Artist's Back to Basics

As far back as I can remember I have wanted to draw and paint. My memories are almost all visual and go back to when I was about three years old. That memory is of our back garden with a lovely white fence where I used to wave my sister off to school

For this painting I mix a thin strong paste using black acrylic with water and some polymer gloss varnish. Using a piece of cosmetic sponge attached to a skewer (see ‘materials’) I draw in the “bones” of my subject. Dipping the sponge in water allows

The subject of scale is one that has always come up continually for me personally with my own drawing in one way or another. It’s something well worth having a good understanding of as it can and should affect everything you draw and the way you prep

I love these delightful little birds! they are always so busy, whether it is looking for food or for a suitable partner! The male loves to do his fan dance, quite often to an un interested female! This pair happened to be enjoying some seed that was

S&S is offering a wide range of exciting new products as well as traditional favourites for Christmas this year. From colouring, drawing, watercolour and sketching pencils to easels, pastels, watercolours, acrylic and oil paints you’ll find something

I have always been fascinated by the artist’s skill but did not pursue painting myself till the late 90’s. I started my working life as an Electrical Engineer and became involved with the Personal Computer industry from its inception. This developed

The first step is to draw the scene. The key point is to start with eye level and then draw your objects relative to that. What do I mean by this? Well, when drawing with perspective, objects above eye level will appear to move down to it the further

There’s a lot more to drawing than the making of marks on the paper. We’ve talked in the past about some of the psychological aspects of the creative urge but no matter how you manage your own brain there are things that come as original equipment th

Beryl Crofts proudly maintains she is proof of the theory that people can take up painting in their senior years and still succeed. She believes it is never too late too start, and the quality of her work reinforces this claim. Beryl’s secondary educ

Using a reference photograph of the scene, I drew a sketch onto gessoed heavy watercolour paper. Here I established different areas of colour with thin acrylic washes. At this stage I refined important areas including the headland, the sea and the b

One of the things I like to talk about when it comes to making paintings, is the concept of breaking the process into three sections Those three sections are: • your physical skills • your perception skills • your conceptual skills Your physical skil

Heading for the Adelaide hills and Flinders Range I join an, 8 day Pen and Wash art tour to the Flinders ranges I’m off to Paint in the Flinders Ranges. I’m by no means a well organized painter, with every thing in its allotted place and ready to go,