The Artist June 2021

CELEBRATING THE ARTIST’S 90TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR
artist
www.painters-online.co.uk June 2021 £4.80
THE PRAC TICAL MAGAZINE FOR ARTISTS BY ARTISTS – SINCE 1931
Discover the keys Enter our

TALPOpen 2021
to unlocking & 90th anniversary
front cover
better paintings competitions
with Paul Talbot-Greaves
Plus
10 top tips for
painting in acrylics
the watercolour way
Advice on painting Enjoy the benefits of Funding availability for
en plein air in oils daily sketchbooking artists & how to apply
06>
770004 387193
ACRYLICS WATERCOLOUR OILS

How to create impressionistic, Be inspired to paint a Pre-mix your colours for
multi-layered landscapes family portrait successful still lifes
9
1931–2021
artist‘S
90 th
ANNIVERSARY
FRONT COVER
COMPETITION
HELP US TO CELEBRATE OUR 90TH The Artist was first
ANNIVERSARY YEAR BY ENTERING OUR published in March 1931
and to celebrate we are
NEW FRONT COVER COMPETITION looking for entries from
which to select an image
to be featured on the front
cover of a forthcoming
2021 issue. The selected
artist will see their work
featured on the front cover
of our print and digital
issues, online, and seen
by our huge worldwide
audience.
CELEBRATING THE ARTIST’S 90TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR
artist
Upload a THE PRAC TICAL MAGAZINE FOR ARTISTS BY ARTISTS – SINCE 1931
digital image of a recent Discover the keys

to unlocking
Enter our
TALPOpen 2021
& 90th anniversary
drawing or painting of any

front cover
better paintings competitions

subject, in any medium, for
the chance to feature on Plus
the front cover of a
10 top tips for
painting in acrylics
the watercolour way
Advice on painting Enjoy the benefits of Funding availability for
2021 issue of
en plein air in oils daily sketchbooking artists & how to apply
06>
artist
770004 387193

multi-layered landscapes family portrait successful still lifes
9
ENTER ONLINE AT http://bit.ly/39rHkD6

Entry is FREE and the closing date for entries is Friday July 9, 2021. JUDGES
Sally Bulgin, editor The Artist
The winning artist will be notified soon afterwards and asked to supply Dawn Farley, online editor PaintersOnline
a high-resolution image suitable for reproduction purposes. and members of our publishing team
artist WELCOME artist
incorporating ART & ARTISTS
First established 1931
ISSN 0004-3877
Vol.136 No.6
ISSUE 1095
Publishing Editor:
Sally Bulgin PhD Hon VPRBSA
Deputy Editor:
Deborah Wanstall
from the editor
Want to comment on something you’ve
read, or seen?
Email me at theartistletters@tapc.co.uk
or visit our website at
www.painters-online.co.uk/forum
90
ANNIVERSARY
1931 – 2021
TH
Subscriptions & Marketing Manager:

Wendy Gregory
I
Subscriptions: was a massive fan of Grayson’s Art Club on Channel 4 during our first lockdown in 2020 which
subscriptions@warnersgroup.co.uk
01778 395174 provided an inclusive, fun and creative outlet that helped us through a difficult time. For me it
Commercial Manager was the best of its kind in its invitation to the British public to discover and celebrate their artistic
Neil Miller
Advertising sales: side. Everyone was encouraged to send in their own interpretations of a different theme, every
Jayne Notley 01778 391189
jaynen@warnersgroup.co.uk week, with the chance to be selected by Grayson Perry for inclusion in a final exhibition. It was a
Advertisement copy: huge success and although the exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery was unable to open to the
Natalie Reynolds: 01778 391130
Natalier@warnersgroup.co.uk public due to the lockdown in November 2020, it was showcased in a special episode of Grayson’s
Online Editor: Art Club on Channel 4.
Dawn Farley
Design: Thankfully, due to its success, we were able to enjoy a second series during our third lockdown
Brenda Hedley
when Grayson’s Art Club returned to our TV screens on February 26 for a six-week run of episodes
Accounts:
01778 391000 focusing on the themes of family, nature, food, dreams, work and travel. Filmed in Grayson Perry’s
creditcontrol@warnersgroup.co.uk
Events Manager:
welcoming studio in Islington, London, with occasional appearances by his cat Kev, Grayson
Caroline Griffiths revealed in online conversations with members of the public, as well as other artists, actors,
Subscription orders
should be sent to: The Artist subscriptions,
comedians and TV stars, how art can help us to get in touch with, and channel our feelings and
Warners Group Publications, The Maltings, memories. I was particularly moved by Grayson’s conversation in the first episode with TV presenter
West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH.
Tel: 01778 395174 Anneka Rice who shared her sadness about her parents’ secrecy of their past and which she had
Annual subscription rates (13 issues):
UK – £47.20 (includes Northern Ireland); channelled into an illustrative imaginative painting on the theme of family.
EC member countries – E67;
USA – $80 (air freight); Canada – $92 (air freight).
At its core Perry’s message is that art can help us through times of crisis and trauma and, as he
All other countries £57 (air freight). Payments emphasises in everything he does and says, art is for everyone. His great skill is in seeing beyond
by credit card are taken in sterling at £57.
Foreign currency prices include bank charges. the purely aesthetic qualities of a piece to discover and empathise with the heartfelt passion or
Periodicals postage paid at Rahway, NJ. US
subscribers only: Send address corrections to narrative behind the work. There are plans for a second exhibition to celebrate the work created
The Artist, c/o Mercury Airfreight International
Ltd, 365 Blair Road, Avenel, NJ 07001 during the second series, although at the time of writing, the date and location are yet to be
News-trade distribution by: confirmed.
Warners Group Publications plc. Tel: 01778
391000 All material copyrighted; reproduction Another initiative designed to inspire everyone to think about creating their own artworks is
forbidden without permission. Publication
of an article or inclusion of an advertisement The Great Big Art Exhibition, launched earlier this year by the Firstsite gallery in Colchester, Essex,
does not necessarily imply that the publisher
is in agreement with the views expressed, or running until May 7, 2021. The aim is to encourage the nation to create artwork for display in
represents endorsement of products, materials
or techniques. The publisher does not accept windows, gardens, on doorsteps, windowsills and balconies and help create the biggest art show
responsibility for errors, omissions or images
received in good faith. this country has ever displayed and bring a smile to people’s faces in their local communities.
artist is published every four weeks by Grayson Perry is amongst the leading artists who have backed the initiative by suggesting themes
Warners Group Publications plc and is printed
by Warners Midlands PLC, The Maltings, Manor and ideas to encourage everyone to take part. The first to kickstart the project was Antony Gormley
Lane, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH.
who chose the theme of animals. Free activity packs are available to download from Firstsite for
ideas and inspiration at www.firstsite.uk At a time when making art has provided so much joy and
solace for so many people, the idea of a new nationwide exhibition growing in our communities
over the coming weeks and months seems like a great way to celebrate our collective creativity.
artist Warners Group Publications,
The Maltings, West Street, Bourne,
Lincolnshire, PE10 9PH. Tel: 01778 395174
www.painters-online.co.uk
Best wishes
THIS MONTH’S COVER
Sally Bulgin Publishing Editor
Let us know what you think at

• theartistletters@tapc.co.uk
Paul Talbot-Greaves Summer in Dentdale, • www.painters-online.co.uk/forum
watercolour on Saunders Waterford 140lb
(300gsm) Not, 10315in (25.5338cm).
• www.facebook.com/paintersonline
See pages 34 to 37 • twitter.com/artpublishing
www.painters-online.co.uk artist June 2021 3

16 46
39 42
56
CONTENTS
FEATURES PRACTICALS 39 A brilliant combination
Liquid acrylics make a great base for coloured
16 Bold and wild 21 Dramatic forms and gentle pencil work, as Liz Seward shows with a lively
Collette Clegg, winner of The Artist Award reflections spring landscape
in the 2020 David Shepherd Wildlife Be inspired by Judith Yates as she
Foundation Wildlife Artist of the Year demonstrates how she creates her 42 Acrylics, watercolour style
Competition talks to Susie Hodge about her impressionistic landscapes in acrylic with layers Acrylics can be diluted and used just like
approach to painting of texture and glazes watercolour says Amanda Hyatt as she
demonstrates an interior scene and shares her
55 The colour of shadows 26 A portrait of love top ten tips to get you started
Mike Barr explains why the colours of Follow how Francesco Fontana painted
shadows are rarely just darker versions of a portrait of a grandmother and her 46 Add water to your landscape
the areas not in shadow – something that granddaughter as part of a series of Follow Sarah Manolescue as she demonstrates
the Impressionists used to great effect watercolour paintings on the theme of a plein-air landscape of a riverside scene in oil,
relationships with details of her outdoor painting kit
56 Daily sketchbooking
Sarah Edmonds looks at the discipline 30 Keeping it fresh 50 Paint a still life in oil
of keeping a sketchbook and why it’s an As Helen Tarr demonstrates, careful Adele Wagstaff completes the transition
important ritual in the first of a new series preparation and pre-mixing of the colours from drawing into painting using information
about the artist’s practice are the keys to creating a lively painting of informed by her previous studies and explains
roses in oils how to mix colours from a limited palette to
58 Funding your practice paint a still life in oil
Penny Harris looks at what funding is 34 Better design
available to artists, and how to apply for it Paul Talbot-Greaves’ new series unlocks the
65 Art collecting in a time of

secrets behind creating better paintings. This
month he discusses the importance of good
PLUS THIS MONTH
coronavirus – Sally Middleton offers a design as he demonstrates how to plan a 6 Your views 9 The Art World
personal view watercolour landscape 64 Opportunities 66 Exhibitions
4 artist June 2021 www.painters-online.co.uk

Join our friendly art community
PAINTERSONLINE Next month in
l Create your own portfolio of
artworks in our online gallery
l Create your own Studio Wall
FEATURES
artist
mood board and share with
other artists
l Chat with other artists on a wide
range of art-related topics
l Connect with art tutors and art
p FINISHED PAINTING
Sea Swells, Antigua, watercolour and gouache on
canvas board, 15¾313½in (40334cm).
Lastly I added the highlights: with my rigger charged
with some creamy white gouache I established
clubs
l Find details of art courses,
art shops, galleries, framers and
more
l Be inspired by practical painting and drawing
demonstrations
l Enter our competitions with great prizes up for grabs
Join our new Studio membership

today. Try it for FREE for 30 days at
p IN CONVERSATION
https://www.painters-online.co.uk/membership/freetrial
Royal Academician Olwyn Bowey discusses her carefully
planned approach to her complex still life set ups and pared
NEWS & OFFERS down landscapes, describing her style as ‘forensic’
2 Enter our 90th Anniversary Front Cover PRACTICALS

Competition for the opportunity to see your work
published on our front cover
14 Enter our TALPOpen Competition 2021 for the
chance to see your work exhibited, published and
promoted worldwide, and to win one of over 35
prizes worth over £13,500!
38 Subscribe to The Artist, save money and enjoy
free delivery direct to your door
54 Save money on discounted practical art books
from our online bookshop
62 Become a member of our Studio community and p NEW SERIES In the first of her new p Follow
enjoy these exclusive benefits three-part series on painting figures Paul Weaver’s
70 See your work published in The Artist. Simply and wildlife in watercolour, Hazel Soan demonstration
upload your work to our PaintersOnline gallery for the shares her approach and suggests an and paint seasonal
opportunity to be selected for our monthly Editor’s exercise to try to help you paint figures floral still lifes in
Choice feature from life with confidence watercolour
71 Help us to celebrate The Artist’s 90th anniversary
year by entering our monthly online challenges for PLUS
the opportunity to win £50 vouchers to spend on l How to create mood and atmosphere in seascapes in
Search Press art and craft books acrylics, by Judith Yates
l Paul Talbot-Greaves demonstrates the importance of
drawing for capturing a successful portrait in oils, and
EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS
suggests an exercise to try
l Paul Riley puts the latest Hahnemühle watercolour
papers to the test
PLUS
l Advice from Penny Harris on how to manage the gallery
relationship
Ken Howard OBE, RA David Curtis ROI, VPRSMA Haidee-Jo Summers
studied at Hornsey School has won many awards for his en ROI, RSMA l The many and varied colours of the sky, more top tips
of Art and the Royal plein air and figurative paintings has won many awards for her
College of Art. He is a in both oils and watercolours. plein-air and alla-prima oil from Mike Barr
member of the NEAC, ROI, He has had several books paintings. She is an elected
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 July issue is on sale from May 14

YOUR Email theartistletters@tapc.co.uk or write to The Editor,
The Artist, Warners Group Publications, The Maltings,
VIEWS LETTERS, EMAILS AND COMMENTS

West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH
Please note we may have to edit letters for reasons of space
STAR LETTER
Perspective explained
I was interested to read Karren Whalen’s letter ‘My perspective’ in the March 2021 husband took out a subscription for me.
issue. Sadly perspective is not taught at art colleges any more. In my art school I love reading the magazines as soon as
days (at Medway College of Art in the 1950s), perspective was considered to be an they pop through the letter box; I found
important aspect of our initial foundation drawing course. lots of articles interesting, some have
I taught art for 43 years and made sure my students understood the basic principles been helpful and others have encouraged
of fundamental perspective – but not until year eight or above so as not to suppress me to try something a bit different.
natural expressiveness or creative enthusiasm. I discovered that many students I have given some copies away, but have
would grasp perspective theory just by looking carefully at what they were sketching. kept many, and they were a treasure trove
Recently, a graduate BA from UCA in Rochester asked me to give him some basic tips over the winter lockdown when my art
on perspective, which I was more than happy to do. class went online but was not live. I have
Basically, if you are unsure, it’s helpful to establish your eye level with a faint pencil been able to search through back copies
line at the start; look very carefully at what you are about to sketch, and compare the for ideas, techniques and encouragement
eye line in your view to the line in your sketchbook. Note that lines receding into the for the varied subjects we were painting
distance above your eye line go DOWN, those below it go UP. each week. So thank you for all your
The simple drawing (below) illustrates the theory of perspective and encourages the inspiration during this difficult time.
student to add windows and doors in perspective using the imaginary Sue Hester, by email
vanishing point (VP). Using this theory with the eye level (EL)
covers most perspective aspects. First steps to success
Congratulations Barbara Kozyra (The Artist
John Austin, by email
Your Views, April 2021 issue), for having
the courage to give up the day job and
This month’s star letter writer will receive paint full time. Getting started is difficult.
a Sennelier portable watercolour palette, However, selling online is only one option,
worth £29.95. and getting your name and work known
is necessary from a very early stage. There
is no easy answer and legwork, I am afraid,
is essential. You need to find galleries that
sell work of your genre and knock on the
door and go in, armed with paintings. The
gallery may not like your work, or may be
oversubscribed with other artists. So try
another one, and another...
Tourist towns often have several
galleries, if yours does not. You can find
galleries by searching online or you
can go look for yourself. Offer to show
them what you do, either in person or by
sending images. Talk to the proprietor:
find out what they like and what the
commission is. It's likely to be steep – it
pays their overheads and wages, but you
allow for that when pricing. Look out for
of hardboard, well sanded down with exhibitions that you can be part of – the
Alternative support for two coats of primer. This surface will hold Derbyshire Open is one example. Or join
oil pastels many layers of oil pastel – oil pastels can a group or a club that meets and exhibits
It was pleasing to read Robert Dutton's be thinned out with solvent and further regularly.
article about oil pastels in The Artist April thicker pastel layers added. It is also useful I got started by walking into a gallery
2021 issue. As he stated, oil pastel is an for making larger work or cropping down. and asking if they were interested in my
underrated medium, although it has stuff – I took it with me to show them.
John Betton, by email
lots of advantages to offer when the They had had a cancellation and were
technique of handling has been mastered. Lifeline delighted to fit me in if I could do 20
The supports Robert mentioned are I had been buying The Artist for a couple pieces in three weeks. It nearly killed me
all very useful to use although, as an of years, off and on, before we went into but I sold out!
alternative, I have used the reverse side the first lockdown, at which time my Isabel Blincow, by email
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6 June 2021 www.painters-online.co.uk

4 – 13 JUNE 2021
A Celebration of the Arts in the North Cotswolds
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COURSES FROM £12
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Exclusive Workshops with: high-quality tuition at home
Haidee-Jo Summers l Jake Winkle l Ann Blockley l Tim Fisher
Exhibitions l Art & Design Talks l Outdoor Theatre l Music Interactive webinars and
small group courses.
Open Art Competition - Main Prize £1000 We broadcast live from our studio and
Closing date 23th April - Entry details on the website send you a recording after the session too.
Full technical support provided.
The opening weekend showcasing some of
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demonstrating their skills and selling their work Studio based courses back from May.
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Paintings l Sculpture l Ceramics l Textiles
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The next day I decided to throw caution to the wind and develop
it further. I had kept my palette covered overnight and had
plenty of mixed colours left. The roses were a beautiful, delicate
pink and I knew that a little more time spent on them would
enhance them as the focal point of the composition. I was able
pocketmags.com/theartist
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THE ART WORLD
NEWS, INFORMATION AND ONLINE EVENTS IN THE ART WORLD
compiled by Jane Stroud
p Joseph Mallord William Turner

The Fighting Temeraire Tugged to her
Last Berth to be Broken Up, 1838,
TURNER’S Modern World
oil on canvas, 35¾347¾in Turner’s Modern World at Tate Britain explores the way Turner responded to new
(913121.5cm) challenges facing society during the Industrial Revolution. Starting in the 1790s when
the artist first observed the effects of modern life, the exhibition brings together major
works from the Tate and other collections, such as Rain, Steam and Speed and The
Fighting Temeraire (above) recording the impact steam power had on all areas of life –
from industry and war, to travel, politics, slavery and the environment.
Turner’s Modern World is at Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG, until
September 12. Check with the gallery for opening details and up-to-date information.
Telephone 020 7887 8888 or visit www.tate.org.uk
www.painters-online.co.uk June 2021 9

