Playing and Doodling using old paintings

 

I needed to play and doodle yesterday, and so I pulled out a piece of watercolour paper which I had already thrown some paint on.    Not sure what I originally intended, but that’s not important.

If you look closely you can see that I have sketched the profile of Claudia, with a blue water colour pencil.   I used a photograph of Claudia as my jumping off point.

Anyone who has taken one of my workshops will know how important I consider the warming up process to be.    Like dancers, musicians and athletes, painters need to warm up at the beginning of the day.    Playful exercises using newspaper, wall paper lining or painting over old sketches is freeing. 

In this frame, it’s all about the negative space….applying colour into the area surrounding the profile, which immediately reveals the face.   Even though I am working over a colour ground, I have applied juicy watercolour next to the face, and then with a clean, wet brush, I have pulled the paint out.

Remember when working from a photograph, it’s not about copying – rather using it as a jumping off point.

I decided to add some Indian Red water colour to the hair and into the negative space.   If asked why….my answer would be because the colour was on my palette and I felt like it:)

Given that I am working off a colour ground, I have applied some Winsor & Newton gouache, permanent white…Had I been working  on white paper….I would have left dry white paper for my highlights. 

I have added some Cadmium Orange water colour which brings a vibrancy to the image.

In the final frame I decided to use the Permanent White, along with some Naples Yellow gouache around the image to bring a sense of interesting light and movement.

An artist who was recently visiting, talked about the problem of feeling that everything she did had to be a finished painting, even in her sketch book.       In our discussion she realised how this attitude prevented her from playing, doodling and freeing up.  

This post will be followed by a watercolour portrait on white paper…..

http://www.janetweightreed.co.uk

A Bientôt

 

 

A magical visit to The Magical Town of Crickadoon

watercolour capturing the light of Wales. 

The view  from where I was staying high above The Magical Town of Crickadoon 

This past weekend I stayed with my very dear friends, Sally and Gareth Reese in their beautiful home.     The house sits high up  overlooking the Usk Valley ….part of the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park.

The landscape is never changing and yet constantly changing. I met Sally and Gareth shortly after I moved to Crickhowell 23 years ago….and have  been friends since.    They are some of the warmest most generous people I know.

Gareth, Sally and their son David on a walk through the bluebell woods. 

The bluebell woods….at Coed-y-Bwnydd – As we walked through the only sounds were those of birds singing…..and the perfume from the bluebells……a feast for the senses.

I am reminded when I return to Wales of just how much noise and light pollution we live with in London and other big cities.      To hear the sounds of nature so clearly is blissful, and to sleep in such peacefulness brings a quality to life that many have forgotten.

Typical of many Welsh people the Reese family are very musical, especially Sally and David…..In this photograph you can see Sally’s harp…..which she plays beautifully.

There is  even the family kitty kat…..which is guaranteed to bring a smile to my face:)

I was reminded of the passage of time, and the importance of making the most of every single day…..Twenty years ago, I painted the three children, Becky, David and Nicky….they were all young teenagers….and now are all married with children of their own.

Watercolour – of Becky 1996  – 17 years old…Now a mother with three children. 

watercolours of David and Nicky 1996 – teenagers then and now both parents with their own children…..

Of course we talked about my plans for living in Marmite Heaven – which brought up a new recipe using marmite.     Gareth had heard that peanut butter and marmite work well together….Well yesterday, I tried it….and I love it:  which probably says a lot more about me than the mix….    Unless you are a lover of Marmite…it might be one to avoid:)

A watercolour from the weekend…

I am off to France next week to see more good friends, and to paint  a group of actors as they rehearse for a production on the 29th.      which means I will write my next blog in a couple of weeks.

A Bientôt

Painting in Olhoa, Portugal

This time next week, I will be painting with a group in Olhoa, Portugal.   http://www.artinthealgarve.com

The school is beautiful with two lovely internal courtyards….In this photograph I am looking down into one of the courtyards through the 150 year old olive tree….

Once delivered to the School from Faro airport, just a twenty minute drive away, it is not necessary to get into a car again until departure.     The only vehicle I am happy to use during the week is the boat that takes us out to one of the lovely outer islands.

The dining area in the main school….the food is superb, all provided by Margarida a wonderful cook.

It’s one of the more conducive places I have encountered to explore the creative process…..The weather is invariably lovely but should rain come…there is a superb studio.

