ArtinBrittany

Spring? 'In every wood, in every Spring There is a different green' - I Sit Beside the Fire and Think, JRR Tolkien   The first quarter of the year is gone and the lengthening days are changing the landscape. I'm just prepping some worksheets for an upcoming workshop on the Spring landscape and thinking about the colour green. I was speaking recently about the importance of a limited palette; how mixing colour from a few key pigments will produce a more cohesive and authentic result - especially with landscape/natural subjects. There are many premixed pigments available and it is easy to be distracted by the range available but if you take the time to mix your own you will not only achieve better paintings but also develop a solid understanding of how colour works. It is only when your knowledge and experience of mixing colour is well honed that the interjection of mixed hues is truly effective....Lecture over!  Enjoy some outdoor green today!

I've authored a few blogs. The first was about our progress in France and was written for friends and family but somehow it got out into the wide world so I closed it. Then I started afresh trying to replicate the first, (Meanblackdogblog) in a less personal way but I found it hard to write to a non specific audience. I am not a diary keeper for this very reason. Then this blog evolved and has stumbled along in fits and starts for a while - perhaps because I'm not sure who is reading it.  I have been really busy for a while now and time for writing has eluded me. I am in the process of radically restructuring my time so that I may be able to get some thoughts down from time to time - but we will see how that works out!  I like the idea of blogging. I think it is potentially a very useful tool for artists, I'm thinking of my students in particular, a way to record progress on projects. A digital sketchbook. That said, there is much concern over the 'stealing' of...

A bit of a blog gap has occurred! 

GDPR and You. General Data Protection Regulation compliance is mandatory from May 25th 2018. The GDPR will replace a prior European Union privacy directive known as Directive 95/46/EC, which has been the basis of European data protection law since 1995. It is a tightening of how your personal data can be stored, processed and safeguarded. All organisations who store personal data must comply with GDPR - expect to receive related e-mails from any organisations, newsletters or groups that you belong to. If you are on my mailing list or enrolled in an on-line course I hold the following information about you  - your e-mail address - your name (or user name). This information is stored remotely with my newsletter publisher who also have access to your IP address and time stamps (when you open or click on a newsletter or link). This company is Mailchimp who have a very tight privacy shield and you can be sure your details are secure. If you are a a Facebook follower or frie...

How to Make a Tonal Scale.   A tonal scale is a really useful tool. It's simple to make and use and it's creation is a good visual exercise too. You can make it with any medium. Take a strip of white paper and divide it into five squares with no borders.  Number the squares 1,2,3,4 and 5. Square number 1 stays paper white. Fill in square 5 with solid black - or as dark as you can achieve with your medium of choice. Using squares 1 and 5 for reference use your visual judgement to find the mid tone between the two and fill in square 3. Using squares 1 and 3 for reference fill in square 2 with the tone that falls exactly between them. Repeat the process using squares 3 and 5 to complete square 4. Use a hole punch to make a hole in each square.

Paints. Pans, Tubes, Pencils….. Watercolours are basically ground pigment mixed with a binder, traditionally Gum Arabic - the gum from the Acacia tree, they come in many forms so let's take a look at the merits of the different formats -   QUALITY .Most manufacturers produce pigments in professional and student ranges. The professional colour will use superior quality pigment with less binder than the cheaper student range, which offers an economical alternative - ideal for beginners. WATERCOLOUR PANS and HALF PANS . These are small, usually plastic containers filled with a 'cake' of prepared dry pigment. The size of these pans is not standard across manufacturers but a half pan is roughly 19mm x 15mm x 8mm. These can be bought in convenient boxes with integral mixing palettes and room for storing a brush or two, brilliant for painting on the go and individual replacements can be purchased....

Understanding Watercolour Paper. An Overview of Terms. If you are new to water-colours one of the most baffling subjects is understanding the terms for different types of paper, often referred to as 'supports', and choosing the right one for you. You will need to consider the surface, weight, materials and format of the paper you choose - quite daunting when you just want to get painting! Commercially made water-colour papers are produced in three main surface types; ROUGH - this is pretty self explanatory, the surface of the paper is highly textured with plenty of 'tooth' which will grab applied pigment enabling you to create great textural effects. SMOOTH - also known as HOT PRESSED. This is a very smooth and even grained paper ideal for highly detailed fine work. NOT - or COLD PRESSED . This is the most popular watercolour paper. It has a gentle texture and suits a wide range of watercolour styles. The most common...