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Easy steps with

coloured pencils

APRIL 2020 £4.80

STEP-BY-STEP
WATERCOLOUR WIN!
Art books, worth
£860
(page 11)
A painting holiday, worth
£1,250
(page 74)

Be inspired
by your garden

How to paint
TIPS & TECHNIQUES
for mixing greens
figures in light
HOW DO I PAINT...?
04>

A white flower
in watercolour
770024 071195

EXPLORE
gouache, acrylics,
oils & watercolour
9
BAF Artist and Leisure Painter Ad 15-1-20_Layout 1 20/01/2020 09:38 Page 1

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2 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

Incorporating Leisure Painter
and Craftsman and Creative Crafts
VOLUME 54/4; ISSUE 598
www.leisurepainter.co.uk
www.painters-online.co.uk Welcome
ISSN 0024-0710
from the editor
APRIL 2020

I t is with great pleasure that we present the

Editor
Ingrid Lyon
Contributing Editor work of Helen Martell this month (pages
Jane Stroud
Editorial Consultants 60-63) as the winner of the Leisure Painter
Diana Armfield RA, NEAC (Hon), RWS
David Bellamy Award in our TALP Open competition and exhibition 2019. Helen
Tim Fisher
focuses on colour and light in her paintings, and enjoys the challenges
Subscriptions & Marketing Manager
Wendy Gregory of depicting close-ups of everything from the faces of animals to
Subscriptions
Nicci Salmon, Liza Kitney musical instruments, reflections and natural rock patterns. The judges
01580 763315/763673
[email protected] were instantly drawn to her winning painting, Bruges Bicycles (page
Designers
Alison Renno
60), and we are delighted to showcase more of her work and look at
Sarah Poole
the working methods, thought processes and inspiration behind her
Online Editor
Dawn Farley interesting, textural paintings. With a deadline of 9 April, it’s not too
Events Manager
Caroline Griffiths late to enter your own work to this year’s TALP Open; the entry details
Commercial Manager
Neil Miller
and information on the 45 individual prizes, worth over £18,000, can
Advertising Sales be found on pages 64-65. Helen admits that she was amazed when
Anna-Marie Brown 01778 392048
[email protected] Bruges Bicycles was accepted for exhibition, but winning the award was
Advertising Copy
Sue Woodgates 01778 392062 a ‘total shock’, although it was an obvious winner to the judging panel.
[email protected]
Accounts
Could we be presenting your work in Leisure Painter next year?
[email protected]
The following pages of practical tutorials, step-by-step demonstrations
Leisure Painter, Caxton House,
63-65 High Street, Tenterden, and inspirational features are all aimed at helping you to develop
Kent TN30 6BD. 01580 763315
www.painters-online.co.uk your own skillset, style and confidence. Many amateur painters – and
Publisher some professionals, too – hesitate at painting figures, worried an
Dr Sally Bulgin, Hon VPRBSA
ill-conceived figure might spoil an otherwise good landscape. This
Publication of an article or inclusion of
an advertisement does not necessarily month’s painting project has been devised by urban sketcher, Tony
imply that the publisher is in agreement
with the views expressed, or represents Underhill, therefore, to show just how easy and effective it is to add
endorsement of products, materials or
techniques. The publisher does not accept simple figures to your paintings. We hope you will enjoy working
responsibility for errors, omissions or
images received in good faith. through the exercises and ideas Tony presents this month and paint
Annual subscription rates (13 issues): along with him in the May issue. Oil painter, Valérie Pirlot, also focuses
UK £47.20; USA $80; Canada $92;
EC member countries 67; all other on light and shapes as she paints this month’s cover portrait, a figure
countries (sterling rate) £57. Foreign
currency prices include bank charges. of a girl sitting by a window. Broken down in a step-by-step way, you
Payments made by credit/debit card
are taken in sterling at the rate of £57 will hopefully find it easier to produce a similar effect.
Leisure Painter is published by Warners
Group Publications plc and printed by
Warners Midlands plc, The Maltings,
Manor Lane, Bourne, Lincolnshire
PE10 9PH. Newstrade distribution by
Warners Group Publications plc
(Tel: 01778 391000)
INGRID LYON Editor

May issue on sale 20 March

APRIL 2020 3
 Contents APRIL 2020
50

40

34

20 Painting project
IN EVERY ISSUE Part 1 Tony Underhill introduces this month’s
10 Letters project from a summer holiday photograph,
A reader’s journey with his
7 Diary and offers tips and techniques for including
sketchbook
Things to do around the UK figures in your townscapes
this month 73 Books
Reviews of the latest art books
23 Herald of spring
8 Exhibitions How to exploit the white of the paper to
Some of the best shows paint in watercolour a single snowdrop in
75 Art clubs
around the country detail, with botanical artist, Helen Campbell
News and exhibition listings,
plus ‘Best in Show’ gallery
26 Success with photographs
Part 4 How to block in confidently to build
78 Online gallery
a solid structure to your watercolour and
Jane Stroud chooses a recent
water-mixable oil paintings, by Andy Walker
painting from PaintersOnline
30 Figures in light
Part 2 How to paint people in oils, using
FEATURES a simplified method, focusing on light and
shapes, and working from dark to light,
12 Winter sky with Valérie Pirlot
Build your skills and confidence with
watercolour techniques as you practise 34 Water in watercolour
exercises and paint a loose wet-in-wet Part 2 Practise negative painting, softening
sky above a simple landscape, with edges, and mixing colours wet in wet and
Stephen Coates wet on dry to paint a realistic rendition of
a waterfall, with Lesley Linley
17 Painting project
On the cover Part 2 Follow Milly England step by step 40 Through the seasons
Valérie Pirlot Girl by the Window,
water-mixable oil, 10x8in. as she demonstrates how she completed APRIL How to mix colours for painting
(25.5x20cm). Learn how to paint her gouache painting of geraniums on a seasonal garden scenes, manmade structures,
figures in light on pages 30 to 33. café table, creating a chiaroscuro effect flowers and still lifes, with watercolourist,
along the way Amanda Cooper

4 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Coming
next month
Enjoy your painting time as you discover
new skills, techniques and confidence
with the May issue of Leisure Painter
ON SALE 20 MARCH
n NEW SERIES Capture
natural forms with
soft pastels
n NEW SERIES Practise
sketching, both
indoors and outside
60
n Experiment
with colour and
techniques as you
paint confident
landscapes
NEWS, COMPETITIONS AND EVENTS n Paint spring flowers
6 Join Hazel Soan in Kafue National Park in Zambia step by step in
for a Leisure Painter wildlife painting safari watercolour
4210 Win Search Press books, worth £860 n Success with
64 How to enter our TALP Open competition and photographs: how to
exhibition add the final touches
▲ Julie King Daffodils, watercolour,
to your paintings 12½x9½in. (32x24cm). Paint spring
70 Join Adebanji Alade on a Leisure Painter painting
flowers in watercolour with Julie King
holiday to Morocco n Focus on animals as in next month’s issue
72 Enjoy discounts on popular Search Press books you develop your
drawing skills
74 Win a painting holiday in Keswick, worth £1,250
n Paint buildings in
79 Join our online membership service,
watercolour LEISURE PAINTER
PaintersOnline STUDIO and STUDIO+ ON-SALE DATES
n Experiment with Issue On sale
alternative tools for June 17 April
painting with acrylics July 15 May
43 Between the lines Summer 12 June
Part 4 How to work with tonal values and simplify a scene as you n AND LOTS MORE!
draw and paint a winter landscape, with Murray Ince

46 Trial run
Step away from your comfort zone as you experiment and play
with your art materials. Inspiration from Jackie Garner

50 Mixing greens
How to simplify the greens you see in the landscape, with colour-
mixing ideas and techniques for oil painting, by Tim Fisher

54 Focus on still life

Part 4 Complete your still-life painting, with Elena Parashko

56 Garden visitor
Chloe O’Neil demonstrates how to draw a blue tit using coloured
pencils

60 Helen Martell
The winner of the Leisure Painter Award 2019 talks about her
▲ Chris Pendleton Donkey, graphite pencil on Daler-Rowney 220gsm
painting life with LP editor, Ingrid Lyon smooth drawing paper, 9x14in. (23x33.5cm)

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 5

PAINTING HOLIDAY

October 31 to
November 11,
2020
Hazel Soan

Elephants at Sunset, watercolour by Hazel Soan

Instructional Wildlife Painting Safari

with Hazel Soan, Kafue National Park, Zambia
Hazel Soan is an experienced wildlife artist and excellent tutor.
Her paintings reflect her love of Africa, capture the mood and action of
wildlife in its natural environment and the colours of the local people.
She has chosen to return to Zambia because its diversity and profusion
of wildlife is perfect for an instructional painting safari.
PAINTING ON SAFARI

H
azel Soan will be working and teaching more open woodland areas, there is a good
in watercolour. She will lead workshop chance of seeing leopard. The swamp areas
tutorials and demonstrations when at allow for easy viewing of waterbuck, kudu,
the lodge, and will help and encourage you impala, puku, sable and antelope, and on
to paint and sketch the action when out on the grasslands you’ll see red lechwes, oribis
safari. and roan antelope, as well as other grazers, ▲ Lion’s Head, watercolour by Hazel Soan
There will be two painting safaris most including buffalo, zebra and wildebeest –
days, which will be tailored specifically to and where there is prey there are always
artists’ needs as much as possible. It may predators. boundary of the park. The lodge has its own
be decided to do some full-day safaris to Kafue has wild dogs, lion, cheetah and motorised boat and 14 chalets and tents.
venture further afield in to Kafue National hyena. In denser vegetation you’ll find A travel escort will accompany you from
Park as well as some portrait painting if the elephants, and boat trips on the River Kafue London and take care of everyone and all the
opportunity arises. This is an instructional will provide the opportunity to paint wildlife arrangements.
painting safari that is best suited for on the river banks and hippos up close.
intermediate artists. • Number of students 8 to 12
Kafue National Park is Zambia’s largest PRACTICAL DETAILS • Medium Watercolour
wildlife reserve. It offers a combination Flights are from London Heathrow via • Suitability Intermediate students
of water and land-based wildlife viewing, Dubai. On arrival in Zambia you’ll travel by • Price per person £7,495
enabling you to paint and sketch wildlife road to Kafue National Park, which will be • Single supplement £450
from different perspectives. Kafue is classic interesting and gently immerse you in to • Price includes scheduled international flights,
wildlife country with a diverse mix of habitats. Africa. The safari lodge is located on the banks nine nights’ safari lodge, all meals, park fees,
The riverine forests are full of birds and, in the of the Kafue River, which forms the eastern safari activities, art tutor and UK travel escort

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hippo Pool, watercolour by Hazel Soan Wildlife River Scene, watercolour by Hazel Soan Hazel with students

FOR FULL DETAILS CONTACT 01825 714310 • [email protected] • www.spencerscotttravel.com

We have paintings holidays in 2020 with other well-known artists including:
Peter Brown PNEAC, RBA, PS, ROI, RP, Adebanji Alade VPROI, Richard Pikesley NEAC, RWS, Lachlan Goudie ROI and Haidee-Jo Summers ROI.
Leisure Painter has been offering overseas painting holidays since 1990 with renowned artists. These holidays are organised on our behalf by fully licensed operator Spencer Scott Travel Services CAA ATOL 3471
 Diary
THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH

Opportunities
Postcards from the Trafalgar Way
The new Postcards from the Trafalgar Way competition
encourages you to explore the countryside, villages and urban
landscapes along the Trafalgar Way – a 271-mile national
historic carriage route from Falmouth to London. Choose a
location on or close to the route, then either photograph it or
paint it for your chance to win up to £10,000 worth of prizes.
There are three age categories: 7-11; 12-16; and 17 and above.
Multiple entries may be submitted by schools in the 7-11 age
category. An exhibition of selected work will go on show later
in the year. The closing date for entries is 1 September. For full
details go to www.thetrafalgarway.org/postcards

▲ Jane Collins Silent Tree, acrylic, 15¾x11¾in. (40x30cm) from

Optic Nerve at The Gallery Upstairs, from 13 to 23 March

In the Frame
Optic nerve
Three contrasting artists are coming together to exhibit
their work at The Gallery Upstairs – a lively exhibition
space set in the grounds of Upton Country Park in Poole,
from 13 to 23 March. Pam Marshall is motivated by
landscape and atmosphere, Jane Collins’s work is intuitive
and subjective, while Sally Holland’s paintings stand
somewhere between figurative and abstract. The artists
have called the exhibition Optic Nerve – ‘an exhibition to
excite brain and eye,’ they say. The gallery is open daily,
10am to 4pm. For more information about the gallery visit
www.thegalleryupstairs.org.uk or for details about the three
artists, visit www.sallyholland.co.uk
▲ Ian Burke and Ade Adesina Whitby Translated, linocut print, 37½x51¼in.
(95x120cm) exhibited at Wells Art Contemporary 2019 and recipient of the
£2,000 RK Harrison Prize

Wells Art Contemporary TALPOpen2020

Artists over the age of 18, based in the UK or internationally, are Turn to pages 64 and 65 for details of Leisure Painter and
invited to enter up to four works in any medium to the Wells The Artist’s TALPOpen 2020 competition in partnership with
Art Contemporary 2020. The entry fee is £15 per work (£12 for Patchings Art Centre. Entries are invited from amateur painters
students). The closing date for online submissions is Thursday in the Leisure Painter category, including drawings, paintings,
16 April. An exhibition of shortlisted works will be held at Wells printmaking and digital artwork. Up to 140 selected works will
Cathedral, Somerset from 11 July to 9 August. For full details go be on show at Patchings Art Centre, near Nottingham, between
to https://www.wellsartcontemporary.co.uk/home 9 July and 9 August. The closing date for entries is 12 noon on
To enter go to https://wac.artopps.co.uk/ 9 April. Enter online via https://painte.rs/2CgZUOe
Sketch for Survival The Harley Open
Organised by Explorers Against Extinction, the 2020 Sketch for Amateur and professional artists within a 100-mile radius of
Survival Introducing competition is open to all artists, with the Harley Gallery in Nottinghamshire are invited to enter the
two categories: Wildlife and Wild Spaces. A panel of judges 2020 Harley Open competition. The judges will be looking for
will select 100 artworks for a touring exhibition and online originality, spirit and humour in any medium. An exhibition of
auction with proceeds in aid of Explorers Against Extinction selected work will go on show at the gallery from 2 May until
projects. The deadline for online submissions is 30 May; https:// 5 July. The closing date for entries is 1 April. For full details go to
explorersagainstextinction.co.uk/initiatives/sfs-introducing/ www.harleygallery.co.uk

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 7

 Exhibitions
and photography by Carl Dudman, 24 to 29
March. ‘Royal Institute of Painters in Water
Colours’, 2 to 17 April.
■ National Gallery
Trafalgar Square WC2. 020 7747 2885;
www.nationalgallery.org.uk
JANE STROUD RECOMMENDS ‘Young Bomberg and the Old Masters’,
until 1 March. ‘Nicolaes Maes: Dutch Master
of the Golden Age’, 22 February to 31 May.
‘Titian: Love, Desire, Death’, 16 March
to 14 June. ‘Artemisia’: featuring some of
the artist’s best-known paintings and
self-portraits, 4 April to 26 July.
■ National Portrait Gallery
St. Martin’s Place WC2. 020 7306 0055;
www.npg.org.uk
‘David Hockney: Drawing from Life’,
27 February to 28 June.
■ Royal Academy of Arts
Piccadilly W1. 020 7300 8000;
www.royalacademy.org.uk
‘Picasso and Paper’, until 13 April. ‘Léon
Spilliaert’, 23 February to 25 May. ‘Gauguin
and the Impressionists’, 29 March to 14 June.
■ Tate Britain
Millbank SW1. 020 7887 8888;
www.tate.org.uk
‘British Baroque: Power and Illusion’,
until 19 April. ‘Aubrey Beardsley’, 4 March
to 25 May.
■ Tate Modern
Bankside SE1. 020 7887 8888;
www.tate.org.uk
▲ Tobit Roche Annapurna 2, oil, 9x11in. (23x28cm) ‘Dora Maar’: retrospective, until 15 March.
‘Andy Warhol’, 12 March to 6 September.
■ Wallace Collection
Hertford House, Manchester Square W1. 020
Out of thin air 7563 9500; www.wallacecollection.org
Out of Thin Air at the Royal Geographical Society in London, shows the work of ‘Forgotten Masters: Painting for the East
three British artists – Tim Scott Bolton, Patrick Cullen and Tobit Roche – on the India Company’, until 19 April.
journey they made to the Annapurna region of Nepal in April 2019 to record the
monumental scale and beauty of these mountains. Works from the expedition REGIONAL
will include oil studies, watercolours and pastels from Annapurna as well as other ■ The Ashmolean Museum
regions across the Indian Himalayas. Beaumont Street, Oxford. 01865 278000;
Out of Thin Air is at The Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, www.ashmolean.org
(Exhibition Road entrance), London SW7 from 20 to 26 April. Open daily, ‘Young Rembrandt’, 27 February to 7 June.
10am to 5pm. For more information visit www.rgs.org/events ■ The
Beaney House of Art &
Knowledge
18 High Street, Canterbury. 01227 862162;
www.canterburymuseums.co.uk
‘The Printed Line’: Arts Council Collection
touring exhibition, 7 March to 26 April.
LONDON ■ TheCharles Rennie Mackintosh
■ Alison Jacques Gallery ■ Dulwich Picture Gallery House & Galleries
16-18 Berners Street W1. 020 7631 4720; Gallery Road SE21. 020 8693 5254; 78 Derngate, Northampton. 01604 603407;
www.alisonjacquesgallery.com www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk www.networkarts.co.uk
‘Dorothea Tanning: Worlds in Collison’, ‘British Surrealism’: marking 100 years ‘Network Arts’: bringing together a range
featuring a body of late work dating from since the birth of Surrealism, 26 February of contemporary and traditional art from
1981 to 1989, until 21 March. to 17 May. emerging and established artists in the
■ Mall Galleries region, until 19 April.
■ Bankside Gallery
48 Hopton Street SE1. 020 7928 7521; The Mall SW1. 020 7930 6844; ■ Gallagher & Turner
www.banksidegallery.com www.mallgalleries.org.uk 30 St Mary’s Place, Newcastle upon Tyne.
‘RWS Contemporary Watercolour ‘Bryan Senior: People, Places & Things’, 3 to 0191 261 4465;
Competition’, 6 to 18 March. ‘2020 Visions’: 22 March. ‘The Wapping Group: London and www.gallagherandturner.co.uk
featuring work by members of the Royal its River’, annual exhibition, 10 to 15 March. ‘The Leading Image:’ vintage exhibition
Watercolour Society, 27 March to 25 April. ‘Earthworks’: paintings by Lydia Bauman posters 1938-1985, until 29 February.

8 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 ▲ Titian Rape of Europa, 1560-2, oil on canvas, 70x80 ¾n. (178x205cm)

Love, desire, death

Titian: Love, Desire, Death at the Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Titian called exhibition; see www.nationalgallery.
National Gallery, London reunites them his ‘poesie’, or visual equivalents org.uk/exhibitions/titian-love-desire-
all six paintings by Titian that were of poetry. This is the first time in over death for details.
commissioned by Prince Philip of 400 years that the paintings have been Titian: Love, Desire, Death is at the
Spain in 1551. The paintings depict shown together. Various events have National Gallery, London SW1 from
Classical myths, primarily from been organised to coincide with the 16 March to 14 June.

■ The Gallery Upstairs ■ Laing Art Gallery ■ Millennium Gallery

Upton Country Park, Poole. 01202 775304; New Bridge Street, Newcastle upon Tyne. Arundel Gate, Sheffield. 0114 2782600;
www.thegalleryupstairs.org.uk 0191 278 1611; www.laingartgallery.org.uk www.museums-sheffield.org.uk
‘Optic Nerve’: paintings by Pam Marshall, ‘William and Evelyn De Morgan’, bringing ‘Lines of Beauty: Master Drawings from
Jane Collins and Sally Holland, 13 to 23 together over 120 works by the couple, Chatsworth’, including work by Rubens,
March. (See page 7 for further information.) 14 March to 20 June. Carpaccio, Poussin, Rembrandt and Van
■ The Lightbox Dyck, until 25 May.
■ Glynn Vivian
Chobham Road, Woking, Surrey. 01483 ■ National Gallery Ireland
Alexandra Road, Swansea. 01792 516900;
www.glynnviviangallery.org 737800; www.thelightbox.org.uk Merrion Square, Dublin 2. +353 (0) 1661
‘Swansea Stories’: celebrating Swansea’s 50th ‘Coming to Light: Paintings, Drawings and 5133; www.nationalgallery.ie
anniversary as a city, until 15 March Prints by Roy Ralph’, until 15 March. ‘David ‘Drawing from Nature: Irish Botanical Art’,
Hockney: Ways of Working’, until 19 April. 7 March to 21 June.
■ Lady Lever Art Gallery
Port Sunlight Village, Wirral. 0151 478 4136; All information given here is correct at the time of going to press, but you are
www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ladylever
advised to check details and opening times with the galleries prior to your visit
‘Matisse: Drawing with Scissors’, until
15 March. in case of unavoidable alterations to their exhibition schedules

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 9

 Letters
SHARE YOUR TIPS, EXPERIENCES, IDEAS
AND QUESTIONS WITH OTHER READERS
days, which did seem like a possible
readymade project in itself and why I
chose to take a concertina sketchbook
in the first place.
In the initial stages it proved its worth
as a conversation piece and went on to
become better than a facebook page,
more satisfying than a page full of
photographs, and more diverse than a
diary. It certainly created an interest,
around me, in sketching.

