Lei Spain 579

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by autumn
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PAINTING HOLIDAY
Paint in Istanbul
with Peter Brown
Hon PNEAC, ROI, RBA, PS, RP
Peter Brown is president of the NEAC and is fast becoming 26 April

recognised as one of the UK’s leading figurative painters. Popularly
known as ‘Pete the Street’ from his practice of working on location to 6 May,
in all weathers, he has developed a vigorous en plein air style, and
happily interacts with passers-by and fellow students while at work.
2019
He is best known for his detailed and atmospheric depictions of street
scenes in cities in the UK and abroad. Peter has hosted previous painting holidays to
Florence, Arles, Havana and Vietnam. Istanbul will be a new and perfect place for him.
Afternoon Clock Tower, oil by Peter Brown

I stanbul is intoxicating. The early dawn light
heralds the magic of East meeting West as
the mist lingers over the Bosphorus. The
and wander in the cobbled streets of the
Jewish, Greek and Armenian
neighbourhoods and the labyrinthine in the distance. The hotel comprises two former
defined lines of minarets and beautiful colours Grand Bazaar and Egyptian Market. houses, which have been beautifully renovated.
of domed mosques glow by day then, as the Traditional ways of life prevail in the It exudes a calm ambience and relaxed
sunsets and dusk approaches, this spectacular Sultanahmet area, with waiters carrying trays atmosphere. There are just 24 en-suite
silhouette softens. Istanbul is a busy sea of çay (tea) to people sitting in alleyways, bedrooms, a small sitting room and breakfast
trading route and the daily armada of ships street vendors sell corn and bread from area and a roof terrace with a fabulously close-
waiting in the Sea of Marmara to enter the colourful wagons, worshippers hurry down up view of the Blue Mosque. Dinners are
Bosphorus and continue on their journey to the lanes as the muezzin call beckons them included and will be taken in nearby
the Black Sea, is another spectacular sight. to prayers and hamans (Turkish baths) and restaurants.
The appeal for artists lies in the glorious waterpipe cafés are still very much a part of
light, the shimmering Sea of Marmara and the everyday life. The spice shops, street cafés, Painting with Pete the Street
architectural splendours in Sultanahmet area kebab houses, carpet shops and bright blue This is a free-style painting holiday and you
with the Blue Mosque, Aya Sofya, the Mosque and red trams add splashes of colour to this may choose to work alongside Peter or on your
of Süleyman the Magnificent and the Topkapi constant hive of street activity. own. Peter will be working in oil but all media
Palace. The Sultanahmet area is steeped in Your accommodation is in the vicinity of are welcome. He will encourage you to paint
history and you can follow in the footsteps of the Blue Mosque in the heart of Sultanahmet from dawn to dusk and to learn by example.
the Byzantine emperors and Ottoman sultans, and so all the key sites are within walking Peter is very happy to provide individual
guidance when needed, but there will be no
group tuition, demonstrations or critiques.
Peter is an enthusiastic and inspirational host
artist, who is keen to share his knowledge with
you and is great fun to travel with. A travel
escort from the UK will be looking after you
and will take care of all the arrangements
including organising restaurants each evening.
•8 to 12 intermediate and experienced students

•Price per person in a twin £4,795
FOR FULL DETAILS CONTACT 01825 714310 •Single room supplement £400
•Price includes: flights from London Heathrow,
art@spencerscott.co.uk www.spencerscotttravel.com 10 nights’ accommodation, breakfast and
dinners, host artist and travel escort.
Other well-known artists we will be offering painting holidays with in 2019 and 2020 are Lachlan Goudie ROI,
Haidee-Jo Summers ROI, ARSMA, Richard Pikesley NEAC, RWS, Patrick Cullen NEAC, Lucy Willis and Hazel Soan.
Leisure Painter magazine has been offering overseas painting holidays since 1990 led by professional artists. These holidays are organised by fully licensed operator Spencer Scott Travel Services CAA ATOL 3471
Incorporating Leisure Painter
and Craftsman
and Creative Crafts
VOLUME 52/11
ISSUE 579
www.leisurepainter.co.uk
Welcome
www.painters-online.co.uk
ISSN 0024-0710
from the editor
OCTOBER 2018
Editor
Ingrid Lyon
Contributing Editor
I am delighted to present the award-
winning work of this year’s
Leisure Painter Open Competition on
Jane Stroud
Editorial Consultants pages 66 to 71, along with painting tips, ideas and comments
Diana Armfield RA, NEAC (Hon), RWS
David Bellamy from two of our judges, professional artists David Curtis and
Tony Paul STP
Advertising Sales John Sprakes. As both David and John mention, the exhibition
Anna-Marie Brown 01778 392048
annamarieb@warnersgroup.co.uk develops and grows in stature each year as it showcases the
Advertising Copy
Sue Woodgates 01778 392062 best of amateur painting in the UK and abroad. I hope you have
suewoodgates@warnersgroup.co.uk
also seen the 50 highly-commended paintings on our website (at
Accounts
creditcontrol@warnersgroup.co.uk www.painters-online.co.uk/gallery/PatchingsGallery.htm) and voted
Events Manager
Caroline Griffiths for your favourite image for our final award of the year, the
Subscriptions & Marketing Manager
Wendy Gregory
Leisure Painter People’s Choice Award. The closing date is 14
Subscriptions September and we will feature the winning work in our December
Nicci Salmon & Liza Kitney
01580 763315/763673 issue – along with first details of next year’s competition!
subscriptions@tapc.co.uk
Online Editor If you haven’t entered our open competition before, why not
Dawn Farley
Designers
consider it for 2019? The number of exhibitors and highly-
Alison Renno commended artists who tell us how shocked they are to be
Sarah Poole
Leisure Painter is published every

chosen grows over the years. Although we respect your modesty,
four weeks by: we also encourage you to show off a little and send in your best
The Artists’ Publishing Company
Limited (TAPC), Caxton House, original work.
63-65 High Street, Tenterden,
Kent TN30 6BD Many thanks to everyone who entered this year’s competition,
01580 763315
www.painters-online.co.uk and congratulations to the exhibitors, award-winners and highly-
Publisher
Dr Sally Bulgin, Hon VPRBSA commended artists. Huge thanks go to the sponsors of our valuable
Publication of an article or inclusion of prizes (see page 71 for details), to Liz and Chas Wood and their
an advertisement does not necessarily
imply that TAPC is in agreement with team at Patchings Art Centre for hanging such a memorable
the views expressed, or represents
endorsement of products, materials exhibition each year, and to my fellow judges, who make the
or techniques. TAPC does not accept
responsibility for errors, omissions serious task of judging this important competition into such an
or images received in good faith
enjoyable and celebratory event.
Annual subscription rates (13 issues):
UK £47.20; USA $80; Canada $92; EC As summer draws to a close, I hope you make the most of the
member countries €67; all other
countries (sterling rate) £57 weather and enjoy another month of painting with Leisure Painter.
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Printed by Warners Midlands plc,

The Maltings, Manor Lane, Bourne,
INGRID LYON Editor
Lincolnshire PE10 9PH
Newstrade distribution by
Warners Group Publications plc
(Tel: 01778 391000) NOVEMBER 2018 issue on sale 5 OCTOBER
www.painters-online.co.uk OCTOBER 2018 3

Contents OCTOBER 2018
22
30
66
22 In perspective
IN EVERY ISSUE 74 Books Part 2 Discover a new way of looking at the
The latest practical art books landscape, with Christine Pybus
7 Diary are reviewed
Things to do this month 26 Watercolour basics and beyond
75 Art clubs Part 11 How to use masking fluid for painting a
8 Exhibitions News, highlights, exhibition seascape with David Webb
Some of the best shows listings and ‘best in show’ gallery
around the country 30 Painting wild
78 Online gallery Part 1 Julie Askew demonstrates how she
Jane Stroud chooses a pastel sketches and paints her subjects in the wild
painting of a lavender field
from PaintersOnline 34 Moonlight and blossom
How to turn photographs taken during the day
into paintings of moonlight, with Linda Birch
37 Hedgerow harvest
Be inspired by early autumn hedgerows and
FEATURES a variety of watercolour techniques and ideas,
by Rachel McNaughton
12 Watercolour magic
Practise the wet-in-wet technique to 40 Texture in context
paint animals in watercolour, with Part 1 Look at shape, colour and tone as you
Kerry Bennett paint metal and glass with Steve Strode
16 Painting project 44 Weather report

Part 1 Follow Colin Steed’s primary Part 6 In the final part of his series, Tim Fisher
On the cover colour-mixing challenge as you work demonstrates how to paint winter scenes and
Kerry Bennett Elephant in
Watercolour, watercolour, from this month’s photograph skies using acrylics
1612⁄ x1112⁄ in. (42x30cm). Learn
to paint an elephant in wet-in-wet 19 Painting project 49 Sketching for pleasure
watercolour on pages 14 and 15 Part 2 How to draw a badger using Part 2 Practise your drawing skills as you follow
coloured pencils, by Linda Hampson Tony Underhill’s still-life demonstrations
4 OCTOBER 2018 www.painters-online.co.uk

Coming
next month
From seasonal landscapes and flowers, figures
and more in watercolour to tutorials using
acrylic, oil pastel, oils and drawing media,
enjoy an autumn of painting with Leisure Painter
ON SALE 5 OCTOBER
n Follow step-by-step
autumn landscapes and
trees in watercolour,
acrylics and oils
n Watercolour basics and
beyond: how to perfect
a background wash
n Add watercolour to your
sketches of buildings,
figures and more
n Be inspired by the
contents of your garden
to fill your sketchbooks
Join Anne Mortimer next month
t
n Tips and techniques for

19 to learn how to create sketchbook
painting with oil pastels journals inspired by your own garden
through the seasons
n Paint glass and metal in
OFFERS, NEWS AND COMPETITIONS a step-by-step still-life

demonstration
2 Paint in Istanbul with Peter Brown on a painting LEISURE PAINTER
n How to paint an acrylic ON-SALE DATES
holiday of a lifetime
wildlife scene from Issue On sale
11 Win a Cloverleaf paintbox from Barry Herniman, sketches November 5 October
December 2 November
worth £42.99rrp, PLUS save money on new books n Primary colour-mixing January 30 November
from Search Press exercises to try
18 Subscribe to Leisure Painter this month and save n Make sense of the
money detail as you paint a t Gwen Scott Autumn Lane,
scene from a sailing watercolour, 1112⁄ x15in. (28x38cm).
48 Special offers on Search Press practical art books ship Practise a host of watercolour
techniques as you paint this scene
n AND LOTS MORE! step by step next month
52 Water and oil – mixed

Learn the techniques and colours behind painting realistic-looking
water scenes using water-soluble oils, with Murray Ince
58 The world in miniature

Part 6 Pauline Denyer Baker completes our miniature painting
series with a two-part look at painting watercolour portraits on
polymer surfaces
63 Orchid temptation
Focus on detail as you paint an orchid step by step in oils with
Elena Parashko
66 Leisure Painter Open Competition 2018

We have great pleasure in presenting this year’s award-winning
paintings, along with advice from our judges, David Curtis and
John Sprakes

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Diary
THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH
JANE STROUD RECOMMENDS
Paint the natural

t
world in watercolour
with Julia Trickey’s
two-day botanical art
workshop, for both
beginners and more
experienced artists
EVENTS
Winter
Art School
Opened in 2011 in 26 acres of Dorset countryside to house
the monumental sculptures of contemporary British
Alison Barlow Waiting, watercolour and ink, 18x14in. (46x36cm),
t
sculptor, Simon Gudgeon, Sculpture by the Lakes is winner of the Daler-Rowney Award
launching its first Winter Arts School this year with a series
of art and craft workshops. Look out for Botanical Art with My Patchings favourite
Julia Trickey on 5 and 6 October, Exploring Calligraphy with I just can’t resist dogs and this watercolour by Alison
Gaynor Goffe on 16 and 17 November, Mastering Acrylic Barlow demonstrates their unflinching focus perfectly.
Painting with Andrew Denman on 28 and 29 November The expression in the dog’s eyes is captivating, ears
and The Full Works – a four-day workshop with pricked and alert to every sound. I would love it on my
internationally renowned wildlife artist, Guy Combes, from wall! Turn to pages 38 to 43 for a full report of this
28 November to 1 December. Full details of all courses on year’s winning paintings at Leisure Painter’s Open
offer are available from www.sculpturebythelakes.co.uk Competition in partnership with Patchings Art Centre.
Open your eyes

The Glucksman Gallery at University
College Cork in Ireland is currently
IN THE FRAME
showing Josef and Anni Albers: Voyage Making Art Matter
Inside a Blind Experience – an Celebrating the work of Bath-
exhibition that enables all visitors, based artists, Clifford and
sighted or not, to experience and feel Rosemary Ellis, the autumn
artworks they cannot see. Visitors will exhibition at the Victoria Art
be able to explore art through touch, Gallery in Bath (8 September to
with tactile models, braille texts and 25 November) will explore over
playful art encounters. The exhibition five decades of their work and
continues until 4 November. For more artistic partnership. From iconic
information go to www.glucksman.org posters for London Transport
and Shell, to book jackets for
the Collins New Naturalist series
Opportunities (right), wartime work from the
Recording Britain project as
Pastel Society
well as Rosemary Ellis’ wartime
Entries are invited for the annual
diaries, the exhibition will also
Pastel Society Exhibition at the
include paintings and prints by
Mall Galleries in London, 5 to 16
other artists who taught at Bath
February. Pastels, oil pastels,
Academy of Art (which Clifford
charcoal, pencil, Conté, sanguine
founded), including Gillian Ayres, Howard Hodgkin
t
Clifford and
and any dry media are all Rosemary Ellis,
and John Eaves. A programme of talks in the
acceptable. Submission is now sketch for cover of
Guildhall and weekly tours on Thursday lunchtimes The Yellow Wagtail,
open; closes Friday 2 November at
(12.30 to 1pm) will coincide with the exhibition. Visit Collins New
12 noon. For more details go to Naturalists, 1950
www.victoriagal.org.uk
www.mallgalleries.org.uk

n 5th Base Gallery
Exhibitions
JANE STROUD RECOMMENDS
23 Heneage Street, off Brick Lane E1.
07738 949714; www.5thbase.co.uk
New works by Diana Krilova, 5 to 7 October.
Visit www.dianakrilova.com
n Jonathan Cooper
20 Park Walk SW10. 020 7351 0410;
www.jonathancooper.co.uk
‘Rebecca Campbell: The Collection’, 24 new
paintings celebrating animals and birds in
all their forms, 26 September to 13 October.
n Mall Galleries
The Mall SW1. 020 7930 6844;
www.mallgalleries.org.uk
‘Derwent Art Prize’, 18 to 23 September.
‘The Sunday Times Watercolour
Competition’, 18 to 23 September. ‘Society
of Women Artists’: 157th annual open
exhibition, 27 to 30 September. ‘Lydia
Corbett – Picasso’s Sylvette’, 2 to 7 October.
‘Royal Society of Marine Artists’, 11 to 20
October. ‘The Natural Eye’: Society of
Wildlife Artists, 25 October to 4 November.
n The Menier Gallery
51 Southwark Street SE1. 020 7407 3222;
www.britishpleinairpainters.co.uk
‘Capturing the Moment’: original paintings
by 27 contemporary British artists,
including Peter Brown, Fred Cuming, David
Curtis, Haidee-Jo Summers, Ken Howard
and Richard Pikesley, 16 to 20 October.
n National Gallery
Trafalgar Square WC2. 020 7747 2885;
www.nationalgallery.org.uk
‘Thomas Cole: Eden to Empire’, until
7 October. ‘Courtauld Impressionists: From
Manet to Cézanne’, 17 September to 20
January 2019. ‘Mantegna and Bellini’,
1 October to 27 January 2019.
n Royal Academy of Arts
Piccadilly W1. 020 7300 8000;
www.royalacademy.org.uk
‘Oceania’: celebrating the art of Melanesia,
Florabundance Anna Perlin Dog Roses, acrylic on canvas,
t
Micronesia and Polynesia, 29 September to
30x30in. (76x76cm)
Celebrating the best of modern 10 December. ‘Renzo Piano’: the first
floral art, Florabundance at Watts annual architecture exhibition in the new
Contemporary Gallery brings and bold prints. Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Galleries,
15 September to 20 January 2019.
together paintings, drawings and Florabundance at Watts
prints by 12 contemporary British Contemporary Gallery, Down Lane, n Tate Britain
flower painters. The work includes a Compton, Surrey continues until 7 Millbank SW1. 020 7887 8888;
October. For more information and www.tate.org.uk
variety of styles – from intricate
‘Aftermath: Art in the Wake of World War
botanical studies and delicate ink opening hours visit
One’, until 23 September. ‘Edward Burne-
paintings to loose colourful acrylics www.wattsgallery.org.uk Jones’, October 24 to February 24 2019.
n Tate Modern
Bankside SE1. 020 7887 8888;
LONDON www.tate.org.uk
‘Magic Realism’: exploring the art of the
n Bankside Gallery n Crane Kalman Gallery Weimar Republic, until 14 July 2019.
48 Hopton Street SE1. 020 7928 7521; 178 Brompton Road SW3. 020 7584 7566
www.banksidegallery.com www.cranekalman.com REGIONAL
‘National Original Print Exhibition’, 19 to 30 ‘Mary Newcombe: Drawing from
Observation’, 20 September to 28 October. n The Barn Gallery
September. ‘The Colour of Water’: RWS
autumn show, 5 October to 3 November. Patchings Art Centre, Oxton Road,
n Dulwich Picture Gallery Calverton, Nottingham. 0115 965 3479;
n Ben Uri Gallery Gallery Road SE21. 020 8693 5254; www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk
108a Boundary Road, off Abbey Road NW8. www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk ‘Celebrating 30 Years’: David Curtis,
020 7604 3991; www.benuri.org.uk ‘Ribera: Art of Violence’, 26 September to Trevor Chamberlain and Bert Wright, until
‘Bomberg’, until 16 September. 27 January 2019. 7 October.

