of his sculptures and paintings
alongside his foundry.
D R AW I N G A S A
BASIC SKILL
There are basic fundamentals to all
things in life. A baby must crawl before
it can walk, and walk before it can run
– each stage takes time to be mastered
before engaging in the next.
Drawing InspirationArt is no
different. Whether artists wish to work
in oils, acrylics, watercolours or clay,
there is a vital basic stage which is
often overlooked: Being able to draw
with conviction and confidence.
Brett Garling often views ‘bad’ work
and analyses it … to discover that it
has failed only due to inadequate
drawing at the outset.
As ‘Mon’ explains, “If the drawing is
bad, the work will have no framework
to support it – and poor results can
only follow.”
This is a problem faced by amateurs
and professionals alike. In their haste
to paint they miss the all-important
stage of ‘crawling’. They paint figures
with ape-like proportions and
landscapes with 15 vanishing points.
Anyone who has been to an art show
has seen such works.
Many true artists are defined by
how well they can draw. Those who
draw well will naturally produce
 D r
D R A
a W
w Ii n
N g
better paintings and sculptures
because they know form, proportion
and balance … translating these
fundamentals into other mediums
leads to good art.
Brett Garling’s mother was a painter
and potter.
“Mum spent more time with a
pencil in her hand than a brush,” he
relates. “She was a role model for
me, and I followed her example.
Through her mastering pencil, she
was able to work convincingly in
oils, watercolours, pastels and clay.
So, for 35 years, I have drawn, drawn
and drawn.”
Most people who succeed in art
follow a long and arduous road to
success; they don’t settle for
mediocrity. Although the road is
long, the journey can be filled with
satisfaction and the joy that comes
with every achievement – no matter
how great or small.
A D R AW I N G
D E M O N S T R AT I O N B Y
BRETT GARLING
The subject I have chosen for this
demonstration is myself, at work in
the foundry. Being a sculptor and
painter with my own bronze casting
foundry means that I spend endless
hours dressed as a Gimp! Therefore
I am completely familiar with the
subject. By drawing on the familiar
at the outset, you bring a degree of
confidence to the task … in that you
G Ii n
N s
S P
p Ii R
r A
a Tt Ii O
o N
n
know what the subject should look
like and what appearance should be
possessed by the final work.
Not everyone has a Gimp outfit, so
something quite simple (a vase or
some fruit) could suffice for your own
drawing exercise.
S TA G E O N E
Using a HB pencil and a loose grip,
I establish the subject – lightly
working out the larger proportions,
correcting as required but not
rubbing anything out (so as not to
retrace mistakes).
Proportions at this stage are crucial
if the drawing is to succeed. I stand
back from my work frequently, as
mistakes will be much more obvious
from a distance. I don’t concern
myself with details at this point.
S TA G E T W O
Still using a HB pencil, I loosely place
in where my darks and lights will be –
building up the sketch as a whole,
rather than focusing attention on any
one area.
By establishing darks I am
automatically pulling into focus more
of the detail, giving form and depth to
the subject.
I leave highlights as raw paper.
S TA G E T H R E E
Using a HB pencil and a 4B pencil, I
turn to the focus areas and bring more
detail to the face and arms.
When drawing on stark white, in
order to bring depth to the piece I
shade loosely in the background. This
helps to place the subject solidly on the
paper (instead of having the subject
‘floating’ on the paper). Creating
contrasts between dark and light areas
helps to delineate forms at this point.
S TA G E F O U R
I continue to detail the sketch,
strengthening contrasts to bring the
drawing forward and create form.
Although finished, all my initial
lines are still there – some visible,
some worked over. Throughout the
process I am careful not to ‘overwork’
the piece.
Artist’sArtist
Back’stoPalette
Basics 23
525
1
 D DR rA aWw I i Nn Gg Ii n
N sS pP i I rR aAt Ti Io On N

VA L U A B L E T I P S • Keep a visual diary and draw in it • Study only good art. You can only
• Draw as much as possible from life. every day. pick up bad habits from bad art.
Your eye for proportions and • Look at your subject more than your • Don’t be afraid to make mistakes …
composition will develop much work. Develop your observation skills. it is the only way to learn.
faster this way than it would through • Don’t fall into the trap of using grids • Visualise what your finished work
copying photographs. and photographs to reproduce exact will look like before you begin.
• Start by drawing familiar subjects, copies of pictures. Train your eye to Learn to see it on the blank paper.
keeping to simple shapes. This helps see that proportions are correct. • Most of all, enjoy what you do!
to build skills and confidence. • Minimise your pencil collection to
• Don’t strangle your pencil. only one or two – this will cut down
Remember you are drawing, not on confusion when selecting. I use
writing a letter. Keep your grip high HB and 4B only.
and loose, at arm’s length.
• Don’t use cheap materials –
it will show.
• Try not to use an eraser. You are
more likely to repeat your mistakes
by erasing them. Leaving your
working lines can add to the finished
product’s spontaneity.
• Squint your eyes when looking at
subjects. This helps to reduce the
fiddly bits and helps you find the
important shapes.
• Draw, draw and draw. There is no
substitute for mileage.

24
26
52 Artist’s
Artist ’sBack to Basics
Palette
 I N S I G H T

Brenda Holden

Wonderful
Wildlife By Trevor Lang

Talented South Australian artist Brenda Holden operates the Porter Street
Wildlife Gallery in Goolwa and pursues an ongoing passion for painting
wildlife subjects – particularly birds.

B
renda Holden spent her formative
years in the foothills of Adelaide.
Hiking around waterfalls in the area,
she grew to love the abundant birdlife.
While young, she spent many years in
Broken Hill and outback Western Australia
– all the while developing an appreciation
for native wildlife. Her extensive travels in
the country and the Australian Outback have
lent authenticity to the wildlife habitats
depicted in her paintings.
Brenda worked mainly on commissions
early in her career, then started to exhibit
her work in the late ’90s. After joining
the Wildlife Art Society of South Australia
in 1996, she received the prize for ‘Best
Watercolour’ at the society’s annual
exhibition in 1997. She is an exhibiting
member of The Wildlife Artist Society of
Australasia and the Queensland Wildlife
Artists Society; and past President of the
Wildlife Art Society of South Australia.
Brenda’s work is represented in galleries and
collections throughout Australia and Europe.
Brenda Holden’s recent awards are too
numerous to mention. They include many
prizes at the Royal Adelaide Show and the
City of Campbelltown Art Exhibition; and a
host of other noteworthy achievements.
 I N S I G H T

Born in Adelaide in 1955, Brenda

now resides at Goolwa with her
husband, her dog … and ‘Ossie’,
her hand-raised Eastern Rosella.
She studied Art and Graphic
Design in the early ’80s. After years
of ‘doing ads’ for newspapers, she
decided to turn her hand to
something she felt real affection for.
Brenda tried her hand at many
forms of art including seascapes,
landscapes, still life … even 3D …
but having grown up surrounded by
birds she kept going back to what
she knew and loved most.
She started painting in
watercolour and gouache but was
never really happy with the colour;
then experimented with oils but
found that her style of painting
(layers upon layers) took too long
to dry. She also disliked the smell
and mess that accompanied oil
paints. When Brenda discovered
acrylics she thought she had finally
discovered her ideal medium. But
her search was still not over.
Early in 2006, Brenda Holden
discovered Genesis Heat Set
Oil Paints and embarked on an
exciting new learning curve. She
has been more than delighted
with the medium.
“The colours are wonderful,
consistency and coverage are great,
and I am really enjoying getting
texture into my work,” she claims.
“I still use acrylics, but I am using
Genesis Heat Set Oils more and
more – especially on canvas.”
“I love to get my paintings to
look real,” Brenda explains. “The
use of airbrushed backgrounds
achieves this by giving the
paintings depth. I have actually
been asked if I take a photograph
and then paint the birds on top!”
Brenda travels widely and takes a
camera everywhere, collecting
thousands of photographs for
reference. Zoos, wildlife parks and
National Parks are all favourites.
She photographs not only birds and
animals, but also old fence posts;
wire; weeds; even cobwebs.
Her painting of ‘Cyclone the

Macaw’ came about after a trip to
Kuranda, where she met the
colourful Cyclone at a wildlife park.
He was so named because he was
hatched on the day of the cyclone
that devastated Innisfail.
“He was only three months old and,
having been hand-raised, was very
friendly … I just had to paint him.”
Brenda relates.
1
306
50 Artist ’s Back
Artist’s Palette
to Basics
I N S I G H T
In 2002, Brenda opened the Porter
Street Wildlife Gallery in Goolwa with
long-time friend and fellow wildlife
artist Kathleen Cain.
“We saw a niche for a gallery that
specialised in wildlife art and, as we
had both been presidents of the
Wildlife Art Society of South Australia,
we were acquainted with many like-
minded artists,” says Brenda.
“Kathleen has left the gallery
and is now working from home,
but I still have about 40 artists
involved – doing things such as
silver jewellery, pottery, silks,
bronze, copper, and painting. Now
that I’m at the gallery seven days a
week, I have my studio there and I
do all my paintings there. Being able
to paint at the gallery provides
opportunities to talk to all sorts of
people about my art, as well
as my passion for birds.”
Brenda Holden exhibits her
work less these days. The gallery
keeps her really busy, and demand
for her paintings is so strong that
she rarely has enough work to
exhibit anywhere else. Some of
her larger paintings take weeks
to complete, and she commonly
has a list of commissions also
waiting to be done.
Brenda’s passion for her art and
her considerable skill have led to
her well-deserved successes. Her
work is infused with colour and
enduring charm. ■
Artist’s Back toartist
Basics 31
1
 D E M O N S T R A T I O N

Genesis Heat Set Oils

Cyclone the Macaw

By Brenda Holden

Rich vibrant colours and stunning clarity make this delightful picture of a
native bird seem almost real enough to sing and take flight.

STEP ONE
After deciding on size and format, I
drew the foreground objects to size
with as much detail as possible before
transferring them onto my prepared
board. When I airbrush a background
(as in this painting), I mask the bird
and the branch with masking fluid.

STEP TWO
I checked the bckground colour
against photographs taken, making
sure that the foreground would stand
out and not get lost. Using a palette
knife, the moss and bark were added to
the branch. At this stage I was not
looking for detail, but texture.

M AT E R I A L S

• Genesis Heat Set Oil Colours:

Genesis Red; Ultramarine Blue;
Genesis Yellow; Sap Green;
Phthalo Green; Titanium White;
Burnt Umber; Red Oxide; Mars
Black.
• Brushes: Roymac Golden Sable
sizes 000, 1, 2, 4 and 6.
• Round Tip Palette Knife.
• Background: Four coats of
diluted Matisse Gesso, sanded
between coats, on Saunders Hot
Press Illustration Board.
• GMC 1600 watt Heat Gun, to set
the oil paint.

FINAL STEP
32 Artist’s Back to Basics
 STEP 1 STEP 2

STEP THREE
I decided that another foreground branch was needed. This was
added in the same way as the main branch. Using a Number 2
brush, I added the detail to the moss and the wood – darkening
the underparts and adding highlights and structure.

STEP FOUR
I began work on the Macaw. Using thin washes, I blocked the
whole bird in. I did not do any really detailed work – just one thin
wash to get overall colour and feather placement correct. This was
the stage where character was developed. A feather out of place (or
slightly ruffled) can help to make the painting believable.

STEP FIVE
The eyes make a painting. Using a Number 000 brush, I started
with a base colour and then added the pupil. Macaws have pale
yellow eyes but there is always a slightly darker colour near the
pupil. When satisfied with the basis for the eye, I added the
highlight – bringing the eye to life. At this stage I finished the
head completely before moving down to the rest of the body.

STEP SIX
Working from the tail up, I gave each feather two more thin
washes of colour before starting to define each one. A bird’s
feathers lay over the top of each other, so this is how I worked
– doing one row of feathers before moving on to the next layer,
from bottom to top. Details like splits in the feathers, as well as
darkening under some and highlighting on others, gave the STEP 3
final painting life.

Artist’sArtist
Back’stoPalette
Basics 133
9
53
 STEP 4 STEP 5

MASTER HINTS AND TIPS

• Get the nuts and bolts right! This means making sure
the anatomy is correct, because it is no good having a
‘great painting’, only to discover that the bird, animal,
perspective or anything else is wrong.
• Spend time planning the whole painting. Make sure
you have good reference material and study what
you’re going to paint. Do sketches so that you learn
how the bird moves and relates to its environment.
• Through the whole painting process, I constantly stand
back to observe my work. Sometimes I look at the
painting in a mirror – this tricks the eye, and any
mistakes become glaringly clear.
• Last but not least, be passionate about what you are
doing … and enjoy yourself!

