Adventurous Artists 11th January

The next meeting of the Adventurous Artists Group will be in the City Art Gallery on Friday 11th January 2019 from 10-15am onwards. Meet at the top of the stairs - stools are provided.

Next main meeting is Wednesday 23rd January for our "Genius Night" Contact Di ASAP to sign up for your painting.

Art Extra Xmas meeeting

To celebrate the final meeting of 2018 we each brought a painting which meant something to us. We then heard stories ranging from pets,(Ann) gardens,(Mary)the weather,(Tony) a self- portrait(June) Biggleswade,(Pat) and travelling from the Grand Canal in Venice(Claire) to an old house in France.(Betty) These fascinating stories and beautiful poems by Pat with a few "nibbles" made an excellent start to the Christmas season.
 Next Art Extra afternoon is January 18th 2019, 1-30pm to 3-30pm. Names to Claire to get a place.

  

PHOTOGRAPHS ADVENTUROUS ARTISTS

The following were taken on the last outing.

ADVENTUROUS ARTISTS AT HOME

REPORT FROM DI

SKETCHING AT HOME IN DECEMBER

Our sketching group had to hastily re-locate when the King Rufus at Eling was not expecting their visit. I had mistakenly made arrangements with the pub of the same name (but different phone number) at Chandlers Ford. So six of us came to be comfortably seated in a living room which was a lot warmer than the air outside. The subject of most of the sketches was a large anthurium plant with heart-shaped leaves and deep pink flower bracts. Everyone rose to the challenge and the resulting sketches were beautiful. 

Most of us might not usually sit at home and sketch, but it is well worth the effort in order to test our drawing skills on a different subject.

Di Alexander

GET READY FOR JANUARY

MESSAGE FROM DI

WED 23^RD JANUARY 2019  

THREE SCORE CLUB TOTTON 7.30 p.m. ‘GENIUS NIGHT’ (The COMPETITION open to T.A.S. Members)

 

Paint your version of a famous painting of your choice.

Mount / frame it according to the medium and support that you use. Although framing is not mandatory please provide a backing so that it can be displayed vertically.

 

Enter the Genius Night Competition by contacting Di Alexander  email dga@dialexander.co.uk or telephone 07979905192  preferably by 1^st January confirming that you are happy to talk to members about what it was like to paint it and what you learnt about the artist. You will hopefully give permission for your work to be featured online too.

You could bring to the meeting: your painting, notes to remind yourself what to say and additional information (books/pictures/cards, etc.) about your chosen artist.

 

We will vote for the most interesting/best entry at the end of the evening.

 

The prize will be £20 cash.

 

You can of course paint a famous painting and bring it to the meeting without entering the competition. This will be a fun evening with a difference! 

Monochrome portrait Demonstration

Monochrome portrait Demonstration by Susan Kerrigan-Harris  

We are grateful to Susan for doing  this demonstration at short notice after the regrettable and unavoidable cancellation by the previous demonstrator.

The subject for her monochrome pastel painting was a Russian girl who lives in Italy. Monochrome paintings are used by Susan as tonal studies for later colour paintings.

Working from a mobile phone photograph onto a light grey velour pastel paper she uses a mixture of hard and soft pastels (Unison)and pastel pencils (Caran d'Arche soft and Derwent or Pitt hard). Test the pastel or pencil on the hand to determine hardness and remove shininess by rubbing on sandpaper.

         There are about four types of pastel paper ranging in "tooth" from velour to sandpaper. Using velour paper means that the pastel has to be rubbed to get a dense amount of colour on the paper but does allow a light covering to catch if necessary. With pencils the side of the pencil is used to make a mark not the tip.

 Excess can be removed with a photographic blower brush and highlights taken out with  a torchon or blender. The painting is sprayed very lightly with fixative.

To sharpen pencils use a craft knife in a scooping movement and finish to a point with sandpaper.

