Acrylics Steps

I L L U S T R A T O R S
March 2015 4.20
www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk
9 770269 469153
03
Artists &
Exclusive
PORTRAIT
ARTIST
OF THE YEAR
EXPRESSIVE
FLOWERS
Brush up on your skills in
our still life masterclass
Discover the techniques of the

Sky Arts TV series winner
WIN!
Special issue
1,000 OF
PAINTS
PAINTING
LANDSCAPES
Develop your sketches Find new perspectives Follow simple projects

plus richard diebenkorn's abstract cityscapes
PHOTO: NEiL HALL
welcome
the most talked about

exhibition of 2015
Ok, so the private view only took place on 6 January so its a
little early to say for sure, but our Artists of the Year exhibition
was definitely the talk of the town in London last month.
The culmination of our annual search for fresh creative talents,
it saw 50 paintings and original prints made by readers of
Artists & Illustrators taking their rightful place on the walls
of the prestigious Mall Galleries.
It was great to meet so many of the 50 shortlisted artists who
had travelled with friends and family from all corners of the UK and beyond.
Rebecca Wall, the manager of the Jonathan Cooper Park Walk Gallery, was also
in attendance to present our overall winner Camilla Dowse (pictured above right
with Rebecca) with her certificate. As part of her prize, Camilla will be working
towards a solo exhibition with the gallery. View more exclusive photos from the
event online at www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/aoty14.
And if you want your artwork to be included in next years display, be sure to
look out for the launch of Artists of the Year 2015 in a forthcoming issue.
Steve Pill, Editor
Get in touch
Did you visit our exhibition

at Mall Galleries? Was your
artwork one of the 50? Send us
your thoughts and photos
info@artistsandillustrators.co.uk
@AandImagazine
ArtistsAndIllustrators
AandImagazine
AandImagazine
Artists & Illustrators, The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd., Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ. Tel: (020) 7349 3700 www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk
Editorial Editor Steve Pill Art Editor Alicia Fernandes Assistant Editor Terri Eaton Contributors Laura Boswell, Anne-Marie Butlin, Eoin Carey, Sin Dudley, Ben Grafton,
Neil Hall, Mark Harrison, Paul Newland, Clair Rossiter, Peter Rush, Jake Spicer, Adle Wagstaff and Thomas Williams
oNliNE ENquiriEs support@artistsandillustrators.co.uk adVErtisiNG Advertisement Manager Tom OByrne (020) 7349 3738 tom.obyrne@chelseamagazines.com
Sales Executive Erika Stone (020) 7349 3739 erika.stone@chelseamagazines.com Advertising Production allpointsmedia www.allpointsmedia.co.uk
maNaGEmENt & PublishiNG Managing Director Paul Dobson Deputy Managing Director Steve Ross Publisher Simon Temlett Commercial Director Vicki Gavin
Head of Marketing Will Delmont Digital Media Manager James Dobson subscriPtioNs aNd back issuEs Artists & Illustrators, Subscriptions Department,
800 Guillat Avenue, Kent Science Park, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8GU artists@servicehelpline.co.uk (01795) 419838 artists.subscribeonline.co.uk
Artists & Illustrators 3
contents
march 2015
7 your letters
46 talking techniques
Write to us and win a 50 voucher
Ruth Nicols poetic take on the landscape
9 the Diary
52 masterclass
The best events and exhibitions in March
A blooming marvellous still life demonstration
21 columnist
57 your questions
Laura Boswell on the fine art of self promotion
Adle Wagstaff on painting the nude figure
22 the wisDom of unity
60 Demonstration
The artist daughter of Stanley Spencer speaks
Try a new perspective on painting cityscapes
37 competition
62 Drawing exercises
1,000 worth of Maimeri paint is up for grabs
Jake Spicer sets you a figurative challenge
38 the gallery
64 river views
The best new work by Portfolio Plus members
How to develop sketches into studio paintings
41 notebook
82 my favourite things
Art tips, competitions and workshops to try
With Threadneedle Prize winner Tina Jenkins
26 subtle observations
30 abstract anD back
34 stuDio iDeas
69 give yourself the eDge
70 Do you copy?
72 unfolDing scenes
Emily Patricks latest collection of figurative art
Try a tray frame for a truly contemporary finish

4 Artists
& Illustrators
Explore Richard Diebenkorns changing styles
A great six-point plan for drawing in galleries
Xin 1000
of watercolour
on page 37
14 skys the limit
Meet Portrait Artist of the Year Christian Hook
With childrens illustrator Laura Ellen Anderson
Abstract landscape ideas with Ian Rowlands
INNOVATION AND UNRIVALLED PERFORMANCE

FROM WINSOR & NEWTON WATER COLOUR
www.winsornewton.com
nting
Art
Courses
Art
Courses
Art
Courses
Art
Courses
ligraphy
2015
ulpture
May to September
2015May
May
to September
2015
to
September
to September
2015
May
to
2015 May
May
toSeptember
September
tiles
Drawing
Drawing
Drawing
Drawing
neCarving
Painting
Drawing
Painting
Painting
Painting
Sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture
Painting
Sculpture
Calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy
Sculpture
Textiles
Textiles
Textiles
Textiles
Calligraphy
Stone
Carving
Stone
Stone
Carving
Carving
Stone
Carving
Textiles
Stone Carving
artinactionartcourses@gmail.com
www.artinaction.org.uk
07980 091091
297
07980
07980 091 297 297
07980 091 297
Organised by the School of Economic Science Registered Educational Charity no 313115
Organised by the School of Economic Science Registered Educational Charity no 313115
Organised by theOrganised
Schoolby of
Economic
Science
Registered
Educational
Charity no 313115
the School
of Economic
Science Registered
Educational
Charity no 313115
YOUR Letters
Let ter of the month
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
As a way of boosting my confidence and giving myself a project, I decided to hold a small exhibition of
my artwork at Wolverhampton Central Library where I work as an assistant. As well as providing me
with a focus for my work throughout the year, I feel that the whole experience of planning the show,
selecting the work and creating several pieces especially for the exhibition itself were all positives for
me and helped foster a professional attitude towards my visual practice. It also had the added
benefit of costing very little to put the exhibition on.
The library exhibition space was free, and I printed my own exhibition text
and labels on my inkjet printer. I designed a flyer, a few of which I circulated
locally, as well as doing a little online publicity via my website and blog. To
finish I self-published all of my exhibited material via an online service that
offered a free self-publishing option. Holding an exhibition at a local library
was an excellent way of using and supporting libraries in this uncertain time of
public service cuts, as well as being a useful challenge and a way of fulfilling
the role of being an artist whose work is visible in the community.
Kay Fletcher, www.kayfletcher.co.uk
JUST DESSERTS
RE: Editors Letter, Issue 348
I always enjoy examining your words
and the artists descriptions of their
art and working methods in Artists &
Illustrators. Februarys edition,
however, once devoured, left me
feeling that I had eaten plenty of
savoury, but no sweet: much of the
artwork in the magazine was
produced on the basis of outward
observation of that very material
world that you talked of, with very
little of the artists inner being
apparently involved.
Is imaginative form and highly
skilled, emotional colour use
regarded in an unfavourable light?
I am thinking not of Turner Prize-type
ideas but more Threadneedle Prize.
Mary Fedden, Victoria Crowe and
Lisa Wright beautifully combine all
their vision and thought, inward and
outward, in their art.
When I read about art, the most
attractive paintings to me are those
that marry outward observation with
inward expression. In my opinion, this
is the artists job and what I like to try
to do. The imagination, poetry and
keep in touch
music; the sweet part of the

meal of art. Street scenes are the
savoury, for me.
This is a material world, as you say.
Meat and two veg? Give me the
crumble and custard as well please!
Annette Burkitt, via email
You make an interesting point, Annette.
Dont be deceived by the choice of a
figurative subject though the likes of
Emily Patrick and Ruth Nicol, both
featured in this months issue, bring
wonderfully poetic, inventive and
emotional responses to seemingly
everyday scenes or subjects. We hope
their works satisfy your sweet tooth.
ALL BOXES TICKED
RE: Issue 347
Just a quick word to congratulate
everyone at Artists & Illustrators for
a great issue in January, with Unison
Colour pastels (certainly my favourite
soft pastel), Quentin Blake, Paula
Rego, vintage fashion illustrations
(I wish there had been more) and
another favourite of mine, Michele
del Campo mouthwatering!
Peter Morgan, via email
info@artistsandillustrators.co.uk
@AandImagazine
write to us
Send your letter or email

to the addresses below:
POST:
Your Letters
Artists & Illustrators
The Chelsea Magazine
Company Ltd.
Jubilee House
2 Jubilee Place
London SW3 3TQ
NEVER TOO YOUNG?

RE: Masterclass, Issue 344
I teach art classes for children in
Dublin and I find Artists & Illustrators
an invaluable source of ideas and
educational examples. I was
surprised, nevertheless, when a
small group of experienced students,
aged 11 to 13, were eager to try the
challenge of painting a still life with a
clear glass pitcher after the example
of Lucy McKies masterclass. With its
dominant greys, its not a typical
child-friendly painting.
We set up a similar display to allow
them their own interpretations from
life, and coped with the fading Dublin
winter light. I explained to them how
working in acrylics would be different
from working in oils. The results
(below) gave them a real sense of
achievement and amazed parents,
teachers and our Facebook followers.
Thank you for your help and
inspiration over the years.
Karyn Walsh, Artsmart,
www.artsmart.ie
Marias jug
EMAIL: info@artists
andillustrators.co.uk
The writer of our letter of
the month will receive a
50 gift voucher from our
partner GreatArt, who
offers the UKs largest
range of art materials
with over 50,000 art
supplies and regular
discounts and
promotions.
www.greatart.co.uk
ArtistsAndIllustrators
Rachels jug
AandImagazine
AandImagazine
The most desirable villas in the heart of the Mediterranean
Call our expert team and let them guide you to the perfect villa for your family.
020 3770 9753 | www.TheThinkingTraveller.com
At the Cond Nast Traveller Readers Travel Awards 2007 - 2014:
Best villa rental company | Best on the ground service | Best range of facilities | Best presentation of villas
As voted for by our clients.
the diary
WATERCOLOUR RISING
Watercolour lovers are in for a treat this month with three major exhibitions opening. The Royal Watercolour Societys (RWS)
Contemporary Watercolour Competition kicks things off at Bankside Gallery, London SE1 (6-18 March) with a collection of
innovative and creative works by non-members. Hot on their heels comes the 203rd Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours
(RI) Open Exhibition (25 March to 11 April) at Mall Galleries, London SW1, which features works by the likes of David Poxon RI
(Brighton Pier, pictured) alongside the best submissions by non-members. The RWS Spring Exhibition, Watercolour Etc., closes
proceeding at Bankside Gallery (27 March to 25 April). Member artists have been invited to submit three watercolours and one
work in different media so expect a few interesting experiments along the way. www.royalwatercoloursociety.co.uk
www.royalinstituteofpaintersinwatercolours.org.uk
exhibitions
mArchs bEst Art shOws
Goya: The Witches and Old Women Album
26 February to 25 May
Figurative studies by the Spanish master.
Courtauld Gallery. www.courtauld.ac.uk
Painting Paradise: The Art of the Garden

20 March to 11 October
Exploring the changing character of outdoor spaces.
Queens Gallery, Buckingham Palace.
www.royalcollection.org.uk
From the Forest to the Sea

Until 15 March
Last chance to catch the Emily Carr retrospective.
Dulwich Picture Gallery.
www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk
Rubens and His Legacy

Until 10 April
Also includes La Peregrina, a collection curated in
response to the main show by Jenny Saville RA.
Royal Academy of Arts. www.royalacademy.org.uk
Sargent: Portraits of Artists and Friends

Sumptuous oil paintings of the artists circle.
National Portrait Gallery. www.npg.org.uk
Sculpture Victorious
The Victorian golden age of carvings and busts.
Tate Britain. www.tate.org.uk
ENGLAND LONDON
GrEAt brItIsh DrAwINGs

26 March to 31 August
Featuring more than 100 works handpicked from
the Ashmoleans world-renowned collection, this
rich display expands the remit of drawings to
include mixed media works. Samuel Coopers
17th-century black chalk portrait of Thomas
Alcock (below) is among the many highlights.
Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology,
Oxford. www.ashmolean.org
Joshua Reynolds: Experiments in Paint

12 March to 7 June
Insight into the portrait masters methods.
Wallace Collection. www.wallacecollection.org
Adventures of the Black Square: Abstract
Figurative studies by the Spanish master.
Whitechapel Gallery. www.whitechapelgallery.org
ENGLAND - north
From Bradford to Benares

7 March to 12 July
Sir William Rothensteins achievements celebrated.
Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Bradford.
www.bradfordmuseums.org
ARTIST ROOMS: Anselm Kiefer
7 February to 7 June
Post-war German art using natural materials.
Tullie House, Carlisle. www.tulliehouse.co.uk
Face Value
27 March to 13 June
Portraits from the Arts Council Collection.
Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Cumbria. www.abbothall.org.uk
Milk Snatcher: The Thatcher Drawings

14 March to 31 May
Timely look at veteran illustrator Gerald Scarfes
depictions of the Iron Lady.
10 Artists
& Illustrators
One Day, Something Happens: Paintings of People

6 March to 24 May
Euan Uglow, Lucian Freud and Paula Rego feature.
Leeds Art Gallery. www.leeds.gov.uk/artgallery
John Dobson and John Wilson Carmichael:
An Artistic Partnership
Until 28 June
North East landscapes from the 19th century.
Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle. www.twmuseums.org.uk
The Great Outdoors Paintings by Stanley Royle
Until 30 May
Views of the local Yorkshire landscape.
Graves Gallery, Sheffield.
www.museums-sheffield.org.uk
LS Lowry and Theodore Major
Until 29 March
Compare and contrast two Lancashire painters.
The Atkinson, Southport. www.theatkinson.co.uk
Lynda Benglis
6 February to 1 July
Sculpture and painting from the heir to Pollock.
Hepworth Wakefield, Yorkshire.
www.hepworthwakefield.org
Henry Moore: Back to a Land
7 March to 6 September
Consider the sculptors relationship to the world.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield. www.ysp.co.uk
Every Picture Tells A Story
Until 21 March
Invent identities for anonymous portraits.
Warrington Museum and Art Gallery.
www.warringtonmuseum.co.uk
ENGLAND - south
Gwen John to Lucian Freud: Home and the World

Dexter Dalwood picks from the Swindon Collection.
The Holburne Museum, Bath. www.holburne.org
David Hockney: A Rakes Progress
31 January to 14 June
The Yorkshire legend illustrates a Hogarth classic.
Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.
www.bristolmuseums.org.uk
AshmoleAn museum, university of oxford
Rocks and Water

21 March to 31 May
Landscape art from the Lake Districts and beyond.
Buxton Museum, Derbyshire. www.derbyshire.gov.uk
Bowes Museum, Durham.

www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk
The NaTioNal Gallery, loNdoN
INVENTING IMPRESSIONISM
4 March to 31 May
While its stretching the truth to
say Paul Durand-Ruel invented
Impressionism, the Parisian dealer
certainly helped ensure that the art
movement survived and flourished.
His 1870s patronage is celebrated
via 85 works that passed through his
hands, including Edouard Manets
Music in the Tuileries Gardens (right).
National Gallery, London.
www.nationalgallery.org.uk
Eduardo Paolozzi & the Printed Collage 1965-72

Pop Art compositions from the space age.
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk
Homage to Manet
31 January to 19 April
Artworks influenced by the French master.
Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery.
www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk
BP Portrait Award 2014

Until 12 April
Was Thomas Ganter a worthy winner?
Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh.
www.nationalgalleries.org
New Rhythms Henri Gaudier-Brzeska: Art,

Dance and Movement in London 1911-1915
17 March to 21 June
Drawings and sculpture from his final years.
Kettles Yard, Cambridge. www.kettlesyard.co.uk
Sons and Daughters of the Soil

28 March to 13 June
Cornish paintings celebrating farms and gardens.
Penlee House Gallery, Penzance.
www.penleehouse.org.uk
ARTIST ROOMS: Roy Lichtenstein

14 March to 10 January 2016
Three room collection of Pop Art portraits.
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art,
Edinburgh. www.nationalgalleries.org
JMW Turner: Watercolours from the West

13 March to 10 May
Eight paintings of Bath, Bristol and beyond.
The Wilson, Cheltenham.
www.cheltenhammuseum.org.uk
Canaletto: Celebrating Britain

14 March to 7 June
The Italians take on 18th-century Britain.
Compton Verney, Warcs. www.comptonverney.org.uk
The Ballet of the Palette

20 February to 24 January 2016
20th-century paintings chosen by todays artists.
GoMA, Glasgow. www.glasgowlife.org.uk
SCOTLAND
WALES
Classical Art: The Legacy of Ancients

24 January to 10 May
Modern art influenced by Greco-Roman culture.
The McManus, Dundee. www.mcmanus.co.uk
Karel Lek RCA and Audrey Hind RCA

21 February to 28 March
Character studies and atmospheric landscapes.
Royal Cambrian Academy. www.rcaconwy.org
Leon Underwood: Figure and Rhythm

7 March to 14 June
Exploring the sculptors paintings and prints.
Pallant House Gallery, Chichester. www.pallant.org.uk
esTaTe of leoNora CarriNGToN / ars, Ny aNd daCs, loNdoN 2014
LEONORA CARRINGTON
6 March to 31 May
Born into a wealthy upper-class Lancashire
family in 1917, Leonora Carrington studied in
Florence, befriended Picasso in Paris and
eventually settled in Mexico alongside the likes
of Frida Kahlo. Despite such connections,
Carrington was very much her own woman and
her visionary art blossomed in the Mexican
sunlight. After passing away just four years ago,
her surreal figurative works (including 1947s
The Old Maids, left) are ripe for rediscovery.
Tate Liverpool. www.tate.org.uk
30 British Portraits
Until 25 April
Celebrating the gallerys 30th anniversary.
MOMA Wales, Powys. www.momawales.org.uk
IRELAND
Lines of Vision
Until 12 April
56 authors draw on favourites in the collection.
National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin.
www.nationalgallery.ie
Joe Dunne RHA
13 March to 26 April
Painterly tempera-on-paper still lifes.
Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin. www.rhagallery.ie
SHORT
COURSES
CENTRAL
SAINT
MARTINS
Online
Weekends
Daytime
Evenings
Bespoke training
Courses for under 19s
Dual city and Study abroad
Art, Design, Fashion and Performance
www.arts.ac.uk
Search: csm short courses
fitting tribute
the diary
MADE IN CHINA?
When Evelyn Williams fell ill in her 80s, the artists husband Anthony approached
her many friends, family, curators and collectors to provide written accounts of
how her paintings had touched their lives. Initially collected together to lift her
spirits, they will now be published posthumously as a tribute to her talents.
Williams is perhaps best known for winning a prize at the 1961 John Moores
exhibition alongside Peter Blake, David Hockney and Sandra Blow. While her
career never reached the heights of those contemporaries, her subtle, haunting
figurative art has gained many admirers including Fay Weldon and Helen Mirren.
A Lifes Work is published by Sansom & Co., RRP 35. The Last Paintings runs from
25 February to 25 March at Martin Tinney Gallery, Cardiff. www.evelynwilliams.com
As Sin Dudley explains on page 70, copying a

masterpiece is a great way to learn. Londons
Dulwich Picture Gallery is taking things a stage
further this month, however. From 10 February,
one of the 270 paintings hung in the gallerys
permanent collection will be replaced by a
forgery commissioned by a workshop in China.
visitors are invited to spot the fake, before it is
displayed alongside the original from 28 April.
next issue: DAPHNE ToDD oN BBCS The Big PiCTure A PICASSo-INSPIRED

ART PRoJECT PEN & WASH MASTERCLASS YouR CoLouR PRoBLEMS SoLvED
On sale 27 February 2015
in
Wind in their sales?

