Category: Newsletters

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What no painter wants to hear…

Go back to your drawing

Some years back David Miller, an artist who puts great emphasis on draughtsmanship, looked at a painting I was working on, wrinkled his nose and suggested that I might go back to drawing.

Before attending charm school, David studied under Norman Blamey and Lawrence Gowing, both stalwarts of English observational art and he absorbed their quiet rigour. When looking at their work it can be seen that much of the excitement of it comes from carefully recording the structure of what they see.


Norman Blamey – study of a young woman seated

This kind of drawing, quite different from optical drawing typified by a lot of contemporary observational work, seeks to understand what is seen before explaining it, rather than just describing what the light is doing. When working with the human figure this would include a study of anatomy for example.


Jacopo Tintoretto – Head of Giuliano de’ Medici 

Too great an understanding can get in the way of observation, the drama in a piece often arises from the particular and unique circumstances of the moment, we need to be very aware to catch this and not be limited to our own internal visual language, our remembered and regurgitated imagery.

That is not to say that understanding is an impediment, quite the reverse, it is the very foundation of great draughtsmanship but it needs to be held in balance with optical observation.

When we paint it’s easy to rush ahead in our eagerness to engage with pigment but very often, and certainly in my case, this can lead to a rather casual attitude towards the drawing. Drawing before we paint gives us time to look and to discover what it is that we are really painting, scampering over this phase of the work will always lead to difficulties further on in the painting, it is a false time economy.

So whilst David ruffled my feathers he was quite right, we can all benefit from going back to drawing and experience shows that twenty minutes drawing the subject saves two hours or more of exasperation once paint is on canvas.

On our recent painting holiday several artists who paint to a high standard mentioned how refreshing it was just to do some honest life drawing. Drawing is the seed and root of much great art.

It may be of interest that our new Intermediate Life Drawing course kicks off tomorrow evening and could accommodate one or two more artists.

Tuesday Afternoon Short Pose Drop-in Life Drawing
1.00pm-4.00pm

Phoebe is a model and yoga person and she’ll be providing the poses this Tuesday afternoon.

Whilst the session runs for three hours it is possible to attend one, two or three hours, as works for you. Joining or leaving the group happens promptly on the hour. There is a tutor available although the group is officially untutored.

Cost £5 for one hour, £10 for two hours or £15 for three.
Tea and cake £1

Wednesday Drop-in long pose untutored
10.00am-1.00pm

Felix is in a seated pose with the last session this week. Here are some works that emerged last week.

Cost £15 no need to book, just turn up. £1 for coffee and biscuits at 11.30am
Read more here

Wednesday Afternoon Drop-in Portraiture
2.00pm -5.00pm

Felix will be sitting for a portrait for the second and final week this Wednesday afternoon.

Cost £20 no need to book, just turn up. Tea and cake £1

This is a drop-in group for those wanting to work on their portraiture. If you haven’t been for a while would you fill in the form and read more here so that we can keep the numbers manageable.

Friday Drop-in Long pose untutored
1.00-4.00pm

We have Phoebe as our model for the next three weeks – here’s a picture of her downward dogging. My yogin daughter tells me the heels will come down eventually. We’ll set a slightly more relaxed pose for the duration.

Cost £15, no need to book, just turn up. £1 for tea and cake at 3.30pm
More info here

Saturday Drop-in Long Pose Untutored Life Drawing and Painting
10.00am-1.00pm

Second week with Vibe, seated, a sketch of her pose below

Cost £15 – no need to book, just turn up. £1 for coffee and biscuits at 11.30am

Regards

Alison and Simon

Dulwich Art Group Organisers
Alison on 07968 063523
Simon on 07704 450169
Our venue is at 4a Champion Hill SE5 8AH you can find out how to get there here

Quick links to our educational courses here:

Clare Haward: Painting in oils on Mondays and Monday Evenings
Skills Part One: The Elements of Drawing on Tuesday Mornings
Life Drawing: Intermediate Life Drawing – chief tutor Simon Dunstan Tuesday Evenings
Alex Tzavaras: Introduction to painting from life on Tuesday Evenings
Alex Tzavaras: Portrait class on Wednesday evenings
David Sawyer: Landscape Painting on Thursdays
An Introduction to Life Drawing with Alison Packer and Simon Dunstan is on Thursday evenings
Skills Part Two: Introducing Oil Painting on Friday Mornings
 
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A squirt of paint, a clean brush and we’re off…

A squirt of paint, a clean brush and we’re off.  The Autumn term starts today and for those who are new to us we extend a warm welcome. We know you’ll find us a friendly bunch but more importantly we also know that if you apply yourself diligently to your painting and drawing you will grow as an artist.

