Watercolours With Life: Casting a Shadow : Cockerel

Friday, 6 December 2013

Casting a Shadow : Cockerel

New Cockerel coming to life in an exciting first wash

On my recent tour of USA and Mexico I gave many demonstrations on how to paint a wide variety of subjects. But my beloved cockerels , or roosters as I now call them thanks to my American friends, always make an appearance.

I think on this tour, the excitement in the workshop rooms that grew from gorgeous colour discussions and my now very popular colour exercises was so much fun. Seeing a room full of artists absorbed in a challenge is really a fantastic experience. As ever, is it always artists attending a workshop that leave feeling inspired? Whilst I am teaching there always comes a point where I feel really envious of everyone painting rather than teaching. Because everyone looks as though they are having such a great time. Please don't get me wrong as I adore teaching my workshops and everyone who attends knows that I do. I love that heady high when the atmosphere has taken the whole room to that point of connection between artist and paper, when you can hear a pin drop due to the silence and yet know by facial expressions that everyone is having a great time.

Well I am now home in my studio and it is my turn to paint. And oh boy, I am having a great time. So my first news is I have even more exciting new shades to share and even more exciting techniques.The more we grow as artists the further we seem to need to travel. My experiments today have been brilliant. I have had a ball.

Artists Tip.

Shadow Wash : The above cockerel has been painted on a salt wash, with the head in full sunlight in this image. The shadow created by placing the paper on my easel at mid day was deliberate. By playing with sun shadows I can see where I might add my darks or varying background wash. This is a great technique so please experiment with it. It saves wasting time thinking about where your darks should be and also stops you from ruining a painting by being over zealous with colour.

The simplest tricks and tips are the best! Oh and you should see all the wonderful tips flowing into my new book! I wish I could share them now but they will be worth waiting for.

Happy painting!

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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."