Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2022 i The Artist

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 I’m looking forward to viewing the major Walter Sickert (1860–1942) retrospective opening at Tate Britain on April 28 (until September 18). Recognised as one of the most important artists of the 20th century and having helped shape the development of British art throughout this period, his reputation as an influential painter’s painter makes his work as relevant to today’s artists as he was to his contemporaries. Inspired by Whistler’s tonal style and atmospheric urban subjects, Sickert experimented with how changing light affected the facades of famous buildings, and he pioneered new approaches to traditional subject matter, such as his unidealised nudes, which drew on the influences of artists such as Bonnard…

STAR LETTER A wild idea Thank you for the April 2022 issue of The Artist, in particular, Mike Barr’s article on adding birds to landscapes to add perspective and the idea of space between foreground and background. I’m relatively new to landscapes, having nearly always painted wildlife or people, so using the addition of wildlife as a tool to achieve depth was something I hadn’t even considered. Inspired by Mike Barr’s idea, I added some seagulls to a recent oil painting of Botallack Mine in Cornwall. Although it is only a subtle change, it makes a real difference (right). Every day’s a school day! Lauren Homan, by email This month’s star letter writer will receive a Sennelier portable watercolour palette, worth £29.95 (rrp). Inspired by words I read with interest…

• Does the composition work? A successful painting should have an effective focal point –such as the colourful marker flags in Fishing Boats, Whitby Harbour (over the page).. • Does the tonal sequence work? Tone is all-important. In Fishing Boats, Whitby Harbour the extremes of light and dark made this far easier than a painting with more subtle tonal changes. • Does the colour harmony work? After tone it is important to ensure that the colour harmony works. Again, the limited palette of colours used in Fishing Boats, Whitby Harbour made this easier than normal. • Do the edges work? Too many hard edges scattered around the painting will destroy the balance and lead-in. In general, eliminating some of the harder edges around the focal point will benefit the painting…

Many of us are fascinated by Interiors – a peep into a lit room from the street at dusk, a visit to a friend’s home with a distinct ambience that reflects their personality, or a wander through the rather more grand rooms of a historic home to enjoy the play of furniture, artefacts, pictures and windows. An interior makes a great painting subject – perhaps on a wet or dull day when the light will be constant for a few hours. I’ve always enjoyed drawing and painting interiors; in the past it was other peoples’ homes or places visited and seen with a fresh eye, but during lockdown I painted interiors of my own house for the first time. Inspiration Familiarity with our own homes and their contents means we…

I use Michael Harding oils in the following colours: • Cadmium yellow medium hue. This is my favourite yellow, the pigment load is rich and the colour strong, bright and clean, and I can create a range of yellows. • Naphthol red. I chose this red because it is a bright clean red which, I find, can produce a greater range of red hues and the brightest of pinks. • Alizarin claret. This is my cool red, which I use to mix cooler colours and darker tones. It is a permanent version of alizarin crimson. • Ultramarine blue. This has always been my main blue as it’s darker than cobalt blue and can achieve a greater range of blues. • Phthalo blue and zinc. I tend to use this when…

Do take care of your watercolour materials. Neglect can cause unnecessary problems and expense. Here are some important points: • Storing paper. Store loose sheets of unused paper in a sealed plastic bag, away from any source of light. Watercolour paper is adversely affected by sunlight and damp conditions – if left in direct sunlight the size will rise to the surface of the paper, which totally ruins it as it behaves almost like blotting paper and is completely unsuitable to work on. The best option would be to keep your paper in a drawer or plan chest. Alternatively, paper can be kept safely in a portfolio. • Brush care. If you take care of your watercolour brushes they will last a lot longer. Don’t leave them standing in your…

For most of my adult life I dreamed of the day when I could make a living by creating and selling innovative art, winning awards in juried exhibitions, and garnering high-end gallery representation. I graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in studio art in the 1980s and, following graduation, attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. Art school prepared me for the creative side of becoming an artist but not the business side of such an endeavour, and my white-collar father scoffed at my dream and told me such a life didn’t exist. Eventually I made a career for myself in the design industry. My wife, Sue, and I raised three children, housed a multitude of cats, and crafted a comfortable lifestyle for ourselves. For…

Sending-in days Derbyshire Open Art Competition Details: Annual competition, now in its 38th year, open to both amateur and professional artists of all ages with a chance to compete for a range of prizes including a place in the museum’s collection. Accepted media includes watercolour, oils, acrylics, drawing, printing, collage, manipulated digital imagery and 3D work. Accepted work will go on show at the Buxton Museum & Art Gallery, from June 25 to September 2. When: The handing-in days are June 10 and 11. Contact: For more information telephone 01629 533540 or email buxton.museum@derbyshire.gov.uk Dorset Art Prize Details: Rewarding and celebrating art from across Dorset, the exhibition is free to enter by both emerging and established artists. The exhibition takes place at Poole Museum in November, dates tbc. When: Open…

