Daffodil Time!!

Like  many painters, I like to paint what is in season and Spring Flowers are my favourites to paint mainly because for me they signify sunshine and a hint that some warmer weather may be on the way!!

As many of you will know we have a puppy (well he's actually one today, but still very young) and he seems to love digging up bulbs so at the start of the year we had no idea what spring bulbs we were going to have in the garden this year if any. We had a bit of a scare a couple of weeks ago...as we have seen the daffodil bulbs growing we have realised that the bulbs which are to his taste are the tulips. Well,  the other night having let him out, he wasn't too happy to come back and we became concerned he had eaten a few...licking his lips and soil around his muzzle sort of gave the game away!! We know he has eaten the odd one in the past and not come to any harm but we suspected this time he had had a few more.

I checked the internet to find they are poisonous and some dogs have died consuming them so ended up ringing the emergency vet service but no answer. Anyway I decided to watch him carefully and ring again if he started to display any signs.....apparently they start panting and drinking lots as they can cause an irritation in the mouth and oesophagus and all he was doing was going to sleep... so after an hour or so I decided he either hadn't eaten that many or he isn't too susceptible to them!

Anayway I digress... back to the daffodils!! I just cut one for my reference and took it with me to my art group last night. Last year I only used one as well, I simply turn them around placing them in different positions to create my composition. I did a daffodil painting last year and was really quite pleased with it but was unsure as to whether it was finished. I am a member of a watercolour critique group and to be fair, the consensus there was, that is was finished but I still didn't feel it was... anyway I worked it more and unfortunately lost the spontaneity of it.....lesson learned!!

So this time I wanted to do a similar composition, and see if I could nail it without overworking. I used the same colours but different brand. I have become an ambassador for the MaimerBlu range of paints and have to say I am liking them!! I tried to get the same pigment numbers I have in my W&N and Schmincke paints so they are working nicely for me.

The palette was purple, lemon yellow, turquoise, and orange. These colours are compliments so as well as light dark contrast I can achieve colour contrast too and hopefully a combination of both. As my work shows, I do seem to be drawn to a cooler palette, blues, greens, purples, yellows are some of my favourites.

I didn't finish this at the group but worked on it again today while starting another. I decided to do an different composition and settle on a horizontal one for the piece and also used a different palette.

Lemon yellow, cobalt blue, ub, a cool red, orange so still able to get some coolish greens the red allows me to get a purple... here are the two so far....

 I am also working on a couple of others at the moment... I used them as a study piece for the last workshop I did in Oswestry so I have a lovely vase of flowers to work from now

Chester here!!

Well am back esconced at the humans after a lovely stay with my puppy trainer while those two went off on holiday without me.....grrrr

I think I had a bit of a premonition about this as I had to go for a little "trial" weekend not long ago. Well I showed them......I bent 2 metal cages, chewed up a whole bed and worried the life out of my puppy trainers two dogs and spent the whole of the second night howling and whining... how was that then?

Anyway I was fair worn out when I got home that Sunday morning so I slept and slept and slept, after all I am still only a puppy and I do need my rest. I did try hard to behave myself for the next few weeks...... we went for a lovely walk with my trainer and I was such a good boy coming back at every blow of the whistle...Mum and Dad were so proud and he said he could tell they had been working with me!!

Me being a good boy and coming back when whistled!!

So about a month ago I was collected and taken to my new home where at times there were 4 other dogs....heaven that's what I call it!! I was on my best behaviour as the parents didn't really want to pay for 2 more cages and another bed and I could sense they were a little concerned to say the least about leaving me, so I decided to do as I was told, speak when spoken to and be seen and not heard....result!!!

