The Artist December 2020

WIN AN ORIGINAL ADEBANJI ALADE SKETCH (SEE PAGE 68)
artist
www.painters-online.co.uk December 2020 £4.80
THE PRAC TICAL MAGAZINE FOR ARTISTS BY ARTISTS – SINCE 1931
How to create
paintings full of life
from photographs
with Adebanji Alade
Plus � Master aerial perspective in your watercolour landscapes

� Capture the night sky in oils
� Use coloured pencils over watercolour for still life compositions
� How to create & use videos to promote your work
12>
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9
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artist
incorporating ART & ARTISTS
First established 1931
ISSN 0004-3877
Vol.135 No.13
ISSUE 1089
WELCOME
from the editor
Publishing Editor:
Sally Bulgin PhD Hon VPRBSA
Want to comment on something you’ve read, or seen?
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ith new social restrictions and possibly more on the way this winter,
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suewoodgates@warnersgroup.co.uk
Online Editor:
joining an online workshop or course, or perhaps committing to the routine and
Dawn Farley discipline of preparing work to enter a competition. And what better combination
Design:
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THIS MONTH’S COVER

Sally Bulgin Publishing Editor
Let us know what you think at

• theartistletters@tapc.co.uk
• www.painters-online.co.uk/forum
Adebanji Alade Spring Light, King’s Road,
acrylic on board, 1620in (40.551cm).
• www.facebook.com/paintersonline
See pages 28 to 31 • twitter.com/artpublishing
www.painters-online.co.uk artist December 2020 3

14 22
CONTENTS
FEATURES
14 Sensory landscapes
Annie Boisseau, winner of The Artist Award
28 Paint lively street scenes
from photographs
What do you do when you you’re not able to
52
at the 2019 Royal Society of British Artists’ paint in situ? You work from photographs, says
exhibition, talks to Susie Hodge about Adebanji Alade, who shares his techniques for 44 The individual in the crowd
inspiration, colour and light painting vibrant urban scenes using different Let Carl Knibb inspire you to paint a narrative
media with figures moving through a cityscape
60 How to use video to
promote your art 32 Techniques for great skies 48 Subject selection and
Sarah Edmonds continues her series with Tony White shares his methods for painting composition
advice on how to create videos at home and successful skies that will establish the mood Nicholas Poullis begins a new series in which
post them online, together with top tips for and atmosphere of your watercolour paintings he explains how to create a watercolour
filming and equipment recommendations painting from conception to finished picture.
36 Self-portraits from life His first article tackles composition and subject
Kathy Barker demonstrates a self-portrait in selection
PRACTICALS oils as she takes you through the materials
18 Aerial perspective in you’ll need, setting up and the painting process 52 The sky at night
watercolour Becky Thorley-Fox recommends dusk and
Paul Weaver reveals the key techniques he 41 Line and wash night-time plein-air painting and demonstrates,
uses to achieve aerial perspective, focusing on Try your hand at line and wash paintings with with tips and advice, how to capture glowing
tonal recession, colour temperature and edges Milly England. Here she recommends nibs and hues and moody skies in oil
inks to use and shares her tips for adding the
wash 57 Winter buildings
Julie Collins brings her current series to a close
with some ideas for modifying your colours for
watercolour paintings of winter buildings
18 The Artist INDEX 2020

Please find a simplified version of this
year’s The Artist index on our website,
22 A great combination PaintersOnline, at
Liz Seward recommends working with
coloured pencil over watercolour. Be inspired as
https://bit.ly/3do92lT
she demonstrates a still life in a combination of
these media
25 Perfect pet portraits

Paul Talbot-Greaves offers some great advice PLUS THIS MONTH
41
for painting a pet using acrylics, with tips on
lighting, background and how to obtain a good 6 Your views 9 The Art World
reference photo 63 Opportunities 66 Exhibitions
4 artist December 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

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65 Save money on discounted practical art books
Poullis
from our online bookshop demonstrates
70 See your work published in The Artist. Simply how to
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gallery for the opportunity to be selected for watercolour
our monthly Editor’s Choice feature wash
techniques
71 Join us for our virtual PaintersOnline
Christmas Fair and enjoy a host of online
festive creative
activities and � Michelle Heron reveals the joy of painting shop fronts
offers in acrylics
� How to capture a likeness with advice on painting eyes
EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS by Archie Wardlaw
� Carole Griffin demonstrates her approach to painting
roses in watercolour
PLUS
� Online art classes – the future of learning?
Ken Howard OBE, RA David Curtis ROI, VPRSMA Haidee-Jo Summers By Sarah Edmonds
studied at Hornsey School has won many awards for his en ROI, RSMA
of Art and the Royal plein air and figurative paintings has won many awards for her � Don’t miss our four-page pull-out annual open
College of Art. He is a
member of the NEAC, ROI,
in both oils and watercolours.
He has had several books
plein-air and alla-prima oil
paintings. She is an elected
competition diary planner
RWS, RWA and RBA. He published on his work as well as member of the Royal Institute
exhibits extensively and
has won numerous awards.
DVD films, and exhibits his work
extensively.
of Oil Painters, the author of
Vibrant Oils and also has a
DVD with the same title.
And much more! Don’t miss out:
our January issue is on sale from November 27

YOUR LETTERS, EMAILS AND
COMING SOON VIEWS COMMENTS
IN JANUARY 2021 Email theartistletters@tapc.co.uk or write to The Editor, The Artist,

Warners Group Publications plc, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne,
Lincs PE10 9PH.
Please note we may have to edit letters for reasons of space
Love digital
I’ve just received my first digital issue of The Artist (November
2020) – very nice indeed. Super colour, great layout and so much
more attractive and convenient than a printed magazine. Just
think of all the shelf space and trees it is saving! Congratulations!
I liked Paul Talbot-Greaves’s article ‘Paint a sunset in watercolour’
because I find this is one of the most satisfying subjects to wind
down a day with (and sunrise one of the best loosening-up
subjects to start the day). It’s especially ideal for helping the less
experienced to lay aside their nerves and try whacking on full-
strength paint wet-in-wet just to see what happens. Being full
of free forms no-one knows what is wrong or right and we can
bask in the joy of watching paint, water and paper interact and
feed off all that energy in front of our eyes. In no time four or five
impressions are lying on the grass drying.
Speed is essential because at sunset (and sunrise) the physical
appearance of the heavens, tonal relationships and vivid colours
AVAILABLE FROM change continuously. Clouds suddenly appear in seconds, the
landscape bathed in red glows as the fiery sun dips, far quicker
PAINTERS ONLINE than you expect, below the horizon. Then the almost black
http://bit.ly/pobooks landscape emphasises the sky’s red and then luminous yellow
afterglow below an incredibly intense turquoise blue light. I don’t
think, I just slap on the paint and try to hit the hue and intensity
with one stroke. It’s play really, a joyful race just for fun, a shot in
the dark, as in one of my five-minute sky impressions (below).
John Owen, by email
John Owen
Red Sky
at Night,
watercolour,
101/4141/4in
(2636cm)
RRP Ley Kenyon

£9.99 I was interested to read Stephen Hughes’ letter about Ley Kenyon
in the November 2020 issue. I met Ley at Chelsea Art Club many
£7.99 years ago. We discovered we had a mutual friend, Ian Pritchard,
who was a Mouth and Foot Painting Artist after a water-skiing
accident in Kenya.
I have a copy of Ley’s book Aqualung Diving, which he wrote in
collaboration with Werner Haas. I still do a little painting and enjoy
AVAILABLE FROM The Artist every month.
PAINTERS ONLINE Joyce Sully, Wooler
http://bit.ly/pobooks To subscribe to a digital issue of The Artist,
offer ends 30th November 2020
please see page 7.
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6 December 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

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www.painters-online.co.uk December 2020 £4.80
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to receive your How to create

paintings full of life
magazine without from photographs
with Adebanji Alade
leaving home!
� Enjoy images in
Plus � Master aerial perspective in your watercolour landscapes
� Capture the night sky in oils
� Use coloured pencils over watercolour for still life compositions
brilliant detail � How to create & use videos to promote your work
12>
9 770004 387193
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ACRYLICS WATERCOLOUR OILS
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How to paint the perfect Practise these simple Paint a self-portrait from
pet portrait techniques for great skies your mirror image
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WORTH OVER
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We are looking for the best work from amateur
painters in the Leisure Painter category and
from experienced and professional artists in
The Artist category. Selected work from each category
will be exhibited at Patchings Art Centre in two
separate galleries, opening on the first day of the
2021 Patchings Festival on July 8, 2021
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Winner of the Royal Talens and The Artist Exhibition Awards 2020
Lotta Teale Morning on the Terrace, Islamabad, oil, 12x16in (30x40cm)
Enter for the chance to win some amazing prizes and the opportunity
to see your work exhibited, published and promoted worldwide!
■ £3,000 The Artist Purchase Prize ■ £500 Daler-Rowney Awards
Award ■ £500 Derwent Awards
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Awards
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Commended Award
Commended Award
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THE ART WORLD
NEWS, INFORMATION AND ONLINE EVENTS IN THE ART WORLD
compiled by Jane Stroud
Sketch for Survival 2020 p Rebecca Cresswell Tropical Gems, mixed

media, 11¾316½in (30342cm)
The wildlife charity, Explorers Against Extinction’s 2020 Sketch for Survival exhibition
goes on show at the Gallery@oxo on London’s South Bank this autumn. Exhibits will
include 100 Invitational works by invited professional artists and celebrities – such as
Joanna Lumley, Dame Judi Dench, Stephen Fry, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Levison Wood
– alongside 100 works from the Sketch for Survival Introducing category, selected
from hundreds of entries received from all around the world. The competition aims to Explorers Against Extinction’s
raise awareness about a range of conservation issues while showcasing up and coming Sketch for Survival Invitational and
talent. The 2020 competition attracted a record 600 plus entries from around the world, Introducing exhibition is at the
with the youngest contributor just six years old. An online auction will be held on Gallery@oxo, Oxo Tower Wharf, South
consecutive Sundays – November 22 for Invitational and Introducing and November 29 Bank, London SE1 9PH, from November
for Illustrators and Celebrity artworks. If you are unable to visit the exhibition in person, 11 to 22. Open daily from 11am to 6pm;
you will be able to view it online at www.explorersagainstextinction.co.uk until 4pm on Sundays.
www.painters-online.co.uk December 2020 9

p Kieran Luke Naish The View from the London Eye, oil, 14½322in (37356cm)
TALPOPEN
PEOPLE’S CHOICE Kieran, an artist from Bristol, studied
Contemporary Arts Practice at Bath Spa
University. ‘After spending time in London,
This year’s selected entries from the TALPOpen competition, I began painting views of the city,’ he
usually displayed at Patchings Art Festival in July, were writes. ‘London landmarks tend to be the
available to view online instead and visitors had the main subject of my work and the stunning
opportunity, as usual, to vote for their favourite work. The architecture, with its view of St Paul’s, inspired
2020 People’s Choice Award in The Artist category went to me to paint this scene from the London Eye. The painting’s
Kieran Luke Naish for his energetic painting The View from surface is created by many layers of paint applied with a
the London Eye (above). Kieran wins Daniel Smith artists’ palette knife.’ See the full exhibition of selected works at
materials worth £250; www.premiumartbrands.com www.painters-online.co.uk/competitions
ROI
The annual exhibition by The Royal Institute of Oil Painters
showcases the best in contemporary figurative oil painting in
the UK. The exhibition will go on show at the Mall Galleries,
London from November 25 until December 6. There is also an
opportunity to view it online at www.mallgalleries.org.uk
if you are unable to get to London. The Artist contributor and
ROI member, Peter Graham, will lead a 45-minute virtual tour
of the exhibition on Friday November 27 at 2pm. Contact the
gallery for up-to-date information.
t Peter Graham The Painter’s Room, oil on canvas,

25½325½in (65365cm)

PaintersOnline
Christmas Fair
PaintersOnline will be bringing Christmas to you
with its first ever online Christmas Fair featuring a
whole host of activities for you to get involved with.
There will be Christmas competitions to enter, tips
and advice for all levels of artists – from beginners
to professionals, Christmas themed step-by-step
demonstrations, virtual shops with exclusive offers
on art material products and live demonstration
videos by well-known artists. A book stall, run in
partnership with Search Press will bring you all the
latest publications and special fair prices, with free
downloadable extracts; and there will, of course, also
be an opportunity to buy artwork for that unique
Christmas gift – as well as special subscription
offers from Leisure Painter and The Artist. The fair
will run from the third week of November until
mid-December. Visit the PaintersOnline Christmas
Fair at www.painters-online.co.uk
p Stephen Leho The Most Important Thing in the World, oil, 21¼319in.
(54348cm) winner of the RP Award at the annual exhibition of the Royal
Society of Portrait Painters, Mall Galleries, London. The £2,000 prize is
awarded to the artist whose work best represented the year’s chosen
theme, which, this year, was Movement. The painting is about mental
health and emphasies the need to stay in the present. See the exhibition
at www.mallgalleries.org.uk
ARTclubs l The Epsom and Ewell Art Group’s

Christmas exhibition will take place
at Denbies Wine Estate, London Road,
Dorking RH5 6AA, from November
23 to 29. Open daily, 10am to 5pm
(from 12 noon on the first day and
finishing at 4pm on the final day);
www.epsomandewellartgroup.com
l The 25th annual Ten Artists
exhibition, which usually takes place
in Baslow Village Hall in Derbyshire,
will be available to view online this
year at www.10artists.co.uk
All proceeds will go to the Samaritans.
l Tadworth Art Group’s November p Helen Martell Ginlesss Wonder, oil
exhibition can be viewed online at 15¾315¾in (40340cm) at the Ten Artists
www.tadworthartgroup.com 25th annual exhibition
from November 20 to
December 3. All paintings are
place at Sussex House, 61 The Pantiles,
available for sale with free delivery
Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 5TE, from
from the group’s online shop.
p Barbara Stevens Still Snowing, November 21 to December 6, 10.30am
acrylic on board, 18312in (46330.5cm) at l The winter exhibition of the Royal to 4.30pm daily; closing at 4pm on the
the Epsom and Ewell’s Christmas exhibition Tunbridge Wells Art Society will take final day; www.rtwas.org

Art & Action
Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village
Down Lane,
Guildford,
Surrey GU3 1DQ
☎ 01483 810235
www.wattsgallery.org.uk
Art & Action: Making Change in

Victorian Britain explores how artists
used their work to comment on social
problems of the day as well as to actively
help to solve them. Poverty, hunger and
disease were rife in industrial Britain,
and many artists began working in
conjunction with social movements at the
frontline of reform efforts. Sir Luke Fildes’s
celebrated work, Applicants for Admission
to a Casual Ward (below) received praise
from many in its day, but others took
offence at this grim portrait of those
forced to seek help from the workhouse.
Looking at how and why artists chose
to circulate their art across Victorian
society, the exhibition also considers how
artists such as William Morris encouraged the exhibition. For full details please see p Thomas Kennington The Pinch of
traditional craftsmanship, taking a stand the website at www.wattsgallery.org.uk Poverty, 1891, oil on canvas, 66358½in
against the dehumanisation enforced by Art & Action: Making Change in (167.53148.5cm)
factory labour. A programme of special Victorian Britain is at Watts Gallery,
events will run at the gallery throughout from November 17 to March 21, 2021.
p Sir Luke Fildes Applicants for Admission to a Casual Ward, 1874, oil on canvas, 22½337in (57394cm)

IN CONVERSATION
Sensory landscapes
Annie Boisseau, winner of The Artist Award at the 2019 Royal Society of British
Artists’ exhibition, talks to Susie Hodge about inspiration, colour and light
A
nnie Boisseau won The Artist twilight. I am intrigued by the liminality
Award for a group of works, Quality of light of this subject, hovering between
all shown here. She works ‘The starting point of my work comes light and dark, night and day and
in a wide range of media, from direct observation of the the many resonances this brings. My
capturing atmospheric scenes that landscape. I may not always have my working practice ideally begins with
she describes as a contemporary sketchbook with me, but I always have a drawing outside, using a range of media
interpretation of the tradition of camera. I find it so important to capture including pastels, watercolours, charcoal
Romantic landscape painting. Annie the quality of light that is particular or pencil to record the colours, rhythms
taught art for many years but now to the location, as this later helps to and textures of the landscape. Then it’s
focuses on her painting. ‘I teach just establish the mood of the painting. In back into the studio to try out different
one weekly art class for adults, using some respects colour and light are the ideas for a composition. It’s then that I
a wide range of media and look at main subjects of my work. get a feel of what scale would suit the
the techniques used by many artists, ‘The transient qualities of time is a subject, what medium I want to use and
including traditional and contemporary subject that I return to – fleeting light, what support I want to paint on. I pay
methods of working.’ sunlight, moonlight and especially particular attention to the preparation
TA12p14_16_In Conversation.indd 14 09/10/2020 13:32