The Royal Society of
Marine Artists holds
a selling exhibition at
St Barbe Museum & Art
Gallery in Lymington,
Hampshire this month.
Celebrating the Sea
runs from 7-18 March.
Sketchy prospect
Drawn 2015 (left), the
Royal West of England
Academys biennial
open submission
drawing exhibition,
returns from 21 March
to 7 June. Submissions
are still being accepted
at www.rwa.org.uk prior
to the 5 March deadline.
Tuscany winners
Congratulations to
Emma Alden who wins
a seven-night Italian
painting holiday with
Tuscany in the Frame
courtesy of our
November 2014 issue
prize draw.
Dont be a mug
EvEN tEA brEAks

CAN bE ArtI stIC!
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
National Gallery by
Emma Bridgewater
19.95, www.national
gallery.co.uk
Artists Tools by
Ella Doran 12,
www.elladoran.co.uk
Artist Paint Drip by Tate,
10, www.tate.org.uk
Rose Hilton by Big
Tomato Company
16.50, www.newlyn
artschool.co.uk
Christian with his portrait of actress

PositionNardini
Daniela
Artworkfrom
name,
the first round of the
artwork
Sky Artsinfo
Portrait Artist of the Year 2014
Musician, artist, role Model, tutor

Gibraltars Christian ho ok is a Man
of Many talents. and now, at 43, the
newly-crowned P ortrait artist
of the year is learninG how to Put
theM to Go od use, says terri e aton
Painting a portrait can be daunting enough from the comfort

of your own studio, let alone in an entirely new environment
and under the scrutiny of TV cameras. In December, Christian
Hook fended off competition from more than 1,600 artists to
be crowned the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year 2014.
His fate was sealed in a tense final at the National Portrait
Gallery in London, during which Christian and the two other
finalists were tasked with painting legend of stage and
screen, Sir Ian McKellen, live in front of the judges.
When his name was called out as the winner, Christian
could hardly believe what he was hearing. I was totally
overwhelmed. Id worked beside some amazing artists in very
challenging situations, which made winning a lot more
significant, explains the 43-year-old, whose prize included a
10,000 commission to paint a portrait of actor Alan Cumming
for the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Meeting Sir Ian was
a great honour. He was an inspiring personality and a great
sitter. We were all in awe of him, but he would try and make
us feel comfortable on any given opportunity.
In person, youd never guess that Christian is one to be
struck by nerves. Hes intense and focused by his own
>
christian hook
left and below

Christians portrait
of Sir Ian McKellen
was made in front
of the Sky cameras
oPPoSIte PaGe
Amir Khan, oil on
canvas, 101x76cm
16 Artists
& Illustrators
admission, but also extremely passionate about his craft.

A conversation with him can leave you feeling exhilarated,
exhausted and motivated in equal measure. I set the highest
standards for myself. I wouldnt say I was a perfectionist but
the only thing that interests me is my own personal pursuit of
excellence, says the artist, who divides his time between
London and Gibraltar. If you really want to excite yourself,
youve got to raise the bar. Its like starting off with a bike,
then moving onto a motorbike, then a racecar every time
the speed and the risk is greater, but so is the reward.
Thats not to say Christian didnt find certain elements of
the competition difficult. This is a man who loathes the idea
of a stiff painting because he believes everything in life is in
constant flux. Nothing is ever static. Even when youre
waiting, your molecules are moving, he says.
In fact, Christian usually works from video, filming a subject
on his iPad and freezing frames, picking and choosing
information to include in a Cubist fashion,
until he is happy to piece everything together
on canvas. Its what gives his paintings a
unique, filmic quality and a vivacious sense
of movement but its a contrasting process
to what the Sky Arts team expected of him.
Christian had to adapt to survive. I had
obstacles to contend with the lighting was
tough, you couldnt choose your view and the
model was an actor so they were not used to
sitting still but halfway through, I would step
back from the image and break up what Id
done and interact with that so it becomes a
dialogue between me and the canvas,
he reveals. There was always an ultimate
beginning and end, a visual story I could work
towards, but I had to improvise in the middle.
Born in Gibraltar in 1971, Christian believes
he owes his creative confidence to his
upbringing. If he was not inventing new games
with his brother, he was tearing up frets with
his guitarist father, who taught his sons how
to play the instrument from a young age.
Christian also had a finely tuned talent for art
and excelled in the subject at school. I was
usually told off for daydreaming in most lessons, but in the
art room it was encouraged. Its quite sad that pupils are
punished for doing that because it can be very powerful,
says Christian, who now teaches GCSE art at the all-girl
Westside Comprehensive School in Gibraltar.
One of my biggest criticisms of most schools is that
children are taught how to retain information like hard drives.
In real life, the important thing is what you do with what
youve learned. People should be rewarded for how creatively
they can use a small amount of information.
Christian speaks from experience. Growing up, he was
dubious as to whether he could carve a prosperous career
from painting back in Gibraltar and so moved to London in
1994 to study technical and scientific illustration at
Middlesex University with hopes of putting his gift to good
use. I loved the course at the time and I gained a solid
knowledge in techniques, like how to mix and handle paint >
Position Artwork
Cartujano
at Medici
name,
Palace,
artwork
oil on panel,
info 150x120cm
18 Artists
& Illustrators
christian hook
properly, but I dont think I was ever an illustrator, he says,

candidly. I tried really hard and I did very well, but illustration
never allowed me to explore my ideas as much as painting.
The six years following graduation were spent fulfilling
commissions for household names such as Disney and the
National Trust, as well as imparting his know-how as a
part-time MA lecturer at the Royal College of Art.
The experience taught Christian valuable lessons about the
business end of art while also presenting its own challenges.
Feeling too young and too overworked, he returned to
Gibraltar to teach IT and music. It was a relief to return to my
other great love: music. I became engrossed in writing songs
and it was this creative process that eventually directed me
towards fine art again, says Christian, who had recorded
three albums during this period. I remember coming across
the work of the Spanish artist Francisco Farreras and I was
astounded by how he used raw materials and how he made
relief works. I felt inspired to paint.
Christian was attracted to abstract art first of all, as he
says it complimented his song writing, but he recalls a
particular trip to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao triggering
the start of something special for him. Madrid desde Torres
Blancas by Antonio Lpez was hanging in the gallery and its
famous because it took years to paint. The landscape of the
city had changed since he originally started it and so, to me,
it was like a time machine, explains Christian. Now,
whenever I do a painting, regardless of the subject matter,
its always about time, whether thats a year, five minutes or
five seconds. The concept of time even applies to how I apply
the paint, with a mixture of fast and slow strokes.
This endless conundrum of trying to capture time and
motion on a static canvas has allowed Christian to develop
his own visual language, one that he communicates
distinctively in every new painting. He was worried he would
find the parameters of a commission too restrictive for his
style, yet his achievements on Portrait Artist of the Year serve
as a testament to his skill and evolution as a painter. With a
first successful solo exhibition with Clarendon Fine Art last
year under his belt and the added exposure of his televised
win, where this man from Gibraltar is headed, we can only
imagine. Our guess is the skys the limit.
www.christianhook.com
NEW ZEALAND
Tailor made holidays - just for you
CANADA
SWITZERLAND
SINGAPORE
AUSTRALIA
GERMANY
ITALY
CHINA
NORWAY
VIETNAM
MALTA
THAILAND
SPAIN
PORTUGAL
USA
Wet your painting

palette, follow the
vistas, and take the
tracks through some
of the worlds most
stunning landscapes...
on an adventure by
rail to inspire.
Discover the wonders of
travelling by rail now to
45 countries worldwide
INDIA
UNITED KINGDOM
SOUTH AFRICA
SWEDEN
KAZAKHSTAN
MONGOLIA
MOROCCO
POLAND
100 OFF YOUR

TAILOR MADE RAIL
HOLIDAY WHEN YOU
BOOK BEFORE
30 APRIL 2015
Offer valid for new customers booking a holiday of 4 or more nights for a
minimum of 2 people. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.
Valid for travel in 2015 bookings must be made by 30th April 2015 for
discount to apply. Standard terms and conditions apply.
NETHERLANDS
RUSSIA
BELGIUM
AUSTRIA
LATVIA
MOROCCO
NAMIBIA
FRANCE
Railbookers is an independent travel

company, specialising in tailor made
holidays by rail throughout Europe and
beyond. With offices in London, Sydney, Los
Angeles and Auckland, we can help put
together the perfect holiday to suit you.
To speak to an experienced
consultant please call
020 3327 3500
or visit www.railbookers.com
c o lu m n i s t
If youre serIous about sellI ng your work,

leaflets and busI ness cards requI re just
as much tIme and thought as the art I tself
says our c olumnI st L aura BosweLL
henever I am in contact with the public at shows or workshops, I like to be able

to leave people with some publicity about myself and my work. I have two
methods: a business card and a leaflet about my prints and the classes I teach.
In a digital age it is easy to dismiss printed marketing as irrelevant, but I believe strongly
in the power of the fridge magnet: get your work and contact details pinned by someone and
youll be on their radar. People are surprisingly keen to pick up attractive leaflets or flyers
and, while many land straight in a bin, enough of mine produce results to make them well
worth the cost of production.
I use business cards for networking or when people ask
specifically for contact details. I leave the leaflet out to be
picked up at events or will put one on each chair before a talk
or with the students fact sheets in a class. Both share the
same colours and fonts of my website and introduce me as
Laura Boswell: Printmaker. My business card also carries a
simple landscape print. It is all too easy to forget, when you
find a business card weeks later, just what that person did for
a living and why they were of interest at the time.
My leaflet is A4, folded into three the format will slip into a
business envelope along with a letter. I have it printed on
inkjet-friendly paper with a section left blank so that I can print
additional information at home, tailoring leaflets to advertise
whatever is relevant to my current audience. Contact and
website details go on both the cover and the inside (no need
to unpin from the notice board to contact me). The cover
shows my hands at work, as this will date less than a specific
print. Inside I have a couple of paragraphs of clear, friendly
explanation about my work and classes while the remainder
of the space is taken up by prints. I work out how many to print
by deciding on the leaflets lifespan (for me about two years)
then roughly estimating how many opportunities there will be
for distribution within that time. It is easy to be seduced by
printing costs: 5,000 costs pennies more than 2,000, but
using the same old leaflet for years can bore everyone
yourself included.
www.lauraboswell.co.uk
artist
BELOW
Laura Boswell,
Off the Cliffs,
Freshwater,
Japanese
woodblock,
22x34.5cm
I BeLIeve In the
power of the
frIdge magnet
peopLe wILL pIck up
attractIve fLyers
the
w isd
o
m
of
Unity
sir stanley s pencer was one of the finest british

artists of the 20th century. i n an exclusive
extract from his daughters autobio graphy,
Unit y Spencer shares her thoughts on art,
life and the man she called daddy
left Unity Spencer,

Portrait of Stanley
Spencer, 1957,
oil on canvas,
40.5x51cm (from
the Stanley Spencer
Gallery, Cookham)
opposite page
Unity Spencer,
Self-Portrait, 1954,
oil on canvas,
61x51cm
ALL IMAGES UnITy SpEnCER. pHoTo: STAnLEy SpEnCER GALLERy
Unity on her fathers techniqUes

I used to love watching daddy drawing when I was a child,
when he stayed with us in Mrs Harters house in Epsom.
She had offered her large living room to be his studio, so Id
come in every day after school to see his progress. When
drawing a portrait he always started with the eyes and then
worked out from there, moving out and up and down. I also
noticed he was very careful about sharpening his pencils,
using a knife to get a very fine point. He drew like Leonardo,
the Renaissance type of shading which he learned at the
Slade: a very fine line, full of meaning. He was sensitive
about the shading creating the form. When he was drawing
it was like meditation: the ego is nowhere around and you
are the sole vehicle.
I also remember the way daddy drew straight lines.
He would have the canvas on the floor and lay his head
down, keeping the pencil as a dot, while pushing it away from
his eyeline. Using a ruler was frowned upon at that time.
on having a talented parent

Children of geniuses tend to have a rather hard time of it.
And then if the genius and spouse split up when the children
are little, then life gets very difficult indeed for them, left to
struggle with emotional insecurity and hardship. Im thinking
of my own experiences and those of my sister, Shirin. Her
emotional hardship stemmed from the fact that she was
separated from both her parents at the age of five.

Many of my life memories concern the lives of my parents,
and dramatic events in mine and Shirins. But I believe that
Shirin and I are often considered just as a useful resource,
being the offspring of a great artist. Since childhood my
family, my ideas and my experiences have made me feel
unordinary. This is a great pity as it compounded my lack of
confidence and zest for living. I have enjoyed some things
tremendously and entered into them with a great
wholeheartedness and enthusiasm, but inhibitions and an
almost permanent sense of guilt, plus paralysing lack of
self confidence and my habitual timidity and nervousness,
have made it all rather sad, and often very difficult.
on teaching art
I was never too sure how much I should train the children in
my art class at Longclose School, where Id been teaching
since 1980, to try to paint accurate colour in a still life.
Colour seems such a personal and emotional thing, one
hesitates to correct them if their colour has its own quality
and beauty. Why then do we strive for accuracy in drawing?
I sometimes find it difficult teaching people to draw
because I dont like to interfere with the expression of their
way of drawing. Some can be quite wild in their method of
drawing, and others very sensitive. I would not want to
interfere with either of these qualities. But I would be
>
Painting a Portrait is
like cooking
breakfast...
You have to know when to add the tomato,
while not overcooking the egg
painting projects
failing them if I did not point out proportions to them, or an

understanding of tonal values, or an understanding and
means of drawing things seen near to you and others seen
further away; the intensity of shadows or their subtlety or
a feeling for space in a drawing, or a sculpture, for that
matter. For a while I had to try to forget my ideas about
reality in art, and see that paintings could express another,
equally valid reality.
on painting portraits
Like my father, I tend to begin a portrait with the eyes;
it seems a sensible way to go about it. I draw the face in
paint, mixed with linseed oil and turpentine to get a pale
outline and carefully build the colour and form as I observe
them. I look at the face, find something about it that
interests me. If you dont find the face interesting, observe
it carefully. I hope to capture something that enlivens a
little spark inside me. I have to be truthful and honest
about what is in front of me and express the feeling of the
sitter, even if it is very quiet. I must always be aware of
the sitter and her surroundings, relating the two as I go.
Thus I have a two-way relationship with the sitter, who has to
be alert to me just as I have to be alert to what I see in them.
Painting a portrait is like making breakfast. You have
the bacon and eggs, and have to know when to add the
tomato, while not overcooking the egg. How do I know when
its finished? There comes a point where adding something
else will spoil it.
on modern art
The British public still has great difficulty with modern art,
often feeling inadequate, confronted or offended, and so
dismiss it all. People can happily absorb the French
Impressionists, whose art they have grown or matured into
appreciating, even though in the 19th century the French
24 Artists
& Illustrators
Impressionists were scoffed and jeered at in their turn.

