Transparency

The palette of Anna-Karin Fast, working on her still life

We started our transparency project last week - the weather was great, sunny, not too hot and although none of us had done much painting during the summer months, it went great for everybody! I am proud of the results, they vary from very simple to complex. As you can see, most of us took 'glass' in one form or another as a means to express transparency in an aquarelle, but there were also some experiments with fabric...

Stones in a glass bowl - Anna Karin Fast

Three bottles by Bibbi Isaksson

'One bottle' by Marianne van Wijngaarden

Bottle and glass by Horst Timmermans

Bird behind curtain by Gisela Dijksterhuis

Ann Edwards painted this simple glass vase with flowers, based on an existing painting of Ronald Jesty "Sweet peas in a tumbler" and she added the "curtain" (using slightly lighter and bluer colours to suggest that) which makes the picture even more interesting!

There is more where this came from - I owe you the aquarelle of Cathie who is working on an excellent still life with coloured bottles and Sandra's very very expressive portrait of a lady, with transparency used in a symbolic way. We'll definitely go on with the research coming session... so watch this space for more!

Reflections in aquarelle II

Last week most of the members of our Aquarellista group in the South of France busied themselves once more with the "reflection" theme - this time in convex mirrors... the effects are amazing - and worth looking into more often - we haven't approached the subject in a technical way - we just used the impression it made on us and painted that on the beautiful mould made paper with our transparent aquarelle paint!

Sandra Seymour-Dale with her graphical village reflected in a sphere...

...similar work from Brenda Moorehouse - with an "industrial" atmosphere...

...Beverly Ellsley created this wonderful still life with "jeu-de-boules" ball...

...here's another amazing picture from the hands of Ann Edwards!!! Isn't it wonderful! What an effect...as if it rolls from the paper...

And last but not least the poetic work of Anna Karin Fast - she gives the jeu-de-boule-balls a beautiful, peaceful character and if you look careful you can see the very subtle reflections!

Reflections in Aquarelle

Last week's new theme was "Reflection". I have left out the "unfinished projects" - the next post will show them finished, we will work on them coming session. Everybody has been working really hard, the sun was out just long enough and the results were great!! Marianne van Wijngaarden has been working on the reflection of a white heron in the water...

and so did Hélène van der Kroft - who was very productive!

Here's a "sleeping beauty" also from her hand...

Snowy Mountains and a Lake... Switzerland versus Canada!

By Brenda Moorehouse...

...and Lies Timmermans

Anna Karin painted branches on a mirror, but the reflection was so sharp that with this subject it is hard to see what's reflection and what not... When we are painting outside, we are sitting under the trees - and she also painted the reflection of the leaves...

all in all a very lovely and special composition!

Bird in the water - Anne Edwards gave it two tries! Maybe next week we can show the third and final attempt! She's almost there...

And I couldn't help myself - I have made a reflection-picture of beach tents.

The reflection comes out of my fantasy - if you find mistakes-don't hesitate to write a comment!

Aquarelle new talents II

Pear behind a Curtain by Titia Brandwijk

My aquarelle starters group is finished! By way of exam they researched "transparency". Results above and below...

We also dove into "darkness", with very interesting resultsAnother interesting (and older) subject was "boy fishing". I show this because I noted that repetition actually adds something and makes more interesting! Idea for you? I am happy to say that the entire aquarelle starters group has picked up the technique so well and so fast - with or without me they will be very much able to develop into independent and creative aquarellista's!!