Tips
Fortunately, I had been given two valuable
tips before I left. The first was to cut
myself a piece of A4 sized hardboard
to support the opened out sketchbook.
I was also advised to fashion two pieces
of elastic in order to keep it in place.
They were not simply to stop the pages
from flapping about, but to keep the
entire sketchbook in a rigid position,
Above and below Inside the pages of because it had no spine and tended to
draw a 4½m long mural. (You could also
David Norris’s concertina sketchbook. flop about in an open position.
Beware – this sketchbook can cause addiction! double the length should you want to
However, once I got home and started
draw on the back as well!)
to work up the illustrations, the dark
The concertina sketchbook All of this may not be your cup of tea,
secret of these sketchbooks began to
The hardback concertina sketchbook but if you think in terms of projects
emerge. I just could not wait to finish it!
doesn’t get much prominence on artshop rather than one-off pictures, it is ideal.
For four whole weeks I found myself
shelves, because it is small, it comes in There is, however, one drawback. Once
driven to do a page whenever I had a
black casing and even the covers are you start on a topic it is hard to stop, as
spare moment, and with each completed
black. What’s more, there is no name or I found out in February 2018 when I
page the fear of spoiling the next one
logo anywhere – inside or out. It is as if went to Antigua, in the West Indies, to
(and thereby the whole sketchbook) grew.
anonymity is its selling point. watch a Cricket Test Match, with the so
I loved the end product, but addiction
The sketchbook itself has 34 sides of called ‘Barmy Army’. I hadn’t been on
was the only word for it!
thick cartridge paper, measuring such a trip before and was not expecting
David E Norris
14x21cm. Once opened out, it gives 17 quite so many pictorial opportunities.
A4 surfaces or, should you wish, you can The match was scheduled to last five
Factfile
David used a Seawhite Concertina
sketchbook (from £7.99 to £12.99) and a
Leporello Concertina sketchbook (£10.99
to £33.39).

Send your letters to

Leisure Painter, 63-65 High Street,
Tenterden, Kent TN30 6BD or
please email your letters to:
[email protected]
All letters published on this page
win art materials.

10 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 PAINTER S ONLINE
& Search Press Competition
Celebrate Search Press’s 50th birthday
with 50 top art books to be won
To celebrate its 50th birthday, we have teamed up with Search
Press to offer ten lucky winners the chance to win a set of five of ENTER NOW
their best-selling art books, with a total value of over £86 per set.
For your chance to win
please visit:
http://bit.ly/371e0B2
Closing date for entries is
May 4, 2020. Winners will
be selected at random from
all online entries.
Each winner will receive the following titles: When completing your details please
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www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 11

Watercolour

Winter sky
Build your confidence with watercolour techniques as you
practise and paint a loose wet-in-wet sky, with Stephen Coates

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
■ How to paint wet-in-wet skies
■ Practise watercolour techniques
including masking fluid and lifting out
■ How to plan and prepare for
a painting

A s I travel to art groups to lead

workshops and demonstrations, the
most common challenge reported
to me by amateur watercolour artists is
their constant failure when painting skies.
This is particularly frustrating, because the
majority of watercolour landscapes begin
with the sky. If the sky is disappointing,
the artist has to soldier on with what they
have or start all over again, as correcting
or improving a sky once it has been
painted is not usually a viable option.
There are numerous reasons why skies
are so challenging to paint so I want to
focus on the most important techniques
I can share with you, to help improve
your sky painting.
 Your reference photo for the following demonstration
Timing
When you spread a film of water onto desperation and the whole process leads It is therefore crucial to go through the
watercolour paper it doesn’t take long to to ruination. four stages and never set out to paint a sky
dry so, once the paper is evenly wet, the The process of creating a sky in until you have made a plan, fully prepared
colours should be applied within a couple watercolour can be broken down into your palette and practised.
of minutes. Watercolours are unique in four stages: plan, prepare, practise and
that the real magic happens once the paint. Watercolour paint is transparent Planning
artist has finished with the brush and the and we rely on the white paper showing I don’t work directly from photographs,
active water on the paper continues to through for the highlights. It is not because I don’t want to become overly
develop the paint. As the paint settles possible, therefore, to draw the pattern of concerned about the exact shapes and
and the water evaporates, it is vital to the clouds on the paper before painting, tones that I can see clearly within it.
leave it alone. Going back into the paint because the lines will show through If I’m attempting a sky I’ve never painted
and fiddling with it will invariably lead the paint. We have to paint quickly and before, I produce a pencil sketch, which
to streaky patches or cauliflowers, which on a blank area of the paper with no is a simplified version of the photograph
the artist then tries to smooth out in guidelines. That is why it is so challenging. and helps me decide what I want to include
in my sky. I know my personal limitations
 Thissky sketch was completed on cartridge paper with a 2B pencil. It helped me and, more importantly, the limitations of
to understand the task ahead and the order in which I needed to paint it. the paint so I only include features that
are within my capabilities.
This photograph of a stormy, windswept
sky (above) has large, dark clouds at the
top and narrower clouds near the horizon.
This helps with natural perspective, but
I also liked the light spaces between the
clouds. In fact, I realised that I could create
this sky with a limited palette and set out
to produce a sketch (left).

Preparation
My preference when painting skies is
to wet the paper first with clear water.
The paint should therefore be thick in
 Step 1 The lighter distant cloud  Step 2 I pressed harder with the consistency so that it can be controlled as
shapes were put in first, just as they pencil and drew the darker clouds. it is introduced to the wet paper. This thick
will be when I paint the sky. paint dilutes as it is brought into contact

12 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Watercolour

with the wet paper and can be gently there simply won’t be time to prepare any to study and practise will be more
spread. The active water on the paper more. The sky will have dried significantly successful. This is particularly true of
then manipulates the paint particles and when you return to it. watercolour, because of the nature of
produces soft edges, strong granulation I know most people just want to get out the medium, discussed here. There will
and often some surprising and highly their painting kit and begin painting, but be failures along the way; in fact, this is
desirable features. It is vital, therefore, no one would have a couple of piano inevitable. After years of painting I still
to prepare the palette, ensuring that the lessons then come home and play Chopin have plenty of failures. It may make you
paint is the correct consistency and colour. perfectly! Everyone understands that feel better if I confess that I had three
There should also be sufficient paint to do playing a musical instrument proficiently goes at the following sky demonstration
the job, with some left over. If the palette needs years of dedicated practice and art when preparing this article. You’re only
runs out when the sky is half completed, is no different; those who are prepared seeing the one that worked! LP

PRACTICE EXERCISE Step 1 Colour

I always use tubes so that I can create a large
I usually prepare a couple of pieces of
postcard-size watercolour paper and You will need enough puddle of thick paint. I put out a
tape them down to the board. I then l Postcard-size watercolour paper large amount of ultramarine, added a little
use a No. 8 Round brush to practise and l Watercolour: ultramarine and water and mixed in light red until I had a dark
test the paint. It often helps if I draw light red plum colour. The clouds in the photo are grey,
the clouds onto these to help familiarise l Round brush, No. 8 but I prefer this warmer colour. I also put out
myself with the placement and shape an amount of raw sienna to give the lighter
of them. parts of the sky a creamy tinge.

Step 2 First practice with sky drawn on the paper

 1 Put away the photograph and refer it patchily across the area of the sky. It is  3 Fill up the brush head with plum
only to your pencil sketch (below left). Lightly important not to add water to the brush at and flick in the darker parts of the
sketch the sky with a 2B pencil then wet the this stage so go directly to the plum, pick up a clouds. This whole process should be
paper by sweeping several brush loads of small amount and gently flick the brush across completed in just over a minute then
water across until you achieve an even film. to create the cloud shapes. Ease the brush up leave to form and settle.
2 Pick up a little raw sienna and sweep and away to obtain the tapered ends.

Step 3 Second practice with a blank sky

1 Go through the same process without sketching the sky first. 2 Add the plum colour in the same way. Now you’re ready
to tackle the real thing; please turn the page. „

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 13

Watercolour

Demonstration Winter Sky

I wanted to produce a painting that was all about
the sky. I decided a snow scene would fit the bill so
I designed a composition where all the foreground
was in the lower quarter, which left lots of space
for the sky. The painting is a complete figment of
my imagination, apart from the sky, of course!

You will need

■ Surface
● Bockingford 140lb NOT watercolour
paper, 11x15in. (28x38cm)
■ Winsor & Newton Cotman
watercolour
● Ultramarine
● Light red
● Raw sienna

■ Pro Arte brushes

● Stephen Coates large Hake
● Stephen Coates large Foliater
● Stephen Coates No. 6 Round
spearhead
● Old brush for applying masking fluid

■ Miscellaneous
● Winsor & Newton colourless
masking fluid
● Clay modelling tool (for scratching out)

All products are available to purchase

from www.coatesart.co.uk

Step 1 
I started by drawing a roving horizon across
the page and a farmhouse building. I then
placed masking fluid about 2cm wide directly
below the horizon line and the entire building.
The masking fluid was applied with an old
brush, because of the highly damaging nature
of the chemicals in the fluid. Whatever you do,
don’t apply masking fluid with one of your
best brushes; it will never be the same again!

 Step 2
I had already prepared the palette
so it was just a case of scaling up
and using a large Hake brush, which
is always my preference for broad
washes. The procedure is much the
same as in the practices (page 13),
only with a larger brush. Wet the paper
first, apply patchy raw sienna then,
without washing the brush, apply the
plum colour to create the clouds.

14 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

Step 3 „
As the paint settled but was still damp, I used
a Stephen Coates large Foliater brush to stipple
on the distant trees. I filled the brush with the
plum colour and gently stippled the shape of
the tree line, making sure it passed over the
building and the masked horizon line. I continued
to add stronger plum towards the horizon line.
I left this for a couple of minutes or so until
the shine went off the paint.

ƒ Step 4
I used a clay modelling tool to scratch out the tree
trunks and branches. You can use anything for this,
but be aware, if you do it too early the paint will
run back into the scratched lines.

‚ Step 5
I made sure the paint was completely dry then carefully
removed all the masking by rubbing with my finger.
You can use a soft eraser for this, but please be gentle.
I then filled the entire snow area with clean water and
picked up a little plum with the No. 8 Round brush.
Holding it low, I used the side to feather in soft shadows
gently. I then picked up more plum and dappled the
brush to create snow tracks. This was all done whilst
the area of snow was wet.

„
„

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 15

Watercolour

Demonstration continued

Step 6 „
1 I used the No. 6 Round brush to wet the
entire area of the roofs and dropped the
slightest touch of plum along the gutter
line. This blended into the water and gave
the impression of shadow where the snow
forms over the edge of the roof .
2 I mixed a little of the plum into the raw
sienna and loosened it off. I then painted
the gable end sections, trying to leave
space here and there.

Step 7 ‚
1 When dry, I used plum to paint the too much water or it can look heavy
near-side walls of the farmhouse then and not smoke-like. I used a No. 6 Stephen Coates
added dark windows, chimney pots Round with barely any water and Find out more about Stephen, his workshops
and birds. gently punched the brush down and classes, books, brushes and materials by
2 The snow on top of the chimney stacks before immediately lifting away the visiting www.coatesart.co.uk. Save money
was created by lifting the paint off with paint with kitchen towel. It was a when you buy Stephen’s latest book, Take Three
a small damp brush and kitchen towel. very delicate operation! Colours: Watercolour Lakes and Rivers from our
3 The optional trail of smoke was created online bookshop. See page 72 for details.
by lifting out, but be careful not to use

 The finished painting Winter Sky, watercolour on Bockingford 140lb watercolour paper, 11x15in (28x38cm)

16 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Gouache

Painting project
Part 2 Follow Milly England step by step as she completes her
painting of geraniums on a café table, creating a chiaroscuro effect

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
■ How to create the effect of chiaroscuro
■ Tips and techniques for painting
with gouache
■ How to paint on a black background

I hope you enjoyed following last month’s

tutorial and you are ready to paint
alongside me this month. I decided to use
a broader range of ready-mixed tube paints
than I normally do for this project so as to
make the colours of the painting really pop
against the dark background.

You will need

■ Surface
● 300gm Hot-pressed Botanical Ultra Smooth
paper A3 (I love this paper because it is so
smooth, but feel free to use a Cold-pressed
paper if you prefer more of a tooth)
■ Winsor & Newton Designer Gouache
● Ivory black 331
● Permanent green middle 484
● Permanent white 512
● Opera rose 448
● Primary yellow 527
 The finished painting Petersham Geraniums, gouache on paper, 7x7½in. (18x20cm)
■ Holbein Artists Gouache
● Pink GG589
● Leaf green GG540
● Burnt sienna GG603

■ Brushes
● Winsor & Newton Cotman 667 angled
brush 10mm
● Pro Arte Prolene brushes Nos. 3/0 & 2

● Masking tape to secure paper to my

drawing board. I prefer to work upright
rather than flat on the table.

Your reference for last month’s project: a café table at Petersham Nurseries 
 The initial pencil sketch, 7x7½in. (18x20cm) 

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 17

Gouache

Demonstration continued

 Step 1  Step 2
1 Begin by filling the dark background with 1 Continue with soft washes across the  Step 3
a black wash. As I’m using gouache, which is other colours. Mark in the shadows on 1 Once the pink wash is in place, add depth to the
opaque, even the wash is quite dark, but, the table with a tiny amount of Winsor petals using Winsor & Newton opera rose. Create
if you’re using watercolour, you will probably & Newton ivory black and a touch of the the various shades of pink we discussed last month
achieve a slightly softer effect. Holbein pink mixed with lots of water. by adding in touches of the other colours such as
2 Fill the terracotta pot in the foreground, 2 Then begin picking out the shapes pink, permanent yellow or burnt sienna.
remembering to paint what you see, not of the flower petals, using a wash 2 As planned last month, I concentrated more on
what you think you see. Although we know of Holbein pink. the lights and darks of the image than on all the
this pot is terracotta, the colour we see fine detail. The flowers were the only area that I
in the image is black so we need to hold studied in more depth. Remember to add the pink
to that colour if we want to capture the flowers on the back right-hand side of the image –
gorgeous light and shades realistically. these are lovely as they add a real sense of depth
and look striking against the black background.

ƒ Step 4
1 Begin introducing
the yellows and greens.
I used Winsor & Newton
primary yellow on the
table in the foreground,
with a tiny spec of the
Holbein burnt sienna
mixed in.
2 The table in the
background with the
terracotta pot was made
up of the burnt sienna
and a little opera rose,
primary yellow and ivory
black. The table shade
also has a tiny amount
of permanent white
mixed in.
3 Make up the pale-
yellow slats of the
chair in the middle of
the image with a little  Step 5
permanent yellow As you work, keep distributing colour across the image.
mixed with permanent Start adding the greens, remembering all the varying shades
white. As the painting you need to create. As with the other colours, use a thin
progresses, place the wash to begin, using the Winsor & Newton permanent
shadows across the green with lots of water. Pick out first the greens that
chair by adding a touch are most important to the image structurally, such as
of black to this mix, the long stems stretching to the right and up to the top,
to create a mushroom- the greens of the plant on the right-hand side and
coloured shadow. the sepals holding the petals.

ƒ Step 6
1 Once you feel your structure is in place and the image is coming together
as a whole, return to the blacks. Fill in further areas and add more colour to
the areas that have already had a wash applied. I kept adding layers to some
areas to make them as dark and striking as possible.
2 Add greys and blacks in amongst the leaves and stems of the plant. Start
defining the pink petals with the black backgrounds that surround them.

18 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Gouache

to keep the darks dark and the lights

really light – this will emphasise the
use of chiaroscuro across the work.

Step 8 „
As you start working on the leaves
and stems of the plants, try not to
become too involved with the detail.
It is more important to create the
impression of the plant by studying
the dark and light shapes as opposed
to picking out each individual leaf
or stem. I painted the darker shapes
first, which were made up of the
negative space created by the stems.
 Step 7 I painted the colours of the stems last, which
Add more structure by filling in the legs of the created a great sense of depth whilst also
folding chairs and tables and the green foliage maintaining a loose style without the need
behind the furniture in the middle. Be careful for too much detail.

 Step 9 Step 10 „
1 Once the dark greens and blacks are in Finally, find a clean palette or plate and realistic and I’m sure you will be
place begin adding Holbein leaf green. squeeze out fresh permanent white. Make delighted with the end result!
For the most part, I used this colour direct sure it stays completely pure and isn’t dulled Well done!
from the tube with no other colours mixed down by any other
in as I love the vibrancy and it looks colour. See how there
gorgeous against the dark shadows. are flecks of light across
2 Remember to pick out the very light the painting, in the
outlines around some of the leaves, set background and the
against the dark shadows, plus the bright foreground. Add these
green created by light shining across now and, as before,
the stems. try to be confident as
3 Our main focus is still the pink of the you make the marks.
flowers so now take the time to add the It might feel strange
detail. Sharpen up the edges using black, to start adding thick
add the stigma, the stamen and the white paint across the
markings on each petal. Continue the theme dark colours, but this
of the painting by being bold and confident final touch will lift the
with your brushstrokes and add highlights painting and bring it
where the light falls on each petal with to life. The dappled
Winsor & Newton permanent white. sunshine will look

„ The finished
Milly England painting Petersham
Find out more about Milly and her work Geraniums, gouache
by visiting www.millyengland.co.uk on paper, 7x7½in.
(18x20cm)

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 19

Paint along with LP

Painting project
Part 1 Tony Underhill introduces this month’s project from a summer holiday
photograph together with tips for including figures in your townscapes

 The reference photo for this project: Piazza San Michele, Lucca, Italy

LEARNING OBJECTIVES or add whatever we want in order to the far side of the piazza take your
create something better and to tell our eye, together with the lovely shadow
■ How to use photos for reference own chosen story. This month’s project patterns from the roofs and window
■ Choose a composition is to do just that with my photograph shutters? Both would make good
of Piazza San Michele in Lucca, Italy subjects.
■ Include people in your townscapes (above). Perhaps the piazza in its entirety
calls out to you, as it does to me. The
Composition tower and buildings provide a classic

A s well as bringing back memories

of warmer days, summer holiday
photos provide great reference
material for drawing and painting
through the winter. Most photographs,
Start by studying the photograph
for a minute or two to weigh up the
opportunities. What inspires you most?
Perhaps it’s the bell-tower? If so, you
might choose to crop the photo and use
L-shape composition, but that doesn’t
mean it’s beyond improvement.
Would it help or hinder, for example,
to include less of the church on the
left, and do the buildings on the right
however, include far more information portrait rather than landscape format serve any useful purpose? Is there
than makes for an effective painting, or perhaps you’ll omit the clouds and too much empty sky in the photo?
so we need to avoid the trap of slavish focus on the contrast of the white Reducing the height of the tower and
replication. Fortunately, as artists we tower against a solid blue sky. Does making the buildings a little taller
can omit, change, simplify, exaggerate the terrace of medieval buildings on would give less sky area, but is that

20 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Paint along with LP

straying too far from reality for your create your own figures as an integral perfect opportunity to overcome that
taste? All these options and more come part of an improved composition. hurdle. Here are some suggestions
from just one photograph! In which case, it’s important to ensure to help:
your figures help tell your chosen 1 Practise drawing some of the figures
Figures story rather than distracting from it. in the reference photo. Use scrap
As well as helping to give a sense A mixture of background, mid-ground paper and make them an inch or two
of scale and place, including figures and foreground figures, for example, high. Unless they’re the main subject
in your townscapes is an ideal way usually helps to create a sense of depth, of your painting, you’re unlikely to
to add interest and energy. If you’re and a brightly clad figure in the right need them any larger, and background
comfortable drawing them, you (or wrong) place can help draw the figures will probably be even smaller.
might be planning to use some of eye to a particular area. Odd numbers 2 Start with the single figure at the
the figures in the photograph as your of people usually look more natural base of the tower and treat it as a
main subject, perhaps setting the three than all couples. series of simple, easy-to-draw shapes.
girls off against the backdrop of the If you’re someone who avoids Think relative proportions rather
buildings across the piazza. Going painting figures, perhaps because you than detail.
a step further, as I plan to do, why not think they’re too difficult, this is the 3 Draw the group of three girls using 

EYE LEVEL
Eye level can make a big difference to your composition and to
how you need to position your figures. Anfiteatro, Lucca – Standing
(right) is a photo I took standing up so give or take a little for some
people being taller than others, all the heads are broadly in line
with my eye level and that’s how I’d need to position them in a
painting. Compare this with Anfiteatro, Lucca – Sitting (below right),
which I took sitting down at a café table. This meant my eye level
was at waist height so it’s people’s waists that line up rather than
their heads. Note how, regardless of eye level, the nearest figures
are the biggest in both photos, and how the other figures become
smaller and less detailed as they recede.

