Positive Thinking

 Stocks in Watercolour

Light and dark versions

Motto of the Day : You are only going to get better as an artist if you keep trying.

Ever since I was little I think I always knew that I wanted to be an artist when I grew up. In fact my passion was so obvious that on two occasions art teachers and lecturers visited my parents to beg them to allow me to study art. But my father was convinced there would be no future in an art career and headed me off in a completely different direction. I then married and became a Mum.  I loved this time in my life and I adore my family.  My husband  is a wonderful man and our lives changed as we travelled all over the world with his career. 

My art was always put on hold until the right time. And now I am meeting many people on my workshops from all over the world who have also had to do just that. There has always been something that has got in the way of their finding time to paint. Something more important like career, family, illness,circumstances. But when the time is right it is wonderful.

Even though I have been painting for a long time I still never take for granted the luxury of being able to create when I want to. We honestly never know what our tomorrows may bring. Our eye sight could deteriorate. We could use the strength in our hands. I was told with age comes wisdom. Maybe I am finally realising that every day truly is a blessing and we should make the most of it. I pack so much into my  weeks from writing, sharing my passion for watercolour online, teaching and exhibiting.

My life is rich because I enjoy it and I always think positively.  

I believe in the words " I can "

But there is no better time to paint than today. When  inspiration hits you. Painting just one small image will lead you to wanting to paint even more.

So if you want to be an artist, or simply want to enjoy painting don't put it off. Paint today, paint now and love every moment you move your brushes.

I will be working on my new book today but my warm up exercises have been painting stocks and revisiting an old painting that filled me with joy last year.

Have fun and paint!

 And Dad, if you are watching me from heaven I just want you to know you were wrong!

  Rainbow Garden

Red is for Love: Roses in Watercolour

Vibrant Red Roses in an almost finished watercolour

Such joy in this piece.

I started the day with a blog post on roses and thought it might be nice to share one last post to end my painting day too, with roses again. 

I am absolutely having a fantastic time painting roses in my garden. But I have already spent so much time working on pink blooms and a particular red rose has been calling to me all week. This afternoon I couldn't resist any longer. So here is my  latest rose painting.It is nearly complete and as it came to life the joy in each brushstroke was incredible. I am on a heavenly high, the kind that comes when the colours you have used have made you feel great.

I also feel very close to Blanche Odin, my heroine  in the art world of painting flowers. I so hope she would have liked these. Her inspiration wieghs on my shoulders each time I start a new rose painting as I wish one day to paint them at least half as well as she did.

 I am really excited  because I have also recieved so many wonderful emails with invitations to fabulous art events and workshop destinations. On top of this, I have  had really good news but unfortunately cannot share the details because for now its' a huge secret, sorry,  but please watch this space.

I honestly believe if you do good in this world or make others happy then wonderful things come back to you. I must have made someone very happy today judging by the glow I am feeling from reading a particualy exciting email today!

Roll on tomorrow and happy painting!

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Roses, Roses, Roses and More Roses

Gorgeous roses from my garden, inspiring my paintings this summer

First Wash from an Art Feature 2014

Thank you so much to everyone who has so kindly let me know they have been inspired by my "How to Paint Roses in a Loose Style" blog post.

Here is the link again , in case you hve missed it.

 http://watercolourswithlife.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/how-to-paint-roses-in-loose-style.html

There is absolutely bigger compliment to an artist than hearing your work has influenced others in their personal art journey or  increased their painting enjoyment. I am honestly thrilled and over the moon to learn how much my sharing, especially " how to paint roses",  has been enjoyed.

I would also like to give a huge, massive thank you to everyone who has followed my "giving spirit" in generously mentioning me when they post their own rose paintings online. Openly and very kindly letting other artists know where their original inspiration came from. The art world is such a beautiful place when we share our experiences in discoveries of other artists we admire, to openly show how we are learning and especially who from. Sadly, not everyone is kind enough to be this honest. 

This is where I have to admit I feel emotionally tearful when I see how well this particular subject has taken off. I love painting so very much and the joy I feel when moving my brushes is a feeling I would love to share with the whole world if I could. Painting takes me to a calm, peaceful and happy place that is far too beautiful to describe. I have no stress whilst I create, just sheer pleasure and roses are amongst the subjects that give me the very best feeling of all. They represent "love" to me, and always will. Which is why I would love anyone who wants to follow my demonstration to do so and love painting roses as much as I do.

