Author Archives: eastwitching

The Fox Vanishes - Game 7 - Deadline for Entries Sat 5th April 2014

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Welcome to Game 7!

Please see how to play below and deadline - good luck!

In this game I will be placing a faded out fox (here he is below at full strength) on a certain animal print in my online gallery at Eastwitching (www.eastwitching.etsy.com).

fox june cropYou will need to scour the selected items (usually about 12) that come up when you click the link I will provide each game. PLEASE USE the ZOOM feature when you search.

When you find the faded fox image on the animal image in question DO NOT SAY WHERE IT IS in comments on this post.

Simply convo me with your ANSWER at eastwitching@hotmail.com (yes - it is back up and running folks!) or convo me at Etsy if you have an account there.

THEN leave a comment ON THIS POST saying WHICH PRINT you would like to receive if your entry is selected.

Selection is made randomly using RANDOM.ORG two weeks after the game is announced.

WANT TO PLAY? - GAME 7 of The Fox Vanishes.

How to play …

1 Click on this LINK and start searching all of the animal images that come up. On one of them there is a faded out fox like the bold one in this post above.

2 Convo me via Etsy or email me at eastwitching@hotmail.com with your answer

3 Come back to this post and say which animal print you would like to win from my gallery HERE - you can choose ANY print and shipping is free worldwide too!

4 Deadline for entries is MIDNIGHT GMT Saturday 5th April

5 Winning entry selected on Sunday 6th April and new game announced that same day.

To start hunting the fox click HERE! Good luck:)

Easy Like Sunday Morning…Not

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It is only 10.30am and I have surpassed myself!

Been up since about 5am doing lots of bits and bobs that needed doing like:-

1 Making new trace down graphite sheets for my students

2. Trying out new positions for me super duper studio light

3.Digging out huge old whiteboard ready to get my life into some semblance of order by writing everything down!

4 Wrote 3 letters to magazines about my art

5. Oh and yes - a 30 minute jog in the freezing wind and rain with Tilly pulling me all the way. Have to admit I feel exhilarated and glad I made myself get out and exercise. So far I have run 13 times out of 22 days.

Here are some pics and more detail:-

1 It’s a dirty job but someone’s gotta do it!

By covering a sheet of tracing paper with very thick graphite and burnishing it with a pad of cotton wool soaked in lighter fuel you can make a fab and erasable trace down sheet. Mucky work though.

2.Lights, Camera, Action!

Really trying to get better lighting so that I can work late at night - so this is helping - still not brilliant but it’ll do for now.

Anyone have good lighting ideas?

Having this whopping light bulb shining from the left along with the window light makes things a bit better for photography

3 Brainstorm

I have had this board for ages and now hope it will help me organise and focus all my areas of activity as I have taken too much on and am running around like the proverbial chicken.

Any tips for learning to say no very welcome!:)?

Meantime - what does her majesty Tilly my Jack Russell do ? Kips in a warm sunny spot of course.

Have a lovely Sunday all.

Taking it easy - as only dogs now how. Tilly cwtched up on her IKEA cushion in the sun this morning

Taking it easy - as only dogs now how. Tilly cwtched up on her IKEA cushion in the sun this morning

Come on over Baby - Whole Lotta Learning Going On!

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Thanks to my latest pupils - some old friends and some new faces for coming over for Art Blossoms Painting Days.

On Thursday this week Lorette returned with Gwynn to focus on foxgloves with some wild skies thrown in.

Lorette applying washes to foxgloves

Lorette applying washes to foxgloves

They had a ball painting wet into wet and allowing the paint to flow. They lifted clouds and stamped and dragged effects using sponges and tissues - all to great effect.

Then onto more orthodox painting of foxgloves.

Adding finer detail as the painting progressing - Gwyn at work

Adding finer detail as the painting progressing - Gwynn at work

They turned out some beautiful and poetic artwork - as seen below.

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Gwyn working on the initial washes of his foxglove…

Then today when Sue came back for her third painting day we focussed on all things birch tree.

P1140585We looked at that silvery bark, the fine catkins and leafs as well as a whole tree painted wet into wet.