I was brought home when they came back from their time away and was sooo excited to see them. I know they were told to ignore me when I came in and my female human did as she was told... for about 10 seconds and my male human for even less and then they were both on the floor with me fussing and stroking me and I was back in the driving seat!! Well for that evening anyway. Then they resorted back to this odd behavior I have observed... they ignore me when I jump up and greet them, still don't let me on their bed or on their chairs but I keep hearing them say to everyone how I am getting better and after all I am only 11 months old and still a baby really. The thing is I don't think my behaviour has changed, it is them who have been acting weirdly, I mean what is all this not looking at me when I stare longingly into their eyes, it's enough to turn a puppy to drink!!

Those were the days!!

 Still keep trying in case they forget and can't resist me!! Also saw my female was taking a photo and tried to look my best!!

Anyway I have had some lovely walks this past week, we have been on the moors, to the seaside, through the woods and I am loving chasing after my ball in fact it is fast becoming my favourite thing!! Am not too good at bringing it straight back yet (too many new smells which stop me in my puppy tracks ) but am sure they have a plan for that too!!

 I do howl a lot in the car but I just can't wait to get out for my walk.....I don't know if it has anything to do with that but they have started just taking me in the car and then coming back home without a walk, so sometimes I go in the car and get a walk and sometimes I don't? What's that all about? Not quite sure what they're playing at but will let you all know when I've sussed it... they keep saying what a clever boy I am so am sure it will come to me eventually.

So that's all for now... they keep throwing the ball up and down hills and telling me to hurry up... I mean I only have little legs but they don't half motor when I'm after that ball so I am worn out during the evening and can't spend all my time on the computer!!

Snowdrop Step by Step

We will be trying this at my group next time, I took the painting not quite finished to show them at the last session so although some of the chaps aren't too keen on flowers there is a lot to learn from this one and it may well take us 2 sessions to complete. I used a composition similar to my previous Brusho snowdrop but to be painted in watercolour.

As this was painted as a workshop piece I did a simple drawing first....not all the group would be confident in painting without drawing and I have to cater for all abilities.  I have used a reference photo but only to give me some flower head shapes, not to provide the composition. I used the new Maimeriblu colours and as usual a limited palette,  Turqouise, purple and cad yellow to start with but thought that was a bit too much so changed to lemon yellow.

The first image show the washes. I have tried to keep things light around the flower heads as I know I want them to be fairly white. By guiding the water around the petals (paint will only flow where there is water) the paint will also flow around and leave areas of white. I start at the top with whichever colour takes my fancy then add paint straight from my palette, (sprayed with water before I start to make them moist and workable) alternating the colours in an irregular way diluting and spraying as I go along so instead of creating a wash in my palette I create the wash on the paper. As yellow and purple are complimentary colours (and could make a grey duller colour) I try not to add them next to one another.

This needs to dry completely and as I was in my studio  and my hair dryer was ready to go, once the shine had gone off (if you dry before, the water moves the paint around too much and if you have any particular effects you see happening they will be lost) I dried off ready for the next layers.

2nd image.....Here I have started to add a bit of detail working around the painting so that I am not working where it is wet, adding the stems and calyx's (think that's the right word?) and a few leaves at the bottom. Everything is still fairly light at this stage and I haven't added any more to the background.

3rd image below......I decided the light was coming from the right so started to darken the bg to that side to emphasize the counter change with the white petals. i worked around the main flower and as I add the intense colour I wash away behind it so that it can blend into the washes I already have.   

4th image below......Here I have started to work around the other flowers and added a touch more detail to the foliage at the bottom. I thought the bg was a bit too harsh behind the top flower so washed the intensity away. 

At this stage the whole piece wasn't "popping" as I would like so I left for a couple of days and then worked on it a bit more.

5th Image below......just a few subtle changes here adding a few more darks around the petals and in the foliage at the bottom. As you add the paint, as mentioned earlier, you need to wash the colour away with clean water into the bg... that way you don't add more wash into the colours you already have and you don't get hard edges where you have added the extra colour. I have also added a teeny touch of white guoache to the stems... not too much as it starts to look too contrived and I wouldn't have added any had I managed to keep more of the white paper.

Please feel free to ask any questions and I will do my best to answer.....

