More Paintings (Mine).

I stress these are mine as I have a bumper lot coming for the next 'Watercolour Paintings' piece from an array of fantastic artists many new to me.

A Study in Gold. 11" x 15,"Khadi hand-made paper approx. 200gsm

I was trying something slightly different and not doing a complete head. I have been looking at the portrait by Charles Reid in Judi Whittons book 'Loosen Up Your Watercolours' (Collins 2005 Page 72). This particular portrait was a demo painted by Charles Reid  at a 1999 workshop at Stow on The Wold, England. Judi bought it when the demos were sold off at the end of the course. It's just amazing. Other partial  portraits by various amazing artists I've picked up on Facebook or Pinterest and studied those also.

Charles Reid Portrait from a live model. Stow on the Wold 1999.

This may well not appeal to the realistic school of portrait painters. You will see some amazing examples of realism in the next batch of watercolour paintings. I love it though and don't let anyone tell you it's easier doing looser  portraits because I can assure you it isn't!

The Sunglasses Have it! 16" x 12" Waterford 

This was painted a few days prior to the one above. I loved the colours and was especially taken by the sunglasses and colourful reflections. It was difficult and I'm not entirely happy with it, especially the hair. Perhaps another example of sticking too closely to the original (or rather trying to). I mainly paint from photographs through necessity, and the biggest problem is you are invariably pulled towards copying them. I resist that much better these days but Charles Reid doesn't do this and concentrates on his impression of the subject. Sometimes the resemblance is good but not always 100%, but the final result is what matters not how accurate it is. If he can capture the essence of the subject that's good enough.The finished paintings are always interesting. 

Despite having been painting in watercolour for approximately 19 years I'm still not at a level where I  am happy with my paintings. At 80 it's probably too late to make much further progress but I'll keep trying. That's the result of not starting to paint until I was 61 so get started as soon as you can and for the first two years concentrate on drawing.

Landscapes

I mentioned recently that I needed to do some work on my landscapes. I feel I've neglected landscape and will shortly hope to resume, weather permitting,  plein air painting. Like many others I started out painting landscapes, in my instance studying and copying the work of the two Edwards, Seago and Wesson at a local artists studio.  The apprentices of the great masters learned their trade by copying so I have no qualms about it, although I never attempted to sell them, even if they had been good enough. I should add this followed two years at a weekly art course run by the local authority, where I struggled with the basics. Neither of these were proper teaching courses,with little or no tuition, so it was a case of learn what you could. After this I studied with several well-known artists the key ones being Trevor Waugh, Judi Whitton and Charles Reid. I actually became quite good as a Wesson/ Seago clone but became restless and started on the journey, by way of interest in John Yardley, Robert Wade and several others that led me to Judi Whitton and Charles Reid. I then decided  I must settle down as each change of direction increases the learning curve and the years were rolling by. 

Here are two examples of John Blockleys work .I particularly like the second painting especially the textural effects. They are examples from his earlier period as he later changed style quite dramatically and also medium.

 A different more modern and much more abstract approach  from the Belgium artist Gerda Mertens, not so well known as the others but popular in Europe. Not all of her landscapes are quite as abstract as these two.

The Famous American artist Winslow Homer

 Edward Seago

 Edward Wesson

So here we have a small selection of quite different approaches by some- there are many more - famous  artists who painted in watercolour, but not necessarily exclusively. In such august company I'm reluctant to post my own efforts but..... 

Trees - In the style of Gerda Mertens 16" x 12" Centenaire 140lb  Not.

Keynsham Park in January - 16" x 12" Centenaire 140lb Not

South Lake Slimbridge in Winter- 15" x 11" Not

 Keynsham Park January 2012 Fabriano Artistico Extra White 18" x 12" Not

The two top paintings were done at recent  Monday sessions of my Bathampton Art group, where members `own artwork' is the programme. The third painting of Slimbridge was done some years ago, at least five possibly longer, and represented the best of the work I did in my `old' style. I think there are elements in there worth copying. The fourth and final painting I completed today, after painting it at my Avon Valley Artist's session yesterday, when the subject was ` A Winter Scene'. The two Keynsham Park scenes are essentially the same view, one Portrait the other Landscape format. What am I aiming at? I'm not certain as these paintings are experimental but a rough answer would be a cross between  Gerda Mertens and Wesson/Seago with touches of Judi Whitton and Charles Reid.. I'm also increasingly attracted to Blockley's landscapes. How will it all end?

