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. Jazz evening – and loosening up
Peppers from the Saturday market integrated with hummingbirds.
Boats – Fuseta
LandscapePeppers from Saturday market.
Armona beach umbrellas
Fishy business….
flowers from the market. Woman with dog in Olhao
red onions from market
jazz – sketching
From Armona looking towards Olhao
The Saturday market.
Pink umbrellas next to Art School
more jazz
landscape
warming up on newspaper
Fisherman’s huts – Fuseta
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.
The following is a list of tips and sayings I give to people as a reminder of what they have taken on board.
- It’s only paper and we are all going to die anyway!:)
- Warm up using newspaper
- Warm up using envelopes. – cut up old paintings and send as cards.
- OBSERVATION OBSERVATION OBSERVATION
- Use photographs only as a JUMPING OFF POINT.
- Look at everything from many different points of view.
- Sketch using Yellow Ochre
- Remember the Negative Space
- WET BRUSH NO PAINT – this helps to avoid mud
- Move colour around the picture
- Everything reflects upon everything else
- Fifteen minutes a day practise works
- It takes 28 days to establish a new habit
- Allow your brush to DANCE
- Always remember to PLAY
- Ignore the Chattering Monkeys when they say you can’t do something….
- Paint with children – we can learn so much from them.
- ENJOY
And hummingbird from two of the group……
My next blog will be about my second week in Portugal with artists Bonnie Halsey Dutton and Vicki Snaddon.
A Bientôt