PRACTICAL
t To the River, oil on canvas 233/43233/4in
(60360cm).
‘Sometimes just three blues aren’t enough.
Here I added phthalo blue and Prussian
blue. Phthalo blue is very transparent, when
thinned it can act almost like a stain. Mixed
with white it reveals greenish undertones,
ideal for this river scene. Prussian blue is
similar but I’m able to achieve a more intense
dark with it. I feel this painting gives a nod
to the Romantic landscape tradition and
allowing the paint to drip down the canvas
helps describe the fluidity of the subject and
gives it more of a contemporary feel.’
of these surfaces, whether it’s canvas

or panel – applying either gesso or
emulsion and rubbing it down until I’m
happy with the result. I prefer a surface
that I can push against. I build up layers
of paint, using either a palette knife or
brush to create textures. I also like to
sand down areas, exposing underlying
colours. I like to feel that a painting
contains its own history and by paring
back it somehow exposes that.’
p Red Earth, Sky Blue, oil on panel, 193/43193/4in (50350cm).
Transparent layers of colour
‘The strong contrast of the bright blue sky with the reddish colour of the land was the subject
‘ I feel equally happy working with of the painting. I used a cadmium orange ground throughout, applying layers of cobalt and
oils or acrylics, or both as the subject cerulean blue for the sky, allowing some of the ground to show through. Layers of cadmium red
dictates. Much of my painting process and raw umber were built up for the soil, with lemon yellow and raw umber for the fields.’
involves applying transparent layers
of colour over the surface. Obviously
oils take longer to dry, so whilst I am
waiting I may work on paper or with
acrylics, focusing on different aspects of
the composition, or on a different work
entirely. I also find I tend to work more
in oils during the summer months, again
this is due to the speed of the drying
time. My paintings vary in size from
about 20320cm to 40350cm or even
120cm. Like most artists, I find storage a
problem, which is why I work quite a lot
on panel.
‘I always use Winsor & Newton paints
for both oils and acrylics. This is partly
because of their professional finish and
with acrylics it is important that there
is no colour shift once they are dry. I
do occasionally buy Michael Harding
oil paints, in what I would call my
‘treat’ colours, such as emerald green
and King’s blue. However, I feel it’s
important to mix one’s own colours in
order to retain an individual palette.
I always have the minimum of three
blues, three reds and three yellows
on my palette: cerulean blue, cobalt
blue and French ultramarine; cadmium
red, rose madder and alizarin crimson;
lemon yellow, cadmium yellow and p Pink Moon, oil on panel, 113141/4in (28336cm).
yellow ochre. Plus I have: raw umber, ‘I always work from dark to light when I’m building up layers of colours. The sky was painted very
burnt umber, raw sienna, burnt sienna loosely, allowing colours to bleed into one another. I painted out the pink moon several times
and titanium white. I always stress to until I had the right balance, which meant that the surrounding sky had to be painted several
students how important it is to put out times too, but in the end I was happy with the result.’

?????????
p Golden Light on the Hillside, oil on panel, their own memories and experiences. discovered in one medium can be
11314¼in (28336cm). In much the same way as I feel Caspar transferred or adapted to another.
‘Sometimes paintings that appear David Friedrich does so skilfully in his I always feel it is an honour to be
spontaneous take the longest to do, which work. selected for an open exhibition and
was the case here. This work has a dreamlike ‘I often describe my work as a really try to see these shows. Winning
quality about it. There are a lot of colours, contemporary interpretation of the an award is a tremendous boost and
which needed to pull together to make a tradition of Romantic landscape it also helps to raise my profile as an
coherent whole. I was compelled by the painting. Turner and Constable have artist. ’ TA
magical path of light that leads the eye to the had a significant influence on my
top of the hillside with views of the distant practice, Turner for his atmospheric
landscape spread out underneath the sky.’ use of colour and light and Constable
for his use of a strong ground and
loose brushwork. Joan Eardley has
small amounts of all these colours; even inspired a more expressive semi-
if the painting is predominantly blue, a abstract approach to my work. Other
small amount of red can be very useful contemporary artists whose work I
in holding back the blue!’ admire include Norman Ackroyd, Peter
Doig and Sean Scully. I particularly
A sense of place like Scully’s use of layering colours
‘Although I use photographs and and allowing just the right amount of
drawings as a reference to explore my underpainting to shine through.’ Annie Boisseau
ideas and get a feel of the composition, studied fine art at Goldsmith’s College, the
once I begin a painting it is important Exhibitions University of London and Exeter College
for me to leave these aside and let ‘As a member of the Royal Society of of Art and Design and is a member of
the painting follow its own path. The British Artists not only do I exhibit the Royal Society of British Artists. She
has won the Winsor& Newton Award for
work is always about a sense of place, at our annual exhibition at the Mall
painting and her work has been exhibited
an emotional response to something Galleries, London, but also my work is
widely in national exhibitions, the ING
observed. I feel there is a great included in ‘selected artists’ RBA shows. Discerning Eye and the Royal Watercolour
correlation between poetry and art, I try as often as I can to submit my work Society Contemporary Watercolour
which is often suggested in my titles. to contemporary open exhibitions, Competition. International Art Fairs
I want my paintings to express what I such as The ING Discerning Eye, include the Olympia Art Fair and the 20/21
can’t put into words. I aim to suggest the RWS Contemporary Watercolour British Art Fair. Her work is held in the
an unveiling or discovery of the poetic Competition and the Pastel Society. I University of Surrey art collection.
mystery of the landscape, creating a feel that working in media other than www.annieboisseau.com
space for the viewer to connect with oils keeps my practice fresh; techniques

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WATERCOLOUR
Aerial perspective in
watercolour
Paul Weaver reveals the key techniques he uses to achieve aerial perspective,
focusing on tonal recession, colour temperature and edges
A
erial perspective, sometimes in suggesting atmospheric depth and a painting, we must acknowledge that
referred to as atmospheric space in representational art, whatever we are looking at it through a veil of
perspective, is a fundamental your medium of choice. For this article, I light, moisture and dust: the ‘cushion
concept for creating the will focus on the key techniques I apply of atmosphere’ as Monet so eloquently
magical illusion of three-dimensional with watercolour. put it. This acts as a visual filter, making
depth and space on a two-dimensional distant forms become lighter in tone,
surface. Examples can be traced back The cushion of atmosphere cooler in colour and softer in definition.
as far as ancient China and Rome and, While linear perspective and
as artists became more visually aware foreshortening focus on the idea that
of the world around them, they tried objects appear to reduce in scale as q Sheep on the Water Meadows, Windrush,
to record the effects of light, space and they get further away, aerial perspective watercolour, 13318in (33345.5cm).
distance in their work. is concerned with how things optically The appeal of this subject was the dramatic
Fast-forward to today and the change in terms of tone, colour and aerial perspective, created by the dark shapes
principles of aerial perspective are definition as they recede. of the sheep set against the soft backcloth of
still highly relevant and often pivotal When viewing a potential subject for the sunlit barn and trees

PRACTICAL
t Reflections, Wells, watercolour, 14310in
(35.5325.5cm).
Through a veil of rain, the distant shape
of Wells Cathedral recedes while the dark
tones of figures, doorways and shop signs
come forward, creating the illusion of space
and distance. The soft reflections add to the
atmosphere
using watercolour, especially for its

ease of colour blending on paper
and creating the sharp, broken or soft
edges of shapes that recede into the
distance. Watercolour is certainly the
odd one out when compared to oil,
acrylic or gouache. The opaque media
are far more logical to work with in many
ways, adding white to lighten colours
and working from dark through to the
highlights. Of course, these media can
be used with transparent washes and
glazes too, but essentially their opacity
is what makes them tick.
Watercolour is all about transparency,
working in washes that allow the white
of the paper and underlying colours
to shine through. This attribute is also
its weakness, narrowing the margins
between success and failure, as it is
difficult to correct mistakes or make
major changes to composition. When
all goes well, watercolour can create
a feeling of airiness, luminosity, light,
moisture and atmosphere, as though
painting with liquid light. When all
The weather plays a major role in q Carriage Event, Berkeley Show, watercolour, 10314in (25.5335.5cm).
the effects of aerial perspective we An overcast day with occasional sun, the aerial perspective created a strong contrast of tone
experience. Rain and mist will cause between the foreground competitors and the distant tents and trees
distant shapes to blur and lighten in
tone, as will the effects of looking into
the light on a bright sunny day. Overcast
conditions can be more subtle, as
clouds cast shadows on the foreground
and distant landscape and make
things darker throughout. I try to avoid
painting with the sun behind me, as this
reduces modelling on the landscape,
flattening the scene and bringing the
distance forward.
Areal perspective can also be
experienced indoors, especially in
large spaces such as barns, boat sheds
and churches, where the sunlight
might stream through a door or window
between you and the back of the room,
highlighting dust and moisture in the
air. Once we appreciate this and know
what to look for, the effects of aerial
perspective can be seen everywhere,
often transforming the most mundane
subjects into something quite magical.
Working in watercolour
When it comes to interpreting these
effects in paint, I particularly enjoy

WATERCOLOUR
DEMONSTRATION Hazy Light, Chapel Cottage Studio
t MY SET UP
I tutor workshops at this wonderful MATERIALS
venue near Abergavenny in South l Watercolours: raw sienna,
Wales. This view from the studio cerulean blue, raw umber,
picnic area, looking into the hazy burnt sienna, magenta, cobalt
sunlight with the dark tones of the blue, light red, ultramarine
sheds and trees set against the pale blue
grey distance, made a perfect subject
l 2B pencil
to illustrate aerial perspective. I was
able to complete the majority of this l Saunders Waterford High
demonstration en plein air White paper, Rough
p STAGE ONE p STAGE TWO

Looking through my viewfinder, I composed the subject Wetting the paper all over, I established the sky with a pale wash of raw sienna,
with the sheds on the right-hand third, sketching the main adding the light clouds with cobalt blue and light red. I pulled the sky colours
elements onto the watercolour paper in 2B pencil. I was down to the horizon, gradually adding cerulean blue, raw umber and raw sienna
careful to define the distant hill very lightly so that the for the fields and ground work. The huts were tinted with raw sienna, burnt sienna
pencil wouldn’t show through the pale washes to follow and a touch of magenta and blue in the shadows. While the paper was still damp, I
spattered the surface with water to create some foreground texture
goes wrong, it can end up as a muddy add more pigment for darker tones recede – can sometimes be achieved by
catastrophe, but don’t let that put you and dilute with water to make things simply adding blue to a mix. However,
off! lighter. The difficulty is in controlling learning to mix a range of warm and
the variables to get the tone you want. cool greys from the complementary
Visual language A puddle of paint in the palette can colours is most useful (See my article
To record the effects of aerial be deceptively dark, but when on the ‘Mixing Greys for Atmospheric Winter
perspective, I focus on the key shapes paper appear much lighter and then Watercolours’, December 2019 issue).
within the foreground, middle distance dry lighter still. On top of this, different Once I achieve the colour I want, I then
and background and how these are papers and brands of paint will create relate that back to tone and how light or
affected by tonal recession, colour further variations. dark it should be.
temperature and edge definition. A tree Achieving accurate tone is vital and I often think watercolour was designed
in the foreground may appear dark in needs to become intuitive. The only for creating variety in edges, it does it
tone, a warm yellow in colour and have way to learn, in my experience, is by so well! If the object I’m painting has a
foliage with a broken, rough silhouette. experimenting on scrap watercolour soft edge, I wet the paper first. If I want
The same tree viewed from a mile paper. Always start with neat pigment the paint to travel, for a wide expanse of
away will be lighter in tone, bluer or and gradually add water to thin it down sky for instance, I use less pigment and
perhaps even grey in colour and have to the tone you want. This is far more more water. When painting forms that are
a much softer edge. The challenge is accurate and economical than starting soft yet defined, a distant belt of trees
then choosing the right techniques to with a puddle of water and filling it up perhaps, then it’s more pigment and less
describe the effect. with pigment! water. If edges are sharp or broken, the
Tonal recession when using Colour temperature – colours visually paper should be a Rough surface and
watercolour is, in theory, very simple: become cooler and greyer as they dry. It sounds simple, doesn’t it? TA

PRACTICAL
t STAGE THREE
Once all was dry, the distant hill was added
with a pale mix of cobalt blue and light red,
wetting the top edge of the contours where
the cloud was low. Working from background
to foreground, I then developed the distant
hedges and trees with progressively darker
mixes of raw umber and ultramarine blue,
dampening the paper with clear water to
soften edges where required. Note how the
trees behind the sheds help define their sunlit
roofs
q FINISHED PAINTING
Hazy Light, Chapel Cottage Studio, watercolour on Saunders Waterford High White Rough 140lb
(300gsm), 10314in (25.5335.5cm).
Finally, I added the dark shadows on the sheds with mixes of burnt sienna and ultramarine blue. To see further examples of Paul’s
Windows and doors were painted wet-in-wet, as these elements appeared soft in definition. work and details of his painting
Foreground hedges were created with darker mixes of green and brown for the shadows, courses and holidays, please visit
leaving the underpainting showing for the top-lit surfaces. Details such as the fences and the www.paulweaverart.co.uk
sapling on the left were added with a thick mix of burnt sienna and ultramarine blue

?????????
Liz Seward
taught and demonstrated for 36 years
and is a member of the Society of Women
Artists and the Society of Floral Painters.
She has exhibited widely, her work has
been reproduced as greetings cards and
she has won many awards.
For more information see
www.sewardart.co.uk
t Yellow and Orange, watercolour and

coloured pencil on HP paper, (14319in
(35.5348.5cm).
I paint this beautiful subject every year. The
combination of watercolour and coloured
A great
pencil works very well for this subject as the
pencil is used to define the circular flowers of
the mimosa, which I find more difficult with
a brush. Varying the pressure on the pencil
gives me the lost-and-found quality I need
combination EXERCISE
Try watercolour and coloured
pencil in a simple still life
Liz Seward recommends working with If you’ve never tried combining
watercolour with a drawing medium
coloured pencil over watercolour. Be inspired before, keep it simple. There’s nothing
as she demonstrates a still life in a combination worse than wrestling with a complicated
drawing when you’re not familiar with
of these media the materials you’re using. Pears, like
tulips, are a very simple shape and can
have many interesting colours. These will
I
cannot think of a better way of my natural inclination is to give the
make a simple place to start particularly
spending a day. I am in my studio, strokes a diagonal slant, but this does if they have some strong lighting and
listening to music, a cup of tea is give the paintings a curious feeling of interesting stalks. I wouldn’t clutter it
in my hand and I start to work in movement, so over the years I have up with jugs and plates, and strange
one of my favourite ways: watercolour trained myself to make them vertical. ornaments. I have just laid them out on
and coloured pencil. Why is this such There are many differing views on this; a serviette with unequal spaces, with the
a favourite of mine? It combines all my some artists like to make their strokes stalks arranged as if they were having a
favourite activities in painting – starting the same form as the object they are conversation.
loosely and letting watercolour have its drawing, some like a circular approach,
head, then bringing it all together with a there are no rules. Do whatever works
drawing medium. And what a medium! for you!
Working with pencils Setting up

These days, coloured pencils are a very I often don’t have to set a still life
sophisticated product, with large ranges up as they appear naturally in front
of bright permanent colours that can be of me. These ‘found’ still lifes are
used for any subject. Combining them usually the best; with a few tweaks
with watercolour gives me the best of all in their arrangement as they have an
possible worlds. authenticity about them. Often, they
Importantly, the tone of the pencil have a narrative quality, telling a story as I was having a tea break. The studio
can be increased by the pressure or describing a moment in time to be clutter behind did not appeal so I
used, lightly to produce pale tones remembered. I’m not a fan of artfully placed my mobile background (two
and heavily to produce dark tones. I contrived still life, complete with pieces of mountboard stuck together
am often asked about the direction unlikely drapes as a background. The with framing tape) behind to hide it,
of the strokes I make, which are arrangement in my demonstration which would allow me to make up the
mostly vertical. Being left-handed (right) turned up one day in my studio background as I went along.