FINAL STEP
I left the painting face to the wall for a couple of days so
that I could view it with fresh eyes – I find this very helpful
in seeing anything that might need to be altered or added.
In this case I decided that I had a foreground and
background but the painting lacked a middle ground … so
STEP 6 using a Number 6 brush (which I had cut the bristles off), I
stippled in the branch in the background. ■

2
340
54 Artist ’s Back
Artist’s Palette
to Basics
STEP 5
Artist’s Back to Basics 35

The Art of Drawing
For many artists, drawing can be the first stage in the creative process. For
others, drawing is a complete artform. There is a whole realm of resources
available for those who love to draw … here are just some of the drawing
materials you can obtain from your favourite art suppliers.
D R AW I N G W I T H O X L A D E S
Drawing forms the cornerstone of
every artist’s practice and is presently
experiencing a resurgence in popularity
as an artform in its own right. Whether
your work is trendy or traditional, two-
dimensional or sculptural, the humble
pencil is likely to be your most
important tool. Oxlades carries an
extensive range of pencils plus a wide
variety of drawing alternatives
including pens, charcoals, mechanical
pencils, graphite sticks, inks and nibs to
suit any drawing project.
These days, traditional graphite or
‘lead’ is available in an amazing
variety of forms including sticks,
powder and blocks; and (of course)
the familiar wood-encased pencils.
Graphite is graded in terms of
softness, from 9B (the softest and
therefore darkest) to 9H (the hardest,
lightest and most difficult to erase).
In the middle is HB, a pencil
normally reserved for writing. For
fine art purposes, pencils on the
softer end of the scale (2B to 9B) are
most popular, while the H pencils are
452
36
6 Artist’s
Artist ’s Back to Basics
Palette
F E A T U R E
normally reserved for design and
technical drawing.
Oxlades stocks both student and
professional quality graphite pencils in
favourite brands such as Faber Castell
and Derwent. What differentiates a
professional quality pencil from its
cheaper counterparts is the special
break-resistant bonding agent used in
the lead. From Faber Castell, Oxlades
stocks Castell 9000, the professional
graphite pencil; and Goldfaber, the
more economical student version.
From Derwent, Oxlades has the
professional ‘Graphic’ range and the
unique watersoluble graphite range,
‘Draw and Wash’. Oxlades also carries
a wide, flat carpenter’s pencil for
broad strokes.
Graphite sticks, sometimes called
progressos, are suitable for large
projects and feature varnished rods
of graphite – minus the wood encasing.
These sticks require sharpening like
traditional pencils and can be used
on an angle for a wide point of contact
on the paper. Graphite blocks and some
of the shorter, thicker progressos on the
market are available unvarnished,
meaning the entire length of the rod
can be used to make marks – giving an
even broader width of line on the paper.
Another interesting and versatile
medium used to block in large areas
of tone on paper is graphite powder.
Simply dip a rag or your finger into
the tub and rub across the paper for
shading that would otherwise take
hours with a pencil.
Contributed
At the opposite end of the graphite
spectrum is the clutch pencil – a tool
particularly suited to fine, neat
linework. A clutch pencil, otherwise
known as a mechanical pencil or
‘pacer’, is a metal or plastic pen-
shaped holder which contains leads of
a particular width and allows the user
to expose as much or as little lead as
required to make a particular mark.
Oxlades carries the Faber Castell PK
Fine which holds leads as fine as 0.3,
0.5, 0.7 and 0.9 mm. Mechanical
pencils are also available to
accommodate softer drawing leads in
2mm and 5.6mm thicknesses, making
a neat alternative to graphite sticks
which can be prone to snapping in use
or in transit.
Another tool for fine work and quick
sketching is the pen. Oxlades has
traditional metal and bamboo nibs as
well as technical pens and disposable
fine point markers in a wide range of
nib widths.
For something different, Faber Castell
produces the unique Pitt Artists Pens – a
range of brush-tipped pens which can

be used to make fluid calligraphic
marks ranging from ultra-fine to wide
(depending on how the nib is presented
to the paper). Oxlades also stocks the
Copic and Marvy ranges of felt-tipped
markers. These coloured pens are
normally associated with graphic design
but are ideal for those who work in
mixed media or who wish to experiment
with mark-making. Copic makes
double-ended markers (available in over
300 shades) which produce transparent
strokes of colour, ideal for rendering
form. The Marvy markers are traditional
water-soluble felt-tipped pens, available
in bright colours.
Inks for refillable and dip pens are
available in student or artist quality,
and in all the colours of the rainbow.
Art Spectrum Pigmented Inks come in
a range of 13 strong, bright colours and
can be used for drawing with a dip-pen,
or for creating a coloured wash as a
base for other media.
For colourful drawings we can’t go
past the old-fashioned coloured pencils!
These days there is a plethora of
coloured pencils on the market and it
can be confusing just knowing where
to start. Oxlades stocks Faber Castell,
Derwent and Prismacolour brands in
traditional, water-soluble and pastel-
style pencils. Each of these ranges is
professional quality, meaning strong
break-resistant leads and good
lightfastness ratings … so choice
depends largely on personal preference.
Oxlades recommends experimentation
to find what suits best; and stores
provide paper to ‘try before you buy’.
In the meantime, the following should
serve as a guide to help navigate you
through the confusing world of
coloured pencils!
Prismacolor is a brand famous for
dense, wax-based thick-lead coloured
pencils. The range is available in 124
colours and features a colourless clear
blender pencil (used for softening hard
edges and to lighten or mix colours on
the paper). A limited number of colours
from the range are also produced in the
form of woodless rods called ‘Art Stix’
– these are made with the same fine
F E A T U R E
pigments and allow for quick coverage
of large areas.
Faber Castell produces both standard
(known as ‘Polychromos’) and water-
soluble (known as ‘Albrecht Durer’)
artists’ coloured pencils. Both ranges
feature the same extensive colour range
and high quality pigments; they are
sold separately and in tin sets.
Water-soluble pencils, also known as
‘Aquarelle’, are used to produce ‘line
and wash’ style drawings, or can be
used in conjunction with watercolour
paints. Once complete, a drawing can
be given the look of a watercolour
painting by blending and smudging
areas with a wet brush. Alternatively,
the pencils can be applied directly to
wet paper for interesting effects.
As well as standard watercolour
pencils, Derwent produces two unique
variations: The Inktense and Graphitint
ranges. Graphitint pencils combine the
silvery sheen of graphite with subtle,
muted colour; once wet, the colour
deepens. Inktense, on the other hand,
features the intensity and transparency
of ink with bright, clear colours –
permanent and waterproof washes can
be created, allowing for subsequent
layers to be applied without disturbing
the original.
Pastel pencils are another style of
pencils produced by both Derwent and
Faber Castell. These are, quite simply,
soft pastels in a neat and convenient
pencil form. They feature chalky,
smudgeable colour which behaves like
regular soft pastel but allows for
greater precision and fine details. Like
regular soft pastels, pastel pencils
require fixing with a workable spray
fixative to prevent shifting of the
colour once the work is complete.
Charcoal and carbon pencils are very
similar to pastel pencils in consistency.
Oxlades carries Wolff’s carbon pencils,
General’s charcoal pencils and
General’s ‘Peel ’n’ Sketch’. The ‘Peel
’n’ Sketch’ pencils, rather than being
encased in wood, are tightly wrapped in
paper which is perforated in a spiral
down the barrel of the pencil. This
allows the user to tear back and expose
the lead as required. All charcoal and
carbon pencils feature a dry, chalky core
of velvety black, which requires fixing.
Traditional artists’ charcoal is
available in natural willow sticks or
compressed rods and blocks. Willow
charcoal tends to be irregular and
scratchy in its consistency, while
compressed charcoal lays down smooth
velvety strokes of black and is available
in hard, soft and medium densities.
Conte crayons are another popular
drawing medium, sitting somewhere
between pencils and pastels in feel and
consistency. Contes are fine, square-
ended and relatively robust dry pastels
available in 84 colours.
Remember, for your next drawing
project, to consider the scope of
possibilities at your fingertips at
Oxlades Paint and Art Centres. Why
not try a new medium and see where it
can take you? Oxlades has the
experience and range to make your
next project a success.
Contact Oxlades on 07 3252 8238
for more information.
Artist’sArtist
Back’stoPalette
Basics 453
37
7

Jasart offers some appealing choices
with several ranges of deluxe Jasart
pencils including sketching pencils,
colour pencils and watercolour pencils –
all high quality products which are
designed to perform. Jasart pencils are
acid-free and non toxic. They are
attractively packaged in durable hinged
tins. Jasart is an Australian owned brand.
Jasart sketching pencils feature high
quality wood and fully bonded centred
leads to prevent breakage. They are
available in sets of six and 12, from
2H to 8B; and are perfect for freestyle
sketches, bold line drawings, detailed
portraiture, and much more.
The artists’ quality coloured pencils
have extra smooth brilliant colours
Using a variety of nibs to create
beautiful ink drawings is easy with the
wonderful colour array available from
the Matisse Inks range.
Whether you are using a reed pen, a
crow-quill nib, or your standard drawing
implements, you will find that Matisse
Inks give you a superior finish and
exceptional lightfastness to ensure your
sketches last the test of time.
Matisse Inks are acrylic based inks that
come in 22 stunning intermixable
colours, including metallic and iridescent
inks. They have bright, intense colours
54
38
48 Artist’s
Artist ’sBack to Basics
Palette
F E A T U R E
QUALITY DRAWING WITH JASART AND STABILO
with soft, break-resistant leads offering
excellent colour laydown for 100 per
cent coverage. They are available in
sets of 12, 24 and 36.
Watercolour pencils from Jasart are
described as ‘completely aquarelle’
and ideal for blending (using wet or
dry techniques) to create a wide range
of exciting effects. Sets of 12, 24 and
36 are available, complete with
watercolour brush.
Jasart Sketching Sets contain
everything you will need to start
sketching: Soft and medium charcoal
pencils; HB, 2B and 6B graphite
drawing pencils; vinyl eraser; pencil
sharpener; tortillons; sandpaper block
and blending stumps. Jasart also
offers an ‘Intro to Figure Drawing’
set which contains a 16 page figure
drawing instruction booklet, a
mannequin, six graphite pencils, an
eraser and a sharpener.
The German-made Stabilo range
features several quality options for
drawing enthusiasts.
M AT I S S E I N K S
and are heavily pigmented for use in
many applications. These inks are perfect
for calligraphy, pen and wash, technical
drawing and airbrushing … as well as
watercolour techniques on paper and
painting on prepared canvas.
The 22 colours include four metallic
and one iridescent for infinite colour and
effect combinations. All Matisse Inks
pigments are rated either ASTM 1-2 or
BWS 8, which means they have
excellent lightfastness and have been
made to the very highest standards for
artist colours – so artists can be confident
of creating lasting works of art.
The pigments within Matisse Inks are
very finely ground into a surfactant
base then mixed with an acrylic binder
which is flexible but tough and dries to
make all the colours fully water
resistant. This water resistance makes
wet-on-dry techniques much easier for
artists to control.
Matisse Inks are washable in water,
making cleanup quick and easy. Brushes,
Stabilo CarbOthello Pencils are soft
coloured charcoal pencils of outstanding
quality, with rich intense colours made
from finely ground pigments – they are
easy to mix and blend. The colours are
lightfast with excellent covering power.
Stabilo Photo Pencils are versatile
drawing implements for marking on
nearly all surfaces including glass,
china, metal and plastic. They will not
harm photographs, and they can be
wiped off easily. Handy packs of three
pencils contain red,
blue and white.
Jasco also offers
drawing products
from the well-
known Reeves
brand, providing
high quality at an
affordable price.
Further information
can be obtained
from JASCO on
1800 676 155.
pens and airbrushes clean easily in water
– however the nature of Matisse Inks
water resistant properties means dried
ink will need to be cleaned in Matisse
Ink Cleaner.
As these inks are an extremely highly
pigmented product, they should be
shaken well before use (the fine
pigment particles will separate over
time from the binder). All Matisse Inks
have at least one stainless steel ball in
the bottle, making mixing of the
pigment and acrylic binder easier.
Next time you consider breaking out
your drawing implements, choose to
use them with Matisse Inks for superb
colours, excellent lightfastness and full
water resistance. Matisse Derivan –
Pure Brilliance, Pure Quality.
For more information about
Matisse Inks, please contact
Matisse Derivan by email at
sales@matisse.com.au … or visit
their website: www.matisse.com.au