PaintersOnline webinars
Watercolour artist and tutor, Grahame Booth (left) will be leading
our first series of live watercolour webinars for PaintersOnline. With
over 25 years’ teaching experience and three books on watercolour
techniques published by Search Press, he is well used to the
problems faced by watercolour painters. To keep up to date with
this and forthcoming PO webinars, sign up to the PaintersOnline
email newsletter at bit.ly/POSIGNUP
t Grahame Booth
Grayson Perry:
The Pre-Therapy Years
A major exhibition featuring early works by Grayson Perry,
t Grayson Perry
made between 1982 and 1994, will open at York Art Gallery
Cocktail Party,
on May 28. The touring exhibition, developed by the Holburne
1989 at York Art
Museum in Bath will re-introduce 70 works made by the artist
Gallery,
during this time. ‘This show has been such a joy to put together,’
from May 28 to
writes Grayson. ‘I am really looking forward to seeing these early September 5
works again, many of which I have not seen since the eighties.
It is as near as I will ever get to meeting myself as a young man,
an angrier, priapic me with a huge energy but a much smaller
wardrobe.’
Grayson Perry: The Pre-Therapy Years is at York Art Gallery
from May 28 to September 5; www.yorkartgallery.org.uk
The Artist's 90th Anniversary

CHALLENGE
‘To celebrate The Artist’s 90th year, PaintersOnline is inviting
all artists to join in with our series of monthly challenges. Entries
are invited in any media inspired by some of the key events
throughout 1931, the year of our launch. To find out more go to
www.paintersonline.co.uk/competitions
The winner of our first 90th anniversary challenge goes to Emma
Price for her pen and wash Floating World (left). ‘I live on the north-
east coast of England,’ writes Emma, ‘so during lockdown we’ve
been taking our outdoor exercise along the sea front, where there’s
lots of birds to see, especially during winter. One day there was a
roaring high tide with a ferocious easterly gale whipping the sea
into foam, and a big group of gulls and crows were just floating
on the wind, almost within touching distance. As soon as I got
home, I drew the scene with a fineliner pen, aided by some blurry
photos and a lot of memory, (I couldn’t hold the camera still due
to the wind) and added a watercolour wash. I wanted to convey
the stirring feeling of the day, and hopefully I’ve gone some way
to achieving that.’ All the winning works will be published in the
March 2022 issue of The Artist.
t Emma Price Floating World, pen and wash, 11½38in (29.5320cm)
ARTClubs
Learning by Zoom
Responding positively to the limitations forced upon art clubs around the
world by the pandemic, the Sidmouth Society of Artists put together a
programme of zoom demonstrations by professional artists. ‘One of the
benefits,’ says club member and publicity officer, Terence Crook, ‘is that you
can get to see artists at work from all around the country, if not the world.’
Recent zooms included a seaside in acrylics scene by Mark Warner and a
demonstration by urban sketcher, Ian Fennelly. Here Terence explains how
the demonstations have benefitted members by inspiring them to keep
painting and to experiment with new media. p Mark Warner demonstrating his acrylic seascape to
‘Mark hails from Wales and has worked as a teacher for many years, which the Sidmouth Society of Artists last month
has encouraged him to set up his own painting holidays and workshops.
One of the tips he gave us was to use a strip of paper to the side of the
painting on which to test the colour and blending. He also marked the q Ian Fennelly’s pen and
horizon with a piece of tape. He likes colour and line and uses Winsor & wash demonstartation
Newton Artists’ quality paints, a large flat synthetic brush, size 25, and 160lb of the Cotswolds village,
paper. He doesn’t thin the paint with water at all in order to give depth. Great Rissington
‘His exciting application of paint encouraged several members of the
group to paint along with the artist. Which is exactly what was expected
with the second painter, Ian Fennelly, who is an urban sketcher and paints
mostly outdoors. He gave us a presentation using Tombow brush
pens, fine liner pens, Winsor & Newton watercolours and a
variety of brushes – from flats to riggers – in a range of sizes.
We were asked to practise beforehand to give us time to keep
up with Ian during the zoom, which comprised of six stages. He
gave us plenty of tips and hints throughout his demonstration
of Great Rissington in the Cotswolds, with the emphasis firmly
on sketching and the importance of good drawing.’
If you are interested in joining the society for forthcoming
demonstrations, go to their website at
www.sidmouthsocietyofartists.btck.co.uk
A celebration of trees
The Poole and East Dorset Art Society (PEDAS)
is celebrating Poole Art Week with an exhibition
dedicated to Trees. ‘Trees in the environment, trees
as the lungs of the world; roots, bark, and leaves in
forensic close-up’, write the organisers. An exhibition
of their very diverse and personal interpretations will
take place at The Gallery Upstairs, Upton Country
Park in Poole, from May 21 to June 7. The gallery is
situated above the tea rooms in Upton Country Park,
a 160 acre parkland, shoreline and formal estate
gardens. Please check the gallery website before
making journeys. The exhibition will be open from
10am to 5pm. Telephone 01202 775304, visit the
website at www.thegalleryupstairs.org.uk or visit
the society’s website at www.pedas.org.uk
t Carol Cox Winter Tree, watercolour,

11¾39in (30323cm) at PEDAS’s celebration of trees
June 2021 11
u Marie-Louise
von Motesiczky
Marie-Louise von
Motesiczky, 1959,
oil on canvas,
41½323¼in
(105.5359cm)
12
Reframing Narratives:
WOMEN in portraiture
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY in partnership with CHANEL
Reframing Narratives:
Women in Portraiture is
a new three-year project
by the National Portrait
Gallery in partnership
with Chanel. Part of the
new Chanel Culture
Fund that supports global
innovations across the arts
in developing new ideas and
greater representation, the
project aims to enhance the
representation of women in
the gallery’s collection. The
gallery also plans to acquire
and commission portraits of
women not yet represented
in the collection, particularly
those who have shaped
British history and culture.
Modern painters, such as
Austrian artist, Marie-Louise
von Motesiczky (left) and
activist, writer and artist,
Ray Strachey (right) will be
included as well as work by
sculptors, photographers,
writers, and women from all
walks of life who have been
overshadowed by male
counterparts.
To find out more visit
www.npg.org.uk
u Ray Strachey Virginia

Woolf, late 1920s, oil on board,
22316in (56340.5cm)

ORGANISED BY
TALP &
2021
OPEN CALL FOR

We are looking for the best two-dimensional works in
any media including drawings, paintings, printmaking and digital
artwork from amateur painters in the Leisure Painter category, and
from more experienced and professional artists in The Artist category.
Up to 140 selected works, 70 from each category, will be exhibited in
galleries at Patchings Art Centre*, from August 21 until September 26,
2021
* Covid rules permitting
Over 35 individual PRIZES WORTH OVER £13,500 will be awarded to selected artists including:
artist Purchase Prize Award

worth up to £3,000
WIN!
One prize to purchase a work up
to the value of £3,000
artist Exhibition Awards worth

£1,700
Up to 10 selected artists from the 2021
Over 35 prizes
The Artist’s category will be awarded a
mixed exhibition at Patchings Art Centre in
2022, worth £1,700
to be won,
www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk
artist Highly Commended Award worth over

A subscription worth £100
Batsford Awards worth £600

£13,500
Four prizes of Batsford art books
to the value of £150 each
GREATART & THE ARTIST EXHIBITION
www.pavilionbooks.com/batsford
AWARDS 2020
Philippa Powell Chilli Jam & Cheese, oil, 8x8in (20x20cm)
20cm)
BritishContemporary.art Award
worth £1,800
One year’s representation by
BritishContemporary.art, the JUDGES
(All art materials prizes are quoted at the rrp)
online gallery featuring the best

of British artists
David Curtis ROI, VPRSMA
www.britishcontemporary.art Adebanji Alade VPROI
Caran d’Ache/Jakar Awards Sally Bulgin,
worth £500 Daler-Rowney Awards worth £500 editor The Artist
Two prizes of £250 worth of art materials Three prizes of sets of materials to the
www.jakar.co.uk total value of £500 Ingrid Lyon,
www.daler-rowney.com editor Leisure Painter
Clairefontaine Awards worth £500
Two prizes of £250 worth of art products Derwent Awards worth £500 Liz Wood,
selected from the Clairefontaine Two prizes of £250 worth of Derwent artist and co-owner of
Graphic & Fine Art range art materials Patchings Art Centre
www.clairefontaine.com www.derwentart.com
WITH THANKS
TO OUR AWARD
SPONSORS
in partnership with
HOW TO ENTER
ENTRIES The competition is open to artists

worldwide. Two-dimensional artwork in
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is welcome. Only original work completed
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photographs must have been taken by the
online at artist or used with the permission of the
photographer. Photography, except where
www.talp.co.uk incorporated into collage, is not acceptable.
1 The entry fee of £25 covers up to THREE
Closing date for entries entries of two-dimensional works in any
ROYAL TALENS & THE ARTIST EXHIBITION AWARDS 2020 extended to media. To give more amateur artists the
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4 Entries will be judged after June 3, 2021 and
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IN CONVERSATION
Bold and wild

Collette Clegg, winner of The Artist Award in
the 2020 David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
Wildlife Artist of the Year Competition talks to
Susie Hodge about her approach to painting
A
n Irish artist based in
England, Colette Clegg
has a bold approach to
painting, including working
with rich colours, varied
textures, a lively handling of paint and a
free method of application. She reflects:
‘When I was growing up, I was always
doing creative things. My mother was
a home economics teacher and she
encouraged my sisters and me to have
projects on the go: embroidery, knitting,
sewing, crochet, macramé, painting.
When I was growing up in Ireland, we
had a black-and-white television with
one channel and the cartoons were
in Irish so we had to make our own
entertainment.’

p Elephants and Guinea Fowl among the
Inspiration everywhere
‘I went to Limerick School of Art in the
‘I don’t want to Baobabs, acrylic and collage on wood panel,
23¾331½in (60380cm).
early 1980s. Since I started painting commit to an idea ‘I love painting guinea fowl, as they are
seriously again, 15 years ago, I have
taken lots of short courses with artists too early on in the so comical. I’ve sought to interpret their
beautiful plumage, inspired by images I saw
that I admire. I am also inspired by
several other artists. In no particular
process because I of the ancient tribes of the Omo Valley in
Ethiopia.’
order, these include David Tress, Alice
Sheridan, Lewis Noble, Henri Matisse,
get better results
Patrick Heron, Nicholas de Stael, when I push myself sketchbook and draw whenever I can; I
Pablo Picasso, Pierre Bonnard, Keith like to work in small sketchbooks that
Joubert, Milton Avery, Keith Vaughan, and get out of my I can carry in my pocket or handbag
Rose Hilton, Barbara Rae and Richard
Diebenkorn.
comfort zone’ and always have one to hand. Also I
take lots of photographs that I use for
‘I’m inspired by pretty much reference – but I don’t work exclusively
everything that surrounds me in our from photographs as it can make
home, that includes nature, animals, paintings static.
still life and landscape. I use a ‘Usually something I draw will feed

IN CONVERSATION
into ideas for paintings. Most of my white give a good range of colours and whole rather than a section at a time.
thinking goes on outside the studio greys. I get different results using warm ‘The subject dictates the size of the
and when I start working, I like to or cool colours so I like to mix colours painting. A favourite format for still-
paint intuitively. I work on two or and keep colour swatches with notes so life paintings is 9¾39¾in (30330cm).
three paintings at a time so I don’t get I can remember how to mix a favourite Larger subjects require bigger panels,
wedded to one idea. Each painting colour. The earth triad of yellow ochre, but I find it difficult to work in a series
informs the other and it is good to Payne’s grey and burnt sienna with if I work any larger than 39½339½in
work in series. My sketchbook practice white makes lots of beautiful colours. (1003100cm). The time it takes me to
feeds the ideas for paintings. I’m always ‘I work on wood panels and canvas complete a painting varies enormously.
on the look-out for abstract shapes prepared with acrylic gesso. I then paint Some almost paint themselves and
suggested by the light falling on objects several layers of paint, collage and come about quite quickly. Others take
or buildings. Light is changing all the drawing usually turning the painting 90 longer!’
time. degrees between each ‘pass’ to find
‘I always have ideas knocking around unexpected compositions. I scratch Perseverance and focus
in my head. Some come straight out and into the surface and use sand paper to ‘Without being flippant, the more you
become paintings quite quickly and reveal previous layers of the painting paint the better you get at knowing
others take longer. When I am working which add interesting textures. I think when a painting is finished, and
in the studio the ideas develop. The it’s important to work on a painting as a when I’m working, there is definitely
thinking goes on all the time in my life
but when I’m working in the studio, I
work intuitively. I don’t want to commit
to an idea too early on in the process
because I get better results when I push
myself and get out of my comfort zone.’
Luminosity and depth

‘I have been working in oils for several
years, but recently I’ve been working in
acrylics with collage and mixed media.
Acrylic paint dries quickly so it’s easy to
move paintings along and not get stuck.
Oil paint is buttery and has a luminosity
and depth when it dries. I like painting
with it on its own and I have also used
it with encaustic wax, which produces
beautiful, unexpected textures. The
subject usually dictates the medium. I
also really enjoy working in acrylics and
mixed media. Red, yellow and blue with
p An Implausibility of
Wildebeest, oil on wood panel,
233/43311/2in (60380cm).
‘When I was lucky enough to
be on safari, one of our guides
said that the collective noun for
wildebeest is an implausibility.
This really caught my imagination
as a name for a painting. I love
painting wildebeest as they have
the most interesting shape. They
are often referred to as one of the
ugly five, which is unfair, I think,
as they are one of my favourite
animals.’
t Blue Buffalos, oil on wood

panel, 233/43311/2in (60380cm).
‘On safari last summer we saw
enormous herds of buffalo. When
they travel en masse they stir
up huge dust clouds. I tried to
capture the feeling of the dust
swirling around the buffalo in the
early morning.’

a beginning, a middle and an end. p Dusk at Vista Verde, oil on canvas, 233/43233/4in (60360cm).
Sometimes, when in the middle, the ‘When our boys were little, we took them to Vista Verde ranch in Colorado to learn how to ride.
painting can look very ugly and it takes It was a wonderful experience – living like a cowboy and riding the beautiful horses. I loved
perseverance to push it to the finish. I drawing them when they were in the coral at the end of the day before they were set free to
think I’m lucky if three in five make it graze overnight in the lush meadows. Although horses are herd animals there is a definite
to finished paintings. I don’t expend pecking order and it is fascinating to see how they interact with each other.’
energy on a painting that I am not
happy with. I paint over and start again. Putney, London, also shows my work social media is an excellent way for
‘I’m very lucky to have a beautiful at the Affordable Art Fairs. I find the artists to promote their work. Followers
studio in our home so I can pop in and discipline of having a show to work love seeing new paintings and work in
out of the studio while pretending to be towards gives me a goal and keeps progress. I usually post once a week
a domestic goddess! I get up early as me focused. I enter several open or more often if I’m taking part in an
we have dogs, horses, pigs and sheep exhibitions and competitions every event. It can be time consuming, but it’s
that need to be fed first thing. I walk year. It’s always flattering to win prizes definitely worth the effort.’ TA
the dogs then spend some time in the as it validates my work. Painting
studio. We regularly ride our horses can be quite a lonely activity so it is
in the local woods. On days when I’m gratifying when someone I don’t know
painting, I usually spend at least four acknowledges my efforts. It’s also a nice Colette Clegg
lives on a farm in Surrey with her husband
hours in the studio. way to meet fellow artists. I have done Aidan. See more of Collette’s work on
‘I work with two galleries who regularly some commissions in the past, but I Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, or at
have mixed summer and Christmas prefer to work on my own ideas. https://coletteclegg.co.uk/
exhibitions. The Russell Gallery in ‘All publicity is good publicity and

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PRACTICAL
Dramatic forms and

gentle reflections
Be inspired by Judith Yates as she demonstrates how
she creates her impressionistic landscapes in acrylic with layers
of texture and glazes
T
here are so many aspects When I first started using acrylic paint p Late Autumn Lakeland, acrylic on canvas,
of the natural world that at college the medium was still a fairly 153/43193/4in (40350cm).
inspire me but whatever the unknown quantity. I used to try to make This painting was all about the colours and
inspiration, dramatic lighting it behave like oil or watercolour but textures. I made lots of different marks in the
is a main feature of my work. then realised that my best approach paint and layered up with sweeps of thick
I am constantly aware of light effects was to embrace acrylics and their paint once dry but kept certain areas loose
cutting through trees, casting long particular properties. It was through and washy as a contrast. The tree branches at
shadows or shining through mists and trial, error and experimentation that the base were created by scraping through
fog. they eventually became my favourite the first paint layer to reveal the background
I always take a camera out with me so medium – and remain so to this day. colour
that I can record specific moods and
details. In the studio I use photographs Texture and suggested detail which constantly results in the new and
and on-site sketches to recreate the So many acrylic techniques and effects unexpected. I’m able to move onto the
atmosphere of the location and, in suit my intuitive approach to mark next stage without stopping the flow of
order to create my own interpretation making. The fast drying time and ease creativity.
of the scene, I will happily edit the of overpainting, means there is no fear I often use a thick impasto paint
photographic image, leaving out any of making mistakes and I am free to applied with a palette knife, which
unnecessary detail. experiment with texture and layers, can quickly be followed with a thin