By the same token, they can cope with and then enjoy
representational art, because they can read the subject of
the painting fairly easily. But the trouble with true art
(as also with music, literature, etc.) is that it requires some
effort to be appreciated. Experiencing that work of art may
be very enjoyable, and then all of a sudden it changes
direction, which is a bit unnerving, and it is easy to switch
off at that point, for whatever reason. This is very obvious
in the case of music; and with modern music it is even
harder and more taxing to follow, so that one has to let go
of past ideas and experiences in order to try to open up to
something quite different. Change is often uncomfortable,
so we resist it. It is the same with art.
on being an artist
It must be wonderful being able to paint, people have said.
I know that it is meant as a compliment, but underneath
you wonder if they realise the amount of hard work,
application and sacrifice that goes into a painting. I have
no gifts at all, they say. This is nonsense: they were given
many gifts but because they are not visible they think they
dont exist. One gift in particular comes to mind: the person
who is a good listener and who is prepared to stand on the
street corner listening to what someone else needs to say,
even if they are in a hurry. People say to me, Oh Unity,
it must be so relaxing to be an artist. Absolute rubbish.
Art is hard work. I am lucky to be an artist.
This is an extract from Lucky to be an Artist by Unity Spencer,
published by Unicorn Press, RRP 30. www.unicornpress.org
above Unity
Spencer, Pond
Street Living
Room, 1950, oil on
canvas, 76x50cm
my exhibition
emily
patrick
Paintings 2013 2015 is the l atest c ollection of figurative scenes and still life
c omP ositions from one of the uKs most tender, P oetic and instinctive Painters
The last two years have felt like

an unstoppable flow. I developed
a bit of a phobia about missing
a subject. Just when I need to have
a rest from painting, another subject
reveals itself.
A new collection is often a reaction
to what was lacking in previous
paintings. A fiddly picture makes me
reach instead for my palette knife
and big brushes. Too much green
makes me hunt for red. Too much
movement and chaos makes me look
for architecture.
Composition is subconscious or
inevitable with me. Bad balance just
hurts. The painting Marmite, Butter
and Guinness began with a search to
find a yellow subject the Marmite jar
lid. It found its place with the sun fully
hitting it from behind, so sunglasses
were necessary to look towards it.
I struggle with the fatigue involved
in painting someones portrait.
There is only one in the exhibition
(other than the two where I used
myself as a model). It was done on
the spur of the moment: a sons
friend was having a very hard time
and it was the best thing I could do to
cheer him up. Its an example of how I
flow with what life puts in front of me.
Some works have a troubled
gestation. It works to go back to the
original thought and ask, What was it that I really cared about?
Other times I need breaks from the painting for days, weeks or years.
I am driven by the Quaker philosophy that you may no longer exist
tomorrow. This drives me to keep at it today for fear that it will survive
me, looking like a bad picture.
I am often asked how my work has changed. It makes me defensive
the work has not dramatically changed. It is a 20th-century idea that
artists should keep coming up with a new style. What I enjoy is feeling
more confident; that it might be possible to achieve a picture at all.
Its still intimidating to approach any size of subject with a bare board.
I have no real method that I repeat.
above Marmite, Butter

and Guinness, oil on
panel, 51x42cm
opposite page Seville
Oranges on Slate, oil
on slate, 33x26cm
i paint from my
imagination
rather than
from life or
from a photo
Life events inevitably change ones internal energies. These

profoundly affect the instinctive movement of my hands at work.
You can see in the paintings how strong or delicate I was at the time
of production. That is why pictures done over a long time become so
rich in different strengths.
>
painting projects
my paintings need
to go off and lead
their own lives,
not remain trapped
here with me
above Rosehips and

Iris Reticulata, oil on
board, 36x41cm
I was particularly inspired by the Courtaulds Becoming Picasso.

It was an exhibition of work made when he was a very young man.
His figurative skills were already electric at that point and the works
unpredictably combined huge grief at the world around him with
heavenly, rich colours.
Exhibiting at a space-for-hire is very high risk and stressful. I can
only do it because my husband, Michael Perry, organises the whole
thing with great attention to the details. On the plus side, it also means
that I hear more of the buyers reactions to the paintings. Stories of
paintings travelling around the world to bring solace these inspire me
greatly to work even harder.
When the artworks leave for an exhibition, the bare house becomes
a clarion call to start painting again. I love that. I have a strong
sense that the pictures need to go off and lead their own lives, not
remain trapped here with me. At the same time, there was a bad day
after the last show when my husband set off to deliver four particularly
important paintings; that had me in tears.
Emily Patrick: Paintings 2013 2015 runs 10-27 March at 8 Duke Street,
London SW1. www.emilypatrick.com
28 Artists
& Illustrators
ART IN THE ALGARVE

Watercolour Oil painting Oil & Acrylic Specialist courses
info@artinthealgarve.com
Call us on: 0203 287 7140

www.artinthealgarve.com
colour
fields
richard diebenkorn
is widely regarded
as one of americas
finest p ost-war
painters. on the
eve of a first UK
retrosp ective for
more than 20 years,
gallerist and exp ert
Thomas williams
exp lores the artists
Un iqUe ap p roach to
l andscap e painting
2014 THE RICHARD DIEBENKORN FOuNDATION
left Berkeley
No. 52, 1955,
oil on canvas,
148.9x136.8cm
Of the American artists who formed the Abstract

Expressionist School in the period immediately after
World War II, we are all familiar with the names of Jackson
Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko. Less well
known are those artists who worked at exactly the same
time on the west coast, gathered around San Franciscos
Bay Area. Of these artists, two names stand out: Clyfford
Still and Richard Diebenkorn. Still moved to New York in
1950, leaving Diebenkorn to carry the torch for Abstract
Expressionism in California. There is little doubt that he
made an outstanding contribution to that movement from
his first involvement in 1946 until he abandoned the style
10 years later to take up figurative painting. The work that
he produced during his early years was fascinating; the
reasons for his volte-face in the mid-1950s even more so.
Few artists from the 1940s met the criteria of Abstract
Expressionism more perfectly than Diebenkorn. According
to its promoter and apologist, Harold Rosenberg, action
painting, as he preferred to call it, required the artist to
immerse him or herself in the theatre of action. By this he
meant that, rather than approaching the work with a plan,
the form of the image was revealed in the act of painting.
It was by manipulating the paint on the surface of the canvas
that the artist was able to discover the direction of travel.
Diebenkorns first essays in this respect show the strong
imprint of Still, who taught for five years at the California
School of Fine Arts (CSFA) in San Francisco, in the late
1940s. Diebenkorn lived in Sausalito, just north of the
famous Golden Gate Bridge. There he mixed with other
aspiring action painters, and was asked to join the faculty
of the CSFA, even though he was younger than most of the
pupils. He won a travelling scholarship that he spent in
upstate New York where he became familiar with the work
of Pollock and Robert Motherwell. Diebenkorns style began
to move away from the uncompromising abstractions of
Still, and he was starting to free up his technique,
becoming the painterly artist that we know today.
Diebenkorn had a natural mastery over hand and eye,
and it would have been easy for him to make attractive,
commercial images. But that would have run counter to the
anti-bourgeois shock tactics espoused by the Abstract
Expressionist movement. In order to guard against his
natural facility, Diebenkorns paintings became more and >
in 1951, diebenkorn Took his firsT Trip

in an aeroplane and saw The landscape
flattened out from above...

The effecT on his work was insTanTaneous
under the skin of abstraction
landscape lurked
beneath his brushstrokes
32 Artists
& Illustrators
above Ocean
Park #27, 1970,
oil on canvas,
254x203.2cm
RIGHT Cityscape #1,
1963, oil on canvas,
153x128.3cm
ALL PAINTINgS 2014 THE RICHARD DIEBENKORN FOUNDATION
more difficult. It was a badge of honour for him that

paintings were blockbusters, that they should have a
bad effect and be ugly close up. The paintings the artist
made in the late 1940s reflect that struggle against the
aesthetic values of balance and harmony.
For the remainder of the decade, Diebenkorn stayed in
San Francisco, where an extraordinary group of artists had
gathered, including Rothko, Still and photographer
Ansel Adams. The turn of the 1950s, however, saw
significant changes in New York, with both Pollock and de
Kooning re-evaluating their abstract work. In San Francisco
the management of the CSFA now came under the control
of a far less progressive director, Ernest Mundt. At this
point almost all the main players quit the Bay Area, bringing
to a close that remarkable chapter in west coast Abstract
Expressionism. Diebenkorn took the offer of a
postgraduate course at the University of New Mexico in
Albuquerque, and lived there for nearly three years. Being
removed physically from the influence of other artists, he
was able to perfect the wonderful interplay of his vigorous,
abstracted brushwork with a more subtle understanding of
composition and colouring. This became the hallmark of
his style, both as an abstract and a figurative artist.
There is more than a hint of the New Mexican landscape

in the paintings he made at this time. The first element to
change was colour. The brutal combination of earth reds,
browns and blacks with acid yellow and green, a palette
no doubt picked up from the dominant presence of Still in
San Francisco, was replaced with the tones of the southern
landscape; sand yellow, pale brown and pink for the desert
skies. When asked how he coped with the change from the
seashore of Sausalito, where he previously lived, to the
sun-baked inland of Albuquerque, Diebenkorn replied,
The sky took the place of the ocean!
A development in 1951 saw a further shift in his style
in that year he took his first trip in an aeroplane, travelling
from Albuquerque to San Francisco. Planes flew far lower at
that time, and he saw the New Mexican landscape at the
height of a few hundred feet, flattened out from above.
The effect on his work was instantaneous. Drawing directly
on the canvas in Lamp Black and Prussian Blue, he traced
the landscapes features, the canals and rivers intersecting
the valleys and rises of the New Mexican desert.
On his return to the Bay Area in 1953, this time settling
in Berkeley, Diebenkorn continued to develop somewhat
away from his action painting style. The paintings he made
in the following few years were among the most dynamic
and brilliant of his career. But under the skin of abstraction,
it became more and more possible to feel the presence of
a physical structure. Landscape, in particular, seemed to
lurk beneath his brushstrokes. By the middle of the 1950s
the artist had begun to feel that the lack of a referential
subject was imposing too many limits on his means of
expression. He started to experiment very tentatively with
depictions of his near surroundings. These early figurative
paintings increased the vocabulary of his work, allowing
him to explore moods and associations beyond those he
believed he could examine in his purely abstract art. It put
Diebenkorn in direct opposition to the modernist movement
in the US, which was still immersed in the mythical
qualities of abstraction. Indeed, one of his erstwhile
colleagues in San Francisco, Ernest Briggs, accused him
of being a moral sell-out, really throwing in the towel.
Diebenkorn showed great courage in continuing his
exploration of figurative art. It became clear that his 1950s
work was more of a development of his abstract style than
a break away from it. The formal, painterly qualities that
had guided him since his period in Albuquerque came to
dominate his art, both figurative and abstract. These were
the qualities that served as the foundation of his famous
Ocean Park series. Eschewing purely abstract art certainly
removed him from the orbit of Still and Pollock, and was
seen as a clear rejection of the original tenets of Abstract
Expressionism. Yet, his more personal, tactile approach
allowed him to move forward in a way that pronounced his
individual voice. He maintained a bond with the physical
world, enabling his response to his surroundings to dictate
his art. As for the supposed conflict between the two
schools of abstraction and figuration, as Diebenkorn
concluded in 1985, Finally its all the same thing.
Richard Diebenkorn runs from 14 March to 7 June at the
Royal Academy of Arts, London W1. www.royalacademy.org.uk
r i c h a r d d i eb en ko r n
in the studio with
laura ellen
anderson
this talented young artist has illustrated more
than a d ozen childrens bo oks since graduating
in 2010. she works from a home studio in north
lond on. words and p hotos: ste ve pill
How long have you been in this studio?
Two years. Before moving here, I was working in my
bedroom at my parents house in Essex. I graduated in
2010 and was lucky enough to live at home rent free to
get my career started. When I moved here, the front
room was big enough to be a studio and save me
getting somewhere else.
What brought you to London?
I always wanted to live here its where all the action is,
and its where all the publishers are, so its perfect for
going in for meetings. There are parks dotted around for
inspiration as well so Ive got the best of both worlds.
Do you find it difficult to work from home?
It does get very isolated. I have times when I realise Ive
not unlocked the door for two days. The hours are long
as well. As soon as I get out of bed I am straight in here
34 Artists
& Illustrators
with a coffee and put the computer on. Ive got six
projects all overlapping at the moment so some days
I can be working from 8.30 in the morning until midnight.
I do like working from home though because I can play
my music loud and weve got the balcony for fresh air.
How much contact do you have with your publishers?
I tend to always see them at the beginning of a project.
Ill get the initial email to say they are considering me for
a project and a lot of times I will go in for an in-house
meeting to get the book started. Ill often meet up with
editors and designers for a cup of tea as well to see how
the book is going. I much prefer to see people face to
face, but a lot of the process is just via email.
If you initiate meetings, can it help with getting work?
Definitely. Ive recently signed my first author-illustrator
deal and Id been working with the publisher for a couple
of years. The more I went to meet with the editor, the
more I could discuss ideas for future projects, and it
came up that I would like to write my own books as well.
They said to send some ideas forward through my
agency, Pickled Ink, and it obviously went well.
in the studio
You have two desks: one with traditional art materials

and one with your tablet computer. How do you split
your work between them?
A lot of the work takes place on the computer. Nowadays
deadlines are so tight and working digitally seems to be
the way forward. The drawing and painting table is more
for note taking or creating roughs for my Evil Emperor
Penguin comic. Ill scan in the rough strips and neaten
them up in Photoshop.
Will you use paint for your own book projects?
Itll very much be in the style of my Snappy Birthday
illustrations [Lauras recent collaboration with author
Mark Sperring] the bright, fresh colours and the
wobbly lines. I will start by drawing thumbnails on paper,
but then it will be predominantly digital. Id love it if I
could paint it all by hand, but realistically there isnt the
time to make changes quickly enough.
Do you settle on a colour palette from the start or
experiment once you have drawn the characters?
I have a palette that I tend to use a lot of the time with
the very warm greens and yellows someone described
it as a sunny palette. For example, with Snappy Birthday,
I wanted the colours to be quite warm, no bright girly
pinks or purples. I tend to use a lot of copper textures in
Photoshop too, which brighten up the colours and give
them quite a saturated look.
Is there a downside to digital illustration?

Yes, when Photoshop decides to crash and hasnt saved
thats an illustrators worst nightmare! Its very
annoying, but Ive learned to back up my work a lot.
Which illustrators do you turn to for inspiration?
The picture above my desk [see bottom left] is by a
visual development artist for Disney called Brittney Lee.
Her work is absolutely beautiful and she uses very fresh
colours, which Im very inspired by. Also, Ive been lucky
enough to work on a book called Witch Wars and when I
was younger I was a huge fan of The Worst Witch books
by Jill Murphy. I read them over and over, and even went
as far as trying to dress like the characters. Witch Wars
was a dream project and I was very much inspired by
Jills illustrations and also Tim Burtons work for that.
Laura hosts a workshop on 20 February as part of
the Imagine Childrens Festival at Southbank Centre,
London SE1. www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson
35
pink masking fluid AI1503:Layout 1
20/1/15
16:25
Page 1
From
JUST
3.49!
From each bottle of limited edition Frisk

Pink Mask sold, 50p will be donated to the
national Breast Cancer Care Charity.
Get your FREE copy

of the SAA Home
Shop catalogue
Call 0800 980 1123
www.saa.co.uk
Over
700
raised
so far!
EASTER SCHOOL
Please quote: AI1503
SAA...trusted for value
P RSnly)
P& DE rs o
EE OR mbe
FR ALL d, me
n
la
ONmain
K
(U
36
Special Edition
Frisk Pink
Masking Fluid
LONDON ATELIER OF REPRESENTATIONAL ART - EASTER SCHOOL 2015
Study with the London Atelier tutors learning professional drawing and
painting techniques during the Easter break.
Please visit our website for more information: www.DrawPaintSculpt.com
COMPETITION
watercolour
giveaway
22
CHANCES
TO WIN!
READERS CAN TAKE

HOME MORE THAN
1,0 0 0 OF MAIMERIBLU
PAINT THIS MONTH
The Italian artist Gianni Maimeri founded

his namesake company in 1923 after he
collaborated with his chemical engineer
brother Carlo to create a range of rich,
vibrant paints.
Today the company is world-renowned
for maintaining rigorous standards across
its many ranges of artist and student
quality watercolours, oils, acrylics and
paint mediums.
From January 2015, Maimeri will be
distributed in the UK by Fila Lyra GB Ltd.
To find out more about Maimeri Maimeri and
the Lyra ranges please call 01733 371237.
www.premiumartbrands.com
THE PRIZE
This month, 22 lucky names chosen at
random from our prize draw will each win a
MaimeriBlu Superior Watercolour Trial Set
worth 45.50. Each set contains large 15ml

tubes of Permanent Lemon Yellow, Raw
Sienna, Primary Red Magenta, Permanent
Green Deep, Ultramarine Light and Burnt
Umber perfect for sampling this fantastic
range of traditional artists colours.
MAIMERI PRIZE DRAW

