We Were All Beginners Once!

 

We Were All Beginners Once!

 

 A very early portrait of mine 

From an online portrait tutorial of mine years ago.

 

Thank you so much to everyone who liked my recent post of  a portrait  painted for an online tutorial years ago.  I have had some wonderful emails forwarded to me  from artists who loved this sweet face and many from blog readers who are literally just starting their own art journeys. 

 

It is worth remembering that every single artist you meet , no matter who they are was a beginner at some time in their lives. And even as established artist we all often make mistakes. I still put paintings in the bin if I am not happy with them. Friends may wish I didn't but they are just not what I was hoping to achieve!

We really are all in a fabulous world where we understand exactly what each other is going through. From learning how to paint to that moment of trying to get into a gallery, society or exhibition. Don't worry when you have bad days,those will make the good days seem far better.The best advise is to keep moving that brush,don't worry what others say about your art. Love it yourself and believe in it.

You may find this amusing but when I first went off the rails of  tried and true techniques quite a few artists didn't like my one eyed animals or portraits. My loose work was far too loose for them and I was advised to stay working as I was or I would never be successful as an artist.  But guess what?  My style is being loved now and tried by others who love it too. I stuck to my guns,stayed true to what I wanted to achieve and I am loving where I am now.

So if you want to paint a one legged cow, purple donkey or multi colour cabbage,you go for it.Your art is your own so be unique and brave enough to do so! Love what you do and don't ever be put off by those who may not see the world as you do.

On that note I will get back to painting my one eyed, one eared, two legged cat with green spots!

 

 

 

Sunday Inspiration

  
Angels On My Shoulders

Demonstrating How to Paint Bell Flowers

During  my workshops in Norway 2010

When life is moving at such a fast pace,the  days when you can slow down and simply enjoy life are magical. Yesterday I had such a day. The sun was shining and I had time to sit in my garden painting flowers. I became transfixed with one in particular. Especially how the light was making some petals become transparent and others look more solid in appearance.

I eagerly sat on the warm grass with the sun shining on my shoulders to gradually bring the beauty of it to life.While I worked I absorbed every single detail of the flower. I looked at the centre which to me was its heart. Surrounding this gorgeous area were many  petals,some in light, some in shadow. Together they gave a wonderful vision. This was perfect for a chapter of  the book that I am currently working on. My brushes had to move quickly as the heat of the day was making my pigment dry. 

There is often a moment in every succesful painting when something magical happens.When you become one with the paper and subject as it begins to come to life. This not only happened yesterday but in a way that I have never felt before. I was entranced with the softness of the watercolour flower as it appeared. Part of me wanted to complete the piece quickly so as to see where the composition was going to end.The other part of me wanted to slow down to a snails pace and savour every single fabulous second of the magic happening in front of my eyes. When I finsihed I placed the finished painting on my easel in my studio so that it would be 

the first thing I saw this morning.

 It is a new day and with  fresh eyes I have looked at the painting I did in my garden yesterday

It was one of those momentst when I asked myself.

" Did I really paint that?"

It is probably one of the  most beautiful flower paintings I have ever achieved in my life and I know why.  I had read several emails yesterday morning from wonderful readers of my blog who had taken time to thank me for inspiring them, letting me know how much they enjoy my blog.When I read some  of the messages a familiar lump came into my throat as emotions took over. The kindness and warmth in every word stayed with me for my day and flowed into my brushstrokes as I worked for my second book. The knowledge that others like what I am doing makes me want to strive even harder to  share my techniques and discoveries in watercolour.

 My tip to day is, if it is a wonderful day take five minutes to sit outside and paint the one thing you see that you really find fascinating. It could be a stone, twig or flower. But take a few minutes to capture it in watercolour. And then smile for the rest of the day because you have painted and achieved something. Another step in your own art journey!

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SWA,Society of Women Artists 150th Annual Exhibition 2011: Favourite Painting

A Favourite Painting

We all have those moments. You will know what I mean if you regularly visit art exhibitions. I can tell at a glance in a gallery whether I wish to stay or leave. I know immediately whether my visit will be a brief encounter or one where I will take my time absorbing every single painting,colour combination,subject choice and composition in as many mediums as possible.

When I walk through the door to any show my instant decision of entering or not is made by the impact of my first glimpse.This is why I strongly believe how an exhibition is hung is vital to the success of any event. Without great art and  clever presentation visitors will make their choice as to stay or leave.

