Watercolours With Life: Finally Coming Out Of My Shell!

Monday 15 August 2016

Finally Coming Out Of My Shell!

"Coming Out Of My Shell"

Tortoise in Watercolour

Painted on top of an experimental wash

What a day. I have been painting all day. Every single minute of it and it has been wonderful. I started the day with a hummingbird in watercolour, painted on top of an experiemental wash. I have finished today going through my washes and I found a wonderfully overworked piece that had incredible markings on it. I studied it for a few minutes but in my imagination I could easily see a tortoise in the watercolour patterns. Then it suddenly dawned on me. I have never painted a tortoise before. And I don't seem to remember ever being asked to demonstrate one on my workshops. Which made the subject ideal as that meant I don't know the first thing about them other than that they have an interesting shell!

The nicest thing about painting on these wash exercise scraps of paper is that they are all destined for the bin and I am afraid my tortoise painting is headed there too. This was purely painted for fun as a wind down exercise to close my painting day. And what fun I have had.

I am also reading wonderful email messages tonight from readers of my books and I feel so very happy. I also feel terrible because I cannot remember once writing to an author to tell them how much I enjoyed their book and yet here I am reading many kind messages to me. I am going to have to put that right! Because these messages really do mean so much to me. You often lock yourself away for days on end when you are writing. And in my case I often imagine no one is actually going to read what I have written so I write in a very personal way. Allowing readers to get to know me and how I think or feel. So right now I can put my hand on my heart and say I have had the best day ever!

What is more, I cannot wait until tomorrow as I have no idea what I am going to paint then. I had no idea I would be painting a humming bird or a tortoise today. So tomorrow could see me anything at all on my easel. What fun is that!

Although.

Perhaps I should paint a hare to go with the tortoise like that old fable.

The tortoise and the hare!

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."