 Anfiteatro, Lucca – Standing

 Lincoln College Library, High Street, Oxford, pen & wash,

10x7in. (26x18cm). As well as helping to give a sense of scale
and place, people are a great opportunity to add colour and
energy in a townscape. How much less interesting would
this have been without them?  Anfiteatro, Lucca – Sitting

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 21

Paint along with LP

the same simple shapes technique. cycling. Remember, they’re still just a how I painted my version of Piazza
Try to notice and capture a hint of series of simple shapes. When you feel San Michele. Don’t forget to look
their different poses and clothing to ready, you might even want to venture through your own summer holiday
help add variety and interest. outside to sketch real people. photos for similar inspiration. LP
4 Make two or three studies every day Over time, as well as becoming more
for a week or two, if necessary, and play confident, you’ll build up a stock of
with simple changes to alter the way reliable and easily changeable people
the figures are facing and what they’re shapes and, before you know it, you’ll Tony Underhill
wearing. Practice won’t make perfect be conjuring up your own figures doing
straightaway, but it will make whatever it is you need them to be If you have any questions
a difference. doing and wondering why you used about this project, email Tony
5 Move on to photographs or magazine to avoid them! at [email protected]
pictures of people walking, sitting or Next month I’ll show you step by step

BACKGROUND FIGURES
At this distance there’s no need to include triangles for legs and a small oval for the 4 A few simple lines and colours
arms, hands, feet or facial features. head, slightly separated from the torso. can help suggest clothing and
1 Start by loosely sketching a rectangle 3 Check the proportions look approximately direction, and some shadow will
for the torso. right, adjust as necessary and round off help ground them.
2 Add two more rectangles or long a few corners.

 Background figures

FOREGROUND FIGURES
These figures will be nearer and larger two more rectangles for the arms and suggest some clothing with a bit more
so they warrant a little more detail. two small triangles for the feet. detail.
1 Start with the usual rectangles for 3 As before, check the relative 4 A few simple extras like shopping bags
the torso and legs. proportions look approximately right and or dogs are an easy way to add variety
2 As well as an oval for the head, add round off a few corners, but this time and interest.

 Foreground figures

22 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Watercolour

Herald of spring
How to exploit the white of the paper to paint
a single snowdrop in detail, by Helen Campbell

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
■ Follow a simple step-by-step
process
■ How to work with the white
of the paper

P ainting white flowers in

watercolour is much easier than
you think. The white of the paper
does the hard part for you – you just
need to focus on your observational
skills for the different grey tones.
I used just two brushes to paint this
snowdrop. To apply the paint I used a
No. 3 spotter brush – this has very short
bristles and makes applying paint very
easy – and to blend the paint when it is
dry I used a flat No. 2 synthetic brush.
It is important that you let each layer
dry before applying the next and be
sure to blend your paint into the paper
after each wash by dipping the brush in
water, blotting it on a piece of kitchen
roll so that it is damp then ‘wiggle’ the
brush into the edge of the paint to give
a lovely soft natural look. LP

 Your reference photograph for this

project: a snowdrop

You will need

■ Surface
● Saunders Waterford 300gsm
Hot-Pressed watercolour paper
6x6in. (15x15cm)
■ Winsor & Newton
Professional Water Colour
● Payne’s grey
● Davy’s grey
● Transparent yellow
● Indian yellow
● Sap green
● Perylene green

■ Rosemary & Co brushes

● No. 3 sable spotter
● No. 2 flat synthetic

The finished painting Snowdrop,

watercolour on 300gsm Hot-Pressed
watercolour paper, 6x6in. (15x15cm) 

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 23

Watercolour

Demonstration Snowdrop

 Step 1 Initial drawing

For the initial line drawing ensure that you have
a clean outline (no sketchy edges) and keep the
pencil as light as you can. As a rule, I never erase
the pencil lines after painting; I have kept them
for this painting, too.

 Step 2 Initial grey wash

Mix Payne’s grey and Davy’s grey to a weak and watery
consistency and apply this weak wash to the light grey
areas shown here. Don’t worry if you apply the paint
in different areas; we all see things slightly differently.
Remember that this is the first wash and you will
be adding to this later.

Step 3 The greens 

For the initial green tone, which has
a definite yellow undertone, mix sap
green with transparent yellow and apply
to the yellow-green areas of the plant.
This will give a solid base on which
to build later.

24 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Watercolour

Step 4
The yellows
ƒ 1 Apply a watery
mix of Indian
yellow to the
stamens.
„ 2 When dry –
it will take seconds
– apply a thick mix
of Indian yellow
to the darker areas;
this will give each
section form.

‚ Step 5 Build up the colours

Now that you have the initial washes in and the consistency of cream, and apply flower. Take care not to go into the
place you can begin to build up the rest of this to the vibrant green areas, including white areas; you will need a steady
the colours. Mix sap green to a mid-tone the green stripes in the middle of the hand!

Step 6
Strengthen
the green „
Strengthen the
green with a
thickish mix of
perylene and apply
on the darkest
green areas.

ƒ Step 7 Bring it together

1 Now that the other colours are in
place, strengthen the greys using the same
mix as before. Once you are happy with
the depth of tone of the greys, use the
flat brush dipped in water to paint over
the grey to soften. Leave to dry.
2 To finish, mix perylene green to a thick
consistency and apply over the dark green
areas to sharpen. Then stand back and
admire your work.

ƒThe finished painting Snowdrop,

watercolour on 300gsm Hot-Pressed
watercolour paper, 6x6in. (15x15cm)

Helen Campbell
Find out more about Helen, her work
and botanical art courses by visiting
www.helencampbellart.co.uk

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 25

Inspiration

Success with photographs

Part 4 How to block in confidently to build the
structure of your paintings, by Andy Walker

LEARNING OBJECTIVES I am advocating here will free you is covered. If you block in correctly you
■ How to block in your colours from all that! will see immediately if your painting is
So far in this series I have discussed going to work or not, or what needs to
■ Work through a painting process how to create interesting compositions be changed or tweaked. The block in
from a photo, and how to strengthen gives you the basis of the painting –
■ How to find a strong composition the image tonally with small thumbnail it’s like the cake, and the details are
sketches. I then looked at using only the icing.
three colours to keep a colour harmony

I n this short series of articles, I hope

I have encouraged you to try
painting in a simple and orderly way.
This method has helped me to paint
better and to unleash my creativity. Most
within the painting. After all this
preparatory work we are now ready
to paint our picture.
This month I want to move on to the
first step in our actual painting process,
Working method
There are two rules to follow when
blocking in. First, make sure you keep
the tonal values correct, according to
your thumbnail sketch. If a barn door
of us paint from photos, especially if the which is blocking in. This can be done is dark in value, paint it dark. If a tree
weather is against us and we can’t work in any medium, but for this article is sunlit, paint it lighter. The tonal
outdoors, but you can end up copying I used watercolour and water-mixable values give structure to your painting.
from a photo slavishly and creating oils. Blocking in is simply painting If you lose them, the structure breaks
paintings that are lifeless, dull and full the local colour for each object and down, the impact is lost, and the
of far too much detail. The approach continuing until your paper or canvas painting can be hard to read. Secondly,

Demonstration 1
Le Miroir d’eau You will need
Below is a photograph of the wonderful ■ Surface ■ Artists’
‘mirror’ caused by the gentle flooding ● Saunders watercolour
of a large flat area of blue granite down Waterford 140lb ● Ultramarine blue
by the river in Bordeaux, France. People Hot-pressed ● Yellow ochre
come here to splash in the water as it watercolour ● Cadmium red
floods in then trickles away every few paper, 12x9in.
(30.5x23cm) ■ Miscellaneous
minutes, reflecting the magnificent ● Black marker pen
18th century Place de la Bourse behind. ● 5B pencil

 Step 1 Composition
I wanted to capture the watery feel
of the mirror and make this my main
emphasis for the painting. Yes, the
buildings are amazing, but they are
really just the backdrop for the mirror
so I decided to make the composition
portrait shaped rather than landscape
and concentrated just on the middle
section. In this way the mirror takes
centre stage. What would you do?

26 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Inspiration

 La Sierra Azul, water-mixable oil on canvas, 8x23½in. (20x60cm). This painting was completed using the same blocking-in process as the
demonstration paintings, but with three primary colours: cadmium red, ultramarine blue and cadmium yellow medium.

keep changing the colour every few as green for the foliage on a tree, add paint this alongside areas of blue,
brushstrokes. You can paint an area a tiny amount of yellow to the mix on hpurple or red to bring variety.
in one flat colour, but it is much more your palette to paint a few strokes, a I hope you enjoy painting along with
interesting for the viewer if there are touch of blue for a few more, a hint my two demonstrations here to see
lots of variations of colour, and you can of red for a few more, and so on, how to block in your watercolour and
do this at the block-in stage. This can changing the green on your palette as water-mixable oil paintings. I’ll take you
be done in two ways. you go along. Alternatively, preserve through my process step by step for
First, to use the local colour, such the same green on your palette and both paintings. LP

ƒ Step 2 Draw
a quick tonal
thumbnail
A thumbnail will help
you to work out where
your lights and darks
go, and give you a
feel for the painting.
I used a black marker
pen and a 5B pencil
for this.

Step 3 Block in with light colours „

1 Draw the composition with a soft pencil on good watercolour paper.
2 By using just three colours – one blue, one yellow and one red – it will
keep all your colours in harmony. For this painting I used ultramarine
blue, yellow ochre and cadmium red.
3 Start at the top and wash in the sky with blue, the roofs with
a dark green mix of blue and yellow ochre, and the buildings with
yellow ochre then repeat in reverse order for the reflections until
you reach the bottom of the paper.
4 Add a thin horizontal strip of pale ultramarine blue in the middle.
Try to paint this all in one go before the paint dries as this will give
you soft edges where one colour meets another. Allow this first
block in to dry before moving on to the next step. „

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 27

Inspiration

Demonstration 1 continued

 Step 4 Block in the shadow areas

1 Mix two pools of dull purple from ultramarine
blue and cadmium red; make one bluer and the
other redder. Make another pool of yellow ochre.
2 With these three colours paint the shadow
areas. Keep changing colours as you go along to
provide interest in the shadows. There are more
colours in shadows than we generally think.

Step 5 Add details 

1 When you are happy that you have blocked in
all that you need to and all is dry, you should have
a good structure upon which to add details and
refinements. I realised, for instance, that I needed
to deepen the blue towards the bottom of the
watery mirror so blocked this in as well.
2 How much detail do you add? I’ll talk about that
in the next article, but for now, just add as much as
you want. It is easy to become caught up in detail
and you can spend many a happy hour fiddling
with a tiny brush. Try to resist this temptation if  The finished painting Le Miroir d’eau, watercolour on Saunders Waterford paper,
you can. Remember your objective is the mirror! 12x9in. (30.5x23cm)

Demonstration 2
Red Mountain
This mountain (right) caught my eye as I was out
walking the dogs. It rises from a flat plain and is
a rich red ochre in the sunshine. I snapped this
photo and made a couple of quick on-site pencil
sketches from various angles. These would do
for my compositional and tonal value plans
for the painting.

You will need

■ Surface
● MDF board, coated with gesso and
stained with left-over acrylic paint
9½x11¾in. (24x30cm)
■ Cobra water-mixable oils
● Ultramarine blue
● Yellow ochre
● Burnt sienna

28 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Inspiration

ƒ Step 1
Composition and
tonal thumbnails
The photo isn’t
great so try out a few
compositional and value
plans for yourself, using
it as a guide. See how
creative you can be.

 Step 2 Draw the outlines

Use a thinned down burnt sienna to draw your
composition roughly.

ƒ Step 3 The block in

Use your colours and a variety of mixes from them to block
in the main shapes. This can be quite rough as you will
refine it later, but it will give you the sense of whether your
painting is going to work or not. If it does not work at this
stage, it is easy to adjust it. Change shapes, add and remove
objects, change colours and, if necessary, change tonal
values at this stage. I played with my painting quite
a bit before I was happy with this stage. Beware of adding
details until this step is finished! Only carry on when your
basic structure is sound.

Step 4 Add details „

Switch to a smaller brush
and add as much detail as is
necessary. The main impact
of the painting comes from the
block in and any details are
just the icing on the cake.

„ The finished painting Red

Mountain, water-mixable oils
on board, 9½x11¾in. (24x30cm)

Andy Walker
Join Andy on a painting
holiday in Spain, 18 to
23 May (www.artclasspro.
com) and in France this
September with
www.alphapainting
holidays.com

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 29

Water-mixable oils

Figures in light
Part 2 Paint people in a simplified way, focusing on light and shapes,
and working from dark to light, with Valérie Pirlot

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
■ How to recognise and place the
correct tones and shapes
L ast month, I talked about how
daunting it can be to paint people,
and how you could overcome that
fear by considering your subject as a
combination of abstract shapes, all affected
What dictates the limit between
a shape and the next one is often
how it is affected by light, which is
why it is important to be aware of the
light source(s) affecting your subject
■ Work with what you see, not by light in their own unique way. The idea and explore how it bounces and gets
what you think you see is indeed to forget what you are actually reflected onto your subject. Always ask
painting and instead build your painting as yourself: is this plane brighter or darker
if you were creating a mosaic, each shape than this one? Making the tones right is
with a different tone or colour. often the key to a successful painting. LP
Demonstration Girl by the Window
Below is a picture of my niece, Aliénor. I just subject into several shapes, each one affected are not painting the whole head in one go).
loved how the natural light falls on her and by light in a different way. The aim is to see Up until the final stages, the painting will
the beautiful reflections of the pink flowers things in an abstract way, working across the look rather odd with only the darks, but have
on her shirt, hands and face. For this demo, whole painting and never focus on one part faith. You will be rewarded at the end! More
I will paint from dark to light, dividing the of the painting in particular (for example, we importantly, try to be bold and have fun!

A NOTE ABOUT THE PAINTS

I use water-mixable oil colours from the Winsor & Newton Artisan
range with just a little bit of water for the first washes, then You will need
simply pure paint with nothing else. If you work on your painting ■ Surface ■ Water-mixable oils
over several sessions and would enjoy more fluidity in the paint ● Canvas board (buy one ● Burnt umber
application, I recommend the use of a medium. You can also ready-made or make your ● Burnt sienna
follow this demo by using traditional oils with turpentine instead own from MDF primed with ● Raw sienna
of water, or any medium you are comfortable with. two or three coats of acrylic ● Yellow ochre
gesso) 10x8in. (25.5x20cm ● Cadmium yellow light
● Naples yellow
■ Brushes* ● Titanium white
● Filbert Nos. 1 to 4 ● Permanent rose
● Thin Rigger
● Cadmium red
■ Miscellaneous ● French ultramarine
● A pencil and a ruler ● Cerulean blue
(optional)
* I like the synthetic Ivory
range from Rosemary & Co

Step 1 
Give your board a
very thin wash. This
will bring harmony
to the painting, and
it also means you
won’t have to fill all
the blank gaps at the
end. I used a mix
of raw sienna and
cerulean blue. If
you need help with
your drawing, I
recommend lightly
squaring up your
painting with a
pencil and applying
the same grid to
your reference
 Your reference photograph for this project photograph.

30 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Step 2  Step 3
Draw the basic shapes of your composition with a diluted mix Find the darkest darks on the photograph and paint those shapes on
of paint. I used a darker mix of raw sienna and cerulean blue, the board with dark paint (a mix of ultramarine blue and burnt sienna).
but you can use anything you like. There is no need to become Consider your subject in an abstract way, and paint all those shapes at
lost in details at this stage. the same time, regardless of what they represent.

 Step 4  Step 5
Use the same technique and move on to slightly lighter tones, such as Moving on to a slightly lighter tone, use some of the same mix as in Step 4
the dark areas of the skin. I used some of the previous mix but added but add a touch of titanium white, ultramarine blue and permanent rose
more raw sienna and burnt sienna. Trust your eyes, not your brain to turn it more grey-purple. This will be a great colour to cover the girl’s
to judge tones correctly. My brain is telling me this girl has fair skin cheek, which catches purple light, probably from a mix of the reflected
so I should use light pink, but my eyes tell me that the areas in the light from the pink flower and her blue shorts. Learn to love your shadows;
shadows are in fact very dark. see a multitude of colours rather than paint everything with the same hue. „

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 31

Water-mixable oils

Demonstration continued

 Step 6
1 Working now on
the grey and blue
mid-tones of the
painting – the dark
part of her shirt,
her shorts and the
curtain. Again,
work across the
whole painting and
consider it like a
mosaic that you are
building shape by
shape.
2 The blues here are
ultramarine blue
and cerulean blue. To create greys, I tend to mix a little
of all the colours I’ve used on my palette so far, with
a little white. If you want to achieve a lovely grey from
scratch, use ultramarine blue, raw sienna, titanium
white and a touch of permanent rose.
3 I also painted the dark parts of the flowers with
a mix of permanent rose and burnt sienna. After this
step, you have now painted everything that is in the
shade. Everything untouched should represent areas
in the light. This is what we will tackle now.

 Step 7  Step 8
The fun part begins! Time now to depict all the light areas in the painting; Time to paint the actual source of light: the window. This is your
think thick, juicy brushstrokes. Focus on tones and colours as you work chance to be free and bold with your brushwork. Remember that
across the whole painting and refrain from blending it all. Keep your everything outside is out of focus, because the focal point is the
darks and lights separate and distinct to achieve a great sense of contrast. girl, so refrain from adding details and keep it blurry. I used a mix
Here I started with the white t-shirt (titanium white and Naples yellow) of titanium white, Naples yellow, cadmium yellow, yellow ochre
and the light blue highlights (titanium white and cerulean blue). and cerulean blue.

32 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Water-mixable oils

ƒ Step 9 TIP
Finally, it’s time to work on Are you wondering what is the perfect
the light areas of the skin. My colour to paint the skin? This is
favourite part of the process impossible to answer as you see how
is looking for reflected light many colours I used just for a small
on the skin, in this instance part of the arm! It depends on so many
from the pink flowers and factors, including natural skin tone,
from the blue shorts. Again, effect from light source and reflected
for full impact, refrain from light. Forget about the perfect colour
blending the shapes together. and simply paint what you see.
You will achieve better results
and stronger contrasts if you
have been brave enough with
the darks in the earlier stages.
If the lights don’t look bright
enough, the answer could
well be that you need to
darken the darks. For the
light areas of the skin, I used
a mix of titanium white,
Naples yellow, cadmium
red and yellow ochre. For
the flower highlights I used
titanium white, Naples
yellow and cadmium red.

Step 10 „
1 Time for the final tweaks. I refined
the features of the face, darkened
some darks and added more reflected
light on the t-shirt and skin.
2 You might notice I have changed
a few things from the original
photograph. I amended the position
of the head slightly, I made the hair
lighter, I took some liberty with the
colours and the facial features and
didn’t include the necklace.
3 Each artist makes his own choice
to achieve the best painting possible.
When is it time to stop? Everybody has
their own preference when it comes
to considering a painting finished.
Personally, I’m less interested in detail
than depicting the feeling of light
correctly. If all the darks and lights
are correct, if their contrast is striking
enough, and if I painted all the
reflected lights I could see, then
I’m happy to call it done!

„ The finished painting Girl by

the Window, water-mixable oil on
canvas board, 10x8in. (25.5x20cm)

Valérie Pi
Pirr lot
Valérie is a Bath-based
artist and member of the
Bath Society of Artists. She
is available for tutorials,
demos and commissions,
and her studio is open to
visitors by appointment. For
information about her work,
visit www.valeriepirlot.com

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 33

Watercolour

Water in watercolour
Part 2 Follow a step-by-step demonstration to paint
moving water effectively, by Lesley Linley

 The Cuillin from Allt Dearg Waterfall, watercolour on Saunders Waterford NOT paper, 10½x14in. (27x37cm). It was this painting that
sparked my interest in painting more waterfalls. It captures the atmosphere of an early evening walk when sunlight illuminated part of the
waterfall, whilst other areas are in shadow. It’s a colourful painting, but uses quite a limited palette.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES used. I suggest you attempt this in several I tend to place mid-tone washes early
sessions rather than rush or lose patience. on to remind me further where rocks and
n Negative painting; softening edges To loosen up, I like to make a few water should be. I then move around a
n Mixing colours wet in wet (on the brushstrokes or doodles before beginning painting – rather than work in the more
paper) and wet on dry (layering/ a painting. You might benefit from doing logical, top to bottom, and light to dark
the same as you put that time to good method – working on one area while
glazing) use by practising various areas of work: another dries. It’s important to let washes
n How to portray moving water a wash; softening edges on the clouds; dry fully once they have become too
wet in wet for moorland; negative painting dry for wet-in-wet work.

