ART NOUVEAU WORKSHOP

ART NOUVEAU WORKSHOP SATURDAY 18th MAY

Sign up for our next Saturday workshop with Betty Rackham at the next Demo Evening. Names and fees to Claire. The workshop will run in the Community Centre from 10am to 4pm.

Watercolour Landscape

WEDNESDAY 24TH APRIL

PETER FRENCH will demonstrate how he paints a landscape in watercolours.

AGM ,Demo on Painting surfaces, Bring and Buy

AGM AND PAINTING SURFACE DEMO 

AGM

All current members of the Committee who agreed to continue were re-elected and Henry Needham was elected onto the Committee.

We still need a Publicity Officer and a Treasurer but hopefully we will have these soon!! 

Full details of the meeting will be available in the minutes. 

BRING AND BUY

Claire had organised this so thanks to her and to everyone who brought and bought. 

Demonstration on painting surfaces by Di.

It was obvious that Di had spent many hours investigating and preparing this demonstration.

She explained the advantages and disadvantages of different surfaces and their preparation for painting. 3mm MDF is rather thin so it is best to use a thicker MDF as is the case with plywood. Plywood  and hardboard bend and are affected by heat and water.  All surfaces have to be primed and it is best in the case of MDF to use a sealer or shellac. As MDF is carcinogenic and contains formaldehyde it is best to cut it wearing goggles and thoroughly seal it on both surfaces and sides.

 

An ordinary paint primer is no use as it doesn't last - it cracks and peels off.

Di then showed us how to make gesso from 2 parts paint : 1 part whiting : 1 part PVA glue : 2 parts water. Texture can be added using eg. egg shells, vegetable netting or pulses or by making it thicker to use it as a texture paint. The first coat of gesso should be thin but the next 2 or 3 thicker.

 

All the boards can be covered with fabric. First cut the board to fit the frame then cut the fabric either to the edge or leaving an edge to be folded over. A disadvantage is that it can wrinkle.

 

Aluminium is another surface which can be used. It is light and indestructable and can be used with many media but not pastels. It must be cut to fit the frame. It is first sanded with a block then wiped over with alcohol to remove dirt and dust before priming with gesso. Pictures can be hung by attaching wooden stripes with superglue then using hooks or self-adhesive hooks can be used.

 

We thank Di for a very interesting and useful demonstration which will prove very useful for future paintings. Full details are available on her website

  http://www.oldenglandfineart.co.uk/preparingrigidsupports.html