ACRYLICS
t Low Moorland Cloud, acrylic on gessoed
hardboard, 233/43233/4in (60360cm).
This work was all about the brooding colours
and atmosphere of the autumn moors. I kept
the sweeps of colour suggestive and broken.
The path was cut through by scraping a
palette knife through the paint. The clouds
were painted in loosely with wet washes
transparent wash of colour to achieve

a subtle unifying haze or a soft glow. I
apply paint by splattering, dry brushing
in thick layers with a palette knife for
a less controlled approach. I often
scrape back layers to reveal small
remnants of underpainting. The paint is
so strong and stable that you can keep
working the surface, creating bold and
subtle effects. Using various textures,
marks and brushstrokes creates
an impressionistic, multi-layered
landscape that allows the painting to
gradually emerge.
By adding texture to the
underpainting with either paint or
gesso, detail can be suggested with a
dry brush dragged at an angle over the
textured ground; this will pick up the
raised surface and highlight the detail,
implying light interacting with the
landscape. I also use thicker texture in
areas, which works particularly well in
landscapes to describe uneven ground,
grass, rocky outcrops or branches. It can
attract the viewer’s attention and help
with the addition of lines, paths and
patches of light, to lead the eye through
the composition and stop at strategic
points.
Glazes
I am a great fan of glazes and use them
throughout the painting. I often start
by applying thin base layers to work
over later with thicker paint. Because
a white ground is so distracting, I start
by covering the surface with either a
mid-tone or loose wet washes of paint,
filling in the mid-toned shapes and the
dark areas of shadow. This helps me to
see how the composition is looking and
how the colours and tones are working
together.
As the work progresses I use glazes of
colour over large areas to take the tones
down a notch. This unifies the painting,
so that I can paint highlights and
shadows on top of the resulting subtle
colour, which helps make the cleaner,
lighter colours sing.
When glazes are loosely worked over
p River Valley Mists, acrylic on canvas, 193/43291/2in (50375cm). each other a number of times they
I kept the colours very subdued and used the texture as a broken surface to drag a dry brush also leave an interesting layered effect
and palette knife across, thus creating a shattered impressionistic effect where the previous marks are still

PRACTICAL
visible. It is also effective to allow very landscapes gives me much enjoyment on more traditional painting methods,
thin washes of colour to find their own and many surprises. Because I am keen using tonal values, balance of colour
way across a painting, especially in to keep my work representational, and a variety of brushstrokes to bring
the sky. When wet paint is allowed to I constantly refer to the original the whole painting together.
drip through textures it creates some photographs. To avoid getting bogged I enjoy the mix of less controlled
wonderful unplanned effects as the down in detail, I might hide my methods of applying paint, alongside
paint picks out some of the detail. I find source material to concentrate on the more disciplined brushwork. If it starts
that layering glazes encourages me to inspiration of the initial scene. Working to look too tight, I will add splashes of
look into the painting and search for directly from any brisk on-the-spot paint and palette-knife effects; if the
half-exposed, underlying detail. sketches also helps you to concentrate painting becomes too loose I will add
on the main areas of interest and ignore more detail, striving towards a happy
Experimental and traditional unnecessary information. As I near the mix of experimental and traditional
This loose, intuitive way of approaching final stages of the artwork, I again rely painting. TA
DEMONSTRATION Filtered Dawn
t STAGE ONE
Working on gesso-primed board I very loosely drew the
basic shapes of my composition, then applied a thicker
layer of gesso in areas where most detail would be; a
palette knife was used to make branch and grass-like
marks in the gesso. I then started to fill in the basic mid-
toned colours and shapes, very loosely with a 1in flat
brush and a mix of ultramarine, deep violet, Hooker’s
green and white, with varying amounts of burnt umber
to take the freshness out of the colours and make them
recess. At this stage I am finding the tones, the colours
and the main source of light, so I do not have anything
too distinct at this point
MATERIALS
l Brushes: Daler-Rowney System 3 1in, 3/4in
and 1/2in flats, Graduate rigger
l Acrylics: Daler-Rowney System 3: titanium
white; Winsor & Newton Galeria cadmium
yellow deep, lemon yellow, yellow ochre,
raw sienna, burnt sienna, burnt umber,
Hooker’s green, sap green, process cyan,
ultramarine, deep violet; Winsor & Newton
Professional Acrylic: perylene maroon
(worth the price because there is no rich
deep red like it )
l Daler-Rowney System 3 Acrylic Gesso
Primer
l Support: MDF
u STAGE TWO
Still working with loose brushstrokes, I laid down
more areas of local colour using a soft ultramarine,
white and purple mix, with a small touch of burnt
umber for the distance and the sky reflected in the
river. The dark tones of the main tree trunks, larger
branches and shadows of the trees went in with a
wet mix of burnt sienna, black and violet

ACRYLICS
p STAGE THREE p STAGE FOUR

Adding loose dabs of colour along the river bank with a I started painting in the details of the trees, which are the main area of interest
flat brush, I was still unsure about how much detail to add. with the low, early spring sunlight light shining through them. These were a wet
I often work very rapidly at this stage to gain a feel of the mix of burnt umber, black and purple, applied with a rigger brush held lightly by
painting and judge how my eye is being led through the the tip in a jerky, half-controlled manner; I wanted natural-looking branches and
work. I put in dark base colours using burnt umber, Prussian twigs with energy in the brushmarks. A wet mix of white and purple was added
blue and purple, then layered bright suggestions of moss- to indicate more branches with sunlight falling on them. I started to add a few
covered rocks in different mixes of sap green, ultramarine, subtle areas of glaze in a thin watery mix of raw sienna over the bright greens to
ochre, cadmium yellow and white tone them down and began to form the shadows of the trees on the left
‘As the work

progresses I use
glazes of colour
over large areas
to take the tones
down a notch’
t STAGE FIVE
At this point the trees needed more emphasis
so I added more branches, along with white
splashes to indicate sunlight glinting through.
I was aiming for a tangle of twigs in the
enclosing canopy with cool spring sunlight
blazing in at an angle. Realising that the river
was detracting from my main subject I added
a glaze of ochre and sap green. I also used a
small brush to paint tiny areas of shimmering
light showing through the branches with a
mix of ultramarine and white

p FINISHED PAINTING
Filtered Dawn, acrylic on gessoed board, 233/43233/4in (60360cm).
A thin, dark glaze of sap green, burnt umber and burnt sienna added depth to the
shadows to the left and helped to suggest the light flooding in from the gap between
the trees; it also made for more drama and a more comfortable composition. To
emphasise this even more a white and ultramarine blue mix was gently dry brushed
over the river and the entire right-hand tree, almost obliterating it, along with any
suggestion of a horizon. This worked better for me as it took some detail out of an Judith Yates
trained as a fine artist before a career as a professional
incredibly busy image and suggested the feeling of the tree being washed in bright designer and illustrator. She is now a full-time artist,
sunlight. exhibiting and selling work privately and through a
I also ran a palette knife over the surface using very little colour; this picked up on the number of galleries in the UK and has work in private
high points of the textured areas, suggesting sunlight catching stems and grasses and collections both at home and abroad. Judith also runs
regular workshops and her book Dynamic Seascapes,
other details of undergrowth. This helped further to make a broken impressionistic
published by Search Press, is available from our online
surface. For the foreground grasses I used a mix of sap green, cadmium yellow and bookshop at the discounted price of £12.79
white and also added marks by picking up the colour on the edge of palette knife and http://bit.ly/pobooks. www.judithyates.com
making a thin line by placing it edgeways for the final details of highlight

?????????
A portrait
of love
Follow how Francesco Fontana
painted the portrait of a grandmother
and her granddaughter as part of a
series of watercolour paintings on the
theme of relationships
Based on my studies,
I selected Daniel
Smith watercolours in
quinacridone sienna,
permanent red deep,
imperial purple, French
e photo ultramarine blue and
My referenc green gold. Sienna is
basically meant for the
overall skin tone. Other
than colouring the skirt,
blue is a complementary
modifier and darkener
for sienna. Red helps with
the rosy shade of cheeks
and lips – echoed on the
decorations of Isabella’s
Francesco Fontana shirt and skirt.
has a BA in Fine Art and is a co-founder Green gold was chosen
of Fare Pittura Atelier in Milan, where he for Nonna Lina’s grey hair.
teaches life drawing, oil and watercolour. It also helped with the
He has also tutored workshops across
Italy and France, as well as Bali and the US. gold tones in her skin
He has exhibited widely and won and echoed the leaves in
many awards for his work, most recently the background. Green
the Bronze Medal of Honor at the was also instrumental in
American Watercolor Society’s 2021
muting the purple for the
International Exhibition
www.francescofontana.com intense grey I needed for
http://francescofontana.blogspot.co.uk her dress
I
n 2018 I started the series ‘Faces portraits for them through the years, giving up and turning to oil, I took
and Stories’, which is a figurative but those were made in oil. This time my time and decided to keep going,
watercolour project that works they wanted to take the chance with silently, during the lockdown. When
around the concept of peoples’ watercolour. the collectors saw the final result,
relationships. Most of the By working with watercolour I risked they were totally blown away and
paintings, in fact, include more than losing the comparative impact of oil completely in love with it, saying that
one figure. My first models were family paint – this for me was a high concern. ‘love flows through the painting’!
and friends; and after seeing the first Plus, the margin for correction and I was proud to put my signature on
works, the Gregori-Passeri family were change is much more limited. Indeed the painting and, having been given
excited to have a portrait dedicated to when I submitted the work at the carte blanche to choose the frame,
grandma Lina, painted in watercolour. drawing stage, my patrons were about I selected a luxury silver handmade
I had painted several large family to change their minds. But before frame.

PRACTICAL
DEMONSTRATION Nonna Lina and Isabella
p STAGE ONE p u STAGE TWO

To begin, I made a study limited to the heads The drawing was developed using a
and hands, the most challenging parts. I then proportional divider, working with a soft
selected more photographs of Isabella to make traditional pencil on a half-imperial sheet
sure I captured her facial features. The younger of fine-grain cotton watercolour paper
the model, the harder they are to paint
MATERIALS
� Pigments: Daniel Smith
Extrafine Watercolours from my
official 18-colour palette.
� Paper: Hahnemühle 100-per-
cent cotton paper 300gsm,
cold pressed, fine grain.
� Brushes: Rosemary & Co sable
rounds; Princeton squirrel mop
and flat; Tintoretto pointed
synthetic.
� Faber-Castell 4B pencil.
� Accurasee proportional divider.
t  STAGE THREE
Before actually starting to
paint, I made a quick, small
five-value sketch (notan)
to make sure the whole
composition held together
and to set a strong
reference for my darks. For
the notan and details in
the painting I used pointed
synthetic brushes
p STAGE FOUR
To tone the support and set the harmony key, I applied a first
wash of sienna and ultramarine 

?????????
t p STAGE FIVE
The colours in the dress, the hair and the hands were blocked
in. I tested to make sure the skin tones and other colours
matched, then I drew the flowers on Isabella’s shirt and added
their soft rosy accents. The faces were developed with three
to four layers of warm hues. I kept in mind that the average
human skin colour (red-toned), is way darker than we tend to
think. I also reminded myself the main character was expected
to be Nonna Lina, so I didn’t want the pure beauty of young
Isabella to shine over her
p STAGE SIX
I drew the pot and leaves before darkening the background.
I refrained from making the plant too dynamic because I didn’t
want it to steal attention from the main focus
u STAGE SEVEN
A last look at my value study suggested I darken the
background in order to make Isabella’s torso and head pop out
more. I also intensified Nonna’s dress tone to better connect
it to Isabella’s skirt, which brought their two bodies closer
together, as in a classic sculpture

PRACTICAL
p FINISHED PAINTING
Nonna Lina and Isabella, watercolour on Hahnemühle Not 300gsm, 271/4319in (69348cm).
Finally I defined the vertical fixtures to increase the sense of space and placement. For the last but sweetest touch, I added the highlight
on Isabella’s eye with the only tiny dot of thick Chinese white in the whole painting!

?????????
p Hypericum and
Keeping it fresh Agapanthus in Sunshine,

oil on board, 8310in
(20.5325.5cm).
The glancing light brings
the complementary
As Helen Tarr demonstrates, careful preparation and colours of these flowers to
life as they stand on this
pre-mixing the colours are the keys to creating a lively sunny windowsill
painting of roses in oils
I
have been painting the flowers nemesis, so of course I choose to paint the pochade box with my palette pots
from my garden, along with various them frequently! and tuck a large cloth into the belt of
pots, jars and vases, since the first I had one simple objective with this my apron for dabbing brushes as I work.
coronavirus lockdown forced me work: that it should be a lively response My palette is usually held in my left
to look closer to home for subjects to the subject. I know from bitter hand.
to paint from direct observation. Roses experience that it is too easy to take a I chose to work on a premium cotton
in particular have long been my artistic promising painting and inadvertently board from Jackson’s Art, which I
wreck it, and that I have to exercise underpainted with pale umber acrylic
enormous self-control to retain the light paint. The 8310in board is the perfect
touch and relaxed look to my work that I size for a painting that can be largely
strive for. Lots of squinting and thinking completed within a couple of hours
in more abstract terms helps too (this before the light changes drastically.
is a pale pink oval, that is a dark area, The warm grey underpainting becomes
etc). a useful ground and allows me to work
briskly as there are no ‘empty’ white
Setting up gaps to cover up.
Helen Tarr I set up the still life so that, from an
has BA and MA degrees in fine art. She oblique angle, I was able to see the Preparing to paint
exhibits widely and her work is in British
and international collections. Helen is also back of the flowers reflected in the My first step was to pre-mix the key
a qualified tutor and has taught art classes mirror, bringing depth and interest to colours. I have discovered that this
and workshops for over 20 years, as well the composition. I always set up my initial focus on colour and palette
as providing painting demonstrations and equipment and palette in the same way saves time and effort while painting.
critique evenings for art societies.
www.helentarr.co.uk
so that I can easily find what I need as Knowing that you already have the right
I paint. I lay brushes that are in use on colours (checked by holding the mix

PRACTICAL
DEMONSTRATION Roses in a Cornish Jug
MY PRE-MIXED COLOURS
l Blue-brown made from burnt umber and ultramarine blue; I used
this for sketching out and to rough-in the darkest areas of tone and to
darken other colours.
l Pinks: a soft, mid-toned pink from magenta, yellow ochre and
titanium white for the roses; I created a lighter tone by adding more
titanium white, and a dark, warm tone by adding burnt sienna. A
cooler deep pink was made by adding a little ultramarine blue to the
mid-tone.
l Blues: the darkest purple-blue for the agapanthus was a mix of
magenta and ultramarine blue lightened with titanium white for the
lighter tonal values.
l Dark greens: I adapted the basic blue-brown mix with cobalt blue
and chrome yellow to create a warm, deep green, and added more
ultramarine blue to this to create a cool, blackish green for the darkest
This photograph shows my set up
rose leaves.
l Lime-green: the vibrant lime background colour was created by
mixing chrome yellow with a smidgeon of ultramarine blue and a
touch of titanium white.
l Greys: burnt sienna and ultramarine blue with unbleached titanium
for the warm greys on the mirror frame, mantelpiece and glassware.
Adding yellow ochre and titanium white to this mix created the warm
cream for the jug and mantelpiece edge.
t STAGE ONE
I began by sketching out the composition using a No. 4 pointed round
brush and the dark blue-brown mix diluted with Sansodor. I then roughly
blocked in the darkest areas – this involved some intense squinting
to simplify the subject and reveal the overall shapes and tonal values.
Through this process I was able to identify where the ‘lost’ edges would
be, in particular where the jug handle and the leaves were in shadow
and the transparent glass vase merged with the light background. This is
usually a good moment to assess the composition – ideally it should look
exciting, balanced and strong.
MATERIALS
l Oils: Michael Harding titanium white,
warm white, unbleached titanium, bright
yellow lake, burnt sienna, burnt umber,
ultramarine blue, Winsor & Newton
chrome yellow, yellow ochre, quinacridone
magenta, cobalt blue, indigo.
l Sansodor thinners.
l Liquin, to increase flow and give a rich
glossy finish to the paint.
l Brushes: Rosemary & Co Ivory Nos. 4 to 7
curved long flats, long filberts and extra
long flats for much of the painting; No.
4 egbert for the strokes and flicks of the
flowers; No. 4 rigger for the stalks.
on a palette knife in front of the subject

and squinting at it with one eye) allows a
level of freedom and generosity with the
paint that I find harder to create by mixing
as I go. There is still plenty of mixing to be
done as the work develops but having this p STAGE TWO
central scheme prepared in advance is a I added the bright lime greens in the background using a No. 6 long filbert; this made the
great way to keep the palette cohesive and pale umber underpainting into a mid-tone, and gave me a strong colour context for the
disciplined. I often find that this process other colours to react with. It also created an exciting foil for the pinks, blues, mauves
gives me such a quantity of beautiful, and reds that were to follow. I also dashed in some thinned titanium white to suggest the
bespoke colours that I can quickly paint a white, cellophane-wrapped drawing standing behind the vases to lighten the value of the
second version of the subject, too. space around the agapanthus flowers w

OILS
HELEN’S TEN TOP

TIPS FOR PAINTING
EXPRESSIVE ROSES
IN OILS
1 Have the light source to one side of
the roses, this will enhance their shape.
If the light is coming from directly
behind you the roses will appear flatter.
2 Select the right brush for the job. A
filbert or curved flat brush is perfect for
describing the shape of a petal in one
or two strokes. A rigger will make light
work of stalks and touches of light.
3 Lightly sketch in the composition with
thinned oils, then roughly block-in large
areas of dark shadow. This quickly allows
you to see and assess the layout of your
painting.
4 Pre-mix the colours of the roses,
leaves and other key areas of the
painting. If these mixes look good
together on your palette they should p STAGE THREE
look good in your painting. Mix tertiary I focused on the darkest tones next, bringing rich greens to the rose leaves, deepening the
colours to complement or echo your key shadows behind the jug and adding the deep red of the heart on the candle holder and card
colours. using a mix of magenta and burnt sienna. The rich dark pinks on the roses helped to define their
5 Check colours and values by holding positions and the turn of their heads
the mixed paint in front of the subject
on a palette knife and squinting at
it through one eye, then adjust as
necessary. The right colour and value
will help you to paint efficiently with less
reliance on detail and drawing.
6 Stand or sit well back from your canvas
or board and hold your brushes at arm’s
length by the end of the handle. This
gives a lively, loose mark and helps you
avoid painting unnecessary details.
7 Apply the paint in dabs and strokes
without blending, to avoid dullness.
Use mid-tones to transition from dark
to light, or subtle shifts of colour or
temperature to create visual blends.
8 Think of the flower heads as simple
sphere or egg shapes, then observe how
light and shade describe their three-
dimensional form. This will help you
retain the shape of the flower as you
develop the painting.
9 Simplify the subject where possible.
Step back and squint at the painting
and your subject from time to time to
assess the overall tonal relationships. p STAGE FOUR
Keep your initial intention and focal I lightened the deep blue that I had used on the jug with unbleached titanium and titanium
point in mind as you work, it’s easy to white and took this pale blue-grey across the shaded side of the candle holder and vase, and
get distracted. the mid-toned shadows cast onto the mantel shelf. I added pale pink to the roses and fallen
10 Set yourself a time limit. Two hours petals to bring them forwards and develop their shape. Mid-tone blues were added to the jug,
should be about right for a small work. then lightened and carried through the composition in the shadows on the shelf and reflections
This way you will naturally prioritise the on the glassware. The narrow No. 4 egbert was used to flick in the elongated flowers of the
key elements of the painting, keeping agapanthus using the deep purple mix. I added titanium white to the mix and used the same
your colours fresh and your brushwork brush to dash in highlights, creating shape and movement, and used the No. 4 rigger to suggest
lively. the dark green stalks. Then the pot, dark leaf and stems of the orchid were added and created a
frame on the left-hand side