L ast month I discussed my general

approach to painting moving water
and waterfalls. This month, I chose to
demonstrate the painting of Waterfall, Isle
of Skye as it shows some of the techniques
light grasses and water droplets; and
painting ripples.

Working methods
I use either stretched or unstretched
There are times when colours need to
be well mixed in the palette, such as the
wash for the sky and mountain, and other
times – for the rocks and water – when
I use loosely mixed colours for variety,
you may have begun to practise. paper depending on the subject and time avoiding pre-mixed greys and shadow
My paintings of waterfalls are large available. I usually pencil in key areas to colours that would not give me this.
and complex works that can take several help me navigate around my painting; If you have similar colours to mine, try
days so for this demonstration I took a there’s little chance of recovery if I paint them before you buy the recommended
close-up view to concentrate on a section over an area that’s meant to be white. list of colours. If you buy every artist’s
of the waterfall. There’s still quite a lot I paint up to, but not over, the pencil lines recommendation you will quickly acquire
of time involved, as my style of painting so I can erase them when the washes are a lot of paint. With different manufacturers
is time consuming; the painting is large, dry. Waterfall, Isle of Skye was painted on giving their own names to some colours,
but comprises much repetition so you will unstretched 300gsm paper, but you could you may find you have several tubes
have plenty of practice at the techniques try working on stretched or heavier paper. of the same colour in the end. LP

34 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

Demonstration
Waterfall, Isle of Skye

You will need

n Surface
l Saunders Waterford 300gsm,
unstretched, 11x15in. (28x38cm)
n Watercolour
l French ultramarine
l Burnt umber
l Raw sienna
l Burnt sienna

n Brushes
l Round No. 10 with a good point
n Miscellaneous
l 2B pencil
l Putty eraser
l Palette
l Paper kitchen towel

Step 1 „
After making a tonal sketch (above
right), make a pencil line drawing on
watercolour paper, paying attention
to areas that must remain white; it’s
important to ensure that you don’t paint
over areas that should remain white.
If you’re not confident in drawing, make
your first drawing on drawing paper or
photocopier paper so that you can erase
and correct as necessary. When happy,
transfer this to your watercolour paper
using a transfer paper or light box.
I used much darker lines here than
I would normally do so that you can
see them more easily.

Step 2 „
1 Paint the sky with a mix of French
ultramarine and burnt umber; create crisp
cloud edges as you paint around the clouds
(negative painting). If the edge of some
clouds is still damp – as it should be if you
worked quickly and put plenty of paint on
the paper – soften the edge here and there.
To do this take a clean damp brush and run
it along the edge of the wash, working from
below to allow the colour to spread and
soften into the newly dampened area.
2 Paint the hills with the same mix,
graduating the wash or softening this
as it meets the moorland.

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 35

Watercolour

Demonstration continued

Step 3 „
1 When the hill is dry, paint the moorland
grass area with raw sienna. Introduce
streaks of French ultramarine and burnt
umber to the damp wash.
2 Use the tip of your brush to flick out
grasses from the upper edge of your wash.
3 Paint the foreground grasses with
the same colours, but make them
a little stronger.

ƒ‚ Step 4
1 Place French ultramarine and burnt rocks. This first wash needs to be dark
umber in well-separated areas of your enough to define where the water is, but
palette. Dilute some of both washes then not too dark. Keep the paint wet on the
bring them together, only loosely mixing page so that one rock merges with the
(see left). You can now pick up a warmer next, and so that you will achieve some
or cooler grey as required. granulation from the French ultramarine
2 Paint the rocks in and around the water. (the mottled finish that occurs when the
I work this way in order to find my way particles of colour settle into the hollows
around complex scenes and to see the on the paper). Don’t forget to let the
water appear when it is defined by the mix vary in tone and colour.

36 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Watercolour

Step 5 „‚
With a much more dilute mix of French
ultramarine and burnt umber begin to paint
the waterfall, starting with the lightest tones
and plenty of water. Leave the paint wet; if you
spread it until it dries you won’t achieve the
lovely variety of tones and colours. Again, let
the colour vary between warm and cold greys.

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 37

Watercolour

Demonstration continued IS YOUR PAINTING FINISHED?

If you’re unsure about this, put the work aside for a while
and look at it more objectively later. I find it useful to put
work in another room and decide what’s needed, if anything,
based on my response when I next enter the room. Do you
need to lift any highlights from the rocks? If you do, allow the
painting to dry fully before carefully dampening small areas
and blotting the colour with kitchen paper. Make sure that
you keep the shapes varied and irregularly spaced.
Are your darks dark enough? If not, can you paint another
wash, without making it muddy? It’s better to have your
painting fresh and a little lighter than you may have
wished than spoil it with too much paint.

Lesley Linley
Lesley holds classes, workshops and
demonstrations throughout the UK.
Her book Ready to Paint in 30 Minutes:
 Step 6 ‚ Step 7 Mountain Scenes in Watercolour will
Work through the painting, building tone Paint a mid-tone wash of French ultramarine be published on 1 April by Search
and colour on the rocks, the far bank and burnt umber over the most distant part Press. Contact Lesley on 07919 465222;
and the water, with the same colours and of the waterfall to place it in shadow. Using [email protected]; Facebook@
techniques used already, allowing each positive and negative shapes, create a little paintSkye; Twitter LesleyLinleyArt;
wash to dry fully before adding darker detail in the foreground grasses, introducing and www.lesleylinley.co.uk
tones. Leave some areas of the water burnt sienna for extra warmth. Finally add
unpainted to retain the white. a few dark ripples to the foreground water.

 The finished painting Waterfall, Isle of Skye, watercolour on Saunders Waterford 300gsm paper, 11x15in. (28x38cm)

38 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

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Watercolour

Through the seasons

April How to mix colours for painting spring flowers,
garden scenes and seasonal still lifes, with Amanda Cooper

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n

n
Colour mixing for early spring subjects
How to make your colours ‘sing’
T his is a month of artistic and
horticultural inspiration, ruthlessly
throwing out the old and bringing
in the new. Somehow the fresh greens
you see in springtime cannot be bettered
were spotted one evening barrelling
through our garden en route to next
door. Unfortunately, their numbers have
depleted greatly in some areas, which is
cause for grave concern, so we long for
against dark backgrounds at any other time of year. Soon after the them to nest here and have tried to tempt
middle of June everything in the garden them by leaving the shed door ajar for
n Paint the effects of spring light
just seems a tiny bit drabber until we nights on end, risking summary removal
go into the free-fall of late summer of the mower, but to no avail. No one
and autumn. fancied the mower either!
The arrival of the swallows during April
is an event in our house (Spring Arrivals, April light
far right). We keep an eye out for days The light at this time of year makes
and this year we were rewarded around me want to take out my paints and I am
the third week of the month when they definitely inspired by evidence of spring

 Initial sketch for The Rose Arch. I began with

a very rough pencil sketch on cartridge paper,
which initially included a watering can, which
I omitted for the main picture, as I wanted
to concentrate on the shadows instead.

Pen and wash sketch for The Rose Arch

midway through the painting process  The finished study The Rose Arch, pen and wash, 13½x10in. (34x25cm)

40 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Watercolour

all around me, even on the gloomiest quickly realised that it would be
of days. With the summer art group in a mistake to include all the curlicues
mind, we tried to improve our garden on the metal arch.
structure with a couple of randomly After the initial sketch, something
placed arches and pergolas (see the made me opt for green ink and a fat
initial sketch for The Rose Arch, far left). nib (below far left), followed swiftly by
I confess that this sketch was done a wash of either tinted or plain water so
looking through the window, because that the thick green line bled back into
it was a bit too chilly on the hands to the wash. I also used a smidgeon of
consider drawing out-of-doors. French ultramarine in the foreground;
The sharp lines that this rose arch the shadows, however, remain as green
made on a bitterly cold, bright morning as the box ball itself. When you are
really stood out. Attracted by the long making this sort of study, it is important
shadows on the stone slabs, I also tried to keep the background muted. If it
to concentrate on their specific shapes becomes too fussy and detailed it can
and tones; remember, they don’t have lessen the impact of the foreground.
an outline as such. I tried to make only You need just enough to suggest the  Spring Arrivals, watercolour, 6x6in. (15x15cm)
the most essential lines, in particular the essence of place, but no more
quirky shapes of the old rose, and (The Rose Arch, below left). „

A CORNER OF THE GARDEN

Here are the colours, thought and painting processes I used „ Preliminary pencil study.
to paint Butts and Bluebells (below right). Due to the proliferation
of tiny white flowers –
‚ My palette is a lovely A4 enamel tray that my son gave me to go pulmonaria or lungwort
with a teapot, but as he is a much better artist than I am, I knew flowers, so called because
he would understand! Laying the colours out from dark to light and of the spotty leaves that
from left to right are permanent rose, French ultramarine, green are said to resemble a
gold, raw umber, burnt umber, raw sienna and aureolin yellow. lung – in this study I used
masking fluid so that I could
be looser with the washes
later on. If you find that
the area you have covered
with masking fluid is much
too bright after the reveal,
it is always possible to put
a light wash over the bright
white, as I did with the
bluebells.

‚ The underpinning wash of French ultramarine set the basic

tone. I find French ultramarine to be a true and honest blue,
translucent and warm. I also concentrated on the ellipses that
form the lower half of the old oak water butt and watering can.
These can be tricky, but if you make them right in the drawing
it makes a big difference to the look of the picture. Don’t rely
on a casual swoop of the pencil to make it right first time.
„ The finished painting
Butts and Bluebells,
watercolour on Arches
140lb Rough paper,
10¼x12in. (26x30cm).
I love how this paper
allows you to keep
adding more pigment
without mushrooming
too much. Sometimes
you need to add neat
pigment to the paper
to achieve a really
zingy effect on the dark
areas; this only really
works when the paper
is wet. The tulip in this
picture is aptly named
Tulipa ‘artist’ and the
watering can really is
this colour.

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 41

Watercolour

 Spring Teapot, watercolour on Arches 140lb Rough paper, 15¾x20½in. (40x52cm). This was a little spring arrangement taken straight from
the garden with purple-pink hellebores to offset the yellow. Try one of your own at home; it lifts the soul to paint something from life.

Spring colour aureolin and quite often lemon yellow. think their work is simply superb from
I am always amazed by the humble I always draw first; it doesn’t matter beginning to end. Actually, I lie! I had
daffodil and how it survives the worst if you can see your pencil workings the pleasure of knowing a splendid
of weathers, even deep snow, to and, quite often, it is an enhancement. lady, who came on the painting
emerge unscathed and yellow as ever. You can always rub out unnecessary holidays until she was 92 and who often
I think the narcissaea family, however, lines afterwards. announced to anyone within earshot
is not easy to paint and yellow flowers that: this painting really could not be
in general are difficult to get right. Artistic mindset any better! LP
There is probably a scientific reason A similar mindset seems to be a
for this, as all painting is basically requisite for both gardening and
alchemy, so I felt rather mean when painting; a certain amount of patience
I decided to set up this little still life
(Spring Teapot, above) for my art
is needed for the groundwork, but
also a certain amount of impatience
Amanda Cooper
Amanda is well known for her painting
group last year. to see what the outcome will be. You trips abroad and weekly art courses
I often try to demonstrate at the put bulbs in over autumn and wait that she runs from her home. She
beginning of a lesson and, during until spring to see what emerges from began gardening when she moved to
the process, I discovered that the only the cold ground. In a similar vein, we west Oxfordshire and, having restored
way to make the cadmium yellow mix up the paint and start putting it an old cottage orchard, now opens
sing out was to drop in a very dark on the surface, always optimistic about her garden for the National Garden
background of French ultramarine with the final result. Quite often we have a Scheme. She aims to develop this diary
a touch of alizarin crimson, and repeat midway crisis where the picture isn’t into a book, which will inevitably have
the process until it was dark enough. going as planned, but if you have the more gardening tips in it, as well as
Otherwise the palette was much the energy to salvage and soldier on, you watercolour observations on life in
same as usual, except for the addition might feel a surge of satisfaction if you a country garden. Email her at
of cadmium yellow, a pigment that leave the picture facing the wall for [email protected] or visit
I still find difficult; I tend to opt for a week then take another look. www.amandacooper.co.uk
softer hues, such as the translucent I don’t know many artists who

42 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Beachside Cottages at Porlock Weir, line and wash, 7¼x10¾in. (18.5x27cm). This is an example of one of my line and wash works that was
intended to be the final piece. Other line and wash work is purely made as reference material for more finished paintings.

Between the lines

Part 4 In the final part of this series, draw and paint a winter
landscape in line and monochrome washes, with Murray Ince
LEARNING OBJECTIVES for about 30 seconds then wet them. the area that you wish to darken and it
If the ink bleeds, you know that it is not will stay put, bleeding only a little into
n How to work in pen and ink waterproof. I have had students tell me the surrounding colour.
with watercolour washes that the ink in their pens is not waterproof You can exploit the characteristics and
n Use monochrome washes as the lines have bled. As often as not this beauty of both media with line and wash.
to good effect is just because they haven’t left sufficient You will find that you won’t need so many
time for the ink to dry and it doesn’t different tonal values of watercolour when
n How to look for tonal values become waterproof until thoroughly dried. used with line drawings, as much of the
and simplify a scene 2 Some watercolour pigments are not shift in tonal value will have been created
completely transparent and will take with your pen work. If you are using line

A s beautiful as pen and ink drawings

are in just black and white, it is
sometimes desirable to add colour,
and the combination of pen and ink with
colour washes works extremely well.
the sharpness off your inked lines;
these colours are best avoided to keep
your drawings sharp. Opaqueness and
transparency levels are normally indicated
on the label of the tube; if they’re not,
and wash as a sketching method, you will
only apply the colour as reference for later
studio use, whereas you will no doubt
spend longer on both media if it is to
be a finished piece of artwork.
If you are using pen and ink to create try to find an information leaflet for that A question I am frequently asked is
drawings as sketches it can also be useful brand. If still in doubt, try the colours whether you should use the watercolour
to speed up the process by using water- before you start on your cherished first or make the ink drawing. The answer
soluble graphite pencils for indicating masterpiece. is that it really doesn’t matter. You can do
simple tonal value changes, which would both and it will work equally as well, but
take much longer to create using just the Working methods generally I make the ink drawing then
traditional pen and ink drawing methods. The advantage of using colour washes apply the washes.
I showed you how to use this combination with pen and ink is that you don’t have Another option for colouring is to
in last month’s issue. to do so much pen work to show shading, limit your palette to various tonal values
You can, of course, use colour with ink for instance you can work wet in wet of just one colour. The choice of colour
drawings. Watercolour, being a transparent and drop a darker shade into a still damp will depend on the subject matter, but
medium, works particularly well for this, wash. If you hold your work to the light if unsure of which colour to use, choose
but there are potential problems you need and it is shiny, the wash is still wet; any any of the earth colours. A favourite of
to be aware of before you begin. added tone will then do its own thing and mine is raw sienna, but blue can also
1 Most importantly, make sure that the you will have very little control over the work well, especially in a winter scene
ink you use is waterproof. If in doubt, spread. Wait until the shine has gone off as I demonstrate over the page. I hope
draw lines on a scrap of paper and leave before you drop the stronger tone into you enjoy following the exercise. LP „

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 43

Pen and ink

Demonstration
Afton Marsh in the Snow

You will need

● Saunders Waterford 140lb
NOT watercolour paper,
9x12in. (23x30.5cm)
● B-grade graphite pencil
● Winsor & Newton black fine-liner
pens Nos. 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0
● Winsor & Newton Professsional
Water Colour in Prussian blue
● Masking fluid
● White ink or gouache
● Watercolour brushes
Nos. 2, 4 and 6

 Your reference photo for this demonstration

 Step 1 Step 2 
Begin with a very lightly drawn sketch 1 Using the 0.5
of the scene using a B-grade graphite pen draw the main trees but don’t try 3 Using the 0.1 pen draw the small tree at
pencil. The pencil lines can be easily to put all the twigs in at this stage. far left then under the bramble bushes.
erased with a soft, shaped kneaded 2 With the 0.1 pen draw the row of trees Add vertical hatching to draw the reeds.
eraser, which doesn’t damage the in the distance using just vertical hatched 4 With the 1.0 pen draw a few of the major
surface of the paper if used gently. lines, followed by the bramble bushes lines for the teasels and other plant life in
under the main trees and at far right the foreground. Finally, draw the teasels
using scribbled, squiggly lines. using the 0.1 pen.

Step 3  
Using the 0.1 pen draw the crow’s nests and some finer twigs on all the main trees.
It is a good idea to practise this on scrap paper first then be brave and go for it! My advice
here is to make your lines wiggly; imagine very flattened out zigzags (see the detail, right).

44 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Step 4 Step 5 „
1 Using the 0.1 pen sketch the reeds and grasses 1 Using an old,
in the middle distance. They lean in different small watercolour paintbrush, paint masking will make it easier to clean the masking fluid off.
directions and the weight of the snow has laid fluid on the teasels, along the top edges of 2 Make a very pale wash of Prussian blue
swathes of them flat in the foreground. the thicker foreground stems and randomly and, using the largest brush, lay the wash
2 With the 1.0 pen loosely draw heavier stems on the lumps and high points in the middle over the entire picture except the areas of field
and shadow patches then suggest other areas of distance and foreground. First wet the brush showing between and behind the main trees.
wet undergrowth in the foreground. and rub the hairs gently on a bar of soap; this Leave to dry.

‚ Step 6
1 With a slightly stronger mix of the foreground under what you deem to
Prussian blue, dry brush the areas you drew be lumps and humps of snow.
for the twigs and the distant row of trees. 5 When your washes are completely dry use
2 Make a stronger Prussian blue wash and, a kneaded putty rubber gently to rub off all Murray Ince
using vertical strokes and leaving little gaps the masking fluid you put on to preserve the Find out more about Murray and his
here and there, paint the middle distant white of the paper. work by visiting www.murrayince.com.
reeds and those to the left. 6 Finally, using white ink or gouache, paint Murray also works with Alpha Painting
3 Using the same wash, add shadows on the extra bright whites if you think it is needed. Holidays and will be tutoring ‘Painting
flattened reeds in the middle distance and I used white gouache straight from the the Rugged North Cornish Coast and
foreground and on the teasels. The light is tube to place small patches of snow on the Harbours’ in June. Find details on his
coming from high on the left so keep them bramble bushes below the main trees and website or on Alpha’s at
to the right and bottom. on top of a few areas on the ground in the www.alphapaintingholidays.com
4 Make one final, stronger wash and paint middle-distance and foreground, just to lift
the bramble hedge below the left-hand tree the intensity of the light. I also signed it
and strengthen some of the shadows in the with the white gouache at bottom left.

 The finished painting Afton Marsh in the Snow, line and wash, 9x12in. (23x30.5cm)

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 45

Inspiration

Trial run
Good ideas happen when you’re having fun! Experiment and play with
your art as you step away from your comfort zone, with Jackie Garner

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n Take time to play and test out
your materials O ver the years I have visited
numerous art groups, where
many of the members have a set
routine. They choose a reference image,
draw it carefully, work on a painting to
whatever the subject. They know what
works so they keep doing it.
Does that sound like you? If so, may I
make a suggestion to enhance your painting
practice? Step away from your comfort zone
n Where to begin your experiments
completion then start a new one. Very and intersperse your painting sessions with
n Loosen up and enjoy the process! often they use the same techniques, experimenting and play.