Whether your intention is to sell your work or just to acquire a skill that will bring you endless satisfaction we hope to be a meaningful way station along your path.

If you’re thinking of joining us this term there are still places here and there so drop Alison an email or ring us up to discuss.


Clare Haward discusses composition with artist and model Lauren Ratcliffe

Review of our painting holiday in Wales

Taking a residential course is a powerful stimulant to your painting. Full immersion can be overwhelming but, like baptism, it can bring about welcome renewal. Painting everyday for a week is intense and exhausting but when it is undertaken with the good humoured support of other artists and tutors it will fill you to the pores with art and good intention.

This year we were on a private landscaped estate with painting opportunities surrounding the house. Clare Haward was as brilliant as she always is at getting us to look and respond to what we see and Lauren, our model, got many of us back to the foundation of drawing, sometimes overlooked in the headlong rush into paint.

In the evenings we were 19 at table. It was a particularly large table. Whilst there was a chef and a housekeeper to help with the logistics of feeding us we had artist teams to lay and clear, this builds camaraderie and keeps the cost manageable. Other than eating and drinking and pottering, we just painted and drew. Sublime.

Rob Macgillivray exhibition

Rob Macgillivray is an inspiration, not just does he produce marvellously consistent imagery which develops over the years but he understands how to manage his career as an artist. Maybe it’s his background in production that helps but he’s doing everything they say we should all be doing. Pushing the social media, interacting with his collectors, selling online at multiple price points, exhibiting regularly. Heck, he even has his models applying directly to him and asking to sit for him! He has a solo show at the Jeannie Avent Gallery in East Dulwich this weekend and next, why not pop in and say hi?

Tuesday Afternoon Short Pose Drop-in Life Drawing
1.00pm-4.00pm

Elisa will be giving us her inspiring and athletic dance based poses this week.

Whilst the session runs for three hours it is possible to attend one, two or three hours, as works for you. Joining or leaving the group happens promptly on the hour. There is a tutor available although the group is officially untutored.

Cost £5 for one hour, £10 for two hours or £15 for three.
Tea and cake £1

Wednesday Drop-in long pose untutored
10.00am-1.00pm

We have a male dancer to sit for us for two weeks. He is called Felix and I suppose I should quip that we are lucky to have him. We are but I shall not.

Cost £15 no need to book, just turn up. £1 for coffee and biscuits at 11.30am
Read more here

Wednesday Afternoon Drop-in Portraiture
2.00pm -5.00pm

We are also fortunate to have Felix in the afternoon for the portrait session. Felix is a dancer so he’s sent lots of nice low resolution pictures of him dancing but you’ll have to use your imagination a bit to realise his face!

Cost £20 no need to book, just turn up. Tea and cake £1

This is a drop-in group for those wanting to work on their portraiture. If you haven’t been for a while would you fill in the form and read more here so that we can keep the numbers manageable.

Friday Drop-in Long pose untutored
1.00-4.00pm

Last week with performance artist Agnieska

Cost £15, no need to book, just turn up. £1 for tea and cake at 3.30pm
More info here

Saturday Drop-in Long Pose Untutored Life Drawing and Painting
10.00am-1.00pm

ViBe is our Gallic model for this Saturday and the next two.

Cost £15 – no need to book, just turn up. £1 for coffee and biscuits at 11.30am

Regards

Alison and Simon

Dulwich Art Group Organisers
Alison on 07968 063523
Simon on 07704 450169
Our venue is at 4a Champion Hill SE5 8AH you can find out how to get there here

Quick links to our educational courses here:

Clare Haward: Painting in oils on Mondays and Monday Evenings
Skills Part One: The Elements of Drawing on Tuesday Mornings
Life Drawing: Intermediate Life Drawing – chief tutor Simon Dunstan Tuesday Evenings
Alex Tzavaras: Introduction to painting from life on Tuesday Evenings
Alex Tzavaras: Portrait class on Wednesday evenings
David Sawyer: Landscape Painting on Thursdays
An Introduction to Life Drawing with Alison Packer and Simon Dunstan is on Thursday evenings
Skills Part Two: Introducing Oil Painting on Friday Mornings
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Last days of Summer and Autumn’s plans begin to hatch

Just a short message from the team today as we are ensconced in glorious North Wales on our painting holiday. All is going well, everyone is getting along famously and paintings are beginning to appear. We are lucky to have been offered a fabulous private estate for the week, usually used for shooting parties, which has landscape in every direction so the logistics are easier this year, we can just walk out and paint.