PRACTICAL
q FINISHED PAINTING
Roses in a Cornish Jug, oil on board, 8310in (20.5325.5cm).
The next day I decided to throw caution to the wind and
develop it further. I had kept my palette covered overnight
and had plenty of mixed colours left. The roses were a
beautiful, delicate pink and I knew that a little more time
spent on them would enhance them as the focal point of the
composition. I was able to paint with a light touch and avoid
over-working them. I added more of the mid-toned pink to the
petals, and touched in deeper pinks to define the petals and
enhance the silhouetted roses reflected in the mirror.
A little titanium white added to the lime green was used
to soften and simplify the background, obliterating the
distracting edge of the white orchid pot on the left. I also
added more petals to the agapanthus and pale neutral greys
were used throughout the objects on the mantelpiece to
reduce the tonal range a little and create a more unified effect.
I brightened the blue stripes on the jug with cobalt blue and
titanium white and warmed the cream stripes with a mix of
p STAGE FIVE unbleached titanium and titanium white, which I also added
The painting was coming into its own and I needed enormous self-control to to the front edge of the mantelpiece. Finally a touch of warm
resist fiddling. The palest pinks were added to define the lightest petals and white was used for highlights on the shelf and fallen petals.
streaks of light were dashed onto the jug and glassware. At this point At this point I put down my brushes, feeling that I had done
I wondered if the painting was complete and stopped work for the day. So justice to this gorgeous subject without losing the freshness
far, I had spent one hour and forty minutes on the piece and immediacy of my initial marks
Watch Helen painting hydrangeas in acrylics on PaintersOnline:

https://www.painters-online.co.uk/community-videos/painting-hydrangeas-in-acrylics/

KEYS TO UNLOCKING BET TER PAINTINGS: 1ST OF 6
t Summertime at the Yard,

watercolour on Saunders Waterford
300lb (640gsm) Not, 15322in
(38356cm).
All the elements of composition
were present here – background,
focus and lead-in. All I had to do was
find a viewpoint that best arranged
the shapes. My design plan was to
keep the distance simple and the
backdrop of trees soft to contrast
against the harder edges of the
buildings and clutter. I deliberately
offset the main element of interest
and the winding track and this
balanced nicely with the simple
space of the left-hand field
Better design
Paul Talbot-Greaves’ new series unlocks
Paul Talbot-Greaves
teaches watercolour and acrylic painting the secrets behind creating better paintings. This
in workshops and demonstrations to art
societies throughout the Midlands and month he discusses the importance of good design
the north of England.
He can be contacted through his website: as he demonstrates how to plan a watercolour
www.talbot-greaves.com
landscape
D
esign is an important vertically, and you can use this as a but that isn’t always the case. If I see
element of successful guide to arrange the bigger shapes of a potentially strong focus I will move
paintings. It’s your plan, your scene for harmony and balance. around to try to place it against a good
like having an architect’s Use a picture finder tool or a camera or better backdrop or see if I can find
plans for a building. You lens with grid selected to help you gain an interesting lead in. If I see the
can of course just start painting but a good balance of offset shapes into supporting elements but no focus, I
that inevitably leads to alterations spaces of one third. There are no rules will think about how I might impose a
and changes in a watercolour can be other than try to make your landscape focus into the scene. When you become
difficult to disguise successfully. Your appear interesting with a mixture of accustomed to working in this way you
design plan should consider the story large and small shapes and maybe a begin to see your field subjects as
you want to convey, how you might go lead into the focus. The focus of your paintings, and you might have on-the-
about the painting process to enhance painting is the main interest around spot ideas like making the background
the picture, what additions or omissions your story and needs to be emphasised darker or removing a lot of distracting
you might consider as well as the and strong enough to keep pulling the clutter to improve the image. If you’re
arrangement of shapes, values, tones, viewer’s attention. A focus can consist painting en plein air it pays to spend
and colour. If you’ve not given design of anything that will continually draw some time on this, maybe making a few
much consideration before, or you have notice such as a building, a patch of thumbnail sketches to quickly thrash
but with not much success, I hope this light, a flock of sheep, people, a lone out your ideas before you commit to the
article will provide some valuable hints tree and so on. painting.
and tips for getting the best out of your When I’m in the landscape, I look out
landscape painting. for either a focus or the supporting In the studio
elements of a painting. The supporting If you are painting in the studio you
In the field elements are often as important as are likely to have some sketches and
Whether you are painting en plein air, the focus and may comprise of a a series of photographs to work from
making sketches or taking photos, the strong value background or a large, lit and can spend a bit more time making
basic building block of a compositional foreground space or an interesting line decisions about the balance of values,
grid is a good starting point. The grid or curve leading into a scene provided enhancing a focus, trying out colour
divides your picture space into three by a wall or a track. Sometimes they mixes and so on. You might also have
sections horizontally and three sections all appear as a readymade design a databank of images to call on if you

PRACTICAL
PLANNING A PAINTING – WORKING TO A STORY
t 1 Compositional grid
Here I have overlaid the compositional grid
so that you can see how I used it to structure
the main shapes. This was a scene that didn’t
possess a great focus but the other elements
of lead in and backdrop were present. I have
the grid superimposed on my camera screen
and this allows me to move around and select
a pleasing arrangement. Notice how I used
around two-thirds foreground and placed
the track to meet the building around the top
right intersection of the grid lines to offset
it. The building provides some interest, but
is not strong enough to act as a standalone
focus because the values are similar to the
surrounding trees.
u 2 Adding shadows
Using my photo editing software, I made some
lighting adjustments, sampling colours from
the photograph to give the design an air of
realism. I wasn’t trying to achieve perfection, it
was more to get a feel of how my ideas might
work. By bringing the light more from the left
I introduced some cast shadows to enhance
the land profiles and to bring some better
shape into the building. I also added a window
frame detail to help with keeping the viewer
interested. These adjustments alone make the
image more dynamic.
t 3 Adding a focus
Next, I used some images of sheep from
my own databank and sketched these into
the scene using the graphic tablet and pen.
Multiple shapes like these will always keep
the eye interested; by adding the animals
I shifted the focus, placing the building in
a supporting role rather than centre stage.
All these adjustments took a little while,
but the resulting reference meant I could
confidently get on with the painting.
wanted to add something. An invaluable package and perhaps a tablet and pen. I With this kind of set up you can take
tool for adjusting composition is photo use a Wacom USB tablet with a pressure a photograph and not only alter the
editing software for your computer. Basic sensitive pen with a programme called lighting and colour, but you can draw on
programmes that come with software Serif PhotoPlus X6. There are many it with the pen, clone areas, remove bits
packages such as Microsoft photos other packages around, such as Adobe and so on, so that you end up with a
are good enough for cropping images Photoshop. There are also photo editing digital image of your plan exactly as you
and adjusting the exposure and colour packages for iPads and tablets, so envisaged. If you make a change that
saturation, but to make real adjustments take a browse around the internet if you don’t like, just press undo, and go
it pays to invest in a dedicated software you’ve never used editing apps before. back to your previous edit. TA w

WATERCOLOUR
DEMONSTRATION Summer in Dentdale
p STAGE ONE
With a 6B pencil I drew out my composition
MATERIALS on a piece of watercolour paper. By working
l Brushes: Sizes 6, 3, 2 squirrel from a definite plan, I didn’t have to make
mops. alterations, which can be disastrous even at
l Watercolours: cerulean blue, this stage as lots of erasing can easily bruise
yellow ochre, Winsor violet, and damage the paper. I began with size 6
permanent sap green, French squirrel mop brush, applying a simple wash
ultramarine, cadmium yellow of light colours using cerulean blue in the sky,
pale, cobalt blue. switching to yellow ochre and Winsor violet
lower down across the foreground
p FINISHED PAINTING
Summer in Dentdale, watercolour on Saunders
Waterford 140lb (300gsm) Not, 10315in
(25.5338cm).
This was where the design plan paid off;
with uncertainty eliminated, I confidently
attacked the shadows and form. I added
further dark values to the trees to give them
depth and shape using a size 2 mop and
plenty of thick colour. I continued into the
shadow of the left-hand wall with a mixture
of cobalt blue, Winsor violet and yellow ochre
and I connected this into the field shadows
whilst the paint was still wet. Next, I moved
on to the building in much the same way,
adding the shadows and allowing them to
blend into the grass shadows for which I used
p STAGE TWO French ultramarine and permanent sap green.
In the trees I used a size 3 mop to apply the colours and shapes vigorously in places, Switching to a size 6 sable brush I worked the
maintaining control around the shapes I wanted to keep light. My basic green was permanent sheep one by one, adding a cerulean blue
sap green and I varied this in colour with the addition of yellow ochre, ultramarine and some mark to echo the colours of the painting.
cerulean blue. I used fresh colour from the tube which also allowed for rapid changes in values. Finally a little gouache was added to the
Lower down in the field I used my size 6 again with permanent sap green, cadmium yellow gates, window frame, roof lights and one or
pale, yellow ochre and cerulean blue mixed loosely on the paper two missed highlights on the sheep

PRACTICAL
Next month: Paint a portrait in oil
EXERCISE TO TRY
Use this image to practise your design skills.
The trees provide a good backdrop but as
there is no focus, you will need to invent
one. Animals or figures would work well
here. There is no strong lead-in but there
are some faint radiating lines in the grass
and a little drag brush is all that is needed to
guide the eye towards your focus. For best
results use a piece of Saunders Waterford
140lb (300gsm) paper, 11315in (28338cm)
and squirrel mops sizes 2, 4 and 5. Keep the
colours simple with permanent sap green,
yellow ochre, cobalt blue, cerulean blue and
burnt sienna.
We’d love to see your paintings – we’ll share them on PaintersOnline and Paul will select one to comment on.
Email a good-quality photograph of your work, with a brief description of how you achieved it, to dawn@tapc.co.uk
with ‘Better Painting Series’ in the subject line, by May 14, 2021.

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A brilliant combination
Liquid acrylics make a great base for
coloured pencil work, as Liz Seward shows with
a lively spring landscape
A
fter 40 years of painting it’s permanence of the pencils, so I put p The Gate into the Woods, ink and coloured
good to know that there this particular combination on the back pencil on Fabriano Artistico HP paper 140lb
are still some materials burner. Then some years ago I acquired (300gsm), 14319in (25.5348cm).
that excite me beyond my first set of Caran d’Ache Luminance This old gate has been slowly deteriorating
measure. One of these is 6901, which is one of the most lightfast for years and certainly will not prevent
acrylic ink, or Golden High Flow Liquid ranges available. Since then, this anyone from walking into the woods. I
Acrylics. Beautiful, intense jewel-like particular combination has become a thought I would record it before it finally
colours combine with a fluidity that is firm favourite, combining as it does the disintegrates. Painted with the same palette
fascinating to watch as it moves and brightness of the inks with the subtlety of liquid acrylics as used for Bluebell Path
blends on the paper. Then, once the and accuracy of the pencils. (pages 40–41) with the addition of burnt
first application is dry, the inks can I am lucky enough to live surrounded sienna, and the same selection of pencils, I
be used to continue the work or the by trees and woodland so of course had fun with the starkness of the gate and the
initial layer of paint can be used as an they are a favourite subject of mine, softness of the undergrowth around it
underpainting for other media. believing as I do that you should paint
what you know. I have painted many
Firm favourites different types of landscapes over have filled and in one of them I found
I had used inks as a basis for dry media the years, many en plein air, but in my a fairly comprehensive sketch of a
for decades, using them with pastels, studio I can experiment more and try bluebell wood. I’m sure there was a
pastel pencils and water-soluble wax a different approach with a subject photograph as well but that has been
crayons, then about 20 years ago I that I know instinctively – especially consigned to history; in any case the
decided to try coloured pencils with if it involves more equipment than I drawing gives me all the information
the inks. I was more than pleased with am prepared to carry around. I have that I need as I know this subject as well
the result but was dubious about the bookcases full of sketchbooks that I as I know my own face. w

LIQUID ACRYLICS & COLOURED PENCILS
DEMONSTRATION Bluebell Path
u STAGE ONE
MATERIALS Using a full tonal range from
l Golden High Flow Acrylic: hansa the white of the paper to
yellow light, phthalo green, almost black from the 3B
ultramarine blue, titanium white. pencil I was able to indicate
l Caran d’Ache Luminance 6901 distance with soft grey
Coloured Pencils: chromium oxide tones, middle distance with
green, grass green, dark English darker greys and foreground
green, violet grey, cobalt blue, with crisp dark marks that
ultramarine blue, indanthrene would create depth. Using
blue, burnt ochre, sepia 50%, sepia, the same pencil I transferred
carmine lake; blender. the drawing onto a piece of
l Fabriano Artistico HP watercolour HP watercolour paper of the
paper 650gsm. same proportions
t STAGE TWO
Having wet the paper all over I laid the yellow in places
where I knew I was going to need it – the sunnier
patches of grass and the foliage of the trees, then
ultramarine where the distant trees and the large
patches of bluebells would be, and finally pthalocyanine
green for the foreground grass. These were laid wet-
in-wet on the wet paper, and from time to time I tilted
the board to encourage the liquid acrylics to flow into
certain places – don’t do this anywhere that can’t take a
bit of mess! I call this phase ‘painting with gravity’, and
it produces many of the tree shapes that I will use in the
distance. Then I left it to dry completely
LIZ’S TOP TIPS

l Keep a sketchbook and carry it with you
regularly. It’s amazing how often using it relieves
boredom and fills dull moments.
l Even if you are working from photographs, it’s
useful to draw the composition from the photo
before you paint – to decide composition, what to
leave out and tonal values.
l Liquid acrylics are beautiful but messy so
always protect valued surfaces and clothes. When
dry it is very difficult to remove, even a thin film.
l Keep your pencils sharp; I use a metal pencil
sharpener with a replaceable blade, but I know
many artists prefer knives to protect the integrity
of the lead inside the wood casing. If this is the
case, a sandpaper block is very useful for creating
a point.
l Learning to vary the pressure on the tip of the
pencil to create variations in tone takes practice. A
few minutes a day is all it needs.
l Always use the smoother watercolour papers
p STAGE THREE (Hot Pressed). Cold pressed and Rough give a very
Using medium cobalt blue, ultramarine blue and indanthrene blue pencils, all grainy finish that takes over visually.
sharpened to a fine point with a metal sharpener, I carefully defined the distant trees
l I’m often asked about what direction to make
by colouring the areas around them; I did it this way because the trees will look as
the pencil strokes in. The answer is do whatever is
though they ‘belong’ to the picture more, and I didn’t want to lay all that lovely liquid most comfortable to you, but make it consistent.
acrylic colour and immediately cover it up with pencil. They will all have the liquid I’m left-handed so my natural stroke is diagonal
acrylic colours running through them and by varying the tone around them I can but over the years I have trained myself to
bring them forward or send them into the background. I also started to define the make vertical strokes for more strength and less
edges of the leaves in the trees further forward. Getting ahead of myself, I couldn’t movement. A blender is useful for areas where the
resist trying a bit of violet grey on the foreground trees, indicating branch shadows strokes are too obvious.
to define the trees as round

u STAGE FOUR
This is the bit I’d been waiting for! Using
oxide of chromium green I started to shape
the branches with leaves on, again working
largely in the negative space, preserving
much of the original liquid acrylic colour.
I then coloured some of the leaves in the
middle distance that are against the sky. After
that I threaded the branches and tree trunks
through the leaves using lost-and-found
techniques. I used violet grey for the paler
tones; sepia 50%, sepia and carmine lake for
the darker tones, varying the pressure on the
pencil tip as required. As variety is the spice
of life, I ran some burnt ochre over the darker
tones on some of the foreground trees to
warm them up
p FINISHED PAINTING ragged edge to describe lighter clumps of grass

Bluebell Path, coloured pencil over liquid acrylics, in front of them. Applying more pressure on the
14319in (25.5348cm). ultramarine pencil resulted in some shadows in
Using the same four colours I used for the tree the bluebell areas. In the foreground I indulged
trunks, I defined the path that weaves through myself and put in more defined bluebells with
the wood. Running these colours over the the same colour.
original green liquid acrylic resulted in a slightly Returning to the liquid acrylics, I mixed Liz Seward
different effect to the trees but provides a titanium white with a very small amount of taught and demonstrated for 36 years
and is a member of The Society of Women
general harmony to the piece. The edges of the ultramarine and lightened the middle-distance Artists and the Society of Floral Painters.
path were defined by a broken line with a sepia bluebells to enhance the sunny effect, and create She has exhibited widely and won
pencil, and again burnt ochre was used to warm some lighter flowers in the foreground. I then many awards for her work. Liz teaches
up sunnier areas. Dark English green and grass completed the tree in the middle distance with residential courses at Dedham Hall and
demonstrates to art societies.
green were used for the shadows in the grassy violet grey and cobalt blue and decided to leave
www.sewardart.co.uk
areas – some have a straight edge and some a well alone