Powder or Pan pastels can be painted on with a sponge brush for backgrounds.  

Before beginning a painting study the subject carefully to try to understand the character.

Do an outline drawing of the face and hair to begin and then concentrate firstly on the eyes. White is used for the whites of the eye and to create highlights in the centre of the eye as well as on the eyelids, under eyebrows, lips, cheekbones and hair etc. It is important to produce a slight dip in the corner of the eye. Eye lashes are painted by using a Payne's Grey pastel pencil and starting by putting in scattered lashes then filling the gaps.

Dark areas are painted using the side of the pastel and details with a dark pencil.

A very light covering of light grey pastel is put on in appropriate areas to emphasise the highlights.

 This was a fascinating demonstration and we look forward to another evening with another subject.

At the Tea Break

Nearly Finished

 SUSAN ALSO WROTE LATER:- 
What a wonderful experience last night, I had a great time!  I have finished both portraits this morning so thought I would send them on to you to share with your members.  The little girl just fell out of my pencil today and I
finished her in 1.5 hours. That might just be a record lol!

Toddler

I forgot to mention last night that anyone who is on facebook might be interested in my pastel group.  I post pastel tips and techniques and videos of what I'm working on.   Here is the link:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/softpasteltips/ 
Best Wishes and Happy Christmas
Sue Kerrigan-Harris
www.skhportraits.co.uk
07740 282399

Finished portrait

ALSO ON THE EVENING WERE THE FOLLOWING ON THE DISPLAY TABLE :-

The Art Journey table had Christmas cards by Maria Hillman and an acrylic painting on Aluminium Composite Panel (primed with gesso) painted by Di

 

ADVENTUROUS ARTISTS DEC 14TH

KING RUFUS MEETING
We will meet on DEC 14th at 10-15 for 10-30am  at the King Rufus pub at Eling Hill SO40 9HE  at 10-15 a.m.  Please park on the side of the road and leave the parking outside of the pub for anyone with limited mobility.  As usual, we are expected to buy something to drink/eat while we are there.

 ART EXTRA DECEMBER 18TH 1-30 TO 3-30pm
IN THE LILAC ROOM at the Community Centre. Please PHONE CLAIRE beforehand if you wish to come as numbers are limited by the size of the room. Bring £1, a few nibbles to celebrate the Christmas season and a painting which means a lot to you to "Show and Tell"  

NEWS FROM THE ONE-DAY SALE
Plenty of paintings and cards were sold although not as many as last year probably due to the bad weather.
The First World War painting by Ali was later auctioned at the British Legion for £300 for the Poppy Appeal. Well done, Ali -excellent result!  

Next DEMONSTRATION 28th nov.

NOVEMBER 28TH DEMONSTRATION
Web site is now up and running again so see it for details and see  previous Blog.

ADVENTUROUS ARTISTS AT LANDFORD

LANDFORD VISIT

Eight of us had a great time on a showery morning at Landford garden centre where there were covered areas and a cafe. The ‘gothic ruins’ was a popular subject.  Penny’s scarecrow looked rather sweet rather than scary! Ali’s sketch proved that she knows her perspective!

NEXT MONTH'S VENUE is the King Rufus pub at Eling Hill at 10.15 a.m. on Friday 14th December.



Ali

Elaine and Penny



 

November 28th

The NEXT DEMONSTRATION EVENING IS NOVEMBER 28TH (see below)

CHANGE OF DEMONSTRATOR

There is a change to our published programme in November.

We look forward to welcoming local artist SUSAN KERRIGAN-HARRIS who will paint a  monochrome portrait in pastels. She enjoys painting children as well as pets and here is an example of her work.

NEXT EVENTS (after the one day sale)

ADVENTUROUS ARTISTS INFORMAL SKETCHING MORNING

FRIDAY 9th NOVEMBER 10.15 a.m.

