BRUSHO WITH JOANNE BOON THOMAS

Joanne's workshop was a lorra fun you can find her on facebook, look out for her name or Brusho Momemts page.   The knowledge she passed on was generous and comprehensive.  I have been to many workshops and courses and her way of tutoring was up there with the best as far as I am concerned.  She is genuine, enthusiastic, inspirational and a reet grand friendly northern lass!  It was like being at a childrens birthday party, playing with brusho and using bleach, salt, wax, spraying, dribbling etc. She has a wonderful DVD out (left mine at the Boonric Gallery yesterday but I hear it is fabulous) and an ebook that you can download.

Here's some photo's (including 2 I have borrowed from Judith Farnworth's blog, hope you don't mind Judith).  It was lovely to meet Judith after following her in blogland, so if you want another version of this workshop, pictures of other peoples work do visit her blog. I took my camera but was that busy enjoying myself I only remember once to point and shoot.

Twelve juicy colours.  First job piercing the top to shake out the fine salt like crystals.  I had a little go once before and used my fingers, they were filthy for days.

 These haven't come out in order so will just explain each one. Above the boss  is painting hot tulips.  Obviously this is Joanne working her brushomagic (eat your heart out Paul Daniels).

 Joanne's ab fab masterpiece.  2 colours shaken on then sprayed dried and wax highlights added. Then negative shapes with turquoise and bleach to create the form.

 Here's Me! (One of Judith's pics Hope you don't mind Judith) Looking ever so serious. Look at Joanne's work behind me, brusholicious.

 Here is Jolly Judith having fun brushoing this daisy that Joanne had demonstrated.

 After lunch, and those of you who know, know that I don't really like painting flowers so what does she come up with brushoblooms - tulips and a large daisy. Yes, you guessed, I enjoyed it. This was a combination of techniques,  but negative shapes (hard to do need practice)

My Nude well at the moment you can't tell if it's male or female, but need to cut in with some negative painting and add some bleach for the highlights   

 This was the first exercise, paint sprinkled on paper and sprayed, some crystals put in palette and water added just like watercolour. House picked out with bleach and bushes were negative shapes.

 Concensus was that cheap bleach is not good.  Neat eg. domestos and sometimes half bleach and half water or spray this diluted mixture for other effects.

This big daisy I enjoyed but was done quickly so not finished (btw all were done on half sheets) A tiny amount of paint shaken on paper and lightly sprayed then flower picked out negatively, again paint used like watercolours

My paintings were photographed outdoors so look at bit pale but this medium is vibrant and doesn't dry lighter like watercolour.

And there you have it! So much learned and so much to practice.  So exciting and new!

NOT MY BLUE PERIOD!

Got this new colour, you see, Pyrrol Scarlet (Daniel Smith). On my facebook page I just happened to say, - now what shall I paint.  Well I got loads of suggestions, so silly me went ahead and painted them all, with a couple of my own ideas thrown in.  And then, what do you know, people starting joining in. So here are their paintings and will post some of mine later.  Wasn't that brilliant of them. You will be surprised at the different subjects.  Everyone is a winner.  Are you ready, then off we go ......................

Ngaire Magalotti

Ruth S Harris

Stephanie Guy

Beverley Wells

Ann Mortimer  (yes the Ann Mortimer!)

Sharon Whitley

Judith Farnworth

Sharon Whitley

Stephanie Guy

I think that is them all. I hope I haven't forgotten anyone.  They are all on facebook but some have blogs and and I have linked them up for if you would like to see more of their work.

Well what a wonderful array of masterpieces and thank you all for joining in.

END OF HOUSE TOUR

Well I have been painting 'something from each room in the house'.  We are upstairs now.  The back bedroom, where my hubs keeps his gym gear and his golf clubs etc. He usually sits in the room watching my husband clean his shoes, dry his clubs, but  when I go away on my art courses, I leave a note with this little fellow, telling him to look after my hubby.  I sit him on our bed so that when he gets home from taking me to the airport, he will find it.  I also usually write a stupid poem too.  So he is a special little bear.

Now come with me across the landing to the spare room, office,  art materials room.  With boxes, cupboards, drawers, all bursting with paintings, frames, paper,  mounts, bubble wrap, pastels, oils, acrylics etc. etc. etc.  This is a small selection of what makes this room the untidiest in the house!

Thank you for walking around the downstairs, and climbing the stairs to have a nosey upstairs.  I  hope you enjoyed joining me. Here's your coat.  You can leave now.  Come again sometime.

PIXIE DUST

Here's another from my 'something from every room in the house' challenge to myself.

Now we are upstairs and in the main bedroom.  I love to smell nice but I don't like heavy perfume.  My favourite perfume is this one and it is called 'Pixie Dust' I kid you not.  It's a Disney perfume.  Light and magical, you never know what I may do when I am wearing this ............. and like tinkerbell I can be a little mischievious, so be careful around me! I may make you use blue instead of green, or dry your washes too quickly, put a stroke in the wrong place, or make you have paint on your hands etc., ..........  So when things go wrong you can blame me .............

  

KITCHEN AND BATHROOM

Continuing my personal challenge 'something from each room in the house' now come with me into the kitchen which isn't brightly coloured. Light wood colour and terracotta cushion flooring. What could I choose, not a food mixer or pan, but some bright coloured  really sharp knives that I came across whilst staying with friends.  Well I had to find some, and got these in Marlborough. I love using them and looking at the cheerful colours when I'm doing boring things in the kitchen, or tears streaming down my face slicing onions!

Now come with me up the stairs and turn left into the bathroom.  A friend bought me these small natural soaps.  I couldn't resist painting them, it's a pity you can't smell them.  They last ages.  Wasn't that a nice thought.