Setting out – a painter heads off to find a spot to paint after breakfast

In one week’s time our Autumn term will begin and we will be welcoming new artists and old friends back to the studio as we all endeavour to be better artists. If you have yet to sign up for a course there may still be one or two places left.

We are also launching our updated website in the next couple of weeks so if you visit the website and it all looks a bit Dutch, that’ll be why. We will have an enhanced bookings system for all of our groups which we hope will make the admin a little smoother and a cleaner look and feel

The Introduction to Life Drawing course is now full but you may still reserve a place for next term, starting in January.

There are however still places on our Intermediate Life Drawing course on Tuesday evenings from the 17th September, which is the natural follow on if you’ve completed our Introduction to Life Drawing. You can read more about this course and Sign up here

Thursday evenings drop-in summer life drawing has ended now so there will be no session this evening.

Tuesday Afternoon Short Pose Drop-in Life Drawing
1.00pm-4.00pm

Arnold will be our model this Tuesday for short athletic poses.

Whilst the session runs for three hours it is possible to attend one, two or three hours, as works for you. Joining or leaving the group happens promptly on the hour. There is a tutor available although the group is officially untutored.

Cost £5 for one hour, £10 for two hours or £15 for three.
Tea and cake £1

Wednesday Drop-in long pose untutored
10.00am-1.00pm

Final week with Stephanie seated in a wicker chair.

Cost £15 no need to book, just turn up. £1 for coffee and biscuits at 11.30am
Read more here

Wednesday Afternoon Drop-in Portraiture
2.00pm -5.00pm

Second week with Sugar who has an unconventional look having dispensed with eyebrows and having a straight fringe with shaved sides. A striking face that is fun to paint.

Cost £20 no need to book, just turn up. Tea and cake £1

This is a drop-in group for those wanting to work on their portraiture. If you haven’t been for a while would you fill in the form and read more here so that we can keep the numbers manageable.

Thursday Evening Drop-in Short Pose Untutored
7.30-9.30pm

Just to remind you that the summer drop-in life drawing has ended for this year and we will be continuing with our Introduction to Life Drawing next week, so the studio will be dark this week.

Friday Drop-in Long pose untutored
1.00-4.00pm

The second week of a pose with model and performance artist Agnieska.

Cost £15, no need to book, just turn up. £1 for tea and cake at 3.30pm
More info here

Saturday Drop-in Long Pose Untutored Life Drawing and Painting
10.00am-1.00pm

The last week with Rebecca sitting cross legged, here is one from Chatty Allen:

Cost £15 – no need to book, just turn up. £1 for coffee and biscuits at 11.30am

Regards

Alison and Simon

Dulwich Art Group Organisers
Alison on 07968 063523
Simon on 07704 450169
Our venue is at 4a Champion Hill SE5 8AH you can find out how to get there here

Quick links to our educational courses here:

Clare Haward: Painting in oils on Mondays and Monday Evenings
Skills Part One: The Elements of Drawing on Tuesday Mornings
Life Drawing: Intermediate Life Drawing – chief tutor Simon Dunstan Tuesday Evenings
Alex Tzavaras: Introduction to painting from life on Tuesday Evenings
Alex Tzavaras: Portrait class on Wednesday evenings
David Sawyer: Landscape Painting on Thursdays
An Introduction to Life Drawing with Alison Packer and Simon Dunstan is on Thursday evenings
Skills Part Two: Introducing Oil Painting on Friday Mornings
 
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In and out of the studio – the best way to learn landscape painting

Landscape in and out of the studio with David Sawyer.


Painting by David Sawyer using video reference

Painting landscape out of doors, en plein air, is very different from painting in the studio. Quite apart from the logistics, which are not trivial, the changing scene and the time constraints mean that one has to be highly selective about what is committed to canvas and often, as the light changes, one paints as much from memory as from life.

In the studio there is more time to consider and to explore, try things out and reflect. Some sage (Cesar Santos I believe) teaches that you need to take what you learn in the studio out with you and bring back what you learn en plein air to the studio. Both activities support each other.