Art in the aisles
Hundreds of paintings are
currently on display at the Great
North Art Show in Ripon Cathedral,
featuring work by some of the
finest artists working in the north
of England today. Each of the
featured artists displays a body of
six works, covering a broad range
of styles and subjects, including
prints, paintings, photographs,
wall ceramics and sculpture. Guest
artist, this year, is artist and
designer, Mark Herald, who draws
inspiration from the flora and
fauna of the British countryside to
produce paintings, collages, hand-
painted ceramics, limited edition
lithographic and linocut prints.
Entry to the exhibition is free and
all artwork is for sale.
The Great North Art Show can be
seen at Ripon Cathedral until 23
September, 10am to 4.30pm daily.
Visit www.greatnorthartshow.co.uk
Rosie Hitchen Still Life with Horses,

t
acrylic on board, 153⁄4x153⁄4in. (40x40cm)
n National Gallery of Ireland n Scottish

n The Bowes Museum National Gallery of
Barnard Castle, Co. Durham. 01833 690606; Merion Square w, Dublin 2. +353 1 661 Modern Art
www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk 5133 www.nationalgallery.ie
73 Belford Road, Edinburgh. 0131 6246
‘The BFG in Pictures’: originals by Quentin ‘Roderic O’Conor & The Moderns: Between
6200; www.nationalgalleries.org
Blake, until 30 September. Paris and Pont-Aven’, until 28 October.
‘Emil Nolde: Colour is Life’, until 21 October.
‘Curious Creatures – Frans Post & Brazil’,
n Granary Art Gallery 8 September to 9 December. n Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Weston Park, Weston-under-Lizard,
n Pallant House 1 Queen Street, Edinburgh. 0131 624 6200;
Shifnal TF11 8LE. 01952 852100; www. www.nationalgalleries.org
weston-park.com/association-of-animal 9 North Pallant, Chichester, West Sussex.
‘Victoria Crowe’, until 18 November.
‘Association of Animal Artists’: autumn 01243 774557; www.pallant.org.uk
‘Julian Trevelyan: An Artist and His World’, n Tate Liverpool
exhibition, until 27 September.
6 October to 10 February 2019. Albert Dock, Liverpool Waterfront.
n Harbour House
n Penlee House Gallery 0151 702 7400; www.tate.org.uk
The Promenade, Kingsbridge, Devon. ‘Op Art in Focus’: innovative artists of the
01548 854708; www.harbourhouse.org.uk Morab Road, Penzance, Cornwall.
1960s to today, until 16 June 2019.
‘Canto’: paintings, drawing and mixed- 01736 363625; www.penleehouse.org.uk
‘Robert Borlase Smart: A Passion for the n Tate St Ives
media works by David Hamling, 18 to 23
September. Sea’, 15 September to 17 November. Porthmeor Beach, St. Ives, Cornwall.
n Sarah Wiseman Gallery 01736 796226; www.tate.org.uk
nJ & G Innes Ltd ‘Patrick Heron’, until 30 September.
40-41 South Parade, Oxford. 01865 515123;
n Tullie
107 South Street, St. Andrews, Fife. House
www.wisegal.com
01334 472174; www.jg-innes.co.uk
‘Flux’: solo exhibition by Clare Bonnet, Castle Street, Carlisle, Cumbria.
‘The Scottish Society of Architect Artists
13 October to 10 November. 01228 618718; www.tulliehouse.org.uk
(SSAA)’, until 30 September. Solo exhibition
n Scottish National Gallery ‘Carel Weight RA’, until 28 October.
of stitched textiles and paintings by
Pat Beveridge, 20 to 28 October. The Mound, Edinburgh. 0131 624 6200; n Victoria Art Gallery
www.nationalgalleries.org Bridge Street, Bath. 01225 477233;
n The Lightbox ‘Rembrandt: Britain’s Discovery of the www.victoriagal.org.uk
Chobham Road, Woking. 01483 737800; Master’, until 14 October. ‘Pin Ups: ‘Making Art Matter: Clifford & Rosemary
www.thelightbox.org.uk Toulouse-Lautrec and the Art of Celebrity’, Ellis’, 8 September to 25 November.
‘Impressionism: The Art of Life’, featuring a 6 October to 20 January 2019. See page 7.
combination of French Impressionist
paintings and sculpture from the 1860s to
the beginning of the First World War, 29 All information given here is correct at the time of going to press, but you are
September to 13 January 2019. ‘Elisabeth advised to check details and opening times with the galleries prior to your visit
Frink: A Collector’s Passion from the Ingram in case of unavoidable alterations to their exhibition schedules
Collection’, 13 October to 6 January 2019.

Letters
sketchbook information as reference for
later studio work, as well as a way of
honing our drawing skills.
I was delighted to have won the April
challenge of sketch your
SHARE YOUR TIPS, SUGGESTIONS, IDEAS neighbourhood. There was plenty to get
my teeth into with this subject matter,
AND QUESTIONS WITH OTHER READERS and I was excited to make a start. So,
armed with a sketchbook and a
selection of pens, off I went to my local
Vignette style shade. Keep the paint moving to the edge
town square on a chilly but bright
I want to make an acrylic painting of a of your paper or canvas, and adding
Sunday morning. It was so much quieter
photo I took and have decided that I white as you blend to fade out.
than a weekday, but I was still faced
would like it with a vignette effect. Here’s Alternatively, if you prefer a definite
with plenty of people milling around.
the problem: how do I start? Do I do the shape around your image, a harder edge
They were important though, as I
vignette first and blend the edge, or do I is still acceptable.
wanted to include figures as an integral
map it out, paint it and blend the edge ‘I suggest you experiment initially to
part of the composition.
then do the vignette? find the best method for your subject.’
Yes, they do walk over and stand for a
Mandy Taylor-Moore while watching you drawing, which is all
Sketchbook challenges part of the plein-air experience. I spent
Reply from Tim Fisher I have just entered my drawing of a
around an hour sketching, moving
(www.timfisherartist.co.uk): building for the final task in the Leisure
position from time to time, to hone in
‘Vignetting is a way of working by which Painter/David Bellamy’s Sketchbook
on sections of detailed architecture that
there is loss of detail towards the sides of Challenge and wanted to tell you how
I wanted to take a closer look at and
an image. This is a useful technique for much I enjoyed the tasks presented by
record. My aim was to gather as much
isolating an important subject within the David Bellamy. They have definitely
information as possible in a relatively
composition and providing gentle areas at challenged me, especially this last one!
short time, creating a lively and busy
the edges for the eye to rest. In Since finishing work, because of ill
scene, and scribbling down any relevant
photography, the vignette often takes the health, I have taken up drawing and
notes on the page. I felt that I had
form of a uniform shape, which masks painting, which have been and continue
achieved a worthwhile and productive
out and provides a soft edge for the to be tremendously therapeutic. My
hour’s sketching, and enjoyed the
subject. therapist encouraged me to keep a daily
experience.
‘My approach to painting a vignette in journal, recording my thoughts and
David’s subsequent challenges have all
acrylic would be to create the effect as the feelings, however, it never occurred to
been interesting and rewarding to work
painting progresses without marking out me to combine the two – a sketchbook
on. Several of these I have worked up
the edges that need to be faded away. The journal – which is what your sketchbook
from loose scribbles in my sketchbooks
treatment of strokes at the edges can be challenge has done for me. Not only has
in the comfort of a studio environment.
experimented with by possibly misting or it encouraged me to sketch more
I do use photographs, but as a reference
sponging out. I favour marks that become outdoors, but it also challenged me and
only, and generally they are ones that I
looser and less detailed as the sides and pushed me out of my comfort zone. I
have taken myself where possible.
corners of the painting are approached, would never have attempted to sketch a
I look forward to future challenges that
gradually building up layers of acrylic stately home before! I have thoroughly
Leisure Painter may announce. I will be
until the subject is complete. enjoyed attempting new subjects and
taking an active part as always to
‘I would not necessarily create a uniform have found the whole process uplifting
quench my eagerly competitive
space enveloping the work as sometimes and inspiring, not worrying about an
appetite.
it’s fun to experiment with the shape end product but just enjoying the
Alan Bickley
surrounding the painted area as the work experience.
develops.’ Thank you Leisure Painter and David
Bellamy. I shall miss my monthly
Reply from Julie King drawing project, but I am going to
(www.juliehking.co.uk): ‘The idea of a continue my sketchbook journal and
vignette is a painting which fades into the enjoy getting out and about sketching!
background colour without a definite Julie Turner
border, creating a shape that reflects the
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t
The Three Ostricheers, watercolour, 1112⁄ x1612⁄ in. (30x42cm). I couldn’t resist creating the look of a family portrait. Which one is you?
Watercolour magic
Practise the wet-in-wet technique as Kerry Bennett
demonstrates her approach to painting animals in watercolour
a teacher myself and these days painting. A good exercise to try is

LEARNING OBJECTIVES I tutor watercolour to around 60 painting owl’s eyes. Not only do they
n How to paint animals in students. I enjoy every minute have great colour, particularly the eagle
watercolour of it. I also demonstrate and give owl, but the application of reflections
workshops to large groups across and shading in their eyes is a great way
n Loosen up your approach the south east of England. to learn how to achieve that look of
to painting life. Just paint what you see, literally.
n Paint wet-in-wet watercolour The eyes have it
I love painting animals, my favourite Tips and techniques
subject, although everything in nature I hope you enjoy following my
I have been painting as long as I can

remember. I attended my first art
class at the age of ten when I was
growing up in Brazil. Since then I have
always doodled, painted and created.
inspires me. It’s the animal’s eyes that
capture my imagination and make me
want to paint. Ensuring that is right is
very important; the rest just becomes
part of the background and your own
demonstration over the page. Here
are some notes on the brushes and
techniques I use to complete these
paintings.
1 A No. 6 synthetic brush is stiffer than
I continued my studies in both art eyes become drawn into that part of sable, which makes it a good scrubbing
and ceramics and gained practical the artwork first. brush and a great flicker of paint. I use
experience working in a commercial Capturing their expression is also this technique a lot as I love creating
pottery. Wanting to expand my important so, when you next paint an texture by applying various tones.
knowledge of painting I took an animal, take your time and look at the Sometimes I flick paint by tapping the
educational course specialising in eyes: the shape, highlights, reflections brush on my finger, but I found that the
watercolour and there began my love and the little white glistening wet look paint is more controlled when I flick as
of painting in this wonderful medium. at the base of the eye caused by the if I was tapping the ash off a cigarette.
The teacher was a lovely lady who, reflection of light. If the eyes seem The brush has to be well loaded with
in hindsight, inspired me to become dull and lifeless then so will the paint. If nothing happens, it is because

t
Jack Russell, watercolour on handmade paper, 12x12in. (30x30cm). t
Eagle Owl, watercolour on handmade paper, 12x12in. (30x30cm).
This is a friend’s dog. I always like to keep the eyes as realistic as This is one of my favourite subjects to paint, again looking closely
possible then loosening up the rest of the watercolour. at the eyes, capturing the look and the rest is loose.
there is not enough paint. I usually

flick paint when the paper is wet
and again when it is dry, to give
a varied texture.
2 Do not be afraid to go dark. This
is where so many people become
despondent and unhappy with their
painting; it is usually due to the lack
of darker tones. Take your time when
painting a subject, not only looking
at the shapes and angles, but the
tonal values. Look at objects around
you. That cup on the table, notice
the shadow and how dark it is.
3 It’s useful to complete tonal
exercises. With a graphite pencil shade
ten boxes, from white to black while
the tones in the middle have to be
varied, gradually building up the tonal
value. This will even help you with
your colour paintings, as you can
compare the tonal values by placing
the graphite exercise next to your
painting or reference photograph,
and compare how much darker
you have to go.
4 Always make sure that you have
sufficient puddles of the colours you
are using, especially when working
wet into wet. You don’t want to run
out in the middle of painting, when
areas of the paper dry out and
‘cauliflowers’ begin to form.
5 When removing paint with a clean
damp thirsty brush, make sure you
clean your brush in water with each
stroke. It sounds time consuming,
but if you don’t do this, you are just
putting paint back onto the artwork
(moving it instead of removing it). LP
Where is my Coffee?, watercolour,

t
1112⁄ x814⁄ in. (30x21cm). This is a painting

of one of the chickens I owned. They were
always, and still are, a source of inspiration,
t
especially in capturing their characters.

Watercolour
Demonstration Elephant in Watercolour

I use Winsor & Newton’s No. 4 sable brush for the small detail and a No. 6 for larger
areas. There is also a No. 10 Round for the even larger areas to which I wish to apply
paint or water. When flicking paint or water, I use a very old brush, which is also used
for scrubbing paint from the pans (so not to use up the fine points on my good brushes).
You will need

n Surface n Brushes for wetting the paper
l 300gsm NOT l Pro Arte Round and adding lots of paint
n
watercolour No. 10 Miscellaneous
paper, 161⁄2x111⁄2in. l Winsor & Newton sable
l Spray water bottle
(42x30cm) Round No. 4 l Gold leaf
l Winsor & Newton
n Winsor & Newton l PVA glue
Professional Series 7 No. 6 l Board and masking
l Pro Arte mop brush
Water Colour tape to stick the paper
l See colours, below
(pure squirrel) – great down to the board
Step 1
t
COLOURS USED 1 Begin by sketching the outline of the elephant,

but not drawing much of the detail. This comes 4 Whilst the paper is still very wet and, using
Quinacridone later with the painting. a loose action, flick, dribble and tilt the paper
gold 2 Next wet the entire page with plenty of water, and allow the watercolour to do its magic.
let it sink in a little and wet it again, making sure 5 Using a damp thirsty brush remove some of the
there are no puddles. Keep spreading the water dark shades to increase the highlights while the
Raw sienna until you feel the paper is saturated enough to stay paper is still wet. Then add a few more dark tones
wet for a little while. Have your water spray bottle with the neutral tint while it is still wet. Take
handy and use it if you see dry patches forming. your time to decide where the shadow and
Burnt sienna 3 Using burnt umber, raw sienna, burnt sienna and highlighted areas are.
neutral tint begin adding colour to the background, 6 Use a water spray bottle to keep the paper wet and
allowing some of the paint to flow onto the also flick clean water for added texture and effects.
elephant. Where the elephant has light areas, 7 Remove more of the highlighted areas on the
Neutral tint create depth by adding darker tones adjacent elephant with a thirsty brush. Now that the first
to these areas. layer of the background is complete, leave it to dry.
t
Burnt umber
Step 2
1 The next step is to wet an area of the
elephant and begin adding the darker tones
for the shading and the creases on the ears
and skin. These will need to be darkened by
applying a number of layers. Pay attention
to the soft and hard edges
and, to make life easy, have
two brushes, one in each
hand, so when you apply
paint to an area, let’s say
a crease on the ear, you can
soften one of the edges with
the other paintbrush, which
has only clean water.
2 To create the creases of the
elephant’s skin and ears, apply
the first stroke of the paint
wet into wet and add a few
layers, then go into the creases
again when dry. This gives the
appearance of depth. Keep on
applying the darker tones and
do not be afraid to go dark.
Step 3
t
Now back to the elephant

to get the dark tones right.
Again, painting wet into wet,
pay attention to the soft and
hard edges. Watercolour dries
around 30 per cent lighter
than when it’s wet so
applying layers is important
to build up the tones.

Watercolour
Kerry Bennett
Kerry paints, teaches and
demonstrates in Battle,
East Sussex, where there is an
ongoing exhibition of her work
at Bonney’s in the high street.
She will be demonstrating on
13 October at 2.30pm at Battle
Memorial Hall and running
a watercolour workshop at
Battle Festival with Battle
and District Arts Group on
20 October. Watch this video
at kerrybennett.co.uk/edemoor
or visit www.kerrybennett.co.uk
and Facebook.com/kerrybennett.
artist; follow her on Twitter:
@kerryb_artist and Instagram:
#kerrybennett.artist
t
Step 4
1 Whilst the elephant was drying,
I felt the background needed a bit
more depth and colour. I wetted the
background and added quinacridone
gold and burnt sienna with more
flicking and spreading of paint.
2 When the background is dry again,
flick burnt umber. As the paper
is dry, the flicks are crisp, which
creates a varied depth and texture.
Step 5
t
1 Pick out a few shapes in the

foreground for added perspective,
just using your imagination to see
shapes like rocks or stones. Don’t forget
to add the very important shading.
2 Once the elephant was finished, I felt
it needed a glaze of quinacridone gold
to make it blend in better with the
background. A glaze is applying a layer
of colour on an already painted area.
Then, looking at the painting from afar,
it was evident that the details needed
darkening a little so I added more neutral
tint, creating a few extra creases on the
elephant’s skin by first using a very fine
brush then softening with a damp clean
brush. It is always a good idea to stand
back from a painting and have a good look
from afar or even look at the painting in
a mirror. This makes you see things that
you might miss if sitting too close to it.
3 I like to finish by adding gold for an
extra special effect. I use pieces of gold
leaf glued on here and there to add
a bit of shine. Why not give it a try
and see what magic you can create
with wet-in-wet watercolour painting?
The finished painting Elephant

t
in Watercolour, watercolour on NOT

watercolour paper, 1612⁄ x1112⁄ in. (42x30cm)

Drawing
Painting project
Part 1 Try Colin Steed’s primary colour challenge and improve your
colour mixing skills in this month’s painting project from a photograph
t
Your reference photograph for this challenge – you are invited to paint this cottage three times, using three different sets of primary colours
creative desires take over and they and whether those colours are warm
LEARNING OBJECTIVES give up. After all we just want to or cool, vibrant or subtle, and the
n Know your primary colours paint pictures. colours they produce when the three
Learning to colour mix doesn’t primaries are mixed together.
n How to create your own need to be boring or uninspiring. The palette I prefer is mainly used for
colour wheels First of all, we should familiarise painting landscapes and comprises three
n How to work successfully ourselves with our chosen colours and blues, three reds and three yellows.
from a photograph the colours they can produce. To do My blues Prussian blue (a strong green
this will involve an element of basic blue); ultramarine blue (a sky blue that
colour mixing, but keeping that to a is less intense and slightly lighter than
W e all can become so

engrossed in our subjects
that we often forget the basic
principles of colour mixing. We tend
to look at the colours in parts of our
minimum will make the process more
enjoyable. In fact, we can learn to
colour mix while painting pictures.
Know your colours

Prussian); and cobalt blue (a much
lighter cooler blue).
My yellows Cadmium lemon (a bright
intense yellow); cadmium yellow
(a warm orange yellow); and raw
subjects and try to match that by Your palette will comprise mainly of sienna (a dull, earthy yellow).
randomly mixing colours from the primary colours. The colour and hue My reds Alizarin crimson (a pink-red);
array of colours in our collection. of those colours will depend on the light red (a terracotta red); and
Most painters find just mixing colours pigments used to make them. To mix Indian red (quite a dull red).
in the palette and applying that colour colours successfully you will need to I also have a couple of browns,
onto paper in shapes a laborious know what colour your chosen primary but they could be mixed from
learning process and soon their colours produce when mixed together those primary colours.

