World Penguin Day is held annually on 25th April, coinciding with the northern migration of Adélie penguins. It is a day to educate about and appreciate all 18 different species of penguin.
Dot used acrylics to paint Emperor penguins and the picture measures an impressive 60cm x 50cm. Lovely use of bold colours for the sky, whilst also giving the impression of a very cold place. Well done, Dot!
On Saturday twenty one members enjoyed an ink and workshop with artist and tutor Victoria Wainwright. We learned about different types of inks, including acrylic and Indian inks and used several colours in different paintings. It was the first time we have done four paintings at one workshop and we all went home having learned a lot and appreciated her knowledge, inspiration and encouragement.
Victoria’s website is here… https://www.victoriawainwright.com
As art group subs covers the hall hire, members not attending the workshop are welcome to come along and create pictures to their own theme.
We started the workshop by doodling with a pen on a sheet of paper, filling in some or all of the shapes, choosing 3 different coloured inks from a large selection and painting the shapes. After this exercise we placed all the pictures on the floor to view them.
For the next exercise Victoria showed us some examples of paintings of everyday household kitchen items. We chose items from a selection for a little still life. We drew the objects in pencil, used inks to paint outside the lines then drew loose lines in pen for the outlines and details of the objects. Having painted within the lines for many years we were encouraged to paint outside the lines, add splashes of ink and it was quite liberating!
After lunch we moved on to watercolours to paint birch trees with a coloured background. Victoria drew vertical lines for the tree trunks, put clean water between the trees then added watercolours wet in wet to create mixed colours. Whilst the paint was wet we added large salt granules to the colours which made interesting patterns when dry. Once the dry salt was brushed off we used Quink ink in black or blue with a cocktail stick to add the lines and details on the birch trees. By adding more Quink to one side of a tree trunk and using a brush with water to create a darker side it made the trunks become rounded and not flat. We added more paint to the bottom of the picture by using sponges and a bunch of elastic bands loaded with paint. It makes a difference to the atmosphere of the woods by the paint colours used.
The first three birch tree paintings are Victoria’s and the rest are ours.
For the last painting we had a reference photo of a fishing boat. We loosely drew the shape of the boat and used watercolours for the sky, land and boat, emphasising the rusty areas. When the painting was dry we used Quink ink or a black pen to outline the boat and pick out areas of interest.
The first photo is the reference picture, then Victoria’s painting, then ours.
We all really enjoyed the workshop, learning about and trying different types of ink, using cocktail sticks with Quink, drawing with a pen and taking home four paintings. Thank you, Victoria, for a tiring but inspiring day!
Look out for the next newsletter on 1st May and our next session is on Wednesday 13th May from 7-9pm.
Susan started this portrait on the afternoon of the portrait competition session and finished it at home. It’s a bold painting with rich colours and the subject’s eyes hold our gaze. Well done, Susan, beautifully painted!
Here are two portraits from the recent competition session which have been completed at home.
Dot used soft pastels on Clairefontaine Pastelmat paper for her portrait of Yoko Ono. Lovely use of soft pastels, Dot. Well done as we can see straight away who the portrait is of!
Tracy used watercolours for her portrait of Tony Hawkins MBE. He joined the RNLI Dover lifeboat in 1960 aged 16, was involved in nearly 500 callouts and in total worked and volunteered for the RNLI for an amazing 65 years. Tracy saw Tony’s obituary in the RNLI magazine last year and wanted to paint his lined, weather-worn face and wonderful eyebrows.
Jane was commissioned to paint a dog in oils and she has finished the picture. The brindle patterned fur was a challenge to paint but she mastered the colours well and is happy with the picture. Well done, Jane, the owner will be so pleased!
Eleven members met on Wednesday evening and most drew and painted to the theme of Spring Flowers.
It was a very colourful session with beautiful flowers painted in watercolours, acrylics and also with coloured pencils. The black backgrounds work well don’t they? Good to see a couple of vases with flowers for a still life approach. The last two photos are paintings from previous sessions and other art groups.
Other artists created picture to their own theme. Vikki’s super black dog picture in coloured pencils is finished and for a friend.
Lovely work, everyone, do finish your paintings at home!
The next session is the ink/watercolour workshop on Saturday 25th April from 10am to 3 pm.
All twenty spaces are taken and two people are on the waiting list. If you’re booked in and your plans change, please let Tracy know ASAP and your place can be taken by someone on the waiting list. Thanks.
Twenty members met on Saturday to start or continue drawing and painting for our annual competition, this year on ‘Portraits’. Our competitions are friendly affairs and not fiercely contended so there was lots of chatter throughout the day over a cuppa and biscuits.
At the end of the session sixteen portraits were entered and after studying all the pictures we all voted for our favourite one. After counting there was a clear winner with two paintings tied for runner-up. After another round of voting and counting we had the second placed picture.
Here are the portrait entries of family members and famous people…
The runner-up was Susan with her pencil study of Devon based sculptor Peter Randall-Page, RA. The portrait was in pencil with delicate marks and bold strokes defining Peter’s face. Well done, Susan!
The winner was Mary with her portrait of Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones. Painted with energy and positive mark-making the portrait was bold and outstanding. Well done, Mary, we loved your painting!
Other artists painted to their own themes or didn’t enter the portrait competition. Some are works in progress and will be finished at home…
Well done everyone, you rose to the challenge with your amazing paintings!
Look out for the next newsletter on Wednesday 1st April, with the next session on Wednesday 8th April from 7-9pm.
Graham started this watercolour picture during a recent session and had fun painting it. Whilst rain teems down and the background is London Bridge on a dull, wet day, the colourfully dressed, exuberant dancers enjoy the rain whilst others rush past with their brollies. It’s called ‘Summer Rain’.
Beautifully painted, Graham, the bright colours against the muted background work so well!
Jackie has finished three paintings from previous sessions. The Year of the Fire Horse picture was painted in acrylics with several layers of paint being used on black paper, giving a great impression of the heat and brightness of fire.
People in Winter was painted in watercolours, with the colourful sound waves above the people being listened to by the young lad in headphones. What a clever idea!
Jackie sketched this wintery landscape at Shorne Country Park then painted it in watercolours. With a great depth of field, one could walk straight into this landscape and follow the meandering path deeper into the woods.
Well done, Jackie, your pictures are beautifully painted!
Fifteen artists attended the Wednesday evening session, including Denise’s granddaughter, Sophie, who painted with us to see if she’d would like to join the group.
Most members began their portrait drawings and paintings in readiness for our annual competition, to be held at the next session.
Other members drew, painted and cut paper to their own themes.
Our next session will be on Saturday 28th March from 10am to 3pm.
Chalk Art Group 