The time to make a pledge

I’m delighted to announce that I have joined ‘The Artists Support Pledge'. 

This GREAT idea was initiated by Matthew Burrows at the Matthew Burrow Studio.  The aim behind The Pledge is to support artists who find themselves without work - whether that’s through their usual teaching channels, art centres, classes or via gallery work and so much more.  

As many of you are aware, like many other businesses that suffered, the arts business was particularly hit badly with exhibitions closing, art centres shutting their doors, classes stopping and all the normal art sales disappeared overnight. 

The concept Matthew created was simple. Artists post an images of their work on Instagram (which they were willing to sell for no more than £200) and then, when they reached £1,000+ in sales they ‘pledge’ to buy another artist’s work to help support them too.

This great idea that IS REALLY WORKING for artists is a real lifeline and enables many in the arts community to support each other and gives the art buying community too a great incentive and opportunity to invest or ‘buy into’ or just simply own at a great value, a piece of art for a great price. Lets face it, buyers are feeling the pinch too in these difficult times so this is a win, win concept for everybody.

Individually numbering, titling and of course signing your giclee prints

Having a collection my an exclusive range of just 6 of my own paintings recently created as limited edition of fine art giclee prints, offered at the great value of £135 (including VAT), my own Artists Support Pledge ticks all the boxes! 

Top quality giclee prints that match the originals mark for mark, colour for colour on superb bright white lightfast archival Permajet museum Heritage 310gsm paper

Examples of how the size for size 20 x 22 inch prints look with mounts and bespoke white frames

With Paypal set up to enable you to purchase your choice of prints the whole process is easy and trouble free too. I parcel and package each and every one by carefully rolling and placing in a thick protective cardboard tube for you to ensure each and every one will arrive safely to you.

Here are the 6 prints to choose from

Strong winds and incoming tide

Low Winter Tide - Church Bay, Anglesey

Autumn Glow - Honister Pass, The Lake District

Spring clouds above Malham Cove - The Yorkshire Dales

Rock pools towards the sea

April sunlight, rain and high winds in Malhamdale - The Yorkshire Dales

Professionally printed to the highest standard with lightfast inks on the best archival Permajet museum Heritage 310gsm paper, the prints are beautiful and match the originals perfectly. 

The prints allow EVERYONE the opportunity to buy my art at a really affordable price and indirectly support other artists in the process too. 

To purchase your prints and to help support me and other artists too with your choices in the process please visit https://rdcreative.co.uk/shop/giclee-prints

I look forward to your choices.

Thank you!

Painting the vivid colours of Autumn with Derwent 'Inktense'

Demonstration painting for the group - finished later in the studio. Accepted as 'first review' so far for The Pastel Society with The Federation of British Artists at The Mall Galleries in London for open competition for the 2019 exhibition

Derwent pencils have been manufactured by The Cumberland Pencil Company in Cumbria in the UK since 1832 and is now a brand under ACCO UK Ltd.

One of their best and most successful creative products to date it has to be said is their fabulous Inktense range in both pencils and blocks. There are 72 colours in the full range created and marketed in sets of tins with attractive Derwent branding for both blocks and pencils available in 12, 24, 36 and full 72 colours respectfully.

Just a small selection of the range of versatile painting and drawing products in the Derwent Inktense range.
Featured - 12 colour Paint Pan Travel Set (back), 12 colour set of Inktense pencils (left) and 24 colour set of Inktense Blocks (right)

A really popular painting and drawing media
Artists of all disciplines, skill and genre just love them because they find out just how versatile they are, what you can achieve quickly with them and how useful all the colours are. Artists also appreciate what great value for money they are considering that the pigments used to create each lightfast colour are of the highest standard.

In use - set of 24 colour Inktense blocks and the versatile Paint Pan Travel Set of 12 great colours. Inktense Blocks have been combined to make luscious wells of glorious colour and lighter tints all ready to use

As a Derwent Associate Artist I have introduced countless new artists to Derwent Inktense through many written articles and through plenty of practical experience on art holidays and workshops both nationally and internationally and have never received a negative comment about them yet! 

In one of my recent 'Autumn Woodland colours' Derwent Inktense workshops in North Leeds, everyone found them once again to be equally as valuable and enjoyable to use when creating a wide range of wonderful paintings impressionistic paintings.

Derwent Inktense -a superb media you can fully engage with to create paintings of real depth, colour and expression by both painting and drawing at the same time

Everyone in the creative zone! Lots of techniques explored using layers of perfectly placed colours one over the other to paint dynamic and expressive paintings of glowing light and deep shade that truly represent Autumn 

Inktense Blocks and Inktense pencils used in combination to add detail, colour and expression to every autumn woodland painting - great work everyone!