DEMONSTRATION Tea and Tulips
MATERIALS
l Fabriano Artistico Hot Pressed Watercolour Paper, 600gsm
l Daniel Smith watercolours: pyrrol orange, quinacridone
rose, yellow hansa light, transparent yellow oxide, French
ultramarine, Prussian blue
l Caran d’Ache Luminance 6901 Lightfast Coloured Pencils: olive
brown 50%, scarlet, alizarin crimson, spring green, moss green,
dark sap green, malachite green, grey blue, Prussian blue,
Payne’s grey, raw umber and sepia
l Golden High Flow Acrylic: titanium white
My set up
p STAGE ONE
I spent some time drawing the subject, making sure none of
the ellipses had corners on them and had curves in all the right
places. Tulips are the most undemanding of flowers, with simple
shapes and bright colours. I start every painting, regardless of the
medium, by laying loose apparently random washes; however,
with watercolour I am slightly more circumspect. Working wet-
in-wet I try to make sure that the colours that I’m putting down
will assist anything that’s on top of them, for instance not placing
ultramarine blue where I planned to put bright scarlet red. Wet-
in-wet on HP paper is a slight challenge as the paint dries very p STAGE TWO
quickly because the surface doesn’t hold much moisture, so I I began to define the objects, keeping the watercolour loose because
worked quickly without fiddling, then let it dry completely the tightening up will be applied with the pencils along with the darkest
tones. Lights and middle tones were all I was interested in at this
stage. As with most watercolours, most of the definition of the objects
happens when the negative space around them is painted, keeping the
watercolour cleaner

COLOURED PENCILS
OVER WATERCOLOUR
p STAGE THREE
I noticed a compositional ‘hole’ opening up
on the left-hand side so I filled it with a tulip;
it will be duller than the rest because it will
be defined over blue paint but I can live with
that because it’s on the shadow side of the
painting. Using a scarlet pencil, I tinted and
defined the petals, giving them shape and form. I reserve all my attention for the ones nearest p FINISHED PAINTING
to me, leaving the flowers at the back softer. With alizarin crimson I darkened some of these Tea and Tulips, watercolour and coloured
areas on the flowers at the front. I gave the leaves the same treatment, keeping warm greens, pencil on HP paper, 21314in (53.5335.5cm).
spring green and moss green for the front, and malachite green for the back, with dark sap Next came my favourite bit. Using raw
green for the darker areas where the leaves bend. Grey blue was used to define the stems in the umber and sepia sharpened to an extremely
vase, with a light touch of malachite green, and the vase defined by lightly colouring the area fine point, I created texture and form in
behind it with Prussian blue. The same treatment was given to the mug. Sepia was used lightly the teacake, including all the currants. The
for the shadow in the tea original watercolour wash helped as I didn’t
have to lay any warmer colours for the
toasted bit. The fine point helped me put in
LIZ’S TOP TIPS the crumbs and the cracks in the top. I used
l Keep a sketchbook, any size, and use it daily. The watercolour and pencil combination Prussian blue to make some of the currants
favours good drawing skills, so practise! darker on their shadow side. Olive brown
l Use good quality Hot Pressed Watercolour paper. A Not surface will make the finish gave me the shadow in the butter and Payne’s
too grainy. grey, used at various pressures, the shadows
l Choose coloured pencils that are lightfast and have a good colour range. and reflections in the knife. Prussian blue was
used for the shadows both on and under the
l Keep the watercolour palette to six colours; the pencils will give you all the colours
plate. To make the bottom right-hand corner
you need.
of the piece more interesting I drew a cloth
l Keep the watercolour part of the painting loose, the pencil will tighten it later and
with a diagonal crease. The background was
probably mask ‘dodgy’ bits.
given more definition with Prussian blue and
l Keep your pencils sharpened, with good points, using either a good-quality sharpener Payne’s grey. Finishing touches were made
or a knife and sandpaper block to fine the point. with white acrylic ink, then I rubbed the wax
l Practise varying the pressure applied on the pencil for variations in tone. blender over some of the areas to mix and
intensify the colours

Charlie, acrylic on gessoed board 636in
(15315cm).
The day was fantastically sunny, which
meant it was difficult to get the right shot of
this white dog – one that did not reflect too
much light and make him appear bleached
out, although with too much contre jour he
would lose shape and look too dark. So, I got
him to turn slightly to catch some sunlight,
which defined shape and form with reflected
light from the ground. For the painting,
I began with the darks of the eyes, nose,
and mouth, then blocked in the blue greys,
using ultramarine, ivory black and titanium
white. In the light reflection under his chin I
added yellow ochre, mixing it on the board
before the paint had a chance to dry. I added
slightly lighter blue greys then I applied the
background colour to generate contrast. At
the end of the painting I brushed on thick
titanium white to define the light shapes and
to create the forms of the fur and whiskers
Perfect pet portraits

Paul Talbot-Greaves offers some great advice for painting a
pet using acrylics, with tips on lighting, background and how to
obtain a good reference photo
W
hat better way of practising tortoise, they are not likely to keep still surprise present for a spouse or partner,
your art than creating a long enough for a painting session of I am forced into making clandestine
painting study of your any length. At one time, I would make arrangements, which I suppose might
pet. Familiarity with your candid sketch studies of my cat, but the look a little suspect to an observer.
subject goes a long way towards success minute I pointed a camera at him, he Nevertheless, I try to get the animal
and you will already be familiar with would come to investigate the lens up to pose in different directions, full-
your pet in terms of colour, size, type of close. I do not know why, but animals on, half-on, looking back and turning
fur and so on. You will also be familiar seem to take on a sense of mischief to the side, rather like a modelling
with their character, which will help whenever I try to photograph them. assignment. It is important to make
to infuse any recognisable traits your When taking the photograph, try to get it fun so that the pet is happy. And
pet may have. We are all different and some good lighting. Strong daylight is they usually are if their owner is doing
animals are no exception – especially the best. You want to achieve a good the directing. I take up to a hundred
pets – from the shy temperament types balance of light and shade to give the shots and consider myself lucky if I
to the disruptive ones, the cheeky animal form, depth, and shape without get one or two that make the grade. If
biscuit thief to the ‘I’ll do anything for a losing definition. I have had numerous you get the right subject material, the
bit of salmon’ personalities. When you commissions where the owner has sent painting has a good chance of having
know the character of an animal, you are me photographs in which the light is strong impact. Work out in your mind
more likely to capture that in a portrait either flat, or worse taken indoors at what you want to achieve before you
or figure study. night without exposure compensation, begin, whether it’s head-and-shoulders
or direct lighting. The results are usually or full animal in a setting. If there is a
Design a dark orange dog in the shadows – background involved, it is worth looking
So where do we begin? Well as with maybe a nice informal photograph, but to see if there are any distracting
any other painting subject, the picture totally unacceptable for a commission shapes or confusing colours. Sometimes
should begin with good design. Not painting. Or any kind of painting to be backgrounds are good as they are, other
every angle or lighting is going to be shown at its best, for that matter. So, as times they may need to be changed.
suitable, so take time to get this right. an alternative, I arrange to meet them
This article assumes you will be working in a park on a sunny afternoon when Backgrounds
from a photograph, although you might the light is slightly soft and a little lower It is worth trying out various options
want to make studies from life, too. in the sky. This generates cast shadow of background before you start to
The main problem here is that unless and is less intense than full midday paint. The traditional way is to make
your pet is asleep or a slow-moving sun. If the painting is going to be a thumbnail paintings, not detailed but

ACRYLICS
t STAGE ONE
I used a pencil to draw out the
DEMONSTRATION head and position of the eyes,
Binks nose and mouth and I spent a
little time carefully getting the
structure right. You could just
as easily trace the outline onto
MATERIALS your surface. I see my drawing as
l Acrylic colours: ivory a guideline but not an outline,
black, titanium white, which gives me more freedom
yellow ochre, burnt with the brushwork. With ivory
sienna, Winsor violet black and a size 8 flat brush, I
l Brushes: size 8 flat, size 6 worked in the darkest darks
flat, size 4 round
p STAGE TWO p STAGE THREE

The shift in light on the fur is very subtle, so I made a very gradual step Next, I set some of the greys around the mouth using ivory black and
towards the light. I mixed Winsor violet with ivory black and a tiny titanium white, along with adding further mid-values to the form of
amount of titanium white and broadly painted on the shapes with a the head
size 6 flat brush to give the head a little form
with enough shape and value to give an quickly, allowing you to layer or change blending on the surface before the
impression of how the painting might passages. There are many ways of paint dries and ending up with thickly
look at the end. Try different colours, working and in this demonstration I applied lights. TA
values, and shapes to complement your used a traditional oil-style approach

subject. A poor background can really on gessoed board. With this method,
let down a portrait. A more modern way I began with the darkest darks using
is to use some photo-editing software; ivory black. Part of my painting process
with a little homework, it is fairly easy to is to look and work out where these
load your photo reference and recolour darks are going to be before I begin. I
the background or alter the values or place the black and take care through
shapes. It is even possible to paste a the painting process not to overpaint
background from another photograph or obliterate it with other colours. Next
to see how it might look if it were part come the mid-values, building up
of the painting. The overall aim through the shapes and forms. It is important
Paul Talbot-Greaves
works in watercolour, acrylic and oil
the design process is to eliminate any here not to become distracted by and teaches courses, workshops, and
poor decisions and conflicts, to have a sentimentality, but to focus instead on demonstrations to art societies throughout
solid plan of what you want to achieve the colour shapes and values of the the Midlands and the North of England.
and how you intend to achieve it. subject as it is these elements that will He can be contacted by email:
make the painting. My process is dark- ptgart@outlook.com or through his website:
Working in acrylic to-light, working with neat acrylic colour www.talbot-greaves.com
Acrylic is quick, bold and it dries mixed with only a tiny amount of water,

PRACTICAL
t STAGE FOUR
Still working through mid-values, I mixed a warm shade
from yellow ochre, titanium white and a small amount
of ivory black, which I added to the neck and nose. I
also darkened the black fur to the side of the chest as a
precursor to the white being added
u STAGE FIVE
Using a size 6 flat brush with
titanium white, I placed the
white of the fur, using layers
and drag brush to achieve
depth. Once I had worked up
the contrast in the painting,
I began to detail the eyes
p STAGE SIX
With a small size 4 synthetic round brush I
carefully painted the eyes, starting with the
dark pupils, then adding a touch of burnt
sienna and finally using a light grey mix
for the light reflection. The dog had a part
closure of her left eye, which was part of her
character, so I was careful to capture that
u FINISHED PAINTING
Binks, acrylic on gessoed board, 636in
(15315cm).
I added a warm, mid-value background to
complement the cool colours of the fur and
to add balance between the contrasts of
lights and darks. I used this application to
reshape the left ear, which I had somehow
painted a little too large. I built up some more
highlights around the head and finished with
the whiskers using titanium white

OILS & ACRYLICS
Paint lively street scenes

from photographs
What do you do when you’re not able to paint in
situ? You work from photographs, says Adebanji
Alade, who shares his techniques for painting
vibrant urban scenes using different media
T
here are times when you find eagle-eyed, not wanting to miss any
yourself with a spectacular golden moment. Sometimes I do really
scene right before you. The think we artists are a bit crazy, or who
composition is right, the light else would be doing this on a double
Adebanji Alade is perfect and the atmosphere is just decker?
is Vice President of the Royal Institute of super, but you don’t have your painting Back in the studio, I set myself a time
Oil Painters. He can be seen presenting gear with you. This has happened to limit of 1½ to 2 hours so the painting
art documentaries on BBC TV’s The me so many times that I decided I will be as fresh and vibrant as it would if
One Show and is always willing to would always have my mobile phone on it were painted on site. Also I make sure
do demonstrations, workshops and stand-by for when I come upon a scene I don’t get bogged down with details;
one-to-one coaching on painting and worth painting. just an overall big picture executed with
drawing if contacted directly. He also the right amount of information needed
teaches at Heatherley’s School of Fine Catching the action to convey the message will suffice.
Art and The Art Academy. Adebanji’s first
Most of the time when I am travelling For the paintings in this article I used
book, The Addictive Sketcher, is available
at a discounted price from our online
by bus in London I sit on the upper very good picture references, which
bookstore: http://bit.ly/3cw1AUX deck so I can see things from another I made sure I gridded, either with a
http://adebanjialade.co.uk/ perspective, and this has paid off grid drawing tool* or manually. When
most of the time. I sit in the front, painting indoors I love painting from
DEMONSTRATION Lunch Time, Côte For this painting I used the inside-out technique, where everything was painted shape
by shape and almost brought to completion as I worked.
MY REFERENCE PHOTO
u STAGE ONE
After drawing in
the grids I made a
detailed sketch with
a Winsor & Newton
Brushmarker in warm
grey. I planned to work
from dark to light, so
the first thing I did was
to paint the shadow
between the sign and
the awning. For a very
rich dark like this I
mix alizarin crimson,
ultramarine blue and
viridian green with a
touch of burnt sienna
What really caught my attention here was the people or red to keep the blacks warm rather than cool. This is because on a sunny day the
sitting outside the café, lit up under the shade of black colours absorb heat and look better when they are painted with a bit of warmth.
the awning. The photo was gridded using the tools For this first demo I used the Inside-out technique, where everything is painted shape
mentioned earlier by shape and almost brought to completion as I go along

PRACTICAL
my computer screen and since these and then the only thing that was on my their photos in Photoshop before
tools are all online, I simply project the mind was to get to the studio to paint it painting, but I would rather try to get
image on to my screen and work up the immediately, before I forgot the feeling a natural moment where everything is
image on my surface with the same grid of what first drew me to it. almost 90-per cent right and, the truth
on the screen. The secret is to make I spotted the scene for Spring Light, is, I haven’t mastered Photoshop to that
sure your picture is proportional to the King’s Road (page 31) while on a No.22 level. Please feel free to use whatever
surface you are going to be working bus from my studio to Green Park; method suits you. TA
on and that the grids have the same when we stopped for pedestrians to
amount of squares going vertically and pass I was able to capture some figures *Grid Drawing Tool by Art Tutor
horizontally. walking across, from above eye-level. http://www.griddrawingtool.com
I particularly loved the shadow shape Accurasee Art Tool Design, Grid and Value
The paintings on the right side of the scene; it helped Tool, app for iPhone and iPad
My first demonstration, Lunch Time, Côte, in creating the right amount of drama
below, is a view I spotted from the top needed to keep the design interesting Readers of our digital issue can also
deck of a No.11 bus while travelling and for the painting to work overall. I follow Adebanji’s demonstration
from my studio in Chelsea to Charing took about 25 shots in the space of 90 painting Summer Light, Oxford Street. To
Cross. Thinking it would make a good seconds and I ended up choosing the subscribe to The Artist digital edition go
painting, I was fast enough to snap it best one. Some artists can manipulate to: https://bit.ly/2yW77Fe
‘Most of the time when I am

travelling by bus in London
I sit on the upper deck so I
can see things from another
perspective’
p STAGE TWO
I mapped out where the next bit of dark was going to be. Following my
sketch, I left the places where the figures would be. The strokes were laid
down with the square brush technique, very bold and free. I made sure
I didn’t overwork the brushstrokes, I just lay them side-by-side without
overworking the oil paint, to keep it fresh
p STAGE THREE
The pavement was next; it looked warm, so I mixed mostly
viridian and alizarin crimson to get a grey, to which I added
some white and yellow ochre to produce a slightly warmer
grey. Again, the strokes were laid very loosely, following the
movement of the pavement, mostly in a horizontal manner
t STAGE FOUR
For this stage I painted the cooler side of the pavement – using
more of the alizarin crimson and viridian and less yellow ochre
and white. Remember, everything was painted with a bit of
speed, as though I were painting outside w

