Sommaire pour November 2021 de Leisure Painter

John Nash The beautiful setting of Compton Verney in Warwickshire plays host to a major exhibition of work by John Nash this autumn. John Nash: The Landscape of Love and Solace is produced in association with Towner Eastbourne and explores the life and work of the prolific 20th century British artist through his wood engravings, line drawings, lithographs, watercolours and some of his most famous paintings. Subjects range from his time in Flanders during the First World War - and as an official war artist during the Second World War - to the solace he found in the landscape around Buckinghamshire, the Chilterns and the Stour valley. His lithograph, Harvesting (above), presents a joyful depiction of this time-honoured activity. The print was commissioned by Brenda Rawnsley as part of her…

COLOUR KEY R=Permanent alizarin crimson W=Titanium white Bl=Ultramarine Br=Burnt umber Y=Cadmium yellow (hue) LEARNING OBJECTIVES ■ Develop an understanding of acrylics and acrylic colours ■ Work with a limited palette ■ Make preliminary thumbnail sketches Acrylics are an extremely versatile medium, allowing us to paint in a thick impasto style, used with thinned-down watercolour-like techniques, or pretty much anything in between. They have the advantage of being odourless and water soluble, and they can be applied to a range of surfaces, including paper and canvas. They also dry quickly, which can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. This month I would like to explain how I used acrylics to paint my interpretation of the reference photograph (opposite), while next month, I will take you through a step-by-step painting demonstration,…

LEARNING OBJECTIVES ■ To experience the stencilling techniques ■ To create an image emphasising pattern USING A SPONGE • There’s no need to use a natural sponge as synthetic works perfectly well. I favour the car wash type, as it has some variation in texture, but not too much. Other sponges, such as those used for bathing, cosmetics or cleaning, also work, although the different types may produce different textures. • recommend using a different piece of sponge for each colour, to keep your colours fresh. • If a colour does become contaminated, the sponge can be washed and reused. • Before you use the sponge, tear off small pieces. Dip a piece in clean water and squeeze out as much water as possible so the sponge is just damp.…

LEARNING OBJECTIVES ■ Paint a wet-in-wet sky at sunset ■ Use a fine brush to paint in silhouette ■ Follow a step-by-step watercolour process Before we even begin to mix the paint, we need to plan the painting. How do we want the sunset to look, what colours do we need and what method should we use to apply them? Sitting, planning and testing out colours before heading to that blank sheet of watercolour paper is the best way to begin. Try out different combinations of yellows, oranges and reds with the addition of brown and a touch of black. If you come across a lovely combination that’s not the same as my tutorial, but you prefer it, do it that way; even a touch of purple can help for…

LEARNING OBJECTIVES ■ How to give the form a three-dimensional effect ■ Add salt, Clingfilm, wax resist and water spray textures to your work ■ Paint with a limited palette As a child growing up in Brazil, I had two pet parrots that were handed down to us from a previous foreign family who left the country. Delightedly, we took them in and they lived in the garden on their perch, with the tropical climate keeping them happy. They were friendly, funny and colourful, and bring back wonderful memories. I chose this subject not only for its colours but also the contrast in light and shade that always makes for a better painting. I used watercolour in a loose way in the following demonstration, creating a background with water spray…

LEARNING OBJECTIVES ■ Practise the wet-in-wet and wet-on-dry techniques ■ How to draw and paint a boat ■ Techniques for painting quickly with watercolour During many happy hours walking and cycling the towpaths of many English canals, I’ve always loved studying the many narrowboats moored along the banks. The beautiful, brightly coloured paint work is always a delightful contrast to the surrounding subtle greens of nature. I thought this would make a great subject for a fairly simple watercolour and a good opportunity to experiment with mixing greens, without using any direct from the tube or pan. I set myself a target of about three hours to complete this painting as I wanted to achieve a fairly loose, unlaboured feel. You will need ■ Surface ● Fabriano Artistico Rough watercolour…

