Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 38 i Artists Drawing and Inspiration

ARTIST’S DRAWING & INSPIRATION magazine seeks to showcase the works of talented Australians producing art at a whole range of skill levels, whether they are accomplished creative people with a long history of achievements or beginners (of all ages) striving to build their identities and reach their particular artistic goals. This ‘Gallery’ segment provides a place to display pictures by people who may not have the means or the opportunity to be extensively featured in our magazine. Submissions are sought from such people for future Issues. This issue I am pleased to display the work of another five enthusiastic artists. BILL BARLOW  I am attending an art class taught by Janice Timmons at the Neighbourhood House facility in Traralgon. My project is a series of portraits of rock stars. Although…

• Print your reference photo in black and white. • Your pencil needs to be so sharp that it can be used as a stabbing weapon. Turn your pencil after every couple of strokes to get a longer life on your sharp tip. • When starting a new area of the drawing, always start with the shade that you consider to be the “black” of your tones (the darkest). Then add your mid tones. Be careful to start light and then add more dark. It’s easier to go darker if you need to. • Pencil strokes should preferably start in dark areas and then flick to the light areas. This helps to create the illusion of hair which tapers off. • Avoid using an eraser to fix mistakes because it…

• Keep a thick piece of folded rag nearby so you can continually wipe your pastels and your hands clean to stop colours contaminating each other. • Take your own photos to avoid any copyright issues. • An ordinary lead pencil eraser works very well for taking off small mistakes. • Don't be scared to experiment, try all the different surfaces and pastel brands that you can, you don't need to use large amounts and many papers can be washed off. • Don't sacrifice a good piece by leaving in an element that you know doesn't work but took you lots of effort to add. • Finding the right value and the right temperature is more important than finding the right colour. • Try using watercolour, thinned oil paint or…

AMAZING CANVAS AND PAPER FROM S & S Fredrix Oil Primed Linen Canvas Oil primed linen was one of the first surfaces developed for ‘modern’ day painting. For hundreds of years, oil painters have recognised that traditionally prepared oil-primed Belgian linen is the ultimate support for their artwork. With the advent of acrylic and watercolour paint along with the development of faster production methods for less expensive cotton fabric canvas, the use and popularity of traditional oil primed linen steadily declined over the past 50 years. With the introduction of cheap, poorly constructed, non-archival canvases, many oil painters are now turning back to the original (and best) painting surface for oil painting. The Phoenicians introduced flax to Europe and the quality varies according to soil and weather conditions. Ireland, Poland,…

• A good clear reference photo, preferably in black and white and one also in colour • Use a good quality paper • Keep pencils sharp • Make squaring up really light on your blank paper • Always have a clean piece of paper under your drawing hand to prevent oils from your skin touching paper • Depending on what hand you write with, work from the opposite side • Hold pencil lightly and towards non pointed end, except for small detail • Take regular breaks to avoid eye strain and tight muscles. You will get a better perspective when away from it, and come back • If something is bothering you about it, leave it for a day and you will be surprised how it pops out at you…

I came to two-dimensional creative pursuits less than 10 years ago, having been a potter and clay sculptor since 1970. I completed the Certificate in Studio Ceramics in Brisbane in 1981. Born in Sydney, my schooling, and thus my career path, was directed firmly to university study, and artistic interests were to be shunned. I worked as a psychologist for some years until the opportunity to do pottery in Adelaide, when my oldest child was 12 months old, saw me enjoying the contact with clay which I have continued the rest of my life. I always believed that I couldn’t draw, however, but always had a yearning to do so. With a move to the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, I decided that it was “now or never” and found myself a…

Where do I begin? Do I start at primary school where, like so many children before and after me, I drew my favourite cartoon characters? Do I start at aged 12, drawing my guinea pig (I wasn’t allowed to have a horse) who courageously sat through hours of being used as a life model? Do I start in high school where I was taught to draw with the “right side of my brain” and was really impressed when my drawings actually looked like what it was supposed to? Or do I start aged 38 when I decided to live in the moment like the animals that inspire me and become a full-time artist? Let’s start in university… After finishing the HSC doing 3-unit Art, I was “steered” by my parents…