FORCE OF NATURE
Experimenting was hugely beneficial in preparation for the painting, Force of Nature (below)

ƒ Texture experiment  Test piece

ƒ The finished
painting
Force of
Nature, acrylic
on panel,
24x36in.
(61x91.5cm)

46 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Inspiration

I use the word play deliberately, not you’ll also notice how this colour mixes Experimenting is also great for artist’s
to trivialise our efforts, but because play with that one, or how those marks create block. Playing with art materials gives
conveys fun and light-heartedness, and a particularly interesting texture. you a chance to do something completely
puts less emphasis on achieving a pre- Secondly, it’s an opportunity to practise different, without the pressure of
planned result. Yet its frivolity belies its creative decision-making. Perhaps completing a piece of work. The inherent
value. Play is an enjoyable way to make you’ve laid down a couple of colours quality is to enjoy being creative while
discoveries and acquire important skills. with underwhelming results. You might trying something very different to your
Experimenting is also a great way to improve matters by scraping paint away usual work.
practise different elements of a painting then splattering another colour. At each You often gain insights while you are
before you undertake the final piece. stage you are evaluating your progress, exploring an idea. Jot down any ideas as
choosing which improvement to make they arise, as you may not be in a position
The benefits and using specific techniques. All this to try them out at the time. Then you will
So how does playing and experimenting is exactly what you need to do when have a ready-made list of ideas to try at
benefit your art? First, it’s a chance to creating a finished painting. your next session.
enjoy your materials and find the pure Thirdly, you can choose what to learn; If you need yet another reason, play
pleasure of seeing colours swirl, mix and perhaps that’s how to mix or modify ultimately gives you experience and
blend. Who doesn’t love the sensuous colour or you’re unsure how to tackle a therefore more options in your work.
quality of paint on knife or brush? The particular subject or effect. How do you When needing to do something new in a
smooth creaminess of pastel or an oil use a new product? Experiment sessions painting you may think back to a previous
stick? While you enjoy the experience, will provide many of the answers. experiment and realise you know what will

EIGHT IDEAS TO TRY

Here are a few ideas to inspire you. and white or choose unusual combinations. 6 Choose a painting you admire. Copy
Remember to cover your work area if 3 Try collage, stencilling, scraping or a section to see how the artist has
you’re spraying or splattering; paint always printing, especially if you usually only achieved that effect.
travels further than you think it will. paint with brushes. 7 How can I paint...? Choose a theme
1 Ask yourself a question and experiment 4 What marks will a certain brush, knife such as fur, clouds, rocks or foliage.
to find the answer, for example: or sponge make? 8 Overlay opaque, translucent and
what would happen if I...? 5 Make a comparison between two transparent colours to learn more
2 Colour mixing. Try two colours with black products. Which gives the best result? about transparency and depth.

 Colour mixing Mixing

colours may be methodical
or wildly experimental.
Colours used here were
1 titanium white;
2 cadmium yellow lemon
hue; 3 primary yellow;
4 ultramarine; 5 primary
blue; and 6 Mars black

„ Fur techniques
Choosing a single subject
and exploring how to
represent that can be
hugely beneficial. Which
subject will you choose?
„

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 47

Inspiration

 A single painting knife will make

a variety of marks. Try using an edge,
applying different pressures, scraping or
scratching the paint. Draw around the
knife first, so you know which was used.
ƒ My experiments in painting water,
using acrylic ink and heavy-body acrylics
with knives and brushes.

work! Without that experience you may feel

stuck or give up on that piece altogether.

Experimental sketchbook
Using a separate sketchbook solely
for experiments keeps all your results
together and creates a valuable reference
book. Otherwise, in future, you could be
searching through every sketchbook you
 Decorating the sketchbook cover is own to find the particular technique you
enjoyably creative and reminds you to need. I recommend a hardback sketchbook
keep this book for one purpose only. for durability, with paper that is heavy
This cover was sprayed with acrylic enough to keep cockling to a minimum.
and the letters wiped out. A slight texture to the paper is helpful.
Daler-Rowney Ebony is my choice, as it
fulfils all the above criteria and is available
in a range of sizes.
On a cautionary note, don’t buy a
sketchbook that is too good. If it’s beautiful
or expensive you won’t want to spoil it
by taking risks, which immediately defeats
the object of the exercise. Alternatively,
you could use small mountboard off-cuts,
often available free or cheaply, from your

ƒ Building up layers of mark making

with watercolour, acrylic and oil pastel.
Originally conceived as an experiment
in tree bark texture, the method could
also work as a rough sea by changing
the colour and orientation.

48 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

local framer. These have the advantage of  Inspiration from another culture. Exploring the colour palette and motifs
robustness and don’t cockle when wet. The from ancient Egypt gave rise to new art.
disadvantage is that single pieces are lost
more easily than work bound into a book. WHERE TO FIND INSPIRATION
Experimenting means there are no rules, You may be wondering how to find 4 Local Open Studios or A level and
but I have these suggestions to make. For new ideas to explore. Here are a few degree art shows often display unexpected
every new idea, start a new page. Always suggestions: or experimental techniques. Which could
write down what you did, including the 1 Look closely at a famous painting. you try?
names of any colours you used. It may How might the artist have achieved 5 Visit a zoo, stately home or museum
seem obvious now, but you’re unlikely particular effects? Try out different ideas. to discover interesting patterns, colour
to remember next month. 2 Investigate online videos; you’ll find combinations or textures.
It’s fine if it doesn’t work. That’s the point; thousands of techniques to try. 6 Look at art from other cultures and eras.
you won’t know until you try. Sometimes 3 Found objects. Collect or photograph Are there particular colour palettes, paint
you succeed, but you learn more when anything interesting during a walk. How application methods or styles that you
you don’t. If it didn’t work this way, could can you reproduce that colour or texture? could explore?
it work in a different colour or format?

Art party chosen materials? End the session by artist to lead the session if funds allow.
Are you thinking of trying new materials? sharing the results and discussing which So now it’s over to you. What lies
There’s no denying that art materials can methods worked and which didn’t. beyond your comfort zone? LP
be expensive, especially if you want to try Everyone has experienced each product
several types in one session. To reduce the and knows if they want to purchase more
costs while maximising the opportunity, in future. Jackie Garner
enlist friends and hold an art party. Each If you want to encourage your art club, Find out more about Jackie, her
person brings an item so you can share suggest having a ‘play day’ where everyone work and workshops by visiting
the costs and share the fun. is encouraged to try new products, www.jackiegarner.co.uk
Why not choose a theme or use randomly methods and media. You could bring in an

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 49

Oils

Mixing greens
How to make sense of the greens you see in the landscape
and simplify the painting of them, with Tim Fisher

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n

n
Work with a three-tone method
How to modify ready-made greens
O f all the colours that artists
encounter when painting, mixing
convincing greens often causes the
most concerns. Green is a popular, often-
used colour with several versions needed
an entire range of greens from tubes of
primary colours. With chalk pastels, which
do not mix readily, I have quite a range of
pre-prepared greens. Oil paints tend to fall
between these two media, where I make a
and mix subtle tones
to complete a painting. By selecting just concession to ready-made greens, as well
n Adapt the detail you see in a a few carefully chosen basic colours, you as mixing some from primaries.
landscape for a simple approach can produce a whole variety of greens It is easy to overpower a painting by
to painting that will give a broad range of tones and the use of inappropriate greens. Some
intensity. For my watercolour paintings, I pre-prepared colours, such as viridian,
reject ready-mixed colours and instead mix can have such a strong signature

THREE-TONE METHOD
With many paintings, the complexity „ 1 The texture of the foliage can be
and number of greens that the artist achieved by dabbing the surface with
perceives can feel overwhelming. a worn-out bristle brush to denote the
If the subject can be broken down individual leaves, although, in this case,
into a simpler approach, the I used part of a car washing sponge to dab
construction becomes a little easier. colour onto the surface of Clairefontaine oil
Working with the three-tone method painting paper, the base of which I masked
helps. Although a tree can contain with tape. The darkest green was made
an infinite range of greens, by by mixing Mars black with a little primary
condensing this down to just three yellow or sap green, into which ultramarine
shades of green, ranging from the blue and burnt sienna were added.
darkest tones to mid-tones to light The colour mix was dabbed onto the
greens, makes it much easier to paint. surface to create a tree shape.

ƒ 2 The next stage was to add the mid-tone green.

I mixed this from ultramarine blue and primary
yellow. If you don’t over-mix the mid-green, slight
variations will appear as the colour is added to
the surface. The initial layer of dark green helps
to add body to the subject.

„ 3 Finally, pale green was added, made from primary

yellow with just a touch of ultramarine blue. As the
paint is wet between each layer, some colour mixing
occurs and the different tones are not so evident.
To create more distinct layers, each one should
be allowed to dry first. The drying process can be
speeded up by adding a drying medium to the paint
or by using alkyd oils.
„ 4 The tape was removed and a foreground added.
Using a mix of ultramarine blue and white, a sky was
sketched followed by a distant background where
I added transparent red medium into the mix of blue
and white. Branches were suggested using a fine brush
and diluted Mars black. Finally, to sharpen up some of
the branches, sky holes were added with a pale blue.

50 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

that its use can be detected throughout „ Olive green was useful
a subject. Viridian is a vibrant colour for blocking in large areas
and must be handled with care. To take of foliage quickly, using the
the best from this colour, modify it with paint diluted with a thinner
other pigments, especially blues and for the lighter tones, which
violets, to create more subtle hues dried reasonably quickly and
before using. allowed the build up of other
My favourite pre-mixed colour is olive colours over it.
green, which can be used directly from
the tube to create rich, dark greens. The ‚ The finished painting
tonal range can be greatly increased by Timber Cottage, Burbage,
the addition of bright yellow or Mars oil on canvas board,
black. It’s worth shopping around for 12x16in. (30.5x40.5cm)
this colour and choose a tube with
a good lightfastness rating, such as a
Winsor & Newton brand.
To add depth to a painting containing
a wide variety of greens, following a
three-stage technique (left) also helps.

Interpret and modify

Aerial perspective is the artist’s way of
adding depth to a scene. Often when we
take a photo with a modern camera, the
greens receding into the distance seem
to be of the same strength and intensity
as the foreground colours. As artists, it
is our task to interpret the scene and
modify the colours to create depth.
The colour swatches (below right),
which represents my range of colour
mixes, have been ordered into the
layers of colour that would recede into
the distance.
1 The row of violet at the top represents
the most distant greens, made from
a mix of ultramarine and transparent
red medium. I like to dilute the colour
a little with thinner to give it more
transparency.
2 The second row represents the middle
greens. I exchanged transparent red for
yellow ochre here, which made green-
grey. I began with a base mid-tone green
from which I could modify. I brightened
the mix a little by introducing more
yellow ochre; to darken the colour
I added more blue. 1
3 The third row shows the colours I most
commonly use for foreground greens:
ultramarine blue and primary yellow. Ultramarine Transparent
There are a lot of yellows and blues blue red medium
from which to choose, but I find this
combination the most satisfactory. I can
darken the base green by the addition
of more blue or even with a touch of
transparent red. The colour can be 2
progressively lightened by adding more
primary yellow. I avoid adding white to
Ultramarine Yellow
any of my greens, as this can make the
blue ochre
colour look opaque and chalky.
4 In the final row I used olive green,
which is a nice dark green straight from
the tube. This colour can be lightened
by the addition of primary yellow or 3
darkened by adding just a little touch
of Mars black. Ultramarine Primary
Using the arrangement of mixes on blue yellow
the colour chart, I decided to paint
a golf course scene, Teeing Off (follow
the demonstration over the page). LP
4
„ A suggested range of greens, from
distant trees to foreground detail Olive green Primary yellow „

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 51

Oils

Demonstration Teeing Off

TIP
Brush cleanliness is important for
working in oils. When changing colour
mixes, wash the brush out thoroughly
with thinners and dry on a towel to
keep your painting clean and vibrant.

 Step 1
We can divide the banks of trees into three
sections: the trees that are farthest away (1)
are created from blue-violet; the middle ground
trees (2) are generally green-grey; and the
foreground trees (3) are a variety of greens that
can be produced using colours from the lower
part of the colour chart (seen on page 51).

1 2

 Step 2
1 After drawing the layout of the fairway, I applied a thin wash of yellow
ochre acrylic, which dried quickly and fixed the pencil lines in place.
2 The distant trees were added first with
ultramarine and transparent red. Using
a No. 5 flat brush and downward strokes,
the paint broke up nicely to suggest distant trees.
3 The middle-ground trees were added next,
beginning with a mix of yellow ochre and
ultramarine then a little primary yellow was added
as the trees became progressively closer. I added
a little black to the mix for the base of the trees.
4 Whilst the paint was still wet I scratched out
trunks with the brush handle.
5 The trees on the left of the painting were
added with olive green straight from the tube.
As they were closer, I suggested trunk details
and added sky holes.
6 Primary yellow was brushed into the mass
for highlights and darker areas were added by
introducing Mars black into the mix.
7 To complete the painting I applied colour to the
fairway, positioned the golfers and brought across
dark green shadows from the trees on the left.

Tim Fisher
Find out more about Tim, his
work and workshops by visiting
www.timfisherartist.co.uk
 Teeing Off, oil on Clairefontaine oil paper, 8x11in. (20x28cm)

52 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

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Acrylics

Focus on still life

Part 4 Learn how to paint the effects of metal as you complete
your Russian-themed still-life painting, with Elena Parashko
and tone. Forget about the metallic object the sky and trees in the reflection of a
LEARNING OBJECTIVES you are painting and focus on its reflective window. To create the effect of highly
■ How to paint the effects of metal or semi-reflective nature. Identify nearby polished metal with a strong sheen, there
objects that are being reflected and notice will be crisp edges between colours and
■ Colour-mixing ideas for still-life
how their shape is distorted over the form tones, and a large range of tone between
objects of the metal object and any shift in colour. highlights and shadows. Less reflective
■ How to identify colours of reflections The colours in a reflection are not as objects have a softer blending of colours
intense as they are in the actual object between tones, with tarnished metal
and can also be affected by the colour having the poorest reflective quality.

W e now conclude our four

part mini-series on still-life
painting by looking at how
to paint metallic reflective surfaces.
Painting metallic surfaces is not as
of the metallic object. Gold and brass, for
example, tend to tint the reflective colour
with a yellow-orange, whereas silver
doesn’t have much of a tinting effect.
The light source, such as a window, is
Tone just means the relative lightness
and darkness of areas; try squinting your
eyes to help see tones more clearly.
Most metallic surfaces look silver, but
when portraying them in a painting, you
hard as it appears. It all begins with often reflected as the brightest highlight. don’t actually use silver paint but rather
close observation of areas of colour Look for details in reflections, such as shades of grey. Instead of using black and

 These four metallic objects have varying degrees of reflectiveness.  Gold reflective surfaces tint the reflective colour of the table,
lemon and mandarine.

 Tarnished metal has a very narrow range of tones with

soft blends, and low reflective qualities.

 Detail – metallic silver tea glass holder with reflections.

54 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 The finished painting Matrushka and Samovar, acrylic, 16x20in. (40x50cm)

white, which will make a dead-looking blue and alizarin crimson, which was stage was to add the brightest highlights
grey, mix three primaries together. Adjust then greyed off with yellow ochre. with pure white.
the ratio of these colours until you have I added varying amounts of titanium white To paint the metallic copper sections
a nice dark grey then make progressively to create a dark, medium and light grey, of the samovar, I used yellow ochre for
lighter tones of grey by adding white. which I painted over the entire holder. the basic gold colour and added burnt
I then smudged on nearby reflected colours umber into yellow ochre for the darker
Objects in the still life from the tablecloth and vodka cups. shadow areas. For the highlights, I used
To paint the silver colour of the metallic tea I simplified the complex embossed pattern titanium white with a touch of yellow
glass holder, I mixed purple from cerulean into a series of dots and dashes. The final ochre. I reserved pure white for the glossy
sheen. Once the form was created with
the gold colour, I smudged in the other
colours, reflecting from the hand-painted
central part of the samovar.
Over the past four issues, we have
explored the use of fabric, wood, glass
and metal in still-life paintings. Now set up
your own objects on your chosen surface
to create a personalised still-life painting. LP

ƒ Detail – metallic copper samovar

with reflections.

Elena Parashko
Elena is a professional artist, international
art tutor and author of the empowering book,
Survival Guide for Artists: How to Thrive in
the Creative Arts, available via her website
and e-book via Amazon. For more information
about her work and online painting tutorials
visit www.elenaparashko.com or email
[email protected]. Her blog www.
survivalguide forartists.com has a wealth
of information for artists.

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 55

Coloured pencils

Garden visitor
How to create detailed, colourful and textured feathers
using coloured pencils, with wildlife artist, Chloe O’Neil

 Garden Visitor, coloured pencil on smooth white paper, 8x12in. (20x30.5cm)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
n Colour mixing with coloured
pencils
n How to create detailed lifelike
feathers
n Practise layering technique  How to layer and mix coloured pencils. Keep the layers thin so more colour can be
added when necessary

B lue tits are a regular visitor to my

garden and I love watching them
swoop into the trees to wait for
their next helping of seed. They are
such a tiny bird, yet they are always
always found drawing feathers and fur
fascinating, and using coloured pencil
is a great way to capture this in detail.

Technique
colours on top of each other until
reaching the desired tone (above).
The thinner the layer of colour, the
more layers that can be added.
The benefits of using coloured pencils
so easy to spot due to their brightly Coloured pencils are best used in layers to draw feathers is that they can be
coloured feathers. The reference photo to create depth and tone, very much like sharpened to a fine point, allowing you
(right) used for this demo was taken in painting. Colour is applied in thin layers to create small and intricate details easily.
my garden of a familiar blue tit. I have allowing you to add a variety of different When selecting colours I test each

56 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Coloured pencils

colour by lying the pencil on top of the coloured pencil drawing can make paper, so that the pencils can glide
reference photo. Don’t worry about not a huge difference to the overall outcome over the surface.
having the exact colour, as they can be of the finished piece. There is also no My coloured pencil choice would
mixed together to create different hues. right or wrong in the materials you have to be Faber-Castell Polychromos,
By layering yellow and blue, for instance, choose, only what is right for you and because I believe they hold their points
over the top of each other, green can your style of drawing. For me, I love better than other brands. I highly
be made. working in detail and creating accurate recommend you experimenting with
life-like drawings. To do this I use a a selection of different papers and
Materials smooth paper, such as Strathmore Bristol coloured pencils to discover what
Choosing the right materials for your board or a Hot-pressed watercolour works best for you. LP

Demonstration Blue Tit

You will need

● HB pencil
● Sharpener
● Ruler
● Faber-Castell Perfection eraser
● Faber-Castell Polychromos
coloured pencils (see colours, below)
● Smooth white paper, 5x5in.
(12.5x12.5cm)

COLOURED PENCILS USED

Walnut brown

Burnt sienna

Venetian red

Terracotta

Naples yellow

Cadmium yellow lemon

 Your reference photograph for this demonstration
May green

Step 1 
Permanent green I use different methods when
sketching my wildlife drawings,
but for this I drew freehand. To
Dark indigo draw the blue tit, measure the
image size of the photograph
Delft blue and draw the same sized box
onto a piece of paper. Mark out
the angle and position of the
Indanthrene blue branch first then start to outline
the shape of the blue tit, looking
at the negative space left in the
Cobalt blue box. Draw simple shapes, such
as ovals, lines and angles first
then adjust them into the form
Sky blue of the blue tit. The details, such
as the eye and feathers, should
all be drawn in last once you
Cold grey IV
are happy with the overall
shape. This will help to create
Black the correct scale and produce
a more accurate drawing.


www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 57

Coloured pencils

Demonstration continued
ƒ Step 2
1 I always like to start with the eye as it adds character to the
drawing right at the beginning. Use a black pencil to outline the
edge of the eye then gradually shade around the white highlight
by reducing the pressure of the pencil on the paper. Make sure
you leave the white highlight as the paper colour. If you look
closely at the reference photo you can see there is a very thin
white line around the edge of the eye. To create this, use the
black to outline the eye whilst leaving a small gap in between.
Finally, with the black, add the feather section all the way
up to the beak.
2 When starting the beak use light layers of walnut brown
shading on the top and bottom. Then use the cold grey pencil
to draw the line that runs across the middle of the beak. There is
a slight reflection of blue to the top section of the beak. To add
this, use cobalt blue very lightly until you reach the desired tone.
Towards the point of the beak, add shades of cadmium yellow
lemon and a small amount of burnt sienna.

Step 3 „
1 The next stage is to add the feather texture with blue, grey and black.
To create the feathers, you will need really sharp pencils. Starting with
the blue section on top of the bird’s head and working in the same
direction as the feathers, add a thin layer of cobalt blue. Then using
indanthrene blue and delft blue add small thin lines varying in length
over the top. Think about using different pressures with the pencils,
pressing lighter in the light areas and harder in the darker areas.
2 Using indanthrene blue, shade in the stripe that follows from the eye
into a band around the head. Ensure you are still working in the same
direction as the feathers and use the tip of the pencil to go into the
white sections of feathers slightly. For the next layer add thin lines
over the top using dark indigo blue and black.
3 To add the feathers to the white sections use a combination of
indanthrene blue and cold grey. Leave plenty of white paper and add
small thin lines varying in length. Look closely at the direction of feathers
in the white section below the eye; the feathers span out like a clock.
4 Final touches to the blue tit’s head include above the eye, where you
need to add a line of walnut brown and shade lightly down to the eye.
In the white section underneath the eye there is a little area of yellow
on the left. Add this by using cadmium yellow lemon.

ƒ Step 4
1 As a base layer on the green section of the blue tit’s back
firstly use cadmium yellow lemon then add the feathers using
permanent green and cold grey. To add the darker sections,
use walnut brown, still working in thin lines. To finish apply
lines using the dark indigo to define the green feathers.
2 Moving onto the main body, again apply the first layer of
colour using cadmium yellow lemon. Work in cross-hatch
where the feathers overlap and use solid yellow for the chest.
Make sure you leave the white feathers as the paper colour so
they shine through. With Naples yellow build up the yellow
tones where they appear stronger.
3 To create the fluffy texture you will need the walnut brown,
dark indigo and cold grey. Start with drawing the feathers
using the walnut brown, making sure you press lightly. Build
up some of the feathers where there is shadow by adding
further lines closer together. The cold grey can be used to
define the cross-hatching to the left of the chest. Work in
small sections, paying close attention to the different
directions and size of feather.