WATERCOLOUR-STYLE ACRYLICS
Acrylics,
watercolour style
Acrylics can be diluted and used just like watercolour says
Amanda Hyatt as she demonstrates an interior scene and
shares her top ten tips to get you started
A
n artist should be able to painting in acrylic. The acrylic can surface textures. These are:
to paint in all media with be diluted to whatever consistency is • Hot Pressed (HP) paper is smooth,
equal proficiency, even required; you can then either dry it off with little to no surface texture, which
though the artist may and paint over the top of it, or leave means the paint covers it uniformly.
prefer one medium as their it wet and apply thicker paint straight This paper is therefore suitable for
favourite. As a watercolourist primarily, into it according to the wet-in-wet detailed work such as botanical art.
I prefer the spontaneous flow of the technique. Mistakes are more obvious on this
watercolour medium. This flow can also To be honest, an artist can create a paper because the edges of your
be achieved when painting in acrylic. painting out of anything; boot polish, brushmarks stay sharper. To get a softer
Acrylic does not have to be used thickly toothpaste, strong black coffee, liquid look the wet-in-wet method works quite
as most people assume – it can be paper, grass stains, beetroot juice or well on this paper, although it is easy to
diluted to the point of transparency and that diabolical yellow stain from the lose control of big washes.
is just as good as watercolour for doing stamens of some lilies. Let’s face it, • Cold Pressed (Not) paper is the most
a wash. cavemen used mud. It’s how you put it popular and frequently used. It is easy
The exact same method that I teach on the surface that matters. to use and has a medium texture. The
for watercolour, in my Five Steps to paint fragments slightly. It can be used
Watercolour (see The Artist November Papers for detailed or non-detailed work.
2020) and my DVDs* can be applied Watercolour paper comes in three basic • Rough paper is not suitable for
detailed work or correction. The paint
must be applied correctly the first
time and does not cover the dips in
the rough texture – it fragments greatly
unless a loaded brush with lots of paint
and water is used.
My painting Glen Coe (left) was done on
Hot-Pressed paper and The Rialto, Venice,
(top right) on Cold-Pressed paper. If you
look closely at each painting you can
see the sharper ‘edges’ of the paint on
the HP paper but on the Not paper the
edges of the painted brushstroke sink
into the textured surface and disappear,
creating a more uneven edge. My
demonstration painting (right and over
the page) was done on Rough Baohong
paper, a new Chinese paper that is
proving to be excellent.
Details
As previously mentioned, Rough paper
allows for less detail. As a ‘big picture’
artist, I usually leave out all unnecessary
details and put some in at the end
to finish off the painting. I look at the
‘overall feel’ of the subject and decide
which items are necessary to balance
p Glen Coe, acrylic on Baohong HP paper, 18¼324in (46361cm). the painting. In the demonstration
The vale of Glen Coe is similar to some areas of Australia and because I like painting landscapes painting I omitted the apron hanging
and have visited Scotland, I enjoyed painting this scene. It was done with diluted acrylics and on the door as it would have been too
you can see clearly the sharp edges of the paint layers isolated, dominant and distracting. The

PRACTICAL
t The Rialto, Venice, acrylic on

Baohong paper, 14320in (36351cm).
Even though Venice is a much painted
location and to some extent its images
end up on biscuit tin lids or place-mats,
I still adore painting it and have been
there many times. This painting was
done on medium (Not) paper in diluted
acrylics. The transparency creates the
light in the central area, the darks on
the left push the eye across the painting
to undiluted spots of white acrylic on
the right. Undiluted acrylic was used
as highlights in the shadows on the
left. The painting was kept loose with
reduced detail
DEMONSTRATION Martindale Hall Kitchen
p My palette and brushes

This is an upturned lid of a watercolour palette. I chisel
off the dried-up acrylic paint when finished so I can use
the lid again. The paint is squeezed around the rim and
mixed in the centre then wiped off if required, although
I rarely wipe away paint and just add new colours to the
‘gunge’ already there
p My reference photo, the kitchen of

Martindale Hall, South Australia
eye would have constantly been pulled

towards it. Copying the details of the
tea set on the table correctly as well as
the items on the mantle and around the
oven is a waste of time. A ‘suggestion’
of kitchen utensils is better and the eye
‘reads’ the information correctly rather
than having the items detailed.
My art focuses on capturing the
light rather than the colour so a
reduced palette was used: cadmium
yellow, burnt sienna, black, white and
ultramarine blue. The window and the
play of light on the table and floor were
the defining highlights of this painting.
The shadows cast by the table items
were also important.  Page 44  STAGE ONE The drawing on watercolour paper

t STAGE TWO
For the initial wash, I used a hake brush with
mixtures of cadmium yellow, burnt sienna
and black, leaving some white areas
q STAGE THREE
All the defining shapes were painted in using
burnt sienna and black. This was then dried
off with a hair dryer
The subject image is of Martindale

Hall kitchen. I painted the Martindale
Hall study for a previous article (see The
Artist December 2019). Martindale Hall
is a magnificent Georgian mansion in
the middle of seemingly nowhere in the
outback of South Australia. Its rooms are
decorated with original William Morris
wallpapers and English and Australian
antique furniture. The history, ambience
and visual impact creaks throughout
every majestic room.
As always, know when to stop. View
the finished painting in a mirror and the
mirror will speak to you loudly saying
either ‘put the paintbrush down now’ or
‘ just fix that bit but nothing else, don’t
fiddle!’ TA
AMANDA’S TOP TEN

TIPS FOR USING
ACRYLIC PAINT LIKE
WATERCOLOUR
1 Forget all pre-conceived ideas that
acrylic is a poor relative to oil paint.
2 Acrylic paint is fantastic and can be
thinned down and painted just like
watercolour and used thickly wet-in-wet
for highlights.
3 Most people don’t dilute acrylic paint
but paint it thickly as it is squeezed out.
Explore what it does when it is diluted
with water.
4 Try the three different types of
watercolour paper: HP, Not and Rough. You
will be amazed at the differences between
them.
5 Painting is all about the journey. It is
p STAGE FOUR about practising, experimentation and
A mixture of cadmium yellow, burnt sienna and a touch of black was glazed (layered) over most
of the painting, except for the highlight light/white areas

p FINISHED PAINTING
learning through making mistakes. If you Martindale Hall Kitchen, acrylic on
remember not to make the same error in Baohong Rough paper, 181/4324in
your next painting you are making progress. (46361cm).
6 Dilute acrylic with water before mixing Individual items such as the pots, pans
– this is the basic understanding of how and teapots were exaggerated with
darker colours. Shadows in ultramarine Amanda Hyatt
acrylics can be used like watercolours. has exhibited widely, including in New
blue were placed in and around various
7 Use the same brushes as you would for York and China. She is a member of the
items such as under the mantelpiece, to Australian Watercolour Institute, the
watercolour. Synthetic brushes are best for
the left of various utensils and on the Victorian Artists Society and the Twenty
diluted acrylics. Hakes are always the best for Melbourne Painters Society. Her paintings
wall. The painting was finished off with
doing broad washes and glazes. are in collections throughout the world and
the crucial minimal details which are
8 Even though the conventional process of her book Watercolour: Tonal Impressionism
highlights in black or dulled-off white is available from Amazon. Amanda tutors
painting in non-diluted acrylics is similar to (white and cadmium yellow). These were workshops and painting holidays,
painting in oils, once acrylics are diluted, it is done using a small round synthetic brush for details
the same as painting in watercolour. for the lights and a rigger for the darks http://amandahyatt.co.au
9 You’ll find that diluted acrylics don’t dry as
quickly as undiluted acrylic.
10 Use your reference photo only as
inspiration. Don’t try to copy it or you will
always be disappointed. You are making art,
*Amanda has three DVDs, available from APV Films, including Tonal Watercolours
not making another photo.
and Five Steps to Watercolour (www.apvfilms.com)

?????????
Late Day, the Witterings, oil, 9310in (23325.5cm)
Add water to your

landscape
Follow Sarah Manolescue as she demonstrates a plein-air landscape
of a riverside scene in oil, with details of her outdoor painting kit
G
enerally speaking, painting successfully in paint is a beautiful thing, be found online and are generally
the landscape en plein air is and none more so than en plein air. accurate). It doesn’t pay to forget to
a relaxing pastime. Add any check – I did once when I was intending
kind of water to the mix and Check the tide to do a demonstration painting for this
you instantly up the ante From where I am located I can get to very article and I had a wasted journey.
– when you’re attempting to paint it, it the Sussex coast to paint beaches and The tide was so far out I could barely
can change in an instant with the light, marinas, or to countryside rivers and see it and by the time it came back in
tide or even the gentlest of breezes. It’s the more structured River Thames the light was terrible.
also a mirror for the landscape, which is meandering through London. Each
why I am so drawn to it, but it presents pose a different kind of challenge and Light and water
the greatest challenge and makes where I go will depend on my mood. The coast will invariably be more
the largest contribution to the pile of Weather is a consideration and so is energetic and unpredictable in nature,
unsuccessful paintings in my studio! A the tide. Before heading to the coast I so if that’s what you are seeking, head
struggle it often is, but one I gravitate will have checked and double-checked there. It is also an excellent spot to
towards because to capture water the weather and tide times (these can catch the sunset (although a clear sky

PRACTICAL
with the sun dropping towards the water see them, becoming lighter, darker, go. Make sure your water reflects
can be absolutely blinding, so beware!). warmer or cooler. If the water you are its surroundings at all times and if
If it is reflections you crave, a river painting is relatively still and your something isn’t working, don’t be afraid
or harbour will serve you well. Spots reflections are clear, work on both the to wipe and have another go.
close to city bridges offer up exciting water and surroundings simultaneously.
material with boats, barges and the For example, if you have large cloud Dealing with change
bridges creating great compositional formations rolling overhead, see Wind can play absolute havoc with
opportunities. how they reflect in the water as they reflections, particularly on a wide
If you paint towards the sun – contre- expanse of river and the temptation
jour – you will see bleached-out colour is to change your painting in a bid to
in the water, but in exchange you get keep up. Be decisive from the outset
great sparkle that is a joy to paint. A about how your reflections will look and
trick I’ve learnt is to go quite dark, err on the side of caution by keeping
certainly darker than you think, in things simple. Note which colours you
tone for the sky so the light on the see and confidently place them down;
water really pops. If you are looking perfection isn’t necessary because
away from the sun the colour returns, everything will be moving around all
and portraying this successfully can the time, accurate mixing is key here.
create a fantastic sense of depth. With By its very nature, water is ever
large expanses of water I find the most changing, so with any painting that it
predominant colour and loosely block features in, the goal is to get a sense of
in the whole area. I can then work it rather than true representation. Have
into this with other colours where I p Pink Boots, oil, 9310in (23325.5cm) fun making it your own! TA w
SARAH’S PLEIN-AIR
PAINTING EQUIPMENT
l Pochade (I use an Open Box M,
11314in).
l Tripod (Manfrotto 190XPRO).
l Rags and tissues for wiping brushes,
correcting paintings, etc.
l Medium: I carry a small bottle of
turps and pour a little into a jam jar lid
to dip my brush into.
l Brush washer filled with turps or
brush cleaner – I go for the smallest I
can find (various sizes are available from
Jackson’s or Amazon).
l Assortment of brushes – mine are
Rosemary & Co and Pro Arte Acrylix,
mainly filberts, rounds and a few flats.
l Panel carrier (Raymar).
l A range of pre-prepared panels in
various sizes.
l Oil paint – this is my standard
palette for plein-air painting: Daler-
Rowney Artists Colours blue black, raw
umber, oxide of chromium, Rowney
rose, cadmium scarlet, yellow ochre,
cadmium yellow, Naples yellow;
Michael Harding ultramarine blue,
cerulean blue, cobalt blue, kings blue
deep, terre verte, viridian, zinc white;
Winsor & Newton cadmium lemon,
Jackson’s titanium white.
I squeeze a good amount of each colour
onto my pochade before I leave and
take both whites with me to top up.
u Fishing from the Jetty, oil, 10312in

(25.5330.5cm)

?????????
t This was the scene I was painting. I was
drawn to the river leading the eye in and
across the view from right to left. Although
the river isn’t a huge part of the composition,
my challenge was to make it the focal point.
Reflecting the sky on a clear day, the water is
partly in shadow from nearby trees and I liked
the contrast of the two areas. The river water
was flowing but there was still flood water,
which served to break up the dark green
areas of shadow
DEMONSTRATION: Geese by the River Wey
u STAGE ONE
I chose an 8312in MDF board primed and tinted with acrylic
pale umber. These dimensions helped to keep the focus on
the foreground and the river. Using a mix of burnt sienna and
kings blue deep thinned with turps, I sketched out the basic
composition: the shape of the river, the bank of trees on the
horizon and the large area of shadow
t STAGE TWO
Using slightly thinned mixes, I blocked in all
large areas of colour ready to work into and
refine. For the bank of trees, I darkened the
mix I made to sketch out by adding more
burnt sienna, a little ultramarine blue and a
touch of oxide of chromium. The dark shadow
green is oxide of chromium and ultramarine
blue, lightened for the rest of the green areas
with some cadmium yellow and titanium
white. For the sky, I used ultramarine blue
and white, adding more white and a touch of
Rowney rose to push the area closer to the
horizon towards pink. I used this for the river
also. I noticed that the green area close to the
foreground trees was darker, so added a little
blue black to the dark green mix
u STAGE THREE
I started to add some detail with thicker paint,
adding darker and lighter areas to the bank of
trees to break them up, but not so much that
they became distracting. I mixed a stronger,
brighter blue and added to the water close
to the river edge, and some terracotta areas
too, smudging it all a little with my finger to
enhance the impression of fluidity. I marked
out the course of the river with foliage in
the same colour used for the bank of trees.
I loosely marked in the flood water with the
punchy blue mix, and some lighter stripes of
green to further break up the large area of
shadow

PRACTICAL
u STAGE FOUR
This stage was mainly about developing
the water. I added some warmer tones and
highlighted small patches using a mix of
Naples yellow, cadmium scarlet and titanium
white. The water was changing constantly
with the flow of the river, the breeze and the
light, so I placed areas of paint intuitively.
I sketched in the tree skeleton but kept it
simple so as not to detract from the water
q FINISHED PAINTING
Sarah Manolescue Geese by the River Wey, oil on MDF primed panel, 8312in (20.5330.5cm).
has exhibited with the New English Art I noticed a branch hanging into the water, so I sketched it in with its corresponding reflection.
Club and the Chelsea Art Society, and I decided to remove the vertical post in the foreground as it proved too distracting and didn’t
has work in private collections in the UK, add anything compositionally. The clouds had built up slightly since I began painting, so I
Ireland, Canada and Australia. She will be
decided to include them for their warm tones. I added more of the same colour to the river
exhibiting with Sarah Potter in ‘The Way
We See It’, from September 30 to October water. I noticed a rooftop in the bank of trees that I decided to include, so I fattened up the
6 at 340 Kings Road, London SW3 5UR. foreground with some bigger brushstrokes to bring it closer to the viewer and push the horizon
www.sarahmanolescue.co.uk back. A gaggle of geese had been strutting around the composition since work began, so as a
finishing touch I added them in, noticing two had wandered closer to me and the river

DRAWING INTO PAINTING: 3R D OF 3
Paint a still life

in oil
Adele Wagstaff completes the transition from drawing into painting
using information gained from her previous studies and explains how to
mix colours from a limited palette to paint a still life in oil
Adele Wagstaff
trained at Newcastle University and the
Slade School of Fine Art. She has taught
in Belgium, Germany, Italy and the UK.
Adele has been shortlisted for the Jerwood
Drawing Prize and the BP Portrait Award,
and her work has been exhibited in the
National Portrait Gallery, ING Discerning Eye,
Royal West of England Academy and the
Royal Society of Portrait Painters. Adele has
published two books. For more details, see
www.adelewagstaff.co.uk
I
n this final part of the series we will p Shell with Manuscript, oil on gessoed panel, 8311¾in (20330cm).
look closely at colour mixing, and Black and white tone study made in part 1 of this series
how we can mix a palette of subtle,
warm and cool mixes suitable for
our still life from the bright and
saturated primary colours.
In part 1 (April 2021 issue) a small
still life of a shell placed on a music
manuscript was the subject for a study
of tone; in part 2 (May 2021 issue) tone
and temperature were explored as we
continued to move from drawing into
painting. In this final step, the same set
up, observed in natural light, is again
our subject.
Colour mixing
The colour chart (top right) shows
how it’s possible to mix a palette of
mixed greys from primary colours.
The swatches were made by mixing
cadmium yellow, alizarin crimson with
white and complementary colours.
It demonstrates the transition of siennas, ochres and umbers to the p Shell with Manuscript, oil on gessoed
saturated colours, mixed directly from palette. White was then added to each panel, 8311¾in (20330cm).
the tube, to muted and subtle mixes. of the mixes to make the colours softer. Tone and temperature study made in part 2
Little by little the intense yellows, The resulting mixes are closer to the of this series, using burnt sienna, ultramarine
oranges and reds transform to a range range of colours required for the still- and white
of mixes that appear more ‘earthy’ as life painting.
we would expect to see if we added With careful mixing it is possible to

PRACTICAL
extend our colour palette considerably

from only a few initial colours. Further
p COLOUR CHART
mixing, with the addition of more Top row, left to right: cadmium yellow mixed with small and increasing amounts of alizarin
complementary colour and white will crimson. From this bright, warm yellow the colour moves through darkening oranges to
continue to neutralise the palette darker mixes of red.
even more, and create a range of In the second row the smallest amount of white was added into each pool of colour on the
beautiful, soft ‘greys’. If you look at palette, which results in lightening and making each mix a little cooler.
the muted colours of Morandi’s quiet In the third row, you can see how each of the mixes has moved away from the pure, saturated
and meditative still-life arrangements colours in the row above to colours that have been neutralised with the addition of each
you can see how his palette has been colour’s complementary colour: yellow with purple; orange with blue; red with green.
achieved by mixing together pairs of
In the bottom row, white was added to soften the colours.
complementary colours and white.
t Colour
mixing on MATERIALS
the palette l A small board or canvas suitable for oil
Here you can see painting; an acrylic primer is fine for use
a pale orange mix with oil paints.
with the addition l Oil paints: titanium white, lemon yellow
of white, being or cadmium lemon, cadmium yellow,
slowly adjusted to cadmium red, alizarin crimson, cerulean
a neutral ‘coloured blue and ultramarine blue.
grey’. Moving from l Palette; a palette knife with a long blade
left to right the for mixing; your preferred dilutant, eg
colour softens, turpentine, Sansodor, Zest-it; medium,
as with each eg linseed oil, Liquin.
mix a small but l Brushes: I used a mix of synthetic
increasing amount rounds and filberts from Rosemary &
of ultramarine was Co’s Shiraz and Ivory ranges; a rigger
added brush for the initial drawing and then
a mix of rounds and filberts for larger
areas of colour.