With the Society of Women Artists 150th Annual Exhibition  my decision was already made as last years show was breathtakingly brilliant. I am an SWA member and as part of the council, yes in a way obliged to be there. Friends know this so to pretend otherwise would be futile. However in my view, each year the SWA Exhibiton gets better and better. I feel it cannot and yet it does. Even so, when I very first saw this years exhibiton my jaw dropped. I was like a child in their favourite candy store. I wanted to view every room and every inch of wall space. I felt my desire to race home and pick up a brush burning by the talent on display. Talent that left me as always feeling inadequate because I have so far I wish to go on my own art journey. That comment may amaze my blog readers. I was with an established artist recently who told me they loved my work and envied me because of my enthusiasm for life and art. Whilst they understood my feelings they also told me they wished they could paint as I do. Freely and with such a sense of movement. I was taken aback as I am nowhere near as brilliant as he is. In fact I doubt I ever will be.In my eyes anyway.

But back to the SWA exhibition.

I began my eager viewing of the paintings on show. Moving from one, in awe, to the next. I was taken by so many beautiful subjects. Animals cleverly caught in oil and amazing landscapes. The three sea oil paintings by SWA member Tina Stokes really made me wish to use my oils again. She caught the beauty of sailing perfectly and  with simplicity. The "Foxhounds Greeting" by SWA member Vanessa Jayne were wonderful. I marvelled at the texture in the work by SWA member Judith Roberts. 

I could mention every painting because there were so many I loved. Especially the portraits as this is where I started painting and teaching as a subject. I have always loved painting personality and aiming to capture more than just a face in my results. I want to evoke emotion and entice the viewer of my work to wonder what my subject was thinking,whio they were and what their lives were like.

As I stood in the main hall of the Mall Galleries in London I looked up and saw an image that stopped me in my tracks. As a child I had very bright copper hair. It was so thick  that my grandmother insisted on keeping it cut short  for easier management. But I longed for long hair like the other girls I had seen in my school. It was a time when every child in the village had that one special dress for Sunday best. I longed to wear mine as it was the only item of clothing with beautiful delicate colour that I possessed. Everything else was practical and not very pretty. My "Sunday best" dress was. It was far too big for me but I was told I would grow into it. I never did. My little legs stuck out from under the overly full, long skirt and my tinier arms seemed lost in the over large armholes. The stiff hem touched the floor pushing the neckline up to just under my chin. When I walked it moved with me inside it. It rustled each time I moved. As I looked at my favourite painting I went back in time to my childhood and remembered putting that dress on. In my mind I never once saw the  dress that was too large for me. In my imagination I was wearing the prettiest dress in the world and it fitted. In my imagination I could see the prettily dressed little girl I longed to be.

How amazing that one look at a painting could bring memories flooding back as this one did.But isn't that what good art is all about.Capturing a viewers attention long enough for them to absorb the story being told or imagine their own.

As I type I wish I had bought my favourite painting but unsurprisngly it sold the very first moment it was seen. As all good paintings are.

If you visit the SWA Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition 2012 please look out for this artists work. They have no idea this blog entry is about their painting or why I loved it so much.

Here is my favourite painting, and maybe it will evoke memories for you too.

"Kitty"

Acrylic 

by

Vikky Furse SWA

"The tilt of her head,

The fall of her hair

The glow of her dress

Beauty every where

A wistful expression

A moment in time

This painting evokes

Memories so sublime"

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I have to say a very big thank you to everyone who has sent me touchiung messsages by email to thank me for my blog. I have read each one almost feeling like crying because I had no idea how inspirational my posts have been and to some very special people.

Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know how much  my blog posts mean to you. I wish you the most magical of art journeys and  I hope your  dreams all come true,no matter how large or small they are.

Keep painting because your own work  could be the favourite painting of someone elses tomorrow.

Make someone write about your art  as I have wriiten about Vikky Furse SWA.

That would be wonderful, 

Wouldn't it. 

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July Challenge 2011: Join In!

July Challenge 2011 Again

 Painting Sunshine!

 

 

 Working on a raggedy daisy in watercolour

I thought it might be fun to share a few tips to anyone who would now like to join in and try the July  Watercolour Challenge. I shan't be posting any more paintings on this subject as a new one  challenge is coming up. But you may like to share your results on your facebook or own blogs so that we can spread the word for future watercolour challenges here.

This is the subject.

 

 

 

Stage 1. Start by painting the centre with yummy yellow or orange. Remember to leave white spaces  on this side of the centre for the petals leaning over the middle of the flower .

Stage 2. Using water "bleed" colour away from the centre to the distant and outer edge petals. As your burhs gradully runs out of pigment your brushstrokes will get lighter. ( Thats a great tip ! ) Make points at the tips of some petals and leave other outer petal edges more rounded. Look at your reference photograph for the detail you need to make this really interesting. Don't paint just what you see. Paint what you feel should be there. Paint with a huge smile on your face and enjoy the fun of creating this gorgeous flower.

