Tag Archives: tips for new watercolourists

Some of the work produced in Portugal

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Many of the group were relatively new to watercolour….if not completely new.     It takes courage to let go, loosen up and simply do it.      Here are some of the results.   Remember along with these studies, most of them filled sketch  books.

In no particular order…..

dresses from the local market. 20180925_173536Jazz evening – and loosening up20181007_091808Peppers from the Saturday market integrated with hummingbirds. 42558807_10205093577817267_5743744410156269568_nBoats – Fuseta

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Landscape20180925_173536-4Peppers from Saturday market. 20180925_173603-3Armona beach umbrellas20180925_173559Fishy business….

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flowers from the market. 20180925_173634-5Woman with dog in Olhao 20180925_173546red onions from market20180925_173559-5jazz – sketching

20180925_173634-6From Armona looking towards Olhao42297450_10217472407830001_5950361310943248384_nThe Saturday market. 20180925_173634-3Pink umbrellas next to Art School

20180925_173651more jazz20181007_091627landscape20180925_173603-2warming up on newspaper

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Fisherman’s huts – Fuseta

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From this sampling it is fascinating to see how different everyone’s work is.

More work can be seen on the Art in the Algarve FB page…and as I receive more images I will post them.

My goal is that each person take with them one or two new techniques as well as a heightened awareness.

I was delighted to receive this image made by one of the Australian participants since they returned home.     Given that watercolour is a relatively new medium to Lynne, I am over the moon with the results and more importantly that she is motivated to paint.IMG_8768

The following is a list of tips and sayings I give to people as a reminder of what they have taken on board.

  1. It’s only paper and we are all going to die anyway!:)
  2. Warm up using  newspaper
  3. Warm up using envelopes. – cut up old paintings and send as cards.
  4. OBSERVATION OBSERVATION OBSERVATION
  5. Use photographs only as a JUMPING OFF POINT.
  6. Look at everything from many different points of view.
  7. Sketch using Yellow Ochre
  8. Remember the Negative Space
  9. WET BRUSH NO PAINT – this helps to avoid mud
  10. Move colour around the picture
  11. Everything reflects upon everything else
  12. Fifteen minutes a day practise works
  13. It takes 28 days to establish a new habit
  14. Allow your brush to DANCE
  15. Always remember to PLAY
  16. Ignore the Chattering Monkeys when they say you can’t do something….
  17. Paint with children – we can learn so much from them.
  18. ENJOY

And hummingbird from two of the group……

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My next blog will be about my second week in Portugal with artists Bonnie Halsey Dutton and Vicki Snaddon.

A Bientôt