Name:
Address:
HOW TO ENTER
For your chance to win, enter online at
www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/
competitions by 30 April 2015. Alternatively,
fill in the form on the right and return it to:
Maimeri Prize Draw, Artists & Illustrators,
Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd.,
Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place,
London SW3 3TQ
The winners will be notified individually
after this date. Terms and conditions apply.
For further details, please visit
www.chelseamagazines.com/terms
Postcode:
Email:
Telephone:
Please tick here if you subscribe to Artists & Illustrators
The closing date for all entries is 30 April 2015
Please tick here if you prefer not to be contacted by Artists & Illustrators
or our competition providers
Lindsay Berry,
End of the Garden
gallery
the
Portfolio Plus is an online gallery that lets you share, showcase

and sell your work to tens of thousands of visitors sign up today
at www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/register
Nancy Antoni, Deer
38 Artists
& Illustrators
Simon Wright,
Coming Home
Rusudana Glonti, Escape

(From the Seafood Risotto)
Lyndsey Smith, The King

and Queen of Fleet Street
Robert Wild, Evening

Showers, Piccadilly Circus
Share your art with family,

friends and everyone else!
Join Portfolio Plus, our online art community with
a monthly audience of more than 100,000! Register at
www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/portfolio
Publish your own

blog and share your
thoughts with an
international audience
Sell your work,

without paying any
commission!
Be in with the chance

to get your artwork
featured in Artists &
Illustrators magazine
Portfolio Plus members receive many benets, including:

Sell your artwork in our Art For Sale area we take NO commission,
putting you directly in touch with the buyer
Showcase your artwork in regular online exhibitions, with the best submissions
printed in Artists & Illustrators magazine every month
Publish your own blog which will appear on the Artists & Illustrators homepage
PLUS... Exclusive special offers on art materials,
gallery openings, competitions and more
All this for only 2.49 per month!
TO DO:
Join an online
art community
Join in!
zine
@AandImaga
strators
ArtistsAndIllu
e
AandImagazin
e
AandImagazin
CouRTESy THE ARTiST AnD JERwooD ViSuAl ARTS. PHoTo: BEn AnDERS
notebook
fellowship for emerging artists young and old

Painting is often a solitary pursuit, but tuition and mentoring can be key to really developing as an artist. The Jerwood Painting
Fellowships offer just that for new graduates and latecomers to art alike. Exceptional painters within the first five years of
beginning their practice are invited to apply for the third edition of bursaries beginning in 2016. As well as 10,000 towards
creating new work and a group exhibition, the fellowship also offers crucial one-to-one mentoring with leading British artists
previous mentors have included Stephen Farthing RA, Chantal Joffe and Marcus Harvey, pictured above with student
Susan Sluglett. Deadline for entries is 5pm on 2 March 2015. Apply online today at www.jerwoodvisualarts.org
FR
SHIP EE
PIN
on or
d
e
G
to UK rs over
40
Main
land *
GREAT DISCOUNTS UNBEATABLE SERVICE
Call for your

FREE catalogue
Or visit our website for

a fantastic selection
of art materials.
www.artsupplies.co.uk
@KenBromleyArt
facebook.com/KenBromleyArt
Tel: 01204 690 114 / 08453 30 32 34 Email: sales@artsupplies.co.uk
*See our shipping policy for full details.
Painting Holidays and Workshops - France

ai-advert-december-14.indd 1
Bixxy Nash
May to September
04/12/2014 15:19:19
Painting Holidays
Small groups, sketching and painting in our fully equipped studio, within the
extensive grounds, or out on location. Watercolour and mixed media. Ensuite
bedrooms, delicious home cooking. Suitable for beginners and the more
experienced. Full board accommodation. All materials included.
2015 Workshops
1. Stephie Butler
June 28th
2. Eugen Chisnicean
July 19th
3. Joanne B. Thomas
August 2nd
August 9th
(Second Week)
4. Keiko Tanabe
(Second Week)
France Painting Holiday
42
May
LL
FU31st
August 23rd
Standard
Holiday
Price
745
Workshop
Prices
from
945
www.francepaintingholiday.co.uk
France Painting Holiday
notebook
MASTER
CLASSES
How to...
Match a colour
Daler-Rowneys John Ilia has a quick
four-step method for the perfect mix
Five new c ourses that take

inspiration FroM ic onic artists
1. Pick a target colour
Which of the main colour groups is closest

on the colour wheel? In this case, yellow.
2. Analyse the hue
Start with a blob of Primary Yellow

and compare it to the original swatch.
The swatch has more of an orange hue
so add a bit of Cadmium Red (a yellowbiased red) to achieve a yellow-orange.
ThoMAS GoodE & Co. LTd., London; AShMoLEAn

MuSEuM, unIvErSITy oF oxFord; PrIvATE CoLLECTIon
3. Analyse the value
1. Pissarro Painting
Kieran Stiles teaches impasto
and pointillism techniques in
oils inspired by the French
Impressionist.
19 March, Ashmolean
Museum, Oxford.
www.ashmolean.org
2. abstracting the
Figure in Paint
Americas 1950s Bay Area
Figurative Movement is the
starting point for this
inventive four-day life class.
16-19 March, St Ives School
of Painting, Cornwall.
www.schoolofpainting.co.uk
3. Drawing the
sculPture Victorious
Get exclusive after-hours
access to Tates new
sculpture show as you learn
life drawing techniques.
6-27 March, Tate Britain,
London. www.tate.org.uk
4. Picasso Family Day
Let kids (and big kids!)
paint postcards and create
collages inspired by Pablo at
this free half-term event.

17 February, Barber Institute
of Fine Arts, Birmingham.
www.barber.org.uk
5. eric raVilious:
comPosition
Explore the work of the great
British 20th-century artist via
a programme of watercolour,
collage and mixed media
workshops with Jo Lewis.
18 March to 15 April,
Dulwich Picture Gallery,
London SE21. www.dulwich
picturegallery.org.uk
How light or dark is it? Try painting a

swatch onto a bit of scrap paper, let it dry
and compare. If its too dark, add white; if
its too light, add a complementary colour.
4. Analyse the saturation
How bright or dull is it? Tone it down with a

touch of a purple-bias blue: Ultramarine.
Be careful with darker colours, as they
often have a higher tinting strength than
yellows so you only need a tiny amount.
notebook
OF THE MONTH
Beginners Watercolour (C&B Crafts, 7.99) is aimed at the
novice painter, yet there is plenty to learn for more experienced artists too.
Seasonal palettes, tonal exercises and precise drybrush techniques all
help you develop a controlled and rather graphic style, while the subjectspecific projects will provide plenty of inspiration for new paintings.
dates
Shenzhen International
Watercolour Biennial 2015
Brief: Open to UK residents,
Chinas premier competition
requires work in waterbased media. 50,000
worth of prizes are on offer.
Deadline: 10 July 2015
Fee: Free
Enter online and more info:
www.shenzhenbiennial.com
Tabernacle Art Competition
Brief: This years title is
diary
The universe is full of
magical things patiently
waiting for our wits to grow
sharper, a quote from
author Eden Philpotts.
Artworks should be created
in response to the theme.
Receiving days:
29 June to 3 July
Exhibition: 11 July to 3
September at MoMA Wales
Fee: 10 (2 for under 18s)
Enter online and more info:
www.momawales.org.uk
FrEE easel on
Portfolio Plus
RBA to host daily painting workshops
To coincide with the Royal Society of British Artists Annual

Exhibition (11-21 March at Mall Galleries, London SW1), several
members will be hosting workshops. Highlights include Artists &
Illustrators contributor Jeremy Galton co-hosting a still life
workshop on 12 March and president James Hortons portrait
masterclass on 14 March. www.royalsocietyofbritishartists.org.uk
44 Artists
& Illustrators
This month, Portfolio Plus members can

receive a free Daler-Rowney wooden table
easel worth 11.95 when they spend
25 or more at www.artdiscount.co.uk.
Sign into your Portfolio Plus account
today to receive an exclusive discount
code. Not a member? Not a problem!
Join today at www.artists
andillustrators.co.uk/register
to take advantage of this great
offer and share your work with
over 100,000 monthly visitors.
Call for entries

Open all Media exhibition 2015
At the RBSA Gallery
Open to artists working in all media*.
Deadline to enter Weds 18 February, by 4pm
Delivery of work Sun 22 February, 10.30am-1pm
Exhibition on show Weds 25 February - Sat 28 March
+ Download the interactive application pack at rbsa.org.uk
or send us a SAE marked Open all Media exhibition.
* Except photography.
Image - Pete Monaghan MA SGFA, Trawsfynydd III, Mixed media, 2013 (detail).
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists

RBSA Gallery, 4 Brook Street, St Pauls, Birmingham, B3 1SA
T 0121 236 4353
W rbsa.org.uk
Registered charity no 528894. Registered company no 122616.
Capel Manor
College
We offer three-day Botanical Illustration
courses and full and part-time
Garden Design courses with start dates
throughout the year.
Leading the field in garden
design, horticulture, floristry,
arboriculture, countryside,
animal care and saddlery at
centres across London
For further information on our courses and our five
centres across London visit:
www.capel.ac.uk or call 08456 122 122
Combining qualifications with experience
R63195 half page advert 202x129 P2.indd 1
19/12/2014 08:02
ta l k i n g t ec h n i q u es
Ta l k i n g T E c h n i q u E s
ruTH
nicOl
influenced by p oetry and p olitics, this

edinburgh artist has created a series of
ep ic l andscap es dep icting modern sc otl and.
WOrds: Terri Eaton. P HOTOS: eoin carey
46 Artists
& Illustrators
Ruth Nicol is a force to be reckoned with, not only as

an artist but also as a political thinker. Shes a proud
Scotswoman and has strong sentiments about celebrating
her homelands identity, particularly in light of 2014s
Scottish independence referendum. It makes perfect sense,
then, that with such a big personality, this fiery mother-of-two
is at her creative best when painting on a large scale.
Her pictures often measure up to three-metres wide and
her tenacity deserves such a broad canvas.
Id work to that size every day if I could, admits the
Edinburgh-based artist. However, I often dont have the time
or resources. Theyre physically demanding some paintings
have had me bent over double with my eyes popping out my
head. You just have to go cacanny, as they say here, which
means slowly and gently. Its also about accepting what the
paint is doing and going with it. When youre working on a
big surface, the picture will eventually start to breathe
and live for itself.
Ruths latest project, Three Rivers Meet, is a remarkable
collection of Post-Impressionist-inspired landscape paintings
Bayble, Lewis 2014, Ian Crichton Smith

(and detail, inset below), acrylic on canvas, 200x300cm
three-metre canvases are physically demanding...

some paintings have had me bent over double
with my eyes popping out
in acrylic that are optimistic in outlook yet complex to create

and to understand. They have already been shown in four
separate solo exhibitions, with two final ones planned almost
simultaneously at the Line Gallery in Linlithgow and the Park
Gallery in Falkirk. Her latest paintings will be divided
between the two venues, with seven extra-large canvases
featuring at the latter.
Inspired by Alexander Moffats 1980 imagined group
portrait Poets Pub, her landscapes describe the union of
three intertwining themes close to Ruths heart great
modern Scottish poets, the landscapes that influenced their
words, and her own family memories. They also attempt to
explore the rich tapestry of Scotlands history and how
events from the past have shaped the countrys individuality.
Holyrood 2014, Robert Garioch features a view
overlooking Arthurs Seat, Holyrood Palace and the Scottish
parliament buildings, all of which are extremely significant,
explains Ruth, who left a career in finance to study drawing
and painting at Edinburgh College of Art in 2006.
The references to our identity are everywhere. Its why it >
Detail of Bayble, Lewis 2014, Ian Crichton Smith,

acrylic on canvas, 200x300cm
was very important for me to depict Scotland in a defining

year of cultural and national reflection.
Ruths artistic journey was accompanied by many miles
in the car, traversing Scotland with her husband Bill and
children in tow, taking in the Shetlands, Orkney, Glasgow,
and beyond. Once she had an angle that took her fancy,
she took reference photographs and made quick sketches
so she could capture the atmosphere without causing too
much interruption.
She always begins each new painting by stretching
her considerable canvases, with the help of her husband.
Were constantly having to move the stretchers, from
vertical to flat and back again, but its easier to work with
him because I dont have to explain what needs to be done,
she reveals. Weve got a routine and weve learned to do it
in silence.
She prepares the canvas surface with several coats of
Talens Gesso Primer 1001 before sketching a faint pencil
outline of her chosen subject to help her establish the
composition, though not in too much detail, before laying
down a gestural, fluid sky. We get tremendous skies here so
I try to keep my palette sympathetic to the original view, she
says. Theres no need to exaggerate. Sometimes the skies
are quite plain, but I try to combine figurative elements
alongside large passages of abstraction.
Many of Ruths paintings have an intriguing marbling effect
that the artist is keen to remain tight-lipped about, but she
suggests a lot of it is down to layering the acrylic effectively
above Holyrood
2014, Robert
Garioch, acrylic
on canvas,
200x300cm
left Ruth mixes
colour in her
Edinburgh studio
48 Artists
& Illustrators
TA L K I N G T EC H N I Q U ES
ITS NOT HOW I APPLY THE PAINT
THAT MATTERS, IT IS HOW
I PUSH THE COLOUR THAT COUNTS
and exercising patience while each section dries. The paints

consistency ranges from thick and rich to delicate and dilute
within a single work. Colours are typically mixed together on
the canvas rather than on the palette, and she trusts the
properties of the paint to work of their own accord.
She favours Daler-Rowneys Cryla range of artists acrylics
and her standard palette includes Prussian Blue Hue,
Crimson Alizarin Hue, Cadmium Yellow and Deep Violet.
As long as youve got a good range of colours and you have
good quality paints, everything else is mixable, she says.
When it comes to the application, Ruth calls on anything
that brings out the best in the acrylic, whether thats a round
or long flat Daler-Rowney System 3 brush, a household
sponge or even a cake slice that doubles up as a palette

knife. Its not how I apply the paint that matters, its how I
push the colour that counts. Of course, I cant get where I
need to be in one go, so I build up the different coatings of
acrylic to create a richness, she says, enthusiastically. Its
like a fruit cake it takes all the different fruits to be added
otherwise you wont have that punchy flavour.
Bayble, Lewis 2014, Iain Crichton Smith is typical of
Ruths approach. The open road is the backbone of the
composition, holding together an exciting variety of textures,
colours, shapes and subjects, as it disappears and
reappears through rolling hills and towards a moody,
uncertain sky. Paint is spattered, dragged and blotted
>
TA L K I N G T EC H N I Q U ES
TECHNIQUES
MATERIALS
INFLUENCES
Ruth likes to use fluid brushwork within the tight

geometrical framework of the various landscape
shapes. I then layer up, starting from the back
and eventually coming forward with detail.
Ruth buys all of her materials from Greyfriars Art

Shop in Edinburgh. The manageress, Alice, is a
wee star. Ive recently started using Schmincke
watercolours on her recommendation.
Artist and author Alexander Moffats painterly

work is one of Ruth greatest inspirations. She also
admires contemporary Scottish painters, such as
Will Maclean and Ronald Forbes.
ABOVE The Road

to Biggar from
Brownsbank,
Hugh MacDiarmid,
acrylic on canvas,
150x150cm
50 Artists
within the geometric lines of the landscape, pieced together

like a map to help the viewer navigate their way across the
mammoth image. The flat, graphic houses are scattered like
Monopoly pieces and appear almost insignificant in
comparison to the beauty of the land.
Its a special place, she says of the village on the Isle of
Lewis in which it was painted. There are tremendous skies,
splitting sunshine and phenomenal beaches that look like
they could be in the Caribbean. However, when I got there,
there was a massive storm brewing and there was only one
bit of clear sky. I wanted to capture that sense of the horizon
falling over but also the colours I saw. A Scottish landscape
artist working in colour is a bit of a clich, but theyre real,
& Illustrators
theyre here and theyre vibrant and so I just get on with it.
The task of representing some of her favourite
characteristics of Scotland was overwhelming at times for
Ruth but it was also a fantastic motivator, and shes already
hatching a bolder follow-up project that will delve deeper into
the history of the land that inspired the poets.
Part of me thinks that my next plan is too big, she says,
but if Three Rivers Meet has taught me anything about
myself as an artist, its not what hurdle I fall at but how I pick
myself back up again that counts.
Three Rivers Meet runs from 31 January to 24 February at
Line Gallery, Linlithgow, and 2 February to 19 April at Park
Gallery, Falkirk. www.ruthnicol.co.uk
...a truly excellent art materials shop

east coast net
55 Earsham Street, Bungay, Suffolk NR35 1AF

www.TheArtTradingCompany.co.uk
PAINT
IN
TURKEY
PAINT
IN
youll be surprised atTURKEY
what youll find
youll be surprised at what youll find
PAINTING
IN OUR
OUR HISTORIC
HISTORIC HOUSE
HOUSE
PAINTING HOLIDAYS
HOLIDAYS IN
PAINTING
HOLIDAYS
IN TURQUOISE
OUR HISTORIC
HOUSE
OVERLOOKING
THE
COAST
OVERLOOKING
THE
TURQUOISE
COAST
OVERLOOKING THE TURQUOISE COAST
12th July - 8th August 2015
With over 500 courses

on offer theres
Something for Everyone
Suitable for all levels.