Experience of a Lifetime in Malaysia

I am really lucky to have a cousin who has lived in the far East for most of his adult life and in Kuala Lumpur a good few years and especially lucky that they invited us to stay with them on a trip to Malaysia.

We have been treated to a cultural and culinary experience second to none.... obviously they know where to go and which places to eat (very important consideration in the Farnworth household) and we have been blown away by the lovely country and food. Apparently as we Brits are obsessed by the weather, the Malays are equally obsessed with food and there is a huge variety of food of Malaysian origin and also influenced by China, India, Burma, Indonesia, Japan to name but a few and we have been fortunate to sample a fantastic selection of all these cuisines.

The weather has been quite good as KL can be very overcast and humid but fortunately we had some very good days. We started our trip in KL and after a day to get over the jet lag, flew to Penang an island about a 4 hour drive (and 30 minute flight) away. We stayed at the Shangri La Rasa Sayang, a lovey hotel with beautiful gardens and had a fabulous sea view and lovely tropical beach

We were in Penang for the Chinese New Year and enjoyed a "Nonya" meal on New Years eve. Nonya is the name for the cuisine derived blending Chinese ingredients with Malay spices and cooking methods and many areas have their own very specific regional variations of dishes using aromatic herbs and spices native to the regions.

Everywhere is decorated in red and gold for the Chinese New Year, restaurants, hotel entrances, shopping malls, streets all very colourful and symbolic.

We also had Yee Sang a dish which symbolises abundance and prosperity and which is only eaten at New Year. The dish consists of shredded vegetables and fish (often salmon) and then an array of spices all different colours and along with the vegetables all symbolising different things. The idea is for the whole party to toss the Yee Sang while offering wishes of good fortune and prosperity. This is the year of the monkey... there are 12 animals and I am the year of the monkey too. This doesn't necessarily mean good luck in the Chinese Year but we tossed the Yee Sang (the higher they toss, the messier it is and the more wishes of good fortune the better) for all it was worth and then ate it!! Really good and I have brought some packs of the spices home with me to do a version of it.

We returned to KL for a couple of days then off again on our travels to Singapore.... what a fabulous city!! A police state with cameras everywhere but so clean and smart with the most stunning architecture. Rather more expensive than KL but we had to do afternoon tea at Raffles didn't we?

This is such a beautiful place and the afternoon tea was delicious... only problem was we had eaten Fish Head Curry with all the trimmings for lunch and were out again for dinner so didn't quite do it justice!!

After dinner we visited a bar 83 floors high and open to the elements, what an experience!! Views of the whole of Singapore at night, spectacular!!

We loved Singapore, a very green city. lots of flowers... planted strategically so that the trade winds waft the scents into the centre of the city, so Eastern!!


We returned to KL and visited the Petronus Twin Towers. Interestingly from ground level, they don't appear so high but once you are 86 floors up believe me they are high!!

As we approached the end of our stay we took a trip to a place called Ipoh where the water is much sweeter than other areas of Malaysia and the food produced there takes on a different flavour. Another foodie heaven!! Ipoh is North of KL and in contrast to the scenery on route to Singapore which was flanked by palm trees but fairly flat, the terrain further North is quite mountainous and more interesting.

We had a couple of delicious meals on the last two days one at a place called Modern Chinois (as the name suggests it is a modern take on Chinese food) and another at a Sushi bar which is known to have the best Sushi outside Japan. Our final meal was a very modern quirky restaurant where they served Eastern style burgers amongst other things.

During our time there we have eaten deep fried squid, jelly fish, fish head (though not the eye!!) razor clams,  crab (Australian Mud crab), intestines, truffles, Wagyu beef and vegetables and fruits I've never heard of, We've had curry and rice and noodle soup for breakfast, eaten most things with chop sticks and I think overall have thoroughly embraced everything on offer to us, It has been such a help having my cousins to choose the food as we wouldn't have had a clue about what to pick and would most certainly have played safe and probably chosen what we know.

