Watercolours With Life: Opening Doors

Tuesday, 20 July 2010

Opening Doors

"Venetian Door Study"

Original Watercolour by Jean Haines

There is a saying that when one door closes another one opens. In my life another three seem to open and all at exactly the same time! I have so many requests and decisions to make that my priority is time to paint first daily and everything else falls after that.

Recently I was asked to make a DVD which will be out this autumn. In it are several demonstrations on techniques covered in my book " How to Paint Colour and Light in Watercolour". One is a very old tip for painting straight lines. Because I never use a preliminary sketch I don't have the necessary guidelines to lead my brush when working on architecture. Many of my landscapes and buildings include very old buildings where outer edges would hardly be seen as perfectly straight. In fact the odd uneven line often adds charm and an appearance of age. But there are times when I do want a straight line and I know some artists coming to my workshops do too as they may prefer a more exact painting with precise detail in sections.

So how do you get the perfect straight line in a watercolour without using a ruler?

Simple!

Lay a piece of card with a straight edge on your paper and paint along the edge. Then very quickly work away from it with the same colour. Lift the card very carefully which I have demonstrated on my DVD and there you go. A straight line!

It's easy when you know how.

By the way I rarely work with straight lines, I prefer the ones with character!

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1 comment:

Sandra Busby said...: What a great tip! Thank you for sharing. I think one of the things I like about your work is the unexpected splashes of colour that you use. I finally have your book and I must say I am really enjoying it. I am learning so much from it already and I'm not even half way through. I am really looking forward to when the DVD comes out :0); 20 July 2010 at 01:03

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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."