Drawing
COLIN’S THREE COLOUR WHEELS
Prussian Ultramarine Cobalt

blue blue blue
Raw Indian Cadmium Alizarin Cadmium Light

sienna red yellow crimson yellow red
Colour wheels
Making simple colour wheels is not just
a good colour-mixing exercise, but also
gives you a reference when deciding
which colours to mix when you paint.
First select three blues, three reds and
three yellows from your palette. Using
a good quality watercolour paper, draw
around a large cup or saucer to create
three circles. Draw three lines from the
centre to give you three equal segments.
Make at least five equally spaced pencil
marks around the outside of each
segment. I have made three wheels
for this exercise (above). Select
a different blue, red and a yellow for
each colour wheel. Write on each line
the colour you use. The blue should be
at 12 o’clock; the yellow should be at
8 o’clock; and the red at 4 o’clock.
Begin with a blue at the top and
paint a circle of colour. Working anti-
clockwise, mix small amounts of yellow
to the blue for each circle of colour you
paint. Keep each colour the same tone
by adding a touch of water each time
you remix. When you arrive at the
t
Colin’s reference sketch for this challenge, showing composition ideas, shadows and tone
yellow station clean the brush and apply
yellow. Now you can begin adding the intense colours and in the foreground – lack of sunshine and distance.
red to the yellow until you reach the those strong, vibrant colours. This gives you the opportunity to paint
red station cleaning the brush before The colour in the centre is a mix of your version and make up your own
applying the red. Complete the wheel the three primaries. A strong mix of colours instead of copying the colours
by introducing a touch more blue the primaries will give you all the dark you see. My pencil sketch should give
at each stage. Finally mix an equal colours you will need in any painting so an idea of where the shadows would
amount of the blue, red and yellow there is no need to use black. This has be and how to open up the hedge to
together and make a circle of this two advantages. First, the dark colour create distance.
colour in the centre. can be a light or dark in tone. Secondly, Please show your versions of the
the colour can be a cool blue-grey by work on Leisure Painter’s online
A learning curve adding more blue, a warm brown-grey gallery at www.painters-online.co.uk
We can learn a great deal from these when you add more red, and a green- by emailing dawn@tapc.co.uk.
colour wheels. We can see what each grey with the addition of more yellow. Next month I will show you the three
blue, red and yellow look like when All colours you mix can be toned lighter versions I painted using three different
applied to watercolour paper. One or darker by adding more or less water. blues, reds and yellows. LP
side of our wheels tend to be cool,
less intense colours, while the other side Primary colour challenge
are the strong, vibrant colours. When Using my photograph (above left)
painting landscapes, the cool side are and pencil sketch (above) I invite you Colin Steed
colours I would use for the very distant to paint your version of this Norfolk Find out more about Colin and his
areas, skies, hills, trees and even cottage three times, using three different classes and workshops by visiting
buildings, for instance. For the middle blues, reds and yellows. I deliberately colinsteedart.facebook.com
distance, I would use the slightly more selected this photograph, because of its

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Coloured pencil
Painting project
Part 2 Develop your coloured-pencil skills step by step
as you complete last month’s project with Linda Hampson
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n Understand the value of using tonal
contrast
n Techniques for lightening and darkening
coloured pencil colours
n How to create a three-dimensional effect
You will need

n Surface n Coloured n Optional
l Clairefontaine pencils colours
Pastelmat in light grey l Black 199 l Payne’s grey
121⁄2x81⁄2in. (32x22cm) l Warm grey I 270 181
l Warm grey IV 273 l Dark indigo
n Pastels
l Van Dyke brown 176
l A selection of greens 157
l Dark sepia 175 l Cold grey IV
and dark tones for the
l White 101 The photograph that introduced last month’s project
t
background 233
from www.pixabay.com
t
Step 1
This is where we left off last month. A clear line drawing
showing all the necessary detail you require. Do remember to
make the outline ‘hairy’ as the badger is a very hairy animal –
no hard, solid lines, because these can be difficult to erase.
t
t
The finished artwork Badger, mixed media, 1212⁄ x812⁄ in. (32x22cm)

Coloured pencil
Demonstration continued
Step 2
t
1 Now comes the slightly more challenging step. You need to
consider your light source direction, because establishing that
will make it easier for you to add the correct tonal values (shadows
and highlights). These are essential to create shape and form and
are particularly difficult to see in a densely furred animal. My
light source is coming from the right.
2 Working with the black pencil, lightly begin to fill colour into
the black areas, working in the direction of the hair growth. Add
the beginnings of tonal value by simply pressing a little more
firmly in areas that are shadowed. Notice how this has resulted
in darker areas on the face, showing the shape of the eye socket
and cheekbones, as well as a good dark
area on the neck.
3 The same is done on the white areas.
Following the hair growth direction and
working with the warm grey IV, fill in
the shadows seen. It is essential to do
so otherwise the artwork will be flat and
featureless. A layer of white is added,
following the hair growth direction,
after you have filled in the tonal value.
Step 3
t
1 Now, you need to increase the amount

of pencil on the paper, by applying it always
in the hair growth direction and with
continued liveliness. Keep your strokes short.
For practical reasons I often work from left
to right and this artwork is no exception.
Notice how I increased the amount of pencil
coverage on the left-hand side of the face.
To do this, you simply add more layers in the
same way as before. Constantly consider the
light source direction and the tonal value.
2 On the completed black section, you can
see the darker areas – black pencil added
more firmly – and there are light areas
visible, too, with the use of warm grey IV,
added with as much pressure as needed.
Dark sepia will help the blending between
the black and grey.
3 The white stripe down the centre of the
face also has had texture added using short
directional strokes of warm grey IV. Increase
the shadows in the white, if necessary.

Step 4
t
1 Continue to add generous layers,
considering lights and darks. I ‘tickled’
small amounts of Van Dyke brown and
dark sepia into the black areas to create
subtle warmth in the face, as warm
colours come forward. An even gentler
application of Van Dyke brown was
needed to warm the shadows of the
white areas.
2 Complete the nose simply by following
the rules of tonal value, working from
the lights towards the darks.
3 Having used warmer colours in the
foreground, you are now able to use
slightly cooler colours on the neck and
shoulder, which will help those areas
recede visually – cooler colours go back.
If you have the optional colours, Payne’s
grey, cold grey IV and tactful applications
of dark indigo can be added to the black
and darker areas. This is very effective,
but add the colour with care so it is
not too obvious.
t
Step 5
To change the artwork even further from the
original reference, I added a branch. To do
this, I painted the shape using Art Spectrum
Colourfix Pastel Primer (burgundy colour),
which, when applied thickly, is quite textural.
Golden also makes a Pastel Primer. It is
not essential to do this, as a branch can
be drawn easily using coloured pencil or
pastel, however, once the pastel primer was
completely dry, I was able to drag a couple of
pastels over my branch, which caught on the
raised textures and a rough, realistic branch
was the result, with very little effort.
Step 6
t
1 Random, green soft pastels were added

and smudged together to create the
background around the badger. If you have
a good dense layer of coloured pencil on
your actual subject, the pastel is repelled to
a certain degree. However, do work carefully.
2 Once the pastel background has been
completed, go back around the edges of your
badger, reinforcing its ‘hairiness’. Do use a
sharp coloured pencil for this and a well-
sharpened coloured pencil to add the whiskers.
Coloured pencil works very effectively over
pastel and so is ideal for the final touches
when the two media have been combined.
Linda Hampson
Linda is a coloured pencil and
pastel pencil artist and tutor, based
in the South West. She teaches regular
classes in: Sidmouth, Lyme Regis;
The Meeting House, Ilminster; and
at The Old Kennels, Dunkeswell. She
exhibits with her local art groups as
well as with South West Society of
Botanical Artists and The Wildlife
Artists Society International. She
can be contacted on email at
linda.hampson702@btinternet.com
t
The finished artwork Badger, coloured pencil and pastel, 1212⁄ x812⁄ in. (32x22cm)

In perspective
Part 2 Discover a new way of looking at the landscape as Christine Pybus
demonstrates how you can exploit linear perspective in your work
t
Sketch of Girls on Napier Pier, you would probably give up reading
oil on board, 6x8in. (16x20cm). This LEARNING OBJECTIVES well before the end of the first page.
painting helps to illustrate exactly n How to understand and work Linear perspective, however, is
how perspective fits into the landscape. with linear perspective everywhere. It is in landscapes and
I painted this without any prior seascapes, and even in the sky – and it’s
drawing, using only brushmarks and n Practise oil-painting techniques also our friend. It is an invaluable tool to
a knowledge of perspective. There are add depth and distance to our paintings,
two very distinct types of marks on this create a structure to work to, and even
sketch; a combination of horizontals
and verticals, which creates a series of
two-dimensional flat planes, exactly
like a stage set. Completely separate
to those are the three-dimensional
Y ou certainly wouldn’t be judged for
thinking that linear perspective is
something that only professionals
use, but certainly is not for the amateur
painter, or that it is the sort of subject
to help us enjoy painting those large,
empty and intimidating foregrounds.
The following are, as ever, not rules
to be adhered to at all costs, but simply
to know and to have in mind during
perspective lines, which converge at
a (vanishing) point on the horizon and artists wearing berets and smocks discuss, the painting process.
link all those planes together. They likely over a glass of merlot in a trendy We all need a plan when beginning
guide exactly the size and width of bohemian wine bar. Well, should I be a painting and, by considering the
each of the upright posts and turn a persuaded to write on architectural perspective, you gain a framework from
series of two-dimensional marks into perspective, on using multiple vanishing the outset, which guides you through
a three-dimensional picture. points and varying eye levels, it would the process from the extreme foreground
indeed take up this entire magazine and to the most distant background.

t
Storm Clouds at Sea, Kettleness,
oil on board, 912⁄ x11in. (24x28cm).
A general rule is: if looking up at a
building, the nearest rooftop is the highest
point; looking down on it, it’s the lowest
one. Trusting to the vanishing point on
the horizon will, however, draw it all
for you. That simple device used here
on the barn gives the illusion of being
on a hill looking down.
Taken a stage further, it can also

be manipulated and used to dramatic
effect. In the work of Stanley Spencer
(1891-1959), for instance, who was
a master of perspective, we the
viewer are left effortlessly floating
in mid-air and looking down upon
his landscapes, without so much
as questioning the fact. I hope the
following helps you add more
depth to your landscapes. LP
Breakfast on Napier Beach, oil on
t
board, 6x8in. (16x20cm). This is another

of my rapid little travelling sketches, which,
on the face of it, has little to do with linear
perspective. Without it, however, the
foreground would simply be a flat two-
dimensional block. All marks lead roughly
to the pinnacle on the horizon and
t
diminish in size as they recede.

Oils
Demonstration Springtime on Sandsend Beach

This is perspective working at its simplest, A NOTE ON COLOURS
on a flat plane and with a level horizon. Rowney emerald is not essential, but is my quality colour is more affordable. Also note
With a little practice and bearing these latest discovery and used for deck chairs, that the thicker Roberson’s or Mike Harding’s
rules in mind far more complex scenes awnings and distant figures! Student titanium white are preferable choices.
can easily be achieved.
You will need

n Surface
l Gesso-primed MDF, 12x15in.
(30x38cm) with a thin wash of
burnt sienna or ground colour
of your choice. Alternatively,
use oil board, pad or canvas
n Rosemary & Co brushes
l Three long flat hog oil
brushes, Nos. between
2 and 6
l Rigger No. 2
l Watercolour type brush
No. 2
n Daler- Rowney Artists’ oils
l Naples yellow 1
l Lemon yellow (hue)
l Yellow ochre
l Raw sienna
l Burnt sienna
l Light red
l Ultramarine blue
l Cerulean blue
l Cobalt violet t
Step 1
l Rowney emerald 1 With a few loose brushmarks suggest the the horizon. Lower the eye level and the
l Titanium white horizon at or around thirds then directly in figure will appear as a child, raise it by any
n Miscellaneous front of you add a vanishing point (the red distance and you’ll have yourself a giant.
l A large, clean cloth mark). Next, either literally or in your head 3 Add lines for the water’s edge and those
l Turpentine or Sansodor to describe a series of random lines similar to diminishing waves, incorporating a few
keep the brushes clean only, drawing a clock face, all running to that point. undulations. Next add a few lines to suggest the
not used for mixing 2 Add a few loosely suggested figures, noting cliffs, noting that the top and bottom of each
that no matter how distant the figure, their eye promontory follows those perspective lines.
level is always approximately the same and on Even at this stage, the depth and distance on
what is in reality a flat two-dimensional board
are obvious and you have a framework
to guide you through the rest of the picture.
Step 2
t
1 Having decided on the direction of light,

right to left, suggest the shadow areas. Note
that the cliff shadow will also roughly follow
the perspective lines.
2 Establish the cloud shadows. Whilst it
isn’t necessary to fit clouds in between them,
the width of the perspective lines will give
a good indication of their scale as they head
off into the far yonder.
3 The brushmarks suggesting footprints
and sand undulations not only follow the
perspective lines to an extent, but also
diminish in size as they do. Establish
a few to guide you at the latter stages.
4 Add a few of the lightest lights, to help
judge the tone of the subsequent marks.
You now have the framework ready to get
the painting blocked in, which essentially
means filling in the gaps.
Christine Pybus
Visit www.pybusfineart.co.uk for details
of Christine’s work and classes.

Oils
Step 3
t
1 Working in a jigsaw-like manner, cover the board whilst
resisting at all costs that burning temptation to finish a bit.
Work quickly around the figures; they can be tidied up later.
2 Rough in the sky, working from dark at the nearby top to
light at the distant bottom. That’s aerial perspective
(see last month’s issue).
3 Add a few marks to indicate the light catching the tops
of the cliff and those cascading down across the beach.
The delicate balancing act of establishing the horizon tone
can now begin; it is in general much darker than the sky.
Too light and it’ll disappear; too dark and it will dominate.
4 Add the waves larger in the foreground, diminishing
along with those perspective lines.
5 Now using larger brushmarks in the foreground, begin to
add the lighter colours. Placing marks next to each other like
this will create the hard sharpness and the sparkle that sand
and stones have. Blending and overworking will quickly
create a muddy, soft, marshmallow-like effect.
t Step 4
With the board or canvas now covered, 2 Fill in gaps between the marks on the 3 Add a couple of distant lighthouses and yachts
what appears too dark or where more flashes sand, holding the brush flat for the larger – leaning over to suggest that it’s a breezy day –
of light are needed will become obvious. foreground marks and on its side for the then tidy up those figures. If they’re too stocky,
1 Tone down the cloud shadows, the shadow smaller distant ones. Leave some of the burnt paint out unwanted bits using the sand colour
below the wave crests and those on the sienna base colour sparkling through too; then, just to accentuate them, add a few
cliffs and beach. the less blending the better. touches of bright colour, such as red or green.
t
The finished painting Springtime on Sandsend Beach, oil on board, 12x15in. (30x38cm)

Watercolour
Watercolour basics
and beyond
Part 11 David Webb continues his series on watercolour
techniques with a look at how to use masking fluid
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n How to apply masking
fluid and when
I n the previous issue I talked about
lifting out as a way of creating
highlights and light areas. I use this
method extensively, especially when
which is used to block out areas to retain
the white of the paper (or a previously
applied wash). It can be applied to the
paper surface in a variety of ways,
n
I am trying to create an overall softness including painting it on with a brush,
Paint crashing waves on to the painting. It can be quite laborious using a ruling pen or even a small stick.
a rocky shoreline though so, if you have quite a number I usually apply it with a brush, but, a word
n Practise wet-on-wet and of small details to reserve, there are of warning, masking fluid dries quickly on
wet-on-dry techniques other options available. contact with the air. Once dry, it is difficult
Masking fluid is a liquid latex solution, to remove it completely from brushes.
Why use it?

I prefer to paint a watercolour without
having to use masking fluid. However,
there are some occasions where it does
make life easier. In the painting,
Shimmering Light, Paignton Pier (left)
the light effect on the water surface would
have been very difficult to achieve without
it. As well as applying masking fluid to
the sea area, I used it on the highlights
on the pier and also on the flags. LP
TIP To avoid the risk of ruining

your favourite brushes, keep one or
two old ones aside just for this purpose.
I have put a piece of brightly coloured
insulation tape on the handles of my
masking fluid brushes. If the tape’s
not there, I don’t use that brush!
Shimmering Light, Paignton Pier,

t
watercolour on 200lb (425gsm) Bockingford

NOT watercolour paper, 6½x10in. (16x25cm)
TECHNIQUE
If you’ve never used masking fluid, it’s a good idea to practise on some scrap paper first
1 Using an old brush, make random 2 Dilute paint to make a wash and brush 3 When the wash is completely dry, rub off
marks and allow them to dry. it over the marks you’ve just made. the masking fluid with the tip of your finger
to reveal the unpainted marks beneath.

Watercolour
Demonstration Seascape
For this demonstration painting I chose a simple seascape scene, which
features rocks and waves. As you will discover, it would be tricky to paint
this scene without a little help from the masking fluid. Before you begin,
prop your board up at an angle of 20 degrees to the horizontal.
You will need

n Paper n Brushes n Miscellaneous
l Bockingford NOT l One large Round l 3B to 5B pencil
200lb (425gsm) l One small Round l Mixing palette
n
watercolour paper, Watercolour with large wells
l Board
l
7½x11in. (19x28cm) Cobalt blue
l Masking tape
l Alizarin crimson
taped around all
l Water
l Raw sienna
four edges to a board
l Kitchen towel
l Burnt sienna t
Step 1
Carefully draw the outline in pencil.
t
Step 2 t
Step 3
1 Apply masking fluid to the white 2 While the masking fluid is drying, Starting at the top, brush cobalt blue into
water areas. Although it is just visible dilute your colours separately in the the sky area. When you reach the horizon
in this photo, you can clearly see mixing wells of your palette. pick up a little raw sienna and brush this
where I masked out these areas if you 3 Now brush clean water over the into the sea area. Do this while the paper
look at Step 7. entire surface of the paper. is still wet to get a soft, overall wash.
Step 4
t
Keep working
down the paper,
alternating cobalt
blue with raw
sienna. You
should end up
with a light toned
foundation wash.
You’ll note that
the paint tends
to bead on the
areas where the
masking fluid has
been applied. If
you like, you can
soak this off with
a piece of kitchen
roll. Allow this
first wash to dry.
t

Watercolour
Demonstration
continued
Step 5
t
1 The next wash will be on dry

paper. You may find that you
need to strengthen your colours
a little.
2 Leave the sky as it is and start
painting from the horizon down.
Again, start with cobalt blue and
add raw sienna as you paint
left to right.
3 When you reach the rocks
on the right, load your brush
with burnt sienna and paint
right across the rocks.
4 Return to the sea area and
continue with cobalt blue and
raw sienna until you reach
the bottom of the paper.
Allow this wash to dry.
t
Step 6 t
Step 7
Carefully rub away the masking fluid with your fingertip. This photo shows the areas where masking fluid has been applied.
Make sure that you don’t leave any bits behind. It is tempting to leave the fluid on until the end, however, you can see
that it leaves quite a harsh
outline. By removing the
mask at this mid stage of the
painting, you can blend it
in with subsequent washes
to soften its appearance.
Step 8
t
1 Starting at the horizon,

add darker shapes to the
water with blends of cobalt
blue and raw sienna.
2 When you reach the white
areas, use weaker versions
of these mixes to add shadows
in the wave areas and soften
the edges.
3 When you get to the rocks,
paint dark shadows with
mixes of cobalt blue and
burnt sienna with a little
alizarin crimson in places.
4 Carry on with the shapes in
the waves just below the rocks.

t
Step 9
For the darker wave shapes in the foreground, of cobalt blue.
I used a mix of cobalt blue with a little alizarin 2 You can see in the final painting that there David Webb
crimson to create a purple for the shadows. are a lot fewer white areas visible than when Find out about David’s work,
I first removed the masking fluid. On most of workshops and demonstrations by
t Step 10 the white flecks on the water surface I added visiting www.davidwebbart.co.uk.
1 In the immediate foreground I used a wash a weak wash of cobalt blue and raw sienna.
t
The finished painting Seascape, watercolour on Bockingford NOT 200lb (425gsm) watercolour paper, 7½x11in. (19x28cm)

