Tag Archives: #stcuthbertsmill

DAVID BELLAMY: CREATIVE GRANULATING IN A WATERCOLOUR LANDSCAPE

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With modern super-granulating colours you can now introduce some amazing effects into your watercolour landscapes, and experiment with abstract passages to create interesting results. In this scene from my new book, Watercolour and Beyond, only a few motifs anchor the scene to reality: the hard shapes of the dark rocks; rocks detail in the top left; and the bush at the top.

The cascade of light was painted with sheer abandon, flowing in nickel titanate yellow and lunar blue into the upper section, then applying lunar black, both the latter two colours heavily granulating. I then immediately squirted copious amounts of granulating medium into the lunar black, using a pipette, varying the angle in places. Some of the rocks were painted wet-into-wet, while the more prominent ones were added once the paper had dried completely. The protruding bush was drawn with watercolour loaded onto the nib of a dip pen to achieve the very fine effect, and I completed the work with some spattering of white gouache on the bottom right to suggest spray, and transparent red oxide over the bush.

I painted this on Bockingford 200lb rough paper and the paints are the superb Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolours

Watercolour and Beyond is published by Search Press We no longer sell by mail order, but the book can be obtained direct from Search Press or any good book shop. It was great fun to write, with the emphasis on experimentation, and written to introduce a fun element into painting, while at the same time depicting some fascinating new techniques with watercolour painting. Henry Malt in Artbookreview.net says of the book: “What we have is, quite simply, his best book” I hope you enjoy it!

DAVID BELLAMY ADDING SUPER-TEXTURE TO YOUR WATERCOLOURS

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Next month, my new book, Watercolour and Beyond is published by Search Press. It’s quite different from my earlier books in that although it begins with traditional techniques it is mainly concerned with introducing new methods to watercolour landscape painting. One example shows how to use masking fluid not just for masking out intricate details, but to employ it in a much more creative manner. Or producing delightful effects by stamping with cosmetic sponges and variegated colours. Super-granulating colours can achieve spectacular passages in your work, and by introducing non-art materials into your landscape compositions your can add a new dimension. There are also ideas for various projects, some of which don’t involve creating wall-hung art, but give you alternatives for your work.

The painting I have chosen as an example from the book shows how a foreground can be embellished with Daniel Smith Watercolour Ground, which is rather like gesso in consistency, but it will happily take your watercolour washes. I have cut out a large part of the composition so that it’s easier for you to see the amazing textural effects you can achieve with this method.

To suggest the rough foreground Daniel Smith Watercolour Ground was laid on with a painting knife a couple of days before beginning the painting, and in the final stages I laid washes of Naples yellow, potters pink and pthalo blue over the watercolour ground, merging them all in while they were still wet. The ground is especially effective in rendering rocks, cliffs, rough walls, mountainsides, river banks and many other landscape features.

One of the main aims in writing Watercolour and Beyond was to encourage experimentation and bring a sense of joy into painting. Whether you paint full-time or just now and then you will find the techniques and ideas crammed into its pages will give you plenty of inspiration and a wonderful feeling of trying something new in your painting. We no longer have a mail-order shop, but of course you can get the book direct from www.searchpress.com or from your local bookshop.

On Saturday 3rd May the Erwood Station Landscape Artist of the Year competition gets under way with the first heat. There will be one heat each month throughout the summer, and if you wish to participate you can get information at 01982 560555. It is a great place to spend the day painting with others, and is a great learning experience. I shall be one of the judges during the first heat, so maybe I’ll see you there.

DAVID BELLAMY HAPPY CHRISTMAS

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I don’t know about you, but I find December is always a mad and chaotic rush around trying to keep normal life and business functioning while coping with the extra tasks of Christmas. I’ve just returned from town whtere I found the toy shop far more interesting for buying presents than the adult ones!

This scene I came across while stumbling through the snow-bound woods near the Bachhowy River a short distance from home. That was a long time ago and the cottage was abandoned, but to give it a sense of life I added rising smoke. The sky is mainly quinacridone Sienna and moonglow, with some touches of French ultramarine. I used masking fluid to reserve the snow-laden branches. The scene was more or less as I have created it, complete with puddle in the foreground, although I have changed the sky considerably.