The use of pencils to compose fine art
is made easier with some great product
ranges from Roymac and Koh-I-Noor,
supplied by Micador Group.
Roymac’s pencil range is designed
by Australian artists for Australian
artists – so you can be sure that what
you buy from this range has been
tailor-made to suit you.
It’s hard to miss the point with
Roymac’s Unlimit pencil range,
featuring bold and edgy colours that
possess a uniquely Australian style –
they range from Pea Soup to Pumpkin.
These pencils have high pigment
concentration packed into a smooth
creamy textured 4mm colour strip.
When applied to paper, the colours are
easy to blend and the Unlimit Wet range
(aquarelle) is a ‘just add water’ step
away from a perfect watercolour effect.
D E RW E N T C O L O U R S O F T – N O W AVA I L A B L E AT E C K E R S L E Y ’ S
The new Coloursoft range from
Derwent is now available at
Eckersley’s. These smooth, vibrant
pencils blend extremely well and
allow you to apply layer upon layer of
rich colour.
The range is perfect for bold,
contemporary drawings; however the
pencils can also be sharpened to fine
points for more detailed work such as
landscapes and fashion illustrations.
There are 72 colours in the range,
available in tins of 12, 24, 36 or 72.
In addition to the Coloursoft range,
you’ll also find a wide array of
F E A T U R E
D R AW I N G M E D I A F R O M M I C A D O R
It’s the presentation of these pencils that
enhances their appeal – they come
packed in elegant metal tins with each
pencil showcasing a stylish matt
finish down the barrel. The
pencils are available in both
12 and 24 packs and they are
perfect for drawing almost
anything that takes your fancy.
If you are particularly interested in
life drawing and want a wide range of
skin tones to choose from, opt for
Roymac’s Life Pencils – designed
specifically for life drawing.
Roymac’s Life Pencils feature the
same high pigment concentration and
creamy texture as the Roymac
Unlimit pencils, but have a thick 6mm
colour strip for greater colour
laydown. The colours have been
carefully selected with the specific
intention of being used for life
drawing. The colour selection
comprises graduated skin (flesh) tones
(cool and warm), and white. Each
pencil has a fully bonded 10mm
natural wood casing giving the set a
natural and organic feel. Roymac
anticipates that you may have a
favourite colour that could run out
before the rest – to cater for this
possibility, pencils can be purchased
individually as well as in the 12 pack.
If you like to make the most of your
pencils, take a look at Koh-I-Noor
coloured pencils
at your
Eckersley’s
store including
more of the
Derwent range
of pencils, Faber-
Castell and
Prismacolour
pencils.
For further information, call
1300 657 766. Alternatively,
email art@eckersleys.com.au
or visit www.eckersleys.com.au
Progresso pencils. The Progresso is an
innovative woodless pencil that saves
the trees and saves you money! There is
153cm of 8mm thick ‘pure colour’
encased in a thin plastic covering. Not
even one millimetre will go to waste, as
you can use the shavings to create
shading and blending effects; and (better
still) you just use a normal sharpener.
The collection is non-toxic and acid free
… a perfect choice for scrapbooking.
They are available in six, 12 and 24
packs; tins of 12 and 24 aquarelle; and a
full range of graphite grades.
Koh-I-Noor also offers the unique
and fun Magic pencil range. They have
an extra-thick colour strip with multiple
swirling hues – displaying a rainbow of
colour with just one stroke of the pencil.
The colour is made up of high quality
pigments and there are five different
colour combinations in the range. As if
these pencils were not exciting enough,
each features a handmade marble-ef
fect covering, making every single
pencil as individual as you are. The
pencils can be purchased in packs of
five, or separately.
Further information about these
drawing products is available
from Micador Group by
telephone on 03 9590 0122
– or visit the website at
www.micadorgroup.com.au
Artist’sArtist
Back’sto Basics
Palette 55
439
9

S & S W H O L E S A L E P T Y LT D C A N H E L P W I T H Y O U R D R AW I N G N E E D S
Cretacolor Sketching Powders are made
from the finest quality pigments and
come in four different varieties of
charcoal, graphite, sepia and sanguine.
These pure pigment powders are ideal
for large-scale drawing, 3D shading or
producing brilliant light and dark
shades. They can be spread by fingers
or a brush, and used either dry or with
water as a thin film or a thick coating
over large areas. The graphite powder in
particular can be used to cover clay or
other sculptures to create a metallic
effect. The finest quality sepia and
sanguine powders can be used on paper,
canvas, plaster or any absorbent surface.
Many artists are attracted to the
dusky colours of Cretacolor Sketching
Powders, which impart an identifiable
mood. The powders are an excellent
medium to create different effects
when drawing. Fantastic results can be
achieved when using the charcoal
powder by smudging the strokes or
dissolving the charcoal particles in
water. The powders can be used to
touch up or finish a work, or may even
be the basis for creating larger
artworks. The charcoal and graphite
powders are an excellent way to add a
shadow technique to a drawing. By
lightly applying the powder with a
brush or finger, a shadow or an outline
can be created to add dimension to a
56
40
50 Artist’s
Artist ’sBack to Basics
Palette
F E A T U R E
drawing. It can be as subtle or as bold
as the artists desire – by adding
different amounts of powder and even
mixing with water. For stockists,
please contact S&S Customer Service
on 1300 731 529.
Derwent Graphitint can be used wet
or dry to produce an amazing range of
tinted graphite effects. Derwent
Graphitint comes in a range of 24
colours and combines the creativity of
a graphite medium with a hint of soft,
subtle colour. Used dry like a
conventional pencil, Graphitint
produces soft tones of grey with just a
suggestion of colour. Add water and
the colours become far more vibrant.
The colours can be lightened or
removed with a soft eraser or by lifting
out with a brush and clean water.
Colour tints range from soft greys,
blues and greens to glowing russets,
plums and browns. All of the colours
can be mixed and blended to produce
subtle colour variations.
Graphitint pencils are water-soluble,
allowing artists to add another
dimension to their drawings – and the
brilliant transparency of the colours
enables artists to paint many washes
without losing any depth of the colour.
Graphitint is ideal for landscape
sketches, life drawing, portrait work
and wildlife studies and is the perfect
way to introduce colour to sketches.
The Graphitint pencils have the
same physical properties as 8B
water-soluble sketching pencils
but with added versatility of
colour. By using a wetted
paintbrush, you can transform the
subtle graphite tones into vibrant
colour; and to create graphite
drawings with a hint of colour, it is
best to use a dry-on-dry technique. By
experimenting with different types of
paper, a range of various colours can
be produced. For stockists, please
contact S&S Customer Service on
1300 731 529.
The range of Inktense pencils from
Derwent combines the intensity of pen
and ink with the versatility of line and
wash. Derwent Inktense are available
in a range of 23 colours, which work
brilliantly on their own or can be
mixed together to create rich subtle
tones. Inspired by the traditional
painting styles of the East, Derwent
Inktense can be used dry for a rich,
intense colour or washed out with a
little water to create a vivid,
translucent effect. Derwent Inktense is
quick drying and very little bleed
occurs. A vibrant line and wash effect
can be created by drawing a sketch
with the Inktense outliner, adding
colour with the Inktense pencils, and
then adding a light wash.
The pure clear colours are perfect
for bold expressive drawings including
fashion illustrations, landscapes and
stylised greeting cards. Derwent
Inktense performs like traditional ink;
as versatile as watercolour pencils but
with a firmer texture. When using the
pencils dry, add water to create thin
transparent washes. Very little water is
needed to make the colour go a long
way. Once dry, the colour wash is

permanent and can be worked over
again. Used wet, it’s easy to see
where the name comes from as the
colour takes on an ink-like
intensity – stronger and more
vibrant than regular watercolour
pencils – adding richness and
depth to the usual soft, light tones.
For stockists, please contact
S&S Customer Service on
1300 731 529.
Cretacolor Aquastics are water-
soluble oil pastels with exceptional
water solubility and high
pigmentation, which produce
remarkably smooth strokes of pure,
clean, gloss colour. Due to their
extra softness they are especially
suitable for numerous drawing
techniques including blending and
sgraffito. Numerous hues can be
created by applying colours over or
next to one another and mixing them
with water. Aquastics can be used on
various surfaces such as canvas, wood,
leather, glass and mirrors. When
working with water, rub a brush or wet
sponge directly onto an Aquastic and
then apply to your surface.
Alternatively, a sponge or water
sprayer can be used over the drawing
to create a watercolour effect. While
the colour is still wet, patterns such as
waves can be created by using the
broad side of a palette knife, plastic
squeegee or brush.
To achieve an encaustic technique,
put your paper on top of a hot stone
plate and work directly on it.
Aquastics melt immediately for
encaustic impasto techniques. It is also
possible to put the Aquastics on a hot
iron and then apply the iron to paper
to transfer your drawing, producing
exceptionally rich and glossy colours.
Another technique with Cretacolor
Aquastics is sgraffito. To achieve a
sgraffito result with Aquastics, put
two or more layers on top of each
other, so that the top layers of
Aquastics are fully covering the lower
layers. Then, by using a knife or
silverpoint pencil, the top layer can
be scratched through – exposing a
different colour underneath. Using
a silverpoint pencil enables fine,
F E A T U R E
detailed scratching without damaging
the paper. A small brush or kneadable
eraser can be used to remove the
excess ‘scratched off’ colour.
To create a blending technique with
Aquastics, an eraser can be used to
create cross-hatching and shading for
sketch-like impressions. By using a
cloth and turpentine over Aquastics,
the original stroke will still be visible
after blending as opposed to mixing
with water. For stockists, please
contact S&S Customer Service on
1300 731 529.
Derwent Coloursoft is a range of
72 colours, specially chosen for their
richness and versatility. The pencils
produce exceptional depth of colour
on a wide range of drawing surfaces
and interesting effects
can be achieved by using
different types of paper.
The pencils are made
from top quality
Californian cedar,
allowing them to be sharpened to a
fine point for detailed illustrations.
Coloursoft pencils are acid-free;
do not bloom easily; and have
superior lightfast ratings to similar
brands of soft textured pencils. A
contemporary effect can be created
by using the side of the coloured
pencil to lay down solid blocks of
intense colour. Another technique
that can be created using Coloursoft
pencils is a burnishing effect, by
rubbing a tortillon or white pencil
across existing layers of colour to
blend them further and create
precise highlights. Coloursoft is
ideal for a wide range of drawing
styles – from finely detailed
illustrations to bold, contemporary
still life sketches.
The Aubergine coloured, matt-
coated barrels feature colour-coded
ends and silver imprints detailing
range, colour name and number.
Coloursoft’s softness means that the
medium glides onto the page, giving a
smooth and even coverage. To achieve
an intense colour, it can be built up in
many layers from light to dark and
then burnished using the white pencil
– this will blend the colours all
together smoothly and will add a glow,
which will show through when you
add the colours again on top of the
white. Coloursoft creates a rich,
vibrant colour with easy blendability.
For stockists, please contact
S&S Customer Service on
1300 731 529. ■
Artist’sArtist
Back’s to Basics 557
Palette 41
1
 DD Rr Aa Ww I i Nn G
g Ii n
N s
S pP iI rR aA tT i I oO nN

Hydrangea
Victoria is home to this botanical artist who urges other pencil enthusiasts
to study their subjects carefully (from all angles) to best determine how to
place them on paper.
Contributed by Helene Wild

STEP SIX

T
he hydrangea in this STEP ONE
M AT E R I A L S
demonstration drawing by Because it provides an interesting
Helene Wild was slowly wilting background, I selected a sheet of softly
• Paper: 175gsm Skytone Text while she worked. Because she has marbled pewter coloured paper for my
Pewter (finished size 26 x 17 cm). found that flowers (in most cases) are drawing of a Mophead Hydrangea.
• Propelling Pencils: Staedtler 2H the first parts of a plant to ‘flop’, she Carefully examining the specimen
and HB, 0.5 leads. usually completes them before moving from all angles, I determined its shape
on to the leaves. would best suit a landscape format.
64
42
48 Artist’s
Artist ’sBack to Basics
Palette
 DD Rr Aa Ww I i Nn Gg Ii N
n S P iI rR aA tT i I oO nN
s p

MASTER HINTS
AND TIPS
• Studying your specimen
carefully, and from all angles,
will help you to decide how best
to place it on the paper.
• Select your paper with care
as different papers will affect
your drawing. Experiment with
different types and weights
of paper. You will soon learn
which papers best suit your
style of drawing.
• Draw what you see; not what STEP ONE
you know (or think you know).
• Avoid rubbing out, especially
during the latter stages of your
drawing. However, if you make a
mistake, dab out rather than scrub
out. Experiment with different
types of soft eraser. I like
Staedtler’s Mars Plastic® which
I clean frequently on a sheet
of scrap paper. If you need to
remove a tiny area of your
drawing or a highlight, slice
a wedge from the eraser.
• Because you will be sitting at
your drawing board for long
stretches at a time, make sure
you have a comfortable chair
and desk and a board that is at
the right height and angle. It is a
good idea to take a break every STEP TWO
hour or so. Move around, stretch
your legs, rotate your neck and I began by very lightly marking flowers were not all the same size.
shoulders, make yourself a (so lightly that the lines were hardly There was only a moderate amount of
cuppa or go and check the visible) where the main elements detail in my drawing at this stage, and
mailbox. would be positioned – the large flower I had not recorded everything that was
• Pay special attention to leaves; head, the stem and the leaves. I happening behind the scenes.
they are equally as important deliberately decided to chop part of
as the flowers. Remember that the flower head off at the top of the STEP TWO
the midrib is the prime structure work, and also allow three of the Still using a 2H pencil, I began at
of the leaf and the veins spring leaves to disappear behind the mount. the top left-hand corner and, using
from the midrib. Many flower Using a 2H pencil, I then drew an a variety of small elliptical and
drawings are ruined by outline of each flower, the leaves and directional strokes, shaded in the
misrepresented leaves. the stem (at this early stage, lines subtle tonal gradations on each flower;
• Insufficient attention to tonal needed to be clear but not too dark). adding (where appropriate) stamens in
values often spoils a drawing By closely observing my specimen, the centres of the flowers as well as
of a plant. I discovered that flower size differed the stalks and petals of flowers
considerably, and the petals on some positioned behind the top ones.
Artist’sArtist
Back’stoPalette
Basics 465
43
9
 D r
D R a
A w
W iI n
N g
G Ii n
N s
S P
p Ii R
r A
a T
t Ii O
o N
n

STEP THREE Detailed drawings such as this cannot

be rushed. I had been working on this
stage for two hours and the flower
head was only half done.