Be inspired
Painting wild
Part 1 Look inside the sketchbooks of wildlife artist Julie Askew
to understand how she sketches and paints her subjects in the wild
t
The artist painting Mountain Gazelle and Acacia Trees under canvas t
The Arabian oryx, the subject of my study in the Al Wusta Wildlife Reserve
LEARNING OBJECTIVES A sketching kit at hand. This was a great privilege and
My sketching materials need to be I was determined to make the most of it.
n How to sketch moving animals lightweight and sturdy for such a trip. Due to poaching, the oryx became
The sketchbooks are always Pink Pig extinct in the wild in the 1970s, but
n How to fill a wildlife sketchbook International. They have good, tough with hard work and dedication, a great
n Simple sketching techniques cartridge paper that takes watercolour conservation success story developed
or acrylics well. I always use a 6x6in. and now there are steady numbers in
I t is always great to go on a field trip,

gathering relevant reference for future
paintings. Which kind of trip you do
will depend on the paintings you have in
mind. It could be a day out to your local
sketchbook as this fits in a pocket or
tucks in a belt. A fibre-tipped sketching
pen fits perfectly in the ring binding of
Pink Pigs and these sketchbooks are
lovely looking as a bonus.
this huge reserve.
Working life
Once in the field – a 5am start – and
having located a herd of oryx, I always
farm, river, or perhaps a longer trip and I use a travel watercolour set with start by observing carefully and
even further afield to find a specific pans of colours that I select, rather than familiarising myself with the animals.
location or subject. those that come with it. My usual palette I had seen Arabian oryx before, but not
I am just back from a month-long Lifeline is: cadmium red, cadmium yellow, lemon in their natural habitat. These animals
expedition to the Sultanate of Oman in yellow, sap green, bright green, yellow were constantly on the move, pacing,
Arabia. This trip was set up to explore the ochre, cobalt blue, turquoise, burnt chasing and eating; they are a great
rare wildlife and fragile environment of umber and violet. There are also a couple challenge for sketching.
the region and included encounters with of extra unidentified browns that could When you are in the field with
the local Bedouin people. be useful as back up and a funny-looking antelopes it is important to work quickly
green that is also nameless. and constantly, and observe carefully how
My brushes are a mix of types, Round their anatomy works. As you can see in
and flat of various sizes and makes. I do my sketchbook (over the page), I focused
not use pure sable after being advised on the head and back legs, the two tricky
to buy a full set when I was a student parts of the animals that needed the most
and finding that the expensive tips lasted attention, and to complement, I made
about a month. I prefer to use and full body studies, too.
replace cheaper ones on a regular basis. The Al Wusta Wildlife Reserve is not
just home to the Arabian oryx, but also
My subject to many other species of mammals, birds,
The main subject of study on the Oman insects and reptiles. The mountain gazelle
expedition was the Arabian oryx (above). and reem or sand gazelle were regular
Through Lifeline we had special viewings and great subjects to capture
permission to stay at the Al Wusta Wildlife in the sketchbook (above right).
t
Julie’s watercolour sketching kit is easy Reserve and observe the oryx each day I sketched everything I saw, happily and
to pack and carry with the reserve manager and biologist rapidly filling the pages; I know their

A sketchbook page of mountain gazelle
t
and the surroundings

value once I am back in the studio.
A sketchbook is very personal and brings
back moments in time to the sketcher –
and circumstances like smells, temperature,
sounds and all things that were happening
at the time of the sketch. This memory-
refresher will translate into your studio
paintings, bringing valuable extra life to
your work.
Painting in the field

Part of fieldwork is painting en plein air
and here in Oman it was important
to create some plein-air paintings for
reference. Painting in the heat of the stony
desert has its own challenges and requires
a bit of shade so I set up my sturdy and
lightweight Jakar easel under a canopy,
with a great view of acacias and mountain
gazelle (left). Although I paint en plein air
in acrylics, I have never had an issue with
the paints drying too fast and, as such,
have never needed a stay-wet palette. I use
a ring-binder sleeve with a piece of white
paper inside and either a cardboard or thin
wood board to keep it firm. The secret to
not having paint dry out is to work with
smallish dollops of colour and work fairly
thick and very fast. This theory was tested
in Oman’s intense dry heat so working
fast was the good and only option.
Painting en plein air is normally
completed in an hour. After two hours
the light direction will have changed
significantly and you end up wasting
time chasing the light.
The painting
I love the acacia trees, their shapes are
wonderful and the one I had before me
(right) was no exception. I started painting
using a base colour of cadmium red and
yellow ochre. This gives quite a startling
base, but it hints through a painting with
a warm glow, which you can allow more
or less, depending on preference and
subject. Here you can see it, particularly
in the tree and also a little in the sky.
I wanted to convey the feeling of intense
heat, so having the base come through
was intentional in this piece. The delicate
mountain gazelles can be found under
the trees in the heat of the day, their
distinctive shapes give life to the hot
desert landscape.
Oman was an artist’s dream for subjects
with the contrasts of the stony desert, the
ocean, the dunes of the sandy desert and
the dizzying heights of the mountains.
I was finished, with the research collected,
sketchbooks and plein-air paintings
completed, film and sounds recorded and
notes taken. Lifeline will now compile all
the research and as the Lifeline artist, I will
produce paintings from my fieldwork.
Next month I will take you step by step
through the painting of an Arabian oryx
back in the studio, inspired by my plein-air
sketches. In the meantime, remember, you
don’t have to be in a wild location to enjoy t
Mountain Gazelle and Acacia Trees, acrylic on illustration board, 10x12in. (25x30.5cm).
fieldwork. My sketching this week will Creating the impression of heat has its challenges and making the most of stark contrast helps
probably be of the stunning rapeseed here. The desert is so pale and the tree and shadow so dark that it is natural to try to soften
the contrast, but as is usually the case, it is necessary to paint exactly what you see.
t
fields of Warwickshire! LP

Be inspired
Demonstration Arabian oryx sketch

As you can see from this demonstration, I often indicate in lines the simple shapes
as guides, especially when studying certain parts of an animal, like the heads.
Sketching is not about being perfect. It is about gathering information and useful
shapes and poses that you can use back in the studio as reference for your painting.
It is important to sketch everything, keep them all and not to worry if they don’t work
out. Even the most frustrating sketch can turn out to be useful back in the studio.
Step 1 Observation
t
1 I worked first in pen. In my mind I was thinking simple shapes:
small oblong for head and large one for body. Observing carefully,
I sketched the animal’s shape, not looking at specifics until the
basics are in place. Once I was satisfied with the shape of the oryx,
I turned my attention to the details, such as the brown markings
on the striking pale body and the shape of the tail or the hooves.
2 The horns needed special attention, as it is easy to make them
too long or bend too much. Having the privilege to study different
herds, it became clear that there is much variety in the shape
of the horns, but there is a general length for an adult and
a general curve, which is slight and backward.
t Step 2
1 Shadow colour shape of the animal so they needed 2 Grounding the subject
I usually add colour on location or straight to be in the right place. I usually give Next was a light wash of ground colour; here it was
afterwards whilst I still remember. I began myself a light pen shaded tone in yellow ochre, cadmium red and burnt umber. As this
this oryx sketch with a wash mix of cobalt the shadow area, placing it correctly is a sketch and not a full painting, I didn’t worry if
blue and a touch of burnt umber and whilst the animal is still in front of me. the colour flowed over another sketch. Often I allow
placed the shadows on the body. These are Whether or not I add colour to that colours to spread over other sketches or around
important shadows, as they give the muscle sketch can then be decided later. them, depending on what I want to emphasise.

Be inspired
t
Step 3
1 At this point, I gave a nice flat, pale
cobalt blue wash around the animal to
meet the ground, setting the oryx into his
location. A cast shadow of burnt umber,
cadmium red and cobalt blue then fixed
him to the floor. Flat washes are a matter
of practice. A big, well-loaded brush and
working with your paper at a slight angle
allows gravity to help the paint.
2 My attention then turned to the animal’s
markings. Note the distinctive dark on the
face and legs and the lines down the neck
and on the belly; I used a blend of cobalt
blue and burnt umber. Putting these
markings in place brings the sketch to life.
Step 4
t
The final touch was a wash of yellow

ochre over the entire body. Arabian oryx
are not as white as they may appear –
and as we all know, there is no such thing
as white! Oryx are born ochre in colour
then gradually pale off as they mature.
They always have a slight golden glow,
however, which adds to their majesty.
Julie Askew
Find out more about Julie and
her work with Lifeline by visiting
www.lifelineart.org t
The finished sketchbook page

Water-soluble media
t
Two reference photographs of the apple trees taken in daylight
t
Moonlight and blossom

How to plan and paint a moonlit image of blossom from photos
taken during the day and composition sketches, by Linda Birch
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n How to translate a photo taken in
daylight into a night scene
n How to paint the effects of darkness
n How to paint the effect of
moonlight
I have four fruit trees, each celebrating

a birth in our family. This spring
produced a bounteous amount of
blossom on each of these trees. They
were so loaded with flowers they
appeared as if covered in a white froth.
At the request of a reader, I want to
show you how to paint the subject by
moonlight. To do this meant trips into
the garden whenever the moon
appeared (to the mystification of the
night prowling cats) and observing
its effect on the fruit blossom.
Unfortunately, there were not too
many moonlit nights, it was very cold
and I couldn’t see to paint so it was
a bit difficult! However, I was interested
t
‘Rough’ planning drawings for the composition to try this exercise.
t

Water-soluble media
Observation the result would have been a very Rough designs

The chief aim, as with any attempt to tedious-looking painting. When you The working out of the composition
paint from nature, is to look. Looking paint, the result should not be exactly of a picture is crucial to its success.
is the most important element in the as a photograph; after all what is the It is where your ideas are found in
business of drawing and painting. This point? Why not take a photograph, terms of balance of shapes and, most
is the way a visual memory is created, which after all is a creative field in importantly, the weight of tones. Tonal
and that enables an artist to recall itself, and have done with it. Besides weight is about how the light, medium
shape, tone and colour. I looked. I tried the camera lens in no way resembles and dark tones are distributed. To plan
to remember what I could of the effect our eyesight. The image a camera sees a ‘rough’ (far left) – which, despite its
of the moon’s light and its resulting will translate into many more solid name, is probably the most important
range of lights and darks and, too, blacks, whereas our more sensitive stage of picture making – I used a soft
the diminution and near absence of eyes can see a range of darks and near pencil and worked within several small
colours. I made written notes directly darks that are much more subtle than drawn rectangles, which made the
after seeing the scene, as I wasn’t the image that a camera lens records. process quicker. The pencil not only
able to see to draw on the spot. So, having tried to record in various drew outlines, but also shapes of
What I remembered seeing was ways what I wanted to paint, I first tone, where the lights and dark would
a monochromatic effect that rendered had to decide on the medium. appear to create a good balance.
the trees a black-green dark, except for I chose watercolour. Making a painting sometimes requires
light cast on the shinier surfaces of the The next step was planning the changes, and however carefully I plan
new leaves and the lawn. The leaves composition, which means finding the a picture, the plan almost always
surrounding the flowers appeared shapes that will enhance the theme of needs tweaking or sometimes
greenish black. The blossom, however, the picture by providing structure and changing as the painting progresses.
glowed bluish white in the moonlight. contrast, and provide an interesting In my painting, Moonlight and Blossom
All colour was cool so there were a lot visual journey around the painting. (top of page 62), I added the wire
of blue hues present in the colouring. Composition is about aesthetics and netting as a reverse counterchange
It was useless taking photographs at what looks right; it is about the use to the blossoms, which were light
night since the camera would render of straight shapes and curved ones, shapes against dark leaves, whereas
everything black, or would try to light and balancing these shapes within the the netting was a round set of shapes
the scene with flash. To solve the picture, together with tone and colour. that were dark against the night sky.
problem of the reference I needed Oh, and I added a bat!
for detail I took photographs of the Reference materials
scene in daylight then worked out These are the photographs (above left Materials
my painting from that and from what and above) I used as reference for the Surface I used a piece of stretched
I had remembered. blossom paintings. I took several shots cartridge paper, as I wanted a smooth
including a close-up picture of the way surface. Hot-pressed paper would
Ideas the blossoms were distributed over the also be suitable.
The next decision to make was how tree. I decided against painting the Colours Phthalo blue, burnt sienna,
to tackle the subject. If I put down the whole of the tree, as the impact of cadmium yellow deep and a little rose
literal black and near black hues I saw, madder. A tube of white gouache and
t
the pale blossoms would be lost.

Moonlight and Blossom,
t
watercolour, 6x5in. (15x12cm)
a white correction pen were also used.

Brushes Large mop or wash brush for
laying washes; No. 8 sable Round; No.
4 Rigger; and No. 3 manmade Round
brush for using with the gouache.
Working process
1 Having loosely drawn the image
first, I laid a thin wash of phthalo blue,
avoiding the moon and some of the
blossoms facing the moonlight.
2 When dry I followed with a wash
of burnt sienna on the sky, the hedge
and the lawn.
3 When dry I laid another very thin
wash of cadmium yellow to warm the
moon’s glow slightly in the sky.
4 I began work on the blossom, using
more phthalo blue to shadow some
areas. I also added a little white gouache
to the petal edges. At this stage I decided
to use the correction pen instead of
gouache to create the moon; this gave
me more control over the shape.
5 The leaves were worked into using a
small amount of cadmium yellow added
to a large quantity of phthalo blue and
I added burnt sienna to the mix to create
the darker areas. The hedge was created
with burnt sienna and phthalo blue.
6 The fence post was a strong mix of
phthalo blue, burnt sienna and a little
rose madder. Finally, I made a grey by
mixing the yellow, brown, rose and blue
together and diluting it to create the
shed and the wire netting, and finally
I added the bat.
Japanese-inspired
The Japanese have a great affinity for
blossom and moons so using one of
the photographs as reference, I made
Moonlight and Blossom 2 (left) by
stretching a piece of green pastel paper
and using white gouache mixed with
watercolour to make thicker opaque
colours that would stand out on a darker
ground. I chose most of the colours
I used in the previous painting: burnt
sienna, phthalo blue, cadmium yellow
deep and white gouache.
This is a stylised way of painting
and is not naturalistic. I used elements
of realism and abstracted them by
simplifying the motifs into form
and pattern. LP
Moonlight and Blossom 2, watercolour

t
and gouache, 11x9in. (28x23cm). This was

inspired by a Japanese painting and was
based on photographic reference.
Linda Birch
Find out more about Linda
and her work by visiting
www.theartistlindabirch.co.uk

Watercolour and acrylic ink
Hedgerow harvest
Be inspired by early autumn hedgerows and a variety
of watercolour techniques, with Rachel McNaughton
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n Make experimental pieces
rather than finished paintings
You will need
l Acrylic ink in either sepia or burnt
umber (I use FW Acrylic Inks)
P ut plenty of paper on your table
so you can produce a number of
experimental pieces. The following
experiments could be used to work out
n Work with Clingfilm, acrylic l Watercolour paper
a suitable composition for a more finished
l Your usual watercolours
ink, masking fluid and painting with the help of either photos or
l Clingfilm
granulation medium real hedgerow plants, such as bindweed,
l A pipette or eyedropper
blackberries, hips and haws, honesty and
n Practise watercolour
l Granulation medium
colourful leaves. I indicate which colours I
techniques
l Masking fluid
used in each of the pieces, but I encourage
l Water spray
you to experiment with your own palette
as you work through these exercises.
Above all, enjoy your experiments as you
are inspired by the season and nature.
t
Clingfilm again
1 Paint a leaf shape using dark
green and deep yellow then drop
t
Clingfilm then scrunch up to create texture. orange in while all is still wet.
1 Add blue, purple and brown to Leave to dry. Again drop in sepia ink while
dry paper and allow the colours to 3 Apply a second layer of paint to the paint is still wet, followed
run together. Drop sepia ink into the suggest the shapes of leaves and by granulation medium.
wet paint, followed by a granulation plants. This is done using negative 2 Spread Clingfilm flat on the wet
medium from a pipette. Tip the paper painting, in other words, painting the paint and scrunch up to create
to allow the colours to run and spray spaces between the leaves rather than texture. This time have a leaf in
water into the drier areas to encourage the leaves themselves. Suggest shapes mind and try to use the scrunching
running. without filling a complete outline. to make appropriate marks that
2 Place Clingfilm flat on the wet paint Stop as soon as you can tell what it is. might suggest veining.
t

Masking fluid t Wet on dry
This is one way to tackle the plant, honesty. 1 Use the dropper to draw
1 Mask out the disc-shaped seed heads and squiggly marks then added raw
allow to dry. sienna and orange wet next
2 Use suitable colours to paint the background. to wet (on dry paper). Next
I used burnt umber, ultramarine and Winsor add the ink and granulation
violet. medium and move the colours
3 While wet, add acrylic ink and granulation about with a wet brush.
medium then tilt the paper to encourage 2 Add red berries and allow some
running. Use the water spray to encourage to run into the already wet paint.
dribbles and speckles. I used transparent pyrrol orange
4 Use the dropper from the ink bottle to draw and raw sienna for the berries.
lines to suggest stems and more seed heads 3 Paint the leaves using similar
anywhere that has an appropriate space! colours together with a dark
5 I finally splattered in transparent pyrrol orange. green. Let them merge into the
wet background colours.
Develop your style

t
1 If you prefer, begin by masking out the white bindweed flowers

and allow to dry. Using dark green, quinacridone gold, Winsor
violet and neutral tint paint the background quickly, allowing the
colour to run. Splatter colour from a paintbrush or toothbrush.
2 Add sepia ink and granulation medium and tip to make it run
and speckle. Then use the dropper from the ink to draw twigs.
3 Suggest leaves with negative painting, which mostly read as
leaves because of the veining painted with a fine brush.
4 Add red berries, as before. To make them look shiny, leave
a little white highlight. Make sure it is completely dry before
removing the masking from the flowers.
5 Create the hollow centres with ultramarine and a little light red
and paint a semicircle (more or less) in the middle. Use a damp
brush to fade the colour across the petal. One or two gently
curved lines in the same colour will suggest the rest of the shape.