KL is a very modern city and the roads throughout Malaysia are fantastic though most of them are toll roads and quite expensive (petrol on the other hand is around 30p per litre!!)  Food in the main is much cheaper than the Uk and as a result a lot of the inhabitants eat out and the restaurant scene is huge with whole shopping mall floors dedicated to food. We had delicious Dim Sum and barbecued pork in one of the Malls and the food was really excellent which is not so typical in the Uk. Other goods were just as expensive as in the UK and of course the designer stores are there in abundance with price tags to match.

Though we have been to the far East before I think this trip showed me really how different the culture is and how in the East so many things including food have meanings. As we were there for Chinese New Year this was even more apparent, the whole event is steeped in strong tradition and the people return to family homes for their celebrations which can last about 3 weeks.

I would like to say a huge thank you to Barbara and Jeremy for their wonderful hospitality... nothing was too much trouble and they took precious time from work to help give us a taste of their fabulous country and lives, it was a treat to spend time with them... we owe them one!! They plan to come to us in September so need to get the pork pies, black puddings and cream scones ready!!  

On a final note my cousins have both a Thai maid and a driver... this isn't unusual in Malaysia as wages are low and staff are very affordable. The Thai maid looked after us wonderfully and her cooking was absolutely fantastic!! She prepared the best curry I have ever eaten as well as some other beautiful dishes, she took care of our washing and ironing and we came home with only a couple of days washing (sheer bliss!!). She has worked for them for over 12 years is extremely happy with my cousins and has declared she would work for nothing as they are her family. Similarly their driver has worked for them for 12 years and is very happy in their employ and ferried us here there and everywhere, so a big thank you to them for helping to make our stay even more comfortable.

Now back to reality and the weather.... didn't take long to get into that preoccupation again!! But a visit to the beach today was a real delight... cold but lovely and sunny and lunch in a cafe overlooking the sea with a final snap of little puppy having the best of times!!

Snowdrops in Brusho

I am preparing for my new Brusho workshop on the 20th January so working on some new subjects for the next few days and then who knows what we will do!!

We don't have any snowdrops out yet as naughty puppy keeps digging up bulbs......can't leave him for a minute in the garden before he is rooting and digging so we have no idea just which bulbs they are but our garden which is most definitely a Spring garden is going to be decimated before we even get there!!Grrrrrr!!!

Anyway like many painters I tend to paint in the seasons and always do a few snowdrop studies at this time of year. I enjoy creating the composition from nothing and seeing what I come up with and have a few studies over the years which I have created in the same way.

For this piece I drew 3 flower heads, used some wax to capture some highlights on the petals and leaves, then using Yellow, Turq, Leaf green and purple, sprinkled all over the paper leaving the flower areas blank. I then sprayed all over and some paint then bled into the flower heads but the wax kept some of the highlights and the white of the paper was also preserved in parts. I like the texture Brusho creates and decided to keep that in the bg knowing that my flower and leaves would be smoother so would create contrast in the piece.

I could barely see the pencil lines at this stage so the drawing only worked as a vague clue and allowed me to decide on the composition in the first place, so I then started to work negatively around the flowers, picking out petals and stems, keeping hard and soft edges, letting some edges bleed into the petals,  and as I was working,I saw another flower head appear towards the bottom right. I know 4 is not a good number compositionally but I really felt in this position the composition was actually improved so decided to work with it. Would be interested to hear what you think.....

I am always drawn to contrast of light and dark and I think it works really well with snowdrops and next time I will try in different colours. For workshops I work in the colours the students have which is usually the basic set of 12 but I now have most of the colours so a far bigger selection to choose from.

I continued adding the darks and also worked with some Miltons Fluid (and water) to restore some lights... but the blues will only restore to a pale turquoise whereas the reds and purples bleach out very well.

