Workshop Gallery

WORKSHOP GALLERY

These are the pieces of art created by our members during each workshop.

Owen Williams head Owen Williams – Painting negative spaces in the landscape

Owen started with the group making small thumbnail sketches of their chosen landscape to decide on the composition. He then showed what colours can be mixed with the limited palette we were using on the day ie: titanium white, lemon yellow, Alizarin crimson and Windsor Blue. We then started painting the subjects in a dark grey on the orange coated board: trees, shrubs & shadows in a very loose fashion. Once we done that, we started to look at negative spaces and began to create our landscapes. It was a brain twister for sure but we all had a good time. Owen gave us one to one support and it was very much appreciated.

Portrait Lisa Lisa Takahashi – Exploring summer gardens

Lisa methodically guided us through the process of creating our gardens by firstly drawing the main areas of colour without much detail, then started to add details of plants with colours and then emphasize them with details. We certainly mixed lots of greens from scratch. It was a fab workshop and Lisa was a very knowledgeable tutor and we learned quite a few watercolour techniques.

Western23 Claire Western – Triptych art

Claire showed us how to add various papers to create textures to make our landscapes using the photographic resources. Once we had covered all 3 panels, she showed us how to add colour glazes to create depth in our artworks and how to use the various textures we made to our advantage by emphasizing them using different colour glazes but this time mixed with white to make them less opaque. All good fun, we had a great day creating our triptychs.

Richard Turner1 Richard Turner – Take it with alcohol, it’s fun

Richard showed us how to create interesting effects and textures mixing pastels with isopropanol (alcohol). Then work over them with pastels, the results were interesting and various. As you can see we had lots of fun!!!!

Neil Whitehead portrait Neil Whitehead – Rhythmic sketching of townscapes

Neil asked us to sketch our townscape and we all had a bit of a hard time with this – either too much or not enough foreground/background. He then guided us to look at the photo and take note of the negative spaces and composition, that made us definitely create a better sketch. He then showed us how to add colour to emphasize the composition and sketch of the buildings. It made our brains work very hard but the results were quite amazing. Neil was very helpful and he enjoyed the process as much as we did.

Portrait Keith Crocker – Abstracting the landscape
Keith guided us through the process of abstracting the landscape with an initial charcoal sketch, using a rubber to clear areas, then adding collage and textures, to finish with colours. Overpainting areas to make the overall artwork balanced and interesting. It was a great workshop and we all enjoyed the process of making our landscapes into shapes and lines. Although it was very hard to make the landscape totally unrecognizable and abstract. Keith brought loads of examples we could look at and he was a very supportive and knowledgeable tutor. We made loads of artworks as you can see below.

Belinda Reynell – Textures in sea & skyscapes
It was great to have a second workshop with Belinda, she guided us through using rages and palette knives to great translucent skies and interesting textures. We all created some beautiful atmospheric artworks. Belinda was very supportive and everyone had a great time creating.

Chris Howe – Pen over inky washes
We all started with the same example, draw the houses in pen then add a blue ink wash for the sky, accentuated by land mass. Then adding various colours of blue in a loose style over the houses. Let it dry and add the ocker washes.

We then let the artistic juices flow, using watercolour techniques using cling film and granulation medium. Quite different using acrylic inks, had to be quick as you were unable to lift out colours like you do with watercolours. Very interesting workshop and Chris was a very attentive tutor guiding us to where ever we wanted to go.

Portrait Lisa Lisa Takahashi – Bookmarker lino cut
What great fun this workshop was. Lisa explained the different tools, quality of lino and paper. We then started to sketch our pattern for those that wanted to, others just went with the flow. Then we started to cut our patterns always being aware where your fingers were to avoid any cuts – glad to say we all had our fingers at the end of the workshop. Lisa then took us to the inking station explaining how the ink needed to be the right consistency before you can roll the ink on the lino cut. Using a barren to print the lino cut on the paper (a lot of pressure and rubbing required) and carefully peeling the paper away was very exciting as that was the first time you saw your artwork in colour. We had a bit of fun deciding what colour combinations to use, first plain prints, then second colour printed over the first and the lino moved upside down. A few of us even went further and used ink going from one colour into the other. The last exercise what to remove some of the lino to create 2 coloured patterns. That was very tricky, especially if you forgotten to make a print of the original lino cut before cutting more away, oh dear!!!!

Dawn Cox – Charcoal Experiments
We started with creating a background using gesso, creating textures with the brush and other tools. Whilst letting this dry Dawn gave us lining paper to start drawing curves, circles, scribbles and doodles to loosen us up. Once we finished that, we created a landscape over the drawing, that was fun!!!! Now back to the serious stuff, once the gesso is dry Dawn explained how to use the textures created in the gesso to make trees. Using rubbers, hairspray, pallete knives and fingers to create different textures and tones. As you can see we had a lot of fun using charcoal and nothing else.

