A big step

What a rainy wet weekend we had, the light was so flat, however I used what daylight I could to begin painting again. After setting everything up, and getting everything out I was tempted to complete a half finished painting which I had begun last April, but thought that perhaps a fresh start would be better, so I chose a photo from my iPad which I had taken in the New Year after a fall of snow.
I decided to limit myself to just 5 colours. Shadow, Bluebell, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna and White.
I began by blocking in the dark areas using a dilute mix of Shadow and Bluebell.
I spent the first half hour or so finding my feet a bit, and I must admit to dithering! I couldn't quite decide on the depth of colour and should, in hindsight have just used one colour and scrabbled it on quickly rather than faff about too much. Anyway this was the start. 

It began to get quite dark so I decided to leave it till the next day and begin another one in artificial light. My overhead lights are pretty good, so I prepared a couple of canvas boards by coating them with two layers of Pale Raw Umber as my mid tone base.




Then I became much bolder applying the paint with more confidence and this was my second painting. Same two colours but applied quite differently. I don't chose to paint in artificial light  as I always find it affects the colours too much, but I was just keen to get going while I felt like painting and I really enjoyed getting stuck in to it again.

When I looked at this the next morning it did seem rather bold, so I decided to work only in daylight and only paint in artificial light to prepare my boards. I'm used to painting demos indoors of course, but a demo is very different from painting an actual painting, in the sense that a demo is designed to teach techniques, rather than merely to complete a painting in front of an audience.

This was the first painting once I had worked on it the following day. Its 10 x 12 inches.

   

Below is my second painting in late afternoon light.

Maggie my little schnauzer is curled up on her bed, she is always with me. Occasionally she will push her little nose against me if she wants something, or brings me a squeaky toy if I have been painting for too long!

Terry and I had different studios and we would always comment on each others work. I missed him standing next to me with his coffee in hand, looking intently at my painting before offering advice, a little bit of dark here, or some light there. That voice by my side when he popped in and out throughout the day. I feel so blessed to have had him in my life for the time we were together. 

So these are my first two paintings. 

Thank you for your emails and comments which have encouraged me so much. Now that I have made a start I am sure to continue. 

First steps to painting again

It was April last year that I last painted. Never has so much time passed by, without me picking up my paint brushes, but for the first time since then, I now have an urge to paint again. I have been thinking about it for a couple of days, but today was different, I felt a real determination rather than just a thought.
When we had the heavy snow fall a few weeks back I went out and took some photos, this was my first step to thinking about painting subjects again.

This morning I took out my paints (which have been packed away in a cupboard) I even have a prepared board (so no excuse to delay)

There were two stay-wet palettes and this was the first one I opened! The smell was so overpowering as I lifted the lid that I ran outside, threw away the paper palette and the box and sponge are now soaking in bleach!

So I now intend to set up my easel and see what happens.

Hopefully I will have something to share with you, and it would be so encouraging to know you are interested in what I paint!

Inspired by the SKY Portrait Artist TV show

I love the start of the programme, when everyone is nervous and preparing, there is the ritual of squeezing out the paints, looking at the competition through the corner of eyes and trying to calm the nerves, then, the sitters are introduced, positioned and we are off! 

Basically, each week there are 9 artists split into three groups each having a celebrity sitter who they have to paint. The three celebrities can be anyone from authors to sports personalities or actors, some I wouldn't recognise and some I haven't even heard of, but all are a challenge for the artists.
Out of the 9 portraits, three go into the final group of which that weeks winner is chosen.  Eventually at the end of the series, the weekly finalists then compete for the prize of 'SKY portrait artist of the year'
As with any competition it's all purely subjective, but each week we love to bet on who the three will be and who will win that weeks selection. 
As both of us are artists it's great entertainment and we look forward to it like two big kids each week!
I enjoy the different styles and approaches, some participants use an iPad and seem to look at that for the rest of the sitting whilst others just look at the sitter. I have to admit that I am always most impressed by those who paint direct without relying on a photo, and of course a portrait has to resemble the sitter otherwise it's just a painting of a person. 

I must have bored those of you who have never seen the programme and you have probably switched off by now, but I wanted to share with you what inspired me to paint my latest painting.
It's a good challenge to try new things, perhaps paint in a different scale or use a different media, shake things up a bit, which is what I did.

