Atmospheric Havana

Watercolour on Fabriano Artistico - 14 inches x 21 inches

I felt excitement coursing through my veins as soon as I stepped foot into Havana. I have no doubt that the cubans must be concerned about the the state of their buildings and dwellings, as so many are falling to pieces both inside and out. Selfishly, as an artist, the colours, peeling plaster, decorative designs and elegant proportions are a dream .... not to mention the old, American cars.

Building up the painting is a most enjoyable, yet challenging process. I tend to build up a healthy mix of mid tone colours covering the cool and warm groups. It is important to drop in a darker shadow or two so that you can get a sense of depth and perspective.  I try not to worry about achieving perfect edges and lines. You are creating an impression of something. Buildings can be particularly tricky as we try our best to keep doors, windows and walls tidy. The first few layers of a watercolour tend to be more transparent and lighter anyway, so dare yourself to go over that edge.  The darker layers or shapes, which are selectively added towards the end of the process, can define areas that appear too ‘wishy washy’.

Some tips: If you do have a complex scene to paint, try to keep the line work light and loose to allow for tweaking and movement. For me, the car was the most challenging part of the illustration. Identify as many simple shapes as possible that make up the whole. Really look at those shapes (and this applies to the whole drawing): is it long and elegant, squat, square, flat, and does the shape on the left line up with the shape above or below??? Is the distance between object ‘x’ really that far or close to object ‘y’? Use your ruler to check the angles of the windows, rooftops and balconies. Take your time. Before painting soften some of your lines.

Load a big brush with a watery wash of quinacridone gold or new gamboge and paint a loose layer over most of your picture. Even at this stage try to describe the space and the objects. It is very good practice. Don’t be neat and tidy - paint over those edges. (C) Once this has dried apply a second layer of permanent rose and a little windsor violet ... then proceed to build up the darker tones, both warm and cool. 

I have not specified which colours were painted in what order as it is instinctive. Trust your own colour choices and combinations. I sometimes use a colour to link areas together e.g. a raw sienna can be added to a pinker area of wall and also to beige area next to it to create a little harmony.I have used cobalt green, french ultramarine, permanent rose, raw umber, gamboge, cadmium red and so on. Instead of going for one shadow colour for the windows, try to mix two darker colours together i.e. french ultramarine and raw umber. Drop in some cadmium red for interest and for fun. Try to see each shape as an individual painting. Try to enjoy it and not see it as a trial.

Siesta

Watercolour on Fabriano Artistico Paper

I think that everyone can relate to this image. My students had a quiet chuckle to themselves when they saw this reference. I loved painting it. It is one of those images that one looks at in horror wondering how best to tackle all those chairs and limbs. But, being artists we can capture the essence of things and focus more on the most important shapes that will tell the story. The first thing is not to make the format too straight around the sides. The chairs do not need to be perfect. The right size, yes, and her weight needs to be supported. 

Because her pose is not the classical view, one needs to really on angles and shapes that make up her form e.g. use the apron to help get the proportions. Note how her back and the chair create a 'V'. Its all about the negative spaces. We used very simple tones for each object. 

The punch was created right at the end with the application of the creamy dark shadow that slotted all around her. I cannot tell you what a difference that made to a very wishy washy study so far. You have to push to the very end, so persevere. The added discord colour was applied in the form of cerulean blue which was dropped in whilst the background colour was still wet.

Yellow Pots

Oil on Canvas - slightly bigger than A3 and Unfinished

This was a class exercise that worked extremely well for everybody. As I have to demonstrate acrylics and oils in one class, I painted a mauve underpainting (in acrylics) on a large canvas and then divided it in half hence the unfinished edges. It gives the appearance of a sketch. It is good practise to learn how to finish one's shapes if they have to fade before the edge of your support. 

We then started blocking in the flatter shapes and then worked on selected areas of texture using our palette knives and brushes. Good colour mixing is still key and it is worth taking the time to premix some of the tones to save oneself getting into a muddy muddle later on. One also underestimates how dark some of the tones/shadows need to be to achieve exciting areas of contrast. A challenge was trying to paint the colourful wall around the doorway as it was a mix of blues and yellows. One can easily fall into the trap of painting a step-and-repeat pattern. The stones need to be different sizes and shapes. A palette knife made the task a little easier. 

Well done to all those in the class. I had great fun watching you progress with such enthusiasm.

The Winemaker

The Winemaker - Oil on Linen Canvas - (Size to follow)

As soon as I saw this man, whose family have owned the same wine estate for many years, I knew I had to paint him. I cannot tell you how excited I was when I looked back at my photos and saw this shot. The light was shining right on him as he opened his first bottle of red for us to taste. He still has the indented line around his head from his cap and his shirt and trousers looked as old as he was. His wine cellar was rustic and full of delicious objects for any artist to paint. I also loved the strong emphasis on mustard yellow, which is a colour I don't see very often ... and just look at those nooks and crannies and deep shadows! I loved painting this scene.

Francesca

Francesca - Oil on Linen Canvas 16 inches x 22 inches (private commission)

I am very proud of this portrait. It reflects a young woman who is stepping into a new phase in her life. It is a more serious pose and shows her at her elegant best. I hope Francesca and her family enjoy it in the years to come.

Celebrating the Old - Gindou Village

Watercolour (A2) - Fabriano Artistico

There was absolutely NO-ONE in sight the afternoon I decided to step outdoors. This little hamlet is on the outskirts of Gindou and is an absolute delight for the artist as it has so many old uninhabited buildings. All of them have bucket loads of character so it did not take me long to select this beautiful building. It was very hot so my paints was drying very quickly indeed. I started with an extremely loose pencil sketch and then went straight in with the golden yellows with my no30 cosmotop brush and continued through to the cooler colours. It helps to keep the colour palette simple when working outdoors. There is no point fiddling about with tiny brushes, either, when you only have a few minutes to set down a wash, so you have to take the plunge. It is so thoroughly enjoyable that the idea of failure does not even enter one's mind. A painting recorded from life is always special no matter the outcome.

The French Artisan

Watercolour on Fabriano Artistico - 40cm x 52cm

I keep my camera ready for just this sort of scene. We stumbled on and antiques fair in the Dordogne which was full of colour and interest. The scene of the Chairmaker with his two friends (one possibly a buyer) looking on was irresistible. I combined them with a section of the fair to include the rich, red carpets and copper pots on display. I enjoyed the pencil drawing and specifically wanted it to be visible so the lines are loose and hopefully descriptive. The watercolour layers were then applied (as few as possible) with a limited palette. I am very happy with this painting and hope to find more scenes like it.