Have a lovely week all of you and thank you so much for visiting my blog. 

IS GOLF A 4 LETTER WORD?

Sometimes golf is a four letter word in our house. As much as I like to watch it on tv, sometimes a four letter word springs to mind when it is on for hours, kind of overkill.  Well at the moment the men's Seniors Open is a 10 min walk from our house. It is at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club.

For the sketch I dodged underneath the security ropes, before there were any golfers on the 18th hole, to paint this. A large security lady said you shouldn't be here! Gulp.  Well she said I'll let you know if anyone comes. This was done for the Ladies Open a couple of years ago.  It is on khadi paper.

On Monday I went to the pro am, which was free!  Yes I said FREE. Sketch book in my little rucksack I went to the practice ground to sketch, and my hubs went off to do his marshalling stint.

The pesky professional golfers, just wouldn't keep still, so I had to sketch the spectators.  Just on cartridge paper with a waterproof pen.  These are by far the best I did, the rest were, yes you guessed a four letter word  beginning with 'C'.  Can you guess what it is?

You never know what you might find to sketch, so I usually have a small set in my bag.

All day a light aircraft has been circling every 5 mins overhead for tv coverage, and it's been getting on my nerves, so am off out tomorrow.

I may go on the last day, yes actually pay, I love the atmosphere.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend and thank you for looking at my blog.

ROYAL BABY

Welcome to the world, to the new royal baby.  So nice to hear some good news, these days, that makes people smile.  A feel good factor.

Here's my card to them (well not actually, was painted when my grand nephew Llewys was born, but thank you photoshop, for letting me slip in HRH, so my virtual card for the new family.

So what did my hubs and I do tonight, when the brand new family appeared on tv - toast them with a glass of wine and some chocolate.

So 'Cheers, good health little one'

STILLMAN & BIRN EXPERIMENTS

I've heard many artists mention Stillman & Birn sketchbooks that I just had to have one as of now!!!  But there are so many to choose from. Got mine from Jacksons Mail Order in the UK, though they are not in their catalogue. I got my beautiful spiral bound Zeta Smooth paper book. So hot here (a British heatwave) that I decided to walk into town and sketch early morning.

 First project was to use my Stabilo 88 water soluble pens black and brown.

(Southport has a lovely wide tree lined main street and they are building a Travelodge at one end.  It used to be an old Station, then the Ribble bus Station now Morrisions at the back.  They were taking down the scaffolding).  The paper reacted really well to the Stabilo and and I got some nice shadows using my water brush. The pen felt smooth against the lovely smooth paper. Was happy with experiment 1.

Second project was to use my Elegant Writer water soluble pen black. The ink spreads far more with this pen than the Stabilo.

I am particulary fond of this pen when I want to work really quickly.  Quick pen lines and a gentle touch with the water brush pen is all you need.  This sketch was a 'whoosh' sketch whilst waiting for the bus (not much more than 5 mins and a touch here and there on the bus (which wouldn't keep still) !  This process was perfect, the reaction of the ink and the brush pen, just what I wanted. Was happy with experiment 2.

Following day (actually this morning) there were some lovely clouds making the temperature a little more pleasant for my 45 min walk into town. Sat down at 8.45 am raring to go. Set out my mini watercolour travel set with my plastic double dipper (used for oils) as my water containers, that I can clip onto my paper, if required.

Third project was to use watercolour and pen.

Lord Street again with it's lovely glass verandahs and this is Costa Coffee. Did quick pencil sketch then put on the watercolour.  Here I came unstuck.  Even though it was hot the watercolour stayed on the surface of the silky smooth paper and wouldn't dry. It was in globules.  I did manage to mix colours on the paper, but my patience was tested even more when I tried to do the peoples clothes, the fine detail just were blobs. Consequently took me longer than if I had used watercolour paper.  Eventually, I added some waterproof ink marks. Good news is it didn't cockle.

Results mean that I will be restricted to my water soluble pens, otherwise the book might be flung to the far corners of the earth! Perhaps I should have ordered the Beta series.  Could anyone give me their opinion on what I thought was the ultimate sketchbook.

BEST THINGS SINCE SLICED BREAD

Oh, I do suffer from bad feet, no not smell, cheeky!  The balls of my feet cripple me after an hours walking, as I have claw toes on both feet.  When I first tried crocs I couldn't believe how comfy they were. Summer is heaven, as I do not care what I look like, comfortable crocs are my friends, and I wear them when I can get away with it. These have been painted  for my 'something from each room in the house' series, and we are in the conservatory now.  I have several pairs of crocs and have some for the garden.  These are very splendid, having a (plastic) diamond stuck through one of the holes.  You don't need to hold your nose when you look at these, they are anti smelly!!!

Hope my blogging friends are having a wonderful weekend, and that those in the UK are enjoying this freak heatwave.  Best weather for 7 years!!!

LIVERPOOL IN WAITING

Went to Liverpool today, to eat 'en plein air'.  The main shopping area is already decorated and waiting the the Royal Baby to arrive.

While at Zizzi's, an Italian Restaurant, I used my mini, mini sketch set to do, yes you guessed, a quick sketch (Thanks for your information Cathy Holtom  http://cathyholtomdustylane.blogspot.co.uk - check out her really interesting article on materials she uses for painting outdoors).  I now have mini mini set, mini set, and compact set and full monty set.

Here used my magic wondrous Elegant Writer Calligraphy pen, just a touch of water to the lines that I have drawn and the ink does the rest.  Notice the sexy hair band to keep the pages from blowing about.

Royal Baby decorations ready and waiting. The clothes have HRH on them.

Hey, you Brits, enjoy this amazing heatwave while it lasts and no whinging.