For the new paintings I used my normal palette with the addition of Daniel Smith's Indigo. The colours would include, Raw and Burnt Umber, Gold Ochre, Raw Sienna, Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna, Hookers Green (Graham), Viridian (Rowney) and Ultramarine Violet (Rowney PV15). Some purples were mixed from Ultramarine Blue and Permanent Carmine (W & N PR N/A). Some greens mixed from Hansa Yellow Medium (Daniel Smith PY97) and Cobalt Blue Deep (Rowney PB72). There is also some Rowney FW Acrylic black heavily diluted at the base of the tree on the left. The top one also includes some Quinacridone Gold (Daniel Smith PO49) and Quinacridone Rust (Graham PO48), possibly others. I aim to sort my palette (actually three would you believe) into a more orderly number as I've been so seduced by both Graham and Daniel Smith paints that I've bought quite a few, increasing the choice considerably. The colours are certainly seductive. My plan is to have a main palette of 16 to 24 paints with a secondary palette of 9 to 12. As I paint a range of subjects this will give me the flexibility I need. I know many will throw their hands up in horror at this number but I usually don't use more than a dozen colours in any one painting and a core of about 6 or 7 for most of the work. I've also been trying granulation and texture mediums from Winsor & Newton. I don't like the latter much and may not use it again.

Apart from yesterday my usual brushes when painting at the art group, a selection of Escoda retractables Series 1214, 8, 10 and 12 together with a Rosemary retractable rigger  and Isabey retractable 6201 Size 6, all Kolinsky sables. For the final painting I used mainly the Isabey 6228 Size 8 Kolinsky, Da Vinci Maestro 10 Size 6  plus a couple of riggers. I keep saying that both Isabeys are lovely brushes and they really are!

Charles Reid at Crantock 8 - 12th October

Charles Reid's Palette - A Craig Young Paintbox - he has four all told.

There is one feature of Charles palette which is fairly recent. Due to the problems that  occur when travelling with wet paints a mess is likely, and much cleaning up thereafter. Therefore Charles has replaced some of the tube paints with half pans. He puts them side by side in the wells as you can see above. His preference for pans seems to be Winsor & Newton. He was very complimentary toward them as they moisten easily.

On Friday morning we are off to Crantock Bay in Cornwall for Charles Reids second 2011 painting course in the UK. This week he is at Burford in Oxfordshire. I attended the Burford course four years ago. Note added 14 Oct: I was wrong about dates. Burford follows Crantock starting  16 Oct. 

Charles with the member of staff who sat for the portrait study

 The Finished Work roughly half sheet size on Fabriano Artistico

Then came Catalonia, actually our first visit to Spain and very enjoyable it was for both of us. It worked very well as a painting course and holiday, which made it special.

Roses, Catalonia - First demo close to the hotel facing the beach

After Burford I went on a further course in Catalonia with the wife as non-painting partner. This was a ten day trip with the painting course in two four day sections - a day off in the middle. This worked extremely well, in effect almost two courses in one.

This was taken in Girona. Judi Whitton and Don Glynn (he makes the easels see previous feature) are sitting in front of Charles. Both are well-known professional artists and I have attended five of Judi's courses over the course of the last ten years or so, three of them at this same Crantock Bay Hotel. The man in the red jacket, Orlando a doctor formerly from Colombia, a superb artist completely self taught, has modelled his tecnique on that of Charles, purely up to Catalonia from books and videos. At every course I have attended  there have been some professional artists which shows the esteem in which Charles is held.

One of Orlando's Paintings.

The course in Spain was organized by EPC (Enjoy Painting in Catalonia) run by the charming and very efficient Angela Barbi. You can see an EPC video on Youtube. Don Glynn was involved in an executive capacity and has known Angela for years

Mick Carney of  the Painting Struggle www.thepaintingstruggle.blogspot.com/ .  After Catalonia I next attended the Urchfont course in 2009. Urchfont, which is in Wiltshire, England, was where I met Mick, a fellow North-Easterner. Although my family left the North East many years ago I still retain strong ties. Sadly though he supports Sunderland football (soccer) club, whereas I am a Newcastle United supporter!  Mick is staying with us on Thursday night to break his long journey from the North-East and we travel together to Cornwall on Friday.

Graham - an Urchfont resident and local historian.