Landford Garden Centre, SP5 2BE    (drive past Plaitford on the A36. It is on the left-hand side. )

Bring your sketching gear and a stool. There is a covered area and a cafe. Garden Centres  are always interesting near Christmas so come and get into the Xmas spirit and perhaps produce a few potential Xmas cards !     

Contact Di if you need any more information Tel. 07979905192

 

ART EXTRA on NOVEMBER 20TH (and DEC. 16TH) in the Civic centre from 1-30 TO 3-3O. Bring your own work and see what others are doing. Please let Claire know beforehand if you want to come as numbers are limited by the size of the room. ( £1 charge for room hire) AN ENJOYABLE AND FUN AFTERNOON.  

 

DEMONSTRATION EVENING NOVEMBER 28TH

DANRHAZ RAMDHARRY produces a monochrome portrait.

 Please bring your latest work to show on the Art Table.

 

MEMBERS EVENING  JANUARY 28TH  - START WORK NOW!! Following from Di:-

 

 

Madonna by Leonardo da Vince

 

 

‘GENIUS NIGHT’

T.A.S. MEMBERS’ COMPETITION

WED 23^RD JANUARY 2019

Paint your version of a famous painting of your choice.

Mount / frame it according to the medium and support that you use, although framing is not mandatory.  Unframed works should be stiffened enough to be displayed vertically.

 Enter the Genius Night Competition by contacting Di Alexander (email a@dialexander.co.uk or telephone 07979905192) on or before 1^st January confirming that you are happy

(a)  to talk to members about why you painted that picture by that artist and

(b) give permission for your work to be featured online.

Please bring to the meeting:

1) your painting

2) notes to remind yourself what to say

3)  additional information (books/pictures/cards, etc.) 

     about the artist

We will vote for our favourite ‘genius’ at the end of the evening.

The prize will be £20 cash.

ONE DAY SALE NOV 10th

SPREAD THE WORD and get your friends to come ! AT THE THREE SCORE CLUB ON 10TH.
An excellent opportunity to sell your work.

Help needed to set up from 8.30 a.m. This involves setting out chairs and putting out paintings and other art work as it comes in.

Handing in 9.00 - 9.30 a.m.

Sale 10.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m.

Collect unsold work 4.00 p.m.

 

Entry forms are available on the morning or can be downloaded from the website.

Some members are giving part or whole of the proceeds from a painting to the Poppy day appeal.

SHADOW PAINTING

PODI LAWRENCE DEMONSTRATION ON PAINTING SHADOWS 

Podi had just returned from Greece where she was running a painting holiday in Kalymnos. She has paintings held in galleries etc worldwide and was recently one of the finalists in the Artists Illustrated Artist of the Year competition.

She began by showing us the method she uses for getting the shadow effect in her paintings. The canvas she favours is smooth linen of good quality ready primed from Jackson's. Paints are mainly Golden Open acrylic and Windsor and Newton. She mixes the paint with pouring medium or slow drying medium. She has found that it is possible to wipe out the paint to get a faint shadow effect if the mediums are used but it is not so easy if they are diluted with water. The brush that she used was a flat No 4 synthetic from Jackson's and the colours Ultramarine, Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Sienna and Bismuth Yellow. The colours are mixed to give greens and violets which are present as a slight tinge in some shadows.  

While she was working she pointed out the following points:-

 

1. If the object is close the shadow has a hard edge.

2. A mix of Ultramarine with Alizarin and Burnt Sienna is added on top of the first layer of shadow and blended at the edge with fingers.

