Term 6 2011

Monday – Marcel Baaijens – Breaking the Pattern Inclusion Class

This class is unique in the southern hemisphere, a friend of mine Elizabeth   recommended I try it out. It is called inclusion because able bodied and challenged students work side by side learning from each other. When I say challenged I mean both physically and mentally, What they taught me: when you can switch off your self criticism and use Marcel's technique as a safety net you can progress rapidly. 

The technique is to do more than 1 piece at a time, 3 to 5 in fact, so if you stop, frightened to ‘ruin’ your piece you can put aside the best of the 3 or 5 and continue working until you reach another plateau,  do the same setting aside again. 

When you push through being precious about your work something might happen that fast tracks your creativity or improves your technique.

The class provided materials for you to explore and I allowed myself time to play with oil sticks, the build up of colour and texture is rapid, but the medium is messy and I had conflicting info on their toxicity?

I discovered Marcel was excellent at watercolour especially el fresco, I needed another term to explore this medium with him.    

Wednesday Marc Hill – Approach to Painting

Prepare a surface, tonal ground eg. Raw Sienna, to create depth, put on thinly in the background, mix complementary colours to top ie green and red.

Chiaroscuro or Rembrandt lighting to give drama and effect (depth) to a portrait. 45^oUpper left with soft fill light right, back light to  give an edge to shoulder and head or rim, separates figure from background.

Rule of thirds for good composition.

Use the colour wheel to lay your palette out, I find this a challenge, maybe I’m too messy!

Varnishing after 12 months gives protection and consistency of sheen across the painting either gloss or matt.

I’m still trying to pick Marc's brain on a wide range of subjects. He paints like Rolf Harris (His father taught him and Rolf Harris the technique).

Thursday morning – Gary Freemantle – Experimental and Irreverent  Painting

Gary always has exercises to stretch the imagination and quiz the mind, I enjoy  his dry sense of humour. I intend to focus on understanding colour more?

Thursday Afternoon – Roger Key – 2D Open Studio

I have decided to take sketches I have made and produce oil paintings, to practice skin tones, blending and making a good representation of  human body.

Having two classes in one day is a challenge, I like to finish something I start so completing  something in the morning to start something in Rogers class! I had a lot of homework.