This was the Portrait study with which Charles opened the Urchfont week. It captured the subject beautifully. I remarked afterwards to Charles that he was on form and got a smile in reply. I said the same to Judy his wife. It set the scene for the week and all the demos were very good, as a set superior to those I'd seen  previously. He seems to me to be a mood painter and as, in his own words, each painting is an adventure, some demos seem to work better than others.

A fantastic Flower-based still life begins to emerge.

This will be my last post until I return from Cornwall. I am hoping to interview Charles for the blog and will report in detail on the course. Sadly Crantock is closing as a hotel at the end of the year so the painting courses, involving several artists, will end. Judi Whitton in particular, who is there this week, will miss it and so will many of those who attended her courses. 

Judi demonstrating at Crantock

Just a few words on future plans, for those who may be interested. The next three colours to feature will be Cadmium Orange, Paynes Gray and Indigo. I am also planning another on mixing greens using Cobalt Turquoise Light as suggested by Rembrandt (no this is the other one). Apart from my own activities and those of the Avon Valley Artists and Bathampton groups, I have tentative plans for items on brushes, papers and whatever else springs to mind. Note added 7.45pm: The first draft of this was sloppy as it was rushed so I have `cleaned' it up a little. Apologies to those who may have already read it.

Thoughts on Painting Courses

This piece was prompted by receiving, with the latest issue (Feb 2011) of The Artist magazine, a 23 page full colour brochure entitled ART COURSES & HOLIDAYS 2011. Originally I intended to cover ALL the courses I have attended in one hit but realised this would be rather long so am splitting it into three parts. The second and third parts will be `The Judi Whitton Experience' and `The Charles Reid Experience'.  I have done more courses with Judi and Charles, although I did attend three earlier with Trevor Waugh. I have many photographs of these later courses.

First of all be aware that `courses ' and `holidays' in the above context can be two different things or three actually if you include `Summer Schools', offered by a variety of establishments. You need to be clear exactly what you want because many courses are more holiday than painting. The Artist brochure is stuffed with them, both for the UK and abroad and they seem to be proliferating year by year. Prices vary but in general art holidays/courses are quite expensive, some very much so.

 I have heard various stories about fellow artists experiences on some of these courses, some very negative, especially regarding the `tuition' aspect. The proliferation is obviously driven by demand but also for commercial reasons. They are a cash cow for those organizing and profiting from them. I'm not suggesting all are rubbish because that is not the case but sorting the wheat from the chaff is no easy task.To my astonishment a lady who used to attend my AVA group was recently listed as the `Resident Tutor' at an art holiday in Tuscany. To my knowledge she wasn't then a professional and certainly did not stand out as an artist. Perhaps she's an excellent teacher I really don't know but you have to wonder. I may be harsh but  the fact is a majority of those `teaching' art have no formal qualifications to do so. As a result a lot of the teaching is of a recipe formula with tips and tricks featuring heavily. If that is what you want fine but learning should go beyond that.  Certainly beware of those who state `all levels are welcome'. This burgeoning trend  has been extended with many artists, mostly those connected with the SAA (The Society for All Artists), through the extensive mail order catalogue, offering an ever increasing number of special brushes, paints , palettes, videos and much else. all designed to make you paint perfect pictures without difficulty in a flash! I have been on courses with people who had no prior idea of the tutor's style of painting and had done no research before booking. On occasion I expressed  surprise at this but such (critical) comment doesn't always go down well.

Back to my experience which began with Ron Ranson. I should say I initially attended weekly sessions at the local council-run Elsbridge House near my home. This was a lady called June Mills who never ever demonstrated and after a while dissatisfaction led me to an artist, who painted under the name of Mary Shaw, at her lovely studio on the banks of the River Avon in my home village of Saltford. Mary, or to give her real name Andrea Coleman, is an excellent artist primarily in a realistic style in acrylics. She also paints in watercolour using the Yarka range of paints. I met her again recently when she did an evening workshop at my Bathampton group. This was a lovely location, next to the Jolly Sailor pub but once again not really a great learning experience. Most of my time was spent copying paintings from books by Seago and Wesson provided by Andrea. Eventually the time to leave came and I cast about for some serious tuition.

My first port of call was Ron Ranson at another superb location, his lovely home in the Forest of Dean near Lydney.  One advantage  was that Ron had a superb collection of watercolour paintings by many famous watercolourists, as well as those he identified as up and coming. They could be  perused at leisure during breaks. I remember him saying he felt the Australians were leading the way. Several like Greg Allen have come to prominence since that occasion.

