Ready for delivery

Many of my students have been passing remark about my latest WIP that's been sat on an easel in the studio.

Today I put the final strokes on this little fella and he'll be delivered, along with another portrait, tomorrow. I have to say, I'm sad to see this one go.

Some of you might just detect an essence of recognition about those eyes . You won't have known this handsome chap at this young age, but he's a much more familiar 'Edward' to us all, now standing over 6 foot tall, aged 17 and my ever attentive assistant.

Fingers crossed his mum will love her Birthday present.

Green is the colour of the week.

I've been in my element this week as all the classes so far have been green compositions. I could paint in greens and limes all day long, there's just something about the colours that delight me. It's my favourite colour - although you'll rarely find me actually wearing it.

Greens, I think, suit black canvases perfectly. While the black basepaint was out I thought it might be a good idea to get all the canvases prepped for next week's classes too. I like to do these in batches and it saves time for me in the long run.

Here's a snapshot of a small portion of yesterday's painting subject- my old favourite 'Mangrove Oasis'. It was the subject of the first 'big' class I ever taught. I was asked if I ever get tired of painting it - my answer is simple: It's green and it has trees and I could paint this sort of thing 7 days a week. But, interestingly, I do get tired of painting some class subjects. When that happens I simply remove them from the website. It's no good me feeling slightly 'anti' before a class, I have to love what I do or I'm not giving my students the best I possibly can. So - that may answer the mystery of why some subjects seem to come and go.

Exciting Announcement !

Today I took a trip to my framers to collect some paintings. My portrait of daughter number 2 is now all ready to hang in the lounge. It looks a little lonely in the alcove but I hope it will be joined by another couple of portraits fairly soon.

The originals were given as Christmas gifts and I miss them, so prints will have to do. I hope to fill this alcove with a selection of portraits over the year. They do look great hung in a group.

Plus...........while we are on the subject of portraits, here's some exciting news for you all. Valerie Stewart and I have just finalised the dates of her next UK Portrait Seminar. We'll be enjoying her company in May 2012 for another 4 days of Portrait Painting in oils. You can find details of the event HERE.

Not all of the T's have been crossed just yet but I will update the page (and Sue's News) with more details as and when they come through.

But, for now, you have the dates AND plenty of notice.

Excited ?? I am :)

If you would like to spend a few minutes enjoying some brilliant portraits you can CLICK HERE to be taken direct to Valerie's website.

A busy weekend

This weekend a distant customer took great advantage of a lift, with friends, to Ipswich. Christin has been wanting to learn portraiture for some time. This timely lift coincided perfectly with my diary and the opportunity was just too good too miss. Christin booked 2 portrait lessons, back to back, for 2 days. Because the portrait lessons are only 3 hours long, it's easy to do this from 10am to 1pm - 30 mins for lunch, then carry on from 1.30pm to 4.30pm.

Christin was lucky enough at Christmas to receive the Valerie Stewart DVD set, brushes and paints so there will be no stopping her when she gets home. Although we were unable to totally complete both portraits (as you really need 3 sessions per painting), Christin made really good headway on both pictures. She'll be back another time to complete them and is already planning to next paint our Queen and Bob Ross.

Christin is a Bob Ross instructor, so you can imagine we had lots to chat about being in the same 'industry'.

I asked Christin if the portrait lessons were how she thought they would be. 'No', she replied, 'they're even better than I imagined'. Isn't that lovely to hear?

If portraiture might be something that would interest you, do give me a call on 01473 311938 or drop me a line.

Didn't she do well ?

Today we painted a seascape, Joyce Ortner style. Using a small selection of soft brushes, we mixed our paint, loosened them with linseed oil and worked really hard at all the blending and softening to get realistic effects. It's much more fiddly than your average landscape, but worth learning Joyce's style as the results really are super.

My student, Sue, brought along to class a painting she made at home. Not only that, she is allowing me to show you all. Sue took 2 portrait seminars with me.......but this one she painted all by herself at home. I think it's absolutely brilliant. As I said to Sue........if this is painting number 3, think what painting number 10 will be like! She's already planning portrait number 4. I knew she would be hooked.

If you'd like to try portraiture do give me a call on 01473 311938 or drop me a line. At only £45 per lesson (all inclusive of equipment and materials) it's a special skill to learn that's worth every penny. Plus, my classes are aimed at beginners. Thanks to Valerie Stewart and her marvellous portrait technique, there's a growing demand for this.

A bit more space

Taking that office door off (in my studio) was timely. I had some last minute interest in last week's class and was able to squeeze one more person in. I felt a bit like Joyce Ortner .......she likes to sit on a stool and teach from the stand up easel. That's exactly the pose I struck for the class, setting up the free standing easel just inside the office with a stool to one side. The student who was sat closest to the rear exit was the only person who had to leave their chair to see my demo stages, so it's working really well. Tried and tested.