58 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

  Step 6
1 If you look closely at the feet you should be
 Step 5 able to see blocks of grey that are split up with
1 Drawing a bird’s wing can be tricky! in between them, leaving gaps of yellow white curved highlights. For the left foot use the
Make sure your pencils are sharp at all showing through. sky blue to colour in the blocks, making sure to
times, as you will need them to create very 4 Using a sharp black pencil, draw the leave the white lines. Use the cold grey to begin
thin shadows in between the feathers. Avoid dark shadows between the blue and brown adding shadow. The light is coming from the
any feathers that are white. Your first layer feathers. On the large dark feather towards right so the shadows need to go on the left
can be added onto all the blue sections of the bottom softly shade in with black and edge of the feet. Once the blocks and stripes
the wing using sky blue then indanthrene burnt sienna around the edges. are mapped out, use the dark indigo and black
blue for the shadows and feather texture. 5 For the tail, apply dark indigo to the to darken the shadows further. The claws also
2 Burnt sienna should be applied on left feather and burnt sienna to the right. have a shadow on the left side; use cold grey
any of the lower feathers with more Shade the dark areas with a black pencil, and burnt sienna for these.
of a brown tone. lifting gradually off the paper where it 2 For the right leg reflection, add a layer of
3 Where the yellow chest feathers overlap is lighter. This will allow the dark indigo cadmium yellow lemon, followed by sky blue
the wing, use indanthrene blue to draw and burnt sienna to show through. and cold grey to block out the rest of the foot
in the same way as the left.

Step 7 „
1 The branch has a lot of texture, made up of
browns, oranges and greens. Add a base layer
over the entire branch using burnt sienna. With
walnut brown draw a line on the bottom of the
branch. Gradually shade from that line, getting
lighter with the pencil as you approach the
middle of the branch. With the same colour,
draw the markings, varying in length and size
and keeping them parallel to the branch.
Using burnt sienna, shade the top edge of
the branch, getting lighter as you move closer
to the centre. To finish, use Venetian red,
May green and terracotta to add thin patches
of colour in sections of the branch.
2 I never truly call a piece of artwork complete
until I have stood back from the drawing and
compared the entire piece to the original
photo. It’s sometimes best to do this the next
day with fresh eyes. Use any of your colours to
add further layers to make sure that the correct
tones stand out and that the blacks are
dark enough.

„ The finished drawing Blue Tit,

Polychromos coloured pencils on smooth
white paper, 5x5in. (12.5x12.5cm)

Chloe O'Neil
For a list of Chloe’s workshops
and courses please visit
www.little-robin.co.uk

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 59

Inspiration

Helen Martell
Leisure Painter Award winner in TALP Open 2019, Helen Martell talks to LP about
what inspires her and explains the process behind her award-winning painting

TALP Open judge, John Sprakes,

on why Bruges Bicycles won the
Leisure Painter Award 2019:
‘Bruges Bicycles has an
H elen Martell can’t remember
a time when she didn’t have
a pencil in her hand. Coming
from a family of painters, a foundation
course in art and design was a natural
and someone asked if I could paint their
dog. From then on, I painted a steady
stream of pet portraits.’
Six years ago, Helen was invited to
join a group of Sheffield-based artists,
interesting composition, path for her to take before beginning a called the Ten Artists, who hold annual
allowing the shapes and forms degree in textile design. Textile design, exhibitions to raise money for the
of the bicycle wheels to move however, wasn’t the right choice for her Sheffield Samaritans. ‘Before this I had
in and out of the picture plane. at that time and her burgeoning career never exhibited my paintings so this was
in the arts came to an end. She spent the first time that I had genuine feedback
They create interesting negative the next 30 years in a regular nine-to- from strangers about my work. It gave me
and positive shapes as they five job, but continued to be creative. so much more confidence than I’d had
overlap, developing interesting Much of her early artwork, she says, before.’ Subsequently, she has become
forms as they are superimposed became birthday or Christmas presents a regular exhibitor and the exhibition,
on each other. The shadows cast for family and friends. This all changed which is held every October, has become
ten years ago when she joined her the highlight of her painting year.
left to right across the cobble mother on a painting day. For the past 18 months Helen also
stones add light and drama ‘This was the first time I used acrylic has a permanent display of paintings
to this accomplished painting paint,’ she says. ‘I painted a bright and prints in a local pub, which, she
and it was deserving of the orange cow, and there began my says, has been a great outlet.
award it was given.’ obsession with farm animals. I showed
a few of my pictures to friends at work Inspiration
Helen describes herself as ‘quite
adventurous with colours’ and usually
paints brightly coloured, lifelike images.
Living in the countryside, her favourite
subjects include close-ups of farm animal
faces – in particular cows. She also paints
portraits of pets and people, but has little
interest in landscapes and wide vistas.
‘I will paint pretty much anything if I like
the shapes and the light in the design,’
she says. ‘I like close-ups and reflections,
such as the shiny metal on musical
instruments, distortions in water and glass,
and patterns made by nature.’
In her winning painting, Bruges Bicycles
(left), Helen was first attracted to the light
on the cobblestones before she looked up
and saw the bicycles. It was the light, she
says, that inspired her the most.
Asked about her favourite artists, she
says: ‘I like some works by Chagall and
Van Gogh, but I usually like a particular
painting I’ve seen – it could be by
anyone, well-known or unknown – rather
than all the works of one artist. Having
said that, I have recently been inspired
by Hashim Akib, particularly as he paints
with acrylics, and I have several

ƒ Bruges Bicycles, acrylic on canvas board,

12x12in. (30x30cm) winner of the Leisure
Painter Award 2019. ‘As I began with a pale
purple base, I first painted the cobble
shapes in clashing orange, white and green.
I remember thinking at the time that I
should have picked a less complicated
composition! Hence it was one of those
‘walk away and come back to it later’
paintings.’

60 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Eric, the Explorer, acrylic on canvas
board, 16x16in. (40x40cm). ‘My original
intention was to paint less tidily than
I usually do, and I began by adding
bright patches of colours using a large
brush. The neatness crept back in, but
I like the patches of bright blue showing
through in the cat’s fur, and the reflected
abstract cat in the glass below him.’

of his books. For Bruges Bicycles,

I started with a solid coloured canvas
of pale purple, which is a technique
I picked up from one of his books,
Vibrant Acrylics.
‘I’ve been painting with acrylics for
the past ten years, which is my only
medium nowadays. It is so forgiving,
quick to dry and easy to use. It flows
beautifully and mixes together –

„ Mickey, acrylic on box canvas,

16x20in. (40x50cm). ‘This is a recent
pet portrait, and much of the credit
goes to the super photos the owner
sent over for the commission. With pet
portraits I usually put the eyes in first.’ „

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 61

Inspiration

 Clarinet, acrylic on canvas board, 16x16in. (40x40cm). ‘I’ve played the clarinet since I was seven years old so painting it was inevitable!
I experimented with the camera first, taking pictures on different surfaces with different light and angles. I liked the deep sharp shadow the
instrument made on the wooden surface, contrasted with the many colours my surroundings reflected in the metal work. I’ve also painted
sections of a flute, saxophone and tuba.’

most of the time. Recently I’ve been ‘For me, a successful painting often paint with the canvas upside-down,
trying out texture mediums, too, such or on its side.’
as structure gel.’
comprises light, colour,
Like most artists Helen uses different interest, and something Accolades
brands, which she says often have that’s a little bit different.’ Last year was the first time Helen entered
a different sheen when dry. She favours Helen Martell our TALP Open competition. ‘I was over
Liquitex, Winsor & Newton (Professional the moon just to have a painting accepted
and Galeria) and, most recently, Golden. into the exhibition, but winning the award
When a painting is finished, it’s coated ‘I don’t like the big expanse of was a total shock,’ she says. ‘I visited the
with a matt medium, which she says whiteness on a new canvas so I always exhibition with my mother and was lucky
evens out the differences. Loxley begin with a wash of burnt sienna. I then enough to meet John Sprakes, who is one
produces her canvas of choice. ‘I paint sketch the design with deep purple or, of the judges. It was so encouraging to
a lot on box canvas and have always sometimes, I sketch first then add the hear his feedback on my painting and why
found Loxley to be consistently super wash of burnt sienna. Either way, those the judges had chosen it. I also received
quality; not just the canvas itself, but two processes are my starting points. a lovely email from the couple who
the neatness of the angles, corners, ‘I often think more about the shapes purchased the painting, explaining why
and the finishing on the back. rather than the image itself, and quite they liked it so much. The award itself

62 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Inspiration

HELEN’S TOP TIPS

● Never buy really cheap canvases,
brushes or paints. You get what
you pay for, and the battles you’ll
experience with the poor quality
will restrict your progress.
● If you want to try a new medium,
a good place to start is to go to an
art class or demonstration.
● Talk to and listen to others, and take
on board both positive and negative
comments. Learn from the negatives
and celebrate the positives.
● You’ve got to enjoy painting otherwise
there’s no point in doing it!
● Don’t be put off if a picture isn’t going
right. Walk away from it and go back
to it another time. I’ve left work on one
side for days or even weeks, because
it wasn’t going to plan then, when
I picked it up again, I had a different
outlook and a fresh pair of eyes.

„ Bruce, Highland Cow, acrylic on box

canvas, 16x16in. (40x40cm). ‘I love the
character of cows’ faces, and Highland are
a particular favourite. I started with fairly
dark shapes of colour and gradually built
up to the highlights of the strands of hair.’

has really boosted my confidence in

what I can do.
‘Until December 2018, I was working
full time in an office. The long days and
long commutes left little time or energy
for prolific painting. Then the company
I worked for outsourced my role, and
I felt it was time to do something
different. Since January 2019 I have
been self-employed as a part-time
gardener and part-time artist.
‘Last year I concentrated on the
gardening and didn’t push the painting
side too much. This year I plan to show
in new arts and crafts fairs and promote
my work online more than I currently
do. I’d also like to go on art courses,
as I’d like to learn more about what
acrylics can really do. I want to have
the confidence to be a bit braver and
more daring with the medium.’ LP

„ Rock Patterns, acrylic on box canvas,

20x20in. (50x50cm). ‘This was taken from
a photo I took on holiday in Anglesey.
Every time I looked at the photo I saw
more colours. I started with the dark
edges then painted numerous thin layers
in each shape so that each layer brought
something to the finished texture.’

Helen
Helen Martell
Martel
Find out more
aboutFind outand
Helen moreherabout Helen
work by visiting by visiting
and her work
www.helenmartell.co.uk.
www.helenmartell.co.uk.
TurnTurn
over back to pages
the page for 10 and 11
forofdetails
details how toofenter
how to enter
this year’s
this year’s TALPTALP
Open.Open.

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 63

 TALP
ORGANISED BY

&
2020

OPEN CALL FOR

We are looking for the best two-dimensional works in any media
including drawings, paintings, printmaking and digital artwork from amateur
painters in the Leisure Painter category, and from more experienced and
professional artists in The Artist category. Up to 140 selected works from
each category will be exhibited at Patchings Art Centre, Nottinghamshire,
in two separate galleries, opening on the first day of the 2020 Patchings
Festival of Art, Craft & Design, from July 9 until August 9, 2020

Over 45 individual PRIZES WORTH OVER £18,000 will be awarded to selected artists including:

£5,000 artist Purchase

Prize Award
Selected by guest judge Adebanji
Alade VPROI for a work up to the
value of £5,000
www.painters-online.co.uk
WIN!
£1,700 artist Exhibition Awards
Up to 10 selected artists from the 2020
Over 45 prizes
The Artist’s category will be awarded a
mixed exhibition at Patchings Art Centre
in 2021, worth £1,700
to be won,
www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk
worth over
artist Highly Commended Award
A subscription worth £100
www.painters-online.co.uk

£600 Batsford Awards

£18,000
Four prizes of Batsford art books to the
value of £150 each
www.pavilionbooks.com/ ROYAL TALENS AWARD WINNER 2019
Margaret Guy Trampas the Lurcher, oil,
batsford
23½x19½in. (79x84cm)

£1,800 britishcontemporary.art
Award JUDGES
One year’s representation by £1,000 ColArt/Winsor&Newton
(All art materials prizes are quoted at the rrp)

Sally Bulgin,
britishcontemporary.art, the online Awards editor The Artist
gallery featuring the best of British Four prizes of £250 worth of ColArt art
artists materials David Curtis ROI, VPRSMA
www.britishcontemporary.art www.colart.com Guest Judge
Adebanji Alade VPROI
£500 Caran d’Ache/Jakar Awards £900 Daler-Rowney Awards
Two prizes of £250 worth of art materials Five sets of materials to the total value Ingrid Lyon,
www.jakar.co.uk of £900 editor Leisure Painter
www.daler-rowney.com John Sprakes ROI, RBA, MAFA
£500 Clairefontaine Awards
Two prizes of £250 worth of art products £500 Great Art Awards Liz Wood,
selected from the Clairefontaine Graphic Two prizes of £250 worth of art materials from artist and co-owner of
& Fine Art range the UK’s largest art materials’ supplier Patchings Art Centre
www.clairefontaine.com www.greatart.co.uk

WITH THANKS
TO OUR AWARD
SPONSORS
in partnership with Patchings Art Centre
HOW TO ENTER

ENTRIES The competition is open to artists worldwide.

Two-dimensional artwork in any media, including
drawing, painting, printmaking and creative digital
artwork is welcome. Only original work completed
within the past two years will be considered and
paintings based on reference photographs must
have been taken by the artist or used with the

ENTER permission of the photographer. Photography,

except where incorporated into collage, is not
acceptable.
ONLINE AT
1 The entry fee of £20 covers up to THREE entries
https://painte.rs/2CgZUOe of two-dimensional works in any media. To
give more amateur artists the chance to exhibit,
Closing date for entries just ONE work per entrant will be accepted for
exhibition in the Leisure Painter category. Please

April 9, ensure you enter the correct category. Artists can

enter either The Artist category OR the Leisure
Painter category - NOT both. The Leisure Painter
2020 category is for amateur painters and The Artist
category for more experienced amateur and
professional artists.
2 No entry should be larger than 120x150cm
BATSFORD BOOKS AWARD WINNER 2019 WHEN FRAMED (canvases do not need to be
Deborah Bliss The Head Gardener, oil, framed).
13¼x15¼in. (34x39cm)
3 TO ENTER upload digital files of your image(s)
and pay your entry fee using our secure server via
our website at https://painte.rs/2CgZUOe. Closing
date for entries is 12 noon on Thursday, April 9,
2020.
4 Entries will be judged after April 9, 2020 and
selected works called for exhibition. These must
be framed (canvases excepted) ready for exhibition
from July 9 to August 9, 2020 at Patchings Art
Centre. ALL works entered MUST be available for
exhibition if selected.
5 Successful entrants will be notified in mid-
May about delivering their work between June
12 and June 28, 2020 to Patchings Art Centre,
Nottinghamshire.
CLAIREFONTAINE AWARD WINNER 2019 PATCHINGS AWARD WINNER 2019
Pat O’Dowd Suffolk Pumpkins, acrylic, Alan Bickley A Secluded Cornish Cove, oil, 6 All care will be taken with entries but no
15¾x19½in. (40x50cm) 23½x23½in. (60x60cm) responsibility can be accepted for loss or damage
in transit, incoming or outgoing, whilst on the
competition premises or during the exhibition.
£2,600 Award £400 Royal Talens Awards
Originals selected and submitted for final
One prize of a showcase feature on a selected Two prizes of £200 worth of art exhibition must be fully insured by the artist.
artist in Leisure Painter magazine materials 7 All entries must be original. Submission of entry
www.painters-online.co.uk www.royaltalens.com in this competition automatically constitutes
acceptance of all the competition rules and
Highly Commended Award £600 St Cuthberts Mill Awards
A subscription to Leisure Painter worth £100 Three prizes of £200 worth of watercolour
agreement to allow The Artist and/or Leisure Painter
www.painters-online.co.uk paper to publish, republish and repurpose entries in
www.stcuthbertsmill.com print and digital formats including but not limited
£450 Patchings Award to magazines, promotion materials, websites,
A gift voucher worth £450 to be used at £500 Search Press Awards databases and as part of downloadable digital
Patchings Art Centre in Nottinghamshire Four prizes of £125 worth of art books products.
www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk www.searchpress.com
8 By entering the competition, entrants agree to
£350 ProArte Awards £400 Winston Oh Award be bound by the conditions of entry.
Two prizes of brushes to the value of A painting course worth up to £400 of
£175 each your choice, provided by Winston Oh
www.proarte.co.uk www.winstonoh.com
ALL ENTRANTS
will receive a complimentary
one-day entry ticket to the
Patchings Festival of
Art, Craft & Design,
WORTH £11
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Tel: 01334 472174 Tel: 0115 965 3479
Opening times: Monday to Professional artist and tutor-owner
Opening times: Monday to Opening times: every day
Saturday 9am - 5.15pm Saturday 9.30am - 5.30pm happy to offer expert advice,
9.30am - 5.30pm
Sunday 12.30 - 4.30pm Email: [email protected] with regular demonstrations and
www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk
www.jg-innes.co.uk High-quality art materials at testing area.
Stockists of: Winsor & Newton,
Stockist of: Winsor & Newton, competitive prices and a personal
Daler-Rowney, Derwent,
Daler-Rowney, Hahnemühle, friendly service. Winsor & Newton, The Art Shop
Caran d’Ache, Unison, Liquitex,
Staedtler, Parker, Waterman, Daler-Rowney, Derwent, Montana 230 High Street, Northallerton,
Old Holland, Pro Arte, Reeves,
books, magazines, cards, games Gold spray paints, Golden, Sennelier, North Yorkshire DL7 8LU
Sennelier, Canson,
and a gallery, Unison and much more. Tel: 01609 761775
St Cuthberts Mill, Artmaster, Pebeo.
Upstairs @ J & G Innes Ltd Opening times: Monday to
Lunns Art Store Saturday 9.30am - 5pm
13, Christchurch Road,
www.theartshops.co.uk
GLOUCESTERSHIRE Ringwood, Hants BH24 1DG
Tel: 01425 480347/473335 SUFFOLK Stockists of: Winsor & Newton,
Daler-Rowney, Loxley, Pip Seymour,
Opening Times: Monday 8am -
Cotswold Art Supplies Pan Pastel, Unison, Pro Arte,
1.30pm, Tuesday to Friday The Art Trading
Church Street, Artmaster, Hahnemühle, Pebeo.
8am - 5pm, Saturday 8am - 4pm Company
Stow on the Wold,
www.lunnsartstore.co.uk 55 Earsham Street, Bungay
Gloucestershire GL54 1BB
Stockists of Winsor & Newton, Daler- Suffolk NR35 1AF
Tel: 01451 830522
Rowney, Sennelier, Daniel Smith, Tel: 01986 897939
Opening times: Monday to
Saturday 9.15am - 5.15pm
Pan Pastel, Unison, Golden, Copic, Opening times: Monday to WALES
Derwent, Faber-Castell, Posca, Canson, Saturday 10am - 5pm
www.cotswoldartsupplies.com
Arches, Fabriano, Saunders, Search (closed Sunday and Bank West of Wales Art
Stockists of: Winsor & Newton,
Press, Pro Arte, Jullian Easels, Mabef.
Holidays) Supplies Ltd
Daler-Rowney, Pro Arte, Unison pastels,
www.TheArtTradingCompany.co.uk 22 Market Street,
Sennelier, Conté, Paperblanks,
Stockists of: Old Holland, Haverfordwest,
Reeves. Picture framing on site.
Michael Harding, Sennelier, Pembrokeshire,

Pegasus Art Shop

LONDON Golden, Lascaux, Daniel Smith, Wales SA61 1NH

Griffin Mill, London Road, Rohrer & Klingner, Winsor & Newton, Tel: 01437 779646
Jackson's Art Supplies Opening times: Monday to
Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 2AZ Liquitex and many more.
1 Farleigh Place,
Opening times: Monday to Saturday
London N16 7SX
Saturday 9am – 5pm www.wowartsupplies.co.uk
Tel: 020 7254 0077
www.pegasusart.co.uk This is a proper shop, with friendly
Opening times: Monday to
Stockists of: Williamsburg, Rembrandt, Friday 9am - 5.30pm, NORTH YORKSHIRE service, multi-buys and special
Old Holland, Cranfield paints, Cobra, Saturday 10am - 6pm offers. Stockists of: a wide selection
Winsor & Newton, Daler-Rowney, www.jacksonsart.com The Art Shop Skipton of leading manufacturers, including
Derwent, Daniel Smith, Schmincke, Stockists of: painting, drawing and Online & instore Winsor & Newton, Daler-Rowney,
Caligo, Da Vinci, Pro Arte, Arches, printmaking materials from 22 Newmarket Street, Skipton, Michael Harding, Sennelier, Unison
Japanese papers, Hahnemühle, Daler-Rowney, Winsor & Newton, North Yorkshire BD23 2JB and Seawhite.
Fabriano, Somerset. Canvas and Old Holland and Michael Harding Tel: 01756 701177
stretcher bars. and more. Opening times: Monday to
Friday 9am - 5.30pm,
Jackson's Art Supplies Jackson's Art Supplies Saturday 9am - 5pm. WEST YORKSHIRE
Unit J, The Aquarius Centre Arch 66, Station Approach, www.theartshopskipton.co.uk
Edison Close, Waterwells London SW6 3UH The Art Shop
Stockists of: Pebeo, Derwent,
Business Park, Tel: 020 7384 3055
Sennelier, Unison, Winsor & Newton, Hawksworth Street, Ilkley,
Gloucester GL2 2FN Opening times: Monday to
Daler-Rowney, Loxley, Artmaster, West Yorkshire LS29 9DU
Tel: 0145 222 6378 Thursday 9am - 6pm, Friday,
Reeves, Hahnemühle, AMT Products, Tel: 01943 432016
Opening times: 9am - 5.30pm,
Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 5pm
and many more. To discuss a listing
Opening times: Monday to
Saturday 9am - 5.30pm
www.jacksonsart.com www.jacksonsart.com
Artist's Palette
in our UK Art Shops
www.theartshops.co.uk
Jackson’s warehouse holds painting, Stockists of: essential high-quality
drawing, printmaking and sculpture painting and drawing materials from
1 Millgate, Thirsk YO7 1AA directory
Stockists contact
of: Winsor & Newton,
Tel: 01845 574457 Daler-Rowney, Loxley, Pip Seymour,
materials from Golden, Sennelier, brands including Sennelier,
Opening times: Monday to
Anna-Marie on
Pan Pastel, Unison, Pro Arte,
Schmincke, Winsor & Newton and Winsor & Newton, Golden, Old
much more. Holland and more. Saturday 9.30am - 5pm 01778
Artmaster, 392048
Hahnemühle, Pebeo.