Suitable for all levels.
Small groups with daily
Small groups with daily
tuition by friendy and
tuition by friendy and
supportive tutors.
supportive tutors.
All inclusive with freshly
All inclusive with freshly
prepared regional cooking.
prepared regional cooking.
From 595 per week

From
595
perincluded.
week
Materials
and trips
Materials and trips included.
www.turkishpaintingholidays.com
www.turkishpaintingholidays.com
orwww.turkishpaintingholidays.com
call us for details on 07971082605
or call
call us for details on 07971082605
or
07971082605
01672 892388 | summerschool.co.uk

mastercl ass
Painterly
STILL LIFE
In this months extended step-by-step demonstration,
artist Anne-Marie Butlin shows you how to make an
exp ressive resp onse to a neatly arranged subject
52 Artists
& Illustrators
m a s t er c l a s s
nemones are beautiful flowers to

paint. The complexity of shapes as
they open, the subtle gradations of
colour, and the dramatic black centres give
them a certain gravitas. I generally paint
whatever I can grow in my small city garden,
but these dusty red anemones from the
florist really appealed to me as they had the
quirkiness of garden flowers. They were so
lovely that I felt a real sense of urgency to
capture them at full force before they faded.
My aim, then, was to produce a relatively
quick, intense painting in one to two sittings.
Having put the flowers in a glass Art Deco
vase, I took some time to choose and
arrange some complementary objects
around them, including a chocolate brown
1 RESOLVE THE COMPOSITION

Having spent a long time arranging the
objects, I decided to work straight onto
the canvas without doing any preparatory
drawings. I used a Burnt Sienna ground,
keeping the paint thin and pushing it around
with a large brush until I felt that the
composition was working. I aimed to
complete the painting while the ground was
still wet to give the painting an overall
warmth and glow. I always work standing up,
stepping back from the painting periodically
and applying paint energetically.
coffee cup, a small pink cup and a brown

metal bird. As the red of the anemones was
so strong, I placed them against a simple,
warm grey background a large sheet of
painted cardboard that I placed quite close
behind to pick up a firm shadow on one side.
As a final touch, a page of my National Trust
Pattern Design book provided the 1920s
fabric design in the background, which pulled
all the colours together and gave the whole
set up a slightly vintage quality.
Although the set up was quite formal,
I hoped to keep the painting as loose and
painterly as possible, capturing the
personality of the flowers and the calm
simplicity of the other objects.
www.anne-mariebutlin.com
2 BLOCK IN FOLIAGE
The green leaves and stems were quickly
blocked in using two greens a deep, rich
green mixed with Sap Green and Alizarin
Crimson, and a lighter shade mixed with
French Ultramarine and Lemon Yellow. Again
I kept my brushwork very loose, just knocking
in the basic shapes and forms very simply.
The Sap Green is quite a translucent paint,
so I tried to employ this quality to convey the
different tones of the leaves. I loosely placed
some green inside the vase too.
YOU WILL NEED

Oil cOlOurs
Cadmium Lemon, Yellow Ochre, Naples

Yellow, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red,
Winsor Red Deep, Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber,
Davys Grey, Winsor Violet and Titanium
White, all Winsor & Newton Artists Oil
Colour; Sap Green, Daler-Rowney Artists
Oil Colour
canvas
Winsor & Newton Artists Linen, 61x76cm

BrusHEs
Pro Arte Series A hog long flats, sizes 4 and

6; Pro Arte Series 007 Prolene round, size
4; Pro Arte Series 008 Prolene flat, size 4
3 BLOCK IN FLOWERS
The reds and pinks of the anemones were
then added using Cadmium Red, Winsor Red
and Alizarin Crimson in varying combinations.
Remembering basic colour theory, I used Sap
Green mixed with the reds to create areas of
shadow on the flowers (and add some colour
on the cup). I used Naples Yellow with a light
red mix to describe the dusty pink parts of
the flowers and some of the highlights. I was
using a fairly dry brush here to push the paint
around and even lift it off at times, so the
layers were really thin and appeared to glow
against the white canvas underneath.
>
4 WORK THE BACKDROP
5 FIND THE DARK TONES
Using a small, square-headed flat brush

I picked out the gaps between the leaves and
the flowers, and refined the stems. I did this
with a background grey colour of Davys Grey
with Naples Yellow, a little Cadmium Red and
Titanium White. I also simplified the complex
shape of the vase using a combination of all
the reds, greens and greys on my brushes.
I added dark tones to the bird and the coffee

cup with a mixture of Alizarin Crimson and
the various greys on my palette. I also began
to paint the surface of the table using the
grey mix from the background with white
added. I mixed the colour in small amounts
and tweaked them further to give the
background some movement and depth.
Top ti p
PUSH THE PAINT
AROUND THINLY SO
THE COLOURS ARE
ALLOWED TO GLOW
7 ADDING PATTERN
I needed to decide how much of the 1920s
pattern to include. In the end, I felt that the
colours really united the different elements of
the painting, and that they didnt distract
from the paintings main focus: the
anemones. I identified a soft blue in the
1920s pattern that I could usefully pick out
on the vase and the foliage. I really refined
the uneven drawing on the vase here, and
I warmed up the colour on the bird too.
54 Artists
& Illustrators
6 BALANCE THE COLOUR

As I paint each area, I always look to place
a spot of every colour somewhere else on
the canvas to create a sense of rhythm and
movement throughout. I found hints of pink,
for example, on the bird, the vase, the coffee
cup and the background pattern. I also tried
to keep my brushstrokes lively as I did this.
8 FINISH THE FLOWERS

I made a conscious decision not to do
much more to the painted flowers as the
actual specimens were wilting. I felt I had
captured their vitality and I didnt want to
deaden them by over-working. I did add
some deeper red mixes, however, just to
give the flowers a bit more depth, and to
link them to the deep reddish brown of
the other objects on the table.
M A S T ER C L A S S
9 LOOK AT STRUCTURE
This detail shows how I tried to improve the
structure of the bird while keeping the
brushstrokes really loose. I used the edge
of a flat brush to pull in the pinks and blues
from other areas of the composition. I tried
to keep the lightest areas of tone very
close and used lots of the grey mix that Id
used for the background and table.
11 REFINE THE VASE

On reflection, I felt I had tightened up the
brushwork a bit too much, particularly on the
vase. I placed some newspaper over the vase
area, rubbed gently and lifted off some of the
excess paint. I often use this technique when
I have overworked an area (it is also useful to
give the effect of glass as it leaves behind a
nice thin sheen of oil). After removing the
excess, I felt I should add some decisive
marks to give the vase a convincing form.
12 ECHO THE COLOURS

I worked into the vase again, simplifying the
shapes and highlights, trying to use all the
colours on my palette. The coffee cup was
beautiful, a really richly dark inside and matt,
bluish outside. I began to refine the shapes
with my flat brush, trying to keep the tones
fairly soft and, as with the bird in step 9,
echoing the pinks and blues used elsewhere
in the painting.
10 KEEP THAT ENERGY

I lightened up the background with a lighter
grey mix and used the same colour on the
vase, adding a little more detail to the
drawing of this and the other objects.
I took the canvas into another room to view it
in a different light this can be a useful trick
when you are nearing the end to make final
decisions about brushwork and colour mixes.
13 FINISHING TOUCHES
I worked on the two cups and pattern here.
Photographing the painting in stages was a
really interesting exercise and looking back
I felt that I maybe should have finished
sooner as some areas were becoming a
little overworked. Keeping the drawing strong
and conveying a strong sense of structure
while maintaining a freshness of colour
and looseness of brushstrokes is tricky.
As always, the art is in knowing when to stop.
&$//)25(175,(6
7KH6RFLHW\RI:RPHQ$UWLVWV
WK2SHQ([KLELWLRQ
WKWK-XQH

DWWKH0DOO*DOOHULHVQU$GPLUDOW\$UFK/RQGRQ6:
23(1721210(0%(56
2QOLQHSUHVHOHFWLRQQG-DQXDU\WRWK0DUFK
IRUIXUWKHULQIRUPDWLRQYLVLWVRFLHW\ZRPHQDUWLVWVRUJXN
1HZ3UL]H3UHVLGHQWV$ZDUG
ZD568 Arte Umbria Ad (Art & Ill)_Art & Ill 14/01/2015 17:43 Page 1
FKDULW\5HJ1R
ARTE
UMBRIA
T H E L E A D I N G PA I N T I N G H O L I D AY D E S T I N AT I O N
Inspirational courses for both beginners and

serious artists in Umbria with exceptional tutors
ituated in the idyllic Umbrian hills, the green heart of Italy, our private 220 acre estate is the
stunning backdrop for our painting, drawing and stone carving courses. These residential holidays
include seven days accommodation in our home, an 18th century country house, where the
atmosphere is relaxed and stress-free, offering the perfect setting for you to enjoy and develop
your creative skills under expert tuition from leading artists and tutors such as Andrew James,
Antony Williams, Tim Benson, Grahame Booth, Paul Alcock, Mitchell Albala, Kelly Medford,
Haidee-Jo Summers, Caroline Bays, Patrick Cullen, Adele Wagstaff, Simon Keeley, James Bland
and Halima Washington-Dixon!
Prices start from 985 for a general course and 1,285 for a Master Class, fully inclusive of tuition,
all art materials, full board accommodation, superb local cuisine, wine, free bar and local tours.
All one-week courses offer incredible value for money!
For more details of all 2015 courses email: info@arteumbria.com, call Italy:
0039 0763 837347, cellphone: 0039 345 876 8311 or visit: www.arteumbria.com
Follow us on Twitter@ArteUmbria and our Facebook page Arte Umbria.
56
talking techniques
yo u r q u e s t i o n s
PAINTING
NUDES
Author and ARTIST
Adle Wagstaff
answers your figure
painting p roblems
Can reference photographs help me?

Once you have begun a portrait from direct observation, it is
better to continue to do so throughout the development of
the entire painting. Photographs can flatten the appearance
of your subject and not give you all the information you will
need to describe form, volume, depth or colour relationships.
What are the benefits of making

preliminary drawings or thumbnail
sketches first?
A thumbnail or preliminary sketch
gives you an opportunity to become
familiar with the shapes and angles
of the sitters body, and to determine
how the figure is going to be placed
within the rectangle or square of
the composition.
By making quick sketches, you may
examine the figure from each angle so
that you have a greater understanding
of how the pose is put together and
how the various parts of the body
relate to each other within the
position, analysing the form and
structure of the body.
Thumbnail sketches do allow you to
experiment with different scales within
the composition. How big will the figure
be within the frame? Do you want
more space around the figure or will
it fill the entire composition?
If Im painting a nude for the first
time, are there certain poses or
angles that are easier to tackle?
When painting a model for the first
time, you may find it more
straightforward to select a pose that
doesnt have a lot of difficult
foreshortening or difficult twists or
angles. Painting a seated pose may
offer an interesting position without
being overly complex. Reclining poses
are beautiful to paint, but can result in
some tricky foreshortening as well as
being harder to return the pose to
exactly where it was after each break.
If it feels daunting to paint a full
figure, you may wish to crop it partly.
Think of the Italian painter Amedeo
Modiglianis nudes, both seated and
semi-reclining, in which the pose has
often been cropped mid-thigh and at
the forearm or wrist. These paintings
are beautiful and sensual images of
the human form, demonstrating how
a pose can be simplified.
ABOVE Lucy,
oil on canvas,
30x40cm
PREVIOUS PAGE
Helen Seated,
oil on canvas,
61x40cm
Is it better to start with a drawing

or an under-painting?
Once you have decided on the pose
and composition, it is better to draw
directly with brush and paint from

the very beginning.
Try to keep the under-painting as
focused as possible, only establishing
the most necessary information and
framework of your composition. Its
easy to get carried away and add too
much information at this early stage.
Remember that any under-painting will
soon be covered over once you begin
to block-in areas of colour.
A fine round or a rigger brush is a
good choice for this task, as both can
give a fine delicate line similar to a
pencil. Likewise, a dilute wash of a
colour like Raw Umber is ideal for the
initial drawing. If you make a mistake
as you draw with the paintbrush, you
can easily wipe it off or soften the
mark with a little turpentine applied
with a clean brush.
Have you got any advice for lighting
the model?
When you are placing a model in the
studio, be aware of how light may
change throughout the duration of a
sitting. Of course, light conditions can
and do vary all the time, but it is
What can I do to make sure I get the proportions of my figure correct?

Measuring allows you to check and double-check the proportions and scale of the figure as you work. For accuracy,
select a part of the body that can be used as a measurement unit throughout the composition as a whole. In the
images above, the length of the head was used as a unit of measurement. In the left-hand image, lines along the
length of the body show the number of head lengths that could fit into it. In the right-hand image, further drawing
established the angles of the shoulder and pelvis, while an outline delineated the outer contour of the torso and hip.
As well as measuring in relative units, try looking at negative shapes or the spaces within and around the figure to
help you check the accuracy of your angles and proportions.
58 Artists
& Illustrators
Ive heard about colour

blocking. How does it work?
Blocking-in areas of colour
will help you to quickly
establish the tonal values of
the painting during the early
stages, allowing you to cover
the white primer of the
canvas with larger areas of
colour straight away. Smaller
blocks of more accurate,
localised colour can then be
added to better describe the
form of the various parts of
the sitter.
always good practice to ensure that

there are as many constants as
possible as a sitting progresses.
For example, avoid placing your
sitter in direct sunlight as this causes
changing shadows and influences
the perceived colour brightness,
saturation and temperature. Likewise,
if you are working on a sustained
pose, try to ensure that all the sittings
take place at a similar time of day
where possible.
a particular shape or bristle that you

feel works best for you.
To begin with try a small range
of assorted brushes, for example a
couple of round synthetics, small and
large size square hog bristle and a hog
hair round and filbert. The rounds are
very useful for drawing purposes,
particularly a fine rigger brush for
the first marks. Larger brushes with
round, filbert or square heads are
good to use for blocking-in broader
areas of colour.
Can you recommend a good basic

palette for painting a nude?
A good basic palette to use would
be Titanium White (or Flake White),
Cadmium Lemon (or Lemon Yellow),
Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red,
Alizarin Crimson, Cobalt Blue (or
Cerulean Blue) and Ultramarine.
This selection will give you a warm
and cool of each primary colour.
From these seven tubes, an extended
range of colours can be mixed, from
secondary colours through to tertiary
mixes and coloured greys.
Alongside this range, the
introduction of a few earth colours
may be helpful to you for example,
a Yellow Ochre or Raw Sienna to
supplement the palette further.
Have you got any tips for observing

and mixing shadow colours?
When we observe shadows, there are
many different influences which affect
the way we perceive the colours
present. Within a shadow we may
see a lot of reflected colour present,
particularly if we are looking at strong
or bright colours sitting next to one
another. But also look out for a
suggestion of the complementary
colour. As we observe any particular
colour, the eye simultaneously
requires a complementary this is
known as simultaneous contrast.
Even if the complementary colour
is not already present the eye will
generate it spontaneously.
Which brushes would you

recommend using?
It is worth experimenting with a range
of different brush types until you find
How much detail should I include?

It can be very easy to overwork a
painting and be overly concerned
with putting in too much detail.
ABOVE LEFT AND

INSET (DETAIL)
Reclining Nude
Contrejour, oil on
canvas, 46x40cm
Ask yourself how much detail is

really required. If there is some
distance between you and the model,
be honest with yourself about how
much you can actually see rather than
painting what you think you can see.
If you work with a painterly
technique, for example, make sure
that you dont begin to tighten up too
much, or begin to smooth out the
paint surface.
If you feel that your intensions from
the outset of the painting have been
achieved, stop, rather than keep
adding for the sake of it. It is better
to keep a painting slightly unfinished
rather than risk overworking it.
Adles latest book, Painting the Nude
in Oils, is published by Crowood Press,
RRP 16.99. Her course, Drawing the
Figure with Drypoint, runs 20-22 March
at West Dean College, Chichester.
www.adelewagstaff.co.uk
h ow t o pa i n t
vertical
landsCapEs
MaRk HaRRisOn shows why a tal l, thin format
makes an interesting t wist to a painted view
A high vantage point is a great compositional
device that I use every so often. For Dream
Street, pictured above, I had an image in my
mind of a lonely figure walking up a deserted
street with low, raking sunlight producing a
pattern of shadows and light. I decided that
this would work best in an upright, panoramic
format so that I could have the maximum
60 Artists
& Illustrators
amount of street visible without superfluous

buildings on either side.
Dream Street is mostly painted from
my imagination, but I did look at reference
photos I had taken in New York to get an idea
of the general architectural styles. I used a
flattened perspective, similar to one you
might see through a telephoto lens.
YOU WILL NEED

Oil paints
Titanium White, Zinc White, Cadmium

Yellow Light, Cadmium Red, Winsor Violet
(Dioxazine) and Winsor Green (Phthalo),
all Winsor & Newton Artists Oil Colours;
Lemon Yellow, Venetian Red, Burnt Sienna,
Permanent Orange, Ultramarine Blue and
Bright Green Lake, all Michael Hardings
Artists Oil Colours
BRUsHEs
Daler-Rowney Bristlewhite B36 short flat,

size 1; Pro Arte Acrylix Series 202 and 204
brushes, various sizes; an old painting rag
Canvas
Winsor & Newton Artists Canvas, 30x80cm

liqUin and tURps
p r o j ec t
I drew out the composition roughly

with the B36 brush and a mix of
Burnt Sienna and Winsor Violet thinned
with Liquin. When dry, I washed in the
shadow areas using a rag and a mix of Burnt
Sienna and Winsor Violet thinned with Liquin
and turps.
I ragged on another darker wash of the