I just wanna feel.......

The ladies of the WI gave me a very warm welcome indeed last night - even helped me carry my bits to and from the car to set up for their talk and live demo. I was explaining the importance and relevance of the initial white medium base. I found myself coming up with the most bizarre clarification.

I told the ladies; 'If Robbie Williams were to ring me right now and say 'Sue, down tools, get your bag, I'm taking you to Paris for 2 days', I could walk away from this demo painting and return 2 days later to finish it off.' It's my rather fanciful way of illustrating how the white medium will stay wet enough to work with over a period of days.

A little later I uncovered a variety of paintings to illustrate what can be easily achieved using this technique, one of the subjects being my Robbie Williams portrait.

Combined with the fact I was humming 'Feel' by Robbie Williams as I was setting up....... mmmmmm a pattern forming here.

As I was in the final stages of my demo my phone went off and of course I ignored it.......but not without telling the ladies 'If that's Robbie wanting to whisk me away he'll just have to wait.'

Anyway ladies, just to let you know, it was me muvva......

Oh well, we can dream.

Have brush - will travel

I know, I know, I'm like the buses again. Nothing for ages then they all come together! Well, I just had to share an option that I've already been offering some of my existing students. These are students who have no transport or are unable to drive but live relatively close. I can come to you....... I can arrive fully equipped, with protective table coverings, tables too, if necessary. So if you'd like to paint in the comfort of your own home, be it landscapes or portraits, I'm happy to help. Your dining table will be great, or conservatory perhaps. As long as you don't live too far away, it's perfectly do-able. The charges will be based on a private lesson (£65) unless you want to paint a portrait (£45) travelling expenses will be added. Call me if this might interest you: 01473 311938

More space

Over the next few weeks there will be some design changes to the studio / classroom. The downstairs office is being emptied which will give a lot more room for a gallery, a few more desks and storage for art supplies. Already the door has been removed and the difference in the light is great. I think that dark door had quite an overpowering effect. It'll take a little while to get completely straight but I do love a re-vamp.

New Class Dates

Now that I'm up and about again I feel confident to add to the class timetable. A few more classes have been added, including portraiture and pop art lessons. The portraits are done, pretty much in 3 sessions. Some students have said to me they can make session 1 and 3 (for example) but are unable to make session 2. Well, that is so easily remedied. If you are unable to make any of the portrait dates I can easily fit you in with a date that's convenient to you. As long as I have a 3 hour window in my diary we can do it.

It's about time......literallly :)

The classes I am doing from my home studio are finishing quicker than the larger venue classes used to. The most obvious and logical reason is because the number of students are smaller. But, as I was telling yesterday's students, there's a number of small factors that also chip away at the time. One of the major changes is that it is rare a student ever needs to clean a brush, both during and after a class. I take on that task, easily spending half hour or more in my outside studio washing and conditioning all our brushes. Another factor.....The way I demo in my studio set up means students no longer have to leave their chairs to see my step by step demo. Imagine having to do that about 10 plus times a lesson.....just say it takes a minute to walk to the front of the class and back to your chair - that's already shaved over 10 minutes of the class time.This means, from the time you start your painting lesson with me it's all about painting. And that's just the way I like it. I think the student's are in agreement too :)

'Can I ask a favour?', said my student.

I spoke often last year about painting on the small side. Today I painted one of the smallest oils I've done so far. One of today's students asked me if I would paint our painting subject for her on a very small scale. She provided me with a tiny little canvas and explained it was to be a part of a project she was working on.

And you know me, I do like a challenge, so I happily gave it a go. The only difficulty I had was the canvas was extremely absorbant, drying the oil out in seconds, making the blending awkward. But I have a few tricks that sorted that out quite easily. What do you think of the micro version of 'Peach Dawn'? Quite cute, isn't it.

Say hello to Naboo and Rinkle

I'd like to introduce readers and students alike to two new members of my family.

I first met this breed of cat over 20 years ago when Pauline, a friend, led me to her daughter Zoe's bedroom. Zoe was tucked up in bed......but she slowly pulled back her bed covers to reveal a pretty little gremlin fast asleep.

From that day I have always wanted one.

Well, my dream came true last week when I collected a pair.

Welcome to Naboo and Rinkle my new Sphynx cats.

At the moment they are a bit poorly but in the week that I've had them they have improved 100%. They've practically spent their first week sleeping - but as soon as they are more active I'll take some shots so you can see their very striking and angular profiles.

Portraits are really proving fun

I know a lot of my customers and students have given portraits (both oils and Pop Art) as Christmas gifts this year.

The feedback from the delighted recipients has been brilliant.

