Observational Drawing - Pot Plant

My classes are back in full swing this week.  Hats off to all those who braved the ice and snow to make it to the studio above Henderson Art and Framing in Gaywood.  Every term I like to include a session working from still life, the challenges of 3D and how to translate this on the paper or canvas can teach us so much.  The pastel class on Wednesday will be looking at a large pot plant that I will bring in.  It has been in my front room for the past week and on Sunday I made several drawings myself.  It has the most 'mobile' leaves.  In the dull evening light they tend to close up and during the day they relax and fall more open.  Let's hope they behave in class!

The first drawing was getting to know the subject.  I used charcoal as it is such an immediate material and the class members may enjoy trying it for a change.  Then I tried conte on white cartridge paper and established the difference between the top and underside of the leaves.  Finally I looked at the negative shapes between the leaves.  These can be fascinating in themselves but can also help with accuracy in the composition stage.  I decided to leave this drawing at this stage to demonstrate this concept to the class, but will encourage them then to continue working to a more completed piece of artwork.

Charcoal on cartridge paper.

Conte sticks on cartridge paper.

Pale blue pastel pencil, white conte stick on blue Canson paper.

Making several drawings of a subject is a great way to get to know how to portray it best and is ideal preparation before going on to do a more detailed drawing or painting.  Or even to understand essential components before doing a looser expressive piece of work.  Why not give it a try? 

6 New Year Art Resolutions

Yes, six New Year resolutions - a tall order I know. 

Hard at work

 

1.  Work smaller scale.  I do seem to naturally work larger scale - I enjoy making big gestural strokes.  Whilst working in the large airy studio spaces during my degree course that was fine, but now I am in my garden studio at home storing large works can quickly become a problem.  Smaller scale works on paper can be stored in a browser or portfolio.  Smaller framed works and canvases are more 'user-friendly' in the current economic climate too.  This strategy may help me to become more prolific.  I plan to work on a series of very small paintings based on the local landscape around my village.  Watch this space...

 

2.  Work more from life.  I believe that working from life creates many more opportunities for a personal style to develop.  Responses to subject matter are more immediate and experimental in the process of mark making to capture what is there in real life.  Incorporated into this resolution is the desire to use my sketchbooks as much as possible and to utilize small snatches of time creatively.

 

3.  Close Inspection - Initiate a series of work.  For some reason I take a lot of photos of close-up textural surfaces - rust, tree bark etc - and when I review them I love the abstract qualities.  So far only one of these images has been a basis for a painting.  I plan to do more but that first mixed media painting titled 'Close Inspection' is the start and lends its name to what I hope will become a visually exciting collection.

 

Close Inspection, mixed media on canvas, 30x30cms



4.  Seasonal - Initiate a series of work.  I really enjoy painting still life based on fruit and vegetables.  Maybe being a vegetarian has something to do with it!  So far the work I have done has been initiated because of class preparation but I really would like to do some more for my own pleasure.  Tracking seasonal produce would be an ideal opportunity this coming year.

 

5.  Act on opportunities and interests - don't put things off...

 

6.  Website.  I have at last got this blog back on track but the same can't be said for my website.  I read somewhere that an unfinished website 'under construction' is worse than not having one at all.  My poor website needs finishing.  The problem is I am not quite sure whether to have it just for my animal artwork or to broaden it out to include other genres.  This dilemma is compounded by the fact that I work across a lot of different media but I do think an artist website is stronger with a tighter focus. 

 

So, my resolutions are out in the big wide world; reviewing them in December will be interesting!

 

What do you hope to achieve in 2013? 

  

Art Review 2012

I have been reviewing my 2012 art year, and tomorrow will add a post about plans for 2013.

2012 has been a more focused, productive year for me, which was what I had hoped for.  My classes at Henderson Art & Framing continued for the usual three terms (of eight weeks duration each) - see www.hendersonartandframing.co.uk for details about upcoming classes.  I started this blog in May, hit a long slump but have rallied, with new resolve, to end the year.

 

Outside of my regular classes the year kicked off when I organized a Sketchbook Evening for the West Norfolk Artists Artists (www.westnorfolkartists.org).  Members were invited to bring along some sketchbooks for an informal evening to give people a chance to look through and chat about sketchbooks - their uses, different ways of using them etc.  It was (thankfully) a rip roaring success, very inspiring.  I had already made a resolution to do more sketchbook work in 2012, and although I did make much more use of them, in all honesty, I could have done even more.

 

Water Mixable Oil Painting

  

In March I held a Water Mixable Oil Painting Workshop at Henderson Art & Framing.  These workshops are always enjoyable and cater for 10 - 12 participants.  They are marvellous value too as all materials are provided and in this case each student went away with tubes of paint, brushes, plastic palette and finished work on two small canvas boards!  Sue provides a delicious lunch and refreshments mid morning and afternoon.  If you live nearby and haven't tried a workshop before 2013 could be your chance.

May was a very busy month with 2 exhibitions and I participated in Norfolk Open Studios as part of the West Norfolk Artists at South Acre Church.  I was absolutely thrilled when I sold a painting in each venue! 

'Beauty of Charcoal' Workshop

July is the annual West Norfolk Summer Exhibition.  This year I was one of the three selectors / curators and opted not to show any work.  This is the second time I have taken on this role and find the whole process fascinating.  From the initial daunting task of being faced with a sea of artwork, to gradually whittling it down a selection of work that showcases the Association and its members to its best advantage takes several hours - and the following morning there are often additions as the exhibition takes on a life of its own.  During the exhibition the Association puts on free 2-hour workshops and I ran a 'Beauty of Charcoal' Workshop.  Participants worked from simple a still life each based on peppers and mushrooms and were led through a variety of techniques to get to grips with the possibilities of this marvellous expressive medium.

'All About Artbars' Workshop

Before my classes resumed in September I ran another workshop 'All About Artbars' at Hendersons.  These new triangular water soluble wax bars burst onto the art scene in the Spring and I had plenty of time to experiment and get to grips with them.  The workshop tackled using them as a drawing medium, diluting the colour with water to make luminous washes and then working back into them.  In the afternoon they were used thick and enabled scratching through juicy layers to get interesting textures.



 

 

Reductive drawing, willow charcoal, cartridge paper

 

Compressed charcoal on watercolour paper

 

Also in September there were two more exhibitions, both at the King's Lynn Art Centre.  Again I was delighted to sell work.  Finally in November I did my first art demonstration - at Park House, Sandringham.  I was given free rein so chose charcoal again as it is quick and expressive.  I had a two hour slot and decided to do a reductive drawing of a foal (lifting the lights and adding darks) before the teabreak.  I used compressed charcoal to do a quick head study of my old pony, Danny, after the break and used water to dilute and create inky washes and drips before drawing back into it to add definition.  Two very different techniques and fortunately got it all done in the time...

So, on reflection 2012 has been a busy and fruitful year for me.  But the real highlight of the year?  My two daughters both graduated from their respective universities!!!

Happy New Year.