STEP THREE
Another one and a half hours had
passed, and I had just finished the
mophead of flowers.

STEP FOUR
The first two leaves and the stem:
Each vein in these ever-so-slightly
cushioned leaves gave a focal point
from which to note the changing
depth of shadow. I continued to
use a combination of directional
and elliptical strokes.

STEP FOUR STEP FIVE

The remaining three leaves were
worked using the same methods as in
Step Four, but I applied less pressure
to the pencil point and did not apply
as many strokes.

STEP SIX
To give depth to my drawing, I very
lightly added the leaf at the back with
my 2H pencil. This leaf had been
almost hidden behind the other leaves
but, because a botanical drawing
should show the characteristics of the
plant (hydrangeas have paired leaves),
I altered its position slightly. Then,
changing to a HB pencil, I went over
the whole drawing – strengthening
the shadows and defining shapes
STEP FIVE wherever necessary. Finally, I signed
my work. ■
66
44
50 Artist’s
Artist ’sBack to Basics
Palette
Artist’s Back to Basics 45
 I N S I G H T

Jenny Greentree

Back of Bourke Edited by Trevor Lang

Nature motivates this artist with its spectacular sunrises; with glistening
light reflecting off approaching storms; with magical Outback evenings.
She wants to share the beauty of her experiences with the world.

48 Artist’s Back to Basics

J
enny Greentree resides
on an ancient red ridge
overlooking Gidgee Lake –
quite literally out the ‘Back of
Bourke’ in western New South
Wales. Her home has been a
source of inspiration which has
helped to unlock her exciting
God-given talents.
Jenny uses pastels in a style that
is fresh and crisp. She manipulates
pure colours, line and tone to
capture the extraordinary images
of the Australian Outback which
she experiences on a daily basis.
Waking up to a spectacular
sunrise, or driving down the road
and being struck by the glistening
light of the sun reflecting off an
approaching storm, cannot fail to
spark the creativity of this talented
lady. She still responds in wonder
at beautiful sunsets, and is still
mesmerised by the sight of the
moon rising over Gidgee Lake …
captivating glimpses of Nature’s
loveliness that Jenny wants to
share with the world.
“I like to capture the rugged
beauty, unusual scenes and fleeting
moments that people would
usually miss out on – unless they
are living in the Outback,” Jenny
 explains. “I want others to enjoy the
beautiful and amazing things that
leave me in awe of the One who
created them.”
Jenny Greentree recognises that
she does not create by herself. She
is inspired by the rich scenery in her
living environment, and by her
intimate relationship with the Creator
of this land which enables her to
‘capture the essence’ of what it has to
offer. When there is water, she is
inspired to paint waterbirds. When
there is drought and the birds move
away, the vegetation rolls back and
the red earth is her subject. When the
storm clouds brew up and the scent of
drought-breaking rain is in the air, this
is inspiration for another kind of art.
Jenny was born in 1960. She
describes herself as a naturally gifted
artist who has painted since
childhood. She has developed her
artistic gift by attending a few
weekend workshops over the years.
Until just a few years ago, her
medium of choice was watercolours.
After attending a pastel portraiture
workshop in Bourke (tutored by
Maxine Thompson from Noosa)
she developed an affection for
pastels. Maxine taught Jenny how
to use pastels, and this medium
suits the Bourke Outback landscape
work admirably.
As a primary-trained school teacher,
Jenny has also taught art to children at
a small community school west of
Bourke. She accepted an invitation to
teach high school elective art at the

50
48 Artist’s Back to Basics
school in 2003. This occurred when
she was developing as a pastel artist,
and the teaching work ‘ploughed her
mind’ theoretically and helped to
develop her skills as an art educator.
Jenny loves and appreciates the
different stages of art history, and
enjoys all of the modern art
movements. Her greatest influences
are the Australian impressionists –
especially the Heidelberg school and
Hans Heysen.
Living west of Bourke for more
than a decade has provided rich
inspiration. Jenny Greentree’s Giclee
reproduction series entitled ‘Moods
and Colours of Bourke’ has become
very popular. A successful sale of the
originals of this series celebrated the
recent opening of the Back O’
Bourke Gallery.
Jenny and her husband Steve
opened the Back O’ Bourke Gallery
on the banks of the Darling River at
North Bourke, located five kilometres
north of the legendary Australian town
of Bourke in Outback New South
Wales. North Bourke is a developing
Outback tourist village and the
beautifully presented gallery houses
Jenny Greentree’s studio. Her working
commercial gallery is now rapidly
developing as a must-see gallery on
the ‘Outback gallery loop’ from
Lightning Ridge to Broken Hill. ■

Artist’s Back to Basics 51

49
 D E M O N S T R A T I O N

Pastels

After the Storm

This artist is constantly inspired by her living environment. This painting
is a culmination of different sights and memories near her home at the
Back O’ Bourke. By Jenny Greentree

FINAL STEP

STEP ONE
I make a sketch, considering tone and
compositional arrangement,
remembering that sunlight will be a
feature of this painting. I select most
colours before I start, choosing
colours with reference to
photographs. I consider
complementary colours and often
exaggerate a little for impact. I use
Colourfix pastel paper (half a sheet
of Blue Haze for this picture) taped
to board for stability.
STEP TWO
I draw in a horizon line with pastel
pencil and block in cloud area colours
with soft pastels. Straight strokes
(often the side of the pastel) are used
in distant and streaky clouds. Curvy
strokes to help form cloud shapes are
used for the fluffy cloud areas. This is
done quickly and roughly.
STEP THREE
With fingers, I blend cloud areas –
beginning with dark areas and the bases
of clouds – keeping the strokes fairly
horizontal. I blend lighter areas using
small, round strokes to establish fluffy

7 2 Artist’s
52
50 Artist ’sBack
Palette
to Basics
 D E M O N S T R A T I O N

M AT E R I A L S

• Soft Chalk Pastels (artist quality) – hand-made by

Jeff Waterson, Art Spectrum and Rembrandt.
• Pastel Pencils – Stabilo CarbOthello – favourites
include: 1400/105 Cream; 1400/760 Dark Blue
Grey; 1400/635 Dark Brown; 1400/706 Grey.
• Spray Fixative.
• Kneadable Eraser. STEP 1
• Stanley Knife and Palette Knife.
• Pastel Paper: Colourfix by Art Spectrum.

cloud areas. This is the beginning of forming clouds and

getting the overall structure of the painting. More detail on
clouds occurs later.

STEP FOUR
I consider the position of the emerging sun, which will
throw important light on objects in the painting, and also
dictate shadows. It is helpful to draw a little circle (on the
board beside the artwork) to remind me of the sun’s
position – at the top left in this painting. I use a kneadable STEP 2
eraser to clean off any pastel that went below the horizon
line during blending; then draw a distant treeline with a
dark, cool-coloured pastel pencil or pastel stick.
I quickly and lightly sketch (with pastel pencil)
approximate lines for plants and shadows on the ground.
Using the basic rules of aerial perspective, I block in
ground colours including plant and shadow areas (dark
purple/blues are good for shadow areas). I use darker,
warmer colours in the foreground, with cooler and lighter
colours in the background. I roughly blend if necessary;
not too smooth because the texture of the ground is rough.
Patches of the Colourfix paper showing through look like
light flecks on the ground and help with unity in the
artwork … because colours from the sky are also on the
ground.
The basic structure of the painting is now established, so
I spray it with fixative. STEP 3

STEP FIVE
Remembering the position of the sun, I add highlights on
background trees. Using pastel pencil, I draw lines in front
of a few sections of the treeline to indicate trunks; making
some of them cream or light grey to indicate that they are
sunlit. I block in foreground and middle ground bushes
with dark and mid-tone pastels, again considering lighting;
and blending if necessary. I add a few horizontal streaks of
muted yellows to indicate wildflowers in the background.
Using a dark grey or brown pastel pencil, I draw the main
trunks and branches of Wattle trees.

Artist’s Back to Basics 53

51
STEP 4
 STEP SIX
I block in darks and mid-tones of foliage on the Wattle trees
– using dark and mid browns, greens and ochre yellows. I
blend minimally with small, light, round finger strokes. I
develop detail on the bushes, trees and clouds by adding
lights. On clouds, I draw ‘fluffy’ lines with very light greys
and mauves and carefully blend to create an illusion of
highlights. I use short strokes of mid to light blue/greens to
develop the texture and detail of Bluebush; and a few short
strokes of lemon and yellow to develop the Wattle.

STEP 5 STEP SEVEN

Shaving specks of pastel onto areas to be highlighted is an
effective way to put finishing touches on bushes and trees;
and to make wildflowers. I use a blade to carefully scratch
specks of pastel onto the artwork, and press them down
firmly with a palette knife. Any excess specks can be
scraped off with a palette knife.
I indicate some stems and leaves on the wildflowers, and
add more branch and twig details to trees and bushes using
pastel pencil.

STEP EIGHT
I consider the work and determine how to improve it. I
need to emphasis the contrast between the yellow flowers
and the purple clouds. I also need to improve the
composition of the painting.
STEP 6
FINAL STEP
I add a streak of bright lemon yellow in the background at
the tree line. This goes against aerial perspective rules – but
it is necessary to achieve the ‘wow’ factor of sunlight
streaming after the storm. I also improve the shapes and
highlights of the Wattles.
I selectively tint the lighter sky colour over areas of
‘overbearing’ cloud, and use mid greys and mauves to reduce
the intensity of other areas in the top right-hand corner. I
deepen the bottom of the closest cloud, creating an illusion of
space and distance. I add final lights with white pastel.
Adding kangaroos (coming out to drink from puddles after
the storm) creates a story for viewers to contemplate. Roos
commonly appear after rainstorms, thankful to find water in
their normally parched environment. They are not always
STEP 7 obvious, requiring a second look to really notice them … and I
am pleased to be able to achieve this in the painting. Although
the kangaroos are in the foreground, the eye doesn’t find them
until after being drawn to the back of the painting, then up to
the clouds, around the Wattles and finally onto the roos ■

MASTER HINTS AND TIPS

• If you would like some information about the ‘Basic
Rules of Aerial Perspective’, please contact me at the
Back O’ Bourke Gallery and I will be glad to provide
this for you. The telephone number is 02 6872 4674.

54
52 Artist’s Back to Basics

STEP 8
Artist’sArtist’s
Back to Basics 15
Palette 53
 F E A T U R E

Art Substrates
The question of what to use as a surface upon which to paint your
masterpieces has many answers. Artists today can choose from a wide
variety of substrates to create their works. When selecting papers, canvases
or other painting surfaces, the available range is enormous with specialised
high quality products devised to suit almost every conceivable painting style.
Here are some examples from your favourite art suppliers.