'I can't believe you painted that'

'You did this yourself???' '

It's beautiful, thank you so much'

'Can you do some more'

If you'd like to have a go at portraiture, do have a look at my timetable to see if there are any dates that suit.

If not, just ask.......

Just this minute a distant customer has been in touch about portrait lessons. Her friend is coming to Ipswich for a weekend. Too good an opportunity to miss, she's managed to get herself a lift and we'll be working on 2 portrait projects over the course of 2 days.

Meanwhile.......here's one that went to Mr Andre just before Christmas.

Happy New Year !!!!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my readers, customers and student friends the warmest well wishes for the New Year.

'We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called "Opportunity" and its first chapter is New Year's Day.' Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Local Exhibition

There's a local exhibition coming up in a few weeks time. If you are in the area you might like to pop in and have a look. The Friends of St Mary's Church, Capel St Mary are holding their Art Exhibition and Sale from 22nd to 24th October inside the church. With over 40 artists taking part there should be more than 250 paintings to look at and buy. On Friday 22nd at 7.30pm there will be a preview evening. Tickets are £6, the cost to include light refreshments and a glass of wine. Saturday times are 10am - 5pm : Sunday times are 1pm - 5pm. Admittance is free and non-alchoholic refreshments will be available. For further information ring Joan Broyden on 01473 310596.

New Class Dates

Today is a catch-up day and I don't mind the rain when I'm stuck in the office all day long. With several supply orders being delivered today I know I'm not going to miss the delivery man too. Catch-up means website work and consequently I've just updated my class timetable page and added a few more dates and a few more painting's. Accounts are the next thing to be brought up to date, then the phone calls for other sundry bits and bobs. I quite like days like this - although I wouldn't want them too often......it reminds me of my full time office days too much.

Don't say I didn't warn you.......

Earlier this week we had a Pop Art class. From that class, 1 lady wants to return soon to paint another of her grand children, another lady has been asked to paint another one for her daughter and wants to paint both her nieces also, another lady posted her pop art portrait on facebook. The comments being left by family and friends tell me she'd easily be able to pick up a few portrait commissions. One thing I tell Pop Art students.........as soon as you start showing people what you have made EVERYONE will want one. And it's true. And that means there's an opportunity for students to undertake commissions of their own. If you fancy having a go at this really fun a popular painting class, I have one this week on Thursday, and I do have a spare seat available. Guaranteed results. Drop me a line or give me a call on 01473 311938 if you'd like to come along. (Hey, not to mention I have cake............)

My 'other' hobby

I'm at it again. It's been a while since I had a bake up and today was the perfect day for it. With the house to myself all day long I switched on the radio LOUD and had a good look in the cupboards. With eggs beginning to pile up again, first on the menu was 3 large farmhouse fruit cakes, followed by 2 dozen rock buns. Next up, a home made white loaf had the kitchen smelling wonderful combined with 8 pints of rich leek and potato soup. We have quite a lot of apples to use, so they went into 2 family sized apple pies, the rest were stewed up and popped in freezer bags. The customary tray of flap jacks were thrown into the oven, as it was on.....and whie I was on a roll with the pastry I thought I'd do a tray of large cheese scones. Although I sit here with an aching back after nearly 5 hours in the kitchen, it's so rewarding to know the freezer, fridge and cake tins are full of goodies. Aren't Alan and Steffi going to have a nice surprise when they get home?

Experiment for yourselves - and save some money

Many of you know already but for those of you who don't. In all my trials and tests on oils paints I have found pretty much most popular brands are suitable for the wet on wet technique. In today's class I quite happily proved this by using a total of not 1, not 2 but 5 different brands of paint. As I'm not tied into using any specific brands I'm free to use exactly what I want. One thing I will not do is compromise on standard and if it doesn't pass the test it finds itself left on a shelf somewhere in the dark and cobwebby recesses of my studio. With all these brands of paint squirted onto the palette side by side they all looked the same in consistency. You'd never know...... It's far better to pay attention to the actual quality of your painting surface, your base medium and the brushes you use. I really hope, as a tutor, I open up the many options available to students who want to set themselves up at home. Can anyone remember the test I done about 5 years ago? I painted 2 versions of the same painting side by side using identical brushes. Painting number 1 was made with student quality paint. Painting number 2 was made with professional artist paint. To give you a paint price comparison a 37ml tube of cad red student quality paint is £1.99, a 37ml tube of cad red professional artist quality paint is £10.39. 7 colours were used for the painting subject. When the painting was completed and dried I used to take them both along to art classes, explain what I had done, and ask the students to pick out which was the 'dear' one. And not many could. In one class I had another art instructor who studied both paintings, laughed and said 'Ha, it's obvious' and picked the wrong one. So, have fun, experiment, if you like a colour but it's not your usual brand - try it, the chances are in your favour it will probably work for you and mix in with your other paints just fine.