This past weekend I taught a workshop for Nancy Lynn Hughes at Kensington Art Supply & Instruction in their beautiful new location at 6999 11 Street S.E. Calgary.

Here is a short preview clip that shows some of the techniques taught in this workshop.

 

This was a fairly new workshop for me. At first the title, Experimental Watercolour  seems a little daunting. “Experimental” carries a lot of connotations but really what it is is using water in a much more intentional way for all the many effects it can create.

I just got the first stage of each demo completed during the workshop and I wanted to show the various stages of the way I finished each painting .

This first painting is a very loose interpretation of a tree I photographed in Glenmore Park. This  painting is a lot of fun to do.  Everyone had a great time doing it.  I think because it’s such a different approach to painting that everyone had to just let go and let the water do it’s thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next painting is of a favourite location.  It’s a small creek at Elbow Falls just directly across from the falls.  I like the zig zag pattern as the creek disappears into the trees.  This painting was done with a lot of masking and a lot of throwing of paint.

This is the painting after the workshop.  You can see that all the snow is masked out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was after the first time in the studio.  I used some tree stamps made out of matt board to begin the main trees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 3 with the masking removed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the final version.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next painting is a demonstration of a method to create water by painting bands of colour and spraying them until they blend.  It was also an introduction to using masking fluid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I used a sharpened stir stick dipped into white gouache to get the fine line of the fishing pole and line.

I really enjoyed the paintings of Loreley.  I love her version of the Glenmore Tree.  Gorgeous colour, fascinating lines, and a great sense of light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a wonderful workshop.  A great group of friendly and enthusiastic students.  Thanks to all.

Don’t forget that I’m offering a Plein Air Workshop at the same location June 13 – 14, 2015.  Call Nancy if you are interested.