DRAWING INTO PAINTING: 3RD OF 3
DEMONSTRATION
Shell with Manuscript
For each of the three oil studies made during
this series, I used a gesso-prepared wood
panel size 8311¾in (20330cm).
This composition had become very familiar
through the painting of the two earlier
panels. As the paintings are all of the same
size, measurements can be taken from the
other studies to double-check the placing of
the objects within the rectangle. Distances
from the edge of the board to particular
parts of the still life can be used to check that
the resulting composition is the same as on
the two earlier panels.
u STAGE ONE
I drew the composition directly with a
rigger brush, using a mix of the three
primary colours on the palette diluted with
Sansodor: lemon yellow, alizarin crimson
and ultramarine. This made a dark tone,
something close to raw umber, an earth
pigment that I would normally use for under-
drawing when using the extended palette
u STAGE TWO
Before beginning the process of looking
closely at the more subtle colour mixes
and tonality of the shell, the white of the
surrounding areas was quickly covered to
enable me to observe the lighter warm and
cool colour contrasts within the shell. The
darker warm surface on which the still life is
placed was patched in, as well as the grey of
the wall behind
t STAGE THREE
Once the large areas of white
surrounding the still life had been
obliterated, I turned my attention to
observing the colours found within
the shell. During the process of
painting the two studies, the lights
and darks were explored, as were the
warm-cool relationships within the
composition. A cool and brighter mix
was laid-down over the surface next
to the shell, a little cadmium lemon
was introduced into the mix.
The first cool and warm pinks of
the shell were added with minute
amounts of alizarin crimson and
cadmium red introduced in to the
mixes on the palette, carefully
adjusting their amounts for warm
and cool. A rigger brush was used to
pinpoint the outermost curves and
angles along the edge of the shell

PRACTICAL
t STAGE FOUR
Before looking more closely at the variety of
colours over the uppermost surface of the
shell, the warm, darker tones within its depth
were placed. Colours were also added for the
covers of the manuscript, so the angles were
checked and adjusted, with a lighter tone
being used to clearly delineate the edges
t STAGE FIVE
As the entire surface had now been covered
with at least one, if not two layers of paint,
I began to look more closely at the subtle
temperature contrasts of colour overall;
areas of colour were becoming smaller as
colours were observed more closely. Against
the warm darks within the shell, I began to
pick out the darker blues and mauve that
run along the top, above the gap. At this
stage I was beginning to think more about
the direction of the brushstrokes over the
top curved surface of the shell to further
introduce a sense of volume. The paint
surface, particularly over the background and
wooden tabletop, was applied more thickly
and opaquely. Small adjustments were made
to the shifts of warm and cool around and
within the shell, with accents of warm being
found in and underneath
uFINISHED
PAINTING
Shell with Manuscript, oil on
gessoed panel, 83113/4in
(20330cm).
The final few linear touches
were made to the cover of the
manuscript. The dark curves
were picked out with a rigger
brush, while the suggestion of
text on the uppermost surface
was achieved by the addition
of small areas of colour placed
with rapid brushwork

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The colour of shadows
Mike Barr explains why the colours of shadows are
rarely just darker versions of the areas not in shadow –
Mike Barr something that the Impressionists used to great effect
is a Fellow of the Royal South Australian
Society of Arts. He has won over 80 awards,
including 17 first prizes. You can find more
of Mike’s work at
www.mikebarrfineart.com
T
he easiest way to see the colour
of shadows is to see them at the
beach or in the snow. You will
notice that on a sunny clear day
shadows are very blue or purple,
particularly late in the afternoon or morning.
Some of us may never have noticed this, but
it’s quite a revelation when you spot it.
Many impressionist artists really
exaggerate these coloured shadows and
even though they are more coloured than in
real life, they look believable, simply because
we are used to seeing those coloured
shadows without even realising it!
The blue in shadows on a sunny day is
there because the yellow of the sun is being
blotted out by a solid object, so what is left
to illuminate is mainly the blue sky, hence
the blueness of the shadow. Of course, it is
not all blue but a combination of blue and
the original colour of the surface on which
the shadow is cast. It is the subtlety of these
combinations that need to be worked on to
get it right. There is no real formula – it takes
persistence, observation and patience.
The prevalence of blue is also experienced
when taking a photograph in the shade. If
there is blue sky visible it will cause a blue
cast on the photo, which can be a bane
when trying to take pictures of a plein-air
piece.
The colour of the shadow is not only a
combination of the original object’s colour
(untainted by the yellow of the sun) and
‘The blue in shadows on a sunny day is there
the sky, it can also include colours from because the yellow of the sun is being blotted out
sources nearby. For instance, the shadows
of sand dunes have the colour of sand, the
by a solid object’
sky and the reflection of sunlit sand that
may be nearby – and it’s a triumph when street lights above that were illuminating the p Beach Path, oil on board, 11¾311¾in
we get it right. The shadows in a still life shadows cast from the white spotlights. (30330cm).
are particularly susceptible to colours of For sure, the colours in shadows are very The blue-purple in shadows is very visible
local objects and understanding this can subtle most of the time, but as artists we can at the beach, and can also be clearly seen
transform your work. enhance them and when we do, it will add on white sails and cricketers playing in
I remember one evening in Adelaide when another dimension to our work and bring whites. This painting of shadows on a
two sets of street lights were at play. Some them to life. A study of how other artists beach path has been exaggerated, but it
strong white spotlights were casting deep handle shadows can be an eye-opener and works
shadows on the pavement, but the shadows well worth the time to consider and then
were very orange. The orange came from the implement the knowledge in our own work. TA Happy observing and painting!

THE ARTIST ’S PRAC TICE
DAILY SKETCHING CASE STUDY

In the first of a new series Sarah Edmonds looks Kerry Phippen
at the discipline of keeping a sketchbook and why
it’s an important ritual Q Why do you think daily drawing is
important?
A Curiosity – and I just really enjoy it.
Even when I’m not physically drawing,
T
he past year has imposed a
period of reflection of our lives I’m thinking about what to draw next.
and working practices as both
humans and artists. You will likely Q Where did the idea for your 365
have increased your output whilst days project come from? And what did
being at home, with more time and possibly you learn along the way?
more commitment to drawing and painting A For years I had used a sketchbook for
than ever before. most of my ideas and imagery. Then I
Sarah Edmonds had years of not using them so often,
Daily rituals have become pillars of is the Marketing Manager for Pegasus Art
our sanity, keeping us on an even keel, and a freelancer supporting creatives and and would go straight to the studio to
regulating long days at home either on our fine artists. Sarah studied a short course do ‘something proper’ or more finished.
at the Slade School of Fine Art and has I had been thinking about the freshness
own or juggling family needs. At the time a degree from the Chartered Institute of
of writing, we are still in full lockdown with and immediacy of my sketchbook and
Marketing.
normal schedules in flux. The whole country www.sarahedmonds-marketing.com missed that expression and freedom
is clinging on to a day-by-day existence, in my studio work. An artist friend was
without the luxury of planning ahead and feeling in a similar, slightly stuck place,
with no assurances for the future. a recent BBC2 documentary following the so we came up with an agreement
It therefore seems apt that, like my case life of Maggi Hambling, the artist offered to have a goal of daily drawings. The
study artist Kerry Phippen, we are exploring an insight into the ink drawings she way to keep track and be accountable
the daily ritual of sketchbooking. Kerry makes early each morning – they are led to each other (like a training buddy)
describes it as a marker in her day, a non- by her subconscious mind, her thoughts was to use Instagram and tag each
negotiable activity that acts as a visual diary leading her hand wherever it wants to go, other. A year seemed like a worthwhile
propelling her forwards: ‘the importance of scrawling incoherent inky marks across her commitment.
just starting something and the discipline sketchbook. She insists that this process
to show up with your materials and some opens up her mind and guides her work. Q How has the experience influenced
paper. The sketchbooks I use are Seawhite, By adding notes, feelings and dates to your work since?
939in. I like the square format, the paper is your drawings it will help you to look back A The experience has reminded me
a strong white cartridge so will cope with and reflect as the months pass. The sense about the importance of just starting
different materials and is small enough to of achievement in filling a sketchbook and something and the discipline to show
put in a rucksack.’ witnessing your techniques improve will up with your materials and some
Whether you are a professional, amateur buoy you up to keep going. As a highly paper. On days when I was really tired,
or new to drawing, there are many benefits personal document, your pile of sketchbooks or not free until late in the evening,
of this daily regimen. On average it takes will grow to become a treasured archive. TA I would still have to start something
two months for a new behaviour to become and, more often than not, I would
automatic, so give yourself some time to end up becoming involved and really
interested in what was happening. It’s
enjoy the process and don’t give up too FIVE VERY GOOD not about having the luxury of time to
soon. After a while, it will become second
nature and your drawing will improve
REASONS TO BEGIN make a grand plan or overthink, you
exponentially. A focused activity such as
SKETCHBOOKING just have to do something every day.
drawing will absorb your thoughts and give
TODAY: I have drawn horses for as long as
you a break from the stresses of daily life. l Drawing every day forms a habit I can remember and if I fancy it I can
If you are stuck in a rut or feel your – one that you can enjoy for years to simply head outside and sketch them.
artwork is stale, the process of regular come. During the sketchbook year I also did
drawing will allow you to explore themes several landscapes and seascapes
l Regular drawing will rapidly improve
that you may not have considered. Daily using charcoal, or gouache – this was
your skill level and observation.
drawing also challenges the ‘blank canvas interesting as I had never thought
l It challenges the fear of a blank page of myself as being particularly a
syndrome’ – a very real hurdle for many and will give you greater confidence.
artists. Your own private pages allow ‘landscape’ artist. But I guess, no matter
l Your sketchbooks will act as a visual what the subject matter is, it’s about
unbridled experimentation, mark making
diary allowing for reflection over a what you love or feel an emotional
and exploratory work without the fear
period of time. connection with. That could be your
of making mistakes or creating finished
works. Freeing your mind of barriers and l Join forces with an artist friend, enjoy dog, or just looking at a certain tree or
tapping into your subconscious is an collaboration and reaching a goal! hill.
important part of the creative process. In

PRACTICAL
 Sketchbook Year, Day 233, Kincraig, ink and

watercolour, 939in (23323cm).
‘A few weeks before painting this I had spent some
time in the Cairngorms walking, drawing and taking
photographs for future work. I was searching through
my photographs and was once again captivated by this
moody sky and watery reflections. I used Schmincke
Aquarelle watercolour paints and a Derwent black
water-soluble pencil as they seem to portray that
watery atmosphere I was looking to create. I really
enjoy using water-soluble media as they work happily
alongside each other so you can draw and paint
simultaneously rather than one stage then the next.
It’s much more freeing.’
Q Do you draw instinctively or do you like

to plan?
A A bit of both, definitely. In my sketchbook,
I do allow myself to go off piste and play
and this is often to amuse myself. With my
studio work, I do make a plan but it still gets
pulled away by my imagination, as soon
as you make that first mark, you are in a
conversation about how to continue. It is
often instinctive, and sometimes I have to
take a step back and leave it for a few days
to see what I need to do next. Some images
reveal themselves quickly and others are
much more paced.
Q What part does/did social media play in

your daily sketchbooking?
A The decision to use Instagram for daily
posts was, initially, a way to prove that the encouraged me to keep going. I then felt I tiny horses too, and many have found new
daily ‘task’ has been done. However, this also needed to show up for them and keep homes, which is very exciting – both of these
quickly took on a different dimension, as putting in the effort, as I really appreciated collections are a direct result of doing the
the followers grew and the encouragement, their lovely feedback. Instagram helped a sketchbook challenge.
likes, etc boosted the momentum and lot!
At the same time as doing the daily You can follow Kerry Phippen on her social
sketchbook, I had started another media channels
project painting tiny landscapes on Twitter @kerryphippen
miniature Khadi sheets. After the Instagram @kerryphippenart
sketchbook year finished, I continued Facebook @kerryphippenart
to paint these tiny paintings and All artwork available to buy online at
began to post the tiny landscapes www.kerryphippenart.com
for sale on Instagram. I then posted Get in touch at info@kerryphippenart.com
 Blue Roan, watercolour and pencil on Khadi paper, 232¾in (537cm).

‘One of my tiny paintings, this started from a thought about the blue roan colour of
certain horse breeds, which then inspired the idea to use a blue watercolour for the
pony. I then felt that it needed a friend, hence the girl character in her red pyjamas.
One step suggests the next and becomes like a playful, storytelling process. I often
paint and draw freehand whatever comes into my imagination.’
Next month: Fitting art around your life Images Kerry Phippen

A R T I S T S’ P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E LO PM E N T: 5T H O F 6
Funding your
Penny Harris
Parker Harris was created by Emma Parker
and Penny Harris in 1990 and it is now one
of the leading visual arts consultancies in
the UK. Parker Harris manage some of the
practice
most important art prizes and exhibitions
in the UK and mentor artists through all Penny Harris looks at what funding is available to
aspects of their careers. To learn more about
their professional development and online
artists, and how to apply for it
marketing coaching programmes,
email info@parkerharris.co.uk. You can
also stay in touch with Parker Harris
on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook at
study, right – would be difficult to fund other something that is owned by all collaborating
@ParkerHarrisCo than via Arts Council England, or an arts parties. The stronger the support you have
commissioning agency. for your project, the more compelling the
But what always surprises me is how few case will be for funding.
artists even consider public funding for their
DO: Prepare your proposals
T
he career of an artist involves practice or projects. Often, artists are put off,
not only creating work, but or intimidated by public funding. However, We support many Arts Council England
running a business to generate there is nothing to be afraid of! Arts Council applications at Parker Harris and our advice
income and fuel that production. England is there to help you. So why not is always to start with the budget. Dreary
This might be obvious, but it is consider them to fund your projects? work, sometimes, but very important! So
often overlooked. To help you navigate the As well as extensive Project Grants, Arts many artists have fabulous projects but
finances of being an artist, here are the do’s Council England has non-project based they’re so ambitious that they are never
and don’ts of funding your practice. funds such as the DYCP – Developing Your going to squeeze into the funding available.
Creative Practice. So, what does DYCP In an attempt to get every element into the
DO: Diversify your streams of do? Quite a lot! It is a fund specifically for project, they spread the ideas too thin. So,
income research and development and is open to our advice would be to write the budget
Let me start by saying this: it is wise to have all individual artists or practitioners. It aims first, work out what is feasible financially and
several income streams. The pandemic to help artists take their practice to the then write the application.
has highlighted a need to diversify. next stage, affording them time to network, It is, in fact, key to understand the
Diversification is a way of spreading your develop, travel, make new work, upskill, have objectives of the individual funder, whether
risk. As a result, you’ll have eggs in several mentoring, or develop ideas. There are also it’s Arts Council England or a local arts
baskets and you won’t be so reliant on other national grant-making bodies listed on trust. It is important to consider that these
one particular way to fund your work. For ACE’s website, so have a scroll through these organisations will have clear ideas of how
instance, artists who relied totally on gallery as well. their funding can enhance the arts for
exhibitions (which sell in person to the both the artist and for audiences. Clarity
public), most of which were cancelled at very DO: Research and network of the project is critical; be pragmatic
short notice during the pandemic, found Local trusts and foundations can also be yet creative. Being original about how
themselves either having to find alternative an important source of funds. So how do to engage audiences is a very important
and creative ways of selling their work you get to know about them? No surprises part of creating a robust application. The
online, or to make money in other ways. And, here: the key is to do your homework, stronger the idea, the easier it is. Going
believe me, it isn’t something that you want and networking. Most, but sadly not all, back to an earlier point, it is also key to have
to have to set up in a hurry! A few other ways councils will have an arts officer. Again, networked and, therefore, understood the
for artists to make money include selling they are there to help you. Look at what is potential audiences. You need to be able
work online, creating multiples, prints, or happening locally – it won’t actually take to demonstrate that you have identified
editions that might sell for lower prices much digging to discover what’s going on. a need for this engagement, and indeed
(possibly attracting new audiences). Or – Attend everything you possibly can and get an appropriate way to communicate and
definitely a result of the lockdown – online to know who is involved. You will soon be engage with the audience. An added bonus:
workshops, either one-on-one, or classes. able to work out who is active locally, who you may also find that, in speaking to the
All of these are worth investigating. is funding, and then work out how you can potential audiences, it sparks off ideas and
fit in. outcomes that you may not otherwise have
DON’T: Be afraid of public Most of the projects that get funding ever considered.
funding are collaborations. Identify individuals, The key thing, again simplistic sounding
Some artists’ practices lend themselves organisations or venues that you might but often ignored, is to be aware of what’s
naturally to public funding. Large want to work with, and start conversations available. It isn’t rocket science, but it’s a long
community engagement projects – like with them. Have an idea or an outline, not game and yes, sometimes you have to put
those delivered by Mary Branson, in our case a fully resolved project, so it can grow into the effort in. It will pay off in the end! TA