Burnt Sienna and Winsor Violet mix and
left this to dry overnight. I then used the B36
brush to complete the tonal underpainting
the contrast gave me a better idea of how to
approach the first layer of colour. Dont be
afraid to refine your drawing as you progress
the perspective of the building in the bottom
left corner looked awkward so I corrected it.
I chose a complementary colour

scheme of orange-reds and green-blues
to give the painting impact. To get an idea of
how I might develop this, I roughly washed in

some thin glazes of these colours across the
painting using a rag and brush. A rag keeps
washes uneven and creates some interesting
textures that will show through later layers.
I wanted to keep the colour fairly

subtle with a pinkish-gold raking light
suggestive of early morning. I wanted the
main building on the left to be brick red so
I used a darker version of that colour for the
right-hand building too. Echoing colours like
this can tie together a painting nicely and the
saturated reddish-orange of the billboard
further helped the sense of cohesion.
To introduce the sunlight, I scumbled a

semi-opaque mix of Lemon Yellow and
Zinc White, which allowed some of the

underpainting to show through. Thinly
scrubbing on an opaque layer of paint
in this way makes the surface textures
more interesting. More colour was added to
the shadow areas too, mainly green-blues and
a few violets to complement the yellow light.
To strengthen the sunlight, I painted

glazes of blues and violets over the
existing green-blue shadows to heighten the
contrast. As the street recedes into the
distance, I made the edges progressively
softer and the shadows increasingly lighter
in value to suggest depth. I introduced a
touch of green to the middle building on the
left to add more variety to the colour scheme.
This tiny area of contrast acts as a focal point
to distract the eye from going straight to the
figure; I wanted the person to be noticed later.
www.paintingsbymarkharrison.com
S P E C I A L : PA R T T H R EE
FIGURE
DRAWING
FEET
author and art tutor
Jake Spicer exp l ains a
simp le technique for
drawing your extremities
Feet are one of the areas of the body that
consistently challenge most figure drawers.
They are often added as an afterthought but
well-drawn feet lend stability to an artwork
and neednt be an intimidating subject.
It is easy to draw feet too small. They are
the furthest extremities from our face so we
often fail to appreciate their size, but
remember that they are the stable platforms
on which your entire body is supported
the foot from toe to heel is actually as long
as the forearm from wrist to elbow.
Establishing the position of the feet in
relation to the body will help maintain a
sense of balance in your drawing. Hold your
pencil vertically and check the position of the
toes and the heels in relation to the body
above and use the negative space between
the feet to ensure they are positioned
correctly in relation to one another.
1
2
Top plane
When viewed from above the plane of the top of the foot slopes away
from the ankle down to the toes. Draw the overall shape that the toes
will fit in first, and then divide that space up with lines between the toes.
Inside plane
The inside plane of the foot is approximately triangular, running from

the ankle to the big toe and heel. Use a rounded shape to establish
the positions of the heel and ankle; the relationship between them
is important for the stability of the figure.
SHAPE AND STRUCTURE

Unlike a hand, a foot has a blocky structure
and can be simplified into planes. Imagine
you are a sculptor, carving the foot from
wood: start by establishing the rough form,
then chip away at the details. You can use
these structures as under-drawings or simply
an aid to make clearer observations in future.
Try copying each of the five basic planes
shown here, and then follow the exercise to
make studies from observation so that you
can assimilate the idea of simplified planes
into your drawings. The structures arent
intended to be set in stone; each foot is
unique and will have its own character,
shape and pose.
Jakes Draw People in 15 Minutes is published by
Ilex Press, RRP 9.99. www.jakespicerart.co.uk
62 Artists
& Illustrators
Underside
The underside of the foot is the kind of shape you see imprinted on
the sand on beaches, the curves of this plane are more pronounced
although it will still fit within a broad triangle.
F I G U R E D R AW I N G
EXERCISE
A quick challenge to help you
WHAT YOULL NEED
Your feet
A mirror
Your preferred drawing medium
A sketchbook
DURATION
15 minutes
Angled view
Youll rarely see any single plane exclusively. Use the idea of the planes
of the foot to break a complex shape down into simple elements before
developing the drawing to more closely reect what you see.
Back of the foot
The calf muscles taper to the Achilles tendon, and that in turn creates a
hard edge on the back of the foot as it connects to the heel. You can see
the ankle protruding out to each side and the foot sticking out in front.
Lean a mirror against a wall at oor

height. Take off your shoes and socks.
Make ve-minute studies of your feet in
your sketchbook using the ve
suggested structures. (Youll need a
friend to pose for a good view of the
underside of the foot or back of the
heel.) Repeat these studies as often as
you can to improve your observational
skills and develop a personal approach
that suits your way of working.
riverviews
in depth
The royal WaT erc olour So cieT yS vice p reSidenT Paul Newl aNd revealS hoW
he uSeS mulT ip le SkeTcheS To creaTe deTailed imp reSSion S of The r iver ThameS
Like most Londoners, I have been constantly aware of
the River Thames, even when I lived nowhere near it.
You orientate yourself by it: despite its many curves,
North London is everywhere north of the river and
South London is everywhere south of it.
For many living on either side, the river is a kind of
frontier; things are not the same on the other side.
North Londoners complain of the south; South
Londoners have their gripes about the north.
I became a south Londoner when I moved to
Camberwell in 1995. To get to my teaching job, I had
to thread my way from east to west along a stretch of
the Thames. Train delays or traffic jams often led me
to pay plenty of attention to the waterway, particularly
64 Artists
& Illustrators
along the stretch from Lambeth Bridge upriver

to Putney Bridge.
Developments were going up quickly, leaving
sections of wharf or buildings that I dimly recollected
from childhood river excursions with my grandfather.
When the tide goes right out, a wealth of
archaeological indicators are revealed spars and
stonework from the glory days of the Pool of London.
The energy of change and the records of the remote
past make a stirring conjunction. As an artist, it made
a fascinating subject.
Over the next four pages, I will explain how I used a
selection of sketches made in situ to build up several
exhibition paintings.
Sketch 1
Sketch 2
left Thames Capriccio I, watercolour on paper, 28x38cm

Thames Capriccio I began as a broad sketch, done on the
spot using rough, cheap Khadi paper. At the time, I was
making many studies from an area on the north side, using
oil, watercolour or pencil.
Two or three of those sketches seemed worth developing,
particularly given their pleasing proportions. Accordingly I
stretched the sketches (never easy with Khadi) by damping
the back of each image then gumsticking down. After a
couple of attempts on location, I realised I kept changing the
sketch to suit the conditions of the moment and this seemed
a waste of time. I decided to continue one as a studio work,
using other sketches as information. Bits of the original
sketch can be seen in the water largely untouched after
the first stab and in the dark industrial building to the left.
To help me complete the painting back in the studio, I
drew upon three other sketches that I had made on location.
Sketch 1 was done on a small sample of Waterford paper,
one late afternoon in winter. The sky was transparent yellow,
but this faded to twilight pink, so I laid a pink gouache over
the yellow paint to block it out. The bits of yellow left behind
remind me of the earlier conditions. Studies can do this
mark the passage of time and changes in light. I used a
palette of Indanthrene Blue, Indigo, Yellow Ochre, Naples
Yellow, Light Red and Cadmium Red for this sketch.
Sometimes I use even fewer colours, as in the smaller
Sketch 2. It was made on a different occasion, on a scrap of
Ingres paper just 10cm wide. It shows the riverbank about
100 yards further along. I wanted to remember the local
colours of the wharf, the shapes of the huge ropes, and the
effects of very low tide. You can see how the basic layout of
Thames Capriccio I is taken from these two sketches.
Sketch 3 contained more gouache than watercolour. It
was made on Ingres paper, which is not absorbent and lends
itself to hasty work as the colour spreads across the surface
easily. My palette included Indanthrene Blue, Indigo, Indian
Red, Cobalt Turquoise and Naples Yellow watercolours and
a white gouache. I enjoy contrasting the opacity of some
pigments with the transparency of others.
For the finished painting of Thames Capriccio I, the
derelict building in the centre of Sketch 3 was replaced by
a splendid piece of fantasy port architecture by Piranesi
that I adapted quite heavily. The big yellow crane was added
from an old photograph of the docks at Lisbon. These
developments and additions in the image speak of a places
historical and geographical reach and its associations.
>
Sketch 3
In the finished work, you see that I have again plagiarized

Piranesi in fact, this was another part of the same vast
edifice that I excerpted in Thames Capriccio I. I added a few
washes of quite dense gouache in some sections, as Ingres
paper is not very receptive to overlaid transparent colours.
In addition to the blues used in the studies, my palette
included Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre and
Cobalt Turquoise. The latter was useful for the areas in which
I wanted to convey the brilliant half-tones seen in shadow
areas, such as the roof of the main wharf building.
Sketch 1
top Thames Capriccio II, watercolour on paper, 42x60cm

Thames Capriccio II also began as a sketch made on the
spot on Ingres paper, a surface whose resilience and lack
of sympathy to watercolour sometimes appeals to me. As I
painted the initial sketch that eventually formed the basis for
this piece, I was sat behind some iron railings that obscured
my view and so tried to produce an image quickly. The results
were horrible and I put it away when I got home.
Last summer, I looked at the sketch again. I had left
it stretched on the board I used originally and started to
work on it again, using more studies as reference. The sky
and some of the water remain from the first attempt.
The studies were lightweight but showed some changes
of mood, some movement.
Sketch 1 was made on a similar sheet of paper and used
quick washes of Indigo, Indanthrene Blue, Indian Red and
Cadmium Orange hence the brownish greens.
Sketch 2 was completed on cartridge paper in pencil,
biro and watercolour mainly Indigo Blue, Light Red and
Cadmium Yellow.
66 Artists
& Illustrators
Sketch 2
m a s t er
cinl Dock
ass
KG 15
bottom Thames Capriccio III, watercolour on paper, 30x38cm

Like the other two Capriccio paintings, this was begun on the
spot using a very heavy Turner Blue paper, a small supply
of which I found in a shop in Tunbridge Wells many years
ago. Traces of the work I did during that initial session can
be seen on the extreme left of the picture, and also in the
handrails of the wharf and dock.
I first tackled this particular scene in KG 15 in Dock, a
simple pencil-and-wash work made largely in situ several
years ago. As I tried to develop the larger work, however, it
became necessary to go back and make further studies.
Life at that time only allowed me to create these studies in
Sketch 1
the late afternoons during winter and this is reflected in the

colour and tone of these studies.
I based the sky of Thames Capriccio III on a sketchbook
study I made of South London from a tall building see
Sketch 1. Notice the way in which I have used extremely
thick gouache strokes dragged over the paper in a few
places, so I could draw into it afresh. The water breaking
against the wharf was scratched out with a blade because
there was too much pigment there from previous attempts.
This article has concentrated upon three related works
developed over a period of about five years. I suppose
you could say they are romantic in mood: they draw on
observation, recollection and imagination.
Pauls work features in

the RWS Spring Exhibition,
Watercolour Etc., which
runs from 27 March to
25 April at Bankside
Gallery, London SE1.
www.royalwatercolour
society.co.uk
SAVE 26
UP
TO
When you subscribe to your favourite magazine for artists
Be inspired by
other artists
Exciting projects
every issue
Expert tips and
painting advice
Easy-to-follow
step-by-step guides
1 YEAR
FROM ONLY
39.95
USUALLY 66
FREE
*The free gift and 39.95 rate apply to Direct Debit orders only
ART DISC
OUN
GIFT VO
UCHERT
WO
RTH 20
www.chelseamagazines.com/artists-P503
+44 (0)1795 419838 quoting code P503
DIGITAL EDITION ALSO AVAILABLE for tablet, smartphone and desktop
To order go to: www.chelseamagazines.com/artists-P503D
w H y n o t t ry. . .
trAy FrAMes
Artist Peter rush exp l Ains the benefits of this
cleAn, modern Ap p roAch to frAming your work
To my mind, the tray frame is the

most elegant solution to finishing
a painting that I know. Coming
first from the USA, the clean lines
are perfect for framing large
abstracts, rather than the ornate
frames favoured by the Old
Masters, which are quite often
out of keeping with much
contemporary art.
How it works
The painted canvas or board sits
in a tray-like frame and appears
to be floating since it doesnt
actually touch the edge of this
outer, projected frame.
In actual fact, there is a
shadowy gap before the frames
outer edge, which is also slightly
higher than the board or canvas
thereby offering some protection
in transit.
An inner frame underneath the
painting helps to bring it up to the
correct height. This is attached
to the outer frame, at the back,
by small plates.
tHe benefits
The outstanding feature of these
frames is that they neednt be
expensive. Its not impossible that

you might find a framer who will
agree to cut and join the two
parts of the frame (the inner and
outer sections), but leave you to
fit them together and finish them
yourself because this is where
much of the working time is spent.
Even better, is to order your
frame in lengths known as chop.
This sees the frame cut in the
required lengths and mitred,
leaving you to put them together
yourself by pressing in clever,
hidden dovetail studs that can be
done easily. If, like me, you still
suffer from nightmares resulting
from attempting to make your
own perfect mitres then you will
readily appreciate this approach.
I get mine from Jacksons Framing
Ltd. and find it a surprisingly
inexpensive way to frame.
from the painting to the frame

ever more subtle and unobtrusive
the hallmark of a successful
frame. Above all, the tray frame
is inexpensive, clean, simple and
elegant, and at no time does it
look mean or utilitarian.
Peters new book, Painting Skies
and Seascapes, is published by
Crowood Press, RRP 14.99.
www.peterrushart.co.uk
tip
order your tray
frame in lengths
and trim to fit
them at home
furtHer twists
Another pleasing feature of these
frames is that the outer edge can
be painted brightly in a gold or
silver perhaps, while the inner
edge can be painted to echo a
colour from the artwork itself.
This helps to make the transition
right The inner

and outer frames
are attached via
small plates
69
the diary
copying
forces you to
ask how the
original was
achieved
70 Artists
& Illustrators
c a r eer a dv i c e
copying
masterpieces
There is a sT igma aT Tached To c opying The work of anoTher arTisT buT
d one c orrecT ly iT can be a valuable way of learning. Sin DuDley
exp l ains T he benefiTs and reveals her six-p oinT p l an for suc cess.
illusTraT ion: Cl air roSSiter
During a recent visit to Tate Liverpool, I hastened across the
gallery to examine a painting when I nearly tripped over a
small child. I had actually failed to notice a whole class of
them, sitting on the floor, studiously copying the exact picture
I was trying to look at. They were engrossed in what they were
doing, with no hang-ups about copying the images. It was a
joy to behold.
It is a shame that copying gets such a bad press when it is
in fact an extremely useful tool for artists of all levels. I want
to be clear here: I am not advocating any activity that breaks
copyright law. Context and intention is important here.
Copying for personal improvement is acceptable, copying for
financial is not. Artists deserve to have their creativity and
livelihoods respected. If you are in any doubt, the safest thing
to do is not to take the risk in the first place.
However, there is a long tradition of major institutions
allowing artists to copy directly from original paintings the
National Gallerys website, for example, invites us to do just
that. Copying forces you to ask how the original was achieved
and to find, by experimentation, ways to emulate that original.
Even if you dont succeed, you will discover new techniques
that you can apply to your own work.
When I copy a painting, I work through the following
six-point checklist. It helps me focus upon what it is I am
hoping to learn. Avoid copying the whole image if all you need
to do is find a solution to a particular problem. Remember to
observe acutely, do not make assumptions, and take time to
notice details.
1. Inspiration
Choose a painting that has inspired you one that has
evoked an emotional response at some level causing you to
want to paint it. In spending time making a copy of the image
you are getting to know it intimately, enjoying details you may
have missed initially and deepening your response. What
does this tell you about images that excite you, and the type
of image that you want to paint?
2. Composition
When you first see a well-composed picture you will probably
not be aware of the subtleties in the composition; the artist
will have successfully led you to look at the things he
intended you to look at.
Start with the placement of the focal point and other main
features. How are they arranged within the frame? Do they
follow any rules (for example, the Rule of Thirds) or do they

break them? As you start to copy a work, you will be forced to
notice more subtle features in the background that have led
your eye along a particular path; not only the placement of
other objects within the image, but also marks and lines that
subliminally direct your gaze.
3. Tone
The most effective way to learn from another artists use of
tone is to make a copy in greyscale. Digital media makes it
easy to convert a photo of a painting to monochrome, but this
is no substitute for making your own version. A quick
thumbnail sketch in pencil can help you understand how tone
was used within the composition to lead the eye. A more
detailed tonal study will further highlight the juxtaposition of
tones or the use of negative shapes.
4. Colour
Copying another painting gives you a great opportunity to
learn how the colours were selected and laid down. How has
the colour scheme affected the mood and atmosphere of
your chosen work? Were the colours mixed on the palette or
the paintings surface? Which order were they applied in? Can
you identify or even match the particular colours used?
(Remember that a reproduction almost always affects the
colours so seeking out the original is important here.)
5. Mark-making
Look at the types of marks, where they were used, and
consider how they might have been made. Copying requires a
huge amount of experimentation, giving you opportunity to
really understand how your materials and tools work. How do
they respond to one another? If you are working in a different
medium, how close can you imitate the original marks?
6. Application
Having discovered new techniques or found ways to solve
problems, your ultimate aim is to appropriate the best of what
you have learned to enhance your own work. Pick the
techniques you liked or found useful and discard the rest.
Ask yourself whether you are enjoying the method of working
too. I once copied an image of some trees that I found
stunning, but did not enjoy the physical experience of the
chosen method, so I wont be using it again.
www.moortoseaarts.co.uk
project
a b s tr ac t
ing
c i t ys c a p e
the
Ian Rowl ands uses the work

of Daniel P reece anD r icharD
Diebenkorn to show you simP le
ways to DeveloP anD abstract
the c olour schemes of your
l anDscaP e work
This spring sees the opening of an exhibition of works

by the American artist, Richard Diebenkorn, at the
Royal Academy of Arts in London (see feature on page
30). For many artists, myself included, this represents
a rare opportunity to view up close the work of a highly
individual painter.
The fascinating evolution of Diebenkorns work,
alternating between phases of figurative and abstract
painting, appears seamless and it is not surprising that
painters from both camps admire him today. One
contemporary artist who will surely be a frequent
visitor to the exhibition is Daniel Preece.
Daniel first saw Diebenkorns paintings at the
Whitechapel Art Gallery in the 1990s and something
chimed with his own work. Daniels large-scale studio
paintings, similarly, take the urban landsape as their
motif and, with their use of large areas of flat saturated
colour, it seemed an opportune moment to look at his
own working process.
Working methods
Daniels large paintings are orchestrated in the studio
where different elements and forms of visual research
are brought together. Drawing underpins everything in
72 Artists
& Illustrators
P R O J EC T
right Daniel Preece,