Belinda Reynell – Treescapes
What a super workshop this was, Belinda was a thoughtful tutor and provided positive and supporting advice and suggestions to all our members. Belinda started with a thin Raw Umber background, use Ultramarine and white with the pallete knife to start adding clouds on quite thickly, then with ultramarine and cadmium yellow in various tones added the greens lightly touching the surface to create interesting textures. When this was done, Belinda used a scrapper to scrape out the trunks of the trees through the various layers of paint. As you can see we enjoyed ourselves and produced some excellent artworks.

Paul Weaver – A snowy scene with fat over lean painting
First of all we drew a tonal sketch of the landscape then did a wash of burned sienna to get rid of the dreaded white background. We continued with a Burned Sienna and French Ultramarine to sketch the landscape using the tonal sketch we made earlier. Paul showed us to create a lovely warm sky with Naples Yellow, a bit of pink and Ultramarine Blue and or Cobalt Blue because we obviously don’t want a green sky, using quite diluted paint so the background wash showed through the painting. Then bring in the main details and create yet another layer of paint this time as dark as possible to add shadows and bring out the lighter parts of the landscape. Then add the snow in a thick layer of paint. We finish with bringing in the shades on the snow with Ultramarine and a little pink to create a beautiful purples. All by all a very interesting day of painting.

Hannah Twine artist Hannah Twine – Expressive skies
Hannah showed us the intricacies of painting clouds, what colours and shapes to use to create sunsets, thunder and cumulus clouds by using her less is more approach. How to create energy and spontaneity in our artworks. Hannah was very thorough and we all created some fantastic artworks that day.

Western23 Claire Western – Drawn to experiment
Claire put us straight to work with charcoal and erasers, creating a single line drawing (exercise 1).

Then the same technique but a landscape this time. A bit trickier as we had to create different tones (exercise 2).

We moved on to creating a landscape with oil pastels and using white spirit to mix and create texture (exercise 3).

And we finished drawing flowers with soft pastels and indian ink.

We had a great time making our artworks and a big thank you to Claire for guiding us through the different techniques. The creatives juices were well and truly flowing.

Hayleywebbp Hayley Webb – Ceramic plaques
Another super workshop with Hayley, we were told how to add several layers of clay to create depth and use various materials to create textures. Adding underglaze to create colours and how to prepare the clay for bisque firing and final glaze. We all created a beautiful plaque.

Chris Howe – Atmospheric watercolours
A great workshop with Chris, very experienced tutor, happy to answer any questions and showed us an array of different water colour techniques. We all created several artworks and our members thoroughly enjoyed the workshop.

Richard Welch – Following in the style of Anne Cotterell

Western23 Claire Western – Texture and transparency

Rebecca Rebecca De Mendonca – The Drama of Dartmoor

The Drama of Dartmoor

Paul Weaver – Seasonal landscapes
A brilliant workshop from Paul, showing different techniques to painting a seasonal landscape. We enjoyed his excellent tutorage and all the participants created a lovely piece of art. It was great to see so many of you at the workshop.

Richard Turner – Washed in pastels
The workshop with Richard Turner was welcomed by an enthusiastic group of artists. They were keen to try a different approach to pastel painting taking most people out of their comfort zone (that’s what workshops are all about). Richard made a prompt start by distributing fine sandpaper which we were to use for practice work. He started by explaining how the varied pressure of the pastels on the paper changed the intensity of the shade and how colour changed unexpectedly when mixed with another. This was emphazised when he demonstrated water on a damp brush added to the mix. Even Richard didn’t know exactly what to expect. As the morning progressed we were encouraged to experiment as he prompted us to try different colour mixtures, great fun. After a short lunch break, people got down to the serious matter of producing their own masterpiece on the large sheet of paper that Richard also supplied. During the afternoon he constantly moved around the room giving individual advice and encouragement. Despite some sore fingers and art gallery was set up at the end showed a range of subjects and interesting colour ways. The workshop was voted a success and well worth the time spent learning a new approach with pastels, and no doubt will be repeated in many studios over the winter months. We hope to see Richard again. D.J.M

Tony Hogan – Shades & shadow in treescapes

Joanna Commings – Figure it out
The fully booked Saturday figure drawing workshop that took place on the 28th of September had a staggered start as one of the booked sitters was unable to attend. Luckily the brother of the young lady model was roused and quickly arrived to take the place. The session began with 3 freehand 10 minute charcoal sketches, firstly with the model moving and then in sitting poses. The aim was to encourage freer approach and to observe body proportions and the drape of clothing. For some, sketching people was more challenging, but we all learned from the exercise. Finally we produced an acrylic painting of one of the sitters. Joanna Commings is an excellent attentive tutor, offering valued advice and praise where due. The two young models did a splendid job maintaining poses. If any members didn’t attend this session watch out for another as you missed an treat. The next workshop on Saturday 12th October is with one of our regular tutors Tony Hogan with pastel pencils and blocks. If you are quick there are a few place available, go on spoil yourself. Enjoy your painting. D.J.M