BRINGING WATERCOLORS TO LIFE WORKSHOP

I just recently concluded a workshop at the Vancouver Fine Art Atelier as a guest instructor. I had such a great time teaching at the studio. I was given the creative freedom to come up with a program in my own style and pace.

Color and color mixing is usually very intimidating. The common pitfalls that I was asked was how to avoid getting "mud" when mixing, how to make it more vibrant or less intense, how to darken or lighten and how to know what colors to use that "look good.

In this picture, the student uses a black and white sketch and the display as she lays down her first wash of color.

The apple is slowly coming to life as she carefully adds more layers, describing the shape, texture and curvature of the fruit in space.

The ceramic jug is now completed. A very good question that was asked was: "How do I paint it if it's just white?

A before and after, showing how Nette painted before any instructions were given and how different it looked after some guidance.

It was very fulfilling to have taught and seen how quickly she progressed in such a short time. It only took her 4 Saturdays for her to get to this point.

"The workshop stood out for me because you explained how and why so well, and your open mind - you allowed me to try out my ideas without shooting them down. I really did enjoy our lessons, and the hubby was suitably impressed. Hehe. He said I jumped from kindergarten to high school in the space of a few lessons."

ART ON THE SPOT

The Burnaby Shadbolt Center and the Vancouver Urban Sketchers have collaborated to promote art to the community at the Art on the Spot event within the Shadbolt grounds. It went on for 2 hours and the idea is that the public can approach any Urban Sketcher to hang out and sketch with them!

We each were given a red balloon and some stickers. The red balloons identified us as part of the Urban Sketchers and the stickers are an incentive for children (and children at heart) to stamp on their sketch books. (Photo courtesy of Donna Hagerman.)

This is Ivan (10 yrs) and Shirley (7 yrs) and their mom Judy. After giving stickers (to the kids) I taught them a few of my drawing "secrets". Judy spoke to them in both Mandarin and English. Hearing this, I pulled out my phone and showed Judy a short message written in simplified Chinese that I needed to clarify (not related to the event). So I asked her to "draw" the Chinese characters as if it were for a 3 year old. I got everyone drawing, in one form or another, for that brief moment they were with me. Mission accomplished! (Photo courtesy of Donna Hagerman.)

After the 2 hours were over, all the Urban Sketchers gathered around as we usually do to display our work. I managed to get 2 sketches done that day.  (Photo courtesy of Donna Hagerman.)

The view of the first sketch I did. It's a 3x5 inch study of a house peeking out of the trees. I was told on good authority that this house was designed by our very own Architect Arthur Erickson.

This is an 8x10 inch study a house by a tree. I may explode the two sketches into a bigger watercolor painting in the near future and I can't wait to get that started.

It was a great day for sketching outdoors. I got a couple of kids to draw, met some people and made new
friends. There will be another similar event at the Shadbolt Center in the fall so I'm looking forward to that!