FIFE J & G Innes Ltd 107 South Street, St Andrews,Fife KY16 9QWTel: 01334 472174Opening times: Monday toSaturday 9am - 5.15pmSunday 12.30 - 4.30pmwww.jg-innes.co.uk Stockists of: Winsor & Newton, Daler-Rowney, Hahnemühle, Staedtler, Parker, Waterman, books, magazines, cards, games and a gallery, Upstairs @ J & G Innes Ltd GLOUCESTERSHIRE Cotswold Art Supplies Church Street,Stow on the Wold,Gloucestershire GL54 1BBTel: 01451 830522Opening times: Monday toSaturday 9.15am - 5.15pmwww.cotswoldartsupplies.com Stockists of: Winsor & Newton, Daler-Rowney, Pro Arte, Unison pastels, Sennelier, Conté, Paperblanks, Reeves. Picture framing on site. Pegasus Art Shop Griffin Mill, London Road,Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 2AZOpening times: Monday toSaturday 9am - 5pmwww.pegasusart.co.uk Stockists of: Williamsburg, Rembrandt, Old Holland, Cranfield paints, Cobra, Winsor & Newton, Daler-Rowney, Derwent, Daniel Smith, Schmincke, Caligo, Da Vinci, Pro Arte, Arches, Japanese papers, Hahnemühle, Fabriano, Somerset. Canvas…

• You see colour as it is and not through the medium of a computer monitor or printed page. • By using a limited palette our colours become good, old friends and colour mixing becomes instinctive. • We tend to work faster because conditions (light and shadow) are always changing. • Because we work faster we learn to simplify and become more confident with the brush – this is extremely beneficial. • Because we are simplifying shapes we concentrate more on tone. • Because we are concentrating more on tone, our plein-air works will have life. • Because our outdoor works have more life about them, we capture the essence of a place – we become better artists all round!…

Ken Howard OBE, RA studied at Hornsey School of Art and the Royal College of Art. He is a member of the NEAC, ROI, RWS, RWA and RBA. He exhibits extensively and has won numerous awards. David Curtis ROI, VPRSMA has won many awards for his en plein air and figurative paintings in both oils and watercolours. He has had several books published on his work as well as DVD films, and exhibits his work extensively. Haidee-Jo Summers ROI, RSMA has won many awards for her plein-air and alla-prima oil paintings. She is an elected member of the ROI, the author of Plein Air Painting with Oils and Vibrant Oils and also has a DVD with the same title.…

The Jerram Gallery in Sherborne, Dorset, will be awash with summer colour for its joint exhibition of work by popular artists, Francis Bowyer and Robert E. Wells. Francis will be showing paintings of children on the beach at Walberswick, Suffolk, interiors of Parisian restaurants as well as studio interiors. ‘Light and colour play an important part in my paintings, ’ he writes. ‘A brief moment captured. A richness and enjoyment of colour is always at the heart of the subjects that I am attracted to.’ Robert’s landscapes are mainly painted en plein air and focus on capturing changes of weather and light, and the people that inhabit his landscapes. The exhibition can be seen at the Jerram Gallery, from June 25 until July 13. Telephone 01935 815261 or visit www.jerramgallery.com…

• Collect a selection of your favourite things. They may have a personal meaning or have a bright colour that you like. Arrange them roughly together to see if you enjoy the colour combination. I sometimes choose one or two colour themes, eg yellows and oranges/greens and yellows or warm pinks and oranges. Start to develop a story in your mind. • Choose items of various sizes and shapes. I often have a tall, larger object in the background, then an assortment of other sizes of plates and vessels. • For a natural look, use flowers that are either wild or from the garden. It is amazing what you can find in the hedgerows, especially in the spring. A piece of Oasis helps to keep the flowers in place. •…

• Use a card viewfinder/old mount to help select your composition. • If working on an easel, keep the work on the side of your favoured hand, ie to the right if you are right-handed, so you see your work and the view in one eyeful. • Buy artist-quality soft pastels. You don’t need too many: a light, a midtone and dark version of a single colour is good. • With a new pastel, tear the paper wrap and break off one third to use. • Store pastel pieces in ground rice to keep them clean. • For simple storage, divide pastels into four categories in screw-top tubs containing ground rice: darks and lights, and divide the mid-tones into warm and cool colours. • Learn to trust that you will…

Julie Collins studied painting at the University of Reading and is a member of the Society of Women Artists. She has received numerous awards for her paintings, including with the ING Discerning Eye, Royal Watercolour Society and Royal Western Academy. She exhibits widely in the UK and internationally. Her sixth book, Colour Demystified, published by Search Press, is available at a discounted price from our online bookshop: http://bit.ly/pobooks www.juliecollins.co.uk One of the marvellous things about watercolour painting is that you don’t need a lot of bulky or expensive equipment. If you take it up seriously it is worth buying the best quality materials that you can afford, but you can get started with a limited set. There are certain items that you must have to be a successful watercolour painter.…