What is so fantastic about Brusho is that it challenges the artists eye. Because you never know just what will happen when working this way, it is always tricky trying to work out where to go with something and how to finish it, but I am very happy with the light on this one and the palette I used which is one of my favourites in Brusho.

Same Palette different Painting

I chose theses two particular images as I want to do some snow scene workshop pieces. Both photos are from PMP the first by Villager Jim and the second Steve Gibbs.

Interestingly (well I think it is) I have used the same palette for both these paintings.

Turquoise, Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Sienna (my favourite), raw sienna and a touch of SAA Quin Gold. I emphasize SAA as it is a completely different colour to W&N but gorgeous!!

If I hit on a combination I like, I tend to use it for a variety of things and can create different atmospheres by using the paint in different proportions as I have in these two.

The first I wanted to create a cool crisp feel as the image gave me that impression and the second the complete opposite. Even though it is still a snow scene the photo was really warm and inviting with a lovely glow about it.

This is the "cool" evening scene

It was looking a bit twee as one of the members of my local group pointed out and I have since darkened the bg and hopefully created a bit more atmosphere but my aim was to create some highlights of snow around the piece. It's important to keep the intent at the forefront of your mind then you can be constantly working towards your aim.

Here is the second

I'm not sure this one is finished....I added a yellow glaze to the sky but am now wondering if it needs a touch of yellow in the snow and some work needed to the hedgerow on our left...as always I will leave overnight and have a think about it!!

But I do think it illustrates really well how you can use exactly the same palette and create two completely unique pieces just by using different dominant colours.

Isn't colour just the icing on the cake?

The Old Shoes

I rather like painting shoes and when I saw this image taken by John Robinson I knew it was one to be painted.

The photo was from an old deserted cottage and the shoes just as John found them. I like this sort of image as there isn't too much detail, and it lends itself to my way of painting...lots of uneven edges. not too precise anywhere with scope for my wayward brush to make their haphazard unexpected marks!!  The only area which really needed attention was the shoes and even there I have left lots of white spaces which always makes watercolour sparkle.

Very limited palette with this, Cadmium red and yellow and UB. This is a palette often used by the lovely Joanne Boon Thomas and not one I often use at all but the whole image shouted those colours to me and I really like the effect. Cad red and yellow are opaque colours but because of how I mix them on the paper I rarely get mud.... check some of my earlier blogs for what gives you mud!!

I did draw the shoes on this as I wanted to get them looking right, just a quick sketch and the paint does the rest of the work.....

Adventures in the Farnworth Household and a New Guest Writer!!

Okay everyone…Chester here!! Have hijacked my human’s arty blog, she’s been a bit remiss with it recently so though I would entertain you for a bit instead!!

I am a part working, part show cocker spaniel though rumour has it there may be some Labrador/Retriever in my heritage but I am keeping quiet about that despite steadily growing larger than my humans ever thought I would… a solid 14 kilos at my last weigh in at the vets (boy do I love that place… I ran my female human absolutely ragged the last time she took me…. soooo many delicious smells…..)

Anyway they aren’t the most experienced of owners and I have been having great fun testing their good humour, their physical stamina, their emotional well-being and their sleeplessness to the limits and they have now introduced me to another human who is altogether a different kettle of fish (sounds like that would be tasty) and he has me somewhat mesmerised into submission. They call him a dog trainer but I am just in love and so happy they brought him into my life. My trainer says we puppies need boundaries and rules (but all I can do is gaze lovingly into his eyes… sigh) and my humans weren’t too good at that, letting me on their knees, the sofas the bed you name it they allowed it… all I had to do was look at either one of them with my big amber spaniel eyes and they were putty in my paws!!! 

But my new human is teaching me (and them) my place and where I sit in the Farnworth household hierarchy and assures everyone I will be much happier once I know my place as a dog!!  I haven’t been out for my daily run since he came to see me for the first time, he says I need to learn some manners and pay more attention to what my owners are saying before I can be let loose again,  I mean I’m not a bad boy but I more or less do what I want and eventually go to them when they call but they’re so slow they can’t catch me when  I am running wild with gay abandon dodging them with my rugby dummies in the fields!!

