Left in peace to paint

I've just put the finishing touches to this seascape sketch and very pleased with it I am too!

I read somewhere that someone assessed that the amount of work Picasso was able to do equated to doing at least one painting a day. Well all I can say is that he must have had a string of minions dong his admin, his articles, his paperwork, his promotion and everything else to leave him in peace to paint!

For us lesser mortals we must content ourselves with buying plenty of long candles to burn at both ends with stocks of midnight oil in the cupboard as well.

So, there is a great deal of personal satisfaction in finishing this sketch after returning home (having travelled some distance north) from a one to one teaching day.

Now...back to the studio to get everything ready for the framers tomorrow!

A well deserved cup of tea!

I'm currently working at full tilt.  I'm painting, sketching sorting out framing, organising the Autumn workshops and next years workshops, art courses, residential art breaks and demos, designing (yes I still do that), writing, packing work for open shows, sending it off...you name it, I'm on it!

I love what I do and especially when a big box of pastels like this arrives! I cashed in my award from Royal Talens from 'Patchings' Open Arts competition earlier in June for my landscape painting 'Peregrine above Malham Cove'
http://www.patchingsartcentre.co.uk/festivalexhibition/onlinegallery/exhibition2014/painting.php?cat=ta&pic=16
and put a bit towards the full set of Rembrandt pastels and..hey presto along comes this full set of 225 beautiful soft pastels from this great independent art supplier http://iartsupplies.co.uk/ a little later on. Fantastic!

Next job. Time to strip off all those labels and start to break the pastels (at least in half) AND THEN start to use them! Yes that's right, practice what I preach. The broken pieces allow you to create such great marks you know!

The pastels can only look pretty for so long....well, for the time it takes me to drink that tea whilst having a small break, enjoying the last of the days sun, listening to the birds... and reflect on this marked achievement at least.

It's almost a year to the day too since I took the plunge and decided to leave the office behind to paint full time. Winning awards for my work really does inject a self confidence boost and helps to know that the decision to go solo, follow my heart with a clear straight head was the right thing to do. 

I'm going to have plenty of opportunities to put these pastels through their paces very, very soon! It's back to the East Coast for me this weekend! Bempton most likely. I just cannot keep away from those dramatic cliffs. The Gannets for the best part may well have gone, the Puffins too but the Gulls and the Kittiwakes will remain.


Another great opportunity to get out there and work directly outdoors to create more expressive pastel paintings for the 'All Paintings Great and Small' show we are having at the visitors centre at Sutton Bank in April next year!

Then there are all those shared skills to demonstrate for all my students on different classes, course, residential art breaks, between creating all those paintings.  

Exciting times ahead. Now...lets get pealing those wrappers off!

iartsupplies.co.uk - the online art shop

Tel:  +44 (0)1337 860860

paul@iartsupplies.co.uk

http://iartsupplies.co.uk/ 

Budding art students within Ripley Castle walled garden!

It's always a delight to be back at Ripley, the lovely picturesque village north of Harrogate, especially when I get the chance to visit the beautiful well kept walled garden in the grounds of Ripley Castle itself!

I got the chance to return again on Monday 21st July 2014 to teach 5 keen students who were on the all inclusive superb value for money mini art break organised by ‘The Boars Head’ in the centre of the village.

The keen group of students (having spent the night in luxury accommodation this lovely historic coaching inn) met me at The Boars Head in the morning and sharing a lovely coffee we got to know each other a little before heading off to wonderful walled garden to paint and draw and discover all the hidden corners and inspirational compositions in the garden for which there were many.

The Summer sun was certainly showing the garden at its best as we walked and talked and I explained how to assess various aspects of the walled garden to create really different and exciting colourful compositions to draw and paint. 

Guiding students every step of the way throughout the day, first with an initial short demonstration in pastels showing how to simplify the subject, soon after everyone created the initial foundation too on which to base their afternoons work.

The first stage complete we meandered through the garden back to The Boars Head for a well earned break and a lovely light lunch in the exquisite dining room – all very sophisticated!

After lunch and during the rest of the afternoon everyone’s paintings soon began to take shape. Working from shady positions the Summer sun shone gloriously filling the gardens with deep shadows and sunlit areas filled with superb colour. 

With group and one to one tuition throughout the day it was great to see how everyone explored their chosen compositions so well. 

Surrounded by nature at its best, helping everyone with different levels of ability and experiences build their confidence exploring new and exciting ways to paint in this beautiful inspirational garden, was very rewarding for all.

New and exciting all inclusive mini art breaks at The Boars Head on the Ripley Castle Estate are planned again for later in the year in the Autumn. We will be exploring the beautiful vistas over the tranquil waters of Ripley Castle lake with all the shimmering light and overhanging trees! 

Now that’s something to look forward too!

For more information about this all inclusive Autumn Art Break call The Boars Head direct on 01423 771888 or email reservations@boarsheadripley.co.uk 

To find out more visit http://rdcreative.co.uk/art_holidays/Ripley_Castle_Estate_Summer_2013

Early booking strongly recommended to secure your place as places are limited. 

Art Materials Live! Thursday 6 November 2014 at Birmingham NEC

‘Waterlilies workshop’ with Robert Dutton sponsored by ‘The Artist’ magazine.

2 exciting acrylic painting workshops 10am to 1pm or 2pm to 5pm. 

Not to be missed!

A superb and unique opportunity awaits you to learn the latest techniques with acrylics in a choice of 2 exciting workshops with me at the ‘Art Materials Live’ show at Birmingham NEC.