66 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

DERWENT METALLIC
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Featuring 20 highly pigmented,
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Art products to help you develop your skills

JAKAR WATERCOLOUR
ALUMINIUM EASEL
This lightweight easel with telescopic
legs and a black carrying bag
weighs just 1.62 kilos (including
the bag) and measures 66cm when
folded. It accommodates a maximum CARAN D’ACHE GOUACHE STUDIO
canvas height of 120cm and has an These pans of water-based paints can offer beautiful
adjustable lever. watercolour effects. They are available in 14 bright colours
For vertical or horizontal watercolour with good lightfastness levels. Available in two boxed sets.
use. RRP £49.99 each. Set of 7 assorted colours, 1 white tube 10ml & 1 brush,
Tel. 020 8381 7000 RRP £24.99. Set of 14 assorted colours, 1 white tube 10ml
Email [email protected] & 1 brush, RRP £37.99.
Tel: 020 8381 7000
Email: [email protected]

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 67

 LP Marketplace
To advertise your holiday, course or business call Anna-Marie now on 01778 392048
Holidays & Courses
LEARN AT HOME
Watercolour and drawing. Beginners/
advanced correspondence courses.
Easy, relaxed & thorough with Jenny
Trotman graduate of St Martins S of A.
Tel: 01305 264568
www.catswhiskersart.co.uk
PAINTING COURSES IN NORFOLK
AND CORFU. 1-7 day and weekly art
courses painting flowers and gardens,
landscapes, watercolour or line and wash
with Jan Blanch in Norfolk also
Brusho classes. Some weekends now
available. Very good accommodation.
Painting holidays in Corfu.
Tel: 01493 393639 or 07702 069300
Email: [email protected]
www.janblanch.co.uk

art holidays in cornwall

https://watermill.net
Plein-Air
Oil painting holidays in the Lake District
2QS

udio 
‘a great deal more than just a painting holiday...’
• A unique and exciting artistic adventure
Small Groups • 2 or 5 days painting in outstanding locations
Stunning Locations • Daily oil painting demonstration, 1-2-1 tuition
4 Star Accommodation • Lovely accommodation & great food
All Abilities
Tel 01579 383491 Contact Lake District School of Art - 0845 094 0587
Email: [email protected]
www.callingtonartschool.com Call Bill or Lois: 0039 327 379 9178 [email protected]

2020 BROCHURE AVAILABLE NOW!!

For brochure and other information contact John or Christine on
01202 393234 [email protected]
“Your First & Best Choice for a Painting Holiday” www.artholidaysindorset.co.uk

Somerset, Exmoor National Park (inc North Devon Coast), Art Holidays in Dorset
North Cornwall Coast, The Wye Valley, DOUBLE-UP-DEAL - BOOK TWO CONSECUTIVE HOLIDAYS IN PINK &
Chichester Harbour (inc Bosham), Cumbria (inc South Lakes), SAVE £189 PLUS A FREE NIGHT DINNER, BED & BREAKFAST
• Prices from £175 SNEAK PREVIEW OF SOME OF THE DOZENS OF
Jersey (CI), Provence, France & Western Algarve, Portugal • 500 m from the sea
COURSES IN 2020
13 - 16 Mar See-Through – Water Droplets, Bubbles,
• Free transport Thin Drapes and More - Watercolour
ear • Highly professional tutors 6 - 9 April
studio based
Springs Gardens with Watercolour
• Friendly house-party atmosphere studio based
Paul Alcock, Shelagh Ashley, Belinda Biggs, Grahame Booth, Joe Dowden, • Delicious food and wine 12 - 15 Jun Reflections on Estuaries and
Woodland Rivers
Rob Dudley, Jeremy Ford, Chris Forsey, Paul Talbot-Greaves, Steve Griggs, • All accommodation en-suite Partly studio based
• No single supplement 18 - 22 Jun Let’s Face It! Portrait Top Tips
Max Hale, Steve Hall, Murray Ince, Michal Jasiewicz, Carol Kibble, • Stunning locations - easy walking
studio based
3 - 6 Jul Sketching by the Sea
Arnold Lowrey, Kevin Scully, Keiko Tanabe, Andy Walker, Paul Weaver, • All abilities and non-painting 7 - 10 Jul Gardens in the Summer – Watercolour
or Gouache
David Webb, Dave White, Sarah Wimperis, Jake Winkle & Peter Woolley partners welcome 15 – 20 July At the Bottom of the Garden –
• Well equipped studio Nature Fantasy
29 Jul - 1 Aug Dynamic Watercolours
• Small numbers to ensure 8 - 11 Aug Fascinating Flowers
individual attention Watercolour and Pastel studio based
12 - 15 Aug Dynamic Palette Knife Painting
Acrylics partly studio based
16 - 19 Aug Sketching Summer Landscape
24 - 27 Aug Seascape and Coastlines with
Picture by David Webb

SUPER P 3 - 7 Sep
Watercolour and Coloured Pencil
Make Your Colours Glow!
ovely ainting oliday dventure EU
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15 - 18 Sep The Shape of Water – Ripples and
Reflections - Acrylics or Watercolour
 At Alpha we use only proven tutors from around the world DEAL S 25 - 28 Sep Watercolour in Three Washes

£189
5 - 8 Oct Animals on Black Paper
 Organisers always on location with the group 12 - 15 Oct Painting the Colours of Autumn with
Watercolour
 Art Materials included on selected holidays 19 - 22 Oct Acrylics for Beginners

 All Abilities & Non Painters Welcome WINTER WARMERS 2020

Two full days’ tuition in our cosy studio from 10am to 5pm,
 Studio & Location based courses in all media light lunch and delicious dinner plus bed and breakfast
all for only £175 Why not pamper yourself and add Friday
and/or Sunday night dinner, bed and breakfast at the
 All rooms en-suite & some Ground Floor rooms special painters’ rate of £65 per night? Most people do!

Combined Sketching & Walking Holidays - Save money on framing 7 & 8 Nov Autumn Trees in Acrylics
14 & 15 Nov Snow Scenes in Monochrome
- Complete or self-assembly and Colour
01934 733877 - Plain wood or painted 5 & 6 Dec Organic Forms in Still Life

- Inlay frame specialist Art Holidays in Dorset, The Studio, Boscombe Spa Hotel, 4 Glen Road,
- Large, standard and bespoke sizes Boscombe Manor, Nr Bournemouth BH5 1HR

Exclusive - St Ives/Nicholson style

68 APRIL 2020 frames available on-line www.painters-online.co.uk
 Holidays & Courses

Jessamine Studio
Year-round Day Workshops and Painting Holidays in Suffolk

big sky art Experienced tutor

Watercolours—Oils—Mixed media—Pen & wash
Residential tutored Art Holidays in North Norfolk Small groups - lots of 1:1 tuition
The studio is located in rural Suffolk with easy
access to the East Coast. Local accommodation
can be arranged.
bigskyartcourses.com For individual course details and booking information, contact
+44 (0) 7785 439727 Issy Coe: [email protected] tel: 07990573818
Website: www.issycoe.co.uk
Tony Allain Steve Hall John Tookey Sarah Wimperis *** June 15th—18th 2020—Plein Aire + Studio course based at Wingfield Barns Arts Centre.
Jake Winkle John Hoar Tim Fisher Grahame Booth Chris Forsey Lead by Issy Coe, visiting various stunning locations to paint, also studio work.
Gareth Jones Ian McManus Andrew Pitt Jem Bowden Elaine Searle Please contact me for more details.

Joseph Zbukvic

Holidays & Courses

Visit
www.painters-online.co.uk/ Art breaks in Exmoor
marketplace www.shorlandoldfarm.co.uk

Beautiful location

Holiday of the Month Good food

Friendly atmosphere

Portugal’s Figs on the Funcho Courses for all abilities

Non-painting partners welcome
Ready-made groups also welcome

Call Sandy on 01598 763505

Email: enquiries@shorlandoldfa
[email protected]
f rm.co.uk

T
he riverside location, Figs on the Funcho, nestles in hills
overlooking Barragem do Funcho in the Algarve region of
Portugal. Restored by Cheryl and Graham Smith from the
original farmhouse, the beautifully appointed River House and
River Lodge both offer complete privacy surrounded by fig and
carob trees, with uninterrupted views of the countryside and
pathways winding down to the water’s edge. The River House
sleeps ten and The River Lodge, currently under renovation, will
sleep eight guests. Up to 70 visitors can be accommodated, making
www.painters- it ideal for weddings and special occasions, but Cheryl and Graham
also run cookery courses and wine tasting – as well as painting
online.co.uk holidays in June and September. The setting is ideally designed for
small groups, gatherings and events where you can run your own
yoga workshops, writing or painting holidays.
Art Shops The outdoor painting holidays are led by experienced and
enthusiastic artist and tutor, Tracy-Jane Pooler, who is passionate
PEGASUS ART about sharing her skills with others. All levels are catered for, from
beginners to experienced artists. Alongside days spent painting,
Finest Art Materials
Cheryl leads optional walking tours to explore the local countryside
pegasusart.co.uk
since 2005 and observe the water reflections along the river – and there is an
opportunity to explore the historical village nearby with its well-
preserved Moorish castle and cathedral. There’s plenty for non-
painting partners to immerse themselves in, too, from quad biking
to exploring the nearby towns and beaches. Food is locally and
seasonally sourced. Cheryl is originally from South Africa and enjoys
sharing healthy and delicious food, and her favourite South African
and Portuguese specialities. Accommodation is comfortable and
Shop online spacious, with fully air-conditioned rooms and plenty of outdoor
www.pegasusart.co.uk space, including terraces, infinity pool and covered areas to relax
in and enjoy the sunsets.
Art materials - Workshops - Canvas Making
Free shipping over £50
Telephone +44 (0) 7976 660526; email: cheryl@
01453 886560 [email protected] figsonthefuncho.com or visit www.figsonthefuncho.com

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 69

PAINTING HOLIDAY

10 to18
October
2020

Essaouira

Paint in Morocco
Adebanji Alade
with Adebanji Alade VPROI
ADEBANJI ALADE is vice president of the Royal Institute
of Oil Painters and ‘artist in residence’ for the BBC’s One
Show. Adebanji is known for bringing a lively sketchy feel
to his paintings, and his work is inspired by atmosphere,
people and the mood created by a particular light. He
was winner of Pinto Rapido in 2013. Adebanji has chosen
Essaouira for his painting holiday, because it is full of
colour and sun, and has a buzz in the air.

E
ssaouira is a place where your senses are and miles of wind-swept
exposed to exotic colours and exquisite sandy beaches, as well as
architecture. It offers an intoxicating sea fortifications, dramatic
mix of exotic Arab architecture and rocky seascapes and a
Mediterranean-style white-washed houses thriving traditional fishing
with blue shutters, a working fishing harbour harbour.
with traditional boats and colourful spice
souks. Time has stood still in Essaouira, which PAINTING PROGRAMME ▲ Evening Light, Hampstead High Street, oil by Adebanji Alade
remains an important market town for the Every day will be spent
nomadic Tuareg people. Donkeys are laden painting in Essaouira with Adebanji Alade,
with goods, men still wear the traditional who will be working mainly in oils but also just five minutes’ walk to the fishing port and
full-length and hooded burnous and women acrylics, watercolour, pastels, coloured medina. An accompanying escort will take
their floating jellabahs and hijab (veil). pencils, charcoal and graphite. You’ll care of everyone and all the arrangements. In
There is plenty to paint here and inspire receive endless motivation, inspiration and October the weather is normally sunny and
all artists. Inside the walled old town are entertainment from Adebanji’s wealth of warm with a gentle breeze, making it ideal
dappled sunlit squares, meandering alleyways, experience. He will encourage you to work for painting en plein air.
secretive doorways, elegant minarets, with a sketchbook and help you with your • Dates October 10 – 18, 2020
mosques and mosaics, aromatic and colourful paintings as and when necessary. Adebanji • Number of students 8 – 12
souks and much more. In contrast to the will also do demonstrations on alternate • Price per person £2,875
hustle and bustle of the trading medina lie the days for anyone interested. This free-style • Single supplement £400
serene and mellow streets of the mellah or painting holiday with some tuition is suitable • Price includes: Flights from LHR, eight nights
Jewish quarter. Outside the walled medina are for intermediate and experienced students. 4* hotel, breakfast & dinners daily, host artist,
sun-drenched avenues lined with palm trees Your hotel overlooks the sandy beach and is travel escort from the UK.

Essaouira Essaouira Essaouira

FOR FULL DETAILS CONTACT 01825 714310 • [email protected] • www.spencerscotttravel.com

We have paintings holidays in 2020 with other well-known artists including:
Peter Brown PNEAC, RBA, PS, ROI, RP, Richard Pikesley NEAC, RWS, Lachlan Goudie ROI, Haidee-Jo Summers ROI, ARSMA and Hazel Soan.
Leisure Painter has been offering overseas painting holidays since 1990 with renowned artists. These holidays are organised on our behalf by fully licensed operator Spencer Scott Travel Services CAA ATOL 3471
 This beginner’s guide to paining the landscape in acrylics is ideal if you want to learn to

paint but are short on ime. Each of the 33 quick-and-easy studies takes no more than

30 minutes, and will teach you how to apply a crucial technique to your work, or paint a

paricular aspect of the natural landscape. The book also contains 3 larger painings that

demonstrate how to combine the elements learned into vibrant and inspiring landscapes.

Build up your skills in easy pieces, learning about form and composiion, colour mixing,

working with acrylics and capturing the drama of the natural world.

RRP AVAILABLE FROM

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ARE YOU READY TO TAKE YOUR ART

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MODIFYING COLOUR: 4th of 13

PULSATILLA
PRACTICAL
THE PRAC TICAL MAGAZINE FOR ARTISTS BY ARTISTS – SINCE 1931

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Spring foliage It’s quite a challenge to paint very small leaves and it can be very tempting to
use only one green and one tone over all the leaves. The disadvantage of this
is that you can end up with lowers that are much more interesting than the
leaves. Take time to study the leaves and draw the correct shapes. I drew my

subscription will continue

pulsatilla leaf patiently and made sure the pencil was very light. Then I took
care to vary the tones and colours in this intricate leaf. You can practise small-
This month Julie Collins anticipates the scale leaves before you commit paint to your work.

coming of spring by showing you how to mix Daniel Smith Extra Fine watercolours:

the perfect colours for bright spring foliage

quarterly at £9.99 by
I
f I had to choose, I would say spring modified them, you will see that most
is my favourite season. It is so of them are very bright. Although we Cadmium Cobalt Burnt Permanent alizarin
exciting to see the plants emerge want bright, fresh colours for spring yellow pale blue sienna crimson
Colours used:

convenient Direct Debit,

after a long winter and their foliage some of the greens such as viridian,

How to capture atmospheric

Hooker’s New Burnt Mixes:
is brighter and fresher than at any other Hooker’s, and the Winsor greens, are
green gamboge umber Cadmium yellow pale + cobalt blue
time. During spring we see a wide range just too harsh if you want to represent
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to a sage green. Young leaves are still can be modified with just a little yellow
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making a regular saving of street scenes in watercolour

lighter. New leaves are also thinner, All the examples here are from plants
with the fewer tough layers that are that grow in my garden and have been Permanent alizarin crimson +
characteristic of more mature plants. drawn and painted from life. If I haven’t cobalt blue + burnt sienna in
More blue More yellow 50/50
Younger leaves have fewer pigments, got a particular plant or flower, then I Mixes equal parts to make a dark
so the green of the chlorophyll is not find it a good excuse to buy one to use
masked by other pigments. Leaves for my paintings and my garden. I have

35% on the shop price. You ACER

such as those of the maple and acer found that many painters are also keen

Plus
are typically tinged red at this time of gardeners and love nature too. Seeing I’m lucky to have several mature acer trees in my garden. The leaf
year because the sugar in the leaf is the colours first-hand is the very best here was painted free-hand from one of these trees.
Start with Hooker’s green and gradually add
sometimes converted to a red pigment teacher. I have noticed that during the spring the acer leaves are brighter
new gamboge to create a whole range of
called anthocyanin, which is stored in than later in the summer, when the colours never seem to be
fresh greens
the leaf. This is wonderful for artists, so vibrant. For this leaf I used all of the pure colours and some OILS: NEW SERIES WATERCOLOUR INKS
are free to cancel at any time.
as in spring the colours of nature are HELLEBORES of the mixes shown here. I have included extra examples and
heightened to inspire us again. Hellebores are among my favourite plants. suggestions for modifying colours and mixes as there are so many
Here we will look at how to modify Their fantastic forms provide scope for a other varieties of this beautiful tree. � Ideas for creating abstract
your spring colours for foliage to get good drawing and very exciting watercolour
the best results in your watercolour painting and the leaves ofer great Colours used: compositions from real
paintings. I have painted a very wide opportunity for drawing and learning about
Mix Hooker’s, green, new gamboge and burnt Caput Permanent Hooker’s Raw subjects
variety of styles and colours of leaves. greens. There is such a large variety of plants mortuum alizarin green sienna
And in each example I have used a for the gardener and the artist. Both those
umber to make a very dark green. To create
even darker greens, gradually add more burnt
violet crimson � Paint striking coneflowers in
very limited palette. If you look at
the colours I have used before I have
shown here grow in my garden and give
interest all year round.
umber mixed media
� Make a concertina sketchbook

5
Viridian + burnt sienna + permanent alizarin crimson
This is the Christmas to enhance your creativity
rose, Helleborus
niger. Although it � Top tips for painting marine
Viridian + burnt sienna Mixes
could be said this subjects in acrylics
is also a winter 1

issues
plant, it is during Pale
the spring that the
foliage comes into 04>
its own.
Caput mortem 50/50 gradually add water
violet + Hooker’s
green 3 Permanent alizarin crimson with gradual
Develop your landscape How to mix the Techniques to try to help
painting skills with ideal greens for spring improve your watercolour

for only
Dark additions of caput mortuum violet

Graham Webber foliage skills 9 770004 387193

Medium 4 Caput mortuum violet with gradual

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 The online home of
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closing date 31 July 2020
 Books
WHAT TO READ THIS MONTH
Visit www.painters-online.co.uk/store and click on the
link to books to buy the latest practical art books
available from LP’s online bookshop

Watercolour for beginners

A Beginner’s Guide to Watercolour with
Mixed Media encourages beginners
to energise their watercolours by
using other media, and takes the fear
and confusion away from the often
bewildering array of materials on offer. Ten-step drawings
In this clear and practical guide, Alison Part of Search Press’s 10 Step
shows readers what’s available and how Drawing series, 10 Step Drawing:
to use these painting mediums and People and 10 Step Drawing: Nature
materials, with six step-by-step projects both use simple lines and shapes
to work through. Subjects include to make lifelike images – starting
flowers, animal portraits, dancers, with just one line and building
cityscapes and landscapes. A Beginner’s this up in ten steps. People, by
Guide to Watercolour with Mixed Media by Alison C. Board. Search Press, (p/b), £12.99. Justine Lecouffe, includes individual
elements that make up the face, as
well as complete faces and people.
Information is also provided on
basic colour techniques, as well as a
Human anatomy guide to creating the right skin tones.
Best-selling author and artist, Giovanni Civardi Nature, by Mary Woodin includes
brings us his latest instruction book – Artist’s information on over 60 different
Guide to Human Anatomy, providing the perfect flowers, trees, animals and objects
introduction to drawing the human form. Beginning – once again starting with very basic
with information on how artists through the lines and showing how to develop
centuries have captured the human body, the these, line by line, until you have a
author then describes how bones and muscles play complete picture. These guides are
a part in the shape and movement of our bodies. the perfect way to start drawing,
Photography and diagrams complement Civardi’s while, at the same time, building
beautiful drawings. your skills and confidence.
Artist’s Guide to Human Anatomy by Giovanni Civardi. 10 Step Drawing: People by Justine
Search Press, (p/b), £17.99. Lecouffe. Search Press, (p/b), £8.99.
10 Step Drawing: Nature by Mary Woodin.
Search Press, (p/b), £8.99.

