watercolours

Finished pictures

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We have so many different subjects in our sessions that we often start pictures but don’t get around to finishing them.

Here are several pictures that were finished at home from sessions on Frida Kahlo, painting on a book page, Underwater Life, In an English Country Garden, and Chalk Church.

Brenda’s colourful picture of Frida Kahlo is in pastels as are her images of the dragon and the parrot on a dictionary page. The cockerel is painted in watercolours.

Steve’s posterised image of Frida Kahlo was painted in acrylics and the other in black pastel on grey pastel paper with a dramatic pop of lip colour in pink. Chalk Church was created when we visited last month, again in pastel but using many colours for a realistic picture.

Tracy’s images of Frida Kahlo were painted in watercolours, as were the underwater eagle spotted rays. The cottage garden at Sissinghurst is in coloured pencils, lightly pressed on to the paper so the finished effect is delicate.

Well done, it’s great to see all your finished pictures!

Painted Whitstable oyster shells

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At last Saturday’s session about Underwater Life there were oyster shells to paint, either the traditional teardrop oyster shape or the flatter native oyster shells. Tracy had visited Whitstable beach and helped herself to lots of empty oyster shells which are thrown on the beach behind the Whitstable Oyster Company Restaurant. After a soak in hot water and washing up liquid she scraped off the last of the muscle at the dark muscle scar inside the shells, soaked them with antibacterial spray and left them to dry in the sun. The inside of the oyster shells were all clean to paint with no fishy smell and the outsides were patterned and interesting too.

Everyone who painted a shell came up with a design on the spur of the moment and drew inside the shell with pencil then painted with colourful acrylics. Kay painted with watercolours and the paint did stay on the inside. Her painting of a badger’s head on a flat native oyster shell was much admired and we all agreed it was the highlight of all the shells.

Well done everyone, you painted the shells beautifully and it was fun to try something different!

Underwater Life – May 2024 – Saturday

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Eighteen members rose magnificently to the challenge of painting underwater life, using watercolours acrylics, pens and pastels.

Andrea brought along a beautiful, tall and very heavy paperweight of an octopus and Tracy brought in a cup, bowl and Christmas decoration all featuring octopus designs. Tracy’s items were bought from George’s in Whitstable High Street, a shop full of ‘stuff’ that you don’t need but want because it’s handy, nifty or just lovely to look at. George’s have a website with some items on, but they have many more items in the actual shop. The shop is worth a trip to Whitstable :o) www.georgeswhitstable.com

There were oyster shells from Whitstable to paint too and all those photos will be on a separate post, along with finished Salvador Dali paintings.

We were very creative on the day and any works in progress will be finished at home. Several members have supplied photos of artwork they painted at other art groups. There were many different underwater animals and divers painted in glorious colours including turtles, tropical fish, jellyfish, octopuses, sharks, shells, seahorses, rays, crabs, lobsters, a mermaid, a little girl looking at life underwater, and an exotically named axolotl. The first painting is Steve’s slightly disturbing Salvador Dali portrait with sea creatures and a melted clock!

Next month’s ideas will be published on 1st June and the next session will be on Wednesday 12th June 7-9pm.