STEP ONE Pencil drawing in sketch book. STEP TWO Using carbon paper, I transferred the drawing onto cream coloured velour paper, then drew over the outlines with “willow charcoal” followed by a paper stump (lightly dragged over the lines) to set the charcoal and stop it being smudged, then I proceeded to fill in some of the gear, once again with willow charcoal. STEP THREE I started from the top, using my finger and a small hog hair brush to soften the lighter areas where necessary. STEP FOUR I continued to fill in and blend with fingers, working left to right and top to bottom (as I am right handed). STEP FIVE A light application of charcoal was applied to the face and blended with fingers, lightest areas on the…

STEP ONE I placed the lilies in a position where their stamens were not going to stain cushions, paintings, or anything else if they dropped (I learnt this the hard way). I taped the watercolour paper to a support board to prepare for a later stage of dribbling paint, when I would need it to stand up. I sketched some of the feature lilies. I intended to add a couple more lilies after the washes of paint. STEP TWO I applied the first colours, some of which were thrown on as the substrate leaned against a wall. The paint was loaded up on wet brushes and flicked on and dashed on. I also poured and dribbled some paint, letting it make vertical lines. Some of the watercolour paint was gently…

My demonstration is a painting slightly different to my usual beach scenes, which are normally completed in landscape. I had taken some photos on a really cloudy day where rain was imminent and I was sitting on the beach while my husband was fishing. The unusual cloud formation and wild seas really needed a larger format and I thought a tall narrow painting would be interesting. Note throughout this demonstration there is no pre-drawing of the subject however, as mentioned in my article, I measure and mark the main points of the painting to ensure their placement is correct. 67cm H x 33 cm W (Pastel on sanded paper) STEP ONE After deciding where the horizon line would be I blocked in the clouds with Ultramarine Light. STEP TWO Using…

• A few hints on using soft “Willow Charcoal” • Willow Charcoal is actually made from willow branches (burnt to a crisp so to speak) and being powdery when used it obviously creates a bit of dust, is messy and definitely not good for the nose! However a little care will solve these problems. (Same treatment as for pastels). • I use an upright easel with a small ledge at the bottom of the work surface, and any dust just falls down to the ledge where it can be wiped straight into a bin with a tissue or rag etc. If an upright easel is not an option, a drawing board or table easel can be used, just use a firm piece of paper about 5 or 6cm wide and…

STEP ONE Box up your picture you are copying from into squares and do the same with your art paper. Do this really lightly on the blank sheet, so it can be erased. Lightly pencil in the outline of your portrait and when happy with it start rubbing out squares. An electric eraser is great for this job. Secure your work on a board which is a size that is easy to rotate, for getting the right angles for layering. STEP TWO Starting with 4H, hold the pencil lightly towards the non-pointy end and layer the face leaving no gaps. Avoid eyes and mouth. When a full coverage is done the eye (depending which side you are working from) eyebrow, nose and mouth can be drawn in detail. Change to…

• Follow your own instinct. • Be confident. • The best way for grey graphite lines not to show, is to not put them there in the first place. • Don’t press too hard on one section of the tape while you are drawing. Relax. • Let the washes and splatterings dry before using the pen again; and this tip is recorded for myself to read as it is something I don’t always remember in the excitement of the process. Who wants to wait for paint to dry? • If you think that you are really stuck or confused, let the paint dry; take the tape off and look at the work freshly (you can re-tape the paper to the board if you decide that it needs more work). •…

• I always have the following pastels in my pastel box - Schmincke White – for the whitest whites, Art Spectrum Flinders Blue Violet D520, Art Spectrum Flinders Red Violet D517, Art Spectrum Phthalo Green D570 and Unison pastels – their clear bright colours always add zing to a painting. • I use workable spray sparingly. It is necessary to keep colours in layers vibrant, but does flatten the painting. I work over the flat areas again to bring them alive. • A soft flat paint brush is good for removing pastel from pastel paper. • Paint for enjoyment and don’t allow yourself to be too constrained by “rules”. • Find the subjects and medium that you enjoy and paint the pictures that call out to you.…

• Don’t just rely on your eye...... measure, measure and measure. • Try to vary your subject matter and experiment with your palette to keep your work fresh. • Don’t be too scared to make mistakes, pastel is fairly forgiving and can be erased, especially when using sanded paper. • When painting from photos remember there is subject matter in the shadows; don’t just make it a dark area of nothingness. • Try to have something to aim for to prevent procrastination, either an art show or a date set for an exhibition. • I always wear a light face mask to prevent breathing in pastel dust. • Enjoy yourself…