 

 

  A yummy  warm glowing centre of a daisy!

You can add a few darks to the outer edge iof the centre when this is dry if you wish later on.

 

Stage 2.  Add colour by working negatively around the outer edges of the far side petals. This is so easy!

Copy the shape of the petals of the flower that you can see in the photograph. Take your time and really let go. Inside you is a fabulous artist who may be trapped there because you won't let them out!

Adding outer petals to the  daisy by negative painting.

Now repeat the process for the second flower and see what happens.

Painting is so much fun and so therapeutic.This should leave you feeling happy, energised and eager to paint something else.What other white flowers can you lay your hands on?

Now....don't  just sit there reading my blog, go and paint!

 

And remember .........

 

Paint with a huge smile on your face and enjoy the fun of creating this gorgeous flower.

 

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I am having so much fun writing the current chapters of my second book. I seriously want to share how happy I feel with the whole world hence this little exercise to warm you up.

I hope you are looking forward to my new book being published next year as much as I am,

 

And

Thank you for reading my blog.

 

 

July Challenge : Favourite Painting No: 2.

July Challenge 2011

Favourite Painting No:2

I couldn't choose just one favourite painting for the July Challenge as two very easily caught my eye and for very different reasons. This second painting shows such ability in capturing light and movement in a wonderful loose style. I was taken aback when I first saw it.

Sometimes we only glance at a piece. Other times we have to look more than once to really gain an insight into the beauty of what we are looking at.I think this is one of the main problems for an artist especially new ones.They often don't see the beauty in their own work. It is only when someone else points it out that they too can look and see things from a different perspective.

This second favourite painting is by Jenny Hopkins.

Just look at this,it is simple in composition isn't it but there is something very clever going on in the lower corner of the composition. Here a flower is different in appearance to the main one glowing with the gorgeous yellow centre. This lower flower really acts as the backing singer to the incredible leading performer up above.Without it the main flower could appear less striking.

Daisies by Jenny Hopkins

July Watercolour Challenge 2011

I also love the top right hand corner that is left to the viewers imagination.

We all see things very differently but I adore this painting.

I hope you do too!

Thank you very much Jenny for sending me your painting. 

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I have decided on a fun project for August to get everyone smiling while they paint or reaching out to hit me! 

I will share it next week!

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A huge thank you to everyone who has sent me flowers  for this challenge.

I hope you like the next one!

Jean

July Challenge: favourite Painting No:1

July Challenge 2011

I am really thrilled with the wonderful paintings forwarded to me for my July Challenge 2011 of painting white daisies. I wasn't expecting many artists to respond so  I was happily amazed  seeing  such fabulous inspirational pieces. Anyone  who knows me well will understand that, for me art isn't solely about what I paint or achieve. My life is about others and how they are inspired. I strongly believe we can only grow as artists if we  share our techniques and learn from  artists  of all levels.

It is so wonderful to share a watercolour on my blog that is not painted by me!

Favourite Challenge Painting No. 1.

 

This is a favourite painting that came to me  this week. Painted by Grace. I love this result so much because she has caught the texture of the raggedy petals so exquisitely. I love the main flower looking at the side of the page. The centre of this flower was a real nightmare to work with as the petals leaning over it  in the foreground set a challenge all of their own! I also love the smaller flower underneath just peeping  upwards to be noticed.

 White Daisies from my July Challenge

Painted by Grace

http://brotesdeternura.blogspot.com/search/label/Acuarelas

There ius a fabulous sense of colour harmony throughout the ocmposition by clever use of a limited palette. And there is also a very subtle  feeling of movement,as if the wind could blow these flowers and they would softly sway in the breeze.

I think it is wonderful.

How about you?

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Thank you so much Grace for participating with my July challenge. I loved your  daisies as you can see!

Laughter is the Best Medicine!

Colours of Africa

SOLD

We may be all in the same boat but I don't have a painting of a boat handy to go on my blog so a lady carrying a heavy load works just as well!

I have laughed so much this afternoon at some of the wonderful comments in reply to my blog post 

"Demise of a Woman". It seems many of us are in the same boat juggling so much in order to find time to paint. As my profession has become even more busy I am finding less time to move my brushes due to so many other areas connected with my art life. It's nice to know I am not alone in wishing my brushes were in my hands for most of the day instead of dealing with everything else!

The good news is I am all ready to share my selected painting from the July Watercolour challenge and it will be on my blog tomorrow. I have loved looking at all the wonderful pieces sent to me and it has felt like a fabulous holdiay from writing .A huge thank you to everyone who sent me their  flowers to enjoy.

Roll on tomorrow!

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