Christmas Roses : 2017

"Christmas Roses"

2017

Despite the cold weather I wandered around our cottage garden this afternoon and was thrilled to see the Christmas Roses in full bloom. These flowers have always fascinated me. They tend to grow with their heads facing downwards so their inner beauty is often hidden. Maybe like people, where our hearts tshine but others can't see how good they are. Or how kind.

I picked a few of the flowers and brought them into my studio to paint. My flowers have unfortunately been hit by frost, but to me this adds to the colour choices available to me to paint white subjects. I created a floral arrangement to work from using stems and twigs and began painting.

This is my first painting of Christmas Roses this year but it definitely won't be my last. In fact I have three washes right now painted with these beautiful floral subjects in mind and I am going to work on them, taking my time to enjoy what I am seeing in full view.

A lovely way to spend an afternoon. But thank heavens my studio is warm as it is freezing cold outside! 

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Watercolor Flowers: New DVD 2016

"Tumbling Roses"

I know my watercolour flowers have been so popular on my blog posts and in my exhibitions. So much so that when I was invited to film four new DVDs in Cincinatti earlier this year with Artists Network TV I was thrilled to include one on painting flowers only.

You can see a glimpse of my new DVD via this link

https://www.artistsnetwork.tv/courses/watercolor-flowers

I have to say I was so impressed with the professional team at Artists Network who  understood how I like to teach and get my message across. They allowed me to create a film in line with my workshops.

So if you would like to watch me painting flowers, or feel you are on a floral workshop with me, this is the DVD for you!

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Sweet Pea Seduction

Sweet Pea watercolours from an afternoon painting in my cottage garden

The weather has been glorious today so I have worked in the fresh air allowing the sunshine to  cloak my shoulders.Its' been a really superb weekend with time to relax in my cottage garden and move my brushes to simply capture light in my work.

This year has been  so busy with exhibitions and deadlines to meet so I feel as though I have had a wonderful holiday escaping into a world of florals,painting from life and loving every second  of it.

I worked on several small studies and then brought them into my studio to place on my easel. A few finishing touches will be added to each tomorrow and then I will probably work on a few serious compositions of the subjects I have painted over the last few days.

My favourite sweet pea painting so far ,almost finished with a fabulous softness about it. It really does look like the flowers in my garden in strong sunlight.

It is such a great feeling leaving my studio knowing these will be waiting for me on my return tomorrow.As always, I can't wait!

Carnations in Watercolour

Carnations in a  Watercolour Composition

Winsor and Newton Alizarin Crimson,Cadmium Yellow, French Ultramarine Blue  and a tiny touch of Perylene Maroon for the inner shadow work.

Artists Tip: I use Winsor and Newton Watercolours because their formulation is perfect  for my layering technique.

I have had a delightful studio day.The treasures I found at the florist in the village yesterday afternoon have been an endless source of motivation to keep moving my brushes before the pretty flowers wilt and die. I see painting floral compositions from life very much like painting moving subjects outside. You really do have to be quick to catch the light, shadows and freshness of each blossom before they begin to lose their form. I could never paint anything like this from a photograph and eagerly urge new artists to forget learning from images. Working from life is a far more exciting way to paint!

Working without a preliminary sketch leads me to so many possibilities. I can add flowers and buds as I feel my painting needs them during the creative process.This painting looks fabulous in real life but I may add more detail to the disappearing flowers on the right hand side.

I have no less than four paintings of carnations on the go. Each very unique and it is hard to  choose a favourite piece at the moment. The really abstract one is looking very intriguing.

Of course,as always, there is a favourite section within my main painting. I love how the petals here were delghtful to paint, falling in different directions within the main centre of this flower.

Gorgeous close up of one particularly beautiful flower within the main painting.

There is a section in my new book on this technique describing how to paint hollyhocks and  carnations.But this technique also lends itself to Camelia ,Rhodedendron and many other flowers.

It is going to be a great floral year!

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Working With Foxgloves in Watercolour

 Foxglove paintings developing on my easel

The smaller study is of a wild pink foxglove set in Autumnal woodland. They are quite small and compact in shape compared  to when they flowered earlier this year.

The large painting is of  giant white foxgloves flowering in my garden borders still.

Yesterday my garden flowed into my studio as flower paintings developed one after the other. In the  woodland section at the foot of our garden wild pink foxgloves are in bloom again regardless of the fact that we are now in the Autumn phase of the year. In the more formal flower beds, tall towers of regal white foxgloves still bloom above the other summer flowers Many should have disappeared by now.