I am  delighted to share my techniques here. A professional artist friend once asked me why I give so much information away for free on my blog. Firstly, not everyone can attend my workshops which are fully booked so quickly. And secondly I believe I am spreading happiness with every watercolour idea I share here. So when I read emails, Facebook or Twitter posts from readers who honestly explain their work was inspired by my own it does touch my heart and make it all worthwhile. How could it not.

So from me to you, thank you!

Artists Tip: If you do love painting flowers my tip of the day is to get outside and paint from life as much as possible while the Summer flowers are at their best.  

As for me? 

I have climbing roses over  walls and a wooden shed in my garden. Roses in several flower beds. Roses in flower arrangements in my home. Yellow, red, pink, white and peach. Stunning colours, sizes and perfumes.

In fact life has never been rosier!

Happy painting and don't forget to take time to smell the roses!

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Fascinating Foxgloves 2014

 Foxgloves 2014

Every year I discover wonderful new ways to paint favourite subjects. This year time spent working on my new book is inspiring me to a completely new level with my art. I am exploring colour, looking at ways to simplify the creative process so that readers of each chapter will  know what I am painting is achievable and at the same time I want  excitement in each painting for my own soul. My own personal artist satisfaction.

To me there is  absolutely no point in painting if you are being repetitive. I yearn for something new with each touch of my brush.  When I demonstrated at Patchings in the St Cuthbert Mill Marquee this year I loved how the audience enjoyed my adding darks to a first wash of soft foxgloves. Until that point the piece had looked pretty but lacked drama. And drama is exactly what I was aiming for on these new paintings of foxgloves. Drama, impact and the wow factor.

I am also using new colours to me and my current favourite is Daniel Smith Quinchridone Fuschia. It glows! I am experimenting with two ideas. Foxgloves in the darker section of my garden have inspired the depth in one painting whilst sunshine has influenced my way of working on the lighter piece. They are both fascinating to work on and I love the feeling of energy flowing in each painting.

 But the Daniel Smith Quinachridone Fuschia is so exciting to use that  I carried on with experimental washes. The image below is one I painted earlier this week. The watermarks in this piece and light effects are fabulous and it has also made me feel happy just by looking at it.

 Faerie Fantasy

There is so much to enjoy painting from life at this time of year and no better time to experiment with hot colours. By the way, I am currently writing a new feature for the Artist Magazine with a fantastic new competition. Prizes will be glorious Daniel Smith Watercolours so please start working with those reds and be ready to enter. 

 Foxglove Favour

I feel as though fairies could be hidden in this piece somewhere as it brings back childhood memories of my Grandfather telling me about them in his garden. This is almost finished but not quite.

Artist Tip : Don't keep putting off painting.  Just do it!

Not Standing Still : Watercolour Washes 2014

 Colour Burst

 Watercolour Washes 2014

As artists we cannot stand still. There are always new subjects, new colours and new techniques to explore. And if we cannot find any that inspire us we need to find our own, which is exactly what I do each day. Yes I adore painting flowers in my garden. I love painting animals and wildlife and of course I am passionate about painting landscapes. But as each year passes I look back at how I used to paint and imagine how I could improve as an artist.  Having knowledge about how pigments  work as they interact, their flow on paper and what they look like when dry is vital to my results and career. Also, with a new  major solo looming in September of this year I really want to aim for drama, impact and the "Wow"  Factor in my next collection.

Which meant this morning I couldn't wait to race to my studio and get warmed up with my daily exercises of washes. Everyone who has watched my demonstrations or attended my workshops will know exactly what I mean when I say I take three pieces of paper and work on them, aiming to make each more stunning than the first. To everyone who saw me at Patchings, this is how I progress getting brighter, more exciting and bolder as time goes by. Some days I like quiet colours but right now I am experimenting with Daniel Smith colours and oh boy, am I in love with Daniel Smith Quinachridone Fushia! It is perfect for summer flowers.You can see it in the top corner of the colour experiment " Colour Burst" above. 

The following two colour experiments are alive and tempting to work further on, so I will be adding a subject to these later.

  Colour Distraction

A technique I often use.

 Obviously the more exciting of the results  are often repeated on large pieces of paper  in preparatuon for my show work. I have many fabulous ideas from this mornings  warm up to my painting day

Colour Distraction 2

Beautiful greens for floral work

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Artist Tip for the day : Be brave and try a brand new colour this week.  How about delving into the Daniel Smith Shade Chart and treating yourself to just one  vibrant colour and experimenting with it. See which colours it plays with well alongside  a shade you already know. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain by being adventurous!

