Watercolours With Life: Watercolour Leopard Stages..........

Monday, 4 January 2010

Watercolour Leopard Stages..........

The first stages altogether of painting a leopard in a loose style minus the use of a preliminary sketch.

Stage 1 This stage was simple, looking for my favourite section that meant so much to me.The eye is the key to the soul so here was my first choice of colour placement. I work minus a sketch so I am following my heart with where to place colour for each brushstroke.

Stage 2 was very exciting as I started adding colours that were of interest to me. This is always personal and I was aiming to achieve a soft glow in the side of the face that is nearest to me.

Stage 3. Having seen how beautiful the painting looked at the second stage I needed bravery to continue. How many of us feel nervous to add the next touches to a painting? In my mind I can see this completed but now I also have a sensation of something a little more emotional than I originally expected when I first started this piece.A feeling of being in tune with what this incredible creature. I am mesmerised and finding the development of my painting absolutely compelling to witness.As an artist we often have moments that are special to us.This is one of those moments and I want to cherish every further brushstroke.

Stage 4. Very simply moving towards the top of the head now. Feeling a sense of stroking the animals head as if they were one of my own pets. How wierd that must sound but I sense this animal coming to life with every second I look at the creation developing..

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The magic of working minus the use of a preliminary sketch means that at no given time do I know for certain where each feature is going to be until I have painted it. There is an excitement that I cannot begin to describe as I eagerly watch each tiny touch of a brush bring my leopard to life........

I won't race this. It's too beautiful and too magical to ruin for the sake of placing it in a frame. The journey is the joy, not the destination.

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With each new stage I whisper to myself. " This painting will only be as good as I wish it to be"

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4 comments:

artbyjune said...: There is a beautiful sense of the animal's presence in the translucent eye!; 4 January 2010 at 09:31
Jean Haines SWA, SFP said...: Thank you so much June,it is lovely to see you!; 4 January 2010 at 09:59
rob ijbema said...: love your work jean
it's so intuitive and sensitive
great photo's too!; 4 January 2010 at 10:55
Jean Haines SWA, SFP said...: Hi Rob,as an admirer of yoru work its lovely to read your views on my paintings.Thank you so much for such a wonderful reply. I really am feeling the spirit of this animal in this piece and am almost at the point where I am held back from moving on because that moment where you fear the next stroke could lose the emotion in the painting is near!; 4 January 2010 at 11:03

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The Artist Magazine : Book Review

Jean Haines' Atmospheric Watercolours

"The book is nothing less than a paean to the wet in wet technique. If that's your thing, prepare to be amazed. Jean Haines credits Jean Louis Morelle, and in many ways this book is the sequel to Morelle's remarkable, but very technical work, showing the wealth of creative possibilities the technique offers. A lot of the images are barely recognisable and yet you instinctively know what they are. I wish I knew how, because this is impressionism taken to its logical conclusion and reminiscent of some of the later work by JMW Turner. You will have to take it from me that "First signs of a face appearing magically from a first wash of watercolour" is pure alchemy. This is an extraordinary book."

"Amazing Ways With Watercolour:" Fastest Selling DVD!

"Amazing Ways With Watercolour" from Town House Films is the fastest selling DVD with the company to date! Record breaking pre-orders for this much awaited film saw requests for copies flooding in from all over the world. A wonderful introduction into working with watercolour minus the use of a preliminary sketch this DVD removes the fear, stress or pressure from worry about how to use watercolour. Instead the focus is on having fun, enjoying vibrant colour combinations and allowing the medium to create the subjects with just a little help from the artist. A really exciting new DVD to own. Whilst the DVD sold out in the first few months since its' release due to popularity it is now in stock and available directly from Town House Films.

http://www.townhousefilms.co.uk

How To Paint Colour and Light in Watercolour

"How to Paint Colour and Light in Watercolour" Jeans first book was launched at the Mall Galleries in 2010 at the SWA Society for Women Artists Annual Exhibition. Many copies have been sold world wide. It is available on Amazon.com, Search Press, SAA Society for All Artists and Ken Bromley.

"This book is a wonderful introduction into Jeans' way of working and gives an insight into her way of thinking and approach to a large variety of subjects. All painted minus the use of a preliminary sketch."