The suggestion of light
1 Use ultramarine, Winsor violet, sparingly. Use the water spray to
moonglow and aureolin to make
a suggestion of sloes. Begin with the
encourage speckling.
3 Leave lots of white paper for light and
Rachel
berries. When you have completed suggest leaves with negative painting, McNaughton
three or four, drag a brush through adding the veins with a fine brush. Find out about Rachel, her
them to mess them up a little. 4 Finally, splatter with moonglow and work and classes by visiting
Add green or yellow, wet in wet. green, and add more berries wherever www.artbyrachel.co.uk
2 Add ink and granulation medium seems appropriate. LP

Oils and acrylics
Texture in context
Part 1 It is not as difficult to paint metal and glass as you think. Follow
Steve Strode’s advice on shape, colour and tone, and you won’t look back
LEARNING OBJECTIVES By painting the correct shapes, the elements. Remember though,
values and colours, the work we because you have a general idea of
n How to paint effects in oil and make should resemble the thing itself. what’s likely to happen, don’t assume
acrylics Mark Carder talks about painting your observations will have to be
n Develop your observational skills texture during one of his excellent any less intense.
free painting demonstrations of Next month we’ll have a go at
n Learn from the Old Masters peaches and a silver bowl. ‘I’m not painting a still life that will include
thinking, does this look like the skin glass and metal in a step-by-step
of a peach, or do I see the fuzz on acrylic demonstration. While we can’t
T he American painter, Kevin

McPherson, once recalled
exhibiting a portrait painting
called, Man with a Gold Tooth.
‘A woman at the exhibition asked
the surface? Once you get your
canvas covered and the values are
right, it will look like a peach. I’m
simply making value decisions, and
this goes for fabric or anything else.’
really prepare for painting glass, as
we’re effectively painting everything
but the object itself, you can practise
mixing paint for metal. It’s amazing
what you can achieve with a couple
me: ‘Did you use real gold paint for While McPherson’s and Carder’s of tubes of paint so until next month
his tooth? Well I couldn’t let that go approaches are not unusual in play around with just burnt umber,
by. ‘Of course,’ I said. The truth is showing that painting texture ultramarine blue and white, and
the painting was done with a palette can indeed be done using practise mixing the basics, and look
of only yellow, red, blue and white.’ ordinary colours, this must also carefully at the colour, tone and
In situations like this, where the be supplemented with a keen shape of the objects around you.
surface texture is more obvious, sense of observation.
we can sometimes be left doubting
whether the paints we have are up Practice
to the job or not. If you think further Working from photographs is heavily 1 OBSERVATION
about it, however, everything we dependent on their quality to record Observation here implies actually
paint has texture of some sort. It’s the nuances of value, colour and seeing deeply rather than just having
only when we are faced with what edges so paint small and often from a quick look. The longer you look, the
we perceive as the more difficult life. Painting still-life subjects is great keener your eye becomes at identifying
surfaces, such as water, metal or for controlling the environment and the abstract shapes within any object.
glass, we tend to overthink our tailoring it to suit your learning Really look and the value relationships,
response and run into problems. outcomes. Have enough of these colours, shapes and their quality
One way of avoiding those under your belt and you’ll know what of edges will all help you interpret
problems is not to paint things at all, to expect when painting outdoors the object.
but just paint their shapes instead. where you’ll have less control over Observation is key and the good
news is you can practise this even when
you’re not painting. Take time out to
examine whatever you’re thinking about
painting. Look at the shiny metal toaster
or glass of water, and see how it reflects
the light and objects close to it. Look at
the lightest lights, the darkest darks and
their edges, all the time thinking how
you’d interpret that in paint. It’s worth
remembering the advice of painter John
Singer Sargent here: ‘Cultivate an ever-
continuous power of observation. Be
continually making mental notes, make
them again and again, and test what
you remember by sketches until
you have got them fixed.’
When you’re ready to paint, before
you even put brush to canvas, stop and
look deeply. A little time spent here will
save you time in the long run and help
identify many of the painting challenges
you will face. Make notes, mental or on
paper, and ask yourself questions such
as: is the object or surface transparent,
reflective or opaque? Where is the light
coming from? How strong is it? How
t
Look Out…He’s Got a Knife, oil on card, 6x8in. (15x19cm). Like McPherson’s gold tooth, we warm or cool? What colour is the
don’t need special paints to produce special effects.

t
Speke Hall Bedroom, acrylic on card, 6x8in. (15x20cm). Everything we paint deals with texture and surface.
t
Two Apples and a Knife, oil on board, Houston... We Have a Problem, acrylic
t
6x8in. (15x20cm) on card, 8x6in. (20x15cm)
surface? All of these factors and more edges, the textures should take care
will help determine the quality of the of themselves.
texture you see. Although we can expect certain things
Take the salt cellar as an example of to happen when we paint surfaces that
these painting challenges (right). The are transparent, reflective or opaque,
glass is transparent at the top where it is we still need to observe the subject There’s no formula other than to
empty, opaque where it contains salt, and keenly. Paint what you see, not you’re observe anew each time. For instance,
reflects light on the glass and on the metal expecting to see. I use the same knife in different still-
top. In theory, if I make equivalent marks When it comes to making a new life paintings, but change one or more
in the right place, with the right value, painting, even of the same subject, of the factors mentioned and I achieve
colour, size and shape with their various each one will be different than the last. a very different result.
t

Oils and acrylics
2 METAL
The reflections we see on any surface are
influenced by the shape of that object.
A flat mirror image, for instance, reflects
shapes that are generally the same as the
object. Change the surface shape of the
mirror and you change the appearance of
the reflections. If you’ve ever been in the
hall of mirrors you’ll know that reflections
depend on the shape of the mirror.
The same rule more or less also applies
to metal objects where the shape of the
object will distort any reflection. In
painting, this has the added bonus of
helping create the illusion of form. The
reflected image on metal objects will also
vary in intensity. The edges, values and
colour of highly reflective surfaces can
be more defined than those same
reflections on a less reflective surface,
where they’ll be more subtle.
The colours of the reflections are
also influenced by the local colour of
the metal object itself. A highly reflective
metal will affect the colour only a little
compared to say burnished metals, such
as brass, copper or that gold tooth. These
less reflective metals have more of their
local colour, which will influence any
reflected image.
t
Breakfast is Served, oil on card, 6x6in.
(15x15cm). The texture is painted using
predominantly ultramarine blue, burnt
umber and white. The dull metal reflections
t
Sixteenth Century Half Suit of Armour After Richard Parkes Bonington’s oil study from on the armour are more subdued than the
1865, acrylic on paper, 6x9in. (15x23cm) highly polished surface on the egg cup.
COLOUR AND TONE

Mixing equal measures of blue and
brown will give us a really dark value
paint, which can be lightened with
white. The top row shows ultramarine
blue and burnt umber. Below is
a mix of the two to make a dark. This
has white added to check we have
a neutral dark that is neither too brown
nor too blue. This swatch of colours
alters the temperature by leaning the
dark mix to a cooler blue or a warmer
brown. The final row adds white to any
of these mixes to give a range of values.
The image of the tubes of paint were
made with just these colours.

Oils and acrylics
3 GLASS t
Jam Packed, oil on paper, 7x9ins.
If you’re painting glass that is clear, (18x23cm)
you are effectively painting Glen Moray, oil on card of a whiskey
t
everything but the glass so deep box. 6x9in. (8x15cm)

observation is key. Here, the colour
of a glass is determined by what’s in reflects. Like metal, however, this
it, around it, behind it and what it will change if the glass is coloured.
4 COPY THE MASTERS

Make it part of your observation
to copy work that explores the
same subject that you’re trying
to master in paint. When it
comes to copying other artists,
make sure the piece you work
from is of high quality.
The artsandculture.google.com
website is a great resource with
outstanding images of master
paintings. It allows you to search
individual artists and has a zoom
feature that takes you right up
to the very weave of the canvas.
Learn from the Masters is an old
adage, but immensely beneficial
to follow. LP
A detail from my copy of

t
the 1743 painting Mr and Mrs

Atherton, after Arthur Devis,
acrylic on paper, 8x7in. (20x8cm)
Steve Strode
Find out more about Steve
and his work by visiting
www.stevestrode.com. If you
have any questions about
this article, please email
him through his website.

Acrylics
t
Chilly Morning, Tissington, Golden fluid acrylic on Sennelier 140lb Rough watercolour paper, 10x14in. (25.5x35.5cm)
Weather report
Part 6 In the final part of his series, Tim Fisher discusses how
to paint winter scenes and skies using his favourite acrylics
late evening when room lights come a subject. The odd flash of yellow from
LEARNING OBJECTIVES on, yet it’s too early to draw the a street lamp or lit window helps to
n How to paint snow scenes curtains, casting pools of light onto add a little warmth to the picture. For
and winter skies a snowy landscape. Choosing a moonlit Water Lane, Frisby I began with the
scene as I have in Water Lane, Frisby following range of Sennelier Abstract
n Colours for painting nocturnes (above right), the painting can often acrylic paints: azure blue, primary
n Practise the watercolour be down to the artist’s impression of yellow, yellow ochre, burnt sienna,
technique with acrylics the setting. Taking photographs at night cadmium red light hue, titanium white
requires a good camera and possibly and Mars black. I drew out the scene
even a tripod, but the results are not onto mountcard with a fine waterproof
A fter one of the hottest summers

on record, let’s hope that we’re
not inundated with record levels
of inclement weather as the year draws
towards its end. Snowy scenes are
always satisfactory. It is worth looking
at how other artists portray night
scenes, such as John Atkinson
Grimshaw, Whistler or Turner. Each
has their own interpretation of a scene,
fibre-tipped pen This helps me to see
the subject as I apply layers of acrylic.
Using a mix of azure blue with a touch
of burnt sienna, I painted the upper
half of the subject going over the
a great subject to paint in acrylic; the often produced after many hours of buildings down to the roadway.
medium gives us opportunities to observation. I tend to work mostly with After lightening the colour with white
transform what would often be quite a cool colours, such as blues and greys. I finished by painting the lane. Once
mundane scene into something magical. Winter scenes work well, as the snow dry, I worked over the fronts of the
I like to paint subjects associated with provides greater tonal contrasts within buildings and right-hand wall with

Acrylics
t
Water Lane, Frisby, Sennelier Abstract acrylic on picture framer’s mountcard, 12x16in. (30.5x40.5cm)
diluted burnt sienna. I added the where the snow had become wet paper. This is one of the reasons I tend
moon with a halo and dry brushed puddles on the surface. to favour cotton rag-based papers, as
darker clouds into the upper sky. they are tougher and will take more
For the next stage I created a mix of Watercolour technique punishment.
azure blue, burnt sienna and a touch of My second painting is Chilly Morning, I wetted the entire sky area with a very
red. I simplified and added the profiles Tissington (above left). I visited this diluted wash of yellow ochre into which
of the distant buildings then painted the village in the late spring and so a little I introduced patches of ultramarine
shadow sides of the chimneys, gable end imagination was required to visualise mixed with permanent violet dark to
of the building and the near hedge. it as a snow scene. The tree on the create a cloudy sky, reserving any areas
I added detail onto the strolling figure left was just a stump so I decided to of white paper. Once dry, the trees were
and the dog. After completing the resurrect it to its former glory. The painted with a mix of ultramarine and
streetlamp, I indicated areas where the whole subject was drawn in pencil ochre using a fine Rigger. Darker areas
snow had begun to melt on the lane. onto Sennelier Rough 140lb watercolour were introduced by adding Payne’s grey
Taking the primary yellow with a touch paper. I decided to use colours from the to the mix.
of white, I added light to the lamp and Golden fluid acrylic range, exploiting The buildings and stone walls were
a pool of light in the snow plus all the their transparency and treating this painted with burnt sienna mixed with
windows down the street. subject mostly as a watercolour: Payne’s yellow ochre. In some areas I added
Using white with a touch of blue, grey, permanent violet dark, burnt diluted violet into the wet wash. For the
I described the snow-covered rooftops sienna, ultramarine blue, Hansa yellow shadows I washed over the dry paint
and top of the wall along the street. medium, yellow ochre, quinacridone with a combination of ultramarine and
I made up a large fairly fluid mix of red and titanium white. violet. To finish Payne’s grey was used
Mars black and burnt sienna then using The advantage of using acrylics is for the windowpanes and other darks.
a fine Raphael Kaerell brush proceeded that once dry they do not lift when I hope you have enjoyed this series on
to paint the large foreground trees on subsequent washes are applied, keeping painting the effects of weather in acrylics
the right. I added another tree to the left the painting clean and bright. A slight and found that different types of acrylics
to give the painting balance. To finish, disadvantage is that once dry, edges are offer the opportunity to explore different
a few icicles were added using white very difficult to remove. The only way weather effects. Remember, changing
mixed with blue followed by some cast I have found is to use one of the dense painting styles adds an exciting extra
shadows for the lamp and figure using white ‘magic’ washing-up sponges, element to this process. I hope you
black mixed with burnt sienna. though care must be taken not to inflict enjoy following the final demonstration
t
Reflections were added into the road too much damage to the surface of the over the page. LP

Acrylics
Demonstration
Snowy Lane, Frisby
I like working acrylics in more of a watercolour style.
This works well for snow scenes as not so much
effort is required to reserve all the white paper.
Instead, white acrylic paint can be added later to
enhance the scene. Acrylics that are easily diluted
work well. Acrylic inks can be a little on the bright
side whereas Golden Fluid acrylics work really well
for the techniques I want to use here.
You will need

n Surface l Burnt sienna
l Sennelier 140lb Rough l Ultramarine blue
watercolour paper l Hansa yellow
13x17in. (33x43cm) medium
l Yellow ochre
n Golden Fluid acrylics
l Quinacridone red
l Payne’s grey
l Titanium white
l Permanent violet dark
t
Your reference photograph for Snowy Lane, Frisby
Step 1
t
1 I indicated the position of the tracked lane, the line of posts
flanking either side and the slope of the field with a 3B pencil.
2 Turning the paper sideways and vertical, I added copious
amounts of water downwards with a No. 6 squirrel brush.
3 Above the slope of the field I added strokes of yellow ochre
and quinacridone red, letting this run down the paper and
quickly followed by a large brushful of ultramarine, I let this
mix with the previous colours as they ran down the paper.
4 After letting the shine go off the surface I turned it to the
horizontal position and whilst still damp, added the hedgerow
across the field with a strong mix of burnt sienna and Payne’s
grey. The paint crept up into the damp paper giving
a hedgerow effect.
5 Mixing yellow ochre with ultramarine, I indicated where
the three trees would go at the end of the lane. The edges
crept outwards nicely, indicating ivy growing up the trunks.
6 With a mix of ultramarine and permanent violet, I added
the distant trees on the horizon.
7 On the right, I added a little burnt sienna into the tree
canopy then lifted out trunks with a damp 34⁄ in. flat brush.
Step 2
t
1 Once the surface was dry, I indicated the

finer tree branches with a No. 3 sable Rigger.
Natural hair brushes, such as sables and
squirrels, can be used with diluted acrylics,
but they must be washed out thoroughly
when not in use to prevent the paint drying
on the bristles.
2 I continued working on the trees with the
fine Rigger brush. I varied the strength of
the ochre ultramarine mix to paint lighter
branches in the centre tree to give the
impression it is further away.
3 A flat wash of burnt sienna mixed with
Payne’s grey indicated the tree canopy. I then
painted more branches into the damp wash.
4 I indicated the house on the left in the
distance with a mix of ultramarine and
Payne’s grey for the roof.
5 I added a couple of figures walking down
the lane, making sure they were in proportion
with a few of the fence posts and track I’ve
just included. The washes over the figures
were quite transparent and will require a few
more layers later as the painting progresses.

Step 3
t
1 Here is the painting nearing completion.

I added more posts and darkened the
fencing, using a fine brush to add wire
between the posts.
2 I decided to add a large shadow. I mixed
ultramarine with quinacridone red and
swept the shadow across the painting to
kill some of the white and describe the
undulations of the snowy surface, dipping
in and out of the rutted track.
3 I added more layers of colour onto the
figures to give them more solidity and
a little touch of quinacridone red for
the sign at the end of the track.
t Step 4
1 To finish the painting I darkened the tree 4 I painted the trunks of the silver
branches with a stronger mix of yellow ochre birch on the right then added darker Tim Fisher
and ultramarine and used the same colour branches with burnt sienna.
5 To finish I added a little plume To find out more about Tim, his
to strengthen the fence wire.
of smoke rising from the distant work, workshops and painting holidays
2 Using white I added snow to the post tops.
chimney. please visit www.timfisherartist.co.uk
3 More detail was added to the house with
the white.
t
Snowy Lane, Frisby, Golden fluid acrylic on Sennelier 140lb Rough watercolour paper, 13x17in. (33x43cm)

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Ink
Sketching for pleasure

Part 2 Practise your drawing skills and follow Tony Underhill as he
continues his series with two step-by-step line-drawing exercises
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n
n
Observe first, draw second
Big shapes, then subdivide
I hope you enjoyed using my
reference photos from last month
for your own sketches. Although
the second grouping was slightly more
complex than the first, having propped
My sketches aren’t replicas of the
photos, but they weren’t meant to be
and I’m glad they’re not. Instead, they’re
in the quick, loose close-enough-is-good-
enough style I like. Most importantly,
n Use hatching to show form the photos up in front of me as if I were I achieved my aim of having fun doing
sketching the objects for real, I used them and I think the sketches show that.
the same process for both sketches: Next month I’ll offer you tips and ideas
observe, simplify, big shapes, subdivide, on how to add colour to your sketches. I
smaller shapes, and finishing touches. hope you enjoy the following demos. LP
Demonstration 1
Boxes and Books
You will need

l A5 sketchbook paper,
51⁄2x81⁄2in. (14x22cm)
l Pencil
l Fibre-tipped drawing pen
l Soft eraser
Your first reference photo: for Boxes

t
and Books
t
Step 1 Big shapes first
t
Step 2 Subdivisions and smaller shapes
1 Looking at the photo I identified the big shapes as three 1 I subdivided the wine box by indicating the band across
boxes (no surprise there!) with the shoe box about twice as wide the top; and the shoebox by drawing the underside of the lid.
as the wine box, and the smallest box leaning slightly inwards. 2 I then added the smaller shapes. First for the books,
2 Because the shapes were simple I drew in pen from the outset subdividing into two then the return side of the smallest box.
t
aiming to get the proportions about right but not fussing over it.

Ink
Demonstration 1 continued
Step 3
t
Finishing touches
1 Keeping to the same
loose style, I added
vertical hatching on the
wine box and horizontal
hatching for the pattern
on the smallest box.
2 I then added an
indication of lettering
on the two biggest boxes.
Actual lettering would
have been too fussy.
3 Finally, to help
differentiate them
from the adjoining
shapes, I added hatching
to the bottom book and
between the wine and
shoe boxes.
The finished sketch
t
Boxes and Books,
pen on cartridge paper,
512⁄ x815⁄ in. (14x22cm)
Demonstration 2 Boxes, More Books and Other Stuff
You will need

l A5 sketchbook paper,
512⁄ x815⁄ in. (14x22cm)
l Pencil
l Fibre-tipped drawing pen
l Soft eraser
Your reference photograph for demonstration 2

t
with a slightly more complex subject
Step 1 Big shapes first

t
1 Looking carefully at the photo, I identified

the big shapes and some approximate proportions
and relationships. The wine box for instance is
about as wide as the radio and twice as wide as
the bottle, while the bottle is about the same
height as the small box and tallest book.
2 Using my pencil I lightly sketched the
big shapes, adjusting where necessary.

