Overview of my workshop at the HUB this week.

On Wednesday I gave a socially distanced live workshop at the HUB – a community centre based in Hampton. http://www.theinspiredhub.co.uk

The subject for the three hour session was SKIES. We looked at some of the different ways they can be painted.

I brought along one of my sketchbooks which had skies from the UK and France…demonstrating how our sketch books can become jumping off points for paintings.

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In the next painting I am working on hot pressed paper. Beginning with the clouds I apply tiny amounts of pigment to the wet clouds while leaving dry white paper in some areas. I then introduce the blue/violet colour of the surrounding sky. Be playful and don’t worry about being perfect. I have also used very small amounts of permanent white gouache to soften some of the cloud edges. The dark trees ground the painting and mirror the same colours in the sky. Remember everything is interconnected.

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Anyone who has come to my workshop will know how much emphasis I put on warming up.

I suggested to the group that they bring a watercolour that they don’t like so that I could use it for demonstration purposes. I don’t have any photographs of the images that I ‘changed’ during the workshop and so have used one of my old watercolour/gouache sketches for demonstration purposes.

I didn’t like this image and so no matter what I did to it…it didn’t matter. The whole point of the exercise is to WARM UP – and use this sketch as a JUMPING OFF POINT

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After throwing some stronger colour at it, I still don’t like the painting but I am warmed up. I can always cut it into several pieces and see how many other paintings are revealed. BE PLAYFUL and don’t be precious – it’s only paper…..

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Using images from sketchbooks, I suggested to the group that they do a lot of what we call Thumb Nail Sketches. These are somewhat bigger than most thumb nails but they illustrate how beneficial it can be do do lots of little sketches/notes

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When we think of painting skies, we tend to go with the obvious (white clouds in a blue sky) ….but perhaps because I lived and worked in the Brecon Beacons in Wales for twelve years, when I think sky, I see many different colours, drama and moods. These little sketches are a reminder of this.

Obvious way to get a cloud effect is to apply strong pigment into a wet wash…and then take a tissue, paper towel, etc. etc. to gently blot up paint. Also use a larger dry brush to lift the paint from the paper.….however, I prefer a more direct approach.

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I will be giving one workshop a month at the HUB during 2021….and will post corresponding overview blogs each time.

This watercolour/gouache sketch was painted on a boat in Kinsale Harbour, County Cork.

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One more from the Brecon Beacons…..watercolour/gouache

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Happy painting everyone.

And remember to say loose…..:). Janet