New Saturday Workshop

Saturday Art Workshop
This is a three hour workshop available for intermediate/improvers and all mediums.
Professional artist will be on hand to tutor where necessary. Come along and learn new techniques or improve on your skills. The choice of medium is yours, watercolour, acrylic, oil, pencil, pastel, line and wash. A chance to be creative, learn, and indulge in a great pastime

Demonstration at 'It's all about art' show, Manchester

I was one of nine professional associates invited along to demonstrate at the It’s All about art show in Manchester.

When I arrived full of nervous energy and anticipation of what the day had in store for me, I was greeted by Elizabeth Moore, who was responsible for this element of the event. Along with my fellow PA’s I settled myself in to our designated area of the show awaiting the opening of the event at 9.15.

There was a varied programme of demonstrations planned in the introducing section including watercolour, Atillier interactive acrylic and pastel.

My demonstration was scheduled for 11 am and would run for 30 minutes. Buoyed on by my fellow PA’s and kitted out with a headset microphone, with video camera trained on me I was ready for the off. Just one thing missing, I did not have any means of timing my demonstration; luckily Elizabeth was on hand to let me know when my time was up.

My demonstration was a variation on traditional line and wash, where the drawn ink elements were applied not with a pen but with a stick. The time went very quickly and before I knew it my piece was completed, I thought I had finished early and was surprised when Elizabeth told me I finished right on time. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, it gave me a real buzz and I could have continued all day.

With my demonstration complete it was time for a breather and then back in to talking to visitors about their interests, giving them an insight into the techniques used in my demonstration and passing on the benefit of my experience, hopefully inspiring them to have a go.

It was good to get together with fellow PA’s and I gained an insight into the lives of other professional artists, each one of them experts in there field.

Later on in the afternoon I had the chance to look around the show and take in some of the many demonstrations and workshop being held at the event. There was an array of different mediums and techniques being demonstrated.

Browsing this festival of art activities made me realise what a wonderful opportunity this show was for people who’s hobby it is to paint and draw.

It provides an opportunity for them to participate, to soak up the vast pool of knowledge and experience on offer, survey the huge range of products on sale, they also had the opportunity to put faces to names of PA’s they have read about in SAA literature, and it is all under one roof.

You could not help but be inspired, enthused and encouraged not matter what your experience, beginner or seasoned professional; I know I was and I do it for a living.

I urge anyone who has not been to one of the shows to go along and experience the creative sparks flying at your nearest show.

Demonstrating at SAA Show 'It's All About Art'

I was recently invited to do a short demo by the 'Society for all artist' (SAA) at their 'It's all about Art' shows in Manchester. One of nine invited professional associates, I was scheduled to start at 11 am. I was going to demonstrate line and wash drawn with a twig, a rocky beach scene was my subject. A small crowd had gathered to watch. Once I had fathomed out how to put on the flesh coloured head hugging mic I was ready to go.

I really enjoyed the demonstration and it felt like I had completed the demonstration early, the time went so fast, but I had finish dead on the allocated time.

It was a great spending the day talking to members of the public about all aspects of participating in art.


Thank you SAA for a great day and the opportunity to showcase my abilities.

Image courtesy of Paul Beattie, Paul Beattie Fine Art

Artist sticks with natural resources

Line and wash using a twigg

Over the last 18 month I have been experimenting with sticks and twigs as a drawing tool. It was a revelation to me, opening my eyes to a new approach to drawing, an approach which resulted in a much more organic feel to work than could not be achieved with any of the conventional tools.

Starting with a 4 foot bamboo cane and working at arm’s length onto paper placed on the floor, freed me up, allowing me to make big expressive gestures and fluid strokes with the wet medium.

The fluid marks combined with the inconsistency of the delivery of ink and the fragility of the stick produced an expressive and natural look. Results like this can hard to achieve with a fixed width drawing pen and drawings can sometimes look quite mechanical.

Varied Medium

Although my medium of choice for this approach is Indian ink, any dry or wet medium can be used. Simply attach dry mediums such as pencil, charcoal, pastel with masking tape to your stick or for wet mediums such as inks and paints you can dip

When I am working with Indian ink I like to have a brush on a stick as well as my drawing stick, this is to add some tonal value to the drawing using dilute Indian Ink and staining the paper, although you can use any medium to add tone I like the interaction between wet stain (the tone) and drawn line.

Technique

I have used this technique for both life drawing and still life. I find the whole process one that was very liberating.

Try to work so that all the movement is coming from your shoulder or elbow and not from your wrist. Keep gravity on your side and work so that your paper is low down allowing you to keep the ink on the tip of your stick, as you gain confidence in the tools and materials you can explore more conventional positions to work in.  Use a stick longer than 12 inches, any shorter and it becomes more like a brush or a pencil and your technique will develop working from the wrist instead of the should making your drawing tight and more controlled.

I urge everyone, If you have not tried it give it a go, it will build you confidence and lead you to be more adventurous in your approach to your art. I have used it a workshops as a warm and an icebreaker, those who have tried it found it thoroughly engaging and enjoyable.

Branching out

I have now developed my technique and now use a 12 inch long twisted old stick found in the woods on a walk one day. Having got to grips with using Indian ink and watercolour wash I am now focusing on using the same tool to apply oil and acrylic paint. 

Give it a go and don’t worry about the results, just enjoy the process, it takes practice but I am sure you will get the hang of it and be inspired to explore even more.

Alternative line and Wash demonstration

I  recently delivered a demonstration to an art society, the technique was line and wash but with a differenence. I used conventional materials but applied all of the drawing with a twig/branch from a fallen tree. It is really engaging and the reults are great very organic, a long way from using an artists drawing pen.

Latest Work

Here is a picture of my latest work. Painted oil on board. Experimented with a much looser painterly technique for this one, thoroughly enjoyed the process.

Workshop Wednesdays

Imagine arts as now released a series of wednesday morning workshops across a broad range of disciplines and techniques. Each workshop is 3 hours long, includes materials and refreshments at a cost of £35. Below is a list of the workshops.

Experimental Drawing Workshop
Wednesday 17th October 10.30am (3hrs)
BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN

Watercolour Techniques Workshop
Wednesday 31st October 10.30am (3hrs)
BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN

Oil Painting for Beginners Workshop
Wednesday 7th November 10.30am (3hrs)
BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN

Line and Wash Workshop
Wednesday 14th October 10.30am (3hrs)
BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN

Acrylic Seascapes Workshop
Wednesday 21st November 10.30am (3hrs)
BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN

Pen and Ink Workshop
Wednesday 28th November 10.30am (3hrs)
BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN

Acrylic Trees Workshop
Wednesday 5th December 10.30am (3hrs)
BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN

Drawing Techniques Workshop
Wednesday 12th December 10.30am (3hr