Step 2 Subdivisions Step 3
t
t
Looking at the photo again, I added the Inking in and

main subdivisions. First, the vertical lines smaller shapes 2 Then I added the smallest shapes:
for the middle of the wine bottle and radio 1 Switching to my pen and using the the wine bottle label and stopper, the
then the band on the wine box and the lid pencil framework as a guide (rather radio case and panels, the other books
of the shoebox. Finally, the bottom and than tracing over it) I quickly sketched and the return sides of the boxes.
tallest books were included. the big shapes and subdivisions. 3 I erased my pencil lines.
t Step 4 Finishing touches Tony Underhill

1 I added hatching, as I concentrated on creating 3 Finally, careful not to do too much, If you have any questions
dark areas against light ones to help differentiate I added an aerial to the radio rather than about this project, email Tony
adjoining objects and give them form. the handle. It says ‘radio’ much better, at tonyunderhill@me.com
2 I suggested lettering in various places. and was easier and more fun to draw!
t
The finished sketch Boxes, More Books and Other Stuff, pen on cartridge paper, 512⁄ x812⁄ in. (14x22cm)

t
Windermere from Waterhead, oil on canvas, 12x16in. (30.5x40.5cm).
Water and oil – mixed

Learn the techniques and colours to paint scenes
with realistic-looking still water, by Murray Ince
LEARNING OBJECTIVES Water everywhere other form of painting for that matter.
Water in seascape painting comes Is it true that every seventh wave
n How to observe water in in four main obvious states: calm, is bigger than the previous six? Next
seascapes and landscapes with small waves, choppy and rough. time you are at the beach, count;
n
There can be other less-obvious perhaps the knowledge will prevent
Understand reflections and
water present, however, that forms you getting wet feet!
edges in reflections
a part of a seascape, such as wet Water in landscape painting also
n Water-mixable oil techniques sand, rock pools, spray, water spouts comes in many guises: lakes, rivers,
and even icebergs. There are many streams, ponds, puddles, rain on hard
forces of nature that have an effect surfaces, frost, ice and snow and more.
I love painting with water-mixable

oils and my particular favourite
is Winsor & Newton’s Artisan.
Of all the media, it is the easiest
with which to paint realistic, that
on the state of the sea at any given
time, including high and low tide,
tide coming in or going out, or slack
water in between the tides, spring
tides, neap tides, wind pushing from
The one factor that connects them all
is that they are wet and reflective,
but in subtly different ways. Again,
observation is our most valuable tool
to help differentiate between their
is to say believable-looking, water. behind the tide or blowing against qualities and in this article I want to
The fact that oils stay wet for a the tide, and the strength of wind illustrate what to look for and how
relatively long period allows us to in general all have an effect on the to create these subtleties using
blend colours together wet in wet, condition of the sea. water-mixable oils.
making it easier to create the subtle Do you need to know all of the
changes in the colour of water, technical aspects of the conditions The colours of water
especially when creating languid- of the sea to paint good seascapes? The colour of water depends on
looking water (as in Windermere No, but close observation is the key various factors. In general water is
from Waterhead, above). to good seascape painting or any clear and reflects the sky and anything

Water-mixable oils
t
Low Tide, Staithes, oil on canvas,
12x36in. (30.5x91.5cm). In the
reflections of the boats here, the
reflections on the sand are muted and
in soft focus, while the reflections in
the areas of standing water are crisper
edged. Small details, such as the
seaweed caught on the ropes and
laying in the direction of the receding
tide, make for interesting lead ins.
else that is close enough, but change

your viewing position and you will
notice that different objects become
reflected, the same as when you look
in a mirror from different angles. The
reflection is also affected by other
qualities, such as what else is in the
water. The sea contains salt and close
to the shore, sand, seaweed, flotsam,
jetsam and foam – more so the
rougher the water. This affects the
reflective qualities and therefore has
an effect on the colour of the water
and its reflections.
The water in a puddle in a field
will contain particles of earth and
the colour of shallow water will be
influenced by the surface on which
it lies, such as a pavement in the rain.
Clear water reflects close to the
original colour but dirty water’s
reflected colours will be very different.
Reflections on frozen water will not
reflect clear images; they will have
soft-focus edges and muted colours
due to the crystals of ice. Wet mud and
wet sand will also create soft, unclear
reflections due to the fine grains.
Mirror and broken reflections t

The Stour at Blandford Forum, oil, 12x12in. (30.5x30.5cm). This painting is an
Rarely is water still and clear enough interesting mix of reflected trees and sky with slight surface disturbance and the bright green
to reflect perfect mirror images of weed, making this a great scene to study different qualities of reflection and colours of the
objects and this would be the only water. Don’t be afraid to take on these challenges. Using water-mixable oils makes painting
time that colour and intensity or this subject easier than in many other media, due to the length of time that it stays workable
saturation would reflect the same as and the fact that you can lay light paint on top of dark colours, for example where the sky
the object. It is interesting to note that blue breaks up the tree reflections.
t

Water-mixable oils
t
The North Shore, Coniston Water, oil, 12x16in. (30.5x40.5cm). Very often bodies of water like Coniston Water have differing qualities of surface
disturbance, which can be caused by areas of water being more sheltered than others, by little gusts of wind, unseen underlying currents or even
a stream or river flowing into the main body. As artists, these subtle variations of surface movement and reflection make it a joy to paint water.
I love the reflected clouds in the Coniston painting, the almost linear feel of the foreground water and the streaks of dark reflected moody sky.
light objects reflect darker in water and appear close together and fairly straight, under seawater have soft, blurred
dark objects reflect lighter, a fact that, but as it comes closer to the viewer edges.
when put into a painting, will help the reflection becomes more agitated l When painting tidal water, establish
with the suggestion of reality. Stand or disjointed as in Windermere from the positions of boats, reflections and
on the quayside of a harbour and look Waterhead (page 52) shadows as early as possible, as the
across at a floating boat and you will Note the languid, oily calm of the tide will come in and all will change
notice that apart from reflecting the water in Windermere from Waterhead. dramatically.
hull and topsides as a mirror would, Oil paint makes painting this kind of l If your boats are afloat, remember
you can also see reflections of the water quality much easier to tackle than that the tide will go out, leaving them
underside of things like the roof of other media, due to the ‘open’ time that high and dry. Establish these details
the wheel house that you cannot see we have to blend colours together on early on!
when looking at the boat. The wall of the canvas, creating the gently changing l Always paint horizons parallel to
a bridge will reflect in the water and colours. The tree reflections on the left the top and bottom edges of your
you will see that the ceilings of the were painted vertically with the addition canvas. It looks awful if they run
arches are also visible in the reflection of lines of broken sky reflections, which up or downhill, as though the water
but not necessarily when looking at were painted horizontally across the will run out of the corner of your
the bridge itself. Observe! tree reflections, I painted these with picture frame.
What are we looking at when we a No.1 Rigger brush. The reflections l Reflections of the sky are rarely
see broken reflections? Reflections on of the yachts were painted in broken what you see in the painting. More
flat water will reflect the whole of the patches of colour with the masts almost often it is what is above your head
object whereas reflections on disturbed straight closer to the hulls and taking and therefore can be dramatically
water only picks up the object on the on a gently curving line coming towards different from the sky in the painting.
surface of the water angled towards us giving the languid feel to the water. l Filbert brushes are great for painting
the object. The larger or further apart skies, you have the advantages of
the waves, the less the object will be Tips to get you started a flat brush with the quality of a
reflected. In the reflection of the mast l On water, light colours reflect Round brush when used on edge
of a boat on relatively calm water, darker and dark colours reflect lighter. and the round end is perfect for
the reflection closest to the boat will l Reflections on wet sand, ice and shaping the tops of clouds. LP

Water-mixable oils
Demonstration Stag Rock, Freshwater Bay

It was a warm but mostly overcast day when I took these photos,
which created some interesting qualities in the colours and reflections
of the seawater. I used a fairly limited palette to paint this scene.
You will need

n Surface n Artisan Water-
l Medium-grained stretched Mixable Oils
cotton canvas 16x12in. l Titanium white
(40.5x30.5cm) l Cobalt blue
l Permanent alizarin
n Brushes
l Filbert bristle Nos. 8, 4 & 2 crimson
l Cadmium yellow
l Round bristle Nos. 2 & 0
l Rigger No. 1
pale
l Raw sienna
l Painting knife
l Raw umber
t
Your reference
t
photographs for
this demonstration
of Stag Rock
Step 1
t
Apply a thin wash of

acrylic using a mix of alizarin
crimson and white with just
a touch of raw umber to kill
the prettiness of the resulting
pink. This colour gives an
underlying warmth to the
painting whilst knocking back
the whiteness of the canvas
and sealing down my initial
drawing in HB pencil.
Step 2
t
1 The next step is to paint

the sky and sea using a No. 8
Filbert. For the sky use a
basic mix of titanium white,
cobalt blue – and a touch
of raw umber, which when
added to the sky blue colour
turns it a little grey. As the sky is to be kept
as a background element with emphasis TIP I use a painting
on the rock and areas of water in front of knife to make my
the rock, keep the sky simple. colour mixes as
2 Continue down with slightly darker tones you can maintain
of the same colour mixes for the sea, paying a neater palette.
close attention to the straightness and level Mixing with a brush
of the horizon line. Try to make a variety of tends to spread your
colour mixes for your sky and sea. This will paint over a wider
help you produce a more realistic-looking area. As a result, it
painting and, as the paint will remain workable is difficult to pick
for a long while, you can re-visit areas, subtly up a decent amount.
blending in darker and lighter colours.
Water-mixable oils
Step3
t
1 The next step is to paint the distant cliffs
on the right. The atmosphere is such that the
colours are somewhat muted at that distance,
which is the effect of aerial perspective.
Create the green of the grass downland
using cadmium yellow pale, cobalt blue with
a little titanium white. Use also variations
of this colour for the lichen and plants that
grow on the surface of the chalk cliffs.
2 The chalk cliffs and the buildings on the
clifftop are all painted using variations of
titanium white and raw umber.
3 For the cliff painting use a small No. 2
filbert and gently drag lighter and darker
versions of the same basic chalk colours with
the greens added afterwards using the same
‘dragging colour’ technique. This all helps
convey texture, which is even more evident
in the painting of Stag Rock itself.
Step 4
t
1 Block in the whole with a medium tone

mix of titanium white and raw umber. Using touch of alizarin crimson here and there.
the texture of the canvas and a stippling 3 The trick with painting rock surfaces
touch with the No. 4 Filbert brush, touch is to observe the direction of strata and
in the illusion of texture using darker and to replicate this by using directional
lighter shades of your basic chalk mix. brushstrokes then adding cracks and fissures
2 Follow this with the using a small brush, in my case a No. 1
addition of the darker olive Rigger and using almost pure raw umber.
brown colours mixed from 4 Now add green to the right-hand side
raw umber, raw sienna, of the rock and a little raw sienna on
titanium white with a tiny the inner edge of the green.
add a little alizarin crimson. basic sea colour, cut the bottoms of the
2 Using this same mix paint rocks level.
the shadows of the line of 5 Paint the reflection of Stag Rock using
ripples to the left and in raw umber and a little basic sea colour mix.
front of Stag Rock. These Onto this add vertical strokes of the chalk
run at an angle toward the colour mix, blended slightly into the
rock, echoing the angle of reflection colour.
the rocks at foreground right 6 The next step is to paint the rest of the
and centre, all of which rocks in the foreground, initially using a
help as a lead-in to the dark mix of raw umber and a little alizarin
focal point. crimson and, for the seaweed on top of the
3 The water of the ripple rocks, add more alizarin crimson with a tiny
t
Step 5 also has touches of off-white on the tops, touch of white. Place it with a stippling
1 The next steps are to put in streaks of created purely by blending white gently motion and the flat of the No. 4 filbert.
shadow colour in the surface of the water to into the underlying colour. 7 Using the basic chalk colour mix, touch
the left and a little to the right of Stag Rock. 4 Paint the rocks in the middle distance using in lighter areas of rock amongst the
For this use purple-grey mixes of your original raw umber with tiny touches of alizarin and seaweed on the rocks.
sea colour – titanium white, cobalt blue and titanium white. Shape the top of the rocks 8 Stipple a little more raw sienna, lightened
raw umber – and to make the purple-grey with the small No. 0 Round then, using your slightly with white, to the base of Stag Rock.

Water-mixable oils
Step 6
t
1 The next steps are to add small touches air bubbles on the surface of the calm
of the sea colours in short horizontal strokes seawater around the rocks and on
with the No. 1 Rigger to break up the edges the reflections.
of the reflection of Stag Rock to the left 5 Using variations of all of the colour
and right. This creates the effect of little mixes used, blend into the foreground sea
sparkles of broken light. colour small stone-shaped patches. The
2 Also block in the remaining area of sea trick of making these look as if they are
in the foreground using a slightly greyer under seawater is to blur the edges very
version of the basic sea colour. slighlty and make the colour mixes used
3 Paint the remaining part of the reflection paler versions of those above the surface.
of Stag Rock using raw umber, a little 6 The cliffs surrounding Freshwater Bay
alizarin crimson and titanium white and are chalk, but chalk that has been under
break the edge of the reflection up using seawater or weathered for a while turns
short strokes of the basic sea colour. slightly creamy yellow. For this colour mix
4 Add touches of off-white paint to suggest titanium white with a little raw umber and
reflected light from water droplets on the raw sienna. Add a few touches of this on
seaweed and, using the same colour, paint the weed-covered rocks too.
t
Step 7
1 The finishing touches are simple but
very effective and help to make the water
look realistic. Using the seaweed colour
mix paint weed breaking the surface of
the water around the rocks and in the
foreground. Paint more air bubbles
and the sort of scum that you find
on slow-moving seawater.
2 Add longer lines of pale blueish sea
colour with the No. 1 Rigger across the
reflections in the foreground and over
the underwater pebbles and weed.
3 Add reflections of the rocks in the
foreground.
Murray Ince
Murray specialises in landscape and
seascape painting in water-mixable
oils, although he also works in
other media. He leads sketching
and painting holidays privately in
France and for HF Holidays in the
UK and Italy. He demonstrates to
art groups, runs workshops and
provides one-to-one tuition. His
book, Landscape Painting in Artisan
t
The finished painting Stag Rock, Freshwater Bay, oil on canvas, 16x12in. (40.5x30.5cm)
Water-Mixable Oils, is available t
Step 8
through his website, Amazon and 1 Remember the effect of chiaroscuro. distance and foreground. This all
on eBay. Visit www.murrayince.com Place very light touches on the darker areas helps greatly!
and murraysart.blogspot.com or in the foreground, such as air bubbles on 2 Your final decision: which side
e-mail hello@murrayince.com the dark reflected rocks in the middle do I put my signature?

Watercolour
The world in miniature

Part 6 Pauline Denyer Baker completes our miniature painting
series with a two-part article on painting portraits on polymer surfaces
t
Timoko, watercolour on ivorine, t
Mollie, watercolour on polymin, 3x212⁄ in. (9x7.5cm).
312⁄ x3in. (9x7.5cm) The paint in the lower right of the background is beginning
to flake off. This is an example of what happens when
it is applied over-thickly on polymin
and only used on the dull side, while

LEARNING OBJECTIVES the latest in the range, Dura-lar, is TIP To make the paint adhere to a
n Understand your surfaces sold in pad form and is quite thin. polymer or any non-absorbent surface,
Both these surfaces are flexible and,
n How to mix colours through the it must be cleaned first to remove the
if the paint put on them is too thick – grease from handling when cutting
stippling technique that is not stippled in pale layers – into shape. Rub the surfaces lightly
n Colour mixing for skin tones bending the work, even slightly, will with talcum powder and a piece of
make the paint flake off. Colour is pure silk then blow off the excess.
built up in layers, each one drying Do not use an abrasive; it will scratch.
completely before the next.
M iniatures are different in

many ways from other genres
of portraiture, as they have
always been painted on other
surfaces than paper. Tudor artists
Miniaturists who prefer to work
on an ivory-like surface now use
Kelmscott vellum, as did Holbein
and Hilliard. The examples you see
in this article were painted on two
pong balls are made from it.
Miniaturists who use oils and
acrylics are not bound to use supports
used a piece of animal skin, stretched polymers, polymin and Dura-lar. used by the artists who paint with
over a playing card, which was Ivory was not used until 1800. watercolour. They can paint on
made smooth with gesso, called Its translucency was discovered by smooth, heavy paper, Bristol board
a carnation, and tinted to a skin tone an Italian portraitist, Rosalba Carreira. or gessoed boards glued on to
that matched the sitter’s colouring. Since the end of the 19th and early wooden panels.
Nowadays the range of polymers 20th centuries, a substitute was used, If you are using vellum, never use
made by the petrochemical industries called ivorine or xylonite. Ivorine is any water-based product to clean it.
has produced substitutes for modern made from cotton dissolved in acid. Lighter fuel will not damage the
miniaturists. Polymin, in white and It has the same translucency that surface and remove grease. On the
cream, is sold in individual sheets ivory gave to small portraits. Ping brighter side, all miniature supports

Watercolour
COLOURS
This illustration shows the colours used for skin tone and how they are appear on white polymin
1 Mouth lips and teeth 3 First wash of rose 4 Eyes and nose
are a mix of rose madder madder genuine, are blocked in
genuine and light red; the stippled over with washes
gum colour is always warm with raw sienna before stippling
begins
2 Palette
left to right:
titanium
white, raw
umber, light
red, sepia,
rose madder
genuine and
raw sienna
5 Face showing
features, with
hair painted
as it grows
6 First wash of
raw sienna,
stippled over
with rose
madder genuine
can be used more than once, except green, permanent magenta,

of course those worked on paper. sepia and titanium white.
On polymin and Dura-lar (and If you are not sure which
ivorine) the images can be washed colours are transparent, refer
off with soap and water. An image to the manufacturer’s list, or look
on vellum can also be removed by at the hand-coloured charts that
carefully abrading with a very fine specialist art shops have to hand.
flour paper, which removes a layer
of gesso, but must be done evenly. Technique
Watercolour is applied using
My colour palette a series of small dots or hatches
I only use Winsor & Newton with sable brushes that have
Professional Water Colours perfect points. Most companies
and Artists’ oils when painting make a range of sable spotters,
miniatures, because the pigments which have shorter hairs. Sables
are ground very finely and the are the best for applying paint,
colours are good. Oil colours are but synthetic spotters are best
brighter than watercolour. I use raw for taking off excess paint.
umber, raw sienna, cerulean blue, One good feature of painting
cobalt blue, rose madder genuine on non-absorbent surfaces is that
(a must for skin), rose dore alterations can be made by lifting
(optional), permanent magenta,
light red, perylene maroon, burnt
sienna, viridian, Davy’s grey, Indian Vetruvian Man (Brian), watercolour
t
yellow, cadmium orange, Winsor on ivorine, 3x212⁄ in. (9x7.5cm)

Watercolour
Girl with Pre-Raphaelite
t
Hair, watercolour on ivorine,
334⁄ x3in. (9.5x7.5cm)
Michelle Tilley, watercolour Luca in a Red Hat, watercolour
t
t
on ivorine, 3x212⁄ in. (9x7.5cm) on ivorine, 212⁄ x2in. (7.5x5cm)
off with a clean, damp synthetic

TECHNIQUE brush. This technique is useful
when you are trying to achieve
This illustration shows stippling, and how form can be created by tone a likeness of your subject.
Use a clean old brush for taking
the paint from your tubes or pans
and dilute it – and save your sables
for painting. The colour should be
allowed to dry completely then
reconstituted with a damp brush
before being used to build up the
work. Additionally, the paint, which
is applied in layers, is mixed on the
surface and not on the palette. This
means that one colour is stippled at
a time, allowed to dry then the
other stippled in between the first.
For skin, I always use warm
tones, and try to keep to only two
colours, along with burnt sienna
for the shadows.
There are some rules about the
proportions of a miniature painting.
Heads or the main subject of the
painting should be no larger than
two inches. Overall no work should
be larger than 6x41⁄2in., including
the frame. In America, no subject
should be no larger than one sixth
of the original size.
Left An egg shape in raw umber and cerulean blue and right a clementine, using orange Next month, I hope you will join
and Indian yellow, with Winsor green for unripe patches, perylene maroon for shaping, and me as I demonstrate step by step
titanium white for highlights. The base shadow is made from cerulean blue and raw umber. the painting of a portrait on
polymin. LP

Watercolour
USEFUL COLOUR AND STIPPLING TECHNIQUES

This exercise shows stippling in various colours, swatches of which are shown above the circles. The stippling is done over
an initial wash, the first two to create realistic flesh tones and the third for neutral backgrounds
1 Use a light red wash then stipple 2 Use a rose madder wash then stipple 3 Use a cerulean blue wash and stipple
t t t
with viridian only (left) or light red first with light red. Burnt sienna is used to darken with raw umber. This is used for neutral
with viridian (right). I used hatching the warm tones in ears, lips and noses. Use backgrounds for miniature portraits. The dark
(below) with permanent magenta and hatching strokes in rose madder to fill larger stippled beneath is a mix of alizarin crimson,
Winsor green to achieve an even tone. areas of skin, neck and low necklines. permanent magenta and Winsor green.
EXERCISE FURTHER STUDY

This technique is not easy to begin Portrait Miniatures by
with, and before starting to paint Pauline Denyer Baker
a work, it is best to practise. Draw (Crowood Press)
a small oval in paint with a brush. The Portrait Miniature
If the paint is blotchy, wipe it off in England by Katherine
and clean the surface with talcum Coombs (V&A Publications)
powder (or lighter fuel on vellum).
Take the first colour and paint a
wash from side to side down the oval,
leaving the brush on the surface until
you reach the bottom of the oval.
Dry completely then start to stipple Pauline
the second colour on top. These
stipples should be separate from Denyer Baker
each other so that when they dry, See more of Pauline’s work
the second colour can be stippled at the annual exhibition of
in between thus mixing the colour. the Royal Miniature Society
Then you will achieve the (www.royal-miniature-
luminosity that makes miniature society.org.uk) from 28
portraits so special. Traditionally November to 9 December
miniaturists used this technique at the Mall Galleries,
only for painting smooth skin and London. Her book Portrait
shadows on the face. To make Miniatures (published by
a smooth background, clothing Crowood Press in 2014)
and other details were finely is available via Amazon.
painted in the usual way. Portrait of a Ballerina, watercolour on vellum,
t
3x212⁄ in. (9x7.5cm)

TRY A NEW
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Oil
Orchid temptation
Focus on detail as you paint an orchid flower step by step with Elena Parashko
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n
n
How to paint detail in oils
Paint a pale flower on a dark
I make it a habit to photograph
anything and everything that looks
interesting. Over the years, I have
collected a huge number of my own
reference photographs that I can use
need to be changed a lot to translate
them into a successful painting. With
this reference photo of an exotic orchid,
I tried to reproduce the structure of
the flower faithfully but I changed the
background as inspiration for original artwork. background to a simple dark backdrop
n Practise oil or acrylic painting I therefore never run out of ideas for to enhance the subtle colours of
techniques subjects to paint. Sometimes the photos the orchid. LP
Demonstration
Orchid Temptation
You will need

n Surface
l Stretched canvas 16x19in.
(41x49cm)
n Acrylic or oil paint
l Titanium white
l Cobalt blue
l Brilliant magenta
l Phthalo green
l Phthalo blue
l Cadmium yellow medium
l Alizarin crimson
n Brushes
l Flat brush no. 10
l Flat brush no. 2
l Liner brush no. 1
n Miscellaneous
l Willow charcoal
l Paper towel
l Gloss varnish
The finished painting Orchid Temptation,

t
oil on canvas, 16x19in. (41x49cm)
Step 1
t
I levelled the
angle of the flower
and tried to draw
its anatomy as
accurately as
possible. I used
willow charcoal
for the drawing as
its powdery nature
allows for easy
dusting off with
paper towel for
any corrections.
Your reference
t
photograph for
this project

Oil
t
Step 2
Use a large flat brush to paint the background with
random patches of phthalo blue and phthalo green.
In a few places directly around the orchid, add
titanium white to lighten the phthalo blue
to create a spotlight effect.
Step 3
t
Paint the petals one at a time by blending very light

shades of pink, purple and white. For the pinks, use
brilliant magenta and titanium white. Make purple
shades by adding a touch of cobalt blue into the pinks.
The darker colours are concentrated in the folds of
the petals and in the shadows where petals overlap.
Step 4
t
Paint the underpainting for the

complex central petal structure
with a small flat brush using
titanium white and cadmium
yellow medium. Make the grey
shades by mixing some of the
purple petal colour into the
yellow. To create the illusion
of a 3D structure, pay careful
attention to the placement of
the lightest and darkest colours,
even though they are subtle.