Panorama II (From Angel
Court), oil on canvas,
121x224cm
This painting offers a great
deal for the spectator
to engage with, inviting
the eye to explore small
localities while also being
led along various lines of
emphasis created by the
repetition of certain colours
especially yellow and blue. I
particularly like the long line
that sweeps down from just
below the horizon on the
left to the white roof on the
bottom right. Daniels colour
choices are brave and on
the edge of fragmentation,
but careful colour repetition
achieves a sense of balance.
left Daniel Preece, Window,

oil on canvas, 76x91cm
This painting succeeds in
creating pictorial space
while using colour in large,
flat expanses. The window
frame angles away from
the picture plane creating a
believable space, but also
a contradiction, between
the spectator and the main
subject that could almost
be a second painting within
the rectangle.
Careful observation of
perspective through rigorous
drawing, as well as hanging
the painting on strong
diagonals and verticals,
allows certain colour risks
to play out before resolving
into a pleasing whole. Note
how the diagonal shadow
edge on the pale foreground
building connects with the
edge of the orange gable end.
This painting was made on
a red ground, the ghost of
which is revealed between
the patches of colour.
the process; it is time spent relating directly to the

landscape, exploring its space and an opportunity to
respond directly to the environment. Drawing allows
the composition to be wrought and a pictorial structure
on which to hang colour to be arrived at. On a practical
level, being highly portable, it is a means of gathering
visual information in spaces where painting would not
be possible.
In tandem with drawing, photography gives clues to
colour, provides boundaries, often alerting Daniel to
possible organisations within the rectangle (or square)
of the planned painting. Photography can also create
distortions that can be brought into use in the studio.
Rather than being a slave to the camera, Daniel
regards it as just another tool.
Daniels studio process often begins with the
application of a strongly pigmented ground on the
canvas, putting down a strong statement, rather like a
challenge: something to either react against or
embrace. He describes his relationship with colour as
fearless, frequently setting himself the problem of
creating a painting that conveys a sense of place and
space but where the heightened use of colour
contradicts the local colour of the subject. This
becomes the focus for the painting and the process of
answering the questions posed by this challenge
becomes a sort of conversation. He is excited by the
way that colour can create another dynamic layer and
its potential to describe within the parameters of an
Impressionist- or Fauvist-inspired palette. Colour can
help the painting come alive and hopefully stimulate
the viewer by the dynamic way in which it is used.
>
73
P R O J EC T
Daniel tries not to make any conclusions about the

role of colour or how it is going to work in the picture
until some pigment is placed on the paintings surface.
Subsequent colour choices are made through referring
to a visual experience, a colour note or photograph, but
will also be made by experimenting and placing one
colour over another or side by side until something
exciting and viable is brought about. The painting
process is one of constant revision and layering as the
painting asks questions. As these questions within the
studio painting arise, so does the need to return to
the source and re-acquaint himself with the subject
through drawing. It is this way of working that keeps
the process fresh and vital and gives the work great
gravity and authenticity. They make something rather
beautiful and exciting from the everyday and banal.
Colour researCh
Any painter setting out to approach the urban
landscape in a similar way to either Preece or
Diebenkorn is likely to be daunted by colour. For most
of us, an ability to manipulate colour is not second
74 Artists
& Illustrators
nature, but can be informed through experiment and

experience. Before venturing into the city, a programme
of studies should help to develop a more intuitive
approach with colour.
For these studies, multiple paintings of the same
image should be made in order to gauge the
effectiveness of particular palettes. Photographs are
ideal source images, but I recommend that you choose
a shot you took yourself as you will have some memory
of the location. The subject should have a strong sense
of light and be easy to map out fairly quickly. The first
study could exaggerate perceived colour, as a gradual
or subtle shift will be better understood and judged.
I would recommend looking at Monets studies of
Rouen Cathedral for inspiration with this first study.
A second study could then be made in response to
the first one. Doing this should allow you to further
exaggerate the colour. Try to avoid greys where you
might normally use them and instead try a violet, blue
or green as a more positive equivalent.
Departing entirely from perceived colour for
additional studies then allows you to experiment with
above Daniel Preece,

From the Studio, oil on
canvas, 168x182cm
The challenge for Daniel
here was to make a painting
where flat expanses of
colour could still create a
convincing sense of space.
The painting succeeds
by virtue of the rigorous
drawing and strong sense
of balance. A large vertical,
midway along the brown
wall, divides the painting in
two. The large brown shape
is balanced by a similar one
above that incorporates
the sky and Yellow Ochre
building. The colour is
harmonious, broken only by
the strong orange hitting the
side of the tower.
ABOVE Ian Rowlands, Colour Experiments,

iPad drawing with Artstudio app
Starting with a monochrome study of an alleyway, I made
copies in which the colour balance was adjusted towards red,
yellow, blue and green, before taking the yellow version into a
more saturated palette. The beauty of experimenting digitally
is the ability to duplicate, to undo, to save and to adjust,

with none of the wet-on-wet struggles of painting.
Rather than attempting an entire landscape, focusing on
a relatively simple image allows you to work and assess your
results more quickly. This is especially important if you are
making real studies in paint.
>
altered palettes, and I have found digital methods to

be a superb way of doing this. Computer software such
as Photoshop or smartphone and tablet apps enables
us to manipulate the colour of photographic source
material or completed studies. Your image can be
converted to greyscale so that only the memory of the
colour remains as a prompt, but you could choose to
ignore it in these studies. The colour balance of the
image can be altered to make the lighter areas appear
to take on a particular bias, which will often suggest
ways forward. If not, I would suggest using the
complimentary colour of that bias for example,
violet against yellow.
When the whole image has been painted it can be
saved and then further developed. Consider making at
least one study that is atonal in other words, one
that lacks colour harmony, so that you are forced to
adopt a more chromatic approach to describing the
play of light. Inspiration for this could be found in the
works of Henri Matisse, especially his 1902 painting
76 Artists
& Illustrators
A Glimpse of Notre-Dame in the Late Afternoon, and

also Diebenkorns Window or Ocean Park No.129.
With some confidence gained, working on coloured
grounds will propel you further into colour than working
on white, and the ghost of those grounds striking
through between areas of paint can add a further
dimension to the work.
As a separate activity, start to collect magazine
clippings or fabric swatches and group them into colour
families. Use these to create abstract collages that
allow you to develop a sense of how particular colours
relate to each other when not being used to describe
reality. Disregard the subject matter of any particular
swatch you are using it as predetermined colour only.
Create a colour resource by keeping a notebook
containing photos and cuttings of any colourful object,
fabric, book cover or packaging that appeals to you.
Refer to it when you stumble over the problem of
finding that elusive colour.
View more of Daniels work at www.danielpreece.co.uk
ABOVE Daniel Preece,

Battersea Power Station III,
oil on board, 26x31cm
Daniel made this study on
location over two sessions
of around four hours. As
well as gathering visual
information, time spent on
location inevitably allows
time to absorb other stimuli
that can be important
memory prompts when trying
to create a sense of place
in the studio. As a direct
response to the subject the
palette is fairly conventional
but certain accents such
as the orange-red roof and
violet line above hint at the
use of more saturated colour.
TEXT: John Duncalfe, foreword and edited by Dr Hilary Diaper,

the University of Leeds
An English Perspective showcases a comprehensive selection
of Nadals oeuvr, the French born Catalan expressionist
ISBN 978-0-9567177-0-2
304p Hardback,
300+ colour illustrations
35 + 5 p&p, UK only
Published by Tillington Press

PO Box 736, Harrogate, HG1 4EE
www.tillingtonpress.com
www.amazon.co.uk
Your own private space to

relax, create or work in all
year round. We offer the
perfect solution without the
need to extend your property.
T: 0800 160 1888 e:enquiries@myplaceinthegarden.co.uk

REV12026MPITG Advert 99x126.indd 1
10/05/2013 15:51
THE CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY

ARTISTS MATERIALS
ARTISTS WANTED
Watercolor Instructors Needed

Now in our sixteenth year, Compass Speakers
and Entertainment Inc. is the market leader
in supplying the luxury cruise industry
with exceptional onboard enrichment. We
are currently seeking qualified Watercolor
Instructors. If you are interested in being
considered for these unique, worldwide
travel opportunities, please visit our
website to request an application.
SPEAKERS AND ENTERTAINMENT INC.
2455 East Sunrise Blvd, Suite #804

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304 USA | 001 954 482 8019
Beth@CompassSpeakers.com | www.CompassSpeakers.com
ART FOR SALE
Artistic
Flare
Affordable art for the home and office
Tel: 020 7736 7921

Mobile: 07854 734 290
www.jacquelinemidgen.wordpress.com
Email: jackiemidgen@hotmail.co.uk
Visits to studio by appointment only
COURSES
GREAT SUMMER
SCHOOL COURSES!!
June 15 to July 25 2015
Sussex Printmaking + Sculpture

Studios offer courses in sculpture,
printmaking, painting, drawing.
Email: sussexsculpture@btinternet.com
Tel: 01403 786224 Mob: 07765892864
www.sussexsculpture.co.uk
Email: sussexprintmakers@btinternet.com
www.sussexartandprintmaking.co.uk
ULF ENHRNING
Swedish/Canadian painter
summerclouds.com
ARTISTS SERVICES
RANDOLPH KELLMAN. Contemporary
artist. Visit my online gallery at
www.rakeart.co.uk . All enquiries and
commissions welcome. Telephone
020 8889 4714. Mobile 07979842456
ARTISTS ACCOMMODATION
ESSOUIRA
Classical Classical
STILL STILL
LIFE inLIFE
OILS
in OILS
with Mike Skidmore
with Mike Skidmore
To advertise in
Artist & Illustrators please call
020 7349 3739
Weekend workshops
Weekend
in the
workshops
Cotswolds
in the Cotswolds
for all levels - materials
for all levels
supplied
- materials supplied
JONATHAN NEWEY
Pearmans Glade, Shinfield Road
Reading RG2 9BE
Tel: 0118 931 4155
Web: www.jonathannewey.com
Email:
jnewey210@gmail.com
Distance: 75 Miles
Media: Watercolour, Acrylic, Pencils
www.mikeskidmoreonline.com
Special subjects: Landscapes,
T: 01367 252
T: 01367
206 252 206
Architecture, Wildlife
To advertise here please call 020 7349 3739
Various online art classes &

THERAPY WITH ART
training programs
info@changewitharts.com
COURSES
Morocco, 3 hours away. Artists dream in

exotic Medina. Fishing port, beach, horses and
camels. B&B En-Suite/Self-Catering. Sleeps 12.
Art advice, tuition and Yoga as well!
Ring Anne in Shrewsbury 01743 358939
email Allison chezdarma.essouira@gmail.com
COURSE TUTOR
Changewitharts.com
International online arts college
Artist & Illustrator

Mike Skidmores
Mike classical
Skidmores classical
PORTRAITS
PORTRAITS
in OILSin OILS
Weekend workshops
Weekend
in the
workshops
Cotswolds
in the Cotswolds
for all levels - materials
for all levels
supplied
- materials supplied
T: 01367 252T:206
01367 252 206


THE
sculp SCULPTURE
SCHOOL
-ture
the
COURSES
HOLIDAYS
PAINTING COURSES
WITH
MARY-CLARE
CORNWALLIS
ENGLAND
CROATIA
Pottery Holidays
in Croatia
AT
THE FOOD ROOM & LIBRARY

ECCLESTON SQUARE, PIMLICO
sch
THETHE
ool
THE
sculp
SCULPTURE
SCHOOL
SCULPTURE
SCHOOL
sculp
sculp
SCULPTURE
SCHOOL
SCULPTURE SCHOOL
-ture
-ture
HAS
MOVED
TO
DEVON!
-ture
sch
sculp
sch
-ture
oolsch
ool
sch
the
the
SUPERB TUITION
THE
the
Unique, inspiring and informative teaching,

promoting skills and craftsmanship for the
next generation of professional sculptors.
NEW COURSES IN 2015:
HAS MOVED TOHAS

DEVON!
4 day andTO
weekend
workshops in Figurative,
MOVED
DEVON!
A week of hand building

and Raku firing on the
beautiful island of Brac
BOTANICAL WATERCOLOUR ARTIST
HAS MOVED TO DEVON!
www.therakugarden.com
& Animal sculpture

HAS Portrait
MOVED
TOtechniques
DEVON!
fantastic
the
inspirational
Suitable for beginners and professionals alike
SUPERB TUITION
Unique,
inspiring and
teaching
informative teaching,
SUPERB
TUITION
promoting skills and craftsmanship for theSUPERB TUITION
GIFT VOUCHERS
SUPERB
TUITION
n
learned
so much
Unique,
inspiring
and
informative
teaching,
next generation
of professional
sculptors.
Unique,
inspiring
and
teaching,
n
You
caninformative
choose the
of yourteaching,
choice
Unique,
inspiring
andcourse
informative
from a real masterpromoting skills
andSUPERB
craftsmanship
for- the
theperfect
forpromoting
yourself
orskills
a loved
for next generation
promoting
and
craftsmanship
for
the
TUITION
andone
craftsmanship
forgift
the
NEW COURSES
IN 2015: skills
next
generation
of
professional
sculptors.
n
Christmas
and
special
occasions!
loved
it! workshops in Figurative,
4 day
and weekend
next
generation
of professional
sculptors.
Unique,
inspiring
and
informative
teaching,
of
professional
sculptors.
Portrait & Animal sculpture techniques
plus new SFX figurative sculpture. promoting skills and craftsmanship for the
NEW COURSES
IN
2015: IN IN
NEWCOURSES
COURSES
2015:
NEW
2015:
Suitable for beginners and professionals alike
ofinprofessional
sculptors.
4 day and next
weekend
Figurative,in Figurative,
4 generation
day workshops
and weekend
workshops
day
and
weekend
workshops
in Figurative,
Teaching
one4Portrait
of
the
country's
leading
sculptors
Portrait
& Animal
sculpture
techniques
&
Animal
sculpture
techniques
GIFT by
VOUCHERS
fantastic Youfantastic
can choose the course of your choice
Portrait
& Animal
sculpture
techniques.
NEW
COURSES
IN
2015:
for
yourself
or
a
loved
one
the
perfect
gift
for
inspirational
Suitable and
for beginners
and professionals
alike
inspirational Christmas and special Suitable
for4 beginners
professionals
alikeprofessionals
occasions!
day
and
weekend
workshops
in Figurative, alike
Suitable
for
beginners
and
teaching teaching
Portrait & Animal
sculpture techniques
GIFT VOUCHERS
learned so much
ool
ool
Andrew Sinclair A.R.B.S.
GIFT VOUCHERS
fantastic
GIFT VOUCHERS
learned
so much I learned so much from a real master- loved
You can choose the course of your choice
fantastic inspirational teaching
it! the course of your choice
You can choose
from a real masterYouforcan
choose
the
of
your
for yourself
for yourself
orcourse
a loved one
- the
perfect choice
gift for alike
frominspirational
a real masterSuitable
for
beginners
and
professionals
yourself
or a loved
one
- theand
perfect
gift
for
Christmas
special
loved
it!
Teaching
ofathe
loved
one -and
the
perfect
giftoccasions!
for Christmas and special
Christmas
special
occasions!
loved
it! by oneor
teaching
country's leading sculptors
occasions!
GIFT VOUCHERS
learned so much
ENGLAND

You can choose the course of your choice
from a realTeaching
master- by one of the country's leading sculptors
07810loved
480884it!
for more information Christmas and special occasions!
for yourself
or a loved sculptors
one - the perfect gift for
Teaching
by one
of the
country's
leading
Contact
Diane
Coates
Andrew
Sinclair
A.R.B.S.
Contact
Diane
Coates
or email
diane@thesculptureschool.co.uk
07810 480884 for more information or email
www.facebook.com/thesculptureschool
diane@thesculptureschool.co.uk www.facebook.com/thesculptureschool
www.thesculptureschool.co.uk
Teaching
by one of the
country's leading sculptors
3 day courses in watercolour painting

classes run from 10am - 5pm
paints and materials are available
Contact Diane Coates
all levels, including complete beginners

07810
a maximum of 6 students per class

Contact
Diane Coates
480884 for more
information or email
coffee, lunch and tea included

10% discount for groups of 6 when booked
and paid for together in advance
Contact Diane Coates
CORNWALLIS ART
01644 420368
cornwallisart.co.uk
THE FOOD ROOM & LIBRARY

07858 355884
thefoodroomandlibrary.co.uk
LIFE PAINTING
AND DRAWING
with Rachel Clark
Highly recommended.
Small classes. Week/weekend/
Saturday/private tuition.
T: 07528 674 389/020 7987 8776
www.rachelclark.com
Art Courses
with Nicola Slattery
ENGLAND
FRANCE
Enjoy a great weekend in rural

Norfolk with a well known artist-tutor
Painting with Acrylics

Art from Imagination
Printmaking
www.nicolaslattery.com
Tel: 01986 788853
INSPIRATIONAL COURSES
STUNNING LOCATION
LIFE MODELS DIRECTORY

Rob Murkin
maleartmodeluk@outlook.com
Tel 07789 687 358
www.facebook.com/LifeModelUK
Male Life Model, Experienced,
professional and happy to travel.
One and Two Day Art Courses

Tutors include: Roger Dellar,
Keith Morton, Charles Evans,
Margaret Glass,Richard Taylor
and many more...
Friendly, rural studio with good home cooking
Excellent local accommodation
Call Allison Bond for details:
schoolofpainting.co.uk
01736 797180
Charity No. 1146825
01255 820466
Email: allison@watershedstudio.co.uk
www.watershedstudio.co.uk
St Cleres Hall Lane, St Osyth,
Clacton on Sea, Essex, CO16 8RX

HOLIDAYS
JONES THE ART 3X1
FRANCE
PAINTING AND
SCULPTURE
HOLIDAYS IN THE
SOUTH OF FRANCE
Week long painting courses with
Artist Alex Brown in his 18thC
hilltop village house with views over
the Dordogne River Valley.
WALES
Domaine Saint Hilaire
Jones
the
June
and June
Datesinavailable
in May,
May,available
Dates
September
2015
and
September
2015
September
in
May, June2015
and
675ppSeptember
full board (excl
2015flights)
Art
Art Holidays & Art Courses

in the beautiful Ceiriog Valley, N. Wales
Enjoy creative drawing and making

alongside yoga, taught by experienced
practitioners on a vineyard in the sunshine
of the Languedoc-Roussillon region,
South of France.
For further details and enquiries email:
artandyogainfrance@btinternet.com
Website: www.artandyogainfrance.com
02072776930 / 07725705421
www.jonestheart.co.uk
E. jonestheart@hotmail.co.uk
01691 718527
WALES
GASCONY PAINTING
HOLIDAYS
All inclusive, ensuite, artists retreat

with daily tuition, French cuisine,
painting trips and idyllic local
available
countryside
settings.
Dates
9/11/10
Tuition offered to all levels in idyllic surroundings.