I shall be enjoying a far from relaxing Christmas in the company of my rather energetic little grand-daughters in Pembrokeshire, but I’m sure we’ll have a great time, and I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and good health and much success with your creative activities in the New Year.

DAVID BELLAMY USING ATMOSPHERE TO LOSE THE BACKGROUND

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Have you experienced the frustration of seeing a stunning focal point set against a ghastly background, and wondered what on earth to do with the composition? You can, of course alter the background by bringing in new features that are not present, or turning it into a complete abstract, but my favourite is to use atmosphere to lose unwanted features, and occasionally this has to be quite drastic.

In this view of a trawler at sea off the Scottish coast I should point out that the background in this instance was certainly not ghastly: I just wanted to create the atmosphere and lose nearly all background detail. Suggesting a misty peak on the right with the wet-in-wet method implied the proximity of mountain scenery without elaboration, otherwise there is hardly any detail other than the shaft of light which illuminates the water ahead of the craft. You can apply this method for land-based subjects in much the same way, bringing in one or two suggestions of topographical features in a simple manner as I have done with the misty peak, or alternatively just losing part of the background in this way. It doesn’t have to be a foggy day, either, as low, intense backlighting can have a similar effect. This is also a useful ploy when you enjoy painting the same main feature but wish to alter the background to avoid too much repetition. Give it a go – it’s a great exercise.

I shall be demonstrating painting a waterfall at Erwood Station Gallery & Craft Centre at 2pm on Tuesday 10th December, and all are welcome. There will be a small charge, the proceeds going to Brecon Mountain Rescue Team and booking is essential. Please ring 01982 560555 to book a place and get any further information. The venue is in a delightful rural location beside the River Wye about 6 miles south of Builth Wells, just off the A470 north of Erwood village where they have the most wonderful cakes and teas.

The watercolour demonstration will show how to paint cascading water, summer trees, rocks, reflections in dark pools, and much more, using a variety of techniques that include some innovative approaches to applying paint. Bring along a notebook and camera, and any questions you might have, and if you bring along your sketchbook and make a day of it so much the better! It will last about two hours and I look forward to seeing you.

DAVID BELLAMY – PAINTING WITH DANIEL SMITH WATERCOLOUR STICKS

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For some time now I’ve been using the watercolour sticks produced by Daniel Smith, mainly for sketching out of doors. They make a great addition to my sketching gear, and although I still love using the half-pans in the great outdoors, the sticks provide a rapid method of capturing a colour rendition of a scene. Lovely rich colour peels off the sticks effortlessly with a brush, but you can also use them directly onto the paper. As I use the robust Saunders Waterford watercolour papers they can take quite rough treatment whether you apply the sticks onto wet or dry paper.

This is a rapid sketch of the Edw Gorge done whilst standing beside the river and applying colour direct from the sticks onto Saunders Waterford rough paper, then applying water with a large Pentel Aquash brush. These brushes hold their own water, so there’s no messing about with pots. I laid French ultramarine over the background, mixing in quinacridone Sienna lower down. The foliage was painted with yellow ochre plus Bismuth Vanadate Yellow in places. I then washed over it all with the Aquash brush. While the foliage was still damp I added quinacridone Sienna dirctly with the stick. To achieve sharper and more accurate detail I then picked up colour off the sticks with the brush and painted in the rock detail and trunks and branches, using lunar black for the very dark details, including some mixed into the river with French ultramarine. It was all over in a few minutes.

I shall be demonstrating how to use these sticks at Erwood Station Gallery & Craft Centre on Friday 7th June when I will be signing copies of my new book David Bellamy’s Complete Guide to Landscapes. Action starts at 2pm and I will be there till 4pm so do come along and join in the fun. Erwood Station is a great place to hang out, enjoy a cappuccino and they have the most delicious cakes and pastries! I’ll also have framed and unframed paintings at a discount, but do come and have a look at these magical painting sticks and ask any questions. Erwood Station is about six miles south of Builth Wells, just off the A470 from where it is well signposted. Telephone 01982 560555