Before he came, they decided to take me to a puppy training class, what fun that was!! Full of other puppies though none of them as excited about things as I was so of course it was my job, obligation and downright duty to wind them all up as much as possible, straining to get at them all at every opportunity and generally running riot during the whole session. My humans didn’t seem too pleased about how I behaved there and decided to cut my lessons short and introduce me to one to one training where I can be the complete centre of attention even though for some reason now they seem to be ignoring me a bit and our cosy intimate sessions on their bed and the sofa have been conspicuous by their absence since he came but don’t you all worry I spy my moments and every so often, when they think I’m not looking and they accidentally leave the door open I am up those stairs before you can say pedigree chum and up on that lovely squidgy bed!!

A new device has arrived at the house, seems it’s a new lead which my trainer has suggested the humans get… it is meant to be better for me and to stop me pulling and I am such a good boy when my trainer uses it on me…. I walk I turn, I go slow and I even walk to heel when he drops the lead (he thinks I haven’t noticed but I have!!) haha,  lets see what happens when my humans take me, am not too hopeful of them managing me and I am so excited at the thought of going out again I may not be able to restrain myself!! But I am just so lovely and cute I know they won’t stay mad at me for long even  if I don’t do quite as they say!!

I must say my trainer was right, this concentrating business is fair wearing me out, it requires a lot of my puppy brain power to sit, stay, wait, leave and all the other commands demanded of me, but I secretly quite enjoy the challenge and though I still get incredibly excited whenever anyone different comes to the house I know I will make my humans happier if I can contain myself and not jump up into people’s nether regions with the potential damage I may do there!! I am finding that one difficult, but I am being so good in other respects, it has been a couple of days since I jumped on the furniture, they really don’t like that any more and I am such a good boy on my new lead, and I trot along really nicely for them……and I do seem to be getting a lot of treats, bit like a slot machine, I do good.....ker-ching.....another treat! Not rocket science and sometimes I sit, stay, lie down and leave all at once, as I am bound to have got one of them right!!

So that’s all for now, will update you all on my progress soon!! BTW am really looking forward to Christmas… rumour has it there will be 14 humans here (including 5 young ones who have lots more energy and will be lots more playful)…..and there's even another dog, he’s my cousin, another spaniel boy…….my cup runneth over !!!! 

Sunshine House Xmas Fair

It is always quite a lot of work to get ready for an event like this but I do enjoy doing them and have a great affection for this particular centre and the volunteers who work there.I run 4 week blocks and all day workshops there and am always made to feel so welcome, wanted and appreciated... no wonder I like going!!

Anyway I prepared  lots of paintings, framing one or two more and mounting quite a few....I also prepared a portfolio of older work which I put in at rock bottom prices, then I had a mid priced portfolio and finally my cradle which I had the most up to date work and some of my favourites all mounted ready for framing. I have just done a small exhibition of 6 paintings in the Horwich Art Society annual event so had already got some newer pieces framed, so I set off with a car full on Friday afternoon ready to make my mark!!

Barbara Nettleton who runs the centre works tirelessly and had mine and all the other stall holders tables set up and after a little, shall we say "friendly negotiation" we both agreed my stall needed moving to the corner with an extra backboard to complete the set up. As those who are regular readers of my blog will know, decisions are not my strong point so to get this set up in just under 3 hours was a feat of considerable determination on my part leaving the dithering at the door and marching on with uncharacteristic fortitude!!

I was really pleased with how it looked and managed to get most things on display and at least a good selection of my work and cards. The footflow was rather slow, but the other stall holders very friendly so we had no problem passing the time of day and I had quite a bit of interest not only in my paintings but also in commissions, workshops and tuition. Sometimes it isn't the sales which are of paramount importance at these events but the seeds which are sown for the future and there was a lot of interest in me running another 4 week block at Sunshine House which I shall book for March/April time.