M AT I S S E D E R I VA N D O U B L E P R I M E D A RT I S T C A N VA S

Matisse Derivan has recently
introduced an exciting addition to
its stable of products – Matisse
Derivan Double Primed Artist Canvas.
This range includes 11 canvases,
incorporating three varieties of black
canvas that will provide an inspiring
choice for all discerning artists.
Matisse Derivan Double Primed Artist
Canvas is the product of collaboration
between WCT (Wax Converters
Textiles), Australia’s leading canvas
mill, and Matisse Derivan, Australia’s
leading artist acrylic manufacturer.
These two companies working
together have combined the very best
of their ranges to produce the ultimate
painting surface. WCT’s high quality
canvas fabrics are all coated with
acrylic primer (gesso) from Matisse
Derivan, made to exacting standards;
and the canvas and coating are gently
dried under tension, maintaining
perfect warp and weft structure.
The gesso coating is based on tried
and tested formulations incorporating
the latest technology to ensure
maximum protection against traces of
harmful impurities that may develop
over time as a result of the ageing
process. To achieve this, a neutralising
agent is included in the gesso to arrest
any traces of destructive compounds.
The whiteness of the canvas is enhanced
by the use of Titanium Dioxide pigment
of the highest quality, while the use of
Carbon Black pigments ensures a rich,
true black surface to paint on in the
range of black canvases.
Offering excellent even tooth, the
combination of artist quality canvas
and gesso will enhance and support
any project from small collages to large
murals, and is the perfect background
for acrylics, oils and pastels – even
watercolours! The fine balance between
absorbency and sealing provided by the
gesso will satisfy both oil and acrylic
painters alike, providing an excellent
surface for oils, without causing acrylic
paints to dry out prematurely.
Matisse Derivan Gesso is proudly
made in Matisse Derivan’s Sydney
factory and is coated by Wax
Converters Textiles in a rural New
South Wales facility, providing a great
Australian owned and made product.
For more information about the new
Matisse Derivan Double Primed Artist
Canvas please contact Matisse Derivan
by email at sales@matisse.com.au
or visit the company’s website:
www.matisse.com.au
Matisse Derivan Double Primed
Artist Canvas is available in the
following specifications:
DR6, 100% Cotton Derhustie,
186cm, 300g/sqm; DR8, 100% Cotton
Derhustie, 186cm, 350g/sqm; PW8,
100% Cotton Plain, 183cm, 360g/sqm;
PW8 Black, 100% Cotton Plain,
183cm, 360g/sqm; AC10, 100% Cotton
Derhustie, 188cm, 425g/sqm; AC10
Black, 100% Cotton Derhustie, 188cm,
425g/sqm; ART12, 100% Cotton Plain,
188cm, 480g/sqm; ART12 Black, 100%
Cotton Plain, 188cm, 480g/sqm; CD15,
100% Cotton Plain, 192cm, 600g/sqm;
DX12, 50/50 Poly/Cotton Plain,
204cm, 495g/sqm; Coolabah, 65/35
Poly/Cotton Plain, 188cm, 380g/sqm.
Contact Matisse Derivan by
telephone on 02 9736 2022.
Matisse Derivan – Pure Brilliance,
Pure Quality.

3
544
32 Artist ’sBack
Artist’s Palette
to Basics

C H R O M A E X P L O R E S T H E S C I E N C E O F S U R FA C E P R E PA R AT I O N
There are various ways for artists
to prepare surfaces to paint on.
‘Ready to use’ surfaces are now
widely available. Watercolour paper is
specially prepared for its intended use.
It should be chosen carefully and not
tampered with, but if you have a stained
and wilted piece of paper resulting from
washing out failed watercolours, don’t
throw it out. You can gesso it and use
it for an acrylic or oil painting.
‘Prepared surfaces for oils and
acrylics’ as they are usually described,
often benefit greatly from one or two
coats of gesso. This takes them out
of the unknown, into the known and
reliable with very little effort.
Using a good gesso greatly improves
the behaviour of any artists’ paint,
making the act of painting more
pleasurable and improving the end
result. Painting is difficult and gessoing
is easy – so do yourself a favour.
Chroma makes a thick gesso for
textural effects; Atelier Gesso, a more
flowing easy application gesso when
you want a smooth finish; Atelier
Liquid Gesso; and a black Gesso,
Jo Sonja’s Black Gesso.
Choosing Surfaces
Substrates to paint on are hotly
debated, often with fervour and
prejudice.
To be practical, let’s consider
first the ‘prepared canvas’ which is
available everywhere and can often
avoid the expense of framing if it is
stapled at the back, leaving the sides
smooth and paintable.
To choose, look at the back to see
how densely the canvas is woven;
and, if you have a polyester option,
choose polyester because it is stable.
Apply your own gesso on the
painting surface and you will have
something quite serviceable.
Durable Surfaces
If you want more reliable durability at
low cost, choose a pre-primed masonite
board. The priming will prevent tannin
stains spoiling your painting at some
later date. If you find it too smooth,
F E A T U R E
you can get a brush textured surface They are also permeable to air and
by applying the thick Atelier gesso help oil paintings to dry from the back.
using a slip/slap motion with a large Acrylic gesso is obviously to be
brush. Some people like a rigid surface preferred. Glue based sizes can’t be
and masonite boards are ideal. used underneath, and acrylic binders
If you prefer canvas, the most durable don’t rot canvas fibres, but if you are
is polyester as suppled by Tamarisque, a diligent follower of ancient recipes,
Albion Street, Surry Hills. With Stephen the other problem with glue sizes is
Hesketh’s strainers, no wedges are that they are very water sensitive and
required because the polyester is so swell enormously when the weather is
stable it does not shrink and relax with humid. Australian coastal climates have
humidity changes like natural fibres. wild swings in humidity levels and old
The technical rationale for polyester oils which were done on sized canvas
strainers is contained in the ‘Ottawa are a major problem.
Conservations Report’. The report is The people at Chroma invite readers
about the long established use of of Artist’s Palette magazine to email
polyester to reline old rotting canvases them at marketing@chromaonline.com
for old museum paintings. providing names and addresses to
Consider this: The paint on a receive copies of ‘The Artists’ Pocket
painting is supposed to sit on the Guidebook’. They may also visit
canvas and be supported. When www.chromaonline.com for more
the canvas rots and loses its tensile detailed information about many
strength, the stress of holding Chroma products.
everything together gets transferred
to the paint itself and causes cracking. Further information is also
The report also notes that linen, a available from Chroma by
revered and traditional substrate, is telephone on 02 9457 9922.
no more durable than cotton duck!
Sizing
It is very easy to set up shop as an
expert, because most art schools have
not taught the use of materials for over
30 years and there is an audience of
young people who do want to go about
their work in a professional way.
One piece of expert information
which badly needs to be debunked is
the idea of sizing a canvas with rabbit’s
skin glue, which could only work if the
gesso primer was oil based because the
water in acrylic gesso would dissolve
the glue layer anyway.
The original concept was that the
water based glue size would tighten up
the canvas on the stretcher and provide a
barrier to the oil based primer or gesso
which could rot the canvas if it was in
direct contact. It seems unnecessarily
arduous today to use an oil based primer,
which will end up like ordinary oil paint
by becoming brittle and maybe cracking.
Modern acrylic gessoes are flexible
and give a much better underpinning.
Artist’s Artist
Back’stoPalette
Basics 355
5
33

S & S W H O L E S A L E P R O M O T E S A F I N E S E L E C T I O N O F S U B S T R AT E S
Hand priming of oil primed linen.
Oil Primed Linen Canvas
Oil primed linen was one of the first
surfaces developed for ‘modern day’
painting. For hundreds of years,
oil painters have recognised that
traditionally prepared oil-primed
Belgian linen is the ultimate support
for their artwork. With the advent
of acrylics and watercolour paints,
along with the development of faster
production methods for less expensive
cotton fabric canvas, the use and
popularity of traditional oil primed
linen has steadily declined over the past
50 years. Now, with the introduction of
cheap, poorly constructed, non-archival
canvases, many oil painters are turning
back to the original (and best) painting
surface for oil painting.
The Phoenicians introduced flax to
Europe and the quality varies according
to soil and weather conditions. Ireland,
Poland, Hungary, Romania and Russia
produce linen of varying qualities.
However, Belgium is the leader –
in growing and producing the finest
quality flax and artist grade linen. The
goal of harvesting and processing flax
is to obtain flax seeds and fibres. The
fibres are attached
3
566
34 Artist ’sBack
Artist’s Palette
to Basics
F E A T U R E
to the hollow woody core of each plant.
Flax fibres are 36 inches in length
(compared to one inch cotton fibres)
which gives superior strength. They
are round and uniform, rather than flat
ribbon-like cotton fibres, giving linen
a bold texture that can be seen and felt
through layers of paint.
Linen is traditionally the preferred
fabric of painters. It offers the artist the
most permanency, strength and beauty
of any canvas material. It is the most
durable fabric to paint on. Its warp and
weft threads are equal in weight and
strength, making it less susceptible
to expansion and contraction due to
moisture. The irregular character of the
weave can be seen through layers of
paint, imparting a sense of depth to the
finished painting. It retains its natural oils
over time, preserving fabric flexibility.
Oil paint is a combination of pigment
and linseed oil, which is derived from
flax. Linen canvas is also made from
flax, thus making oil paint and linen
highly compatible. The pure Belgian
linen is prepared from start to finish
entirely by hand, using century-old
techniques. Each canvas is first
stretched on large specially designed
frames and thoroughly picked over
by hand to remove irregularities.
Then every square inch of the canvas
is smoothed using volcanic pumice
stone. The next step is the application of
warm animal hide glue, carefully spread
using long stainless steel spatulas to
seal the linen. As the glue cools, the
linen tightens. It is pumiced smooth
again. Next a fine preparation of old-
world lead white is applied. Made from
a carefully prepared mixture of lead
whiting and linseed oil, this oil priming
applied over the carefully prepared
linen yields a surface prized by oil
painters everywhere.
Artists who have painted on
well-made oil primed linen have
experienced the highly receptive
quality of its surface. The tactile,
sensual feeling of painting on oil
primed linen is unique. No other
surface accepts paint quite like it.
The oil paint and ground seem to
‘know’ each other like long-lost
brothers, and the finished painting
exudes a rich, luxurious quality prized
by knowledgeable buyers and collectors.
Watercolour Canvas
For years, watercolourists have been
restricted to painting on watercolour
paper. While many great watercolour
artworks have been produced on paper,
artists had to work within the
limitations of watercolour paper.

Watercolour papers have a tendency
to buckle when wet and require special
care such as stapling or taping to a firm
surface. They also can tear quite easily
when wet and artists must be very
careful when practising traditional
watercolour techniques. Previously,
galleries have been reluctant to acquire
and sell watercolour works because they
are on paper and not of archival quality.
Watercolour canvas is made of 100
per cent cotton artist canvas covered
with a specially formulated acid-free
coating that performs similar to a cold
press or rough watercolour paper while
providing a distinctive look that can
only be achieved on canvas. In addition,
artists can use all the techniques that are
used with watercolour paper. Repairs
and adjustments can be performed easily
and, when using pre-stretched canvas
and boards, there is no buckling – even
with the wettest of applications.
In the past, watercolourists have been
restricted in the size of their paintings
due to paper sizes. The fact that
email: donnaheart@westnet.com.au
www.donnaheart.com
AP88 DonnHeart.indd 1
F E A T U R E
watercolour canvas is available in rolls helping to maintain longevity. The
means there is now no restriction on the surface of the canvas panel usually has
size of watercolour paintings. Artists a very definite paint-gripping ‘tooth’
will also find that gallery acceptance of with minimum absorption, providing a
watercolours may increase as they can perfect painting support for oil, acrylic,
now be shown or hung in the same way gouache and tempera colours. All sides
as acrylic or oil paintings; and their of the canvas panel are glued and turned
works will stand the test of time when in, to prevent fraying and separation.
painted on an archival surface.
Please contact S&S Wholesale
Cotton Canvas Panels Customer Service on
Cotton is the most popular artist grade 1300 731 529 for further
canvas fabric. Cotton fibres stretch more product information and stockists.
than linen, allowing for a
tighter mounted canvas with
less straining. Cotton canvas
panels offer the artist an
inexpensive, versatile and
portable canvas to paint on.
They are constructed from
finely woven cotton canvas
mounted onto heavy
cardboard backing, usually
with acid-free glue. The glue
provides a barrier between
the board and canvas,
Boutique Art Gallery
Opening September 2010
Lynn Jaanz
Studio 4, 20-22 Haughton Rd, Oakleigh VIC
By appointment ONLY
Ph: (03) 9568 6332 Email: info@jaanz.com.au
www.jaanz.com.au/lynnjaanz
Artist’s Back to Basics 35
57
1/6/10
AP88 LynJaanz.indd
5:36:59 PM 1 3/6/10 3:31:33 PM