I decided to use a little wooden panel I have had lurking for a couple of years in the studio, it's only 5 x 5 inches. I applied the double gesso layers, then a layer of pale raw umber, just to get rid of the white, once dry, I was ready to paint, and this is the result.

I'm quite happy with it and it was a fun project. 

Being creative on these short Winter Days

This time of year can be difficult with low light and short days, however, its nice to realise that I am not closing the curtains at 4pm now but 5pm! Hooray! 

Since having my super duper new studio built last Summer with its lovely day-light lights, the lighting is now fantastic which extends my day, and on these grey days I supplement the daylight with artificial. It still means photographing art work is a bit dodgy, but its great for painting indoors.

If you have similar problems, day-light bulbs can be really useful however, a good tip for you is to put the light on during the day, don't switch it on as it begins to get dark in the afternoon, because the lighting is different and by working with it all day you won't be tempted to alter any of your colours once you switch the light on! Its a simple tip, but I learnt a valuable lesson a number of years ago, working into the evening on a painting which I was so enjoying but when I came to view it in the morning I was SO disappointed, it looked so much duller than I had expected.
A bit like looking at a view with Polaroid sunglasses on, all that fabulous aqua blue which seems to vanish if you lift your glasses off!

I have been working on a series of loose watercolour paintings, well, when I say loose, I mean, I let the watercolour do its own thing and encourage it to flow by tilting the paper, flicking in colours, and dropping in stuff. I still like to know where I am going with things and what I'm hoping to achieve. These techniques I will be offering in workshops later in the year.

If you are curious and want to have a look at some more, I have just added eight new watercolours flower paintings to my website gallery. 

Winter is a good time to set yourself tasks, so why not challenge yourself and paint a series of paintings. Its all too easy to let these days slip by so try the following-

• Choose a subject to work from and select either one photo or alternatively buy one type of flower to concentrate on.
• Begin by selecting just one flower, using a soluble coloured watercolour pencil (something like pale green or ochre) lightly position the flower shape onto your paper. This will dissolve if you keep it pale enough. Consider where you want the flower and how much space you want to leave around it.
• Think about the colours you want to use and make a few colour mixes to check they work well together. Choose a limited number of colours - a maximum of 5
• Think about the brushes you will use and the techniques you will try.
• Your first painting should be totally experimental. Expect to discard it, and learn from it, avoid thinking it may be a winner, then go for it and have some fun.
• Be prepared to paint that same subject at least 3 times and try something different each time.

Let me know how you get on!

New Spring Workshops available

This year is proving to be incredibly busy once again, but I have three Saturdays I am dedicating to those of you who want to paint with me this Spring.
Due to the limited number of workshops available, I am offering three very different subjects and all with different techniques, once I get an idea of which are the most popular I will then begin to plan some Autumn days.
I have decided that I really must get better at keeping in touch with you.... an emailing list is now something I think I ought to do, not that I want to bombard you with emails, its just sometimes when I want to share something exciting with you, I can just ping an email off to you, so if you would like to go on that list, do email me and I will add you to it  fiona@fionapeart.com 
You can of course unsubscribe if you change your mind.

I am working on some exciting watercolours at present, really pushing boundaries and having lots of fun, its using techniques I would love to share with you in the future.

mid-way through my exciting workshop example 

keeping things simple

I have just noticed a circular blurred section in my figures photo, (near the boys face) when I took a closer look at my camera there is a spot of dirt on it...  

minus 4 today

It has been -4c here in the Cotswolds for the last few days and very misty (what we call atmospheric in painting terms) now I realise that -4c is nothing to what some of you are experiencing, especially in Canada and the US, but its quite chilly for us Brits! 

The countryside is especially beautiful, and it takes on an eery atmosphere, the ground crunches underfoot and it means walking Maggie is a lovely clean experience! I love it.

The mist however has been instantly freezing.... and this is the result...

Maggie needs her little coat in this cold weather

Merry Christmas to you all

I would like to wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a big thank you especially, to those of you who bought one of my paintings this year. Its lovely to know that my painting is being enjoyed in a new home.
Thank you also to those of you who came on one of my workshops in 2016, I hope to paint with you again next year.

But to everyone who enjoys painting and takes the time to read my blog I wish you a healthy happy 2017.

  Pick your own 8 x 10 inches