I am quite sure that the magical Hummingbirds will be with us all the way….as they were last year.

A Bientôt

Lovely visitors and magical hummingbirds.

This past weekend two lovely young men visited me from the United States.

I have known Peter since he was about 16 and he spent time with me during the Olympics two years ago.    This time around he brought his partner, Manny with him who is a delight.

Today they are flying back to the States….with of course the help of Magical Hummingbirds:)

HummingbirdHQ.com

http://www.janetweightreed.co.uk

A Bientôt

Every human is an artist……..

‘Every human is an artist.    The dream of your life is to make beautiful art’.   Miquel Ruiz.

HummingbirdHQ.com

http://www.janetweightreed.co.uk

A Bientôt

 

Tom Comitta Poetry Reading, London 2nd June.

My friend Tom Comitta, will be giving a poetry reading, Wednesday, June 2nd – at 6.30 p.m. School of Arts, Birkbeck, University of London, 43 Gordon Square, London WC1H OPD

Please join us if you are in London.

A Bientôt

Artists At Work – preparing for Festival of love….

On my way from London Waterloo Station, about to walk across the Hungerford Bridge….I saw this sign….Artists at Work – Preparing for the Festival of Love.    How wonderful is that?

Clearly it’s going to be a very colourful festival….

Looking down from the Hungerford Bridge to South Bank.   This was about 11.30 before the lunch time crown gathered…

Looking back at South Bank from The Hungerford Bridge.

 Maybe the whole world should be preparing for a Festival of Love….

http://www.janetweightreed.co.uk

A Bientôt

Allowing the brush to dance….

The following watercolour/gouache painting is an example of warming up, playing and allowing the brush to dance…..

I cut an unsuccessful painting into quarters so that I could re use the paper for this and other images.

Using a mix of Opera Rose gouache – plus a little permanent white gouache I rapidly indicate the flower heads….I use violet and Alizarin crimson to indicate the darker areas of the flower.

Note that the underlying colour from the original sketch integrates with the flower.

Allowing my brush to dance across the surface, using a mix of burnt sienna and prussian blue watercolour, I begin to indicate the stems and leaves.   I have also added a little Winsor & Newton green gold – an expensive pigment, but one I highly recommend.

Using a knife I scrape out some of the paint while still wet….which gives a sense of energy and movement.

In the final frame, I mix some Green Gold with permanent white gouache to highlight areas of the image and to indicate seed pods.    I also move more opera rose around the image to bring a sense of harmony and balance.

This is all about spontaneity.     Working like this is a great way to hone observational skills.     The key is to let go, be playful and allow the paint to do its own thing……It also helps to work on several pieces at the same time.

I would also add that my ‘wet brush no paint’ technique is used throughout….this means as I add colour, I immediately clean my brush to pull out the colour.    This prevents muddiness, the enemy of all watercolour painters:)

Here is a Magical Hummingbird to start the new week…..

http://www.janetweightreed.co.uk

HummingbirdHQ.com

A bientôt

To understand and be understood.

When I first met Anne and Mike twenty years ago in The Magical Town of Crickadoon, there was an immediate connection.     Sometimes that happens.

One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and be understood.  Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Anne in her Wilshire garden.

A year ago Anne and Mike moved from their ancient dwelling on top of a mountain in the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales back to Wiltshire where they had lived many years before.    This past weekend, I visited them in their new home.

Quick  watercolour/gouache study from the garden. 

Over the years I have come to know Anne and Mike’s six children and numerous grandchildren.   Part of this weekend’s visit was to make preliminary sketches of one branch of the family for what will ultimately be a large family portrait.

Preliminary sketch of Jake.   Last time I painted him he was about 10 years old.      

   

As is always the case the weekend was filled with stimulating conversation, laughter and the sort of comfort and peace that is experienced  when spending time with like minded people.  Oh and I mustn’t forget the fantastic food:)

Observing the reflection of clouds in the garden pond. 

I always learn so much when I am with Anne and Mike.  Their generosity of spirit reflects upon all the people they touch.     I am most fortunate to be one of those people.

A Bientôt

 

 

Hope you get a piece of the pie this weekend…..

I am off to paint a portrait in Wiltshire tomorrow morning.    Will return here on Monday.

Meanwhile, I do hope you all get a piece of the pie this weekend:)

 

http://www.janetweightreed.co.uk

A Bientôt