C A N VA S F O C U S : A PA I N T I N G I S O N LY A S G O O D A S I T S S U P P O RT
There are probably as many varieties of
artist canvas as there are fad diets, but
don’t let the choices overwhelm you.
Understanding a little bit about fine
artist canvas can help you select the
best painting surface for your needs.
The great thing about stretched
canvas is that it is almost always
primed with some kind of gesso so
that if you are in a hurry the material
is ready to paint on from the time you
remove the plastic.
With Winsor & Newton Artists’
Canvas you can entrust the longevity of
your artwork. The specially formulated
primer and selected cloths will
contribute to a long lasting painting.
Enjoy greater luminosity and better
control of brush marks and painting
techniques with Winsor & Newton
Artists’ Canvas.
Having great art supplies that work
with you instead of against you makes
the process of making art much more
enjoyable. How can you possibly
improve your painting skills when the
tools won’t perform properly?
Ultimately, most painting is only as good
as its support and artists should strive to
work on the best they can afford.
Once you start using a quality canvas
like Winsor & Newton Artists’ Canvas,
you’ll recognise the distinct difference.
How does it differ? Well, briefly it’s
primed with Winsor & Newton gesso that
gives excellent adhesion and prevents
sinking of oil colours. It is a heavy
weight high quality cotton canvas with a
medium texture. Turn it over and you
will notice better stapling, wedge shaped
3
588
36 Artist ’sBack
Artist’s Palette
to Basics
F E A T U R E
stretcher bars or stable kiln dried
wood for greater strength and stability.
Canvas Weight
The larger the size of the canvas, the
heavier canvas weight is desirable.
Winsor & Newton uses a quality
heavy eight ounce (unprimed)
canvas. The heavier the canvas
weight, the more resistant it is to
wrinkling, sagging and puckering
caused by paint application. Heavier
canvas is more likely to withstand
more vigorous paint application and a
variety of techniques.
Quality Primer
A good quality primer is essential! This
will affect how your paint adheres and
is absorbed into the acrylic gesso.
Winsor & Newton canvas uses a high
quality primer – an exclusive Winsor &
Newton formula. Reeves canvas also
uses its own exclusive formula. If the
canvas you are using is not correctly
primed, it might adversely affect the
adhesion of your paint application. For
instance, if a ground is too absorbent, it
may cause your painting to lose its
lustre, resulting in dull patches.
The Correct Amount of Priming
While canvas may be double or triple
primed, the amount of times that is it
primed does not necessarily make it
better. If an inferior quality primer is
used, it may result in a canvas that is
less flexible, more difficult to re-stretch
and more prone to cracking.
Sizing
Reliable brands such as Winsor &
Newton, Reeves and Jasart use quality
sizing that serves to correctly seal and
protect the canvas. Be wary of inferior
quality canvas that may use sizing that
will make your paint application more
susceptible to the top layer cracking
and flaking off.
Canvas Treatment
Unbleached canvas offers a strong and
durable canvas surface. You can tell if a
canvas is unbleached by looking at the
back of the canvas, with unbleached
canvas having a natural cream colour.
Stretcher Bars
Winsor & Newton, Reeves and Jasart
canvases have stretcher bars with
bevelled or angled edges that
minimise contact between the frame
and canvas surface. They will not
connect with the painting and the
canvas is less likely to be marked
or to suffer from ‘strike-through’.
Finish – Folded ‘Back Stapled’ Edges
The way a canvas is finished at the back
is just as important as the finish on the
front. Winsor & Newton, Reeves and
Jasart canvases have folded edges that
give a neat finish without cutting. Cutting
can compromise the ability to re-stretch
your canvas without tearing. Canvas with
a ‘spline’ back (where the canvas edges
are tucked into the back of the stretcher
bars) makes re-stretching very difficult
compared to a back-stapled canvas.
Back stapled canvas means you have the
option of not framing your artwork as the
staples won’t show as with side-stapled
canvas. Evenly spaced staples help to
disperse the tension consistently across
the canvas. Canvas that is stapled across
the corner joins of the stretcher bars
makes stretching difficult, so look for
canvas that is stapled correctly on either
side of the join.
Always choose a reliable brand
when entrusting the longevity of your
artwork! The end result will be a long
lasting painting that has greater colour

luminosity, while providing you with
greater control of brush marks and
painting techniques.
Winsor and Newton, Reeves and
Jasart are brands that offer you quality
in trusted canvas that will suit your
artistic needs.
Winsor & Newton Canvas
Winsor & Newton Canvas is an
excellent quality range of canvas – a
must for the serious artist and those
who want the best. The primer is
especially formulated by and exclusive
to Winsor & Newton. This professional
range of heavy weight stretched canvas
is excellent for use with all media
including oils, acrylics and alkyd. It
is available in traditional three-quarter
inch edge or deep 1.5 inch edge canvas
in a wide variety of sizes and formats.
Jasart Canvas
Jasart Canvas is a good quality range
of canvas in a multitude of sizes for
general purpose art and craft
M I C A D O R G R O U P I S T H E R E F O R T H E A RT I S T
Have you imagined your masterpiece?
Micador Group is with you every step
of the way to ensure your imaginings
come to life.
A fresh idea needs a fresh beginning.
Micador offers a range of canvas boards
and Clean Slate™ Stretched Canvas. The
artist quality primed canvases are strong
yet lightweight and the edges won’t fray.
The stretched canvases have no visible
tacks around the edges so they look great
when displayed without frames.
Don’t have room to set up a studio?
Micador’s table easel is perfect for
the home artist. Made from
lightweight pine, the easel folds away
for easy storage and the quality brass
fittings and rubber stopper ensure that
your easel won’t budge while holding
your ‘soon to be’ work of art.
Throw away your mess instead of
having to clean it up with Micador’s
Clean Slate™ Disposable Paint Palette.
F E A T U R E
applications, from tiny four inch by
four inch sizes to sprawling landscape
sizes – and everything in between.
Jasart canvas is made with pure cotton
duck and is primed with quality
acrylic gesso, stretched over kiln
dried stretcher bars. Staple free edges
allow for painting on the sides and
make the canvases suitable for
hanging with or without frames.
Available in three-quarter inch edge
or deep 1.5 inch edge.
Reeves Canvas
Reeves Canvas is a better
quality range of canvas in a
wide range of sizes. Reeves is
the ideal brand for beginners and
amateurs of all ages. This high
quality double-primed acrylic artist
canvas is great for all types of work.
It is constructed with 100 per cent
cotton and is expertly mounted and
stretched onto quality wood frames.
Reeves canvas is acid free and is
individually wrapped and identified
The non-absorbent, oil resistant surface
is ideal for mixing oil or acrylic paints.
The palette is similar to a pad of paper;
you can tear off each used piece and
throw away as you go.
Micador has a wide variety of paints
to suit students or amateur artists.
Micador Acrylic Paint is fast drying
with a permanent satin finish.
Available in 12 or 18 packs of 12ml
single colour tubes, this paint will
cover many surfaces with strong
vibrant colour. Micador’s Oil Paints
and Watercolour Paints are also
available in 12 or 18 packs of 12ml
tubes. These ranges also contain
strong pigments and are great for
to keep the surface clean and dust free
before use. Reeves canvas is all back
stapled so that the side of the canvas
is left smooth and clean to allow for
painting and hanging without the need
for a frame.
Further information about quality
artists’ products can be obtained
from JASCO – telephone
1800 676 155.
mixing colours to create the perfect
hues for your masterpieces.
Choosing the right brush doesn’t
have to be difficult. Micador Group has
selected some great Roymac brushes
and put them together in packs. The best
selling 1600, 777 and Achiever series
are available in three-brush packs, each
containing three sizes. Each pack suits a
different painting media. So, if you
don’t have time to sort through hundreds
of brushes, make the easy choice …
grab a brush pack and start painting.
Micador Group.
Causing Creativity – for Life.
Telephone 03 9590 0122.
Artist’s Artist
Back’stoPalette
Basics 337
9
59

C A RT I E R A M A G N A N I A C Q U E R E L L O PA D S F R O M O X F O R D A RT S U P P L I E S
Following in the finest traditions
of papermaking, Magnani’s name
has become synonymous with
the production of fine paper since
1404. The company achieved
worldwide success and recognition
in the 18th century when the
Magnani paper mills started to
export their watermarked papers
to South America, the Near East
and throughout Europe, replacing
Spanish and English manufacturers.
Between 1770 and 1800 the Magnani
name became a hallmark of quality
and luxury.
The rich and famous became
customers of the Magnani paper mill:
Napoleon chose Magnani paper from
Pescia for his wedding cards when
he married Maria Luisa of Austria.
The attention paid to the quality of
the paper and to understanding our
customers’ requirements has allowed
Magnani paper mills to contribute to
the renewal of the whole paper sector
and to work with the most famous
names in contemporary art and culture,
such as De Chirico, Salvatore Fiume,
Annigoni, Morandi, Viani, Possenti,
D’Annunzio and others.
Oxford Art Supplies and Books
Chatswood stocks a range of
Magnani ‘Acquerello’ pads in limited
quantities in the following sizes:
Magnani Acquerello 20 x 50 cm was
$43.95, special price $32.95; 15 x 40
cm was $32.95, special price $24.70;
18 x 26 cm was $21.95, special price
$16.45; 23 x 31 cm was $29.95,
special price $22.45.
‘Acquerello’ is 100 per cent cotton,
pH neutral, acid free, natural white,
internally and surface sized. Its unique
texture also makes it an excellent
choice for all drawing applications.
Ideal for watercolours, gouache, ink,
acrylics and all wet media techniques.
Also available in limited quantities:
Portofino Acquerello – 300gsm, hot
pressed, 20 x 50 cm was $45.95, special
price $34.45; Toscana Acquerello –
300gsm, rough, 30 x 30 cm was $46.95,
special price $35.20; 15 x 40 cm was
4
600
38 Artist ’sBack
Artist’s Palette
to Basics
F E A T U R E
$36.95, special price $27.70; 20 x 50
cm was $47.95, special price $32.95.
Golden Gessos and Grounds
Golden Gesso 236ml $19.54; 473ml
$33.13. Golden Black Gesso 236ml
$21.78; 473ml $36.43. Golden
Sandable Hard 236ml $21.78; 473ml
$36.00. Golden Absorbent Ground
236ml $21.78; 473ml $36.00. Golden
Ground For Pastel 236ml $21.78;
473ml $36.43.
Golden Gesso and Black Gesso
is a flexible liquid ground that seals,
protects, and gives ‘tooth’ to substrates,
which promotes paint adhesion. It is
formulated to accept a wide variety
of media on many types of painting
surfaces.
Golden Sandable Hard Gesso is
ideal for inflexible substrates such as
hardboard, wood or metal panels that
have been initially primed with Golden
regular gesso. It is formulated with 100
per cent acrylic polymer emulsion, and
containing high levels of titanium
dioxide, calcium carbonate and talc to
produce an easily sanded surface.
Golden Absorbent Ground is an
acrylic liquid surfacing medium that
dries to a porous, paper-like surface.
Applied over gessoed canvas, it allows
for raw canvas-like staining and
watercolour effects. It can be applied
with a brush, roller or squeegee.
Golden Acrylic Ground For Pastels is
a 100 per cent acrylic medium designed
to prepare surfaces for the application
of pastels, charcoal and other
art media where a coarse tooth
is desired. Acrylic Ground
For Pastels can be applied to paper,
canvas, wood or any primed
support, allowing almost limitless
applications for media typically
confined to standard papers. It
provides a tooth similar to papers
designed for pastel and chalk. To
increase tooth, add Golden Fine or
Coarse Pumice Gel. The product
can be blended with Golden Acrylic
Colours for coloured grounds.
Golden Gessos and Grounds
offer artists a variety of ways to
prepare substrates for acrylic paintings
or other art media such as oils, alkyds,
charcoal, pastels and watercolours.
Features include: Gessos are ready-to-
use; maximum pigment loads for more
opaque coverage; lightfast, permanent,
flexible; water-based.
Golden Acrylic Gessos and
Grounds are recommended by Oxford
Art Supplies for the professional
preparation of any commonly used
painting surfaces.
Oxford Art Supplies and Books
(Chatswood) is located at
143-145 Victoria Avenue,
Chatswood NSW 2067.
Telephone 02 9417 8572;
fax 02 9417 7617; or
mailorder@oxfordart.com.au
Oxford Art Supplies and Books
(Darlinghurst) is located at
221-225 Oxford Street,
Darlinghurst NSW 2010.
Telephone 02 9360 4066;
fax 02 9360 3461; or
orders@oxfordart.com.au ■
20 Artist’s Palette Artist’s Back to Basics 61
 F E A T U R E

In the Galleries
Art galleries are scattered all over our wonderful country, hosting and
promoting the works of Australia’s diverse exponents of art. On the pages of
Artist’s Palette magazine we will showcase a range of these important venues.