PRACTICAL
CASE STUDY
Mary Branson
Mary Branson is best known for her large-
scale conceptual light sculptures and
installations, particularly the iconic New
Dawn 2016 sculpture in the Houses of
Parliament, which celebrates the centenary
of the Suffrage movement and is the first
permanent piece of contemporary abstract
art in the Palace of Westminster.
She has created light and sound works for
the London 2012 Olympics, The Magna Carta
Memorial at Runnymede, Royal Holloway
University and Harvest a huge site specific
installation at Box Hill, Surrey in collaboration
with the Surrey Hills and National Trust,
highlighting the plight of farmers facing
climate change. At the beginning of 2019
Mary transformed Salisbury Cathedral
into an ethereal construction site.
Mary is an award-winning print
maker, a choreographer for
a number of performance
and dance events, and a
mentor and public speaker.
She enjoys the challenge
of using landscape and
architecture as a backdrop Mary Branson New Dawn,
to site-responsive pieces. light sculpture in St Stephen’s Hall,
She often works with Houses of Parliament, London
large teams of volunteers
to help her realise her
ambitious uses of scale and
finds the shared ownership of What to consider with public funded
the community an important part projects: when a project is funded by public
of her artistic process. She has held a money it’s important that the project is
number of artistic residencies, including reaching new audiences and can effectively
Mary Branson engage with them. Legacy is also very
for Parliament, the British Council, Crisis, the
National Trust and HM Prison service, where important, this might be a film, book or a
she led an art group for women prisoners. a blueprint of how to make in the future. It is tour.
As many of her installations are temporary, important to keep up to date with what local Budget: be honest about how much it
Mary’s projects can encompass elements of arts organisations, trusts and foundations really costs to put things on. You need
performance, photography, film and sound are involved with and to keep them aware to have costed it out properly and pay
as forms of documentation. of what you are doing. I also always mentor everyone fairly. Always cost in your time
and have a mentor on my projects because I because you cannot have a sustainable
Q How do you fund your practice? believe in a circuit of learning. practice without paying yourself.
A I have two main income streams. The Making the application: If it’s an ACE
majority of my projects are publicly funded Q What advice would you give for artists application take the questions from the
but I am also an accredited lecturer for The seeking funding for their projects. Grantium portal and put them into a Word
Arts Society. Since 2016, as a result of an Arts A Network: getting funding is all about document so that you have a very strict word
Council England grant I’ve also developed my knowing the people on the group who will count. Then send that out to other people
print practice to be able to sell one-off pieces support you. It’s all about collaboration and to read to make sure it’s very clear. The first
to the public. ACE is all about relationship building. You question will ask you to summarise your
have to make potential funders aware of project; if you can’t precis the project in one
Q How do your projects come to fruition? what you are doing – they can’t help you if sentence, then you’re probably not ready to
A Since graduating I’ve built up an extensive they don’t know about you! apply.
network. It started with the local arts Preparation: do your homework and start Don’t expect to be successful every time
development officer. I put myself on the radar the conversations early. Talk to people about but the feedback that ACE give is excellent
to get experience. It was a steep learning collaborating or mentoring, so that when and you can apply again. And once you’ve
curve realising how much work was involved you start writing your application you have been successful you have a track record.
in delivering large site specific events. I a grounded project rather than just ideas.
learned about the value of having friends When you start talking it often opens up the
and collaborators to be involved. It gave me project beyond your original ideas. Next month: The gallery relationship

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OPPORTUNITIES & COMPETITIONS
Check out the latest competitions to enter and make a note of important deadlines
Figurative Art Now Closing date: Closing date for Society of Equestrian
Sending-in days submissions is April 23, 12 noon. Artists Open Exhibition
Details: In its 60th year, the
Federation of British Artists is Contact: Details: Annual The Horse
Broadway Arts Festival bringing together the best of https://mallgalleries.oess1.uk in Art open exhibition, held
Open Art Competition 2021 figurative art by launching a at Sally Mitchell’s Gallery,
Details: The Broadway Arts new online selling exhibition Royal Society of Marine Nottinghamshire in September,
Festival Open Art Competition and art prize called Figurative Art Artists (RSMA) invites entries. Check the website
is open to all artists in all Now. The organisers are seeking for up-to-date information.
media, including photography, figurative work in a range of Details: Submissions of paintings
and sculpture are invited that Closing date: July, tbc.
sculpture, ceramics and design media including painting,
makers. Up to three entries per drawing, sclupture, printmaking involve the sea and the marine Contact:
artist, with fees of £15 for the first and illustration. Work should environment. Accepted media www.equestrianartists.co.uk
piece entered and £10 for the captivate the online audience are oil, acrylic, watercolour,
original prints of any media,
subsequent three. A top prize of of art lovers from far and wide
pastels, sculpture or drawings. An
The Society of Women
£1,000 is offered plus many more and must have been made since
exhibition of selected work will
Artists
prizes. The exhibition runs from January 1, 2020. Details: The Society of Women
June 4 to 21. take place at the Mall Galleries
Closing date: Digital entries must later in the year; dates to be Artists (SWA) invites submissions
Closing date: Registration now be submitted by June 1, 5pm. confirmed. of fine art works including
open; closes on April 23. paintings, drawings, sculptures,
Contact: Closing date: Upload images of ceramics, engravings, lithographs
Contact: Upload images at work between Monday May 10 and other printing techniques,
For details and to download fan.artopps.co.uk and Friday July 9, 12 noon at for its 160th annual exhibition.
entry forms go to For more information go to https://mallgalleries.oess1.uk The exhibition, which will be
www.broadwayartsfestival. www.mallgalleries.org.uk
Contact: online and virtual, will run from
com/artcompetition/
https://mallgalleries.oess1.uk September 21 until December
or email competition@ Hahnemühle 2022 31. Prizes and awards are valued
broadwayartsfestival.com Calendar Competition over £4,000 including the £1500
Details: The calendar Sketch for Survival Young Artist’s Award.
Chelsea Art Society competition is open to all artists Introducing
in all painting and drawing Details: Sketch for Survival Closing date: Open for digital
Details: Unfortunately the 2021 submissions until June 25.
Chelsea Art Society Open Art media and traditional etching Introducing is a charitable
Exhibition has been cancelled. techniques, as well as mixed initiative organised by Explorers Contact: www.society-women-
The exhibition will take place media that has been created on Against Extinction to help artists.org.uk
in 2022 – more details to follow Hahnemühle or Lana paper. Five raise awareness about species
in the coming months. In the entries are permitted per person. extinction and habitat loss TALPOpen2021
meantime, the society will hold while also raising vital funds for Details: Organised by The Artist
Closing date: June 30.
an exhibition at 340 Kings Road, nominated frontline conservation and Leisure Painter in partnership
London, from September 6 to 19. Contact: www.hahnemuhle.com projects through the sale of with Patchings Art Centre, the
artworks. The exhibition is free TALPOpen is looking for the
Contact: Holly Bush Emerging to enter. One hundred selected
www.chelseaartsociety.org.uk best two-dimensional works in
Woman Painter Prize artworks join the Sketch for any media including drawing,
Survival exhibition alongside painting, printmaking and digital
Details: The prize is aimed at
Derwent Art Prize supporting, encouraging and
invited artists and celebrities and artwork – from amateur painters
Details: The Derwent Art Prize are included in the end of year in the Leisure Painter category
mentoring emerging women
is a bi-annual competition and auction. and from more experienced and
painters. Each year 21 artists
will not be taking place until are chosen from a competition When: Open for submissions professional artists in The Artist
2022. Entries will be called from to exhibit at Burgh House, now. The closing date for entries category. Up to 140 selected
this summer until early 2022. Hampstead in July, with a first is June 30. works, 70 from each category,
Full details will appear on these prize awarded to a painter who will be exhibited at Patchings Art
pages in the coming months. has demonstrated exceptional Contact: Enter online at www. Centre, in two separate galleries,
For more information in the potential to become an explorersagainstextinction.co.uk/ Covid rules permitting, from
meantime email established professional artist. August 21 until September 26.
derwent@parkerharris.co.uk
Closing date: Open for entries
Sky Arts Landscape Artist Prize awards worth over £13,500,
until June 1.
of the Year Series 7 include The Artist Purchase Prize
Dorset Art Prize Details: Open to amateur and of up to £3,000.
Contact: www. professional artists, Landscape Closing date: extended to June 3.
Details: The Dorset Art Prize ecclestoneartagency.com
is free to enter and open to all Artist of the Year is a televised art
competition from Sky Arts, which Contact: Full details on pages 14
Dorset residents, rewarding and New English Art Club and 15. Submit entries online via
celebrating art across Dorset. celebrates artistic talent. Artists
(NEAC) are selected on the basis of a www.talp.co.uk
Various categories, including
categories for young artists, allow Details: The NEAC seeks landscape submission artwork.
both emerging and established work that demonstrates Contestants take part in one of Wells Art Contemporary
artists the opportunity to excellence in both concept six heats at various locations Details: Wells Art Contemporary
showcase their work. An and draughtsmanship. Artists across the UK and Ireland, where (WAC) is an open competition
exhibition of selected work will over the age of 18 may submit they have four hours to complete for visual art based in Wells,
take place at Poole Museum later paintings, drawings, pastels their artwork. Prizes include a Somerset. An exhibition of
in the year. and original framed prints, not £10,000 commission. selected work will open at Wells
photography or sculpture. All Cathedral on August 28.
Closing date: July 15. Closing date: The closing date for
work to be submitted online.
entries is 12 noon on April 30. Closing date: May 25.
Contact: The exhibition will take place at
www.thecollege.co.uk/dorset- the Mall Galleries, London, from Contact: To apply visit Contact:
art-prize June 17 to 26. www.skyartsartistoftheyear.tv https://wac.artopps.co.uk/

Lotta Teale Silver Teapot with Eggs, Afghan
Vase and Local Flowers, oil on canvas board,
11¾315¾in (30340cm)
A
bout 100 years ago the world
was dealing with a pandemic
and, as we have been for the
past year, was facing restrictions,
uncertainty and panic. Between
1920 and 1921, an erstwhile soldier and
politician published Painting as a Pastime,
an essay on why he painted, the joy that
painting gave him and how it helped with
what we would now call his mental health
and wellbeing. It was written, of course, by
that great 20th-century polymath, Winston
Churchill, a completely self-taught emerging
artist at the time.
Learning to go online
Today’s pandemic has transformed the way
collectors buy art. Visiting a gallery, for me,
as a collector, is always a delight. Partly
because it gives you an opportunity to build
Art collecting in a
a relationship with the gallery owner, who
will be only too pleased to offer advice,
opinions, tell you a little about the artist
time of coronavirus –
Sally Middleton offers a personal view
or share some of their tips on collecting or
building up a collection. But those days are
on hold.
Instead we have had to rely on the
internet and on online exhibitions. I’ve had of promise, good times, solace and shared could not live without art. One of the things
to teach myself about Instagram, which is social gatherings. I look for in a painting, whatever the subject
a good place to look at a variety of artists So what attracts me to a painting? Quite matter – whether a still life, a portrait or a
showcasing their latest work, and selling it simply it is one of three things – the colours, landscape – is the treatment of light. The way
directly to art collectors. I feel nervous, even the composition or the subject matter. But in which the artist deals with it, whether it’s
as a seasoned collector, about whether or there is one other thing that is important believable, in a sense. But there is something
not to buy online but since the New Year I – it has to make me feel something. This more – light, in a painting, is uplifting,
have purchased five paintings online. This could be any variety of things – uplifted, playful, about mood, about tonal contrast
is always a little risky – any collector would sympathetic, moved, nostalgic, even and it’s about making the colours sing. I
surely prefer seeing the painting in reality. amused. Sometimes that connection can be have paintings in my collection by masters
But every artist I deal with says if you don’t elusive; for example, I don’t necessarily like of light, including Ken Howard and Peter
like it, just return it. I have been lucky – I’ve every painting in an artist’s exhibition, but I Brown. I have never talked to an artist about
liked them all. The paintings are by Lotta may adore one or two. At other times, I could light in their paintings, but a silver teapot
Teale (top right), Andrew Farmer ROI, Sarah buy every single painting, given the chance. reflecting light, or a shaft of light falling
Manolescue and Haidee-Jo Summers ROI. Art is subjective, of course, and this is no bad across snow or the side of a mountain, or a
They are all oils, and all are figurative art in thing. sunset with shadow and a pop of exuberant
an impressionist tradition. I would never The best art, in my view, tells a story. colour, is a never-ending source of joy.
buy quite so many in one go. But the world It’s about a place, a time, the seasons, Life has been tough for so many people,
is a challenging place, right now, and so inspiration, and as a collector I ask myself during the coronavirus pandemic. But to
many people have been touched by tragedy – why did the artist paint it? What was she have a passion – and one that is so life-
(my own family included) because of this or he hoping to capture? Why use impasto affirming – has been a source of incredible
pandemic. Art has been, for me, a real balm. rather than, say, watercolour – what does comfort, and a reminder that life will return
It is quite simply a comfort, a celebration of the use of this medium add to the painting? to the time when we can visit galleries again,
life and my biggest enduring passion, which This is where I’ve found Instagram to be so renew our contacts and friendships, seek
I’m lucky enough to be able to indulge. uniquely fascinating, because the artist will out art in all the places and venues we so
frequently tell you, in their posts, a little bit enjoy. Art, quite simply, endures. And will I
Connection about why they painted what they did, and continue to seek it out on Instagram? I think
I started collecting ten years ago because I there will be before, during and after images. I probably will. TA
was celebrating an important milestone in These are incredibly interesting for the art
my personal life. It was a Roger Dellar oil, collector; in the same way that you can For more information about selling your work
and it is still one of my favourite paintings. It build up a face-to-face relationship, even a online and the benefits of social media, take
depicts a bright sunny day, with a crowd of friendship, with a gallery owner, you can get a look at Parker Harris Partnership’s series
people having fun at a sporting event by the to build up a virtual relationship with some ‘Artists’ Professional Development’ in the
water. A reminder, today, that life will return of your favourite artists. It’s pretty addictive! February to July 2021 issues, and also Sarah
to normal, and it inspires me to remember But a healthy addiction, I think. Edmonds’ series ‘Artists in a Digital World’, in
– even in the dark times – that life is still full It is no exaggeration to say that I simply our September 2020 to January 2021 issues.

EXHIBITIONS
GALLERY OPENING TIMES AND EXHIBITION DATES CAN VARY; IF IN DOUBT PHONE TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT
National Gallery Tate Modern Degas to Picasso:

LONDON Trafalgar Square WC2.
☎ 020 7747 2885
Bankside SE1.
☎ 020 7887 8888
International Modern
Masters;
LIVERPOOL
Bankside Gallery www.nationalgallery.org.uk www.tate.org.uk until June 13. Walker Art Gallery
48 Hopton Street SE1. Ben Nicholson: William Brown Street.
Sensing the Unseen: Step The EY Exhibition: The
☎ 020 7928 7521 in Gossaert’s Adoration; Making of Rodin; From the Studio; ☎ 0151 478 4199.
www.banksidegallery.com June 4 to October 24. www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk
extended until June 13. focusing on his early plaster
They Can’t Cancel Spring; John Moores Painting
Conversations with God: work, April 29 to October 31.
new work by members Prize; selected work by
Jan Matejko’s Copernicus;
of The Royal Watercolour The Wallace Collection
Society, until April 24.
May 21 to August 22.
Hertford House, Manchester
COOKHAM established and emerging
talent, until June 27.
RE Original Prints 2021; National Maritime Square W1. The Stanley Spencer
new work by members of Museum ☎ 020 7563 9500 Gallery
The Royal Society of Painter Greenwich SE10. www.thewallacecollection.org High Street.
NEWCASTLE
Printmakers, ☎ 020 8312 6608 The gallery is currently ☎ 01628 531092 UPON TYNE
April 28 to June 13. www.rmg.co.uk closed but there’s plenty to www.stanleyspencer.org.uk
Summer at Bankside Tudors to Windsors: British see online. Laing Art Gallery
Gallery; original pieces by Love, Art, Loss: The Wives
Royal Portraits; exploring New Bridge Street.
of Stanley Spencer;
contemporary painters and the changing nature of royal William Morris Gallery until the autumn 2021.
☎ 0191 278 1611
printmakers, portraiture over 500 years, Lloyd Park, Forest Road, www.laingaartgallery.org.uk
June 18 to August 2. May 28 to October 31. Walthamstow E17. Changing Convention;
☎ 020 8496 4390 exploring the lives and
Barbican Art Gallery National Portrait www.wmgallery.org.uk FIRLE works of four women artists
Silk Street, Barbican EC2. Gallery Within the Reach of All; – Vanessa Bell, Laura Knight,
www.barbican.org.uk St. Martin’s Place WC2. exploring the aesthetics and Charleston Farmhouse Gwen John and Dod Procter,
Jean Dubuffet: Brutal ☎ 020 7306 0055 legacy of The Century Guild East Sussex. May 17 to August 21.
Beauty; www.npg.org.uk – an influential association ☎ 01323 811626 WOW: Women Only Works
April 28 to June 2. Closed for essential building of artists, designers and www.charleston.org.uk on Paper; a display of over
works until the spring 2023, craftspeople, Nina Hamnett; 50 watercolours, pastels,
Colnaghi Gallery but you can still explore the May 18 to August 31. first retrospective of the etchings and screenprints
26 Bury Street SW1. collection online. artist’s work, spanning three by well-known and lesser-
☎ 020 7491 7408 decades, known artists of the early
www.colnaghi.com
Spanish Modern
Osborne Studio Gallery
2 Motcomb Street,
REGIONS May 19 to August 30. 20th century,
until June 19.
Landscapes; Belgravia SW1.
until May 21. Open ☎ 020 7235 9667 BATH GUILDFORD
by appointment only and www.osg.uk.com NORWICH
available to view online, Seen from the Saddle; a Victoria Art Gallery Watts Gallery
until June 18. major exhibition spanning Bridge Street. Norwich Castle
Down Lane, Compton.
☎ 01225 477244 Museum & Art Gallery
Jonathan Cooper
the career of Lionel Edwards ☎ 01483 810235 Castle Hill.
on the 55th anniverary of www.victoriagal.org.uk www.wattsgallery.org.uk
20 Park Walk SW10. his death, presented by the Kurt Jackson: Biodiversity; In Print: 20/20 Vision; 4th
☎ 01603 495897
☎ 020 7351 0410 British Sporting Trust, paintings, sculptures and annual print show, featuring
www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk
www.jonathancooper.co.uk until May 1. mixed-media works, A Passion for Landscape:
20 artists working in a
Michael J Austin; new work, Lincoln Seligman; until June 30. Rediscovering John Crome
diverse range of printmaking
May 1 to 30. May 11 to June 6. (1768-1821);
techniques, until April 25.
April 23 to September 5.
Art & Action: Making
Mall Galleries Royal Academy of Arts BRISTOL Change in Victorian Britain;
The Mall SW1. Piccadilly W1.
until May 23.
☎ 020 7930 6844 ☎ 020 7300 8000 Royal West of England Henry Scott Tuke; exploring
OXFORD
www.mallgalleries.org.uk www.royalacademy.org.uk Academy the life and art of the British
Royal Society of British David Hockney – The Queen’s Road, Clifton. Sarah Wiseman Gallery
painter,
Artists; 304th annual Arrival of Spring, ☎ 0117 973 5129 June 7 to September 12.
40-41 South Parade.
exhibition, Normandy, 2020; www.rwa.org.uk ☎ 01865 515123
until April 24. iPad drawings, 168 Annual Open www.wisegal.com
Royal Society of Portrait May 23 to August 1. Exhibition; postponed Change, Transience and
Painters; annual exhibition, Michael Armitage: until further notice, but is KINGSBRIDGE Harmony; solo exhibition by
May 6 to 15. Paradise Edict; available to view and works Nathalie Moisy,
Royal Institute of Painters May 22 to September 19. can be purchased online at Harbour House May 8 to 29.
in Water Colours; www.rwa.org.uk The Promenade.
209th exhibition, Tate Britain ☎ 01548 854708
May 20 to 29. Millbank SW1. www.harbourhouse.org.uk PENZANCE
☎ 020 7887 8888 CHICHESTER Island Artist: Emma Carter
Messum’s www.tate.org.uk Bromfield; colourful semi- Penlee House Gallery
28 Cork Street W1. Lynette Yiadom-Boakye: Pallant House Gallery abstract coastal paintings Morab Road.
☎ 020 7437 5545 Fly in League with the 8-9 North Pallant. and seascapes, ☎ 01736 363625.
www.messumslondon.com Night; until May 31. ☎ 01243 774557 until May 9. www.wisegal.com
Antony Williams; works in Turner’s Modern World; www.pallant.org.uk Pressing Ahead: Press Gang Laura Knight – A
egg tempera, until September 12 Richard Hamilton; Printmakers; Celebration;
until May 7. (see page 9). until June 13. May 25 to June 6. April 28 to September 11.