Learn how to create a colourful waterlily painting quickly and easily in simple to follow stages, creating a colourful dynamic painting full colour and expression. 

you will learn techniques from me for clean colour mixing, composition, underpainting, layering and so much more!

The cost of each three-hour workshop is just £35(inc VAT) and includes your tuition, art materials worth more than £25(rrp), plus FREE ENTRY to Art Materials Live for the day, worth £12! 

You will receive 6 x 22ml tubes of Daler-Rowney heavy body acrylics and 10 x 22ml tubes of Daler-Rowney System 3 acrylics to use during the sessions. 

All easy to follow reference will be provided by me. 

Here’s a brief look at how to create your painting in 4 easy stages:

http://www.painters-online.co.uk/Information/how-to-paint-water-lilies

Great value indeed and not to be missed!

After the workshop (or before) you have free entry to this fantastic arts event and there is lots to see!

Book your place by following the attached link

http://www.painters-online.co.uk/Workshops/PAINT-WATERLILIES-in-ACRYLIC-with-ROBERT-DUTTON/_ws134

or call ‘The Artist’ magazine admin team on 01580 763315

Putting things into perspective at Bolton Abbey

Without doubt Bolton Abbey in Wharfedale is one of the most beautiful historic monuments in the UK as well as Yorkshire.

Set amongst tall majestic trees spreading their branches as if to protect the Abbey from further harm, they shield many aspects of the ancient stones from view and compliment the abbey with further soft shapes and form. Within the abbey itself The tall gallery of windows with their beautifully proportioned spanning arches set between the external buttresses along the ruined naives were just great to paint and draw.

After exploring the ruins, explaining different compositional options both close up and afar, and explains how to solve all those challenging compositional elements in perspective from lots do different view points, everyone soon settled in with their painting.

Painting opposite the abbey on the other side of the river sheltered by trees, first for the sun and then the cool breeze, was a really good choice so everyone could enjoy their painting whatever the weather decided to do.

Everyone created some great studies with pen, watercolour and pastel throughout the day exploring the wonderful scale, proportionate light and shade through the abbey.

A monumental workshop had by all with all artists further developing their drawing and painting observational skills so much more. 

A great day had by all in so many ways. One for the diary next year for sure!

Moor moorland please!

I'm delighted to announce a new booking for October this year at Cober Hill! 

The dates for your next 'Expressive Mixed Media' residential art break are from Sunday 5 October to Wednesday 8 October 2014. 4 days of great painting activity in a fun learning environment shared with like minded people. Fantastic!

It seams you all had such a greta time in June this year learning lots of new art techniques from me and with the course being such a success, I've been asked back...which is great!

This time we will be focusing on the unique landscape and the moors close to Cober Hill. The moorland landscape along this stretch of the coast in October is truly stunning! No other high moorland landscape I know of along the east Coast of Yorkshire has such beautiful tall, twisted, weather beaten pines acting as sentinels along a moorland skyline as here! 

Really dramatic landscapes and perfect for both outdoor and indoor studio mixed media paintings we will be exploring to your full potential (and more) creating some really dramatic paintings.

For anyone who hasn't been to Cober Hill before your accommodation is really great and the views over the sea are quite superb! Cober Hill has been running well organised specialist themed breaks for many years so it is the perfect venue for our Autumn painting break.

This exciting course exploring a wide range of techniques with different media and is suitable for all adult education art students regardless of level and ability who wish to explore something new.

Here are just a few of the sorts of paintings and techniques I'll be teaching you.

To find out more visit http://rdcreative.co.uk/art_holidays/cober_hill_scarborough

Price for the full course and full board accommodation is £243 (inclusive)

To book please ring the administration team at Cober Hill on 01723 870 310 or email: enquiries@coberhill.co.uk

www.coberhill.co.uk

Cober Hill Newlands Road Cloughton, Scarborough YO13 OAR

A list of what to bring for your art materials can be provided by contacting me direct on 0113 2252481 or emailing me at rdcreative@ntlworld.com.

Summer sensation at Newby Hall

Newby Hall has it all - superb gardens with fantastic design and colour, intimate smaller garden settings, ponds, statues, sculpture trails through tranquil woodlands, a beautiful majestic famous elegant Hall - we were just spoilt for choice for painting subjects.

Our workshop on Friday 11 July began with a meander through the gardens looking at the different corners whilst I explained the options for many colourful compositional choices to paint. we were not disappointed - there was many!

Soon after we all returned to the famous 'long border' with beautiful planting leading the eye perfectly to the majestic Hall itself to give a demonstrations with pastels how to tackle both plant and architecture in the same painting. 

Explaining about shape, colour, proportion and form, everyone soon got started to expressively apply these techniques to their own colourful paintings - and what great results too!

The weather was just fantastic - another hot Summers day bringing out the best in the borders and colours and the best in everyone's work using paint and pastels. Fantastic!

A superb day had by all and lots more skills learned by everyone and a great experience had by all. 

A really rewarding experience for everyone.

Just as a reminder, Autumn workshops at Follifoot Village Hall near Harrogate start 11 October rolling out the new season with 'rolling waves' - pastel and Watercolour in combination!

I'm taking bookings now for them all so do let me know ASAP to secure your place. 

Class number for the full day workshops limited to 16 remember!

For further information and your booking form and leaflet visit http://rdcreative.co.uk/art_workshops