When working in the studio many artists will use reference material: drawings, photos, colour studies and so on. How we work from these and how slavish we are to our sources is up to us but working from this kind of material is different from working from life. It can engage our sense of design more, but because there is more time there is a danger of becoming over involved and losing the freshness that marks out many fine plein air paintings.

David Sawyer’s studio teaching is done with video sequences shot from his easel when he is on location. The video plays on a large monitor in the studio and students paint from it with all of the passing buses, clouds and people but with none of the rain, wind or dogs investigating their packed lunch.

It works remarkably well and allows us to build a way of working out doors rather quicker than we may if we were actually outdoors. Ben Hope stood in for David a couple of times last term when David was painting with Charles and Camilla as official artist to the Royal Tour of the Caribbean.

Ben likes painting into the light, or ‘contre jour’ so he decided that he would find some live web cams around the world where we could have the light bouncing towards us on the screen. This too was a revelation and took away the security of knowing that the video loop would come around again.

When the opportunity to paint en plein air comes around what has been learnt in the studio remains a firm foundation to build upon. In terms of learning we now see this in and out of the studio process as the best way.

You can read more or sign up for David’s Autumn course here

A pregnant life model to paint for one day


Ariadne Pregnant – 2018

Do consider coming to paint pregnant Heather on Thursday. We produced some beautiful paintings the last time we had a pregnant model, Ariadne, and it turned out to be a warm and memorable day.

You can read more and sign up here

Intermediate Life Drawing course on Tuesday evenings from the 17th September is the natural follow on if you’ve completed our Introduction to Life Drawing. You can read more about this course and Sign up here

Tuesday Afternoon Short Pose Drop-in Life Drawing
1.00pm-4.00pm

Nadia is a yoga teacher who we hope will give us some challenging tortured poses for this afternoon’s short pose session.

Whilst the session runs for three hours it is possible to attend one, two or three hours, as works for you. Joining or leaving the group happens promptly on the hour. There is a tutor available although the group is officially untutored.

Cost £5 for one hour, £10 for two hours or £15 for three.
Tea and cake £1

Wednesday Drop-in long pose untutored
10.00am-1.00pm

Second week of a three week pose with actor Stephanie in seated a wicker chair.

Cost £15 no need to book, just turn up. £1 for coffee and biscuits at 11.30am
Read more here

Wednesday Afternoon Drop-in Portraiture
2.00pm -5.00pm

Sugar is our portrait model for this week and next, she has a strong face which is well framed by a hard fringe.

Cost £20 no need to book, just turn up. Tea and cake £1

This is a drop-in group for those wanting to work on their portraiture. If you haven’t been for a while would you fill in the form and read more here so that we can keep the numbers manageable.

Thursday 10.00am – 4.00pm – drop-in but please let us know you are coming

Pregnant Life Model – one day two halves 10.00am – 4.00pm

We love painting a pregnant woman, quite apart from the physiological changes which are so interesting there is the sense that one is coming close to the very process of life which can bring an urgency to the work. Heather has kindly agreed to sit for us just for one day and you can come for the morning or the afternoon or do both and share lunch with us. Read more and sign up here

Cost £30 for the whole day, £20 for a half day.

Thursday Evening Drop-in Short Pose Untutored
7.30-9.30pm

Sophie is a french model who will be giving us short poses on Thursday evening. Short towards longer, ending in some ten minute poses.

Thursday evenings 7.30-9.30pm Cost £10.

Friday Drop-in Long pose untutored
1.00-4.00pm

Agni will be starting a three week pose for us This Friday afternoon. Agni is a performance artist with an interest in shamanistic journeys which may explain the large bone on her head in this photo.

Cost £15, no need to book, just turn up. £1 for tea and cake at 3.30pm
More info here

Saturday Drop-in Long Pose Untutored Life Drawing and Painting
10.00am-1.00pm

Second week with Rebecca sitting cross legged, with a further week to follow.

Cost £15 – no need to book, just turn up. £1 for coffee and biscuits at 11.30am

Regards

Alison and Simon

Dulwich Art Group Organisers
Alison on 07968 063523
Simon on 07704 450169
Our venue is at 4a Champion Hill SE5 8AH you can find out how to get there here

Quick links to our educational courses here:

Clare Haward: Painting in oils on Mondays and Monday Evenings
Skills Part One: The Elements of Drawing on Tuesday Mornings
Life Drawing: Intermediate Life Drawing – chief tutor Simon Dunstan Tuesday Evenings
Alex Tzavaras: Introduction to painting from life on Tuesday Evenings
Alex Tzavaras: Portrait class on Wednesday evenings
David Sawyer: Landscape Painting on Thursdays
An Introduction to Life Drawing with Alison Packer and Simon Dunstan is on Thursday evenings
Skills Part Two: Introducing Oil Painting on Friday Mornings
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How will you work on your art this Autumn?