Oil
Step 5
t
With a fine liner brush and Elena Parashko

alizarin crimson paint the Elena is the author of the
detailed pattern of spots and empowering book Survival
stripes in the central petals. Guide for Artists: How to Thrive
Scatter varying shades of in the Creative Arts, available
brilliant magenta spots over via her website and Amazon.
the large petals by applying She also runs painting retreats
very light pressure on the tip in Fiji and Tuscany. For more
of this same small brush. information about her work
visit www.elenaparashko.com or
email info@elenaparashko.com.
Her blog www.survivalguide
forartists.com has a wealth
of information for artists.
t Step 6
Once dry, apply two t The finished painting
coats of gloss varnish to Orchid Temptation, oil on
complete the painting. canvas, 16x19in. (41x49cm)

LP Open
Open Competition 2018

We have great pleasure in presenting to you the award-winning paintings from this
year’s Leisure Painter competition/exhibition, in association with Patchings Art Centre
T he Leisure Painter exhibition

was held from 13 July to 20 August
in the Pavilion Gallery of Patchings
Art Centre, and showcased the skills
and talent of 70 of some the best
amateur painters in the UK and abroad.
The following pages show the award-
winning work from the show. Our
thanks go to the sponsors of the awards
(page 71), who make this competition
so exciting every year – and to fellow
judges, Sally Bulgin, David Curtis,
John Sprakes and Liz Wood, for their
unerring judgement and expertise.
David says of this year’s show:
‘I am excited by how the Leisure Painter
exhibition has grown in stature over
recent years. Until we select the
prizewinners a few days before the
exhibition opens, we will have only
viewed the entries through a digital
selection process. It is a delight to see
all the successful works hung together
in a gallery setting. As we scan the
show in its entirety, there will inevitably
be certain key exhibits, which catch
the eye. All the judges have differing
preferences, but I have singled out
just a few, all for various individual
qualities.’ You will see David’s
comments below some of the following
paintings. Enjoy the show! LP
Patchings Award Deborah Bliss

t
Fritillaria, gouache, 12x1512⁄ in. (31x39cm).

‘My husband is an avid gardener and when
he opens the garden, visitors have a chance
to look at my paintings. For those events
I have painted a few flower pictures of
blooms that were right there in front of
me. I start by standing in the garden with
a piece of mountcard and a pen and
make a very quick sketch. I then develop
it using gouache and a very limited number
of colours (mixing white and either yellow
ochre or cerulean into each of the
primaries). I paint in a variety of media
and I’m always striving to make my work
more abstract by simplifying shapes.
However I struggle, because the simple
idea in my head seems to become more
figurative as it appears on paper. The
process is always enjoyable though.’
David Curtis says of Fritillaria:

‘This semi-abstract has a great sense of design
structure with colour and tonal harmony and
a worthy addition to the show.’

JOHN SPRAKES’S TOP TIPS
‘The exhibition was professionally displayed, which adds to
the sense of achievement of each individual artist and all
those whose pictures were selected are to be congratulated.’
1 Challenge yourself Many of the exhibitors had chosen some
challenging subject matter. Consequently the paintings on
view offered the spectator a rewarding visual experience.
2 Sketch more I must emphasise again the importance of
using sketchbooks to understand the hidden geometry
of the seen and natural world. There is no substitute.
3 Work from life Sitting or standing in front of one’s chosen
subject matter and drawing for long periods is a very
important part of developing your understanding of colour,
form, structure, texture, tone and light. Unfortunately we
cannot purchase light from an art shop.
4 Know your subject There were some creditable attempts
at portrait painting and, consequently, I looked at them very
carefully. Knowledge of the human anatomy is essential and
there are some excellent books, which describe the muscle
and bone structure of the human head. Understanding what
is happening under the surface is so important and helps
the artist construct a convincing image.
Leisure Painter Award Adrian Hill What’s Around the Corner?,

t
oil on canvas, 2712⁄ x2312⁄ in. (70x60cm). ‘I am over-the-moon to have

been selected for this award. It really is vindication for the four years’
hard work, painting virtually every day, which has taken me to this
point. Perhaps now my wife may forgive me for the paint marks on
the carpets, sofa, curtains and dog! I completed this portrait of my
son over a two-week period earlier this year. My inspiration was his
worry of starting high school. I remember the night before he fell
asleep holding the bear we got him when he was a baby. It took
quite a while to think of a way to include so much narrative into
just one image. In the original composition, I included a more
complex landscape background, but it seemed to detract from
the main subject so I stripped it back. Having the empty space
created much more of an impact.’
Gently flooded in
David Curtis says of What’s Around the Corner?: ‘This is a memorable, mix of cadmium
quality piece, which could easily fit in both Leisure Painter and The Artist orange and lemon
categories. It is quite an original concept of figure placement, finely yellow. Soft
executed in all areas.’ edged all
round
Outer area
of mid-tone
Inner
core left
clear
How to achieve a sense

of ‘glow’ in your paintings
DAVID CURTIS’S TOP TIP

How to achieve a sense of glow in your work
The swatches above show how you can achieve a sense of
glow from a light source, be it sun, moon or derived from an
electric light, and also the sparkle on sunlit water surfaces.
The technique is more or less the same with each desired
effect. The surrounding mid or dark-tone is painted to retain
a centre of pure white paper. While the outer is still wet,
feed in around the periphery a carefully controlled mix of
t
Daler-Rowney Award Pamela Williams Tamarisks in the Wind, cadmium orange and lemon yellow, I would suggest. This
1734⁄ x1934⁄ in. (45x50cm). ‘I’m a self-taught artist, painting in watercolour can be warmed by the inclusion of a tiny bit of vermilion in
since retirement. Most of my scenes are from my local area in the certain light instances. Then you simply drift out the yellow
East Riding. This picture derives from a trip to Saint Rémy last year. tone towards the centre, leaving a greater proportion of the
We were sitting on a bench in the Camargue, having lunch in front central light source pure white paper. Ensure there are no
of a grove of tamarisks, one of the few trees able to stand the hard edges anywhere in the process. A resultant glowing
salinity. I made a quick pencil sketch and made notes on colour effect of the light source will be evident. A very similar
with watercolour pencil. This was the studio version based on approach is made for the effect in oil and acrylic instances.
t
that sketch and photographs.’

LP Open
open
Premium Art Brands Award Lucy Marks Those Magenta Skies, water-based media,
t
13x2112⁄ in. (33x55cm)

Batsford Books Awards
t
Richard Saville Knowles

Venice Reflection, oil,
2112⁄ x2512⁄ in. (45x55cm).
‘I studied at Wakefield Art
College in the early 1960s
but then had a 40-year career
in forensics, and painted only
occasionally. After retirement
t
Daler-Rowney Award Alison Barlow I started painting and
Waiting, watercolour and ink, 18x14in. sculpting again, and have
(46x36cm). ‘I enjoy painting things that become fascinated by
I love, which for me is mainly dogs. reflections and shadows,
Having two of my own I’m never short particularly with light on
of inspiration. My favourite medium is water. On a five-day visit to
watercolour, as I love the unpredictability Venice in an out-of-the-way
of it, usually with some added ink detail. place, I became fascinated
With Waiting, I wanted to capture the way by the reflections in the water
a dog looks constantly towards where his around the many wooden
owner was last seen, waiting with such posts used by the gondolas. I wanted to t Pro Arte Award Sharon Bennett Inside the
loyalty until their return.’ create a painting that tried to capture the Bell Tower, oil, 2312⁄ x1534⁄ in. (60x40cm). ‘After
bright sunlight reflecting off the water taking up painting in my 30s, usually in pastel,
and the various colours and patterns I began using oils about ten years ago. I enjoy
present. Although I paint using different painting industrial and mechanical scenes or
media, I picked oil paint for this painting, objects, and was attracted to this particular
because of its flexibility.’ subject by the unusual angle and strong shapes.’
Caran d’Ache Award Daisy Hatton

t
All Day Bake, coloured pencil, 23x2012⁄ in.

(58x52cm). ‘I have always enjoyed
drawing and painting, but I didn’t take
it up seriously until after retirement.
I have tried various subjects and used
most media, but my favourite subjects
tend to be portraits of my family and still
lifes in coloured pencil. I enjoy setting
up a still life and trying to create a well-
balanced and pleasing composition.
I can just set it up in my living room on
the coffee table and I’m ready to go. This
one was put together on my dining table
and I actually baked for it, as I wanted
the cakes to look convincing. I put a
reflection in the window to indicate how
long the baking session had gone on.
I usually work from a photograph, and
I certainly did with this, as the cakes and
milk would have gone off long before
the painting was finished. It was done in coloured pencil with touches of white gouache.’
David Curtis says of All Day Bake: ‘This is a highly competent, carefully crafted and detailed
coloured pencil work, celebrating all the elements of a baking session. This will appeal
to everyone – a feel-good example in the show.’

LP Open
competition 2018
Winston Oh Award Suzanne Stogdon Tangerines at Rest, watercolour,
t
11x15in. (40x51cm). ‘I set myself a goal 12 years ago to be able to

take watercolour on holiday and confidently record the scenes around
me. Having no formal education in art since school I joined adult
education courses locally then, as my confidence grew, l found
inspirational short courses and joined a local group so that l would
make time to paint once a week. I enjoy plein-air painting, but in the
UK that can be challenging in the winter months so l spend a lot of time
painting still life. Tangerines At Rest came about as the result of setting
myself and two friends the challenge of a painting a day for a month
during the winter and sharing the paintings on a private Instagram
account every day. The challenge saw us all having huge fun and
supporting each other in our quest to improve. I chose to paint this
using four colours only: Hansa yellow, light red, cobalt blue and
sap green. I like to use a limited palette to create harmony in the
painting and in this case some energising complementary colours.’
David Curtis says of

Tangerines at Rest:
‘This is a very capable
treatment of the pure
watercolour medium…
delightful.’
Clairefontaine Award John Barlow
t
Pauline Loves To Stir It, oil, 20x16in.
(51x41cm). ‘Over the years I have spent
far more time taking photographs and
appreciating the work of other artists
than painting myself. As a recently retired
engineer, I joined Blackrod Art Group
where I was encouraged to try genre
painting as a project. This domestic
scene captured my imagination but
I found resolving the three light sources
particularly challenging. I enjoyed the
t
Royal Talens Award Alan Bickley View from versatility of water-mixable oils and used
a Window, First Frost, oil on primed MDF a layering technique. With the support
panel, 20x20in. (51x51cm). ‘Reflected light of my art group and the confidence I’ve
was the inspiration behind this early morning gained winning this award, I am inspired
painting. I have painted this view from my to continue on this new and exciting
studio window in all the seasons, but it’s art adventure.’
always the winter months that really get me
excited. So how could I resist having a go at David Curtis says of Pauline Loves
this gorgeous frosty morning scene that I was To Stir It: ‘This is a tonal study of everyday
greeted with? It was quite a challenge, but an domestic life, with good compositional
interesting one. The watery orange glow from structure and an interesting raised viewpoint.’
the sun was just perfect, its reflections falling
on to the icy pool and glistening on the crisp t Sennelier Award Mark Goodman Blakeney, Norfolk, watercolour, 18x22in. (46x56cm).
white frost on the fields. I had to work quickly ‘I am a member of the Newark Art Club and have a passion for watercolour. Within the art
before the light changed too drastically and club, we set various projects throughout the year and this subject was on chiaroscuro, which
finished it in one short session. A short time is all about tones and contrast
later I added a few final touches of detail, within the painting. I had
including the long grasses, using a Rigger. wanted to paint this picture
I was careful not to overdo this and lose the for a few years and I felt that
spontaneity of the piece. As always, I was only now was I able to attempt
looking to capture the atmosphere of the it. Using my own reference
moment, rather than a slavish and detailed photograph, I painted in
interpretation. This was painted using Royal the darks in various tones
Talens’ Rembrandt oils, which are superb and tried to get the balance
quality and a delight to use. My medium was right. The dusky light in
a 60/40 mixture of stand oil and distilled the background gave
English turpentine. Brushes used were a 112⁄ in. warmth to the picture and
flat from Jackson’s, Nos. 6 and 12 Ebony I followed this colour into
Rounds from Rosemary & Co, and a the reflection on the water.’
No. 0 Rigger.’
David Curtis says of Blakeney,
David Curtis says of View from a Window, Norfolk: ‘This shows a good
First Frost: ‘Here is an atmospheric example confident control of watercolour,
of the landscape in harmonious orange, utilising selective use of masking
blues and pinks. This is a standout exhibit.’ fluid passages.’

LP Open
open
Leisure Painter
t
Highly
Commended
Award Andres
Camacho Kind
of Blue, acrylic,
3512⁄ x1912⁄ in.
(90x50cm). ‘Lack
of time has always
been the most
frustrating part of
my journey as an
amateur painter,
where painting in
small formats, chasing faster media, and painting in Daler-Rowney Award Hilary Burnett Cooper
t
installments have been my norm. However, this was The Golden Sun Café, Paris, acrylic, 1534⁄ x3334⁄ in.
a special painting for me since it depicts my nine-year- (40x86cm). ‘The inspiration behind this
old son, Rafael, playing in a pool while we were on painting was a trip to Paris last October.
holiday in my home country, Uruguay. I therefore Paris was beautiful in the middle of autumn
made preliminary sketches from a photo my wife took and we were lucky enough to catch good
and decided to put into practice some of the tips I’ve weather. I managed to do some sketching and
learned over the years, but often neglected: putting photography while I was there and this painting
some time aside for longer painting sessions, limiting is one of a series of Parisian paintings captured
my palette of acrylic paints and brushes, mixing from that week’s visit. It was painted on a
enough paint in one batch to avoid introducing background wash of cerulean blue in acrylic
unwanted shades, and mixing three shades of grey in a contemporary loose style, using brushes
to break up the ultramarine and cobalt blues. Halfway and a palette knife. It was the deep red hue
through I decided to put the brushes aside and have of the canopies that captured my imagination,
a go with a knife. It felt really natural and the painting coupled with the very intricate shadows cast
immediately gained in depth and harmony.’ of the beautiful architecture of the building.’
Batsford Books Awards Paulene

t
Allett Stonework in Madeira, oil,

24x30in. (61x76cm). I have been
painting since I retired in 2003.
Madeira is a place I visit regularly
and this view was seen in Funchal
near the Flower Market. Many of
the pavements are of hand-laid
patterns composed of split
pebbles usually dark-grey and
white. The grey pebbles are
native to Madeira but I believe
the white ones are imported from
Portugal. I was attracted to the
design of the composition and the
challenging view of the worker.
Great Art Award Pat t

St Cuthberts Mill Award Richard Green Inner
t
Hollingworth Waiting Reflections, watercolour, 1534⁄ x1912⁄ in. (40x50cm).

for Dinner in Ragusa, ‘I am a self-taught watercolourist, trying to fit
oil, 19x19in. (48x48cm). painting around my family and work commitments.
‘I enjoy painting people I try to tackle all subject matter, but landscape is
engaged in activities, my main area of interest. The reflections in the
including passive foreground boat you see in Inner Reflections caught
activities like waiting. my eye so I made a quick sketch, which was then
I took the photo on scaled up to A3 using a grid method. I laid the first
which this painting was very wet washes with a large mop brush, placing
based while John (front subtle colours in the area of the boats. While still
left) and I were waiting wet, I ran clean water through the washes to soften
to be served at a trattoria them, trying to create a mist-like feel. Once it was
in the old part of Ragusa, completely dry, I painted loose shapes to indicate
Sicily. I particularly the background boats and more detail on the
loved the light and the foreground boat to create a focal point. The
way it refelected on finishing touch was to dampen the paper beneath
the stone building the foreground boat with a spray bottle and run in
and the parasols. The a strong dark to create the reflections in the water.’
picture was painted
on a linen board with David Curtis says of Inner Reflections: ‘This shows
water-mixable oils a deft use of watercolour, which has been produced
and No. 6 filberts.’ with a fleeting, sure touch.’

