Painting at Reids Palace Madeira

A year ago I visited the gardens at Reid's Palace and made a drawing from the seat above.

I then pencilled some of the drawing onto a thick watercolour paper and laid down some under washes. Then it was time to go back to the UK. I took some photos as well and thought I would finish it later. That didn't happen so back in Madeira a year later I visited the garden again to do some more work on the painting. I went on two different mornings, both gloriously sunny and watched the dappled light and shadows change. I chose a moment to paint the shadows from the branches and foliage  when they were cast on the steps

There are tables on the balconies waiting for visitors for the famous afternoon tea.

I enjoyed afternoon tea there some years ago.

Above left the under washes               above right ( a year later!)   the next stages

Below

 Not really quite finished.......... what I may do is start another, simplify it a bit and retain some of my observations.

and here it is 12th Dec 2021

Waterlogue

Waterlogue is a new toy that I have been playing with. It is an app that uses a photo from an iphone or ipad and 'artifies' it in various ways.

I photographed a bowl of clementines. Opening the photo in Waterlogue I found a range of options at the bottom of the screen to choose from. Once you have chosen one it gives a preview, if you select that one it takes less than a minute for it to draw and paint in stages. I have written the name of each option with the finished result. I thought is was fun to watch how it went about it how it, modified it and what it left out. It works better with some photos than others.

                                                            above my photo of clementines in a bowl

below using 'colour bloom'

My photo  Freshly baked scones

                                           

                                                 above   'Travelogue'

                                                 below   'Colour bloom'

'It's technical'

'Illustration'

What are ACEOs and ATCs?

I have written an article on this subject the February issue of the Leisure Painter magazine.  It out now and is available to buy from art shops and newsagents.

 A digital copy of the magazine can be bought from Painters Online here

ATCs  ( Artists Trading Cards) and ACEOs (Art cards, Editions and Originals) measure 2.5x3.5in and done in any medium. ATCs are made for exchanging and ACEOs for selling. They are popular on internet sites such as Folksy, Etsy or Ebay They are light to post for trading or selling and are a very affordable way to start or add to a mini art collection.
On Folksy in the forums there is a daily thread devoted to sharing ACEOs and there is a team on etsy.
There are links to both these sites on the right hand side of this blog.

My article is reproduced below with permission from the editor of Leisure Painter.

The front cover is also shown above to give you an idea of some of the other articles.

I particularly like these:

Rosalind Jelbert Ingram demonstrates painting a black dog without using black paint.

Robert Newcombe on some of Edward Wesson's working practices such as drawing with a matchstick or twig.

Pamela Kay The respective eye illustrated with her beautiful still life paintings.

Painting Picture Frames

I sometimes paint picture frames to a colour that suits the painting. I usually use artists' acrylics or Dulux eco range. The frames for little group of lavender themed paintings above were transformed from various browns to a soft grey with a hint of aqua using Farrow and Ball's skylight.

Inktense on Silk Part 1

This lavender field was painted on damp silk using Inktense blocks, It is approx  4in square

The manufacturers say these can be used on silk and when dry are permanent. Silk paints are usually fixed by ironing. I ironed this. 

Below is my sample to test the colours to see if they are colour fast when washed. 

I will also test the colours to see how light fast they are but that takes time.

The sample on the left was cut in half and the right hand side washed. The right hand photo shows before and after washing. I didn't notice any colour running in to the water though the sample on the right has gone a little lighter.

I also tested some other aquarelle sticks on damp silk. I didn't cut these samples in half but just washed the right hand side of each.
D    Daler Rowney's Aquatone
CD Caran d'Ache Neocolour
L    Lyra

With these I could see the colour coming out into the water. The manufacturers of these makes don't claim that they are colour fast.

The Inktense blocks seem to have done the best on washability.
I am not sure that I would use any of them for silk scarves.
They would be good for making silk painted cards or small paintings and are more portable for working outside or on holiday. They would be ideal for groups of children to use.

Canna Durban silk painting

  Canna Durban    silk painting by Tessa Spanton (c)

                                   
I have several paintings in 'Art for Gifts at Christmas' until 24th Dec 2013
The one above is in the window. It is in a light hardwood frame size 23x27in
at The Corner Gallery, Carshalton Beeches, Surrey

I grow these cannas in my garden and draw them at different stages as they grow. I did a series of paintings from my drawings inspired by the way the colours glow in the sun.

I painted using successive layers of colour and clear outliner resist. No size or thickener was used.
I draw on the silk with a pencil and then wet the silk. It wouldn't work using a fade away marker as it would vanish when the silk was wet. The colours are brushed onto the wet silk and go beyond the pencilled shapes. I used iron fix paint for this but steam fix can also be used this way. Clear outliner is then applied to some of the pencil lines. Then paint is brushed to one side of the line to cut out the shape.
It needs some planning as to which colours will work over which. The outliner lines will not be visible if paint is only put on one side of the line when finished a sharp edge is created. If painted both side of the line then the line will be the colour of the first layer as in the pink edge of the stem of the central flower. Depending on the painting I might repeat this several times building up more layers and depth of colour.

Paintings from Tresco

 Island Dreams    oil pastel by Tessa Spanton (c)  2013

Scilly Blue  oil pastel by Tessa Spanton (c) 2013
Gimble Porth, Tresco, looking towards St Helen's Lighthouse


 Both paintings will be on show with the Dorking Group of Artists exhibition at Denbies, Dorking from 9th - 12th October.

 I have painted on the beaches of Tresco in different seasons and times of day. Although there is beauty on a misty day it is the incredible blues and turquoises of a sunny day when set against the whiteness of the sand that inspire.
Tresco is one of the Isles of Scilly, set in the Atlantic like little gems almost 30 miles SW of Lands End.