P1140582It was a full and lovely day spending time with Sue. Thanks again.

Here are some more pictures of her day today.

P1140583Whole lotta learning going on! :) P1140584

If you’d like to come along and have a half or full day of watercolour learning with me please email me at eastwitching@hotmail.com and we can discuss your needs.

Full day £65 (all materials/equipment included and handouts to take home) - half day £32.50

Please not I do not teach June/July or August.

Alison

Foxglove Fancy: Making a Mess then Pulling Through

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Made aright mess of my first foxglove demo photo shoot today. Went all wild and loose at the beginning on a much to large drawing and lost my temper completely!

Here are some ugly efforts…that’s what you get for rushing and not planning.

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P1140548Torn painting in bin!

After lunch I re-drew and scaled-down a bit and went at it more daintily and sensitively.

Much happier with this attempt.

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To get this soft bleed and meld of colours I had pre-wet each flower shape with clear water and let it soak in until the surface of the paper had a satin sheen on it.

Getting deeper shading into the notorious foxglove throats

I allowed the paint to bleed and blossom naturally - tightening only near the end.

I used Arches hot pressed 90lbs paper and Winsor & Newton watercolour tube paint.

If you’d like to try this one please do so.

COPYRIGHT - if you copy exactly then you cannot sell or show online. HOWEVER - if you change the flower shape/composition up a bit then you can do what you like with it :)

Click on the images below so they will come up nice and BIG.

Alison

Abstractions and Reflections - Watercolour Painting Day

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Today I had Jude and Claire back for their second joint painting day.

Jude and Claire with prints I made from scans of their original reflection painting done in the morning...well doen both!

Jude and Claire with prints I made from scans of their original reflection painting done in the morning…well done both!

They chose to focus on painting reflections.

Jude working on her third abstract reflection piece - I loved the California feel of this one!

Jude working on her third abstract reflection piece - I loved the California feel of this one!

We really got into the nitty gritty with analysis of the anatomy of a reflections and let loose with soem very flamboyant and powerful abstract shapes.

I feel these were just stunning and Claire and Jude were over the moon with their work too.

Claire's atmospheric original

Claire’s atmospheric original

I had to really encourage them to load on the paint though - there were being very restrained until I wore them down!:)

"Miasma Mexicana" Watercolour on paper 8x5 inches - original by Jude

“Miasma Mexicana” Watercolour on paper 8×5 inches - original by Jude

We stopped for lunch when we realised that we had kind of missed it - so engrossed were we in our art!

My Jack Russell Tilly had a social breakthrough - befriending Jude and - shock horror - even letting her stroke her and leaping up onto her lap!

Finally! Tilly is nice to Jude

Finally! Tilly is nice to Jude

After lunch sat out in teh sun we went at reflections in a more controlled and realistic style.

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watercolour reflections

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If you want to try these stages out for yourself carry on and I would love to see your results.

Alison

Gone Fishing - Watercolour Discus Fish

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My reference photo

My reference photo

“Daring Discus” 8×10 inch archival print $25

Just the other day I was asked to paint some fishes of the tropical kind. Not a commission as such just a broad request.

So I scurried off to my image bank and fished (sorry) out some lovely Discus, Angel and Tang fish images.

My 3 pairs of fish that I am about to paint

My 3 pairs of fish that I am about to paint

I was spoilt for choice but settled on 3 pairs.

The first I attempted are these stunning Discus fish. They have a flattened disc (obviously) - like shape and ravishing colours.

My trial fish - no detail - just washes

My trial fish - no detail - just washes

I did a small trial first and then rolled up my sleeves and cut out BIG paper.

Fishes everywhere

Fishes everywhere

Now for me BIG is 10×12 inches. I have been an 8×10 inch girl for almost 3 years now and maybe it is Spring but I feel like branching (sorry) out and up-scaling things!

So here they are - a few in progress shots and then the final things.

I loved wetting the paper and banging in bright bold washes and letting them run!

I drew the second fish in reverse and changed him a bit so that he wasn’t exactly like his brother.

“Dashing Discus” print 8×10 inches on archival paper

I am onto Angel fish next - their triangular shapes and tapering fins and tendrils captivate me…