Watercolours With Life: Not A Wallflower!

Friday, 8 May 2015

Not A Wallflower!

Wallflower Study

I must admit some old sayings really puzzle me. How can something so beautiful like a wallflower be used in a negative expression. Which I think the meaning of the saying " She felt like a wallflower" meant?

I plant wallflowers every year in our cottage garden. There is a feeling of excitement planting something that you know very well will not flower until the following year. You have something colourful to look forward to. Like knowing there are many new colours I haven't tried yet but I am still looking ahead to when time allows to do so.

Today I wandered around my garden and picked a small wallflower that was way passed its' best. I carried it into my studio where it is far warmer and played with a little colour study. The petals are rich and velvety. I often place tubes of colour next to my real subjects to give me a clueas to how they will match. As in the above image.

I found Daniel Smith Quinachridone Gold perfect to add a boost of energy to my colourful study. It merged well with Cadmium Yellow for warmth. I have allowed watermarks to create patterns for petals rather than my fiddling with adding details. The freshness in this little exploration is exhilarating and prepared me for more serious paintings which I am working on for galleries.

Wallflower study painted with my Jean Haines Personal Size 10 brush

I have had a lot of questions about the paper I use.It is Saunders Waterford 300lbs mainly for gallery work and Bockingford 140lbs for studies or experiments.

My brushes are available from Jackson's Art Supplies or directly from Rosemary's Brushes.

I have a wonderful blog post to share on Quinachridone Gold and why I am so happy I am trying the Daniel Smith range carrying this colour. But that story is for another blog post!

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Well done to everyone trying their hand at painting roses in a loose style following my blog post. To be very honest I would rather not state how long ago it was that I first started teaching painting roses this way! But I am so glad I did. Lets' just say it was a pretty long time ago!

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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."