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.

Beautiful colour scheme

I'd like to show you a really delightful colour combination. Judy purchased my Golden Lake and Bamburgh Castle DVD's and she's been having fun painting them both in a variety of colours. It's great to see what other people make of these compositions and I love to see the results when students put in their own personalities. This beautiful bright blue and mauve, I think, work really well together. Judy writes: 'I have loved and thoroughly enjoyed painting the Golden Lake, but best of all the Bamburgh Castle, I've used other colours as well and they all look good. Had 4 framed and got good comments from the art dealer.' Judy is hoping to make some painting sales to help finance her 15 year old Grandson gain a world title in Tae-Kwondo in Portugal later this year. He already holds the British title. I'm sure you'll join me in wishing Judy all the best with her painting sales, they look beautifiul as they are, they look even more fabulous with their frames.

Her second ever painting - didn't she do well?

I hadn't planned on writing any blog entries today. But that changed when I checked my e-mails first thing this morning. Rebeka, my student, earlier this week left with a bag of painting supplies and DVD's. She has made a rather lovely version of 'Golden Lake' just by following my step by step guide. Hard to believe it's only her second ever painting - and this one she done by herself.

A new type of painting class?

This morning's demo was a lively event. I demo'ed this particular Art Group a couple of years ago and I've been a member ever since. Now, the first time I gave a talk I was fine, I didn't really know a soul. This time though was a little different as I'm really familiar now with all the other members. And this time.........I was a little nervous. I really wanted to give my friends a good talk, a good show, something a little different. The way to present a very different and new slant on the wet on wet technique came to me in an inspired early morning flash. I woke up at around 5.30am with a great little idea - and I put that idea into practice for the first half of the demo. I was thrilled at the end of the talk to be asked back AGAIN! So, with our diaries at the ready we've scheduled in a painting workshop. Once again, my supplies were popular as there's equipment and DVD's on offer to suit watercolour, acrylic, pastels and other. My main painting was raffled off, to raise funds for the group and it's gone to a really good home too. One lady was telling me that her nephew would love to learn to oil paint and would more than likely be interested in painting exactly the way I did during the first half......... 'It would suit him perfectly'. Now I'm wondering if I just might have struck upon a new-style oil painting class.......I'm not giving too much away at the moment, but I'll run the ideas by some of my regulars and see if they would be up for it. Isn't it great how one thing often leads to another.