Watercolours With Life: Racing Ahead

Monday 24 June 2019

Racing Ahead

Racing Ahead

No matter the time of year, my horse racing scenes are always the most requested by galleries. Still. They take time to create and build up into a really good action scene that is full of movement. These compositions are when I ironically use my "Don't race to finish a painting" technique.

We can lose so much action in a scene like this by rushing to complete a painting. We can also miss the touches in places that really do add drama and impact in a piece if we continue to work non stop rather than take our time.

I do love how this piece is developing.

My favourite to win at the moment is the jockey in red seen below. But the jockey in blue could take the lead at any time.

The point is in life, as in painting, there are times when waiting to see how things develop is far wiser than trying to force a result.

The words " I will just..............." spring to mind as I often think I will just add one more brush stroke before leaving a piece as a work in progress. That last " one more touch " can sometimes be the killing brush stroke, or yes, it can be the making of a painting.

But as artists we often have to follow our gut instinct.

My instinct is telling me this piece is nearly complete. Detail needs adding in places and "confusion" in others as in breaking up areas where blocks of colour exist at the moment. With each touch I am learning so much about the way I create and why.

We never stop learning, in life and in art.

And for me the journey is still as exciting if not more so than reaching my destination.

In fact.

I am in no race!

Close up of my favourite jockey and horse

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Artist Tip for the day

Don't race to finish a painting

Enjoy every addition of colour and take your time to see where it is really needed.

Study your favourite sections of any painting and work out why they work, is there more or less detail there? Are the colour combinations there working better?

Always ask questions and strive to take in the best answers!

But most of all, enjoy 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."