'Big and small' - Watercolour theme of the week

To be finished, but already funny and sharp, like herself - Marie-Claire's maxi and mini fish

After last week's session there was a Hangar board meeting and in the busy hassle I did not take pictures of all the work! I am sorry - there was more good stuff out there... Next week I'll be back to my structured self, promise! That said - here are some great examples of what the theme 'Big and small' can lead to:

 Fabulous, these big & small  'champignons lumineuses' by Sylvie D. Out of hand, spontaneous. 

And how about the big 'coeur de boeuf' and the tiny cherry tomato by Hélène!  

Very big compliment for Michele, especially on how she expressed the metal! Couldn't be better!

After a lot of hours, Bev finished her Piazza Ducale in Vigevano!! It has so much atmosphere and on top of that a very good looking glass of chablis in the foreground. We admire your perseverance Bev!

Not yet completed, the view on a Tourtour street. When finished, this will be posted in the 'Trip to Tourtour' on the Hangar Blog.

 Maud worked very hard on her village and is really on her way to create something to be proud of!

 

 A first watercolour by Leonie. She is an experienced painter but this was a first watercolour experiment. I think this is really something she could express herself in and she liked it too, so, expect to see more!

Both Judith (above) and Jutta (below) finished their 'suggest transparency' exercise and then experimented with masking fluid. Next week: salt - and then they're ready to join the 'advanced' group. They've made their mistakes and discovered their solutions. Next step is further developing their style. Up to now I like what I see, very different but both with an interesting and personal take.

Ilse has missed a Tuesday - and worked on the background-foreground-details exercise. The photo doesn't do her delicate work justice, it is really very well executed and beautiful and I'm also sure that all she learned came back to her.

 O my, this patchwork-quilt by Celina. It is so good!! And interesting, you can really imagine a little story in each piece .

 A very good start for Sheila. When finished her watercolour quilt will be equally warm and cuddly and full of stories I'm sure

Watercolours patchwork

Carol's patchwork quilt - only halfway done, but already absolutely gourgeous, in colour and in shape.

In this blogpost you'll get an update of the creations of the aquarellista group, who met up last Tuesday in the Hangar in Chateauneuf! The sujet du jour was 'rolled up quilts' and most took that subject and didn't quite finish. But the first results are already impressive and I can't wait to see them finished - as always they are as different as the personalities of the painters. Watch this space to see the completed versions in the coming weeks!

Celina's rolled up patchwork, in recognizable Celina-style!

Michele's beautiful quilt, only needs a bit of shadow to give it depth and volume!

The first colours on another awesome Liz-interpretation of the subject...

Glen cleverly used the patchwork theme to try out the full wash, how creative! This is the painting after washing it, so in its palest form - next time she'll add the patterns

Another creative interpretation, of Anna-Karin. She is still undecided how this optical illusion will develop,

Above are pictures of the work of all the experienced Aquarellistas, there is also a group of starters. They are working on exercises that introduces the typical properties of watercolours and lets them solve all the challenges with different solutions.

Eyes behind the mask by Judith

Eyes behind the mask by Jutta

How to suggest transparency - of a curtain. You'll see the solutions next post

In the next exercise,  Judith and Jutta were free to do what they wanted within the instruction: 'cool background first, then warm foregound, then details.' 

Both were not too impressed with the results - but I am, because they both showed originality!

Tree-like shape by Jutta

Under-water landscape by Judith

And then there were also the ongoing projects and the personal paintings

Carol's Odd One Out

 

The awesome apple of our long-distance participant Violet!

Bev's piazza in Vigevano àlmost finished!! We will definitely see the end result before she travels back to Connecticut

And our new participant, Maud, started a street view, on request of a friend...

In the meantime we are also working on a completely different project: we are proving that in watercolours you can achieve the same depth of colour as in oils. So together we are creating a copy in aquarelle of the oil painting 'River Lovers' by Jo Painter. Brenda has really done a lot to make it happen, but also Carol, Marie-Claire, Liz, Hélène and yours truly part-icipated.  Cathie has promised to do one also - and then we are ready to see if we were right! Here's a preview:

Totem Poles

Ilse is a brand new Aquarellista - and she did an awesome job on the 'balls'

To mark the 'rentree' (coming back after the summer holidays), we painted Totem Poles, in watercolours of course. A big part of our Aquarellista group is still on holiday, so we had plenty space and we could take the time to paint and to catch up!

Although not yet finished, as far as I'm concerned Violet is already the winner of the day with this powerful pole in soft browns

Michele wasn't too happy with her totem, but I love it, it is funny and well done. 

Looking forward to seeing the final version!

Marie-Claire is creating an original (and funny) totem -with a big smile and in swimming trunks

This serious totem is going to be finished in typical Brenda-style, with dark lines. Looking forward to seeing it finished!

And then there were the other projects...

Beverly's Piazza Ducale in Vigevano is slowly but surely coming to an end, getting more and more interesting

Carol started a new still life - looking fabulous already!

And because Ilse actually finished the balls, she started the 'washing' exercise... More next week!

Bottle & Brush Challenge continued + misc!

This is what I saw when I downloaded the 'bottle & brush' results for the blog... seeing all those fantastic real glass bottles really made me proud and happy! 

And here below they are on a larger scale - look and enjoy, they are awesome (with more to come) - and also have a look at Cathie's posts on the facebook page FRENCH RIVIERA ART

 

 Agnès!

Bev!

Brenda! (discussion on Facebook still hot: should she go on or stop now...)

 Brigitte!

Hélène!

 Vanessa! (not yet finished - so will be even better)

Isabelle! (not yet finished - so will be even better)

 Liz!

 Sylvie M!

Misc...

And then there were some ongoing projects like

 Bev's view on Piazza Ducale (going to be awesome!)

Abstract flowers by Sheila...

Summer with the kids - another brilliant painting by Carol-who-will-now-start-with-the-bottle&brush challenge!!