SPARKS FLY

It’s good practice to try to see past the detail and reduce the elements down to their simplest forms….then build them up from there, being mindful of balancing colour, proportion, perspective, direction, shape, tone, rhythm.

It’s also an exercise in discipline, self-restraint…what is too much…what is too little…when to stop?

Branches need to come and go…they are in the center of the tree so you need the foliage to cut cross them and break up the lines.

I was resisting putting any detail on the building - as you can see in pic 3 below….but it needed some edges picking out, some light and shade to make it look less flat. Note- there are windows - but no window panes.

I could also have gone to town sprinkling autums leaves all over the grass - but held back so as not to detract from the tree itself.

Many of my loose initial transparent marks remain in the final painting. Having fun here with the ‘sky holes’ and glimpses of the building amongst the leaves.

Set up for a right handed person - the number of right handed students I see with their palettes, paints, brushes to the left of them! - discipline, preparation…all good practice.

Coarse texture from wiry oil brushes

Thick & thin paint. Making the most of the opportunity to place opposite colours next to each other: Blues next to oranges, Purples next to yellows.

You know you’re an artist when: you enjoy looking at the light and shade on a drainpipe and a rubbish bin!

Beginning with my favourite scruffy brush!

This brush sat unused in my brushroll for years. Then I began to explore the different kinds of marks I could make, with the different brushes i had, based on their shape, size and texture. Occasionally I’ll paint the same scene 3 or 4 times - trying out a different brush with each one to see the difference it makes to the piece.

I always encourage students to take their brushes for a test drive and get to know them. They are the tools of your trade. It’s important to look after them correctly too, to clean and store them well. More on that another time!