OILS & ACRYLICS
u STAGE FIVE
My focus moved towards the striped awning, which must show
the heat coming from the sun and appear detached from the
darks of the café. To achieve this I mixed the cooler pavement
colour for most of it in one clear brushstroke sweep and added
the colours of the warmer pavement for the stripes. Each stripe
was pulled off in one stroke, with no hesitation, as I would when
painting outdoors, keeping everything to a minimal effect. After
this, I began painting the shapes of the figures because that is
all that matters: no details, just the shapes. These shapes were
painted with light colours but with a loaded round pointed
sable, so as to have a very heavy impasto look – this makes the
figures lively and crisp against the dark background
t STAGE SIX
The figures and the tables were my main focus at this stage.
I also flicked some warm colours into the dark background
to suggest some life going on inside, I didn’t want it looking
dead. While painting the figures the goal was to make sure
every stroke of the round sable No. 2 brush was loaded with
thick paint and that every shape was placed only once; the
key here is to think deeply before laying the stroke – the rule
less-is-more always prevails
p STAGE SEVEN
The figure on the left and the flowerpots
on the far right and left were carefully
painted in at this stage. Everything was
painted thick: no medium, just the juicy
oil straight from the tube
t FINISHED PAINTING
Lunch Time Côte, oil on board 8310in
(20.5325.5cm).
For this stage, I assumed the role of a
sign writer, carefully inscribing the name
of the café on to the striped awning and
on the horizontal sign, making sure that
the writing on the awning followed the
diagonal movement of the stripes so that
it looks believable. And that’s it – with a
few crisp marks on the pavement I was
able to knock this off in approximately 90
minutes, just as I would have done if I had
been painting it on the spot

PRACTICAL
DEMONSTRATION Spring Light, King’s Road

Here I chose to work using the outside-in technique, where everything was blocked in first, before finishing off with the details. When I
use acrylics I use them thick and straight from the tube – I hardly mix or dilute them with medium or water. I like to keep the paint thick
and juicy. I love Winsor & Newton Artist Acrylics and Liquitex Artist Acrylics.
This scene is so interesting. It has the right angles, the right shapes and the play p STAGE ONE
of light and shadows in and around it, just makes it work perfectly for me. To
I worked in acrylic for this painting. The board was
get this image on to my board I didn’t use the online grid tool; instead I used an
gessoed with four coats – I mixed a peachy colour
old grid method I learnt in my college days. With this method I make sure I draw
diagonals on top of the print of the picture from corner to corner. I also draw from white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna and touch of
verticals and horizontals from the centre of the horizontal sides and the centre of ultramarine blue. I sketched the main components of
the vertical sides. You can see what I mean in Stage 1 (above right). the scene with a Winsor & Newton Brushmarker (dark
I use a white ink pen to do this, so that it stands out, but I use a black ink pen on cool grey). The grid lines were added with a grey pencil
any white areas of the picture
t STAGE TWO
As you can see, everything almost looks complete at this stage,
because all I did was block in the main shapes in the scene, taking
note of soft edges and hard edges. The soft edges show up in
places like the shadow area on the left, where different tones
of colour are closely fused together. The hard edges show up
mainly where things are separated from each other, like sky from
buildings, the bus from the shadow area and the people from
the pavement. When working with this method, it is vital to keep
edges in mind; it will help in keeping the scene real and believable
u FINISHED PAINTING
Spring Light, King’s Road, acrylic on board,
16320in (40.5351cm).
This is where the scene took on a bit more
detail in every area. The tree in the shadow
area on the right, the markings on the bus and
the suggestion of windows on the Peter Jones
building on the left are some of the main areas
where details were added. This painting was
finished in approximately two hours. The time
restrictions really help when it comes to keeping
the scene alive and sketchy

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
DEMONSTRATION
Summer Light, Oxford Street
For this painting I used gouache, which is such a wonderful medium, very forgiving
and it produces some of the purest and brightest colours when mixed
p STAGE ONE
As the scene was in a square format and I was using an
838in watercolour paper, I ruled my grid lines to get the
picture in proportion. They totalled eight squares across
and eight squares down, each square being
one inch
q STAGE TWO
I sketched out the main components of the scene with a brown
coloured pencil, before starting with the gouache painting. You
can see here that after treating the sky, my next mission was to
paint all the shadow shapes and darks quite quickly. I used a
No. 4 sable round to achieve this
MY REFERENCE PHOTO
Before social distancing London’s Oxford Street buzzed with human
activity. It had everything: buses, cars, shop signs and figures and it
was possible to create a powerful urban landscape. On this day I was
instantly drawn to the buses, the shadows and the people. Of the 50-
odd shots I took this one satisfied all my requirements. It had a useful
shadow on the left that created a good design with angles that help
the scene to come alive in the light areas. Also there was just the right
number of figures to create the crowd and, the lady whose red top
echoed the colour of the buses, provided an instant harmonious effect!
t STAGE THREE
I added more shapes, mainly dark ones around and inside the
main bus in front of the scene. I also introduced some darks on the
rickshaw and square windows to the buildings on the right
New logo_Layout 1 02/07/2014 14:52 Page 1
31i artist December 2020 www.painters-online.co.uk

PRACTICAL
u STAGE FOUR
At this stage I concentrated on the figures, just looking for simple shapes to
define them. The key here, as mentioned in the other demonstrations, is to
keep it simple
t STAGE FIVE
More details and refinement were added. Most of the strokes
near the people area were added using a very vertical
application to suggest movement and speed. I flicked my brush
with very light greyish white paint to achieve this movement
u FINISHED PAINTING
Summer Light, Oxford Street, gouache on
watercolour paper, 838in (20.5320.5cm).
At this stage, I refined the whole scene with a
Winsor & Newton Brushmarker in cool dark grey
to get some of the drawing back, as well as to add
lots of detail to all over the painting
I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing how I paint scenes

from photographs when I can’t paint from life.
Please note that painting from photographs is no
substitute for painting from life. To really achieve
this kind of vitality and energy in your paintings
you MUST paint lots of pieces outdoors as that
will give you all the knowledge you need when
you’re painting indoors.
Always record in your sketchbook what really
attracted you to a particular place and keep
this in mind when painting the scene indoors.
Remember to set a time for your exercise and
keep it loose and simple. Finally, always keep in
mind that less is more!
New logo_Layout 1 02/07/2014 14:52 Page 1
www.painters-online.co.uk artist December 2020 31ii

?????????
t Chapel Street, watercolour, 143/43103/4in
(37327cm).
A flat, simple wash gives us all we need to
represent a moody, miserable day. A grey,
dull sky is important for a rainy day where
the middle ground is very complex. Keep the
wash nice and smooth and paint it quickly
and with confidence. Big brush, lots of water.
There was no colour used in the sky, simply
dirty water from the water jug
it quickly and with confidence. It is a

great way to establish the light and
what kind of day and time of day you’re
dealing with. It is also a very good sky
to choose when the focus of the scene
is busy. Remember to balance out the
composition. A busy scene with a busy
sky can be overwhelming to the eye and
lead to an unsuccessful and confused
piece of work. Whatever colouring you
choose, err on the side of lighter tones,
rather than heavy, to ensure the scene
won’t lose its luminosity and lustre.
The way I paint a flat washed sky is to
spray the paper a little first to help the
wash take effect and, more importantly,
to alleviate some of the harsh straight
lines that can develop on bone-dry
paper. Next, just attack it! Go crazy!
While the paper is wet you can paint in
whatever direction you like, as long as
it is done quickly and with confidence
and you do not go back over anything
once it has started to dry. The end
result will be a nice, flat, subtle sky that
will serve as a great source of light.
The graded wash
Techniques for We paint this with the same approach

that we use for the flat wash. The big
difference is we lighten the tone as we
get closer to the horizon by using clear
great skies water instead of paint. You can also use

a different colour towards the horizon
of course, but please make sure it is
lighter in value than the top of the sky.
This is a great one for dawn or dusk
work. The light-valued horizon makes
Tony White shares his methods for painting for a great backdrop for into-the-light
silhouette scenes with buildings and
successful skies that will establish the mood and figures, etcetera.
atmosphere of your watercolour paintings The loose clouds
Loose clouds are a favourite to paint
because you just let loose! While
W
ho doesn’t love a can make or break a painting and can I adhere to the ‘rule’ of tone being
good sky? Skies are a transform an otherwise boring scene lighter at the horizon, I apply clean
fundamental part of into one that is strong and lively. water to random sections of the sky
landscape painting and area, then proceed to add colours to
play a very important role in the overall The flat wash those wet areas, which in turn leaves
success of a piece. Most of the time, the To have the flat wash technique in your the dry paper as our clouds. I finesse
light and luminosity in a painting comes repertoire is essential and it will always any unnatural looking edges with clean
from how strongly the sky is painted: it do its job for you as long as you paint water and let it dry. Grey, blue, orange – w

PRACTICAL
p Big Sky, watercolour, 103/43143/4in (27337cm). q Lonely, watercolour, 63143/4in (15337cm).

Sometimes it is good to flip the script – a dark horizon and a big, bright A deserted train car makes for a nice composition. I used a loose
sky. This can work well, especially when the sky is a feature element of the sky with a warm horizon – the loose clouds approach really works
scene. The brightness in the sky would not be anywhere near as effective here. The sky is busy enough without overtaking or dominating
if I hadn’t left a lot of white paper showing. This effect is essential when the scene, which is balanced out by the simple foreground. Colours
wanting to create that blinding light. Colours used in the sky were yellow used in the sky were cobalt blue, a touch of burnt sienna to create
ochre, cerulean blue and lavender the grey and a little yellow ochre at the horizon

WATERCOLOUR
t BHP54 Newcastle, watercolour,
103/43143/4in (27337cm).
This is a good example of a benign, loose sky
complemented by a busy subject. Notice how
I haven’t worried about a few ‘cauliflowers’
here and there in the sky? It is watercolour
and they are a part of our unique and
unpredictable medium. For the sky I used
cobalt blue, washed in parts with clean water
TONY’S TIPS FOR

INTERESTING SKIES
I hope these tips encourage you to be
more adventurous and freer with your
skies
l Don’t make your skies too strong.
l A mixture of cool and warm is always
good.
l Leave white gaps; use the paper’s
texture.
l Let it rip! Don’t be timid. We’re only
painting!
‘Remember that to get maximum depth

and distance, you should ensure the cloud a mixture of all three or of anything you
shapes that are close to the horizon are want, really. The most important part
with this is to work quickly and make
smaller than those at the top’ sure that you are left with a good variety
of edges and that any straight lines or
arrow shapes that may have formed
are softened. This will make life easier
when you’re looking at the finished
product because, I assure you, those
clumsy hard shapes in the sky will haunt
you for the rest of your days.
The stormy normy

When needing a big, forbidding cloud
shape, I like to do it in two stages.
Usually the sky is painted in a set and
forget kind of way. You do it first, you
do it quickly and then you move on.
For my kind of stormy clouds, I paint
my initial sky with the loose clouds
approach, then when the entire scene
is completed and perfectly dry, I mix
up my big, dark cloud colour. I like
indigo here but use whatever you like.
I wet the area of the sky where my dark
cloud will be with clean water, then just
float my brush around and get plenty
of that dark stuff on there. Let it flow
and run. Keep a tissue handy to mop
up any unruly drips – no-one likes an
unruly drip! Flip the board up and over
and side to side. Remember that to
p Hawks Nest, watercolour, 103/43143/4in (27337cm). get maximum depth and distance, you
This was great fun to paint. It’s an example of painting the stronger clouds over the underneath should ensure the cloud shapes that
wash. A patch of pure white paper can give us that effect of blinding sunlight. The initial sky are close to the horizon are smaller
wash was subtle and soft, then once it was bone dry, I went in with the stronger tones around than those at the top. Work it for as long
the white section to really push it and make the sky quite intimidating and full of life. The as you like, as long as it is all still wet,
colours used in the sky were ultramarine, yellow ochre and neutral tint you’ll be fine. TA

PRACTICAL
p Typical Day in Franklin, watercolour, 10¾314¾in

(27337cm).
This is a good example of a one-and-done approach:
a few brushstrokes, a bit of water, a bit of dry paper
and some slightly stronger pigment here and there.
It’s interesting without being over-powering. The main
focus of the piece is quite busy, I didn’t want to confuse
that compositionally by having the sky take over from
the main event. I used the little bits and bobs from the
corners of my mixing wells for the sky colours – these
little bits often create the best greys
u St John’s, Hobart, watercolour, 14¾310¾in

(37327cm).
I painted into the light to produce this unorthodox sky,
in which warm and cool tones mingle. Don’t be scared
to play around with colours in your skies – remember
you are creating art, not decoration, so if you’re feeling
a green sky, paint a green sky. These skies can often
become very striking, especially when accompanied
by a strong silhouette. Here I used transparent orange,
lavender and yellow ochre
Tony White
is an Australian watercolour artist.
Tony has established a following
with collectors and students,
selling work in Europe as well as
Australia. He tutors workshops for
art societies, the Bathurst School of
Arts and Brisbane Painting Classes.
View more of Tony’s work on his
YouTube channel and his website:
www.tonywhitewatercolour.com

OILS
Self-portraits
Kathy Barker
studied fine art painting at Wimbledon
School of Art and portraiture at Charles
Cecil Studio, Florence. Kathy tutored for
several years at West Dean College. She
teaches at the Roehampton Club, London,
from life
and holds a weekly portrait class from
the light red to the lighter side. Your
her studio in Fulham. She has exhibited Kathy Barker basic skin tint colour is made from your
with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
and exhibits annually with the Society demonstrates a vermilion or cadmium red light, yellow
of Women Artists, of which she is an ochre and white. You can mix either way
associate member.
self-portrait in oils as in terms of more pink or more ochre
www.kathybarker.co.uk she takes you through by adjusting the ratios of the hue you
choose. To knock the brightness back to
the materials you’ll need, be a more natural-looking colour add a
dash of your grey or try using a little raw
setting up and
P
ainting a self-portrait isn’t that umber.
easy! Although you have a the painting process I worked on a portrait-shaped canvas
tinted with a thin wash (thinned with
consistent model – you – who
will wear the same attire and turpentine) made from a mixture of
turn up for the occasion on demand. a really expensive Chinese vermilion, yellow ochre, light red and a little ivory
The difficulty lies in maintaining the Venetian red and ivory black. You can black. Use a rag lightly to take off extra
consistency of pose because you, also add raw umber to your palette as paint.
the model, are moving as you paint, it’s very useful. Pinks are made from The medium I use is Michael Harding
unless of course you are painting from a red and white and a dash of grey (made oleo resin or use refined linseed oil.
photograph. from ivory black and white) to push The rule of thumb is fat over lean – that
it back if too bright. Altering ratios of is, you can add more medium to your
Materials these colours can take you into the colours as you develop your painting.
For this self-portrait I used an earth lilacs, just as ivory black or yellow ochre So always start with little to no medium
palette, mostly Old Holland paints: can give you your warm or cold hues in your paint when sketching or blocking
titanium white, or you could use that you can tonally alter with white. in your initial lay-in.
Michael Harding warm white if desired You can modify hues with light red Brushes: filberts are great for portrait
as titanium has a lot of power, yellow and Venetian red, the latter should be painting but you can of course use
ochre, light red, cadmium red light or kept to the shadow side of the face and rounds and flats. Hog hair brushes are
great for stumbling backgrounds, laying
in, applying thick paint or
dragging and thinning and
giving a textural mark. You
will also need a range of
filberts, either synthetic or
proper sable and a double
zero round brush for the
highlights in the eyes.
Set-up
As you can see in the set-up
(left), the mirror was on
another easel and placed as
adjacent as possible to the
canvas on the other easel.
You can see me taking a
picture of the set-up in the
mirror reflection and in the
mirror you can also see a
reflection of the back of
my head. The other thing
to note about this set-up
is that the window, my

