Watercolours With Life: David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year 2010 Competition’.

Tuesday 29 December 2009

David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year 2010 Competition’.

I am saying goodbye to 2009 and giving a welcome to 2010 by painting from my heart for love and to help a worthwhile charity. " Glorious Giant" an original watercolour of an elephant by Jean Haines was sold recently in the 2009 Art Liberating Lives Exhibition at the Mall Galleries,London in aid of Sue Ryder Care.

Elephants seem to have played a "mammoth" part in my watercolour journey in 2009. They have been a favourite subject in all of my exhibitions and have led me to meeting some incredible people. Each year I now host an African workshop which is usually fully booked the minute the dates are set because it has become so popular. In 2009 my Autumn session adopted an elephant and a moon bear from the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. In 2010 I hope to use the workshop to again help fund DSWF projects that are saving species in the wild.

This month I was delighted to create a simple step by step demonstration for the email newsletter which has been circulated this week by the SAA, Society for all Artists.

Quote : "In this exclusive SAA e-newsletter, PA Jean Haines demonstrates how to paint a gorgeous elephant in a loose watercolour style. This exciting step-by-step project is a great place to get some inspiration for the ‘David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year 2010 Competition’.

This competition is open to all amateur and professional artists aged 17 and over, the first prize is £10,000 with all profits from the competition going to help save wildlife! There are five categories: Endangered Wildlife, Wild Places, Wildlife in 3D, Wildlife in Action and Open, and a short-listed selection from each will be exhibited at the Mall Galleries, London in May 2010. The deadline for the competition is Friday 15th January 2010 – just a few weeks away!"

SAA members will have read the full feature where I used unusual colour combinations and water effects to create an unusual portrayal of a popular subject.

Step 1. The Starting point had a fabulous formation of colour to create the centre of the elephant head.

The background was full of rich colours merging with water to form " water illusions" which are now very common in my style. People who " follow" my journey in art are delighted to see how my growth in technique now brings these patterns strongly into play in a huge variety of ways.

The contrast of vibrant directional brushstrokes in the foreground seems to make the background sing even more.

When we paint we do so much. We " tell stories", we create illusions and we aim to portray any given subject in a style that is unique to us as artists who wish to be original.

I am hoping via my art I can do more than simply create paintings. I want to help others via my passion for watercolour. My paintings in 2010 will strive to be full of obvious emotion, life and movement in a unique way. I am aiming to achieve more for charity and improvement as artist than I have in 2009 so I am giving myself quite a challenge!

There is still time to enter the David Shepherd Wildlife of the Year Competition 2010. For full details please see this link...................

http://www.wildlifeartistoftheyear.org/index10.shtml

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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."