The reason they are so popular with everyone (as mentioned), is because they are so versatile - especially the Inktense sticks. Inktense pencils are great for detailing in particular and much more too! Colour washes are permanent and fixed when dry with both pencils and sticks. A great advantage for artists who, like myself, like to glaze a lot! 

Close up of the contemporary water media techniques applied in this lovely expressive painting that are possible with Derwent Inktense

Inktense washes and drawn pastel type marks used throughout this great painting with Inktense Blocks and pencils to express a personal response to the Autumn woodland scene - looking good already and this is only half way through!

Lots of drawn, painted and layered Inktense Blocks and pencils in combination have been explored in lots of interesting ways to create this superb painting (half way through) of this woodland scene. Great composition, format and techniques - a stunning painting in the making

Watercolour techniques with added bonus
Unlike many other pigments (watercolour being the main comparison), the colours you mix with Inktense are the colours you get - ie. no oxidising or lightening off when dry. Great news! You can now focus on the natural act of painting itself instead of having to think all the time about the technical aspects of the colours you are mixing and the effects that will be created when dry. You have to be mindful of this with watercolour all the time - not so with Inktense!

Using a large Chinese brush and plenty of Inktense (premixed in large wells to hold plenty of pigment), multiple layers of wet in wet and glazed washes can confidently be applied one over the other to create soft and hard edged areas of colour beautifully contrasting with each other

Pastel techniques with versatility
It's not just watercolourists that find Inktense so easy to use (after all, many different techniques associated with watercolour can also be applied to Inktense), but pastelists love them too! Pastels I must say are my number one media because I can draw and paint with them at the same time. Lush bright and also subtle tinted colours are easily mixed one into the other with soft pastels. The good news is that with Derwent Inktense sticks many of these techniques are creatively possible too.

A close up of a painting showing great techniques with Derwent Inktense Blocks used over previous washes of Inktense to draw directly onto the watercolour paper to create contrasting marks, lines and textures

Multiple layers of Inktense washes from transparent to opaque are possible with Inktense Blocks - with a little Permanent White gouache added Inktense media really becomes opaque extending the creative possibilities of the media even further.  Dry pastel techniques with Inktense Blocks have added even more textural areas to this lovely Autumn painting near completion 

So, with Inktense you get the best of both worlds - a painting media and a colourful pastel media for working dry with too as all the colours easily mix one into and over the other and are tinted with the addition of their mixing white within the sets. 

Deep rich colours of transparent washes contrasting to luminous areas of bright colour are all possible with Inktense Blocks creating paintings full of depth

The Inktense creative experience - where to buy and how to join in! 
To try such techniques for yourself why not join me on one of my Derwent sponsored workshops or art holidays in the UK or abroad. You'll be amazed yourself just what you can achieve with these easy carry, colourful, versatile and creative products.

For a full list of art courses and holidays visit www.rdcreative.co.uk

Derwent Inktense can be purchased from Tim Tennant at 'The Ilkley Art Shop' in West Yorkshire at very competitive prices. Follow this link to find out more https://www.theartshops.co.uk/

For more information about Derwent products and the Inktense range please visit: 
https://www.derwentart.com/en-gb

Welcome to the midnight hour!

Robert Dutton Unison Colour Associate Artist with Cathi Dixon, Production Manager (left) and Helen Bullock, Marketing Manager at Unison Colour (right), checking the final selection of colours of Robert Dutton's Unison Colour 'Moorland Colours; box set of 36 glorious Unison Colour carefully selected hand made pastels to include new 'Dark 24' - such a versatile colour!

Unison Colour hand made soft pastels range has now been extended with a new and exceptionally popular dark colour range thanks to Unison Colour Associate Artist Robert Dutton from West Yorkshire. 

One of our Associate Professional Artists, Robert Dutton had noticed a while back that dark colours in the Unison Colour range looked a little limited. As such Robert contacted Unison Colour and proposed we collectively extend that part of the range to include a new deep and lively indigo blue.

Unison Colour are always open to new ideas and this felt like a good one and so began a close collaboration over an 18 month period with Robert to create a new dark shade of a  much sought after indigo blue.

Different stages of the colour adjustments in development to create the new Unison Colour 'Dark 24'

The new colours have been welcomed by a wide range of artists with different levels of ability in different disciplines who use naturally use Unison Colour because of their quality who now find the new darks an essential part of their working practice and now it would appear every pastel artist it cannot do without!