PRACTICAL
directional light source, is to the right changing across your face. photographs you see of yourself, some
of my canvas. This would translate to I find that when I paint a self-portrait are very you, others not so much, some
being able to see a shadow side to my I have to be extra vigilant as it can be you like and others you dislike. It is the
face and also helps to pin the nose, tainted with a preconceived idea of how same for portrait painting.
as it will have a shadow pattern even I think I look. Remember, when you are You will notice that, as the painting
if it is a small one. The problem with painting from a mirror it is not the same progressed, I changed the mirror
having a good light source that can view that someone else looking at you because I thought the way the corner of
be seen in the mirror reflection is that has, but a reversed reflection. Stand the frame was jutting into my collar was
you may lose some of the light on your with your hand over your right eye. In too disturbing. I also decided to change
actual canvas. This is really why my the mirror you see a reflection with what I wore in the mirror reflection as
canvas was set up more sideways to the a hand over the right eye. Then, turn I was painting on the third hottest day
window – the canvas also gets a little yourself around to the same position in England and it was like an oven in
bit of light and you can see the colours of the figure in the mirror. That’s right my studio. This self-portrait, therefore,
you are using. You also need to paint at – your hand is no longer on the same acts as a literal record of our baking hot
the same time of day, so that the light side as that of the figure in the mirror. 2020 weather and it suggests a passage
source remains consistent; if you have a Besides that little nuance, everyone of time between the portrait and the
north-facing source of light you will not who knows you will have an opinion portrait reflection. It also imparts an
have to worry about shadow patterns on how they see you. Just think about element of unintended surrealism. TA
DEMONSTRATION Self-Portrait
t STAGE ONE
It is quite a good idea to sketch out your drawing in
charcoal. Once you have done your drawing, dab it back
with a rag as you don’t want to have grit and dust in your
paint dirtying your colours
‘The rule of thumb is fat over

lean – that is, you can add more
medium to your colours as you
develop your painting’
u STAGE TWO
You can see that initial lay-in tones have been washed in. Note that
at this stage there is no difference between the bridge of the nose
and the cheek on the light side of the face. It’s a very simple pattern
filling-in of darker and lighter values. Not too much attention has
been paid to colour: a wash of black for the shirt, a thinned mixture
of yellow ochre with black and/or raw umber, which is a great colour
for initially sketching the drawing in and filling in the shadows. For
the light skin tone a mixture of yellow ochre, white, cadmium red
light and a spot of grey was used. The colour at this stage is less
important than the value

OILS
q u STAGE THREE
A little more colour was creeping in and more
detailed brushstrokes describing dentations below
the eyes, and more emphasis on the cheekbone.
Note how the top lip is darker and filled in
compared to the lighter bottom lip. The tone under
the bottom lip describes where the end of the
bottom lip is. Also notice that the value between
the shadow on the left cheek and jaw merges with
the neck as there was little to no jaw line separation
for me in my lighting set-up – there was really just
a little reflected light, which can be added at a later
stage
t q STAGE FOUR
You can see more colour has been built up. It was
summer and I was hot and getting hotter and, as
the portrait progressed, I got browner! This is also
something to think about. Painting flesh tones is better
with no tan but It was just too hot not to be outside. You
can also see that each stage looks like the same model
but small changes or a brushstroke here or there can
quite alter the look of someone and here I have a slightly
less stern look than in the previous stage. The irises
have had a little grey added, which lightens them. Note
that the little dot highlights in the pupils are put on last
with a size 00 brush. You literally dot it just once with a
feather-light touch. If it goes wrong or the highlights of
both eyes do not correspond to each other then repaint
the pupil with black and have another go

PRACTICAL
p FINISHED PAINTING
Self-Portrait, oil on canvas, 193/43153/4in (50340cm).
This is a refinement of the last stage, smoothing some hard edges of lines. I tried to maintain a softer set of my lips, slightly turning up the corners
of the mouth into the beginning of a smile, which helps the jaw line and mellows the expression a little. The way the hair falls changes a little from
sitting to sitting, so you can see how over the stages the forehead line has shifted, as has the parting, tiny tweaks of width and angles of face have
also been modified. This is the stage you get to refine and go for what you want. I cooled the background hue to make the contrast of my skin tone
less tanned or orange

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Inspiration from The Artist archives

Since our first issue was published in 1931 we have developed a huge
resource of practical help and advice, tips and information from past
features, which we invite today’s readers to enjoy on our website at
www.painters-online.co.uk. To access this great content from past issues
of The Artist, go to the links below each of these highlighted features
Painting fine details in acrylics

After a career working with photography, in
this feature from our December 2000 issue,
Alison Rankin reveals how she enjoys letting
paint work for her, scumbling, stippling, Street life
scrubbing and reworking to achieve the Gerald Green
effects she wants. https://bit.ly/2G6Hvt1 advises on how
to paint street
scenes that look
Irish skies lively, but not
Barry Herniman shows how he used watercolour cluttered, in this
and pastels to capture inspiring scenes of brilliant feature from
light and intense colour on a painting trip to Ireland our November
in this feature from our December 2000 issue. 2000 issue
https://bit.ly/3ngaxqT https://bit.ly/30FDbIj
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TOOLS AND TRICKS OF THE TRADE
Line and wash

Milly England
Try your hand at line and wash paintings with
is an artist and illustrator. She studied Milly England. Here she recommends nibs and
at Wimbledon School of Art before
working for Dame Julia Peyton-Jones at inks to use and shares her tips for adding the wash
the Serpentine Gallery in London and
then spent ten years with Damien Hirst.
Milly accepts private and commercial
commissions and holds painting
workshops. For more information see Horadam pans – but I frequently change One of the reasons I usually like to use
www.millyengland.co.uk my ink, nibs and pens for the line a technical drawing pen, like the Uniball
drawings. Eye, is that I can work quickly, moving
My standard go-to for ink has always backwards and forwards across the page
been a technical pen – the Uniball Eye very easily. I have a fairly ‘scribbly’ style
I
frequently use a line and wash in Micro. However, more and more I am that doesn’t work as well with a dip pen
technique in my work for both art experimenting with different inks and and can render me prone to a little ink
commissions and for illustration – I dip pens. There are pros and cons to splattering. The bottled ink also takes
love the characterful results made both types of pen, so in this article I’m quite a lot longer to dry, so I have to
possible by the wide range of pens, going to discuss my preference of inks be a lot more aware of smudging and
nibs and inks available. I always use and nibs and the combination in which I I usually like my drawing board to be
the same watercolours – Schmincke like to use them. quite vertical whereas with a dip pen I w
INKS The most popular ink, traditionally, is black Indian ink, known for its dense black colour
and for being completely waterproof once dry. There is a huge range of waterproof
drawing inks to experiment with; varying colours, properties and finish allows for vast
differences in results as well as the option of acrylic inks, such as Daler-Rowney FW
Acrylic Inks, which are lightfast and intermixable.
The inks I use most frequently are:

l Winsor & Newton ink in black – my go-to ink, a very permanent and very black
ink with a matt finish. It has never failed me – no bleeding when the watercolour
wash is added.
l Liquitex Professional Acrylic Ink in muted grey – this is lovely as it has the clarity
of black ink but isn’t quite so stark, allowing for a softer finish. It has a slight sheen
when dry and it dries quickly and permanently.
l Encre Sennelier 438 sepia – a deep brown shellac-based ink with a shiny satin
finish.
l Sumi Ink 60 Kuretake – matt black ink, intended for Manga drawing and perfect
for calligraphy. It is so smooth to work with but although it is supposed to be
permanent when dry, it definitely isn’t! As long as you’re aware of this you can
create lovely effects when applying a watercolour wash with a little control.
l Higgins Fadeproof brown – it allows for lighter tones than the Sennelier in sepia.
Waterproof when dry with a matt finish, it is lovely on cream paper.
l Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed Proof white – perfect for adding opaque and bleed-proof
highlights as the finishing touches to a painting. It needs a good stir and a little
water added but it works perfectly with a dip pen.

TOOLS AND TRICKS OF THE TRADE
NIBS
For nibs I usually use one of the following:
l Nikko G – this nib is smooth and responsive to work with. It has a medium
flexibility and the most reliable nib I use. It lasts well and provides a consistent
flow of ink. I always feel in control when I work with this nib.
l A mapping pen – not the easiest of pens and nibs to work with as they can be
a little inconsistent, but they create the finest of lines whilst also being able to
create broad marks – great for variation and detail.
l Hiro Leonardt 6H – this has a really fine but strong nib that is suitable for very
detailed drawing. It’s so fine that it can be quite scratchy so I always use Botanical
Ultra Smooth paper to allow it to move more easily.
I also love:
l Hiro Leonardt 256 – a smooth nib with a very consistent line, great if you don’t
want any variation in stroke width.
l Hiro Leonardt No 700 – again this creates great variation but it is very flexible to
work with. It needs to be used gently otherwise the nib can bend permanently
within seconds of starting work.
l Platinum Carbon Ink Pen in medium and extra fine – a fountain pen that holds
ink cartridges, this is lovely for using when out and about.
need to work flat on the table. of the line can also be varied, between the ink properly. This can also be done
That being said, the variation of line a lovely light faded blue/purple and with lime juice or nail polish remover.
created by a dip pen is extremely a dark intense grey. With so much The oils are there to prevent the nib
enticing and adds much more character character in the line work sometimes it from rusting so I only hold the flame to
than a technical pen ever could. Not doesn’t even feel necessary to add the the back of the nib, not to the front.
only does the nib create a variation of watercolour. • I always work with my pen first and
line width, but with a coloured ink such then add paint. This is great when using
as the Liquitex in muted grey, the colour Extra points watercolour, but should I use gouache,
• For paper I use St which is more opaque, I would work
Cuthbert’s Botanical with the paint first, followed by the ink.
Smooth to stop my nibs There are so many gorgeous inks and
from being too scratchy. nibs available – the combinations are
It holds the ink well endless and every painting ends up
and easily withstands a taking on a life of its own. My favourite
watercolour wash. combination here is the ultra fine Hiro
• I always hold a flame to Leonardt 6H nib with Winsor & Newton
the back of a new nib for black ink – the finish is fresh and
around ten seconds to burn clean but with so much detail – it was
through the protective oils a pleasure to create. My favourite ink
or coating. I do this from colour has to be the Liquitex in muted
the reservoir to the tip of grey and my secret weapon is definitely
the nib to ensure it holds Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed Proof White. TA
p u Snowshill 1, mapping pen and Encre Sennelier in

sepia, A5.
Mapping pens can be a little inconsistent when loading
the nib with ink and slightly temperamental, but I think a
few wobbles add to the character of a drawing. The sepia
ink adds interest and is a great way of creating a strong
line whilst not using the standard black. It does dry with
a sheen so, depending on the effect you want to create, it
might not suit every painting. The ink splatter marks add
character and work well once the watercolour wash is
applied, adding depth to the buildings and tying the ink
in with the watercolour. When adding the watercolour
wash I didn’t use a lot of water, so the painting is quite
dense and bright. Line-and-wash paintings are often
quite loose and light in colour, with the ink taking centre
stage, but this shows that the ink and paint can be equal
on the page to create a detailed and warm finish


PRACTICAL
Snowshill 2, Nikko G nib and Liquitex Professional

Acrylic Ink in muted grey, A5.
The muted grey Liquitex acrylic ink dries with a very
slight sheen. I love this ink and the variation of colour
from the pale purply blues to the dark inky greys. It
looks fresh on a bright white paper and the variation
of stroke and shade allows for a lot of character in the
lines. As I added the watercolour wash to this piece I
worked a little more quickly than on Snowshill 1. The
wash is thinner and the overall effect is lighter and
brighter. Although my painting was a little looser on
this piece, I generally stayed within the lines of the ink
so the finish is still quite neat and tidy
q u Snowshill 3, Hiro Leonardt 6H and Winsor & Newton Ink in black, A5.
The Hiro Leonardt 6H is a joy to work with If you like detailed work. There’s
not a huge variation in the stroke and the Winsor & Newton Ink in black is
very consistent in tone; both the nib and the ink are beautifully smooth to
work with and the nib stays firm despite being so fine. Although the strokes
have little character, work can be brought to life by the sheer amount of
detail made possible by this nib. When I added the watercolour wash to
this drawing I was
very loose with my
strokes, only using
the ink marks as
a rough guide. I
was quite limited
with my colour
choices and added
a lot of water, also
relying on the
white background
of the paper for
highlights. The
overall finish is
quite illustrative
and I think that
the paint really
adds character to
a fairly basic line

ACRYLICS
The individual in
the crowd
Let Carl Knibb inspire you to paint a narrative with
figures moving through a cityscape
I
’ve always been drawn to the experience can be viewed, and it’s to jog the memory of the moment, not
representation and exploration exciting to feel I’m only scratching the to dictate composition or mood.
of people moving through the surface of the potential to represent it. It’s common sense of course to not
environments we inhabit. As a To try to capture all of this can seem, take photographs of recognisable
subject it’s ripe with potential, not and often is, a little daunting but I individuals in the street, the rights and
just for strong imagery, but also for find that the attempt to represent privacy of everyone must be respected
examining human behaviour: how we what may seem complex often yields and preserved. This can, however,
gather and scatter; how individuals can a better painting than if playing it leave you with a problem if you want
navigate the throng, become lost and safe. It teaches you to become more to give a figure definite features, and
isolated, or feel the joyful comfort of the efficient and economical in your mark- need reference. I have a very kind and
group experience. It’s virtually limitless making, to simplify and suggest and to patient group of friends, family and
as a subject, because we’re seemingly guide the viewer with greater ease. students who pose for me when asked.
limitless in our expression. Observation is, of course, key in this
as in all subjects. It’s also a convenient Effectiveness
Observation excuse to sit outside with a coffee for Because people rarely stay still, most
When I’m observing a crowd it always a while, should you need a reason! of my sketches consist of little more
amazes me how it can flow and ebb I generally like to rely on sketches than quick squiggles, but these gestural
like a murmuration of starlings, yet in made on the spot – my memory of lines can be surprisingly useful in
that crowd each individual’s response things seen – and if necessary a bit of recalling the stance and movement of
is so varied – shy and guarded, open photography. Caution must be taken if a figure. The more you do it, the more
and confident, or completely oblivious using photographs. Never simply copy you will develop your own shorthand
to others. The whole range of human them. They should only be glanced at for the marks you need to make in
p Singular, acrylic on paper, 93153/4in (23340cm)
TA12p44_47_Carl.indd 44 09/10/2020 13:39

PRACTICAL
p Pit Stop, acrylic on paper, 15¾319¾in (40350cm)
order to gather that moment’s relevant be open to change if something of paint. These are then moulded
information. I find it is the broader, better occurs, even if you’re close and sculpted into more recognisable
gestural posture of the figure that sells to completion. Always be willing to objects as the work progresses. For me,
its effectiveness. adapt, never just preserve. Reaching, the ‘drawing’ aspect of a work shouldn’t
Those familiar little moments of living or exploring my way through a painting, be something that just happens at the
that we can all relate to – searching both in terms of physical mark making, start of a piece. The observation that
for something in a bag, answering the and how I feel about the piece, keeps it is drawing should be present in your
phone – can be broadly realised yet fresh and vital. thoughts right until the last mark is
instantly recognisable. made.
Drawing until the last mark So next time you are out and about in
En plein air to studio I don’t like to be tied to an initial a busy location, take your sketchbook
There’s no greater joy than painting drawing that I then spend most of my and give it a go. Regardless of the
en plein air but doing so for extended time ‘protecting’, so my first marks are results, it’s fun, and challenging, and a
periods can be very challenging and, little more than energetic tonal blocks great way to hone your skills. TA w
if the focus of your painting is the
characterisation of people, the fact that
they won’t stay still can also be rather
frustrating. For this reason most of my
figure scenes are completed in the
studio. This doesn’t mean the resulting
painting will lack movement, or the
spontaneity and instinct that occurs en
plein air. I try to replicate the process in
the studio space, working quickly and
decisively, glancing or squinting at my
reference, not overly studying it. I’ve
been known to make the conditions
uncomfortable for myself at times – too
hot or too cold, or squeezed into a
corner – in order to replicate the added
stimulus of painting outside (but I am a
bit weird!).
Most of the time my sketching session
or location will lead me to what it is
I want to represent. Occasionally I’ll
arrive with a preconceived notion and
will just be searching for reference
in aid of that but you should always p Mindful, acrylic on paper, 15¾319¾in (40350cm)

ACRYLICS
DEMONSTRATION Phone Call
MATERIALS
l Sennelier Abstract acrylic paint: ultramarine blue,
cobalt blue, cadmium red, yellow ochre, burnt
sienna, titanium white.
l Daler-Rowney mixed-media paper.
l Brushes: I use both synthetic and hog hair brushes.
l Daler-Rowney Slow Drying Gel medium.
This piece is a relatively quick (two-hour) study. It’s an

imagined composition and scene, but it was created by
using some of my figure sketches from life. I’ve used a limited
palette of ultramarine, cobalt blue, yellow ochre, cadmium
red, burnt sienna and white, painted on mixed-media paper.
I used acrylics for this but oils would work just as well.
p SKETCHES ON LOCATION
These very quick studies are not about ‘good’
drawing. They’re good only in the sense that
they provide enough information for me to
add and adapt when furthering the figures to
a more complete representation. It’s all about
fixing in your mind what was interesting
about the figure. The first three or four marks
need to give a sense of posture and gesture, if
you’re sketching en plein air that’s usually all
you will get before the subjects have moved
on. I then add a little to the impression based
on my memory
p STAGE ONE
I don’t start by drawing – just go straight in
with the paint, quickly blocking out a rough
composition and basic figure shape. They
were not much more than stick figures at
this point – dark blobs with a quick highlight
on head and shoulders. I was thinking more
about their placement in the composition,
relative sizes and relationships to each other.
The spaces left between figures can be as
important as the figures themselves. Here I
chose to have one prominent figure, forwards
and isolated from the rest
u STAGE TWO
My next task was to ‘light the scene’. I aimed
to establish a strong sense of the lights and
darks, to create a little drama in how I wanted
the light to fall, balancing strong highlights
with areas pushed into shadow. As this was
happening I was also refining the figures into
more recognisable shapes