There was a very interesting sale of a painting I did with a view to a Christmas card but  I wasn't too keen on it and never had it printed, but brought it along to sell. It was really popular and attracted a lot of interest.....a snow leopard which you can see right in the middle of the stand, I haven't even got a separate photo of it, just goes to show... what do I know!!!

I also sold a small floral I did in the Fabio Cembranelli workshop.....

It was my favourite painting of the 2 days and I was really very pleased with it so delighted it has gone to Elise a fellow local artist and tutor (check out her page....very talented lady!!)

The final sale on the first day was to Barbara at the centre who already has about 4 of my paintings and is very supportive of my work

So 3 paintings sold on the first day and a few cards so not bad at all and left me quite optimistic for the following day.

I arrived bright and early (the bacon barms were calling!!) and had new stall holders next to me who really brightened my time there and made it a very enjoyable day. The biggest shock of my day was the centre wanting to buy 2 paintings, how cool was that?  They have funds available to support local artists, and want to leave a legacy of art work for future generations, marvellous idea!! Then a lady who has been to my workshops had seen some of the work in my cradle after I had left the day before and came over to ask about prices. These two paintings had never been mounted and as I was looking through the options and trying mounts on different pieces, I realised these two looked fabulous as a pair one landscape and one portrait, so I signed them in the appropriate spot and crossed my fingers!!

They were double mounted in off white with black inset and I was so pleased with how they looked and even more delighted they sold as a pair.

So a very successful event for me, even though the centre wasn't as busy as in previous years, the hard work before hand doesn't always pay dividends but happy to say in this case it did!!

Changing my Mind and more about Working from Photos

Switzerland is a beautiful place and we are lucky enough to be able to visit fairly often and during our first visit earlier this year, we had glorious weather.  I took masses of photos always with a view to painting them. Now I'm not sure if this happens to you but only a handful seem promising when I finally get to view them on here... why is that?

Anyway I do love painting poppies and there was a huge cornfield with clumps of wild poppies growing and I did think I would have a go, even though the images didn't look all that promising.

This is a selection of photos from the field to give you a feel for the view

The last image is the one I vaguely took the composition from and as you can see there is a sea of pale brown with odd bits of green. I thought I might do the painting like that but must have subconsciously changed my mind as it progressed as I found myself adding more blues, yellows and greens to the bg and moving away from the brown shades. Whether that is because I know green and red are complimentary and I am always looking for maximum contrast or whether on viewing I felt the combination a touch boring (am inclined to believe the latter is the case!!) I'm not sure but once again illustrates we don't need to stick to the colour scheme we see....the image is there as a starting point, and in terms of colour, shape, composition, tone etc, just there as a clue, a bit of guidance but not to be followed implicitly.

The composition took on more of a square feel and evolved as I painted it. Unusually for me I worked across the piece from right to left... normally I work across the whole painting at once, trying to make sure I work on dry areas around the piece but this happened differently (no idea why!!). So the darks were added as I moved across helping to build the composition as I went along. I then decided it needed a quin gold glaze across the whole of the top... I had kept the left quite warm and yellow and realised the right side needed a touch of warmth too. This is where I don't have to be a slave to my photo, I give myself permission to do whatever I like and whatever I think will improve my painting be it the colour, the composition, the light in fact anything at all. Because all those decisions are specific to me and my perception on the day, that is why painting like this creates a unique piece of art that not even I can copy!!

Next, I plan to do a close up of one or two heads and see where that takes me. Another benefit of painting like this is that I can use the same image and produce all sorts of different paintings and trying to think of different ways to do things certainly exercises the creative brain cells!!  I am always trying to challenge my students into using their own palette... sometimes I am very mean to them and don't tell them what colours I am using and they are sometimes quite frightened of making a mistake but often find it has been liberating too and they end up quite pleased with their results as their painting has their own stamp on it.