Painting From Life : Roses in Watercolour

Roses in Watercolour

 Roses painted in my garden yesterday

Yesterday I spent the most wonderful Sunday quietly painting roses in my garden. One variety has gorgeous buds at the side of each main flower. This added beautifully to my composition as the roses  were clustered tightly together

 Rosebuds alongside the main flowers, photograph taken in my cottage garden yesterday.

It seems like ages since I had the luxury of time to myself. To paint at will, whatever I wished to  and on my own. I have been so busy with art events, workshops, working on my new book and exhibitions.  But now I have a break to be as creative as I want to, and importantly taking time to improve my own art skills.We all continually grow as artists and I am on the most incredible of journeys meeting so many fascinating people along the way, who like me enjoy working in watercolour.

Every year when I paint roses I am reminded of my time living in France where I discovered the work of  Madame Blanche Odin. Her beautiful paintings of roses inspire me continually. My dream would be that one day, someone would say that my paintings of roses inspired them. That would be such a wonderful legacy to leave when  years from now I am no longer here.

For now though , I am still setting myself the challenge of painting roses in a way that  I feel I am capturing their beauty and sweet perfume. I set myself new challenges  daily.

One rose  is defiantly standing alone in my garden.  Almost begging me to paint it. So today I have set my easel up near it and I am  softly bringing it to life. My brushstrokes are gentle so that I can sense the silkiness of each petal.

Single Rose in my garden, todays new subject and favourite flower.

I have started as always with no preliminary sketch. I am using Winsor &Newton Alizarin Crimson and Cadmium Yellow, as these two shades combined with dilution for transparency are perfect for painting roses. I am using my favourite Saunders Waterford 300lbs paper so that I can apply large amounts of water to gain a wonderful flow. This also aids my painting outside as the sun is drying my work very quickly.

 

Single rose first wash, minus a sketch.

Details are to be added next 

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I have lots of news to share but life is still very busy.

1) I will be sharing the dates and locations of my 2015 USA tour this week

2) To everyone who has contacted me about my Bearded Collie paintings. You will be recieving emails very soon

3) Stock for my DVDs from Patchings at the special offer price is available on my web site but only a few sets are still available. First come, first served!

4) I am currently in an exhibition at the "Dogs in Art" Gallery in Stockbridge, Hampshire for my Annual Summer Show. "Here Comes the Sun" runs until the end of June although I will have work on display until the end of July when I will be supported by other artists in a group exhibition.Details can be found on my web site. 

www.jeanhaines.com

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Inspiration : Our Mistakes, Like Weeds Can Be Beautitiful.

 Five Minute Study on My Easel

Poppy Inspiration

I like to unwind at the end of my working day. Who doesn't! I have so much going on at the moment which is now  quite normal for my art career. I am planning tours, working on my new book and exciting exhibition paintings for a solo show in Autumn. I find the inner child in me still needs to come "out to play" daily. To create just for fun and to learn from observation as often as possible.

Today was an extraordinarily long working day. I will admit as the time to close my studio grew nearer my mind wandered. I have been looking at the  flowers in my garden. Especially in one particular flower bed. Every year wild poppies self seed and grow here, where ever they wish in the otherwise meticulous border. They always add an element of surprise and an unexpected distraction from the  almost perfect display each year. We love them so much that we leave them now but when we first moved into this cottage we considered removing them. How sad that action would have been.  They are delicate and move freely in the Summer breeze. I love them now.

Their appearance reminds me of my workshops and artists reactions when things go wrong in their paintings. Whereas they often see a disaster, I see an added attraction of colour and excitement by the  new watermarks formed where they weren't supposed to be.

Watercolour is a medum that shines if left to work freely rather than  consistently aiming for perfection in each painting. Pigment interaction and fabulous "happy accidents" can equally thrill the artist or lead them to dismay. For me the accidents are just like these gorgeous wild flowers. Determined to blossom and if left alone they do add beauty which would otherwise have been missed.

Artist Tip: Try looking at your watercolour "happy accidents" as wonders instead of disasters. Celebrate them rather than hide them. And in time you will enjoy working with this magical medium all the more if you do.

I very quickly painted a poppy on a scrap of paper  tonight, to close my painting session. I allowed colour to fuse at will.  I loved the beautiful pigment interaction and the sense of flow as colours ran across the paper. I felt free and happy. In my heart I am longing to paint a serious composition of poppies tomorrow. But if I aim for controlled perfection I may just miss the fun I had by being spontaneous tonight.

Food for thought

Weed or Beauty!

Wild poppies in my garden.