Be Exciting! 2018 Those Warm Up Washes.

 First Wash for Blackberry painting

I have just had the last of my UK workshops this year and last week was wonderful. I shared so many new ideas and products and each day seemed better than the last. My whole ethos about teaching is to not only inspire but to give everything I know that works away so that other artists can use my techniques too and hopefully evolve them to suit their own style. I cannot be secretive. I like to give every single piece of information away and I'm happy to say the courses were really enjoyed by wonderfully enthusiastic attendees.

My next courses are in USA and at present there are about two places left in Bonita Springs Florida if anyone would be interested in coming but be warned. These may be my best workshops yet as my passion for watercolour is at an all time high! 

 Why?

I am working on a new book that cannot be "quiet"  . It builds in colour so excitingly that I am having a ball creating it. But back to this blog post.

Each day I find new inspiration as in subjects to paint and this morning I walked to the top of the hill I used to take my dog Bailey too. I find it difficult to go there without him now he is not with me anymore. But I did this morning and at the top I looked down and thought of all the happy times we walked there together. I had taken sharp secateurs with me thsi morning  to cut some bramble and hedgerow to bring back to my studio to paint in the comfort of my peaceful space.

When I returned I took a deep breath, calmed my soul and allowed colour to flow across the paper. I looked at the branches of vibrant glowing colour I had brought home and let them decide which colours I would add and where in my first washes. These colour wash flows are far more dynamic following my workshop sessions. I think I  inspired myself as much as everyone in the class and I couldn't wait to get home to paint after each session.

Two of my washes are shown below, side by side on my easel and I will finish them by adding detail next.

 Two dramatic Autumn first washes waiting to be completed!

My favourite wash so far is below. I love the flow in this piece. I won't add leaves until I know where each berry will definitely be sitting in the composition

 

 Favourite first wash for blackberry hedgerow painting.

I am sharing a close up below of a section of my favourite first wash, seen above If you look at the area in it  that seems to have more texture I will explain that this effect is gained by using granulation fluid. Demonstrated on my recent courses. Although I often do not use this product at all as I find my Daniel Smith colours granulate perfectly left on their own to interact. However I like doing things differently at times and this morning I "went for it" with my warm up washes using a bottle I had placed near my easel, to remind me to use it!

Close Up Section : Granulation effects achieved by using Granulation Fluid.

It is good to use different things from time to time. It pushes you to be adventurous  with your art and encourages you to search for new ways of  achieveing dynamic results in your work. At the moment  I'm listening to birds singing and now can't wait to get back to painting. I hope you are feeling inspired by nature too. I do believe going outside for a walk, taking a deep breath and absorbing the energy around you is a great start to every day.

So my artist tip for today is

" Go OUT"!

Look for treasure to paint and don't get stuck in a rut as to sitting inside non stop, as that can seriously block your artists' soul and energy.

Have a great day! And happy painting

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P.S I am now sharing a lot of my work daily on Instagram so do look me up there!

Autumn Riches 2018 Hips and Haws

"Hips and Haws"

Original watercolour by Jean Haines 2018

Where the time is going I have no idea. How often I have heard that said and yet I am saying the same words too now. I remember a professional artist of some standing telling me years ago that if I had time to write an art blog I wasn't working hard enough. They meant I should be painting not writing on line. At the time I dismissed their comment and happily continued to share regularly here but recently I now fully understand what they meant. 

I now have tours to organise. Galleries to paint for. My own workshops in UK to think about. And my next new book to complete. We actually start filming the demonstrations next week and I have been adamant that everything in it is absolutely new, as I am with all of my books.  So yes, I am busy. But I love my blog and when I paint something or discover something that makes me feel happy I want to share it with the world. And I am so very happy.

The countryside is laden with gorgeous Autumn subjects to paint so I have been naughty this past few days totally ignoring all emails and correspondence. Totally ignoring my workshop plans and tours and I have put my book on hold to paint and enjoy painting, and oh boy have I painted.

I have a fabulous new collection of autumnal scenes that are full of berries of every kind, glowing beautifully and each time I complete one I immediately want to start the next. Like eating the last delicious nutty chocolate in a box I want more! 

So please forgive my silence on line. I needed time to create just for me. However if you wish to purchase the above painting or paintings like it please contact me as they are going in a gallery very soon.

For now, happy painting.

Oh and Artist tip for the day?

Get OUT!

Go and see what is outside that could tempt your brushes to keep moving and find a treasure to paint when you do. Something beautiful!

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End of Summer

"End of Summer"

The sun is  shining outside my studio and I had started working on a new sea horse painting. But I kept looking at the light behind the trees in our garden. In the afternoon the soft sunlight gives a diffused effect which is so beautiful. Right by my studio I have an Acer which carries gorgeous dark leaves and the sunlit background is really showing them off. But the light alone kept catching my eye. So much so that the tree became irrelevant.

I painted the light in the distance and then added branches and twigs on top. I worked quickly and freely but I kept looking at the scene in front of me while I painted. For inspiration and guidance on where to place my brushwork next.

There is one branch that I have meant t remove. I walk past it daily, see it hanging down and always think next time I walk past I will carry my pruning shears and cut off the offending branch.

But isn't it funny. 

When I painted that branch hanging down it added to what could have been a boring composition. Adding interest and a lovely foreground "dark" to the soft branches in the distance.

I now of course love that branch. Its' artistic.

I won't remove it.

I may even paint it again.

How great to unwind on a simple but large painting that made me feel so relaxed when it came to life on my easel.

The simplest things in life can be the most beautiful of all.

Who knew a broken branch could be so fascinating. It even has its' own blog post now!

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Golden Fall

 "Golden Fall"

Its' amazing how one painting or idea can quickly lead to many more. Having just painted a quick autumn study of the view from my studio window, as seen in my previous blog post,  I was reluctant to put my brushes down.  In fact today was one of those rare days when as much as I wanted to paint my energy level was low that racing to my studio wasn't really my priority. But once here, in my studio, surrounded by my favourite colours and the autumn foliage facing me as I looked outside it was easy to escape via colour into my happy, peaceful zone.

The real sky here looks almost white this afternoon. Empty of colour , and so I worked on white paper. Leaving this empty space as my backdrop. I looked at all the colours I can see on the trees outside and placed dots of colour to match across the upper part of my new painting. I then splattered these same colours, on top of my initial colour application with my toothbrush, to hint at separate small leaves in the distance.

I added tree trunks next and allowed all the colours to flow downwards for reflections in the water below. Of course it is easy for me to paint this scene as I am working from life. This is the view from my studio window. Where my inspiration is coming from. Leaves are falling and floating by on the waters' surface. Hence the stronger small dots of colour in the foreground of my work. To represent these falling leaves.

It is so relaxing sitting, studying colour , imagining how you would paint what you see and the many different ways in which you can. As I have so much on at the moment and little free time, to sit and paint simple landscapes without worrying about the results is just wonderful.

As I painted the above scene I couldn't help but think about all the incredible trees I saw as we drove around Lake Tahoe while I was teaching there recently. My jaw dropped at the breathtaking beauty before me on many occasions on my visit there. And so, inspired by Lake Tahoe is the below painting. From my imagination, simply created for me to unwind this afternoon.

"Reflections"

Artists Tip

 On days when you feel you can't or don't want to paint, grab a few scraps of paper and just allow colour to flow across them. Soon you , like me, won't be able to put your brushes down and you'll keep painting with your work getting better and better each time you pick up your brushes.

Remember

Never give up!

Happy painting!

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