PRACTICAL
p FINISHED PAINTING
Phone Call, acrylic on paper, 11316½in (28342cm).
The final touches were applied – small flicks and dabs
of paint to suggest detail and refine figure shapes,
but still thinking in terms of relative tonality. I try
to let the painting tell me what it needs. In this case
I added a more prominent figure behind the main
character. I also chose to leave the street vague and
impressionistic, giving it as little attention as the
focal figure. This seemed to me to feel narratively
appropriate, as the main character is on the phone,
ignoring the world around her. By making a
barely-there background the viewer has the same
impression of the world as the subject
Carl Knibb ARBSA

is represented by Artifex Gallery in Sutton
Coldfield and Peter Barker Fine Art in
Uppingham. In 2016 Carl’s painting Pilgrim won
first place in the Lichfield Cathedral ‘Capture
the Cathedral’ competition and in 2018 he
competed in Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the
Year, achieving a place in the semi-finals.
www.carlknibb.com

WATERCOLOUR: 1st of 3
Nicholas Poullis
has won awards for his work and has
work in private collections worldwide and
public collections in France. He runs his
own gallery in Pezenas, in the south of
France. He has published several popular
books on the Languedoc and runs
painting holidays in the south of France.
For more information see
www.vineyardpaintingexperience.com
and www.nicholas-poullis.com
Subject selection
and composition
Nicholas Poullis begins a new series in which he explains how to create
a watercolour painting from conception to finished picture. His first article
tackles composition and subject selection
P
ure watercolour works in one advising students I suggest finding a ABOVE LEFT
way: dark over light, because fairly compact subject with a clear light St Thibery, watercolour on Arches Rough
it is transparent. Each mark is side and a side in shadow – a clear light 300lb, 539in (23338cm).
definitive as changes cannot be direction will give form to the subject, Here balance is used almost exclusively to
made without losing freshness; each no matter what that is. Also I advise make the composition work. The composition
step should be considered carefully identifying the area of interest and what is actually rather flat, with the exception of
before committing brush to paper. they wish to include in the finished the arch, to the right of centre, that creates a
It is not a forgiving medium and it is painting – this is obviously crucial to the feature and gives a little depth to the view
regarded as the most difficult to master. composition.
However, it is also the most accessible, The choice of subject can affect
clean and portable, and these your odds on producing a successful tinkering with or the need to paint what
qualities make it ideal for producing painting, ie one that communicates is behind an object – this can easily
spontaneous and sensitive artworks. something about the subject and all lead to disaster. Ideally a subject has
the picture-making components come some sort of lead into it, a natural line
Composition and subject together in a coherent way. Also there that helps the viewer arrive at the
selection should be no distractions, whether subject or area of interest. Much of a
While it is important to choose a compositional or technical. subject is its setting and it is helpful to
simple subject to begin with, it must Composition and balance are linked. use that in the painting. Compositions
have enough interest and content to The composition is the positioning usually have a busy area counter-
keep you interested while painting. It of the components on the paper, it is balanced with, for instance, flatter or
is important to avoid a subject that is the design of the image; balance is emptier areas. Balance can be given
empty, such as a view of the sea with the distribution of the features that by the distribution of detail, bearing in
nothing going on – paintings need give weight. It is helpful to find natural mind that any detail will draw the eye
content as well as a setting. When compositions that do not require and can help make the composition

PRACTICAL
p Boatyard Agde, watercolour on Bockingford Rough 140lb (300gsm), 15322in (38356cm).

This composition has interest in all areas. I try to pick out shapes that help lead the eye of
the viewer into the painting. With complicated subject matter it can be necessary to enhance
contrasts between areas and objects in order to create a clear composition and structure and
avoid an undefined mess. Also, the order of painting can be complicated – I will explore that
issue in the third article
 Agde Boats, watercolour on Whatman Not 140lb (300gsm), 15322in (38356cm).

This composition is unusual in that the view is downwards so there is no horizon in view. The
position and the balance of the features, the boats and their reflections, was crucial for the
composition to work. I wanted to include the effect of the sunlight on the water and make that
a feature of the painting. In such instances the ‘textbook’ compositions don’t apply and you
should go on what looks right
p Tower, Pézenas, watercolour on

Bockingford Rough 140lb (300gsm),
1137in (28318cm).
The detail and shape of the iconic feature of
the tower is the focus of this painting and the
natural composition leads to it
‘work’. There is no formula and a good

composition just looks right.
Sometimes it is helpful to do
small compositional sketches in the
proportions of the painting you wish to
do. A small-scale sketch will help you
to concentrate on the main features

WATERCOLOUR
and shapes and options of where to when rubbing out pencil on virgin paper While drawing, try not to place your
place them. A tonal sketch can also be (before you put a wash down), as it can subject too close to the edge of the
helpful. damage the surface of the paper. It is paper as this can look cramped. Also
usually best to wait until the painting is avoid placing a shape, for example the
The subject finished before any rubbing out. top of a chimney, on the paper edge –
What makes a good subject is 10 per While drawing we are defining the it looks better either completely in or
cent subjective but usually it will have subject as well as working out and completely out.
contrast, form and show some interest/ placing areas of interest within the Position yourself and the easel
passion from the artist. Once you have painting. Some paintings have a general directly in front of the subject, not to
chosen your subject you will have to interest composition with details one side, as this will make drawing
decide on what the best view is. Try dotted and interest throughout. Some easier. We improve by drawing
to find an unobstructed view. If a high compositions are more focused on a regularly. When you start your drawing,
subject, try to position yourself not particular area of interest, perhaps with try to draw one part right and then
too close by. Choose a position from little lead-ins to the area of interest. relate other objects to it making
where you can see a light and dark sure that the eye level is consistent
side. Usually a number of options will Drawing tips throughout. It is an easy mistake to
become apparent and you have to It is crucial to have an understanding of concentrate on an object, only to find it
decide quickly, as the light will change. how perspective works and there are does not properly relate to the rest of
Try not to paint directly into the light many books on the subject. It is worth the picture.
– tackling a less challenging lighting getting it right because if it is wrong it It is worth noting that what is drawn
arrangement will give a higher chance of will be a distraction and the painting will end up in the final piece, so don’t
success, especially for beginners. It can will fail. While it is perhaps easy to give in to the urge to include every
also be quite uncomfortable to paint understand the rules of perspective it detail; editing the scene will give
into the light. is an advantage to see how these rules the painting focus. I draw in the main
apply to the observed world by looking structure then draw further features as
Constructing your painting at geometric shapes in buildings, needed as the painting progresses.
The initial drawing establishes the windows, arches etc. To understand Aerial perspective is used at the
composition. In watercolour this the direction a line might follow is painting stage and is important in
is usually done in pencil or ink, or sometimes difficult, although there creating the sense of depth and space.
sometimes a brushed-in line. As the are ways of judging this. You can, for Aerial perspective is the effect of
latter two options cannot be removed example, line up the edge of a pencil atmosphere where the lighter and
they would be evident in the finished with the observed line then look at the cooler tones, often cobalt tones, appear
painting, so I prefer to use a 2B pencil angle made by the pencil edge. The to recede and the stronger tones, and
as it is soft, doesn’t smudge and can be pencil can even be placed on a piece of contrasts, come forward. Landscape
removed easily. Caution must be taken paper and you will have your line. painters make use of this all the time. TA
t View over Montagnac with

Building Site, watercolour
on Hahnemühle Rough
140lb (300gsm), 10312in
(25.5330.5cm).
This layered interest painting
has areas clearly defined as
foreground, mid- and distance.
Aerial perspective helped in
defining the different areas
and in creating depth. The
distribution of detail and
balance is crucial in getting
this type of composition to
work. Natural variations and
contrasting colours are very
useful. Try to divide the picture
into its different areas, as this
will help avoid confusion and
also provide the design of the
painting

PRACTICAL
DEMONSTRATION View over Caux

t STAGE ONE
I chose a good, unobstructed view
MATERIALS overlooking Caux and positioned
l Lightweight easel
myself so that there was a light and
dark side. The foreground was a
l Pencil 2B, soft rubber
complicated and undefined mass of
l Hahnemülhe 140lb (300gsm) Rough paper green so I decided to concentrate
l Natural fibre brushes: large round, No. 8, on the aspect of the town and
No. 5 positioned that towards and across
l Paints: Naples yellow, cadmium red, yellow the centre. Placing the tower to the
ochre, French ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, left helped me to include a distant
red iron oxide, viridian view off to the right
p STAGE TWO
I drew in the main shapes with a 2B pencil. The sky went
on with a simple wash. I then started to place in the lights.
I was aware that the subject had too much green so
began to think carefully where I could limit its use and still
p STAGE THREE
capture the view. Washes were left to dry completely after
More lights and the shaded sides were put in. I decided to concentrate
each stage
on the mid- and far distance and keep the foreground minimal
u FINISHED
PAINTING
View over Caux,
watercolour on
Hahnemühle
Rough 140lb
(300gsm),
10312in
(25.5330.5cm).
Details were put
in to identify the
subject and help
create balance.
Pencil marks were
rubbed out
Next month:
Painting washes

OILS
The sky at night

Becky Thorley-Fox recommends dusk and night-time plein-air
painting and demonstrates, with tips and advice, how to capture
glowing hues and moody skies in oil
A
s the darkest time of year head out into the atmospheric night- elements. Scenes with water will also
approaches and we feel the time landscape, our senses become add reflection and increase the light
effects of the lack of daylight, heightened to the sounds, smells and effects. I prefer the natural and wild
the best thing we can do is sights in the mysterious low light. landscape, so I choose night scenes
embrace what winter has to offer. Every with my light source either coming from
season brings new painting challenges When and where to paint the remains of a bright sunset or from
and different light conditions to There are many useful websites* you the moon. Obviously there are constant
explore. The best dusk skies are in can refer to when looking for the moon/ opportunities for night-time painting in
the winter when the air is crisp and sunrise and set times for planning your urban lit areas.
clear. With a clear atmosphere, we see trip out. It can be nice to see the moon
intense reds, beautiful coral pinks and just after the sun has set, when you can What you will need
rich orange hues glowing with such a enjoy the twilight painting session and It is important to wrap up well in warm
spectral purity they are almost straight be out painting at a more sensible hour! clothing, with plenty of layers. As the
out of the tube! I love seeing the moon set over the sea. darkness increases you will need to
Twilight periods last longer on days Choose a location that is safe, perhaps light up your work and palette in order
closest to the solstices. As we approach taking someone with you for company to see what you are doing. My favourite
the winter solstice the after-sunset – my partner sometimes joins me but solution is a head torch, one that allows
effects are more drawn out, allowing stays in the car to keep warm. I look you to adjust the light strength is ideal,
us more time to paint that transition for locations with the greatest value or batteries low on charge is good (with
period between day and night. As we contrast and simple compositional spares to hand), or pointing the head
torch just to the side
or above your work
will avoid too much
glare. The trick is to
use as little light as
possible so as not to
interfere with your
eyes being adjusted
to the dark landscape.
I recommend you
keep to your normal
limited palette,
maybe leaving
out some of your
additional colours, as
this will encourage
you to focus more on
values. My night-
time palette consists
of cadmium yellow,
naphthol red, alizarin
claret, ultramarine
blue, phthalo blue
zinc white mix, raw
umber and ivory
Fiery Twilight, oil on canvas, black.
836in(20.5315cm).
Interesting cloud shapes and layers can be Values
conducive to beautiful sunsets in the winter, This is the most
reflecting those fiery hues and intensifying important aspect of
the visual experience night-time painting.

PRACTICAL
t Moonset over the Sea just before the Dawn, oil on canvas, 638in
(15320.5cm).
The transition between night and day is just as exciting to paint
in the early hours of the morning. This is easier to experience in
winter as the days are so short. Also, your scene is slowly revealed
to you rather than slowly falling into blackness
q Moon Halo and Star Study, oil on canvas, toned ground, 8310in
(20.5325.5cm).
I recommend spending time just painting the moon before
embarking on more ambitious scenes. Take the time to study the
light effects given off from the moon and that beautiful coloured
halo that often surrounds it
Establishing a value range will create

depth in your chosen scene. The
lighting conditions may feel drastically
different but all the same rules apply
as in day-time painting, only most of
the values are more closely grouped
together in their range – aside from any
direct light source such as the moon.
Night-time painting will force you to
judge colours and values more carefully
as you try to discern similar values
grouped close together.
Colour temperature
A warm ground to paint over can
provide a warm/cool contrast in your
painting. Painting over a darker ground
makes colours luminous and vibrant, it
can also prevent any distracting white
canvas showing through.
*www.sunrisesunsetmap.com
p Early Twilight, oil on canvas, 638in (15320.5cm).

The three layers of land really help to give depth in this big
open sky scene. In this instance I painted on a white ground,
which helped to capture the brightness of the twilight colours
and the luminosity in the cool, softly glowing blues
u Twilight Study, oil sketch on primed brown paper, 636in

(15315cm).
The lighter colours glowed strongly on the brown paper in
ways I wasn’t quite achieving on a lighter-toned canvas. In
particular the coral/peachy colours below the orange band
really sang out on this paper. I used cadmium orange in my
mixes to achieve these wonderul hues w

?????????
DEMONSTRATION
Nightfall Above the Hill
q STAGE ONE
I began this painting with the darkest value
seen in the landscape. Finding your darkest
dark first will prevent you from going too dark
with your sky. At this stage colour was barely
detectable in the land and trees but the sky
still had some bright blue in it
p STAGE TWO
Nightfall Above the Hill, oil on linen, 638in (15320.5cm).
I was really glad of the clouds as they added more elements to play with in designing
and balancing the composition of the painting. It was lovely to see a tawny owl silently
float by too! I worked with quite a limited palette, mainly ultramarine blue, raw umber
and alizarin crimson. There are hints of phthalo blue and zinc added in to my lower
sky and of course cadmium yellow and naphthol red for the glowing light surrounding
the moon. I used a touch of ivory black in the landscape but added cadmium yellow,
ultramarine blue and alizarin crimson to convey hints of colour as it fell into darkness
DEMONSTRATION Night Time
t STAGE ONE
I began with my darkest value as this
helps set the value range. The sky
was actually still relatively light, with
the moon out. Squinting will simplify
the large main value shapes in your
scene. Observe the lower part of the
sky, it is still lighter from the sun even
several hours after it has set. The
moon was also lighting up low-lying
cloud and haze in this scene
p STAGE TWO
It was a long wait for the moon to
reveal itself but the clouds looked
beautiful and dramatic in the big
open sky. I interpreted this effect
by creating a large sweeping cloud
shape in my painting
t STAGE THREE
Night Time, oil on linen, 8312in
(20.5330.5cm).
The moon later revealed itself so
I added it in just glinting through
the clouds. It was a lovely warm
yellow colour. There was also a
beautiful bright twinkling star
shining through the thin cloud
edge

PRACTICAL
DEMONSTRATION Moon Over the Trees

ABOVE
Moon Over the Trees, oil on board, 735in (18312.5cm).
The full moon was so bright – an almost white silver and the dappled
clouds looked so defined, underlit by the low moon rising – it was a
moment for an emergency painting session! I used a limited palette of
ultramarine blue, raw umber, ivory black, alizarin claret, cadmium yellow
and naphthol red
ABOVE RIGHT
STAGE ONE
I couldn’t stop there, a second one needed to be painted as the clouds
were building up by now, adding to the atmosphere. I established a
quick compositional map out in three values using ultramarine blue, raw
umber, alizarin claret and ivory black. The sky now seemed browner and
warmer overall
RIGHT
STAGE TWO
Moon Over the Trees 2, oil on board, 735in (18312.5cm).
I caught the moon and some of the colours that glowed around it on
the many layers of cloud rolling in. Tawny owls were calling nearby and
the wind was blowing, it was well worth staying up late for! The light
immediately around the moon appeared pale blue extending in to a
yellow glow, then a lovely warm orange red, as observed earlier in my
moon halo study
Becky Thorley-Fox
is a plein-air painter based on the west coast
of Wales. To find out more about her work
visit: www.beckythorley-fox.co.uk