 Ron was the first of the artists who used modern marketing tecniques to promote himself, and while he has his critics, some just out of jealousy, is responsible for  thousands of people becoming watercolour painters. His initial book, he has written almost thirty, called something like `Watercolour Painting The Ron Ranson Tecnique',  sold over 350,000 copies which was a record for such a book, which I doubt  has been exceeded.  He lived sufficiently close for me to travel daily and after a one-day workshop I signed up for a 3 day course. It soon became obvious that Ron, who was approaching eighty at the time, had done this many times before and there was an element of going through the motions. The same stories from the one day course were repeated including much of his history - interesting without doubt but not why I was there. Ron's tecnique is based on the use of the hake and this was alien to many (including me). To be blunt it was awful and the paintings I attempted were absolutely dreadful. I wasn't alone and at the end of the course one man had become so frustrated he drove off in a cloud of dust in a furious mood.  The declared aim of many on the course was to `paint looser' but my lesson from that course is that you need to find a tutor to whom you can relate and be careful about changing style in such a drastic way. Ron moved to America a few years ago and his website is  http://www.ronranson.com/ I could say a lot more as Ron was very open about all sorts of things, including other artists, but will leave it at that!

 My continued search for the right tutor led  eventually to Trevor Waugh. I rang his studio and spoke to his then wife who on being queried stated very firmly `it isn't a holiday'. That was it I signed up and started the first at his studio at Great Barrington, Oxfordshire. This was another lovely location next to the River Windrush with an excellent pub, serving delicious food (I don't drink). The building, standing alone, was just off the road in a kind of grove and Trevor had both the ground floor, which was utilised as a gallery and sales area, plus an upstairs studio that accomodated a maximum of twelve students. Without a doubt Trevor is the most accomplished teacher I have been with and I say this without in any way decrying my mentors, Judi Whitton and Charles Reid. He had a professional art education at the prestigious Slade School in London with David Hockney amongst his tutors. Trevor, no shrinking violet, claimed he was considered one of their best students - in fact actually the best - and teaches a whole philosophy of art not just how to do a wash. My notes from his courses are extensive and exceed those from all the others. One even covers why people buy paintings. I eventually did three courses with Trevor. My only real problem with his teaching is that he does no pencil drawing whatsoever, straight in with the brush. Paintings begin with a variegated wash which forms the basis for the rest. He can also paint in different styles and did a copy of a John Singer Sargeant painting that was near perfect. This resulted from  a number of us perusing a book of Sargeants watercolours and someone saying he wondered how Sargeant painted one of an  Arab tribesman. Trevor promptly showed how. He is now based at Cheltenham and his website is:  http://www.trevorwaugh.com/

I think I'll finish this rather long piece and if you haven't lost interest long ago recommend that IF you want to learn from a painting course, as distinct  from a holiday with painting, you must research the tutor and his or her style and make sure this is what you want.

Latest Plein Air

This is my latest effort, painted last thursday at Dundas Acqueduct, a few miles outside Bath on the A36 Warminster road.

Saunders Waterford 16" x 12" Not - Dundas Boats and Barges

Dundas acqueduct is a popular location, part of the Kennet and Avon Canal, a favourite of barge owners and canal holidays. The area where we paint is a spur of the canal which runs to a basin close to the main road. It has a shop where you can hire boats and bicycles, an excellent cafe/restaurant, and is usually quite busy or indeed very busy.

On this particular day the waterway  was packed with end to end barges plus a few other types,  used either as houseboats or parked up. On certain weekends you can take canal trips and some are also available for wedding parties and celebrations of all sorts. A very lively place although it was quiet when I started and only the odd person stopped and tried to engage me in conversation, something that Judi Whitton (and others) say you have to `nip in the bud'. It is difficult as one doesn't want to seem rude, but concentration can be affected if onlookers are too persistent.

I started painting at around 10am and finished at noon. This was my usual attempt at painting with a first time finish, using paint straight from the paintbox (a mix of full and half pans) without overmuch mixing or messing about. Obviously some overpainting takes place but I try to keep it to a minimum. My (attempted) methods are based on those used by Charles Reid and Judi Whitton. I used several different blues and yellows for the greens. The large tree in the background had leaves that are very grey/green and I used Primary Blue - Cyan (PB15-3 green shade- Maimeri) mixed with Cadmium Orange (PO20 Maimeri) to create this greyish effect. If you play around with these two colours you can create some wonderful greys but take care which Cad Orange you use. The Windsor and Newton version is a mixture of Cadmium red and yellow, while Rowney do use PO20, the correct pigment, but add a yellow to it. Unless you use pure Cadmium Orange you will get a different colour.

