ArtinBrittany

How to Choose and Buy Brushes for Watercolour. Almost invariably when I have a new student arrive for their first session they will unpack a box of paints and brushes that they have either been given or have gone out and bought especially for the course. It's great to see the commitment to learning that this represents but all too often they will have spent a lot of money on brushes that they may never use. Brushes come in a huge range of materials, styles and prices so start with just a few key brushes and add to them as your painting develops. Personally, I use synthetic brushes, they suit my working methods and I prefer to not use animal hair. You may find natural fibres suit you better but don't assume that expensive brushes are necessarily the right fit for you. The three brushes I recommend for beginners are -  A large flat shader with a chisel edge. I use this brush for so many things; laying washes, adding texture, lifting out, tole painting etc  A medium r...

October is the month for painted leaves....  As fruits and leaves and the day itself acquire a bright tint just before they fall,  so the year near its setting.  October is its sunset sky; November the later twilight.  Henry David Thoreau, Autumnal Tints Collecting and painting autumn leaves is always a winner with my students. For me it's a therapeutic activity - I love capturing the elegant decay of the leaves. I often collect them when out riding - I can reach a lot higher from the back of a horse! Recently I ran a workshop with children at a local event and they loved painting leaves and we mounted them into little gift cards for them to take home. This morning the class painted hydrangeas, using the 'negative' painting technique, this has been very popular lately. This afternoon in class, we studied butternut squash and pomegranates in a range of styles... After class I walked Yellow. This is today's view from the west end of the lane...