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WATERCOLOUR
and practical advice
Develop your skills
Watercolour
Watercolour
Demonstration Strawberry Pot

The home artist
Part 2 Follow Margaret Eggleton as she takes you
through the drawing and painting of a strawberry pot
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
■ Follow a step-by-step
watercolour process
■ Easy colour-mixing ideas for
a limited palette
BEGINNER’S GUIDE ■ Practise your drawing skills
TO ACRYLIC INKS
A friend gave me an empty terracotta
strawberry pot with a large space
at the top and eight oval planting
pockets staggered round the sides. I loved
its rounded shape and instantly knew
I wanted to paint it so I bought several
varieties of strawberry plants to fill it.
The fruit started ripening in May. LP
Step 1 the pot before using a putty rubber to Step 4 Step 5
Step 2
1 Seen from above, the rim of the pot is erase the lines of the pot under the leaves. Prepare a stronger mix of ultramarine and burnt sienna and When it is completely dry, rub off all the masking
1 Prepare a fairly strong wash of
almost two concentric circles. Draw the 3 The rim is almost two concentric circles. paint it carefully over the compost, dropping a little green in fluid and prepare a wash of burnt sienna.
lemon and cobalt, and another
circles first in pencil then the side of the I love the contrast between the circles and places to suggest natural variations in tone. Paint over the top
pot on the lower right-hand side with its
gap for the plant.
You will need weaker
the natural asymmetric leaves and fruit.
wash of burnt sienna.
2 When the masking fluid is dry, left corner of the background, merging gradually.
Paint masking fluid round the rim and
■ Surface wet the whole paper with clean
2 Next draw the leaves and fruit overlapping the side of the pot.
● Bockingford 300gsm NOT water and use a flat brush to sweep
watercolour Step 6
the green wash over the leaves,
paper, 10x10in. (25x25cm) 1 Paint clear water round the outer edge of the
Add sparkle to
sometimes with more lemon in it rim and the burnt sienna wash nearer the centre.
■ Maimeri-Blu watercolourand sometimes with more cobalt. 2 When this is dry, paint the side of the pot with
● Lemon Try to avoid the strawberries. a stronger wash of burnt sienna under the rim,
● Cobalt blue 3 While it is still wet, paint the rest lighter in places lower down. Burnt sienna is
● Ultramarine of the background randomly with the perfect colour for terracotta plant pots.
● Burnt sienna both washes. 3 Wet each strawberry fruit with clear water and
● Cadmium red (Daler-Rowney) drop a little cadmium red at the base and a tiny
drop of weak lemon-green at the pointed end
■ Brushes and allow them to merge gradually.
your paintings
● Rosemary & Co pure squirrel mops 4 Darken part of the leaves near the centre of
Nos. 0, 0.30 and 0.10 The finishedeach trio and down the central vein with a wash of
● Derwent flat ½in. technique brush painting ultramarine and lemon, taking care to leave most
● Pro Arte series 50 large Strawberry Pot,of the original wash untouched for bright light.
5 Using a small brush, suggest the veins on the
WATERCOLOUR Step 3
watercolour,
10x10in.
(25x25cm)
leaves with small curved lines.
ideas to explore Prepare another wash of

ultramarine blue and burnt
sienna and apply it randomly Margaret Eggleton
to the background, lighter on Margaret is a member of the Society of
the right, darker on the left Women Artists (SWA) and the Society of
Graphic Fine Art (SGFA). She exhibited
SEASONAL CHANGES
12>
and under the leaves.

this year with the RI at the Mall Galleries
and regularly exhibits with the Chelsea
Colour mixing, The finished

drawing
Art Society. See her work at the SWA’s
online exhibition (until 30 December) at
www.mallgalleries/SWA and at the SGFA
techniques & more Centenary Open Exhibition (5 to 11 July
2021) at www.mallgalleries/SGFA. Margaret
770024 071195
gives demonstrations and tutors workshops

and painting holidays. Visit
www.margareteggleton.co.uk and
www.highamhall.com/margareteggleton.
Save 20% when you buy her books from our
TRY THIS! The reference
online bookshop (see page 68).
The finished painting Strawberry Pot,, watercolour, 10x10in. (25x25cm)
Paint a picture in 48
photograph
for this
www.painters-online.co.uk www.painters-online.co.uk 49
DECEMBER 2020 DECEMBER 2020
just 40 brushstrokes demonstration
www.painters-online.co.uk DECEMBER 2020 47

9
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about Leisure Painter, you can download WATERCOLOUR
ideas to explore
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SEASONAL CHANGES
12>
a FREE issue now. Subscriptions are available Colour mixing,

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TRY THIS!
Paint a picture in
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9
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MODIFYING COLOUR: LAST IN SERIES
Julie Collins
studied painting
Winter buildings
at the University of
Reading. She is an
associate member
of the Society of
Women Artists
and won 1st prize for watercolour at the
Royal West of England Academy of Art Julie Collins brings her current series to a close
exhibition in 2019. Her work is exhibited
widely in the UK and her sixth book, with some ideas for modifying your colours for
Colour Demystified will be published in
November 2020. www.juliecollins.co.uk watercolour paintings of winter buildings
T
he colour schemes for observed in the scene. But another modified by distance, light, time of
paintings of winter buildings approach is to take one colour – a day, weather conditions, season and
will vary, depending on colour that appeals to you – and use cloud cover. Buildings can appear
the conditions, such as the this throughout the whole scene. This grey and dull on a wet day, white and
light, or the weather. Winter usually is the approach that I’ve used in most bright on a sunny day, brown and grey
brings to mind cold, grey, typically of the painted examples here. One in winter and so on.
British weather but we can also have colour will weave the way through The exercises here were made
beautiful crisp bright days. Capturing the whole painting; that colour will to encourage you to modify your
vibrant colours in a building can bring have been modified throughout the colours for winter buildings and not
a dull winter scene to life – this means painting, but this unifies the picture. simply take a brown and a blue from
noticing and enhancing the colours. This brings us back to not just using your paintbox. Do modify colours to
Landscapes and townscapes are often a colour straight from the tube or capture the subtle differences that
painted to depict the light-dark contrast pan and to see that every colour is you see in winter buildings. TA
Chart A – Dark to light

SEASIDE TOWN WITH SKY
French ultramarine Burnt sienna – Indian red As I’ve lived by the sea for almost half of my life, I’m used to looking at seaside
blue– gradually add gradually add – gradually
water water add water townscapes, especially on a rainy day in winter. This example is brought to life by
the various roof colours and also the high contrast between the white buildings
and the brooding sky. Notice how many areas are left as the white of the paper.
All the colours seen in the roofs have been modified. I used a very limited palette
but by adding a small amount of Indian red to burnt sienna and also making
several tones of this mix, I created a vibrant roof. Then the darker roofs can be made
by modifying the earth reds and browns with a touch of blue – see the charts here
as examples. Always spend plenty of time mixing and planning before you begin.
Colours used Creating the correct tone is as important as mixing

French ultramarine blue the colours together. The dark-to-light chart, left,
Burnt sienna illustrates this. Adding water to a colour to lighten it is
Indian red another way of modifying the colour.
Chart B – Mixes
Burnt sienna – Burnt sienna – Indian red –
gradually add gradually add gradually add
Indian red French ultramarine French ultramarine
blue blue

MODIFYING COLOUR: LAST IN SERIES
SEASIDE TOWN
This example includes windows, shutters and an interesting door. As in
Seaside Town with Sky (page 57) there are many white areas that help to
bring the painting to life. Notice the small chinks of white on the glass
in the windows. By adding a touch of permanent alizarin crimson to
burnt sienna I made a warm brown that can be seen in the corners of the
windows. The shutters were painted with modified mixes of burnt sienna,
raw sienna and cobalt blue. The darks were added later with a strong mix
of burnt sienna and cobalt blue. Shadow colours can also be made with
various tones of a burnt sienna mixed with cobalt blue.
Colours Chart A – Dark to light

used
Cobalt blue Cobalt blue – Burnt Permanent Raw sienna Chart B – Mixes
gradually add sienna – alizarin crimson – gradually
Burnt sienna Burnt sienna – Raw sienna – Cobalt blue –
water gradually – gradually add add water
gradually add gradually add gradually add
Permanent add water water
permanent alizarin burnt sienna burnt sienna
alizarin crimson
crimson
Raw sienna
Cobalt blue – Burnt sienna – Cobalt blue –

MEDITERRANEAN SCENE gradually add
water
gradually add
water
gradually add
burnt sienna
This Mediterranean scene is an unfinished painting that shows some of the drawing in
both pencil and brown ink. Many of the windows will be left white and a few areas were
made extremely dark with the brown ink. The rest of the picture is made up of cobalt
blue modified with burnt sienna or Indian red, in varying amounts and varying tones.
I spent a lot of time altering the tones of the colours and giving a lot of thought as to
where the dark and light is in the painting. There are some colour tones and mixes as
examples in the chart but it is worth experimenting with this to learn how to create a
wide tonal range of colours.
Indian Red Indian red Indian red

gradually gradually add gradually add
add water cobalt blue – cobalt blue –
darker mixes paler mixes

PRACTICAL
WINTER BUILDINGS A
This sketch was painted freehand using a limited palette of Payne’s grey, light Colours and mixes
red and burnt umber. After mixing all the colours that I needed I worked
swiftly, wet-into-wet, taking care to leave a lot of white areas. This is another Burnt umber – Payne’s grey Light red – Burnt umber – Burnt umber –
gradually add – gradually gradually gradually add gradually add
approach to painting winter buildings, with most of the paper left white. water – dark add water – add water – Payne’s grey – Payne’s grey –
to light dark to light dark to light dark mixes paler mixes
TIPS
White areas
White areas are very important in
a winter townscape. Many winter
Payne’s grey Light red – Payne’s grey – Payne’s grey scenes require areas of your paper
WINTER BUILDINGS B – gradually gradually add
add water – water – dark
gradually add
light red – dark
gradually add
light red – pale
to remain white. This means that
I painted this sketch using only light red you will need to plan your painting
dark to light to light mixes mixes
and Payne’s grey. The warmth in the sky very carefully as once a white area
is a good contrast to the very cool blue is lost it’s impossible to rescue it.
buildings. The trees on the right-hand Clean water
side were painted using mixes of light It may sound really obvious but if
red and Payne’s grey. The white areas your water isn’t clean it will affect
and the contrast in tone make this a your colours and they won’t be as
successful watercolour sketch. bright as they could be. I have to
confess that while I was writing
this article, I put down some pure
cobalt blue at the top of one of the
colour charts and it looked very
dull. I looked at my water jar and
Colours and mixes it looked like the River Thames!. I
Payne’s grey and light red mixed together had to begin again with fresh water
will give you a beautiful range of greys and new paper. The cobalt blue was
suitable for winter buildings. completely different, now looking
much brighter.

A R T I S T S I N A D I G I TA L W O R L D: 4T H O F 5
How to
use video
Sarah Edmonds
is the Marketing Manager for Pegasus
Art and a freelancer supporting creatives
and fine artists. Sarah studied a short to promote
your art
course at the Slade School of Fine Art
and has a degree from the Chartered
Institute of Marketing.
www.sarahedmonds-marketing.com
Sarah Edmonds continues her series with advice on how to create

videos at home and post them online, together with top tips for filming
and equipment recommendations
V
ideo marketing is having a big IGTV is a relatively new platform audience as well as a polished version.
moment. The use of video as (2018) and allows for longer videos Have fun and experiment – there are
a medium for communication compared to Instagram feeds. The plenty of apps to assist you. Instagram
has sky-rocketed, with a usage maximum length is 15 minutes when Stories is a great place to show the
increase of 10m daily viewing minutes uploading from your mobile or 60 more personal side of your life.
in the last two years alone. It’s made a minutes from the web. Whether you’re
massive impact on our digital landscape introducing a new artwork or exhibition Creating a lasting catalogue
particularly during lockdown. It’s it can be challenging to remember your of videos
accessible, affordable and anyone can ‘lines’ or recall everything you want YouTube is the big cheese of video
do it. to say. Try the new teleprompter app content platforms with 5 billion videos
Consumers are twice as likely to watch called ‘PromptSmart’ – you won’t need watched per day. It’s a great place to
a video than to read written content. to pin a piece of paper on the wall start cataloguing your films and you may
As an immediate and visually exciting above your camera ever again! wish to invest in more equipment for
way to connect with your customers, it’s If you like the idea of creating mini this purpose. Taking the time to control
definitely worth exploring – even if you films or stop motion movies, I can key elements of recording will improve
do feel nervous about seeing yourself recommend Xanthe Berkeley online the end result.
on camera. courses. Xanthe recommends using • Sound – make sure there is real
Given the average attention span your iPhone or handheld DSLR with clarity and use a microphone if
is just 8.5 seconds it’s best to keep necessary.
• Image – avoid unnecessary and
it short, amusing and creative when
filming for social media.
‘A spontaneous distracting background visuals, film on
How to get started short clip, filmed a DLSR if you have one, otherwise on
an iPad or iPhone using a tripod. Talk to
‘The first decision is which channels with authenticity the camera with confidence.
you use and where you would like to • Lighting – play around with
share your video content. If you have a will connect with overheads or spotlights and always
following on Facebook, you might like
to try Facebook Live to broadcast real-
your audience as make best use of the natural light
source.
time video (Facebook Live has a higher
engagement of 4.3 per cent compared
well as a polished • Composition – landscape or portrait?
• Content – your introduction should
to 2.2 per cent of non-live videos). If version’ be succinct, to capture your audience
that feels too ambitious, you could pre- within minutes. YouTube allows
record a message to upload. Files can a Manfrotto 190 tripod and offers captions, which can be useful calls to
be up to 10GB and must be less than plenty of equipment advice. www. action.
240 minutes long; 85 per cent of video xantheberkeley.com • Finally, consistency in branding is
views on Facebook happen with the A spontaneous short clip, filmed with important so that your followers can
sound off, so consider using subtitles. authenticity will connect with your identify your style. TA

intimidating for those who prefer working at short, where the message isn’t fully given,
home. There is no replacement for face-to- or too long, where the viewer becomes
face, instant feedback or a personal review bored or the message is repetitive. I
by a qualified tutor. I am keen not to make think brevity is best and my videos hover
it too assumptive or talk down to the artist. around 15 minutes – to explore a subject
The balance of ensuring the message is properly I think it works well.
pertinent may take a few attempts. I chose YouTube – a good platform
Q Is the type of content and length of your in my opinion as it is accessed by a
video significant? large audience and is simple to use by
A Currently, I have a series of six 15-minute non-technical people. I don’t make my
videos on the bench, of which three are ‘broadcasts’ too slick and I ensure the
already live on my channel Max Hale Art, run-in and the sign off are more like being
called ‘Improve your Art’. Getting the in my studio with me. I think this element
duration of the video right is vital; not too gives a more human side to the artist.
Case Study
Max Hale
Q Why did you start creating videos?
A I started creating videos to help artists
use and become familiar with certain
products, beginning with water-mixable
oils. The first, a two-hour video with
Town House Films, was a useful starting
point for me. I found it easy in front of
the camera and working with materials
I knew. Then because of lockdown, I had
time on my hands; my face-to-face tuition
stopped, yet I wanted to offer support to
those artists left dangling in the midst
of a long-term course I was running. I
knew that others would be able to take
advantage of what I was producing too.
Q Why is video is an important resource for
your students?
A Video is a constant reference when
students forget or need to see how
something works before trying it
themselves. It can also be viewed
anywhere, even on holiday, and is less
Café Scene, London, acrylic, 9½312½in (24332cm)
l Focus is crucial so make sure your recording, so on some a stereo recording

MAX’S TOP TIPS camera has either a fixed focus point set
in advance so it doesn’t ‘hunt’ in and out
will either be silent or play back strangely.
l Take your time, be sure of what you are
l Use your mobile phone for short clips looking for one. Focus on the easel or, if going to say and don’t rush it. Try not to
but use it the right way round for where you are presenting, get someone to sit in mumble or speak in monotones.
you intend to post the result. You should for you.
l Your phone camera is at the top or side,
have the phone in a holder to keep it l If you are demonstrating a technique so look into that if you wish to peer out at
steady. you’ll probably shoot with your back or your audience.
l I use a DSLR with a good lens and a big side to the camera; be careful the light
l Let your personality come through and
memory card. This ensures the video is isn’t obscured by your body or your hand
don’t worry if you make a mistake, editing
well framed and the quality is excellent. isn’t in the way.
or shooting again is easy. Do a few test
Video gobbles up a lot of memory, so l Do a sound check and ensure you don’t runs to ensure you haven’t got anything in
keep your shooting brief. sound like a steam train. Your microphone the frame that shouldn’t be.
l If you are moving about, have the may need turning down or you’ll need to
camera on a wide-angle, which means you adjust your breathing technique. www.maxhaleart.co.uk
won’t wander out of the picture. l Many platforms will only accept a mono YouTube: Max Hale Art

DAVID SHEPHERD WILDLIFE FOUNDATION
WILDLIFE ARTIST YEAR 2021 OF

THE
EVOLVING TO END EXTINCTION: ENTRIES NOW OPEN!
FIRST PLACE: Wildlife Artist of the Year is DSWF’s prestigious international art competition
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endangered wildlife across Africa and Asia.
PRIZE PACKAGE
*The £10,000 prize package consists of a £5,000 cash prize and a £5,000 conservation voucher to be donated in the Wildlife Artist of the Year 2021’s name
to a DSWF species of their choice.
Due to the global pandemic, our world has dramatically changed and so must we. DSWF is therefore evolving to end
extinction by creating an interactive, pioneering, and far-reaching virtual Wildlife Artist of the Year 2021 exhibition
featuring all shortlisted artworks using the latest technology.
Runner Up Prize: £2,000 | Category Prizes: £500 | Elisabeth Hosking Prize for Watercolour: £500 | People’s Choice Award £500
ENTRIES CLOSE 15 FEBRUARY 2021

EXHIBITION OPENS 25 MAY 2021
With nature as our inspiration, we are asking our devoted community of wildlife artists to pick up their brushes, easels
and pencils to help us create the most viewed and significant Wildlife Artist of the Year to date and help us in our fight to
turn the tide on extinction.
Visit our website for more details: davidshepherd.org
UK registered charity 1106893 | Artwork: Paul Dixon ‘Etosha!’

