Watercolours With Life: Spring Flowers by Jean Haines . Narcissi

Tuesday, 26 January 2016

Narcissi 2016

Spring Dance

Work in progress

How lovely. As I walked into our local small florist this morning I noticed my favourite spring flowers to paint were on sale. I hastily selected a bunch and treated myself to these heavenly scented flowers.

Back in my studio I grabbed a piece of white paper and studied my "treasure" !

I started by painting blue outlines to a few of the flowers . Adding green for stems and yellow mixed with orange for the tiny flower centres. My heart relaxed as if I was visiting an old friend because I paint these every year.

I love the atmosphere in this first stage. Its' delightfully moving.

First stage capturing the energy and life of the flowers

The stems in reality are more of a blue than green but I'm adding a touch of yellow to them to bring instant sunshine to my painting. Which is much needed as it is pouring down with rain here and very cold outside!

I am so happy to be painting Spring flowers again!

Light and cheerful!

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Friday, 24 January 2014

Spring 2014 :Winsor & Newton Watercolours

My easel full of delightful spring florals!

Winsor & Newton Watercolours

I love this time of year. While everyone around me readily complains about rain or grey skies, I become emersed in my art creating paintings full of the sunshine I long to see. This is one of the most magical effects of being an artist. You can leap to any season, or the weather you wish for, by the touch of a brush. As I look out of my window I see cold rural scenes with a gloomy grey sky. But inside my studio vibrant colour such as Cadmium Yellow and Cobalt Blue alone or combined making stunning greens which leap off my latest compositions. Bringing instant warmth into my life. I am working on an exhibition so loving my new work which is full of energy carrying a fabulous "feel good" factor. I will share news on where to see my latest work in my next blog posts.

For now I am enjoying my own sunshine!

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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."