I am finding it impossible to focus on my other work as I know time is running out where I can paint these subjects from life.

Why is it so important to me to paint from a subject I can see in reality rather than from a photograph? The answer is simple. A photograph is flat.  Many paintings created from working from images often appear flat also. This can be avoided but not without practise from painting from life first as often as possible. New artists  often observe the darks in a photograph and add them to their compositions too heavily which can kill the gorgeous results they could have gained.

Working from life teaches me to really observe.  I see where shadows fall and melt away. I see how colours can fuse together. But most importantly I create. I use my own imagination to see what I wish to portray and  can define which elements will work for me well and which I can discard.

All the established artists I admire have worked whilst painting from life. When I was learning I often worked from a photograph believing this was the best way for me to study subjects and capture them in watercolour.  It felt " safer"  and I kidded myself that as many others learnt this way I could too. It is only now years later that  I wish I hadn't spent so much time in my early years as an artist working from images as this did not aid my style or career. In many ways I feel it held me back.

To fly as an artist you really have to learn to see. With your own eyes allowing your imagination to flow into your creations.

Yesterday the wild, pink foxgloves were set amongst falling oak leaves from the grand old oak trees in the garden whilst the white were set against gorgeous dark blue green shrubbery. I painted the backgrounds yesterday knowing today I could add the flower detail. If I paint these again in the future the light from the garden yesterday will always be in my mind.the feeling of sunshine hitting my face when Winter is around the corner just added to my day.

Foxgloves  with background  in place ready for the final detail to be added to the flowers.

I don't use masking fluid as I believ eit kills my sense of creativity almost like working with a pencil sketch can. I avoid restrictions to the freedom I feel when I paint. The darks are pure wtaercolour gained by working in bold application  of layers of gorgeous shades to create impact and drama.

When I finished painting I moved  a few foxglove seedlings and transplanted them. This means that next year I will have more painting days like this to look forward to and the opportunity to invite artist friends to paint them with me. Sharing moments like this on and off screen is such a privilege.

 I am learning still because I saw colour combinations while I worked that I had not even considered before. Colours that I could see in my sleep. If I painted every minute of every day I would never begin to touch the surface of all the possibilities out there for  amazing compositions.

But I aim to try!

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Whatever it is try painting just one small object from life whenever you can. No matter what your results are and what happens, you grow so much by these small experiments!

Painting From Life: Sweet Pea in Watercolour

Painting From Life

And learning from it too!

Sweet Pea Flowers developing from a first wash in watercolour

I have had the most glorious of weekends. On Saturday despite the  weather which was extremely wet we went to the local horticultural show. I have heard so much about this event and as friends and neighbours were entering I eagerly arrived to see the awards for the various different categories in the show.

It was amazing.  Set in the grounds around a huge marquee were wonderful stalls selling cakes and plants etc to raise funds for a number of charities. As with all villages there are the regular people who always attend and new comers. As new arrivals to the community this was our first year at what has become a well respected highlight of the year.

I wandered around the vegetable section and was amazed at the display of carrots,beetroots,onions and broad beans to name but a few catagories.The aim is for each entrant to show three vegetables of exactly the same size, quality and shape. Looking at the many rosettes awarded it was evident that there were indeed some very serious vegetable growers in the village. Coveted prizes were sought after but somehow I don't feel I will be racing to submit my three carrots or beetroots next year. They would reach our table long before they made it to the marquee!.

However my head was turned the minute I saw the flower arrangements and displays. They were stunning. I loved them all but amongst the line up was a fabulous collection of sweet pea.Their scent filled the air and it has been impossible to think of anything else until I could capture them in watercolour.

Misty illusions in watercolour of soft gentle blooms 

And a flower from my garden.

I picked a few  flowers from my own garden and this morning as part of my warm up art exercises painted a few sprigs, just to collect and calm my thoughts from the hectic few weeks that have just passed. I looked at the sweet flowers in the small glass vase I was working from and smiled. My flowers are not all the same size, not all the same colour and definitely not show standard. But I love them. Maybe I adore them so much because they are most definitely not perfect!

When I paint them, my flowers will be varied in size, arrangement and colour.This is how I work as I enjoy searching for the unusual way to compose a painting rather than the expected.

Sweet Pea flower coming to life in a watercolour painting.

There are times in life when we do have to follow rules as in a horticultural show.