ONLINE AUCTIONS
MOVE QUALITY
A RT W O R K S
GraysOnline attracts 500,000 visitors
to its retail website each month. The
breadth of high quality new products on
offer along with the excitement of the
auction process keeps people coming
back. GraysOnline is one of Australia’s
top ten online retailers – offering
customers everything from furniture
and forklifts, to jewellery and cars.
GraysOnline has developed a specialist
Fine Arts department, achieving very
successful corporate, private, gallery
and artists’ own sales. These include the
Ernst & Young, Westpac and Mirvac
collections, which all exceeded owners’
Dorothy Rae, ‘Hot and Dry’.
expectations; Mendo Vasilevski,

Norman Lindsay, original etching.

Dorothy Rae, ‘Pilbara Ravens’.

42
72
62 Artist ’sBack
Artist’s Palette
to Basics
 F E A T U R E

Kooroora, Alice Sundown and many

other big name artists.
Works handled recently by
GraysOnline include paintings by
Minnie Pwerle, Dorothy Rae Sullivan,
Norman Lindsay and Jackie Abbott.
Some of these pieces are shown here.
The types of artworks sold by
GraysOnline are varied as the
company caters to emerging, mid-
career and established artists. All of
these artists target different markets.
Because the GraysOnline database is
truly national, it accesses relevant
buyers all over the country in both
remote and populous areas.
With the days of abundant ‘cheque-
book art buyers’ and collectors behind
us, few of the traditional art auctioneers
seem to have embraced the Internet as
a channel through which to sell art. At
the same time, Australians are now Norman Lindsay, ‘Visitors to Hell’.
taking to buying art online in record
numbers, perhaps even more than at
the traditional physical auctions or at
static art galleries. Many high earning
Australians are now buying art in large
numbers, and fashions have changed
significantly. Artists can reach this
important market through GraysOnline.
The company sells international,
Australian and indigenous art pieces.
A significant number of pieces have
a low starting price with no reserve
(unlike many of the other traditional
auction houses). Auctions are run
regularly, as GraysOnline embraces
the future of art auctioneering online.
GraysOnline sold the celebrated art
collection seized from jailed celebrity
bankrupt, John Barrie Loiterton, for
just under $360,000 in May 2006. The
sale broke Australian art auction
records for the number of paintings
sold online from one individual’s
private collection; and also for the
value achieved for them.
Large oils such as ‘Abstract Trees’
by John Coburn have achieved almost
$49,000, while ‘Islanders’ by
Queensland artist Ray Crooke was
sold for over $46,000.
When Ernst & Young instructed
GraysOnline to sell over 400 works ‘Pilbara Plains’.
of art from its offices, via a totally

Artist’s Artist
Back’stoPalette
Basics 463
3
73
 F E A T U R E

Norman Lindsay.

Dorothy Rae, ‘Sculptures’. Minnie.

‘In the Rain’.

unreserved online auction in

December 2005, it was Australia’s
largest online art sale ever.
A Ray Crooke oil on linen landscape
from 1922 achieved $12,200 while an
abstract landscape by Geoff Dyer was
sold for $15,075.
Results like this demonstrate that
there has been a change in the way
people are buying art in Australia and
a significant change in the profile of
the typical art buyer.

To contact GraysOnline,
telephone Catherine Brown on
0448 484 022 – or email her at
catherine.brown@grays.com.au ■

44
74
64 Artist ’sBack
Artist’s Palette
to Basics
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE!
’
ARTISTS
SAVE
FULL OF TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

$19.85 D R A W I N G & I N S P I R AT I O N
subscription order form
D R AW I N G & I N S P I R AT I O N
YES!
I would like to subscribe to 4 issues of
MASSIVE Artist’s Drawing & Inspiration magazine
BUYERS starting with the next available issue.
GUIDE
1. YOUR DETAILS
TITLE ■ MR ■ MRS ■ MS ■ MISS
EASY TO FOLLOW
STEP-BY-STEP Name ________________________________________________________________
INSTRUCTIONS
Address______________________________________________________________

4 issues _______________________________________________________________________

ISSUE 24
A$9.95 for only State______________________________ Postcode_________________________

$19.95*
Incl GST
NZ $10.20 Incl GST Email_________________________________________________________________
Print Post Approved 244 105/00053

US $9.95 CAN $9.95

04

Telephone (inc. area code)___________________________________________

ISSN 2200-5625

9 772200 562008

HINTS AND ADVICE TO

IMPROVE YOUR ARTWORK 2. PLEASE TICK ONE BOX
■ AUSTRALIA: 4 Issues of Artist’s Drawing & Inspiration
STEP BY STEP DRAWING DEMONSTRATIONS
magazine for AUD $19.95

■
• All you need know about drawing NEW ZEALAND: 4 Issues of Artist’s Drawing & Inspiration
magazine for AUD $29.95

• Fabulous product guide ■ REST OF THE WORLD: 4 Issues of Artist’s Drawing & Inspiration
magazine for AUD $39.95

• Learn new tips and ideas every issue Prices include GST. *Subscriptions will start with the first available issue. Existing
subscriptions will simply be extended. If your order is cancelled before all issues are
received, payment will be pro-rated over the total number of issues available as part of

• Meet amazing Australian artists

the offer for the purpose of calculating any refund due.

3. METHOD OF PAYMENT
• Enhance your drawing skills ■ Cheque/Money Order (Aust. only)
I enclose a cheque/money order made payable to

3
Woodlands Publishing Pty Ltd (ABN 30 115 093 162) for $ ........................

EASY WAYS Please debit my: ■ Mastercard ■ Visa

TO SUBSCRIBE Card No

■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■

(02) 4722 2260 Expiry date ■■ / ■■
and quote four issues offer
Cardholder name (PLEASE PRINT)___________________________________

Fill in the form & freepost to: Signature_________________________________________ Date_____________

Woodlands Publishing
Reply Paid 8035
Glenmore Park 2745 FREE POST: Woodlands Publishing
Reply Paid 8035, Glenmore Park 2745

Artist’s
Fax to: (02) 4733 8583

Presented by Artist’s Back to Basics 65

Palette
Back to Basics

Artistic Licence
By Georgina Sirpica

This accomplished artist likes to do drawings of her

photographs and plan her subjects using artistic licence …
keeping her original photographs merely for reference.

48 Artist’s Back to Basics

F
rom a very young age, I
always liked to paint and
draw. My first lessons were
at the age of 13 years. I learned
the basic principles of tone, form
and perspective; beginning with
charcoal before progressing to oils.
I painted in oils until the mid
1980s and then moved on to
watercolours. I attended a course in
Bathurst which showed me a lot of
different techniques in watercolours.
I have used and adapted these
techniques suit my own style,
being predominantly self taught.
Watercolours represented a
real challenge. I attended some
workshops, and the more I learned
the more intrigued I became with the
medium. Although at times I found it
frustrating, I enjoyed experimenting
and learning from my mistakes. I
now paint mostly in watercolours;
however I still do oils on commission.
I paint a great variety of subjects:
Landscapes, seascapes, streetscapes,
flowers, birds, water (still and moving),
people, animals and portraits (only
I always do drawings of my photographs and
plan my subjects using artistic licence … the
photographs are used only for reference.
on commission). When inspired by
a particular subject, I usually do a
series of paintings of that subject.
I draw my inspiration from
what I see. I have enjoyed many
Artist’s Back to Basics 49
Back to Basics
wonderful trips and taken a lot
of photographs. I always do
drawings of my photographs and
plan my subjects using artistic
licence … the photographs are
used only for reference.
I have been teaching classes from
my home studio for eight years.
Teaching makes me paint a variety
of subjects, as I usually ask the
class what they want to paint. Each
6850Artist’s Back
Artist’s to Basics
Back to Basics
term, I set a subject so that we cover
everything from still life to real life.
Periodically, I run full day workshops.
Over the years I have won
many awards and had paintings
on displayin public places.
I usually use Arches 300gsm
and 340gsm hot and cold pressed
papers, depending on subjects.
I always use Winsor and Newton
quality paints; and a range of brushes
from large Raphael mops to small
synthetic and Sable brushes.
I have conducted several private art
shows and won various awards at a
range of events including the Castle
Hill Show; Parramatta Foundation
Week; Jindabyne Art Awards; the
Thredbo Art Award; Arts Alive; and
the Orange Blossom Festival.
With each painting I complete, I
work out my drawing and decide
how I will paint it. With paintings like
‘Lilies’, ‘Frangipani’ and ‘Birds of
Paradise’, I do very little drawing –
only a few flowers, or just the birds.
I begin the background and let the
painting evolve, and I draw as I go.
I usually favour hot pressed paper;
although I sometimes like a little
texture when doing buildings.
I like to use a lot of colour. A
photograph of Avoca Beach inspired
me with all the coloured umbrellas
and people … I cut out a lot of people
and placed the umbrellas to give it
depth (this is a fussy painting). My
demonstration painting ‘Morning
Reflections – Echuca’ has all the
elements I love: Water, buildings/
structure, perspective and gum trees.
I never tire of painting places like Nice
and Portofino – I love their colours,
Watercolours represented a real challenge. I
attended some workshops, and the more I learned
the more intrigued I became with the medium.
buildings and busy characters. I like
the earthy Australian bush colours,
too; and I love the high country of
the Snowy Mountains in summer
and winter … I have hiked and
skied extensively in the New South
Wales and Victorian alps. 
Artist’s
Artist’s Back
Back to
to Basics
Basics 69
51
Demonstration

Morning Reflections
– Echuca
by Georgina Sirpica

This painting is not for the faint-hearted. It features three distinct stages:
A detailed wharf and boats; background gums; and water with reflections.

Step 5 and final step

70
52 Artist’s
Artist’s Back
Back to
to Basics
Basics
Step 1
I
photographed this scene on a trip to
Echuca. I have always been inspired
by the majestic gums on the Murray
River and the historic port of Echuca.
Step 1
I started with a drawing on layout
paper and transferred it to Arches
340gsm hot press paper. The
reason for the use of layout paper
was so I would not to rub out my
final art work (the surface of the
paper gets damaged by erasing
mistakes). Next, I marked out
the highlights on the pier and
gum trees with masking fluid.
Step
Step 3a2
Step 2
Step 2
I dampened the whole sheet with
a spray and, using a Number 12
MATERIALS
MATERIALS
Raphael, I washed in the sky and water
using a very light wash of Cobalt Blue. • Arches 340gsm hot
At the same time, using a Number 6 press paper.
mop and a light wash of Raw Sienna, • Colour palette: Cobalt Blue;
I quickly painted in the gums behind Indigo; Raw Sienna; Burnt
the buildings. This gave me a very Sienna; Black; Windsor Red.
pale underwash on most of the paper. • Brushes: Number 12
Raphael mop; Number
Step 3 8 mop; Number 6 mop;
Using Black, Windsor Red and Burnt Number 3 and Number 5
Sienna, I painted in the darks of the Golden Sable synthetic.
wharf and the boats. This was my
main subject and I wanted to get the
Step 3b
Artist’s Back
Artist’s Back to
to Basics
Basics 71
53
Demonstration

As I worked darks in so that I could tone in the
rest of the painting. I removed the
across to the masking on the wharf and painted
left-hand side, the wharf in lighter washes – detailing
as necessary – using the same
the water was colours and some Raw Sienna.
reflecting the
Step 4
wharf – here I I re-dampened the gums and, with a
used a wash of Number 8 mop, I painted in the trees
with a strong wash of Raw Sienna and
Burnt Sienna Indigo … allowing the two colours
which I dragged to blend together on the paper and
adding colour until I achieved the
down over desired depth. In this stage, I had
the water to work fast as it was important that
the paper remained damp while
working. I removed the masking on
the gums and detailed the trunks.
Depth in the trees was thus achieved.
Step 5
This step was crucial to achieve
reflections in the water; it also had
to be done quickly and confidently.
The main rule of painting water
with reflections is that you always
paint the reflections in a downward
stroke, whereas the illusion of light
should always be painted on with
horizontal strokes. The water already
had the pale blue wash (the light
on the water), so I went into the
background with a wash of Indigo
and painted across to establish
the darks under the boats. As I
worked on the areas of reflections,
I dragged down the reflections of
trees into the damp paper using
colours of Indigo and Raw Sienna.
As I worked across to the left-hand
side, the water was reflecting the
wharf – here I used a wash of Burnt
Sienna which I dragged down
over the water (avoiding the lighter
reflections of the main boat). As
the painting dried, I added ‘darks’
underneath the boats with a mix

