The Yin and The Yan

My weekend students had the will-power to paint facing each other and resisting the temptation to peek at each other's work. As I was trotting from one to the other I could see the 2 very different versions of 'Fat Old Sun'. I guess you could describe them as the Yin and the Yan as they were completely opposite. Sam's version was powerful and strong in colour. Stacey's version was gentle and softly blended, a very pastel version indeed. It just goes to show, you can have the same brushes, the same paints and be shown the same technique, but your personality and mood will expose itself in your painting style

Pop Art Portrait - Kings Of Leon

I forgot to take a photo of one of the Pop Art paintings I made for my eldest daughter's Christmas present. I managed to rectify this today by popping over to her house and seeing the painting hung in situ. With a spotlight by the side of it, hung on a plain wall, it really looks fab. Apparently everyone who has seen it has passed a favourable comment on it and one friend wants to book a Pop Art class with me so she can paint it for herself. For those of you who are wondering who this fab four are - it's the King's Of Leon. A few months ago my daughter was singing the band's praises to me. I told her I didn't know what all the fuss was about as I could take them or leave them (preferably leave them). Her reply was 'Mum, not liking the Kings of Leon is the ONLY un-cool thing about you. Well, things have changed since then and their latest CD is permanently in my car, with another copy of the same CD in the dining room (thanks to a generous Santa). They are now my baking background music and it's one of my most played CD's. Hopefully, that now makes me a cool mum........ I've put a larger version of this painting in my gallery HERE so you can view a more detailed image. It is gallery wrapped (which means it's painted right around the canvas edges) and measures 20 x 8 inches. This 4 person Pop Art portrait is for sale for £85 (includes postage and packing to UK mainland), should anyone want one.......or, for a £65 private class fee you could paint your own - or any other celebrity you care to name.

A new painting subject

We have another oil painting of a waterfall scene to add to the portfolio. Free Falling is a warm landscape with several shades of soft yellows and warm orange-browns. This is suitable for beginners and is available immediately as a private class option.

Pop Art

As well as teaching the wet on wet oil painting technique, I also teach pop art. Pop Art is made in acrylics and is only available as a private class. I can take up to two students maximum for this to allow for 100% personnal guidance. The Pop Art classes also run for approx 5 hours and the subject can be either taken from a family photo or a celebrity. If you wish to paint a family member, I will need the photo sent to me by either e-mail or post a week in advance to make sure it is suitable for Pop Art. If you wish to paint a celebrity I will need to know the name also a week in advance. This allows me to play around with images for the best possible representation. Tomorrow's private student wishes to paint Robbie Williams so today, in an exercise to experiment with colour mixing, I have painted my own Pop Art version as a guide. He's hanging on my lounge wall to dry and his eyes follow you everywhere! If you'd like to book a Pop Art Workshop, drop me a line on info@ayoubart.co.uk or call me on 01473 311938

Pop Art - Can you guess who it is yet?

Another painting subject was introduced in December.........POP ART. 2 students booked a private class so they could make their own portraits of their idols. The painting subjects were selected a week before the class as I have to be 110% sure that we can produce a good Pop Art image. The ladies had a ball making these images but were dubious that their finished results would remotely resemble the superstars. At the half way mark I simply took their canvases away from them, moved back several yards, held them up and waited for their gasps of delight, which duly followed. It is VERY hard to visualise your Pop Art when you are working at such close quarters - but put a few feet between 'you' and 'it' and all becomes clear. Can you guess who these stars, shown above, are?

Here's one of my own Pop Art commissions, sold just before Christmas