Enjoy good company and delicious food at our
18thC farmhouse in SW France.
Non-painting friends welcome. Airport collection.
Est. 1994
painting holidays
Where better to develop your painting skills than in beautiful Pembrokeshire
Tel: 0033.562.64.80.35
www.gasconypainting.com
www.artholidaysinfrance.com
+33 325 886511
...be inspired
Professional tuition for all levels

3 and 5-day full board residential courses
Superb home cooked cuisine
4 Star en-suite accommodation
Small groups, large studio space
non painting partners welcome
t: 01348 840 177 Andrew and Maggie Brown

e: info@indigobrown.co.uk w: www.indigobrown.co.uk
WORLDWIDE
Residential Art Holidays

Lisa Jayne Art Studio
Unleash your creative potential in the

beautiful Oxfordshire countryside
Explore and record your visual
experiences in South India
Live and paint in Matisses home
of the 1940s, South of France
Combine Art & Yoga in the UK
& South of France
Art Retreat in Rural France
To advertise please call

020 7349 3739
Experimental Drawing and

Sketchbook Courses
by Elisabeth Bell
small groups with individual tuition

Beautiful Landscapes
Comfortable Accommodation, Fine Food
IRELAND
Painting Holidays & Courses
Purpose built Lodge & Studio, tailor made to suit

painting groups and societies big or small
Custom packages to suit all
All year round painting programme that includes
Watercolour, Acrylics, Oils and Bob Ross Courses
Tutor & TV presenter Harry Feeney
Foxford Lodge & Studio,
The Painters Paradise, Pontoon.
Co. Mayo; West of Ireland
T: 00353 94 9257222
E: harry@relaxwithwatercolour.com
www.relaxwithwatercolour.com
SCOTLAND
Residential Art Courses in magnificent and inspiring scenery mountains, sea, rivers, lochs.
Warm hospitality & good food. Non-painters welcome.
Tutors 2015: Ray Balkwill, Katharine Holmes, Bettina Schroeder, Jonathan Shearer, David Tress
and Eleanor White. Please see our website for dates and further details.
www.nwhighlandsart.co.uk, gillian@nwhighlandsart.co.uk, Nicola: nic.pol@live.co.uk, 01520 733 227 / 459
For more information:
www.lisajayne.uk.com
info@lisajayne.uk.com
Tel: 01608 677558
Mobile: 07751 827348
Painting Courses & Holidays !

FRANCE!
MOROCCO!
NORFOLK!
with Linda H! Matthews"
paintncanvasholidays!co!uk"
Painting Holidays 2015
with Helen Halliday BA
www.helenhalliday.co.uk
Explore your creativity
in inspiring locations
- Paxos, Yorkshire,
Shropshire and the
Isle of Wight.
All standards welcome.
For dates and prices
(from 439) see
helenhalliday.co.uk or
phone 01923 721317
Your First & Best Choice for a

Painting Holiday
In the UK
The Algarve &

Andalucia
Somerset (inc Cheddar, Wells &
The Mendips), Exmoor (inc

ovely
ainting North Devon Coast), Wye
Valley, Lake District
oliday
dventure 01934 733877
To advertise please call

020 7349 3739
10:3
CLASSIFIED
DIRECTORY
The THE
Classified
direCTory
PORTRAIT WORKSHOP
THE ART SHOP DIRECTORY

DEVON
LONDON
THE BLUE GALLERY
LONDON ART
16 Joy Street, Barnstaple EX31 1BS

Tel: 01271 343536
roy@bluegallery.co.uk
www.bluegallery.co.uk
SOUTH WEST ART
Old Fore Street,

Sidmouth EX10 8LP
Tel: 01395 514717
info@southwestartmaterials.co.uk
www.southwestartmaterials.co.uk
Quality fine art materials, gallery and
picture framing.
Project6

30/11/09
09:19
EAST SUSSEX
LAWRENCE ART SUPPLIES
Page
PRINTING
Huge range of art supplies Sussex

Art Shop, Mail Order
and Online Shop
208 Portland Road, Hove BN3 5QT
Tel: 01273 260260
www.lawrence.co.uk
Customer car park. Everything from
painting to printmaking. Fast mail
order service.
Making Art Work

Fine Art Gicle Printing Service

Hahnemhle and Somerset Papers
Photography and Scanning Service
Greeting Cards and Postcards
Professional and Friendly Advice
No Set Up Fees + Free Art Guides
ESSEX
MILLWAY
Call us on 01656 652447

www.geminidigitalcolour.co.uk
Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet

Essex CM24 8AP
Tel: 01279 812009/01279 816659
Fax: 01279 812741
millwayoffice@btinternet.com
www.millwaystationery.co.uk
FINE ART REPRODUCTIONS

Printed by litho graphic printers
Reproduce your oil, water, pastel, and pen & ink paintings, into prints, cards or
posters, in 4 colour with light fast inks. Sizes from A6 105mm x 148mm up to
B1 707mm x 1000mm. Short run specialists limited quantity 10-500 copies.
Highest quality litho printing on many varied paper stocks.
Prism, Unit 28, School Close, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO53 4RA
023 80 266256 prism.proong@ntlworld.com
WIMBLEDON 3X1
8/9/08
8/12/10
Wimbledon Art Studios

020 8947 1183,
www.wimbledonartstudios.co.uk
Dynamic artist community with
studios available from 40 per wk,
open 24/7 with good natural light
SCHOLARSHIPS
SEA, LIGHT, HEAT, HILLS, HISTORY

Just some of the things Greece offers the
artist. The British School at Athens awards
annually a 2,500 Bursary for makers in
any discipline to further their work by
experiencing Greece.
For full details please send s.a.e. to: The BSA, 10, Carlton
House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AH
For background Google British School at Athens Arts Bursary
and check out www.bsa.ac.uk
Application closing date 27,February, 2015
PEGASUS ART suppliers of the
finest art materials

Pa
Griffin
Mill, London Road
Thrupp, Stroud, Glos GL5 2AZ
Tel: 01453 886560
info@pegasusart.co.uk
15:05:29
www.pegasusart.co.uk
11:15
STUDIO SPACE
PRISM PROOFING 3X1 3.indd 1
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
GWENT
THE ART SHOP (MONS)
8 Cross Street
Abergavenny NP7 5EH
Tel: 01873852690
admin@artshopandgallery.co.uk
www.artshopandgallery.co.uk
132 Finchley Road,

Swiss Cottage,
London NW3 5HS
Tel: 020 7433 1571
info@londonart-shop.co.uk
www.londonart-shop.co.uk
We sell a wide range of Art & Craft
materials.
RUSSELL & CHAPPLE
The Canvas Specialists

30/31 Store Street,
London WC1
Tel: +44 (0) 207 836 7521
Fax: +44 (0) 207 497 0554
www.randc.net
Custom canvases, linens, cottons and
stretcher bars.
L. CORNELISSEN & SON
19th century shop near

The British Museum
Pigments,Gilding & Etching
supplies, tubed colour, brushes,
paper, pastels.
105 Gt. Russell Street,
London WC1B 3RY
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7636 1045
www.cornelissen.com
STUART R. STEVENSON
Artists & Gilding Materials
68 Clerkenwell Road
London EC1M 5QA
Tel: 020 7253 1693
info@stuartstevenson.co.uk
www.stuartstevenson.co.uk
INTAGLIO PRINTMAKER
The Specialist Supplier

of Fine Art Printmaking Products
9 Playhouse Court,
62 Southwark Bridge Road,
London SE1 0AT
Tel: 020 7928 2633
Fax: 020 7928 2711
info@intaglioprintmaker.com
www.intaglioprintmaker.com
Wide range of tools available to try in
our store (near Tate Modern).
SUFFOLK / NORFOLK
THE ART TRADING COMPANY
KENT
GILBERT & CLARK
FRAME AND PRINT
65 High Street, Maidstone

Kent ME14 1SR
Tel: 01622 685146
info@gilbertandclark.com
www.gilbertandclark.com
LONDON
ATLANTIS ART MATERIALS
UKs largest and one of

Europes biggest art stores
68-80 Hanbury Street, London E1 5JL
Tel: 0207 377 8855
Fax: 0207 3778850
www.atlantisart.co.uk
Car parking, open 7 days.
55 Earsham Street,
Bungay NR35 1AF
Tel: 01986 897939
TheArtTradingCo@btinternet.com
www.thearttradingcompany.co.uk
WEST MIDLANDS
HARRIS MOORE
Fine Art Supplies

Unit 12 Minerva Works,
158 Fazeley St,
Birmingham
B5 5RT
Tel: 0121 633 3687
sales@harrismoorecanvases.co.uk
www.harrismoore.co.uk
Specialists in Artists Canvases and
Professional Painting Supplies.
watercolour tutorial
METHYLATED
SPIRIT IS
GREAT FOR
TAKING
PAINT OFF
THE CANVAS
M Y FAVO U R I T E T H I N G S
JENKINS
Artist and winner of the
Threadneedle Prize 2014
MY FAVOURITE ART PRODUCT
Ive only just discovered methylated spirit (4) its
brilliant for dissolving paint. Most of my work revolves
around me taking paint off the canvas and so I find it
more effective and less toxic than white spirits.
MY GO-TO SOURCE OF INSPIRATION

If Im ever stuck, I look through a pile of old Bonhams
and Christies catalogues and something will strike
me, such as a colour or composition.
MY ART SHOP OF CHOICE

I get through an awful lot of paint and so I like to buy
big tins of decorating paint from DIY stores (5),
such as Wickes. Im not bothered about what colour
it is either Ill often buy whats in the sale.
MY PLACE TO FIND NEW ART

The Lion and Lamb Gallery (1), which is above an
East London pub, hosts a lot of fantastic painting
shows featuring new and established artists.
Its nice to visit the pub downstairs afterwards too.
MY FAVOURITE HISTORICAL PERIOD
2
1
MY DREAM PAINTING TO OWN

Hope by George Frederic Watts. My mum gave me a
print of it when I was younger and so I grew up with
it. When I went to see it at Tate Britain for the first
time, I was in awe. I got goosebumps.
MY STUDIO SOUNDTRACK
I tend to listen to artists lectures or philosophical
discussions on YouTube. Jonathan Meese is
completely off the wall, but hes very clever. His talk,
Mommy and Me Are Animals (2), is brilliant.
MY LAST FAVOURITE EXHIBITION

Rembrandt: The Late Works at the National Gallery,
London. The Conspiracy of the Batavians under
Claudius Civilis (3) is one of the biggest paintings he
made and it was truly outstanding to see in the flesh.
Tina Jenkins runs 30 March to 11 April at Mall Galleries,
London SW1. www.tinajenkinspaintings.tumblr.com
82 Artists
& Illustrators
MAIN PHOTO: COLIN BROWN. LION AND LAMB GALLERY; YOUTUBE; THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS, SWEDEN; WICKES; ISTOCK
Im drawn to the late Renaissance. The colours, the

shapes and the form from that time overwhelm me.
Im in awe whenever I stand in front of paintings from
that period. The scale they work to is incredible.
E
W L
O B K
N I LA U
A HE
AV N T
I
Why choose an Ampersandpanel?

Why choose an Ampersand panel?
Its not just an ordinary surface. There is a difference.

Its not just an ordinary surface. There is a difference.
Archiva-Seal Barrier
Only Ampersand Museum Series panels have a special sealing
layer between the hardboard and the painting ground to
ensure that your painting will not yellow over time.
Superior Painting Grounds

Experience amazing techniques and incredible luminosity only
possible on an Ampersand panel. Our ready to paint, acid-free
painting grounds are developed to inspire your art.
Solid Support
Only Ampersand Museum Series panels are made with
true artists hardboard that has a highly dense solid
core for superior stability and resistance to warping.
Conservators
Agree
Paintings done on
Ampersand panels
are proven to
outlast those on
flexible supports or
any other panels.
EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR OF AMPERSAND

PRODUCTS FOR THE UK.
FOR YOUR NEAREST STOCKIST,

VISIT WWW.PREMIUMARTBRANDS.COM
tel: +44 (0)1926 492213 email: info@premiumartbrands.com web: www.premiumartbrands.com
Finest artists water-colours

Fully reusable paint when dried on a palette
High control of paint flow, even on soft
water-colour papers
Each colour has its own individually optimized
formula
Same formula for tube and pan colours
Pans poured 4 times in liquid state
H. Schmincke & Co. GmbH & Co. KG Finest artists colours www.schmincke.de info@schmincke.de

Acrylics Steps

Cargado por

Información del documento

Título original

Derechos de autor

Formatos disponibles

Compartir este documento

Compartir o incrustar documentos

Opciones para compartir

¿Le pareció útil este documento?

¿Este contenido es inapropiado?

Copyright:

Formatos disponibles

Acrylics Steps

Cargado por

Copyright:

Formatos disponibles

I L L U S T R A T O R S

March 2015 4.20

Discover the techniques of the

Develop your sketches Find new perspectives Follow simple projects

PHOTO: NEiL HALL

the most talked about

Did you visit our exhibition

Artists & Illustrators 3

Write to us and win a 50 voucher

Ruth Nicols poetic take on the landscape

The best events and exhibitions in March

A blooming marvellous still life demonstration

Laura Boswell on the fine art of self promotion

Adle Wagstaff on painting the nude figure

22 the wisDom of unity

The artist daughter of Stanley Spencer speaks

Try a new perspective on painting cityscapes

1,000 worth of Maimeri paint is up for grabs

Jake Spicer sets you a figurative challenge

The best new work by Portfolio Plus members

How to develop sketches into studio paintings

Art tips, competitions and workshops to try

With Threadneedle Prize winner Tina Jenkins

30 abstract anD back

69 give yourself the eDge

Emily Patricks latest collection of figurative art

Try a tray frame for a truly contemporary finish

Explore Richard Diebenkorns changing styles

A great six-point plan for drawing in galleries

Meet Portrait Artist of the Year Christian Hook

With childrens illustrator Laura Ellen Anderson

Abstract landscape ideas with Ian Rowlands

INNOVATION AND UNRIVALLED PERFORMANCE

Organised by the School of Economic Science Registered Educational Charity no 313115

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

music; the sweet part of the

Send your letter or email

NEVER TOO YOUNG?

Artists & Illustrators 7

The most desirable villas in the heart of the Mediterranean

Artists & Illustrators 9

Painting Paradise: The Art of the Garden

From the Forest to the Sea

Rubens and His Legacy

Sargent: Portraits of Artists and Friends

GrEAt brItIsh DrAwINGs

Joshua Reynolds: Experiments in Paint

From Bradford to Benares

Milk Snatcher: The Thatcher Drawings

One Day, Something Happens: Paintings of People

Gwen John to Lucian Freud: Home and the World

AshmoleAn museum, university of oxford

Rocks and Water

Bowes Museum, Durham.

The NaTioNal Gallery, loNdoN

Eduardo Paolozzi & the Printed Collage 1965-72

BP Portrait Award 2014

New Rhythms Henri Gaudier-Brzeska: Art,

Sons and Daughters of the Soil

ARTIST ROOMS: Roy Lichtenstein

JMW Turner: Watercolours from the West

Canaletto: Celebrating Britain

The Ballet of the Palette