Step 4

72
54 Artist’s
Artist’s Back
Back to
to Basics
Basics

Step 4
Step 4 – detail in trunks
of Indigo and Black; and dragged
some colour down to give the
illusion of the reflection of the piers.
Final step
I added the final details like
HINTS
HINTSAND
AND TIPS
TIPS
• Always use layout paper to
work out your drawing. Your
drawings can be used again, with
changes, for further paintings.
• Paint subjects you like. If
you enjoy what you paint,
it always works better.
• Use good quality paints and
paper. Better quality paints
provide better depth of colour.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment! Set
goals for yourself … if something
doesn’t work the first time, learn
by your mistakes and try again.
the ropes on the boats; the
balustrades; and also some
horizontal detailing on the water
in the left-hand corner – to give
the illusion of movement. This
completed my painting. 
Artist’s
Artist’s Back
Back to
to Basics
Basics 73
55
 SO INE .au
L
AL ON .com
o
HOP pc
S w.w
ww

$12.99 $12.99 $49.99 $23.99 $42.99

$9.99 $9.99 $39.99 $18.99 $33.99

$42.99 $49.99 $39.99 $42.99

$39.99
$33.99 $36.99 $31.99 $33.99
$31.99

$23.99 $23.99 $34.99 $34.99 $34.99

$18.99 $18.99 $27.99 $27.99 $27.99

$34.99 $34.99 $23.99 $23.99 $34.99

$27.99 $27.99 $18.99 $18.99 $27.99

$34.99 $24.99 $24.99 $34.99 $34.99

$27.99 $19.99 $19.99 $27.99 $27.99

$12.99 $34.99 $34.99 $34.99 $12.99

$9.99 $27.99 $27.99 $27.99 $9.99
 SAVE UP TO 20% ON
SELECTED BOOKS
HURRY ORDER TODAY AND SAVE
TITLE SPECIAL TITLE SPECIAL
DISCOUNT DISCOUNT

PLEASE TICK BOOKS REQUIRED

❏ Art Handbooks: Basic Drawing Techniques 9.99 ❏ Drawing Masterclass: Life Drawing 27.99

❏ Art Handbooks: Drawing Landscapes 9.99 ❏ Drawing Masterclass: Portraits 27.99

❏ Complete Guide to Drawing Animal 39.99 ❏ Drawing Pets 18.99

❏ Draw Animals 18.99 ❏ Drawing Portraits 18.99

❏ Drawing and Painting Flowers with Coloured Pencils 33.99 ❏ Drawing Step-by-Step 27.99

❏ Drawing & Painting Horses (New in Paperback) 33.99 ❏ Sea and Sky In Acrylic 27.99

❏ Drawing & Painting Mermaids 36.99 ❏ Drawing, A Complete Guide 19.99

❏ Drawing & Painting Sports Figures 31.99 ❏ From Sketch to Painting 19.99

❏ Drawing & Painting Wild Animals 31.99 ❏ How to Draw Animals 27.99

❏ Drawing & Painting with Water Soluable Media 33.99 ❏ How to Draw Flowers & Trees 27.99

❏ Drawing Hands & Feet 18.99 ❏ How to Draw Trees 9.99

❏ Drawing Light & Shade 18.99 ❏ Trace & Paint Flowers 27.99

❏ Drawing Masterclass: Animals 27.99 ❏ Trace & Paint Watercolour 27.99

❏ Drawing Masterclass: Flowers 27.99 ❏ Trace & Paint Watercolour Landscapes 27.99

❏ Drawing Masterclass: Landscapes 27.99 ❏ Learn to Draw Now 9.99

TITLE ■ MR ■ MRS ■ MS ■ MISS Please debit my: ■ Mastercard ■ Visa

Card No
Name ________________________________________________________________

Address______________________________________________________________
■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■
Expiry date ■■ / ■■
_______________________________________________________________________

State______________________________ Postcode_________________________ Cardholder name (PLEASE PRINT)___________________________________

Email_________________________________________________________________

Telephone (inc. area code)___________________________________________ Signature_________________________________________ Date_____________

■ Cheque/Money Order (Aust. only) I enclose a cheque/money order made payable to

Woodlands Publishing Pty Ltd (ABN 30 115 093 162) for $ ........................

* All prices include GST. Please add Parcel Post $9.95

POST CALL 7 FAX @ EMAIL

PO Box 8035 Phone: 02 4722 2260 orders@wpco.com.au
Glenmore Park NSW 2745 Fax: 02 4733 8583
 SO INE .au
L
AL ON .com
o
HOP pc
S w.w
ww

$24.99 $34.99 $34.99 $49.99 $23.99

$19.99 $27.99 $27.99 $39.99 $19.99

$34.99 $34.99 $25.99 $25.99

$25.99
$25.99 $27.99 $20.49 $20.49
$20.49

$25.99 $24.99 $34.99 $34.99

$20.49 $19.99 $27.99 $27.99

$25.99 $25.99 $23.99 $34.99 $24.99

$20.49 $20.49 $18.99 $27.99 $19.99

$21.99 $39.99 $25.99 $25.99 $21.99

$17.99 $31.99 $20.49 $20.49 $17.99

$24.99 $25.99 $12.99 $25.99

$19.99 $20.49 $10.99 $20.49
 SAVE UP TO 20% ON
SELECTED BOOKS
HURRY ORDER TODAY AND SAVE
TITLE SPECIAL TITLE SPECIAL
DISCOUNT DISCOUNT

PLEASE TICK BOOKS REQUIRED ❏ Start Painting with Acrylics 20.49

❏ Art of Abstract Painting, The 27.99 ❏ Painting with Pastels 20.49

❏ Acrylic Painting Step-by-Step 27.99 ❏ How to Paint Flowers in Acrylic 18.99

❏ Complete Guide to Life Drawing 39.99 ❏ Pastel Painting Step-by-Step 27.99

❏ Drawing Portraits 19.99 ❏ Pastel Wheel Book, The 19.99

❏ Drawing Step-by-Step 25.99 ❏ Sketching People 17.99

❏ Sea and Sky In Acrylics 27.99 ❏ Trace and Paint Watercolour 31.99

❏ Drawing, A Complete Guide 20.49 ❏ Terry's Top Tips for Acrylic Artist's 20.49

❏ Creative Acrylic Landscapes 20.49 ❏ Terry's Top Tips for Watercolour Artist's 20.49

❏ Alwyn's Top Tips for Watercolour Artists 20.49 ❏ Understanding Perspective 17.99

❏ David Bellamy's Winter landscapes 20.49 ❏ Watercolour Wheel Book, The 19.99

❏ Oil Paint Colour Wheel Book, The 19.99 ❏ Wendy's Top Tips for Acrylic Artist's 20.49

❏ Oil Painting Step-by-Step 27.99 ❏ Colour Mixing Guide Watercolour 10.99

❏ Painting Abstracts 27.99 ❏ Winsor & Newton's Guide to Colour 20.49

Mixing Acrylics

TITLE ■ MR ■ MRS ■ MS ■ MISS Please debit my: ■ Mastercard ■ Visa

Card No
Name ________________________________________________________________

Address______________________________________________________________
■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■
Expiry date ■■ / ■■
_______________________________________________________________________

State______________________________ Postcode_________________________ Cardholder name (PLEASE PRINT)___________________________________

Email_________________________________________________________________

Telephone (inc. area code)___________________________________________ Signature_________________________________________ Date_____________

■ Cheque/Money Order (Aust. only) I enclose a cheque/money order made payable to

Woodlands Publishing Pty Ltd (ABN 30 115 093 162) for $ ........................

* All prices include GST. Parcel Post $9.95

POST CALL 7 FAX @ EMAIL

PO Box 8035 Phone: 02 4722 2260 orders@wpco.com.au
Glenmore Park NSW 2745 Fax: 02 4733 8583
 E u
L SO LIN m.a
A ON .co
o
HOP pc NEW NEW
S w .w
PLEASE TICK
ww DVDS REQUIRED
If you would like
more than one of
a particlular dvd
please place quantity
required in the box.

NEW

NEW

NEW

NEW
 DVD'S FOR JUST $39.95
BUY TWO OR MORE FOR ONLY
$34.95 EACH
ORDER TODAY
NEW

NEW

TITLE ■ MR ■ MRS ■ MS ■ MISS Please debit my: ■ Mastercard ■ Visa

Card No
Name ________________________________________________________________

Address______________________________________________________________
■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■
Expiry date ■■ / ■■
_______________________________________________________________________

State______________________________ Postcode_________________________ Cardholder name (PLEASE PRINT)___________________________________

Email_________________________________________________________________

Telephone (inc. area code)___________________________________________ Signature_________________________________________ Date_____________

■ Cheque/Money Order (Aust. only) I enclose a cheque/money order made payable to

Woodlands Publishing Pty Ltd (ABN 30 115 093 162) for $ ........................

* All prices include GST. Please add Parcel Post $9.95 (DVD 1)

POST CALL 7 FAX @ EMAIL

PO Box 8035 Phone: 02 4722 2260 orders@wpco.com.au
Glenmore Park NSW 2745 Fax: 02 4733 8583
 E u
L SO LIN m.a
A ON .co
o
HOP pc NEW
S w .w
PLEASE TICK
ww DVDS REQUIRED
If you would like
more than one of
a particlular dvd
please place quantity
required in the box.

NEW

NEW

NEW
 DVD'S FOR JUST $39.95
BUY TWO OR MORE FOR ONLY
$34.95 EACH
ORDER TODAY
NEW NEW

NEW

NEW

TITLE ■ MR ■ MRS ■ MS ■ MISS Please debit my: ■ Mastercard ■ Visa

Card No
Name ________________________________________________________________

Address______________________________________________________________
■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■
Expiry date ■■ / ■■
_______________________________________________________________________

State______________________________ Postcode_________________________ Cardholder name (PLEASE PRINT)___________________________________

Email_________________________________________________________________

Telephone (inc. area code)___________________________________________ Signature_________________________________________ Date_____________

■ Cheque/Money Order (Aust. only) I enclose a cheque/money order made payable to

Woodlands Publishing Pty Ltd (ABN 30 115 093 162) for $ ........................

* All prices include GST. Please add Parcel Post $9.95 (DVD 2)

POST CALL 7 FAX @ EMAIL

PO Box 8035 Phone: 02 4722 2260 orders@wpco.com.au
Glenmore Park NSW 2745 Fax: 02 4733 8583
 EDITOR Simon Mullen
Phone (02) 4733 8482 Fax (02) 4733 8583

Next Issue
Email: simon@wpco.com.au
CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Fiona Groom, Ellen Lee Osterfield,
Michael Braden, Daniel Smith, Ira Morgan,
Brett A. Jones, Derek Newton
CREATIvE DIRECTOR Hayley Jagger
DESIGNER Tara Mullen
Artist’s Back to Basics 8_3
NATIONAL ADvERTISING MANAGER
Simon Mullen (02) 4733 8482 Fax: (02) 4733 8583
• Meet talented and inspiring artists
Email: simon@woodlandspublishing.com.au
ADvERTISING COORDINATOR • Easy to follow demonstrations
Anita Mullen
ADvERTISING ENQUIRIES Visit a gallery
Phone: (02) 4733 8482
Email: simon@wpco.com.au
SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES
• All the latest tips and techniques
Janie Medbury for all artists
Phone: (02) 4722 2260 Fax: (02) 4733 8583
Email: subs@woodlandspublishing.com.au
Website: www.wpco.com.au
For back issues call 02 4733 8447
RETAIL SALES/OvERSEAS DISTRIBUTION ENQUIRIES

On Sale Soon
Simon Mullen
Email: simon@woodlandspublishing.com.au
PUBLISHED BY
Published, promoted and distributed by
Woodlands Publishing Pty Ltd (ACN 115 093 162)
All rights reserved.
WOODLANDS PUBLISHING PTY LTD
PO BOx 8035
GLENMORE PARk NSW 2745
PRINTED BY
Times Printing Private Ltd, Singapore 9950

Woodlands Publishing Pty Limited has taken reasonable steps to secure

the copyright in the articles and photographs reproduced in this publica-
tion. We secure from each article’s author a warranty that the copyright
subsisting in the article is the author’s original work, or the author has
obtained all necessary rights, licences and permissions, and publishing it
in this publication will not infringe any third party’s copyright. Articles are We would love to hear your views on almost anything to do
published relying on the representations and warranties of the authors of with art. Please don’t hesitate to write to us at
the articles and without our knowledge of any infringement of any third
party’s copyright. All material in this magazine is copyright and cannot be
Artist’s Back to Basics. Send your letters to:
reproduced in part or in full without written permission from the publisher. The Editor, Artist’s Back to Basics
Prices and dates quoted in this issue were correct at the time of going to magazine, PO Box 8035, Glenmore Park NSW 2745.
press but may be subject to variation.

82 Artist’s Back to Basics

20 Artist’s Palette