3. Addition of the pouring medium increases the flow and produces interesting drips.

4. Wipe off the paint if it is too thick/dense/heavy.

5. Allow at least 10 minutes of observation before starting to draw or paint.

6. Be careful where the shadows are placed - make sure they fit the angle of the sun.

7. Some leaves show the underside and some are translucent. This is also reflected in the shadows.

The painting she was working on would take some more days of painting before it was finished. We were very grateful to Podi for showing us how she produces such beautiful paintings

WINNER OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY SILVER AWARD

This year was the first year that visitors to the Summer Exhibition voted for their favourite painting. Two trophies to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the founding of Totton Art Society are to be awarded each year to the winning artists. Fred Grist and Peter Gurney are the joint winners of the 2018 50^th Anniversary Gold Award and were previously presented with their trophies.( See web-site for pictures) 

Trevor Pike is the winner of the 2018 50^th Anniversary Silver Award and was presented with his cup on the last Demonstration evening.

WILDLIFE WORKSHOP

The workshop where members painted their own favourite wildlife painting was enjoyed very much by all who took part and resulted in excellent paintings by everyone. Photographs thanks to Anne and Bob.

 

FURSEY AND KAREN'S OPEN STUDIO

ADVENTUROUS ARTISTS SKETCHING AT FURZEY GARDENS
Here are a few photos just to prove that some of us braved the wind and rain at Furzey Gardens on Friday. These are the sketches done by me and Helen. I really enjoyed the chat with Harry, his wife Olive and Peter in the tearooms afterwards. Furzey is well kept and there are some lovely things in the gift shop. I could not resist buying a few plants too.

 Di Alexander

_______________________________________________________________

KAREN FRAMPTON’S OPEN STUDIO 20-22 OCTOBER 10.00 - 5.00
WOODSIDE COTTAGE, MINSTEAD, SO43 7GB

Karen Frampton would love to see you at her studio next weekend. Her range of artwork is now even more extensive, including paintings, prints, cards and paintings on slate and wood. See Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=290569541569925&set=a.118405125453035&type=3&t.

 

NEXT BIG EVENT

ONE-DAY SALE on SATURDAY 10TH NOVEMBER at the Three Score Club from 10am to 4pm. Bring your paintings that you wish to sell early and help with setting up, refreshments and putting away afterwards.

ADVENTUROUS ARTISTS ART JOURNEY

FRIDAY, 12TH OCTOBER ADVENTUROUS ARTISTS meet at FURSEY GARDENS at 10-15 am
Entry is by donation. Bring a seat.

ART JOURNEY bring your latest work to the demo evening on 24th. There is no set theme for this month.

Art Extra, Workshop, Demo Evening

The next Art Extra afternoon is on Tuesday, 16th October at 1-30 pm in the Lilac room. Bring paints and brushes etc and "do your own thing"
Workshop on Wildlife Painting is in the Palm Room on Saturday, 20th October. See Claire for details.
The next Demonstration evening is on 24th October in the Three Score Club when Podi Lawrence will paint a scene with shadows. See the website for more details.

DEBBIE HIDE DEMONSTRATION

Demonstration evening with Debbie Hide

Debbie paints pictures of wildlife - mostly foxes and cats - using unusual backgrounds. She uses Pastelmat paper and produces a background first using acrylic ink or paint or watercolour and Aquacolour either bronze, gold or silver.  The background is sprayed with water and allowed to run to produce a variety of patterns.She produces a number of backgrounds at once and then selects a suitable one for her subject.

 For the actual subject Debbie uses pastel pencils or coloured pencils. They are sharpened to a good point using a ceramic sharpener - a slice.

 Extremes of tones are put in first using random varied lines rather than uniform ones. This produces the impression of real fur more accurately. She likes to start with the dark areas first then work into the light ones.

 Although it is a good idea to start in one corner to avoid smudging the painting should be approached as a whole and not worked at in small areas at one time. To prevent smudging Debbie rests only her little finger on the paper and when the painting is finished protects it with a sheet of glacine paper. Finally after using pale grey for the lightest areas Debbie added highlights in white.  

 

Debbie is an impressive artist and has many hints and tips so that this was a very enjoyable and informative evening.

THE PILGRIM INN

We all had a very enjoyable morning sketching the thatched inn and later in the morning having a welcome coffee in the bar area. Here are some of the sketches and sketchers.