Sarah Edmonds is the Marketing Manager for Pegasus Art and a freelancer supporting creatives and fine artists. Sarah studied a short course at the Slade School of Fine Art and has a degree from the Chartered Institute of Marketing. www.sarahedmonds-marketing.com ‘I use digital methods continually, ’ is how printmaker Rod Nelson describes his relationship with digital technology in his daily practice. A big fan of Procreate, he uses this application as a testing platform for his exquisite woodblock prints. Each and every cut, mark and colour choice is carefully considered and selected with the help of Photoshop and Procreate, ‘a direction finder’ used for sketching, testing and exploring possibilities. ‘These two wonderful programs save me time and effort, and also add to the quality of my work.’ Digital methods are…

Mike Barr 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 Since the days of the Impressionists, artists have enjoyed the experience of painting outdoors. It is one of the true joys of being a painter. Not only are we one-to-one with nature but there is also camaraderie when two or more decide to paint on location. There is a good number of artists who have always painted a large percentage of their work on location and sometimes on a large scale. Today, there is a kind of revolution taking place, in that more and more artists are choosing to experience the enjoyment and challenges of painting away from…

YOUR EXCLUSIVE DIGITAL ISSUE EXTRAS the artist THE PRACTICAL MAGAZINE FOR ARTISTS, BY ARTISTS, SINCE 1931 Paul Weaver demonstrates how to paint reflections on water, in watercolour The sunlit bridge against the dark trees made a great focal point, casting sharp-edged reflections in the slow-moving river STAGE ONE After wetting the entire sheet with clear water, the sky and its reflection were quickly painted top to bottom, using raw sienna, a touch of permanent rose and cobalt blue. Allowing colours to mix and blend on the paper, I suggested the ripples in the water with a warm grey and slightly thicker pigment to retain definition. This was then allowed to dry completely STAGE TWO The background building was kept simple to help recession, painted with raw sienna, the darker notes…

How to choose watercolour paper This a resumé of the types and terminology used for watercolour papers. My advice is to try as many types of watercolour paper as you can. Paper choice is very personal and what suits one person doesn’t suit another. Always go with something that you get on with but do be open to trying new things too. Watercolour paper varies tremendously from one manufacturer to another, some paper is very absorbent, others are not and the paint will sit on the top of the paper for a long time before it soaks in. I find that I can create different effects with different papers. The colour of watercolour paper varies greatly – have a good look at the colour of the ‘white’ paper before you…

JN: I have been an admirer of both your oil and watercolour paintings since I was introduced to your work by my father, James Fletcher-Watson. How do you decide whether to paint a subject in watercolour or oil? DC: Often the subject dictates its media approach. My technique, en plein air, is usually based around a fusion of wet-into-wet initial washes which suggest the close-toned atmosphere presented by the subject and indicates the choice of watercolour. Also, I look for the subject content: I’m attracted to strong, decisive shape and form with often an interplay of simpler, broader passages to enhance the scene as a whole. It’s always an ‘on the day’ feel, I think, but it’s best to have both media on hand for that quick decision to be…

JANUARY CHALLENGE In January 1931 Guy Menzies flew the first solo non-stop flight from Australia to New Zealand. Our challenge was to paint on the theme of, or inspired by, flight. WINNER Emma Price Floating World, pen and wash, 11½x8in (29.5x20cm). ‘I live on the north-east coast of England. 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. Once home, I drew the scene with a fine liner pen, aided by some blurry photos and a lot of memory, and added a watercolour wash.’ To celebrate The Artist’s 90th anniversary year, throughout 2021 we set a series of monthly challenges, hosted on our website at www.painters-online.co.uk, inviting…

Bedale Art Group Exhibition at Bedale Hall, Bedale, North Yorkshire on May 27 and 28, 9am to 5pm. Cononley Art Group Exhibition at Cononley Village Institute, Main Street, Cononley BD20 8NP, on May 29 and 30, 10am to 4pm daily. Demonstrations will be given by members throughout the event. East Sussex Art Club Annual open exhibition at The Stade Hall, Rock-a-Nore, Hastings Old Town, from May 28 to June 1. Open 10am to 5pm, Saturday to Tuesday, 10am to 1pm on Wednesday. Handing-in, May 27. Email secretary.esac@gmail.com Epsom and Ewell Art Group Early summer exhibition at Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell KT17 1UF, from May 3 to 14, 9.30am to 5pm daily; https://epsomandewellartgroup.com Harrogate & Nidderdale Art Club Annual exhibition at Ripley Town Hall, from April 30 to May 2,…