LP Open
competition 2018
LEISURE PAINTER AWARDS 2018
Leisure Painter Award
One prize of a showcase feature on a selected artist
in Leisure Painter magazine
Patchings Award
A gift voucher worth £450 to be used at Patchings Art Centre,
Nottingham
www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk
Batsford Books Awards
Four prizes of instructional art books to the value of £150 each
www.batsford.com
Winston Oh Award
£400 to be spent on a painting course provided by Winston Oh
www.winstonoh.com
Premium Art Brands Award
Batsford Books Awards Philip Montgomery Woodseats
t
One set of Pan Pastels worth £250
Reflections, gouache, 12x1534⁄ in. (30x40cm). I took up painting www.premiumartbrands.com
again when I retired from my job as an architect five years ago.
Initially I concentrated on transparent watercolour, but more Sennelier Award
recently have been experimenting with gouache. Currently £250 worth of Sennelier Art Materials
my work is figurative, mainly landscape and townscape, and www.globalartsupplies.co.uk
the painting is more often than not carried out in the small
bedroom of our home, which I have taken over as my studio. Great Art Award
The paintings are frequently, although not always, based on £250 worth of art materials
pencil drawings made in front of the subject. I carry my A5 www.greatart.co.uk
sketchpad everywhere and draw something, anything, every
day. I like drawing animals and people, and have made one Caran d’Ache Award
or two portraits of friends. I post some of my better pictures £250 worth of art materials
at PaintersOnline and have exhibited at Patchings Art Centre www.jakar.co.uk
twice. Put simply, painting and drawing enriches my life.’
Clairefontaine Award
David Curtis says of Woodseats Reflections: ‘I like this £250 worth of art products selected from the Clairefontaine
farmyard setting where the reflections are key to the success Graphic & Fine Art range
of the composition.’ www.clairefontaine.com
Royal Talens Award
£250 worth of art materials
www.royaltalens.com
Daler-Rowney Awards
One Artists’ Watercolour HP Wooden Box, worth £225
Two System 3 WB Screen Printing Sets, worth £99.95 each
www.daler-rowney.com
St Cuthberts Mill Award
£200 worth of paper
www.stcuthbertsmill.com
Pro Arte Award
£150 worth of brushes
www.proarte.co.uk
Leisure Painter Highly Commended Award
A subscription to Leisure Painter, worth £100
t
Batsford Books Awards Mark Smith Stormbound in Padstow, www.painters-online.co.uk
watercolour, 1534⁄ x2114⁄ in. (40x54cm). Having been keen on
sailing throughout my life, and having served with the
Venturers, the Ocean Youth Club and the Sail Training
Association, the sea and ships have been a major factor in
choosing subject matter to paint. In addition we spend all LEISURE PAINTER’S PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
our holidays near Padstow and love mooching round the Register your vote for your favourite work from
harbour, taking in the nautical atmosphere and the evocative
shapes and colours of these plucky workhorses of the sea. our competition by visiting our website at
I take several photographs of the harbour then select an www.painters-online.co.uk/ gallery/PatchingsGallery.htm
interesting composition. For me, drawing was the hard part Closing date is 14 September and the winner will be announced
of this complicated picture, after which it was a delight to in our December issue
try to replicate the contrasting colours, tones and shapes!

LP Marketplace
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ainting in Europe, together with its sister site, Arte Umbria,
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on expert tuition in glorious places that cannot fail but inspire.
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Joyful
Books
WHAT TO READ THIS MONTH
watercolour
Subtitled 40 Happy
Lessons for Painting
the World Around
You, Emma Block’s
The Joy of
Watercolor will
Visit www.painters-online.co.uk/store and click certainly lift your
on the link to books to buy the latest practical art spirits. Emma, a
books available from LP’s online bookshop London-based
illustrator, shows us
how to use
watercolour as a
means of escapism
Flowers A-Z – allowing creativity free reign to enhancing feelings of peace
Originally published in and tranquillity. All you need is a basic set of watercolours, a
2001, a new edition of few brushes, some thick paper and you’re away! The 40 lessons
Adelene Fletcher’s The include such subjects as painting on holiday, painting your
Waterolour Flower pets, flowers and plants, and colour mixing, and Emma brings a
Painter’s A to Z is now refreshing approach to, what she calls, modern watercolours.
available, endorsed by The Joy of Watercolor by Emma Block. Running Press, (h/b), £13.99.
the Royal Botanic Garden
at Kew. The book
includes step-by-step
photographs and
detailed instruction on Human anatomy
how to paint over 50 of the most popular species of Drawing Human Anatomy
flowers in watercolour. For each flower described there is by Giovanni Civardi is a
a handy colour key to help you mix and match the concise guide to capturing
correct colour on your palette. the human form in pencil.
Kew: The Watercolour Flower Painter’s A to Z Breaking the body down
by Adelene Fletcher. Search Press, (p/b), £12.99. into its component parts,
Giovanni looks at the
skeletal, muscular and
articular systems, an
understanding of which
he claims is crucial to
represent the human body accurately. A difficult subject is
made accessible by Civardi’s fine drawings and the book
provides an invaluable resource to artists of all levels.
Drawing Human Anatomy by Giovanni Civardi.
Search Press, (p/b), £9.99.
Making frames
A. Linnette Bell has been a
professional picture framer for over
30 years. Here, she shares with us
the processes behind successfully
framing artwork of all types. There’s
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Art clubs
OVER TO YOU FOR THE LATEST NEWS ON CLUB
n Cheltenham Art Club
Exhibition at the Montpellier Gardens
Gallery, Montpellier Gardens, Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire GL50 1UZ from 19 to 23
September. Open daily, 10am to 5pm.
n Chester Grosvenor Art Society
Autumn exhibition at Upton by Chester Golf
EXHIBITIONS AND ACTIVITIES Club, Upton Lane, Upton by Chester CH2
1EE from 6 to 14 October, 10am to 7pm
daily. Visit www.grosvenorartsociety.org.uk
n Cranleigh Art & Crafts Society
Exhibition at Cranleigh Village Hall, 36 High
Street, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 8AT from 11
to 13 October, 10am to 5pm daily.
Enquiries to Pat Coxon 01483 278698.
n Darlington Society of Arts
Annual exhibition at The Station Gallery,
Richmond, North Yorkshire DL10 4LD from
13 to 25 October.
n Dunfermline Art Club
Exhibition at the Community Gallery,
Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries,
Abbot Street, Dunfermline, until 7 October.
Open Mondays and Thursdays, 10am to
7pm; Tuesdays and Fridays, 10am to 5pm;
Wednesdays, 10am to 2pm; Saturdays, 10am
to 4pm; Sundays, 12 noon to 4pm.
n Elston Art Group
Exhibition at Elston Village Hall, (next to the
church), Top Street, Elston, near Newark,
Nottinghamshire on Sunday 16 September.
n Ewelme Watercress Painters
5th ‘Art for All’ exhibition at the Watercress
Highlights Sally Kindness Hay Bales, watercolour Centre, The Street, Ewelme, Wallingford
t
17x22in. (43x56cm) at the Ambleside and OX10 6HH, on Saturday 29 September,

Ambleside and District District Art Society’s annual exhibition 10am to 4.30pm and Sunday 30 September,
Art Society 10am to 4pm.
The Ambleside and District Art (above) Jennifer Moffat and Mandy
n Godalming Studio 12 Art Group
Society’s annual exhibition takes Dorman. The society began in 1974
Annual exhibition at Godalming Museum,
place at Ambleside Parish Centre and currently has around 100 109a High Street, Godalming, Surrey, until
from 17 to 28 October. The members of all abilities who meet 15 September. Open Tuesday to Saturday,
exhibition is open daily, 10am to regularly to learn and share skills and 10am to 5pm.
5pm; from 2.30pm on Sundays and ideas. Anyone living within a 10-mile n The Great Yarmouth Guild
closing at 2.30pm on the final day. radius of Ambleside is welcome to of Artists and Craftsmen
The show demonstrates the join. For more information contact Patsy Annual exhibition at Great Yarmouth
diversity of talented Cumbrian Derry on 015394 36180 or email her at Library from 18 to 28 September. Open
artists, such as Sally Kindness, patsyderry@hotmail.co.uk Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm; until
7.30pm on Wednesdays; 9am to 4.30pm on
Saturdays. Enquiries to 01493 296814.
n Haslemere Art Society
CLUB EXHIBITIONS 124th exhibition at Haslemere Educational
n Alton Art Society Nottingham NG5 8DR on 20 and 21 Museum, 78 High Street, Haslemere, Surrey
87th annual exhibition at Alton Assembly October, 10am to 4.30pm daily. Enquiries GU27 2LA from 8 to 15 September. Open
Rooms, High Street, Alton GU34 1BD from to Jo Westmoreland: jowmld@yahoo.co.uk Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm. Visit
6 to 14 October, 10am to 5pm daily. Visit n Bothwell Art Club www.haslemere.com/artsoc
www.altonart.org.uk
Two-day exhibition on 15 and 16 n Horsforth Art Society
n Altrincham Society of Artists September at Bothwell Parish Church Hall, Art, print and woodcraft exhibition at
Autumn exhibition at Altrincham College (next to the Chapterhouse Café), Main The Studio, 15 Back Lane, Horsforth
of Arts, Green Lane, Timperley WA15 5QW, Street, Bothwell, Lanarkshire G71 8WX. LS18 4RF, from 29 September to 7 October.
from 21 to 26 October. Open Mondays and Open from 10am to 5pm on the Saturday Open weekdays, 1 to 3pm; and from 10am
Wednesdays, 10am to 4pm; Tuesdays and and 11.30am to 5pm on the Sunday. to 5pm on weekends. Visit
Thursdays, 10am to 5pm; Fridays, 10am to n Broadlanders Art Club www.horsforthartsociety.wordpress.com
3pm; and Sundays, 1 to 5pm and 7 to 9pm.
Exhibition at The Mill Lane Centre, Mill n Inside Out Painters
n Arnold Art Society Lane, Bradwell, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk Annual exhibition at Church House,
Exhibition at the Pondhills Community N31 8HS on Saturday 28 October, 10am to Wimborne, Dorset from 21 to 27 October.
Centre, off Coppice Road, Arnold, 5pm and Sunday 29 October, 10am to 4pm. Enquiries to sarahkellypainter@icloud.com

CLUB EXHIBITIONS Continued
Demonstrations n Jersey Society of Artists
Bedford Art Society Annual exhibition at The Harbour Gallery,
Following a short AGM at Putnoe Heights Church, Bedford MK41 8EB on Friday St. Aubin, Jersey from 19 to 28 October.
5 October (7.30pm), members and visitors will be treated to a talk on the life of Open daily, 10am to 4pm. New members
welcome. Enquiries to 01534 483976 or
Henry John Sylvester Stannard – a Victorian artist, born in Bedford, who
visit www.jerseysocietyofartists.com
painted idyllic rural scenes and whose patrons included the Royal Family. Entry
n Keswick Society of Art
is free for members, £5 for visitors. Contact Jean Paterson on 01234 307210 or visit
www.bedsartsociety.co.uk
Autumn exhibition at the Congregational
Church Hall, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5BS,
Cheltenham Art Club until 17 September. Open daily, excluding
Celia Bennett will give a demonstration on how to paint flowers in mixed Sundays, 10am to 6pm; closing at 3pm
media to visitors and members of the Cheltenham Art Club on Saturday 27 on final day.
October, 2.30 to 4.30pm at the Cheltenham Art Club Studio, Townsend Street, n Market Harborough Art Club
Cheltenham. Tickets are £5 on the door; open to non-members. Annual exhibition at the Harborough
Theatre, Church Square, Market
Harborough LE19 7NB on 20 and 21
October, 10am to 4pm daily. Visit
www.marketharboroughartclub.co.uk
n Muskham Art Group
Annual exhibition at South Muskham
Village Hall, near Newark NG23 6EE on 20
and 21 October, 10am to 4pm daily. Visit
www.muskhamartgroup.co.uk
n Orwell Art Club
71st annual exhibition at the Tourist
Information Centre, St. Stephen’s Church,
Ipswich from 17 to 22 September, 9am to
5pm daily; closing at 3.45pm on final day.
Enquiries to: orwellart@btinternet.com
n Plymouth Arts Club
Annual exhibition at the Column
Bakehouse Café, Ocean Studios, Factory
Cooperage, Royal William Yard, Plymouth
PL1 3RP, until 16 September. Open
t
Celia Bennett’s Poppies, mixed-media and collage. Celia will be demonstrating more flower Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 9am to 4pm;
paintings with mixed media to the Cheltenham Art Club on 27 October Thursdays to Saturdays, 9am to 5pm;
Sundays, 10am to 4pm; closed Mondays.
Halifax Art Society n Roche Art Group
On 5 October, Tom Ratcliffe will give an illustrated talk to the Halifax Art Society Annual exhibition at the WI Hall, West
on Artists at War. The talk will take place at All Saints Parish Hall, Godfrey Road, Street, Rochford, Essex on Saturday 15
September, 10am to 4pm. Visit
Skircoat Green, Halifax from 10.30am until 1pm. For more information visit www.rocheartgroup.wix.com/roche-art-
www.halifaxartsociety.com group for updates or contact Bernard on
Hipperholme and 07913 803666.
Lightcliffe Art Society n Sherburn in Elmet Art Club
The Hipperholme and Lightcliffe 43rd annual exhibition at the village hall,
Art Society recently welcomed Church Fenton LS24 9RF on
Jane Gamble to the easel for a 15 September, 9am to 5pm and 16
fun demonstration inspired by September, 10am to 4pm.
Andy Warhol. The following week n Wallop Artists
members had a go at painting Annual summer exhibition at Wallops
like Warhol, leading to some Members of the Hipperholme and Lightcliffe
t Parish Hall, Stockbridge, Hampshire SO20
interesting concepts. If you would Art Society paint it like Warhol 8EG on 28 and 29 September, 10am to 5pm
daily. Enquiries to Barbara Waits 01264
like to join in the next event, 782110.
meetings take place at the Brighouse Rest Centre on Tuesday evenings, 7.30 to
n Winchester Art Club
9.30pm. Visit www.handlas.co.uk for further details.
Annual exhibition at the Discovery Centre,
Tewkesbury Art Society Jewry Street, Winchester SO23 8S from 14
Ronald Swanwick will give a demonstration on painting trees and foliage in oils September to 7 October. Enquiries to Chris
and acrylics to the Tewkesbury Art Society on Tuesday 16 October at the Sealey on 01962 860564 or 07914 373903.
Methodist Church Hall, By The Cross, Barton Street, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire n Woking Society of Arts
from 10.30am until 12.30pm. Entrance is £5 for non-members. For more The Woking Society of Arts will be holding
information go to www.t-a-s.info an outdoor exhibition of work in Mercia
Walk, Woking Town Centre on 8 and 15
September.

Highlights
Banstead Art Group Art Club gallery
Members of Banstead Art Group will Spalding Arts &
t
display over 250 paintings at their Crafts Society
annual exhibition at Banstead Pru Cosby (right) is
Community Hall, Park Road, Banstead, seen with her
Surrey SM7 3AJ on Thursday 25 October, painting, Nigel &
10am to 8pm; Friday 26 October, 10am Nellie, which won
to 5pm; and Saturday 27 October, 10am the People’s Choice
to 6pm. Find out more about the group and Award at the annual
meet the artists on Thursday 25 October, 6 to exhibition of the
8pm; free wine and nibbles. Spalding Arts &
Bournemouth Arts Club Crafts Society
The 98th annual exhibition by members exhibition in May.
of the Bournemouth Arts Club can be Pru’s painting was
seen at The Gallery Upstairs, Upton inspired by a picture
Country Park, Poole BH17 7BJ from 26 in a TV supplement
October to 5 November. Open Monday of Monty Don with
to Friday, 10.30am to 3.45pm; Saturdays his two golden
and Sundays, from 10.30am to 4.30pm. retrievers. Artist and
Visit www.thegalleryupstairs.org.uk livestock farmer, Pru
Cawood Art Group now teaches adults
The Cawood Art Group will be showing and paints
work at Selby Abbey on 6 October, 10am commissions, mainly of animals – both pets and farm. For more information
to 4pm. Visitors are invited to take along about the society, visit www.saacs.org.uk
their sketchbooks, paints and pastels to
sketch and paint the beautiful Abbey
and grounds. Artist in residence, Chris
Luke will be there to help. Admission is
free. Telephone Kirsten on 01757 268645.
Cheltenham Art Club
The Cheltenham Art Club’s autumn
exhibition is at Montpellier Gardens
Gallery, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
GL50 1UZ, from 19 to 23 September. The
club holds various classes and groups
during the week, with en plein air
sessions, workshops and
demonstrations, to which all levels are
welcome. A special membership price is
offered during the exhibition. For details
go to www.cheltenhamartclub.co.uk
The Dorking Group of Artists
One of the largest art groups in Surrey,
The Dorking Group of Artists, will be
t
Sidmouth Society of Artists Bryan Dawkins Crabber off Sidmouth, acrylic,
holding its popular annual exhibition at 153⁄4x231⁄2in. (40x60cm). Bryan won the best in show prize at the recent Sidmouth
Denbies Wine Estate, London Road, Society of Artists exhibition as well as the Marion Ovens silver salver, presented to
Dorking, Surrey RH5 6AA from 12 to 14 the public’s favourite work in the exhibition. For more information about the
October. Open daily, 10am to 5.30pm; society, go to www.sidmouthsocietyofartists.btck.co.uk
until 4pm on final day. Entrance is free
and there is a café and restaurant as
How you can join in
well as tours of the vineyard. The group
To participate in our best in show feature, arrange for the voting to take
meets on Tuesday afternoons at Beare
place at your next club exhibition, then send Leisure Painter a photograph,
Green Village Hall from September
transparency or jpeg of the chosen painting. We can only accept sharp,
through to Easter. Membership is open
high-resolution (300dpi) images for reproduction purposes. Attach details
to all and costs just £20 a year. A varied
of the artist, title, medium and dimensions, along with details of the club
programme includes workshops and
itself. LP also welcomes art exhibition listings, profiles, events, letters and
demonstrations and outdoor painting
news. Send to Jane Stroud, 63/65 High Street, Tenterden, Kent TN30 6BD;
and sketching during the summer
or email jane@tapc.co.uk
months. For more information contact the
chairman, Jane Anderson Wood, on 01372
375123 or visit www.dga.org.uk

Online gallery
Jane Stroud’s selection of works from our PaintersOnline gallery
WWW.PAINTERS-ONLINE.CO.UK
W Teresa Allen Mayfield Lavender Field,

t
ith experience, Teresa Allen has discovered how to make the life of a pastel
painter working outdoors a little bit easier. Here she shares with us some tips pastel, 912⁄ x13in. (24x33cm)
and techniques. The key is to keep to a well-organised routine, with materials that
you understand well. If you would like to see more of Teresa’s work, post a comment horizontal strokes for the distant lavender
or upload your own images to our free online gallery, visit www.painters-online.co.uk and shorter vertical strokes at the front to
create texture. The figures were added
Predominantly a studio painter, Teresa quick thumbnail sketch in pencil and last, using a dark pastel with colour on top
loves to paint en plein air during the taking a couple of photographs for later and trying not to be too detailed. Before
warmer months. The lavender field reference. I chose Art Spectrum ‘sand’ leaving I wrapped greaseproof paper
pictured here is just five minutes away pastel paper, sketching the composition around the painting, and stored it
from her home, so she often paints there with a pastel pencil before blocking in the between the foam core. I finished it at
using her Heilman Pochade box, which big shapes and shadows. For the first layer home adding more light on the tree and
attaches to a tripod and easel. “I take a I used Conté and Nupastel, which are hard pathway.”
selection of pastel papers with me,” she pastels that don’t fill the tooth of the Teresa exhibits with the Tadworth Art
writes, “and decide which to use when I’m paper, working from top to bottom to Group in Surrey and recently participated
there. I store them between sheets of avoid smudging. For the second layer, I in Carshalton Artists Open Studios. She has
foam core then use one of the sheets as a used softer pastels with more pigment – also had work selected for the prestigious
drawing board. For this painting, I Unison, Sennelier and Art Spectrum – to AppArt Exhibition in Surrey. Visit
decided on the composition, making a place stronger areas of colour, using broad www.teresaallenpaintings.com

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