I looked at the painting the following day in my `studio' and made some small colour additions. Otherwise I am quite pleased with it. I have done several others at this location, not all from the same viewpoint.  

More Recent Paintings

Sitting Bull and Captain Jack.

SB was the famous Sioux medicine man involved with the destruction of the 7th Cavalry under Custer, while Captain Jack was the leader of the small band of Modocs who gave the US army the runaround in the late 1870's. In  the film Jack was portrayed by Charles Bronson!

Judi painting at the Gannel Estuary, Newquay October 2009.

15" x 11" Not

I was on a painting course with Judi Whitton late last year and took a photograph from which I later did this painting. This was my second attempt.

`Crow Eagle' 15" x 11" Fabriano Artistico 90lb Not

Another effort at Crow Eagle, one of several less than 100% satisfactory efforts. I have done worse than this one.

"Messing about on the River" 19" x 14" 152lb Veneto Not

This painting was for the `end of term' competition at my Bathampton Art Group. We have a competition and vote for the painting we consider the best. I think mine only got one vote and that was the lady who sits alongside me when we paint! I basically opted for a simple composition which went down like a lead balloon.

View down to terrace from 4th floor room balcony Hotel Royal Sorrento

12" x 16" Waterford Not

This one is the last painting I did at Sorrento with the addition of the three half pans I was able to buy in Amalfi. I was not very struck by it but at least I made the effort.

Michael Caine 15" x 11" Fabriano Artistico Not

One I did a while ago for a competition at Bathampton `Celebrity Portrait'. In the event the one I put in was of Clint Eastwood. I thought it was quite good but it came nowhere in the voting.

Sitting Bull, Huncpapa Sioux 15" x 11" Not

 Painted earlier this year or late last year, can't remember which. A reasonable likeness.

Latest Indian Portrait

I photographed three today starting with my Nikon Digital SLR but unfortunately the battery ran out and I reverted to my old Canon A95. The following portrait photographed the best of the three so I'll have to try again with the Nikon. I'm very much an ad hoc photographer so my results are often variable - much like my painting!

Curley-Bear Blackfoot Chief 1903, Schut Vivace 115lb Not 15" x 11"

He doesn't appear too happy in the original photograph which I think comes through in the painting. Overall I'm quite pleased with this one. The usual mix for the features of Cadmium Red Light, Cad Yellow Light, also Raw Sienna, with Cerulean, Cobalt and Ultramarine Blue in various amounts added to create the darker complexion. 

I'll discuss my palette choices, not that they are anything out of the ordinary, at a future date. I do like to have plenty of options so have a main palette of sixteen colours with a smaller supplementary palette with a further nine. Usually I major on probably no more than six with smaller amounts of several others. I seem to use the earth colours quite extensively. The very limited palette is not for me because I follow the Charles Reid/Judi Whitton approach of trying for a finish first time- which isn't always possible. I also try not to overmix,  mixing where possible on the paper. The American artist Al Stine says, somewhere in one of his books, that he doesn't know any good artist who paints with a first time finish. Obviously he doesn't like such an approach! Is he getting at Charles Reid?

My wife and I are off to Sorrento for a week this Friday, volcano ash permitting, so there will be no more posts for at least ten days. The painting gear is being sorted for packing although the weather forecast is a bit miffy. Still one lives in hope.  

More Paintings.

These are my latest Indian paintings, one done at home in my `studio' and the other monday night at my Bathampton Art Group session.

Two-Hatchets Kiowa Indian 1898

Fabriano Artistico 140lb NOT 15" x 11"

I didn't actually finish it completely on monday night but after reflection decided not to do any more. I tend to agree with Judi Whitton, who often leaves paintings `unfinished - when is a painting finished? Judi in her book `Loosen up your Watercolours', Collins 2005, quotes Picasso as saying ` To finish a work? To finish a picture? What nonsense!.....' Charles Reid states the painting is finished when you are reduced to adding small darks and I'm inclined to think it's also when you don't know what else to do. The danger of ploughing on and overworking is everpresent.

Crow Eagle. Piegan Chief 1870's

Lana Acquarelle NOT 16" x 12"

This one I painted in my studio, actually it used to be my son's bedroom many moons ago. It looks better in the flesh than in a photograph and I've tried several times to produce a better image.