LEARNING OBJECTIVES ■ How to create the effects of smoke and mist ■ Try simple colour mixes ■ Practise different brushstrokes Begin by drawing the bonfire, which should be off-centre and quite low on the paper. Suggest trees and the outline of the house then add a few foreground details, such as a fence, plant pots and bushes. Next make up four washes: ultramarine and burnt umber to make blue-grey; ultramarine and light red to make blue; raw sienna and light red. Also have a little pure cadmium yellow pale and a little cadmium red to hand. You will need ■ Surface ● Watercolour paper 8x10½in. (20.5x26.5cm) ■ Watercolour ● Ultramarine ● Burnt umber ● Light red ● Raw sienna ● Cadmium yellow pale ● Cadmium red ● Payne’s grey…

WWW.PAINTERS-ONLINE.CO.UK Alice Hole is an artist who loves to draw and paint her surroundings with a special interest in the historical nature of the landscapes, towns and harbours. Here she describes how she used graphite pencils and carbon to capture the beginnings of autumn while on a walk in the countryside. To see more of Alice’s work, post a comment or upload your own images, visit www.painters-online.co.uk ‘I’m very lucky to live within walking distance of the beautiful Penrose Estate, near the Lizard in south-west Cornwall. It has become a great source of inspiration to me as an artist, and I especially enjoy capturing the changing seasons of this stunning landscape. In this drawing I wanted to depict my autumnal walk along the lanes that meander through the estate, showing…

women created both then and now. For more information and to book your tickets go to www.wattsgallery.org.uk Ten Artists Last year would have been the Ten Artists’ 25th exhibition. As with most art groups, they were unable to hold their annual exhibition in 2020, but this year are planning to celebrate their special year with an exhibition at Baslow Village Hall, Baslow, Derbyshire DE45 1SR on 23 and 24 October. The exhibition is open from 10am to 5pm daily, with each of the ten artists showing ten works. This year’s exhibiting artists are Helen Martell (left), Gerry Kersey, Brian Smith, Judy Day, Lyn Littlewood, Mark Turner, Mark Beresford, David Beatson, Isabel Blincow and sculptor Jason Heppenstall. As always, the exhibition will be held in support of Samaritans. To date, the…

LEARNING OBJECTIVES ■ How to handle and mix your colours ■ Practise glazing and wet-in-wet techniques ■ Try different approaches to painting roses Roses come in a variety of wonderful shades, ranging from soft pinks, yellows and peaches through to rich vibrant reds and magentas. Whether from life or a photograph, before beginning the painting stage I study the subject and select the colour palette accordingly. In this month’s article, I am using Jackman’s Professional Handmade Watercolour (www.jackmansartmaterialsco.uk), a brand of good quality paint, manufactured near Derby, which I have found perfect for conveying the luminosity of roses. Many shades can be produced by mixing the three primary colours, however, due to the vibrancy and sometimes almost synthetic shade of certain varieties of rose, extra colours are often needed, for…

LEARNING OBJECTIVES ■ Build your colour-mixing confidence ■ Work with perspective and depth in your landscape ■ Understand the value of tone over colour There is something about the scent of lavender that evokes the feeling of a summer’s day. Although I have the odd plant in my home garden, the inspiration that comes from rows of lavender growing in a fi eld on a warm day is on a different level. During a warm, sunny day last summer I joined the lucky campers of Finchingfield camping site (www.finchingfieldcamping.co.uk) to take in the aroma and the stunning views of this Essex gem. Julia, the site owner, kindly allowed me a free run of her amazing lavender field to sketch and paint. In last month’s issue I demonstrated how I produced…

LEARNING OBJECTIVES ■ See your subject as a series of shapes, not objects ■ Paint dark to light, and thick to thin ■ Work across the painting, one colour at a time From all the still-life subjects I have explored, pretty teacups are amongst my favourites. They are such beautiful objects for many reasons: the delicacy of the subtle details and decorations, the interesting shapes that combine curves, angles and lines, or the rich colour of the tea it contains, to name a few. It is also fascinating to observe the variety of colours that a white cup can display, depending on the lighting and the reflected light from the objects around it. Although teacups are great subjects on their own, it can be fun to combine them with other…