Watercolours With Life: Kitten in Watercolour

Monday, 24 February 2014

Tiger Feet : Kitten in Watercolour( Bockingford Watercolour Paper 140lbs )

Kitten coming to life in watercolour

Bockingford watercolour paper 140lbs.

The botanical artist in me is coming out as I work on a kitten painting at the end of each painting session. I'm getting hooked on adding fine detail for whiskers and eyes. After yesterdays success with the now popular little grey kitten painting, I couldn't resist returning to the subject today but making myself opt for different fur colouring. Artists who attended my workshops last week will remember my words when I say "Always trying something new". Which is beneficial for both our imagination and for stretching our artistic skills.

I started this piece by finding the eyes first on a blank piece of paper, making neat outlines with my rigger brush. These shapes I quickly flooded with colour to form the eyes as my starting points. These I can then easily work away from to form the kittens face. Next I literally dropped colour into damp spaces where I wanted the fur to appear. As I worked downwards from the face ,I adored finding the little " tiger feet" formed by wet on wet techniques.

"Tiger feet" formed by watermarks and the wet in wet technique.

Out tof interest , I never use masking fluid so the whites of the kitten eyes are purely there from my working around the white space of the paper.

I have used Bockingford Watercolour paper 140lbs for painting this kitten and it has been fantastic. The paper surface allows the pigmentst to flow readily and interact with water, making my subject come alive readily. This is a super quality product and well worth working on for subjects against a white background, as seen in the top image.

This painting is almost complete but I want to add a little more definition.

I am having a purrfectly wonderful time painting these adorable subjects, what next tomorrow?

I wonder!

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Sunday, 23 February 2014

Unwinding with Watercolour

Kitten on my easel, created from left over mixed pigment.

Quite often at the end of the day there is a variety of pigment left in the centre well of my palette. I hate wasting this and tend to use it as a challenge to create a painting. I look forward to this part of the day immensely, as I seem to produce some wonderful "surprise" paintings. Purely by relaxing and having fun to unwind. This afternoon this soft, fluffy kitten started to emerge. I feel a few more brushstrokes will take this to a completed painting. I may adjust the ears. I feel that the area under the chin needs a little definition and a few watermarks on the chest area could bring this to life further. Although I will admit, now this is on my computer screen I quite like it as it is!

I have had a fabulous full week of workshops I have met the most amazing people and loved every single day of teaching. I feel so fortnate to be in this amazing career as every day sees something completely new. However, I now need to complete my collection for my Spring Solo exhibition. I have some beautiful new watercolours in this new body of work and I have loved the gallery owners reaction to their seeing the images that I have already forwarded for press releases.

I will share more details soon. For now I need to close my studio and leave it in preparation for an exciting days painting tomorrow.

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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."