Early developments of the new Dark 24 in the Unison Colour lab at Unison Colour HQ - Thorneyburn Rectory' in the heart of the Northumberland National Park

The final chosen balance of pigments for the new Dark 24 - top quality pigments sourced for Unison Colour

Mixed and finally ready for rolling!

In action the highly skilled craft of hand rolling Unison Colour pastels - the new Dark 24 in the making!

The final chosen balance of carefully selected top quality pigments that create the hand make Unison Colour Dark 24. a beautiful inky blue that creates the most luscious darks in any pastel painting.

The creative journey mixing pigments and shades of the highest quality at Unison Colour HQ  (the historical 'Thorneyburn Rectory' in the heart of the Northumberland National Park), making small adjustments here, a new pigment ratio in several new hand rolled prototypes there, have now resulted in an exceptional range of beautiful rich darks indeed! 

The new collection of 8 new shades of darks (with colours inspired by Robert) include Dark 19, Dark 20, Dark 21, Dark 22, Dark 23, CB1, CB2. (4 blues, 2 purples, 2 blacks) a brand new deep blue 'dark 24' which Robert in particular was instrumental in making with Unison Colour. 

The full collection of the new Unison Colour Midnight Set - 8 essential dark colours for any pastelist

This colour alone is proving exceptionally popular with an ever increasing number of artists as the 'new blue' adds an exceptional luminous quality to dark areas of any pastel painting and makes exceptionally intriguing colours when blended with others.

Using the entire new dark range in combination and with other Unison Colour pastels, deep dark areas of pastel paintings now have a jewel like glow to them. 'A positive visual delight to use' as many artists say and follow with the highest standard of excellence and quality that Unison Colour are globally renown for.

The beautiful and robust creative and branded box set of Unison Colour Midnight Set of 8 colours

Discover for yourself how the new 'Midnight Set' inspired by professional UK artist Robert Dutton will add new dimensions and creativity to your own work - they are sure to inspire. 

Your midnight hour has arrived!

A closer look at 6 of the great colours in the Unison Colour Midnight Set - beautiful pastels ready to by complete from Jacksons Art

You can buy your very own Midnight Set at a really competitive price from Jacksons Art here https://www.jacksonsart.com/unison-soft-pastel-midnight-8-set

Successes for all with 'Unisoncolour' pastels in Southern Spain

Toby proudly displays his colourful Unisoncolour pastel painting of the charming whitewashed mountain village of Frigiliana - the perfect box set of 18 'Moorland colours' to paint any subject!

There is no doubt, working with top quality pastels creates top quality results so Therefore it was with great delight that as an Associate artist for Unisoncolour, Dan Hersey, director of the world famous Unisoncolour brand of pastels, generously supported one of my European art holidays in Southern Spain - ‘Paint Andalucia’.

Unisoncolour carefully selected 18 colour box sets ready and waiting for each Paint Andalucia guest to use in the mountains of Southern Spain

Each student was generously given 18 carefully selected pastel colours by Unisoncolour to be taught how to create both dedicated pastel paintings with them and mixed media paintings also throughout this exciting art week. 

Jackie's mixed media painting of the mountains of Southern Spain creating those all important lights and darks with added depth using Unisoncolour soft pastels to complete her wonderful expressive painting

As Unisoncolour are a specially hand made professional pastel range using only the finest pigments every student was in for a treat! The top quality pigments used in each stick proved to be a real winner with everyone and the carefully chosen 18 colours each student used throughout their holiday were the perfect choices for the Spanish landscape. 

Sisters are doing it for themselves! Pam, Dianna and Mavis (in the centre of things) enjoying using the 18 colour box set of 'moorland colours' to paint the quiet pretty white washed village lanes of El Acebuchal in the mountains of Southern Spain

The pretty village of El Acebuchal. Everyones favourite painting location year after year with Paint Andalucia either in the village itself or on the peripheral edge looking into the village itself

A hillside of intoxicating fresh smelling pine trees basking in the late Autumn sun that surround the 'hidden village of El Acebuchal high in the mountains of Southern Spain. Inspirational painting views abound!

Jackie and David in a quiet spot in the shade of El Acebuchal exploring the dark, light and mid tones that just 18 Unisoncolours in the  'Moorland Colours' box set can really make!

Close up of the lovely painting created by David using Unisoncolour on Canson Mi-Tientes 'Touch' 350gsm (black). Professional colours and a great pastel support that work in total harmony for confident colourful pastel paintings - just like this one. Well done David!

Carolee enjoying using the 18 Unisoncolour 'Moorland colours' to paint those pretty white washed quiet lanes in El Acebuchal. 