Tel: 01483 272323 | Email: dswf@davidshepherd.org
Saba House, 7 Kings Road, Shalford, Guildford, Surrey, GU4 8JU
OPPORTUNITIES & COMPETITIONS
Check out the latest competitions to enter and make a note of important deadlines
Royal Society of Miniature

Painters, Sculptors and
Opportunities
Gravers Maker in Residence
Details: In view of the current Details: West Dean College
situation the organisers have of Arts and Conservation is
made the decision to cancel the launching an open call for
2020 exhibition. Next year will be applications for their 2021
the society’s 125th anniversary Maker-in-Residence. UK-based
exhibition. Dates are still to be artist-makers are encouraged to
confirmed but entry forms will be apply for the opportunity, which
available from June 2021. takes place between Monday
When: Entry forms will be March 8 and Friday March 19,
available to download from June 2021. Inaugurated in 2019 the
2021 from www.royal-miniature- Makers-in-Residence invites
society.org.uk selected artists to work in one of
the college’s workshops. Previous
Contact: For up-to-date makers include Linda Brothwell
information visit www.royal- (2019) and Alec Stevens (2020).
miniature-society.org.uk The residency programme
provides artist-makers with full
RWS Contemporary board accommodation for the
Watercolour Competition two-week period. Studio space
2021 is provided as well as access to a
variety of resources and facilities.
Details: Annual competition A stipend of £500 is offered to
p Entries on show at the 2019 Patchings A5 Open Competition encouraging innovation and include materials. Applications
experimentation in all water- are encouraged from makers
based media. An exhibition of whose interests align with a
selected work will take place at
Sending-in days the Bankside Gallery, London SE1
variety of thematic areas related
to the college’s history and
in March 2021, tbc. current activities.
The John Byrne Award Pastel Society (PS) When: The deadline for entries When: Applications can be
Details: The John Byrne Award Details: The Pastel Society is still to be announced. Keep submitted between October 29
is a quarterly, free, online seeks the best in contemporary checking the website for and November 29.
competition and exhibition. pastel for its 122nd annual open up-to-date information.
Contact: For more information
Entrants must be over 16 and competition. Open to artists over Contact: Bankside Gallery, on how to apply go to
living or studying in Scotland. the age of 18. Acceptable media Thames Riverside, 48 Hopton www.westdean.ad.uk/opencall
Work in any creative discipline are pastels, including oil pastels, Street, London SE1 9JH
is acceptable on any topic. A charcoal, pencil, Conté, sanguine ☎ 020 7928 7521
quarterly £500 prize is offered. or other dry media. All work to
London Art Biennale 2021
www.royalwatercoloursociety.
be submitted for pre-selection at Details: Applications are invited
When: The next closing date is co.uk
https://mallgalleries.oess1.uk from artists all over the world to
April 30, 2021. To make the process of the 5th edition of the London Art
Contact: Enter online at submitting and selecting work Wildlife Artist of the Year Biennale. Successful applicants
www.johnbyrneaward.org.uk simpler and safer, the society will Details: Entries are now invited will have an opportunity to
select works for exhibition from to the David Shepherd Wildlife exhibit work in Chelsea and the
online only this year. The annual Foundation Wildlife Artist of chance to win numerous awards.
Patchings A5 Open exhibition of selected works will the Year 2021. This year the When: The deadline for entries
Competition take place at the Mall Galleries, organisers will put together is December 31.
Details: Entries are invited to London, from January 27 to an interactive, pioneering and
February 13. Contact: Full details are
Patchings A5 Open Competition. far-reaching virtual Wildlife
available at https//www.
There is no selection process When: Closing date for online Artist of the Year exhibition.
londonbiennale.co.uk/apply-for-
and no commission taken on submissions is December 4. The competition is open to
the-biennale-2021/
sales. Entries must be on an A5 both professional and amateur
board available from Patchings Contact: Mall Galleries at artists over the age of 17 using
Art Centre, Nottingham. www.mallgalleries.org.uk any medium or style, excluding
Rome Scholarship
Photographers are asked to photographs and digitally Details: The Royal Society of
submit work digitally. This will Royal Cambrian Academy produced artwork. There are British Artists’ Rome Scholarship
then be printed and mounted seven categories: Animal is open to artists who live, work
Details: The invitation to enter
on the special A5 boards for Behaviour, Earth’s Wild Beauty, or study in the UK and who are
the 2021 Royal Cambrian
display. An exhibition of all work Facing Extinction, Human Impact aged 35 years or under. The
Academy Open Art Exhibition will
submitted will go on show at (open to young artists between award offers four weeks at Sala
be available on the website soon.
Patchings Art Centre, Calverton, 17 and 22), Into the Blue, Urban Uno – a prestigious gallery and
Check the website for up-to-date
Nottingham, from November 28 Wildlife and Wings. The virtual international arts centre in the
information; www.rcaconwy.org
to December 24. View online at exhibition will be available to heart of Rome.
www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk When: Submissions will close view from May 25, 2021. When: Six images of recent
in February. Check website for
When: The closing date for When: The closing date for work, together with a completed
details.
entries is November 12. entries is February 15, 2021. application will need to be
Contact: Please check www. submitted. Dates for 2021 are still
Contact: For full details and to rcaconwy.org and social media Contact: Full details and terms to be confirmed. Check details at
order your A5 board go to to see up-to-date information for and conditions are available from www.mallgalleries.org.uk/call-
www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk this year’s event. www.davidshepherd.org for-entries

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Jerram
Gallery
Dorset
p Nicholas Hely Hutchinson On The Cliffs by the Pinnacles, oil on canvas, 24330in (61376cm) from Landscapes &
Memories – Paintings of Dorset and Beyond at the Jerram Gallery, Dorset, from November 6 to 21
Hayward Gallery November 11 to 22. Artemisia; Royal Academy of Arts

LONDON Southbank Centre,
Belvedere Road SE1.
Hesketh Hubbard Art
Society;
until January 24, 2021.
Sin; exploring the concept
Piccadilly W1.
☎ 020 7300 8000
Bankside Gallery ☎ 020 3879 9555 November 25 to December 6. of sin in art, www.royalacademy.org.uk
48 Hopton Street SE1. www.southbankcentre.co.uk Royal Institute of Oil until January 3, 2021. The Summer Exhibition;
☎ 020 7928 7521 Everyday Heroes; free open- Painters; annual exhibition, until January 3, 2021. Pre-
www.banksidegallery.com air exhibition celebrating key November 25 to December 6. National Portrait booking is essential.
RE Original Prints 2; workers in a series of art and Gallery The Making of an Artist:
Royal Society of Painter- poetry commissions, Messum’s St. Martin’s Place WC2. The Great Tradition;
Printmakers, until November 30. 12 Bury Street, St. James’s SW1. ☎ 020 7306 0055 bringing together highlights
November 5 to 22. ☎ 0207287 4448 www.npg.org.uk from the RA collection,
Mall Galleries www.messums.com BP Portrait Award 2020; until December 31.
Grosvenor Gallery The Mall SW1. David Tress: Landscapes; available to view online.
35 Bury Street SW1. ☎ 020 7930 6844 November 4 to 27. Tate Britain
☎ 020 7484 7979. www.mallgalleries.org.uk Osborne Studio Gallery Millbank SW1.
www.grosvenorgallery.com The Natural Eye 2020; National Gallery Belgravia SW1. ☎ 020 7887 8888
Zimbiri: Solo Exhibition; works by The Society of Trafalgar Square WC2. ☎ 020 7235 9667 www.tate.org.uk
new paintings by Bhutanese Wildlife Artists, ☎ 020 7747 2885 www.osg.uk.com Turner’s Modern World;
artist, Zimbiri coinciding October 28 to November 8. www.nationalgallery.org.uk Michelle Pearson Cooper: featuring major works from
with London’s East Asian Art The New English Art Club; Titian – Love, Desire, Death; Reigning Cats and Dogs; around the world,
Week, until November 20. annual exhibition, until January 17, 2021. until November 21. October 20 to March 7, 2021.

Mall
Galleries
p Diana Armfield Needed Objects Behind Nodyn Y Nant, oil, 93/4313in (25333cm) from the annual exhibition by the New
London
English Art Club at the Mall Galleries, London, from November 11 to 22
Tate Modern White and The Artists;

Bankside SE1. until November 15. NOTTINGHAM STOW ON THE SCOTLAND
☎ 020 7887 8888 A Life in Art: The Muriel WOLD
www.tate.org.uk Wilson Bequest; Patchings Art Centre
Andy Warhol; until November 29. Oxton Road, Calverton. Fosse Gallery EDINBURGH
until November 15. ☎ 0115 965 3279; www. The Manor House, The Square.
Dóra Maurer; patchingsartcentre.co.uk ☎ 01451 831319; National Galleries
until January 24, 2021. BRISTOL A5 Open Exhibition; www.fossegallery.com of Scotland
Bruce Nauman; until November 28 to December Louis Turpin and Mick Rooney ☎ 0131 624 6200
February 21, 2021. Royal West of England 24 (see page 63). RA – Two Views; www.nationalgalleries.org
Academy November 1 to 21. The National Galleries of
William Morris Gallery Queen’s Road, Clifton. Scotland are beginning
Lloyd Park, Forest Road, ☎ 0117 973 5129 OXFORD to reopen. Book tickets to
Walthamstow E17. www.rwa.org.uk WOKING explore their collections.
☎ 020 8496 4390 168 Annual Open Sarah Wiseman Gallery
www.wmgallery.org.uk Exhibition; featuring work 40-41 South Parade. The Lightbox Scottish National
Works in Progress; by emerging and established ☎ 01865 515123 Chobham Road. Portrait Gallery
pioneering design drawings artists, November 14 to www.wisegal.com ☎ 01483 737800 1 Queen Street.
by William Morris and his March 7, 2021. Beyond Surface; group www.thelightbox.org.uk ☎ 0131 624 6200
colleagues, including Edward exhibition exploring Raphael: Prince Albert’s www.nationalgalleries.org
Burne-Jones and Dante figurative and abstract Passion; until January 31, 2021. You Are Here / 2020:
Gabriel Rossetti, COOKHAM realms and how the two Stories, Portraits, Visions;
until January 15, 2021. often intersect, exploring issues facing
The Stanley Spencer until November 7.
YORK Scotland right now.
Gallery
REGIONS High Street.
☎ 01628 531092 PENZANCE
York Art Gallery
Exhibition Square.
Queen’s Gallery
Palace of Holyroodhouse,
www.stanleyspencer.org.uk ☎ 01904 687687 Canongate; www.rct.uk
BATH Love, Art, Loss: The Wives Penlee Gallery & www.yorkartgallery.org.uk ☎ 0303 123 7306
of Stanley Spencer; Museum Views of York & Yorkshire; Eastern Encounters;
Victoria Art Gallery until Autumn 2021. Morrab Road, Penzance. from the collection to mark 400 years of South Asian
Bridge Street. ☎ 01736 363625 the reopening of the gallery. paintings and manuscripts,
☎ 01225 477233; www.penleehouse.org.uk until January 31, 2021.
www.victoriagal.org.uk GUILDFORD Newlyn School Interiors;
Toulouse-Lautrec and the
Masters of Montmartre;
pre-booking essential,
until November 14.
IRELAND WALES
online exhibition only until Watts Gallery
the gallery reopens. Down Lane, Compton. DUBLIN
☎ 01483 810235 SHERBORNE CARDIFF
www.wattsgallery.org.uk National Gallery
CHICHESTER Art & Action; exploring Jerram Gallery of Ireland National Museum
strategies by British artists Half Moon Street. Merrion Square. Cathays Park.
Pallant House Gallery to address inequalities, and ☎ 01935 815261 ☎ +353 1 661 5133 ☎ 0300 111 2333
8-9 North Pallant. ensure their art galvanised www.jerramgallery.com www.nationalgallery.ie www.museum.wales
☎ 01243 774557; socio-political reform, Nicholas Hely Hutchinson; The gallery is temporarily Becoming Richard Burton;
www.pallant.org.uk November 17 to March 21, still lifes and landscapes in oil, closed. Check the website for diaries, papers and objects,
Drawn to Nature: Gilbert 2021 (see page 12). November 6 to 21. updates. November 7 to April 11, 2021.

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PaintersOnline editor’s choice
Meet this month’s editor’s choice winner from our PaintersOnline gallery
p David Thomas Longstone Lighthouse, Farne Islands, watercolour, 10½317in (27343cm)
D
avid Thomas has lived in TV series Vera. It has a bit of everything the figures, adding a hint of a reflection
Yorkshire since the age of 11. – figures, landscape and architecture. of the lighthouse tower in the pool to
He trained as an architect I’ve used it as a demonstration for my finish. Assessing it on the mantlepiece,
at Huddersfield School of watercolour class and it also appears I made many adjustments and spent
Architecture and has always managed as a demonstration on Facebook. I some time with the figures, which are
to develop his hobby of watercolour began by turning the board round 180 an important element in this painting.’
painting in parallel with his career as degrees and laying a graded wash of David exhibits regularly at the Mall
an architect. ‘My father, a BBC engineer, light red at the horizon and cobalt Galleries and, in 2015, Search Press
moved his family as he achieved blue above. There’s no need to paint published his book Drawing and Painting
successive promotions,’ he writes, ‘but around the figures. I established some Portraits in Watercolour. He runs
always created a workshop on arrival tones for the figures and base of the workshops and demonstrations for local
at each house where he made items of lighthouse. Patience was required art societies and a weekly watercolour
furniture and radio cabinets.’ David has for the landscape, which has a lot of class at the village hall in Little
continued this pattern by designing and WIN £50 TO SPEND AT JACKSON’S!
colour and tonal variation. A careful Weighton, East Yorkshire. See more of
making furniture in his own workshop. drawing of the shapes helped, and I David’s work at https://paintpal.info TA
Since retirement in 1997 he has made began to think of it as a kind of loose
prototypes of an easel, a browser and a jigsaw puzzle. A mix of cadmium red To upload your own images to our online
walking frame, which have in common and quinacridone violet was used for gallery, with an opportunity of being selected
unusual folding mechanisms. the lighthouse. I strengthened the grey as the editor’s choice, visit
‘Longstone Lighthouse is taken from the base of the lighthouse and worked on www.painters-online.co.uk

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