RI
Mall
Galleries,
London
p George Butler Militia, pen and ink, 161/23231/2in (42360cm) at the 209th exhibition of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI) at
the Mall Galleries, London in May. ‘The painting shows two Armenia soldiers,’ writes the artist, ‘reflecting on the implications of the 40-day war
that ended just a week earlier. With Kalashnikovs and umbrella resting up against their chic wallpaper.’
September 5 (see page 10). and Prince Albert, which

SHERBORNE WINCHESTER Aesthetica Art Prize 2021;
work chosen from thousands
SCOTLAND comprises hundreds of
watercolours,
The Jerram Gallery The Discover Centre of submissions from around until September 5. Check
Half Moon Street. Jewry Street. the world, opening May 28. EDINBURGH with the gallery for opening
☎ 01935 815261; ☎ 01962 873603 times.
www.jerramgallery.com www.hampshireculture.org.uk National Gallery of
Vanessa Bowman, Lynne
Cartlidge and Emma
Raymond Briggs: A
Retrospective;
IRELAND Modern Art
75 Belford Road. WALES
Haggas; April 24 to May 12. April 30 to August 18. ☎ 0131 624 6200
www.nationalgalleries.org
DUBLIN New Arrivals: From CARDIFF
Salvador Dalí to Jenny
STOW ON THE WOKING National Gallery Saville; a showcase of National Museum
WOLD of Ireland the gallery’s most recent Cathays Park.
The Lightbox Merrion Square. acquisitions including ☎ 0300 111 2333
Fosse Gallery Chobham Road. ☎ +353 1 661 5133 paintings, sculpture and www.museum.wales
The Manor House, The Square. ☎ 01483 737800 www.nationalgallery.ie films by artists such as Artes Mundi 9; 9th bi-annual
☎ 01451 831319; www.thelightbox.org.uk Murillo: The Prodigal Son Damien Hirst, René Magritte, Artes Mundi international
www.fossegallery.com Bridget Riley: Pleasures of Restored; online exhibition. exhibition and prize,
Oskar Kokoschka, John
Alex Williams: Untitled Sight; celebrating the artist’s Mondrian; featuring work until June 6.
Bellany, Marie Harnett and
Wall; May 16 to June 5. All 90th birthday, until May 16. spanning Mondrian’s entire Pablo Picasso,
exhibitions will be available career. Check with the gallery until March 20, 2022. Check
to view online. for updates. website for up-to-date Check before you visit
YORK Zurich Portrait Prize 2020; information on gallery We advise that you
shortlisted portraits available reopening times.
WAKEFIELD York Art Gallery to view online.
check all exhibition
details before making
Exhibition Square. New Perspectives: Queen’s Gallery
journeys as exhibition
The Hepworth Gallery ☎ 01904 687687 Acquisitions 2011-2020; Palace of Holyroodhouse,
schedules are subject to
Wakefield www.yorkartgallery.org.uk including newly acquired Canongate; www.rct.uk
change at short notice.
Gallery Walk. Grayson Perry: The Pre- Irish art, Western art, ☎ 0303 123 7306 Please keep an eye on
☎ 01924 247360 Therapy Years; portraiture, works on paper Victoria & Albert: Our Lives
gallery websites for
www.hepworthwakefield.org touring exhibition featuring and archival material, in Watercolour; a touring
up-to-date information.
Barbara Hepworth; work on works made between until August 2; opening exhibition of the collection
permanent display. 1982 and 1994, May 28 to date to be confirmed. built up by Queen Victoria

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THE UK ’ S B E S T-SE L L ING L E A R N -TO - PA INT M AG A ZINE
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9 watercolour
It is written especially for
exercises to try
beginners and amateur
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JUNE 2021 £4.80
with tutorials, demonstrations
SKETCHBOOKS
and practical advice
Enjoy your art!
Watercolour
Watercolour Watercolour
Horsepower
or small? Try to make active decisions plan them at the beginning, rather than left to avoid smudging wet work. You Step 8
that support the reason why you wanted adding something in at the end. This might want to start with the background It is easier to do too much than too little.
to paint the animal. Wouldn’t this look will make for a more harmonious piece. and work forwards or work light to dark, As you approach the end you will need to be
amazing painted life size? Perhaps For my horse, I used transparent grey, however, I like to place a dark early. strict with yourself. I used a little white gouache
I will paint it again on a metre canvas! quinacridone gold, caput mortum, burnt With this plan in place, sketch your to add eye lashes and spattered around the
mane and nose. Once dry, I used a scalpel to
6 What colours does this feel like? As
long as we get the tones (light and
sienna and perylene violet. I also used
watercolour pencils in yellow, pink Part 2 Following last month’s warm-up exercises, Liz Chaderton
composition onto the paper. I try to keep
this simple and light, as I do not want it scratch out (sgraffito) wisps of hair in the mane.
dark) right, the hue is pretty irrelevant.
Remember: tone does all the work and
and orange.
7 Order of working. Sometimes it is demonstrates how to paint a horse’s head in a loose and lively way
to show in my final work. I’m worked on
100 per cent cotton, NOT, 325gsm from
colour gets all the glory. I usually use worth planning the order you will work. Liz Chaderton
Seawhite. The size was approximately
about six colours in a painting and If you are right-handed, start on the 16½x19in. (42x48cm). LP Liz is a full-time artist, based in
Berkshire. She is passionate about
LEARNING OBJECTIVES watercolour and enjoys sharing her
Demonstration Stepping into the Light n Practise essential discoveries through workshops and
The subject for this demonstration is this watercolour techniques
resource for artists. It has over a million writing. Her new book Painting Animals
in Watercolour is published by The
beauty, the photo of which comes from
www.pixabay.com, which is a wonderful
photos on all subjects available to use in
n Time
high resolution and without copyright planning will lead
issues. You will need Crowood Press in paperback, priced
to a better outcome n Surface £9.99 ISBN: 9781785007873. Details of
her online and in-person workshops can
ACRYLICS n Paint the eye first
l Seawhite NOT (Cold-
Pressed) 325gsm paper,
16½x19in. (42x48cm)
be found at www.lizchaderton.co.uk.
for beginners Stepping into the Light,, watercolour
H
n Watercolour
orses tend to feature high on
l Transparent
any list of most popular animals, grey on Seawhite NOT 325gsm paper,
l Quinacridone gold 16½x19in. (42x48cm)
usually just behind dogs and cats.
l Gold
It’s no wonder, as our relationship with
l Caput mortum
them goes back for many thousands of
l Burnt sienna
years. Horses were first domesticated in
l Perylene violet
Asia between 3000 and 4000BC. Back
Watercolour
then, horses were used mostlyn for milk pencils
and meat, before being used as l Yellow
the
l Pink
powerhouse for agriculture and transport
l Orange
for adventurers through the centuries.
Before you start

I always spend time planning before
I put paint to paper. Five or ten minutes
Step 1 saves a couple of hours of heartache:
In any animal portrait I start with the eye, on the grounds 1 Our aim is to find the focus. Ask
Step-by-step
that, if I make a mess of it, I will have ruined the painting. yourself, what attracted you in the first
It is better to do so at the beginning rather than the end. place? For me it was the light on the
I do not want the eyes to look like sewn-on buttons so mane and the twist of the head. Knowing
doing them first helps me avoid that pitfall. your focus also helps you to recognise
1 Using a medium Round brush, I began with a dark circle
of transparent grey, leaving the highlight and the eyelashes.
when you have finished your painting.
If you are worried about these, you can mask them, but If you have achieved your focus, you
watercolour
masking leaves a hard mark so I try to avoid it.
2 Now, using a clean wet brush, I painted around the eye,
SPRING BLOSSOM leaving a little of the paper dry to catch the light on the
edge of the eyelid then let the paint flood out.
3 I took a damp brush and pulled out a soft highlight to
Watercolour & oils make the eye appear round. I could not see the pupil, as
the eye is so dark. If you can see it, you must make sure
the pupil is the right shape and placement for the animal.
Pupils are very distinctive – is in oblong, round or vertical?
Step 2 Your reference photo for this demonstration from www.pixabay.com

1 I continued to paint the head, wet in wet, growing
the wash out from the eye, continuing up the inner of
canhighlights
put your brush down. a distraction. The tail and mane on the
GROW YOUR SKILLS
06>
the ears then down to the nose, capturing the

of the nostrils. I used a larger Round brush 2
onMake a thumbnail sketch. Where are
this area far side of the head are also a distraction
to stop me fiddling. the darkest and lightest areas? How am so I will leave them out. Can I soften
Illustrate buildings 2 Once the face was not too wet, I spatteredI ingoing
caput mortum to start forming the markingsrule
to achieve them? Can I use the
gold and
of coat.
on the thirds to achieve a harmonious
composition and are there any tricks,
edges or use negative painting? To capture
the light on the mane, I will need to use
negative painting for sure so that leads me
in line & wash Step 3
such as leading lines or colour contrast, onto the background.
770024 071195
I can use to encourage the viewer to look 4 Plan for the background at the
1 Leaving the sunlit mane as white paper, I where
painted Ithewant them to look? beginning, not the end. I don’t usually
slightly shadowed area in gold, sienna and perylene
3 How can violetI include what is really put in a recognisable background,
then lay Clingfilm into the damp wash. I moved
neededit around
and leave out the unnecessary? preferring the focus to be on the animal.
to follow the contour of the neck and let it dry
How in place.
can I allow ambiguity and use the I know I will need a dark area to capture
PAINTING PROJECTS 2 I painted the back leg and belly while it dried. These
art of suggestion? What can I simplify?
were simple shapes, as I did not want them to detract
All the
from the face. The markings were suggested wet in wet. grasses, though lovely, are

the light on the neck.
5 What scale and format? The danger of
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www.watershedstudio.co.uk
St Clere’s Hall Lane, St Osyth, working with Grahame Booth on our first
Clacton on Sea, Essex, CO16 8RX series of live watercolour webinars very soon!
Grahame Booth paints only in watercolour
ART SHOPS and his success in the medium is reflected
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PaintersOnline editor’s choice
Meet this month’s editor’s choice winner from our PaintersOnline gallery
H
ungarian-born,
Judit Matthews, is
an illustrative artist
living in Surrey. ‘After
leaving school,’ she writes, ‘I
came to England in 1994 as an
au-pair in my gap year. I met Jim,
who is now my husband and
have two children, Harry and
Emma.
‘My work has a unique
look with lots of detail in an
illustrative style. I get my
inspiration from paper-cutting
artists and my Hungarian
heritage, which is rich with folk
art. I enjoy painting animals but
not in a conventional way. The
starting point for this picture
was a sketch of a pheasant I
did on Dartmoor a few years
ago and using my imagination
for the setting. I begin with a
detailed pencil drawing, then
go over my lines with a dip pen
and Winsor & Newton black
Indian ink. Once the ink dries,
I rub out my pencil lines
and start painting using
watercolours. I try to use a
limited palette, mostly sticking
to four or five colours. To finish,
I add collage using patterned
or textured papers, such as
Japanese washi paper or
wallpaper – sometimes even
wrapping paper.
‘I enjoy drawing natural,
organic forms and use them as
pattern. I also paint whimsical, p Judit Matthews Foraging Pheasant, ink and watercolour, 15¾315¾in (40340cm)
quirky pictures with animals, creating a
story narrative and love to draw seaside
pictures and illustrated maps. I have from David Attenborough to encourage Bookham, and at the AppArt exhibition
taken part in several group exhibitions us to teach children to protect our in Godalming in July.
and have also had a couple of solo planet. The other book is titled The ‘I run art classes in my home studio
shows. In 2000 I took part in Channel 4’s Wilful Wildflowers and the Golden Petal; as well as online classes, plus I do
Watercolour Challenge and I won the Surrey www.survivalsupersquad.co.uk demonstrations for art groups.’ Find
Life magazine’s Landscape Painter of the ‘I am a member of the Tadworth Art out more about her work at
Year competition in 2017. My work has Group. We have two exhibitions each www.juditmatthews.artweb.com
been accepted to the annual exhibition year – in May and November. I am also www.facebook.com/judit.matthews and
of the Society of Women Artists and WIN £50 TO SPEND AT JACKSON’S!
planning on taking part in the Surrey at www.instagram.com/juditmatthews TA
the Society of Graphic Fine Art. I have Artists’ Open Studios in June. My work
also illustrated a couple of children’s will be available to see at the Ferrers
books by the wonderful author, Tina Gallery in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, The To upload your own images to our online
Talbot. The Daring Droplets’ Diary teaches Reigate Pop Up in Reigate, Bourneside gallery, with an opportunity of being selected
children about the water cycle and Gallery in Dorking, the Corner Gallery as the editor’s choice, visit
pollution. We received a lovely letter in Carshalton, Wildwood Gallery in www.painters-online.co.uk

1931– 2021
artist &
£50
Search Press
voucher
to be won each
month
90
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
COMPETITION
TH
PaintersOnline
In association with
We’ve selected these key To celebrate The Artist’s 90th year, we invite all artists to join in
monthly events of 1931, with our series of monthly challenges, hosted on our website at
below, to inspire your www.painters-online.co.uk. Simply draw or paint an image in any
entries media, inspired by some of the key events that took place during 1931,
the year of our launch. Each monthly winner will receive a voucher
worth £50 to spend on art and craft books from Search Press and the
FUTURE CHALLENGES opportunity to see their work featured online and in our magazine.
MAY 1931
Empire State Building opens in New York.
YOUR MAY CHALLENGE: Paint a NYC or APRIL 1931Artist Bridget Riley is born in London.
any other iconic city scene.
JUNE 1931
Salvador Dalí opens his second solo
exhibition at the Pierre Colle Gallery in
Paris.
YOUR APRIL 2021
YOUR JUNE CHALLENGE:
Be inspired by the Surrealists to paint from
your imagination
CHALLENGE:
JULY 1931
Focus on colour and/or paint in the style of
Trans African railway in use.
YOUR JULY CHALLENGE:
artist Bridget Riley
Paint an African scene, which could
feature wildlife or simply a typical African FOR FULL DETAILS AND TO ENTER OUR APRIL
landscape.
CHALLENGE GO TO
AUGUST 1931
Yangtzee river floods in China.
YOUR AUGUST CHALLENGE: Paint a http://bit.ly/3icuMTU
scene featuring or inspired by water.
SEPTEMBER 1931
RCA Victor introduces the LP record TWO OF THE ENTRIES FROM THE MARCH ISSUE THEME OF SILENCE
YOUR SEPTEMBER CHALLENGE: Create a
design for an album cover.
OCTOBER 1931
Dick Tracy comic strip by Chester Gould
debuts.
YOUR OCTOBER CHALLENGE: Have fun
and draw a cartoon character.
NOVEMBER 1931
Maple Leaf Gardens opens in Toronto.
YOUR NOVEMBER CHALLENGE: Paint an
autumn garden scene.
DECEMBER 1931
New York’s Metropolitan Opera broadcasts
an entire opera over the radio.
YOUR DECEMBER CHALLENGE: Paint
on the theme of, or an image inspired by
music
An Uninhabited World by Jenny Harris Taiga, Tiger, by Margaret Mallows
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EXCLUSIVE VIDEO CONTENT EVERY MONTH
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The Artist June 2021

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CELEBRATING THE ARTIST’S 90TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR

THE PRAC TICAL MAGAZINE FOR ARTISTS BY ARTISTS – SINCE 1931

Discover the keys Enter our

better paintings competitions

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SAMPLE ISSUE Discover the keys Enter our

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p Joseph Mallord William Turner

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The Artist's 90th Anniversary

t Emma Price Floating World, pen and wash, 11½38in (29.5320cm)

t Carol Cox Winter Tree, watercolour,

u Ray Strachey Virginia

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OPEN CALL FOR

artist Purchase Prize Award

artist Exhibition Awards worth

artist Highly Commended Award worth over

Batsford Awards worth £600

online gallery featuring the best

ENTRIES The competition is open to artists

ENTER within the past two years will be considered

Bold and wild

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Luminosity and depth

t Blue Buffalos, oil on wood

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ARTISTS’ artist binders

ORDER ONLINE at www.painters-online.co.uk/store

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Dramatic forms and

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transparent wash of colour to achieve

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DEMONSTRATION Filtered Dawn

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