Inky wonderlands
Illustrator, Johanna Basford, has built a reputation for her intricate and inspiring
outlines for adults to colour in. Her best-selling works, including Secret Garden and
Enchanted Forest, have encouraged adults around the world to switch off from their
troubles and get creative with colour. Her latest title, How to Draw Inky Wonderlands
asks a bit more of you. As well as providing a collection of drawings for you to colour
in, Johanna has also developed 50 step-by-step exercises to work through, with tips on
how to develop your own drawing style.
How to Draw Inky Wonderlands by Johanna Basford. Virgin Books, (p/b), £12.99.

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 73

 PA I N T E R S O N L I N E &
The Lake District School of Art competition

ENTER NOW
For your chance to win
please visit:
http://bit.ly/2tWf5vx

Win a ive-day painting holiday in Keswick with Closing date for entries is
April 1, 2020. Winners will
the Lake District School of Art, worth £1,250 be selected at random from
PaintersOnline, Leisure Painter and The Artist have teamed up with the Lake all online entries.
District School of Art to offer you the chance to win a five-day painting holiday in
Keswick with Cumbrian artist, Colin Halliday, from April 27 to May 1, 2020. Enjoy a When completing your details please
relaxed and enjoyable artistic adventure, with individual tuition for both budding make sure you opt in to receive our
and accomplished artists. Paint en plein air in different stunning locations around great regular email newsletters so
that we can keep you up to date
Borrowdale and Derwent Water every day. The holiday includes accommodation,
with what’s new at PaintersOnline,
all meals, demonstrations, one-to-one tuition, critique sessions and an informal
including the latest features, images
end-of-week exhibition. in the galleries, new competitions and
For more information visit https://artpaintingholidays.co.uk other great offers.

Delve into Leisure Painter’s 1990 Alan Oliver

Line and wash

archives
Leisure Painter has been passionate about teaching beginners and
amateur painters to draw and paint successfully for over 50 years.
We have seen it grow from an A5 50-page quarterly magazine in
1967 to its present 80-page format published 13 times a year. 1

This month, find tips, techniques and

practical advice…. http://bit.ly/2MScSr9

1980 Edward Wesson

Out and about with oils

2000 Stanford Gibbons

Still life in pastel

http://bit.ly/2QJCLdU

http://bit.ly/2PRVGmo
To enjoy over five years’ worth of searchable archived features from
Leisure Painter, try our new PaintersOnline STUDIO membership
completely FREE - no payment details are required. Sign up now at www.painters-online.co.uk/membership

74 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

 Art club gallery BEST IN SHOW PAINTINGS
If you would like to see your art group’s winning paintings reproduced here, encourage visitors to
your next exhibition to vote for their favourite work. At the end of the show, simply send us the
details and we’ll do our best to include all paintings received. Full details are given below

Royal Tunbridge Wells Art Society

▲
Kenneth Smith Honfleur Harbour (Morning), oil on canvas
board, 16x 20in. (40.5x51cm). Kenneth’s profession as a
chartered engineer has given him an eye for detail. Now
retired, he has taken inspiration from Turner, who used several
views of Venice from different angles for his paintings. Kenneth
used the camera for this view of Honfleur, which is popular
with both artists and photographers. ‘I used five photos, which
were more than 20 years old to compose my picture. The
direction of light and depth of field was also most important
in producing the final painting.’
The Royal Tunbridge Wells Art Society has its own premises
at 61 The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells where members meet
throughout the week for a full and lively programme of classes
and activities. To find out more go to www.rtwas.org

Stafford Art Group Helen Boardman Let Others Call it

▼

Bleak, acrylic and charcoal on paper, 12x15in. (28x40cm).

‘This particular painting is a favourite local walk up the
Weaver Hills just north of Uttoxeter,’ writes Helen. ‘The title
came from a comment made by another walker we met in
November 2019. The weather was overcast, cold and windy ▼ Shefford Art Society
but, to me, was more exhilarating than bleak!’ Mike Dyer Still Life, oil on
Members of the Stafford Art Group meet twice a week on board, 7½ x 9½in.
Tuesday afternoons and Friday evenings at the Littleworth (19x 24cm). For more
Community Centre to paint, draw and enjoy the company information see Shefford
of like-minded people. For more information visit Art Society on Facebook.
www.stafford-art-group.webnode.com

How you can join in

To participate in our best in show
feature, arrange for the voting to take
place at your next club exhibition, then
send Leisure Painter a photograph,
transparency or jpeg of the chosen
painting. We can only accept sharp,
high-resolution (300dpi) images
for reproduction purposes. Attach
details of the artist, title, medium
and dimensions, along with details of
the club itself. LP also welcomes art
exhibition listings, profiles, events,
letters and news. Send to Jane Stroud,
63/65 High Street, Tenterden, Kent
TN30 6BD; or email [email protected]

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 75

 Art clubs
OVER TO YOU FOR THE LATEST NEWS ON
CLUB EXHIBITIONS
■ Armagh Art Club
Spring exhibition at Armagh Tourist Centre
from 2 to 31 March, 10am to 5pm daily;
closed on Sundays.
■ Bramhall Art Society
53rd annual exhibition at Bramhall Village
CLUB EXHIBITIONS AND ACTIVITIES Club, Lumb Lane, Bramhall SK7 1LR from 17
to 19 April. Open Friday and Saturday, 10am
to 6pm; Sunday, 10am to 5pm. Enquiries to:
[email protected]
■ Canterbury Society of Art
Exhibition by at the Horsebridge Arts &
Community Centre, Whitstable CT5 1AF,
25 March to 7 April, 9am to 6pm daily;
until 5pm on Sunday. Visit
www.canterburysocietyofart.org.uk
■ Cheltenham Art Club
Exhibition at the Gardens Gallery,
Montpellier Gardens, Cheltenham from
1 to 7 April, 10am to 5pm daily.
Visit www.cheltenhamartclub.co.uk
■ Claverton Art Group
Exhibition at Claverton Down Community
Hall, Claverton Down Road, Bath BA2 6DT
on Sunday 5 April, 10am to 5pm.
■ Cranleigh Art & Crafts Society
Spring exhibition at Cranleigh Village Hall,
36 High Street, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 8AT
from 12 to 14 March, 10am to 5pm daily.
Enquiries to Pat Coxon on 01483 278698.
■ Denbighshire Art Society
Annual spring exhibition at the Porth Eirias

Demonstrations
Bedford Art Society
Watercolour artist, Ian McManus,
will demonstrate how to paint boats
to members of the Bedford Art
Society. Ian uses direct application
of paint with no overlay washes to
give his paintings transparency. The
demonstration takes place on Friday
3 April, 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start at
Putnoe Heights Church, Bedford MK41
8EB. Visitors welcome: £5; free entry
for members. Telephone 01234 307210 or
visit www.bedsartsociety.co.uk
Brighouse Art Circle
On 26 March, Carrie Mckenzie will
give a demonstration to members of
the Brighouse Art Circle on how to
use Brusho. The demonstration takes
▲ Richard Baker Corner of Studio, oil on board,
place at Waring Green Community
Highlights 32x24in. (81x61cm) on show at the Cambridge Centre, Brighouse HD6 2AX, starting
Cambridge Drawing Society Drawing Society’s spring exhibition at 7.30pm. For more information visit
The Cambridge Drawing Society will [email protected] or
be exhibiting at the Pitt Building, from 21 to 28 March, 10am to 5.30pm telephone Geoff on 07885 451774.
Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RP daily; closing at 4pm on final day. Halifax Art Society
(opposite Fitzbillies and a two-minute Free admission. For more information On 20 March, Andrew Jenkins will be
walk from Kings College Chapel), visit www.cambridgedrawingsociety.org demonstrating how to paint trees in

76 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

Exhibition Centre, The Promenade, Colwyn
Bay LL28 4TG from 10 to 13 April, 10am to
5pm daily. Visit www.dasoc.info News
■ Pateley Bridge Art Club
Phoenix Art Club
Members of the Phoenix Art Club out more about the club, telephone
Exhibition at St. Cuthbert’s School, Pateley
Bridge, 16 to 19 April, 10am to 5pm daily. meet every Thursday afternoon, 1 to Roger Gatrell on 07827 593190 or Jim
3pm at St Mark’s Church Hall, Bellfield Samson on 01482 857774.
■ Plymstock & District Art Society Avenue, Hull HU8 5BN to paint Rayleigh Art Group
Exhibition at the Plymstock Library, together and for a full programme The Rayleigh Art Group’s annual
from 2 to 4 April.
of demonstrations and workshops by exhibition takes place at the WI Hall,
■ Royal Tunbridge Wells Art Society professional artists, which are free to Bellingham Lane, Rayeigh, Essex SS6
Spring exhibition at 61 The Pantiles, members and £3 to non-members. The 7ED on 18 and 19 April, 10am to
Tunbridge Wells, Kent from 4 to 19 April. 4.40pm. New members are welcome.
annual subscription currently costs
■ Sawbridgeworth Art Exhibition £25. If you are interested in finding Telephone 01268 751087 for details.
Exhibition at The Memorial Hall,
The Forebury, Sawbridgeworth CM21 9AT on
28 and 29 March, 10.30am to 4.30pm daily.
Enquiries to: sawbridgeworthartexhibition@
gmail.com
Highlights
■ Sheriff Hutton Art Group Molesey Art Society
Annual Easter exhibition at Sheriff Hutton The Molesey Art Society’s spring exhibition
Village Hall, York Road, Sheriff Hutton, York takes place at St. Alban’s Primary School,
YO60 6RA on 12 and 13 April, 10.30am to Beauchamp Road, East Molesey KT8 2PG
4.30pm each day. Entry is £1. Visit from 8 to 12 April. The exhibition is open
www.sheriffhuttonvillagehall.co.uk Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 5pm and
■ Toddington & Westoning Art Groups from 11am until 4.30pm on Sunday. This
Joint charity exhibition at Wesley Hall, year, as well as paintings and drawings in
Toddington Methodist Church, Bedfordshire a variety of media by both professional
LU7 4BL on 28 March, 10am to 4pm. and talented local artists, the exhibition
■ Wye Valley Art Society will also include jewellery, sculpture,
Spring exhibition at the Shire Hall, contemporary ceramics, glass, wood and
Monmouth, from 6 to 11 April. Open greetings cards. For more information visit
daily, excluding Good Friday. Visit www.moleseyartsociety.co.uk
www.wyevalleyartsociety.co.uk
Roche Art Group
The Roche Art Group’s next exhibition
will be at the WI Hall, Bellingham Lane,
watercolour to members of the Halifax Rayleigh, Essex on Saturday 7 March, from
Art Society. Demonstrations, which are 10am to 4pm. Refreshments and activities
open to non-members, take place at will be available during the day. Visit ▲ John Bulford Shopfront, High Street, Stockbridge,
All Saints Parish Hall, Godfrey Road, www.rocheartgroup.wix.com/Roche-art- pencil and ink, 23½x18¾in. (60x47.5cm) on show
Skircoat Green, Halifax from 10.30am group or telephone 07913 803666. at the joint exhibition by the Salisbury Group of
Artists and Plain Arts
to 1pm. Visit www.halifaxartsociety.com Stafford Art Group
Tewkesbury Art Society Stafford Art Group was formed in 1962, Combining Forces
Artist, Susan Neale’s demonstration to and currently has 70 members, who are Two art groups in the Salisbury area –
the Tewkesbury Art Society will focus free to paint whatever they wish in any The Salisbury Group of Artists and Plain
on painting a landscape in line and medium they choose. Beginners and Arts – will be combining forces to display
wash on Tuesday 14 April, 10am to experienced artists are equally welcome. members’ work at the Medical Practice
12.30pm. The demonstration takes The group is not a teaching organisation, in Wilton Road, Salisbury SP2 7FD, from
place at the Methodist Church Hall, but more experienced members are 25 February to 18 May, 8am to 8pm each
By The Cross, Barton Street, always happy to give guidance. Meetings day. The collaboration ensures a lively
Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire GL20 5PA. are held twice weekly in Littleworth and diverse range of paintings and a
Entrance is £5 for non-members. For Community Centre and activities include changeover of artists during the show
more information visit www.t-a-s.info demonstrations, models, still life and keeps the exhibition fresh.
Virginia Water Art Society workshops. The annual spring exhibition The link with the Salisbury Medical
Popular artist and tutor, Sharon Hurst, will take place at the Oddfellows’ Practice was instigated a few years ago by
will lead a silk painting workshop Hall, Greengate Street, Stafford on Plain Arts co-ordinator, Peter Walker, in
for the Virginia Water Art Society on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 March, order to help showcase and highlight the
Saturday 28 March at The Community with demonstrations and a display of wealth of artistic talent in the area.
Centre, Beechmont Avenue, Trumps sketchbooks and hand-painted greetings For more information about the
Green, Virginia Water, Surrey GU25 4EY. cards. The hall is open daily from 10am Salisbury Group of Artists visit
Non-members are welcome. For more to 4pm. Admission is free and light www.salisburygroupofartists.co.uk
information go to www.virginiawater.org. refreshments will be available. Visit and for information on Plain Arts go to
uk/artsociety or call Jean on 01784 741599. www.stafford-art-group.webnode.com www.plainartssalisbury.co.uk

www.painters-online.co.uk APRIL 2020 77

 Online gallery
Jane Stroud’s selection of works from our PaintersOnline gallery
WWW.PAINTERS-ONLINE.CO.UK

D avid Carpenter likes to

work quickly en plein
air, avoiding detail and
concentrating instead on
atmosphere. Here he describes
how he painted this bright
garden scene. To see more of
David’s work, post a comment
or upload your own images to
our online gallery, visit
www.painters-online.co.uk

David Carpenter has spent the

past 30 years since leaving art
school, working as a 3d visualiser
alongside designers and event
organisers. ‘I have always
enjoyed sketching,’ he writes,
‘and have my sketchbook with
me at all times. After moving to
the Wiltshire countryside a year
ago, I decided to start working
en plein air using oils in my
spare time.
‘Bird Table was painted recently
on a rare sunny afternoon as the
winter sun was going down. I’m
happiest when I work quickly
and have limited time, as this
stops me from fussing over too
many unnecessary details in the
painting. This was painted on
a pre-prepared, gesso-primed
board. I began by applying a
warm-tint wash, which I allowed
to show through in places to
create a warm, sunny feel. As
it was painted in my garden,
it was quick and easy to set up
▲ David Carpenter Bird Table,
my easel. I was keen to capture WIN £50 TO SPEND AT JACKSON’S! oil on panel, 9½x10½in (24x27cm)
the way the warm light caught
the bird table and created those Upload images of your own work,
strong shadows on the grass. receive valuable feedback and the
‘I’m inspired by contemporary chance to see your work published in
en plein air painters, such as Leisure Painter and win a voucher to
Haidee-Jo Summers and Peter spend on art materials with Jackson’s
Brown and also the Classical by visiting our website at
painters, such as Isaac Levitan www.painters-online.co.uk/gallery
and Joaquín Sorolla.’

78 APRIL 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

I want to....
� Improve my painting techniques
� Become a more confident artist
� Create my best work
� Discover my own style

then you need....

Helping you become a better artist with:

� Exclusive video demonstrations and tips
� Archive content guides
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SI14p34_37_Dutton_Layout 1 09/06/2014 15:11 Page 36 SI14p34_37_Dutton_Layout 1 09/06/2014 15:11 Page 37

PRACTICAL
DEMONSTRATION: Reflections of Light
This photograph (left) was
just a starting block. Lots of
colours, shapes and Join Robert at three venues in
elements were changed, left North Yorkshire this summer to
out and added as part of
paint with him outdoors:
the painting process.
Sketches and colour studies, Ripley Castle Gardens, near Harrogate,
particularly of the fish, were North Yorkshire, on June 30; Newby Hall
Gardens, near Ripon, North Yorkshire, on
also used to make the final
July 11; Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire Dales, on
composition work as a
July 14

All from as
square format
For further details of Robert’s summer
courses visit http://rdcreative.co.uk
/art_workshops
t STAGE ONE
I applied two coats of gesso
to completely cover a 3mm
MDF board. The painting
WATERLILIES
began with several glazes
WORKSHOP
of thin acrylic, one over the Join Robert for a The Artist workshop
other, blocking in the main on November 6 at Art Materials Live,
elements during the NEC, Birmingham and paint a
process with a build up of colourful pond and pool painting
more and more opaque p STAGE TWO using Daler-Rowney and System 3
paint as I worked. Leaving I continued to define shapes and intensify the p STAGE THREE acrylics worth over £30. Robert will
the white gesso showing colours in layers. Quite often I change and Using different sizes and widths of Winsor & Newton Galeria and Pro Arte Acrylix Series 204 One provide easy-to-follow reference to

little as £3.50
through helped to keep the adapt a planned design as I work as a Stroke brushes, I continued to define shapes and intensify the colours in layers, particularly in work from and you will benefit from
glazes wonderfully painting develops – such is the freedom of the middle section of the painting, using the warmer colours of burnt sienna and naphthol his expert guidance throughout. See
transparent acrylics. Some left-hand side lilies were crimson mixed with other colours from my chosen palette. I added the white lilies and page 62 for details.
reduced whilst those on the right were made introduced more fish – their orange colours working to complement the intense blues
slightly larger and reduced in number to
balance the painting
IMPORTANT
Choose your key colours at
the planning stages and stick
DESIGN, CONCEPT AND COMPOSITION with them. Do not be
Looking for a balanced composition within my series of lily paintings (ie The composition is divided into quarters (white lines)
and equal thirds (red lines) tempted to add other colours
symmetrical groups of objects) I searched carefully until I found what I was as you go along – they will
looking for. You can use the proportions and divisions within your chosen The opposite groups of lily The reeds were placed top right
‘islands’ curve around the so as not to make the whole stick out like a sore thumb
arrangement to create really interesting groupings of objects and a strong central oval, which rests on composition look too symmetrical and the painting will
design, which in turn gives your painting strength. Eye level and perspective the bottom third of the frame and have a much more natural feel lack harmony
play a vital part in any painting along with depth of field. The diagram (right)

per month
next to the pastel painting, below, Towards the Light, shows how this
painting was designed and constructed to create a strong composition.

u FINISHED PAINTING
Reflections of Light, acrylic on MDF
board, 2525in (63.463.5cm).
I removed the half-submerged lily
pad from the centre, as they were
too dominant and drew the eye. I
only noticed this when viewing
the reverse image of the painting
in a mirror; this is a great device
for checking whether a
composition is working as you see
it with fresh eyes. The
introduction of more koi carp in
the centre added vital interest
and the eye now moves around
the painting. The square format is
well balanced, with a central
The fish were placed almost equally in the composition – passage of light and darker
if too equal the painting would have looked forced reflected trees either side, and the
p Towards the Light, pastel on Clairefontaine Pastelmat, 1622in (40.556cm) right amount of lilies floating on
the water

36 Summer issue 2014 www.painters-online.co.uk www.painters-online.co.uk

Register for a 30-day free trial at ....

www.painters-online.co.uk/membership
1971, Acrylic on canvas 57 x 72’’ © David Hockney. Photo Credit Richard Schmidt
Detail of David Hockney, ‘Portrait of Sir David Webster’

David Hockney:
Ways of Working
Take an in-depth look at David Hockney’s ingenious exploration of a diverse range
of media and delve deeper into the fascinating processes that lie behind his work.

Exhibition open 25 January - 19 April 2020

Find out more at thelightbox.org.uk

£7.50 Day Pass • Lightbox Members Free
The Lightbox, Chobham Road, Woking GU21 4AA
Registered Charity no. 1073543

Art has the power to make you feel good