The Language of Shadows and How they Behave.

Caroline Marsland instructed us that perspective, shape, tonal values and contrast are what we need to look at in mastering how to draw or paint in the shadows.There are dark shadows blending into half shadows as well as reflected light. Often light will come up from the bottom.With some shapes such as a tree, the … Read more

Drawing With Inks

Drawing with inks

Caroline was unavailable to demonstrate for us this week, but fortunately Amanda Davies came along to show us how to draw with ‘drawing’ ink as opposed to writing ink, the latter used more for calligraphy. It’s was am extremely informative demonstration. Pens, different drawing pens for drawing ink, these have a split in the nib … Read more

Drawing upside Down

Caroline said nothing is too difficult to draw! If you look at the picture upside down.By turning the picture you make your brain think in a different way. To start look for shapes, major shapes, in Caroline’s picture this was the rectangle in the middle, easiest point. Check if the vertical or horizontal lines are … Read more

Line and Wash

Caroline picked a lovely picture of an Owl she wanted to create a loose and expressive picture. Using water colours and remembering not to keep painting over the same spot, which would mean the luminosity would be lost as the paper surface could be spoiled, two yellow ochre eyes were painted, then a wash of … Read more

Wet into Wet Watercolour

Wet into wet watercolour

The demo today Caroline chose a winter photo of a small brook and trees in quite dull mono tones. She mixed a yellow quite watery and washed over the sky, she then mixed some purple with the yellow and blended the paint onto the paper, carefully leaving an eye catching, White centre to emphasise the light.Caroline then added … Read more

Watercolour Negative Painting

Watercolour Negative Painting Caroline explained that we will be creating the positive by painting the negative. She started by painting areas of colours yellows, reds, oranges, and browns with a large brush.She added salt on top of the wet parts and placed cling film over part of it. She sprayed the remaing part.  Using dark … Read more

Critique of a Painting

 How to critique a painting. Caroline explained that in looking at any picture one should follow the line, colour, tonal value, contrast and how the eye is guided through the picture. The focal point is a very important area of interest. It is where you’re going to put the most contrast in value. Caroline has … Read more

Painting like Wayne Thiebaud

 Wayne Theibaud was an American painter known for his colorful works depicting common place objects, such as pies, cakes, lipsticks, paint, cans, and ice cream, cones, etc. He was born in 1920 and died in December 2021. he used heavy pigment and exaggerated colors for his subjects with well defined shadows. The objects were simplified. … Read more