Gormley's Winter show

Gormley's annual Winter Exhibition finishes on 30th January for a chance to look a couple of small paintings of mine.
 

Painting the figure at BLOCK T, Smithfield January 2015

I'm delighted to say there's an exciting new figure painting course this month, which I'm involved in. It's now open for enrollment at BLOCK T, Smithfield. More info and booking here.

Cast Painting Workshop with Nicholas Benedict Robinson at Kennedy Art

Visual Artists Ireland link to my upcoming August workshop



Cast Painting Workshop with Nicholas Benedict Robinson at Kennedy Art

Oil painting the figure at Block-T this June!

I'm looking forward to a week of oil painting at Block-T, Smithfield later this month. So come and join us on the 23rd for 5 days of painting the female figure. Full details, including booking and contact info are all on the Visual Artists Ireland website - or contact us here alternatively. Places have been kept to minimum for optimizing the experience. See you there!

Photos from the Jordan Sokol demo at FAA, Sweden

Can't believe it's been a week already since Jordan Sokol did a two-day portrait demo at the Florence Academy of Art, Sweden, which I attended. (I will just get these photos up and add some commentary later.)

Day 1 (24/5/14)

Setting up.

Jordan recommended spending a long-time setting up and even to include this into the cost of your model-cost considerations. The panel was primed birch plywood. Discussing this choice later inspired an interesting and lengthy (and very nerdy) conversation about materials and the longevity of paintings. 

"Lower your expectations, please!"

Beginning of the block-in.

During the block-in stage Jordan discussed the various online sources for quality information on materials, and artists who are worth reading or listening to about the subject. These included the suggested donation podcast, Ralph Meyer of course, Ted Minoff, George O'Hanlon of natural pigments and the National Gallery bulletin amongst others. The artist Dan Thompson also came up in reference to drawing.

Further progress in the block-in

"Draw first - measure second." A comment I found valuable.

Some white beginning to be added to the block-in.

The attendees were very keen to ask about the choice of colours used once they were added to the palette. The white was a lead white from Natural Pigments. Jordan used this to both begin on a skin-tone and to correct and refine drawing. Drawing at this stage was kept abstract.  

Beginning of the colour-value block-in. 

Working from the middle values out to the darker and lighter ones.

Hog bristle brushes can be used to cover large areas quickly. Mongoose bristle brushes were also cited as a further choice for their delicate yet stiff quality.

The 5 colour-value palette for colour block-in.

Amongst others Holbein Vermillion and Williamsburg Cadmium Red Vermilion were used. 

The end of the first day's work

Another portrait Jordan had brought to show as part of the demo.

Again, unfortunately a lot of the colours, shapes and edges are lost in the photograph.
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Day 2 (25/5/14)

A retouch varnish can be applied to a dry-to-the-touch painting in order to begin working on it again. The shapes are worked on taking them from an abstract, or perceptual, to a more conceptual form - meaning the shapes - as they are understood as well as are observed - are considered in design. In going towards this more conceptual design the advice was given to draw what you see - not what you know - but know what to look for.

In the discussion on painting Jordan mentioned a quote from Philip Guston which reads "When you're in the studio painting, there are a lot of people in there with you - your teachers, friends, painters from history, critics... and one by one if you're really painting, they walk out. And if you're really painting YOU walk out."

Some pinks and purples and greys are not as apparent in this photograph as they were in the actual painting unfortunately.

Final result on Day 2 

(Thanks to Stephanie for these pics!)

detail

Straight Outta Compton (Surrey) - The Watt's Gallery

Photos from my visit to the Watts Gallery this weekend. Anyone who has even a passing interest in Symbolist or Victorian painters has to pay this place a visit. Watts was hugely popular in his day but is somewhat forgotten now. The Watt's Gallery is helping to right this wrong with their beautiful restoration of the gallery and amazing paintings. The gallery staff were really helpful and friendly. And very easy to get to from London (30 minutes or so from Waterloo station to Guildford, then 10 minutes on the no. 46 bus direct to the gallery). Highly recommended.

(More to follow...)