How wonderful though to work with watercolour and in a way that throws all rules out of the window. I don't have to paint blue skies, or perfect washes and obviously accepted compositions,those that are tried and true.

But how brilliant to see how others enjoy life and understand their passion. It is this emotion that keeps our hearts young and our lives so rich.

How lucky we are!

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Summer Flowers in Watercolour Workshop 2011

  

"Summer Flowers in Watercolour "

Workshop 2011

 Delphiniums in Watercolour

One of todays demonstrations.

Wow, another fantastic day and I feel as though I am on the most wonderful of highs. Today was the second workshop of my summer one day sessions. The theme today was painting "Summer Flowers in Watercolour". The aim was to achieve unique results with flowers that have a sensation of movement in them.

To me it isn't enough to simply paint a subject so that it looks like a copy of the subject. I want far more from my own work. I want a feeling of life and an added extra hint of magic from the medium itself that lends itself perfectly for painting such gorgeous subjects, as we covered today.

Sweet William, Hollyhocks, Aquilegia, Peony. The day flew by. 

The silence when I was demonstrating was deafening if that makes sense because it really is the strangest feeling standing in front of a group without a single sound coming from behind you. Everyone  was so enthusiastic. It really is such a treat to share all I can with others who are so eager to  see my painting style.

I have come home feeling as though my own batteries are recharged. I desperately want to paint the subjects we covered today and explore the ideas we covered even further. Some will be included in my next book as new ideas have come to me already since I left the workshop venue.

Delphinium. 

Close Up Section from todays demonstration

Tomorrow is my one day "Animals in Watercolour"Workshop and I really can't wait!

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I am sorry to say that as of this morning only one place remains on my Autumn Workshop Sessions. I can't believe how quickly they have booked up and I know this will be really disappointing news to anyone who would have liked to attend. I will be sharing news of my 2012 Workshops by the end of Septembe and  I hope anyone who missed this opportunity will  gain a place then. You can still contact me if you wish to receive news of when dates are available. 

For news and updates please see......

www.jeanhaines.com

Beating the Blues

Initial Flower Wash

Mock Orange Blossom is the inspiration for this colourful wash.

Sunday. A day of rest. Time to relax, look at the week that has passed and consider the week ahead. Have I achieved all I aimed for last week? Have I paintings to look forward to in the next?

Today nothing matters. My studio is not the centre of my time as we have been catching up with friends all weekend. I have also taken time to enjoy the countryside with my young Bearded Collie, Bailey, who needed some extra attention from my having left him for almost three weeks while we travelled in Asia.

These walks always turn on the my artists' soul. I always without fail see so much that I want to paint. I gain unusual ideas for workshops, appealing compositions, intricate brushstrokes and imaginative colour combinations.

At the moment I am surrounded by woodland where the trees have long since lost all of their leaves. The ground is thick with shades of  fading golds from the Autumn. The sky seems empty,almost void of colour as the winter months in England roll by. Many people find the long grey days depressing. I find them inspirational. This is often the time of year that I paint my brightest  pieces. I allow vibrant pigments to flow across paper and  smile as they interact creating incredible patterns.

I cannot remember which art society I was demonstrating to last year when I shared how I would approach painting a simple branch of orange blossom. In the subject we could all see obvious shades of green, lemon and white. To the art groups amazement I selected Winsor and Newtons Opera Rose  for a first wash. Then French Ultramarine. Stronger  placement of colour  followed as the painting developed. I loved everyones stunned reaction as the colours really did work as the subject formed. 

The warm glow from that memorable day is still with me. So much so that this morning I looked at the cool scenery outside my studio window and  thought of that wonderful cluster of blossom.  I allowed  my imagination to run riot and decided to just play with colour. I don't use masking fluid to save sections of white paper as I find this is similar to having a restrictive  preliminay sketch which can form definite lines to work within. Instead I freely enjoyed a vibrant wash that is already coming alive with a sense of  movement.

In my imagination I can see where the blossoms will lay in the composition. There is a heady feeling of excitement and anticipation and  my brush is being heralded to add the next details.

But this is a day to relax so I will only be painting as my heart desires and dictates.

Peacefully.

As a Sunday should be.

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"Beating the Blues"

Watercolour Workshop

February 2011

Can I remind everyone looking forward to the " Beating the Blues" workshop in February to bring all of their favourite vibrant shades as we won't be working mainly in blue! It's going to be a fantastic session!