Our Autumn prospectus is up on our website here.If you are thinking of joining us to improve your painting and drawing then this Autumn is a good time to start. We are a friendly bunch of people and whilst we are all very serious about getting better at our art, we are generally free of the vice of taking things too seriously. Our tutors are all practicing artists, they are all good communicators and good painters too, a happy combination you cannot take for granted.

The path you take will be up to you but we always reckon that everything is easier if your drawing is up to snuff, so if in doubt start with drawing, either on our Tuesday Skills course or Thursday evening Introduction to Life Drawing.

If you want to grow your painting skills, Clare Haward, Alex Tzavaras and David Sawyer are all highly regarded experts, you’ll learn many of the same concepts with each of them but in their own language and using their approach. Use your instinct to decide, but first look here.

A pregnant life model to paint for one day

Our pregnant model is booked for Thursday the 29th August 10.00am – 4.00pm The cost for the session will be £30 and we do need you to pre-book here. I think there may have been a problem with the form last week,but it’s fixed now!

Intermediate Level Life Drawing Course


Cross contour drawing

We are excited to be running an Intermediate Life Drawing course on Tuesday evenings from the 17th September. This will build upon what was learnt in the Introduction to Life Drawing and will focus more on tonal drawing, a better understanding of surface anatomy, refining proportion and so on. You can read more about this course and Sign up here

You can sign up to the Introduction to Life Drawing Course, which is on Thursday evenings, here

Tuesday Afternoon Short Pose Drop-in Life Drawing
1.00pm-4.00pm

This Tuesday afternoon, lithe dancer Elisa will give us some short poses.

Whilst the session runs for three hours it is possible to attend one, two or three hours, as works for you. Joining or leaving the group happens promptly on the hour. There is a tutor available although the group is officially untutored.

Cost £5 for one hour, £10 for two hours or £15 for three.
Tea and cake £1

Wednesday Drop-in long pose untutored
10.00am-1.00pm

Actor Stephanie, who has lavish auburn locks will pose for the next three weeks.

Cost £15 no need to book, just turn up. £1 for coffee and biscuits at 11.30am
Read more here

Wednesday Afternoon Drop-in Portraiture
2.00pm -5.00pm

Second week with Peter and his interesting face which Riz is making something of:

Cost £20 no need to book, just turn up. Tea and cake £1

This is a drop-in group for those wanting to work on their portraiture. If you haven’t been for a while would you fill in the form and read more here so that we can keep the numbers manageable.

Thursday Evening Drop-in Short Pose Untutored
7.30-9.30pm

Vanessa, dancer and nutritionist, will give us some elegant poses this evening. Short poses towards longer ones by the end of the evening.

Thursday evenings 7.30-9.30pm Cost £10.

Friday Drop-in Long pose untutored
1.00-4.00pm

Last week with Rose seated with her knees drawn up and her arms around them. Here a work in progress which will never be finished:

Cost £15, no need to book, just turn up. £1 for tea and cake at 3.30pm
More info here

Saturday Drop-in Long Pose Untutored Life Drawing and Painting
10.00am-1.00pm

Rebecca is back again to sit for a three week pose this Saturday. We expect that she will bring the sunshine with her.

Cost £15 – no need to book, just turn up. £1 for coffee and biscuits at 11.30am

Regards

Alison and Simon

Dulwich Art Group Organisers
Alison on 07968 063523
Simon on 07704 450169
Our venue is at 4a Champion Hill SE5 8AH you can find out how to get there here

Quick links to our educational courses here:

Clare Haward: Painting in oils on Mondays and Monday Evenings
Skills Part One: The Elements of Drawing on Tuesday Mornings
Life Drawing: Intermediate Life Drawing – chief tutor Simon Dunstan Tuesday Evenings
Alex Tzavaras: Introduction to painting from life on Tuesday Evenings
Alex Tzavaras: Portrait class on Wednesday evenings
David Sawyer: Landscape Painting on Thursdays
An Introduction to Life Drawing with Alison Packer and Simon Dunstan is on Thursday evenings
Skills Part Two: Introducing Oil Painting on Friday Mornings