David and Jackie using the 'moorland set' of Unisoncolour pastels to create two lovely pastel paintings of the village of Frigiliana in the glorious late season sunshine on Canson Mi-Tientes 'Touch' pastel paper - both being everyone's personal favourites choices to create fabulous pastel paintings, every time!

Our inspirational painting view of Frigiliana from the main square of this pretty mountain village - painting a tourist hot spot from a sunny hot spot!

Caroline enjoying getting started with Unisoncolour pastels on Canson Mi-Tientes Touch 350gsm (colour 'sand') painting the 'big view' of the village - proportions and scale drawing as well as expression being the key to success. Wrappers off the pastels next Caroline to explore all those subtle tones in all the white washed facades - a great start!

The 18 colours everyone used were actually part of a bigger set - my 36 Unisoncolour ‘Moorland Colours’ box set (created earlier in the year with Unisoncolour to include a brand new and popular dark pastel) proving to be equally as popular with artists internationally as a great addition to their existing range of colours from this world class brand.

The top quality of Unisoncolour soft pastels allowed rich colours to be applied in everyone's painting as artists worked colour over colour with dustless sumptuous layers. Soft blending, cross hatchings, scumbling and drawn marks  - both delicate and more confidently applied, created great pastel paintings from everyone.

Toby's top class pastel painting of El Acebuchal in its mountain setting. Great compositional painting choice Toby - captures the character of the historical mountain village perfectly from this well chosen viewpoint. 

In direct comparison to other brands of pastels which many students brought with them, Unisoncolour pastels was a clear winner! They were soon the first ones everyone was reaching for as they painted.  Effortless expressive creativity was made all the more possible thanks to Unisoncolour and their useful and versatile colours. 

David combining Unisoncolour pastels with other brands of pastel (all compatible with one another) to create his expressive pastel painting of Frigiliana with a very keenly observed composition full of interesting shapes, textures and colour

Here’s what students had to say about Unisoncolour pastels:

"I had not used Unison pastels before, only inferior products. I thought the quality was superb and the pigments really strong and reliable. With regard to the half-set at my disposal, I was very happy with the range of blues and paler shades - and found the green, brown and purple very satisfying. I enjoyed using Unison and shall definitely be investing in a larger set, as the quality the pastels lent my work was remarkable. Thanks also to Unison for generously offering our group the use of the sets."

Toby Goode

"The pastels, again, another new medium for me. I found them harder to get to grips with but could see how they would work really well in multimedia work. Robert Dutton did some fabulous demonstrations detailing their possibilities and I shall look forward to getting to grips with pastel work and giving him a run for his money!"

Lorraine Murdoch

"What a great week that was. We both learned so many new skills and it was a pleasure to use the materials that you had generously provided. As we already knew the Unison pastels are superb quality products but your particular chosen colour range suited the landscape to a tee. The soft qualities of the pastels allowed great optical blending and I think he whole group produced superb results."

Jackie Potter and David McCallum

I’ve just completed a week’s painting holiday in Andalucia, and have been introduced to Unison Soft Pastels.  As a complete novice in the use of pastels, I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to try out a set.  I did like the colour set for the most part, but felt it needed to see a red tone, as well as another earth colour for the Spanish landscape, rather than rather too many blue greens.  The application of the pastels onto the paper offered a new freedom of expression and I was excited to see technique demos by Robert Dutton during this week.

Pam Wilson, Vancouver

All Paint Andalucia art holiday guests and myself would like to personally thanks  Unisoncolour for their generosity and support of this rewarding art holiday in Southern Spain. 

Demo painting using the 18 Unisoncolour box set of 'Moorland Colours'  to create a layered and expressive pastel painting interpreting the mountain view in Southern Spain. Choice of support being Canson Mi-Tientes 'Touch' (Tobacco colour). The perfect pastel paper for so many different painting subjects that works in perfect harmony with Unisoncolour soft pastels - every time!

Paul and Vicki Fellows (organisers and directors of Paint Andalucia would also like to thank Unisoncolour for providing each and every student the opportunity to use with these lovely top quality pastels throughout their art holiday which are now ready and waiting for next years Paint Andalucia artists to enjoy using too!  

To find out more about Unisoncolour pastels please visit https://www.unisoncolour.com/

For full details about the complete box set of 36 ‘Moorland Colours’ in the Unisoncolour range please visit https://www.unisoncolour.com/product/robert-dutton-moorland-36-set/

For more information about Paint Andalucia 2019 mixed media and pastel art holiday with me please visit: http://rdcreative.co.uk/art-holidays/october-2019-pastel-and-watercolour-painting-holiday-in-spain-with-paint-an