Zinc white vs. Titanium white

The difference between Zinc White and Titanium White

Zinc White eats colour and makes them very pale because it is opaque.

Titanium white makes colours lighter and brighter without killing them

Watch this quick demonstration 

http://www.winsornewton.com/uk/masterclass-video-titanium-white-vs-zinc-white?utm_campaign=UK_MASTERCLASS_VIDEO_9&utm_source=emailCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=

Being present in your painting - 2

In the first of this series, I asked you to be conscious of the energy in your hands; not by thinking about 'the energy in my hands' but by simply being aware of your hands and listening or feeling the nature of their inherent energy. Through this 3 minute exercise, you instantly become present and can approach your drawing, painting or photography in an open frame of mind in which you are at one with the here and now. This presence will feed directly into your work and the benefit will be clear to you.

One of the problems of our daily life is that we are bombarded with information, images, sensations, emotions and noise. To be an effective artist, you have to be able to isolate, concentrate, observe, digest, sense and interpret these things. To do this, you must be able to focus and be present in the moment with nothing but your materials and the interpretation of yous subject to concern you.

This second exercise will help you learn how to see without judging; to observe without preconception.

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Please pick up an inanimate object close to you. It would be better if the object doesn't have any writing on it and isn't strongly sentimental to you. Choose something that you may never have closely examined before or from which you are detached to some degree.

Look at this object in your hand. Remove from your mind any words that describe its form or its function and look at it as if you have never seen anything like it before. Look at its ever shape, texture and colour. Notice the way is shines or absorbs light, its transparency, opacity, temperature, dryness and sense how your hand is responding to its weight, texture and form.

Don't judge it, don't assign labels or descriptions to it in your head. Don't call it 'dirty' - rather notice that it is not clean or new and that it has some 'stuff' on it. Don't decide that it should be thrown out - rather observe its cracks and curls; its patina and warm. Words are thoughts and this exercise is only about perception.

After three or four minutes with your object with no 'thoughtful' interruptions, you will be ready to continue your work.

Being present in your painting -1

The artist often experiences a sense of timelessness, lost time or 'flow' while working because they are completely absorbed by their activity, by the use and manipulation of materials or by the subject of their work.

Achieving this state requires a 'letting go'. Let go of your ideas that your painting will not work out. Let go of any thoughts that your work is not as good as someone else's. Let go of any ambitions about the future of your work; that should be good enough to frame; that it must be good enough to post on the internet. Let go of any fears of the imagined criticism of your peers or family. None of these things matter when you are painting - but they are preventing you from being a successful artist.

What do I mean by success? When it comes to art, the only success you can honestly measure is from within yourself. Did you enjoy the journey you traveled while painting? Are you able to criticize your work in front of your peers and honestly say what are its good points and what you could have done to make it better in your own eyes. No-one elses' opinion really matters even though we are warmed by encouraging comments and let down by silences.

I would like to help you come closer to taking complete ownership of your work and being satisfied with it for what it is. First, you must become aware of your own being and, by this, I do not mean your ego  because your ego is self serving, suggestible and vain. I am talking about becoming aware of your true being because this is the start of 'letting go'.

Here is a little exercise you can practice each time you sit down to paint, draw or go out with your camera............

Try to sense the energy in your hands. 

You cannot do this by thinking about your hands. You will feel nothing in particular. You should clear your head and simply listen to the vibrations, blood flow and sensations present in your hands. This will not be easy to do at first. If you succeed, you may feel a slight tingling of the movement of blood. Next, you might feel an energy in the tendons as if the fingers are resisting the urge to flex.

Next, you can try it with your feet for a moment or two and then try to feel both hands and feet at the same time.

Now, turn to your work, pick up your pencil, brush or camera and try to sense the life force within the elements of these inanimate objects and decide that your inner self and this instrument are now a team that are going to work together to make some marks, shape some forms or collect some light. 

I guarantee your work will go differently.

Intermediate window studies

Intermediate water studies

 Three different water conditions. Reflections are vertical. Reflections are always vertical. Reflections do not behave like shadows which move with the sun.

Vertical reflections of trees and the distant hill.

Vertical reflections

 Looking through the water to rocks underneath

 Reflection AND shadow in these two paintings

On Composition

We are studying still life composition at the moment and, although it is probably one of the first subjects that young artists are introduced to, they are told so very little about it. I always thought that still life was very boring. However, since becoming a professional artist, I have learned when done well, it is more challenging than the nude.

Many great minds have pitched themselves against an arrangement of pots and pans, flowers, fruit, skulls, guitars and dead animals borrowed from the butcher. Through this subject, I hope to open the door that will lead my students along the passage of painters into the wide open garden of artists. 

Theories.

Many theories on composition have been aligned with this subject. The theory of thirds (to be ignored), the golden section (always interesting), rhythm (pleasing), mirroring (mysterious) and triangulation (old fashioned but steady) to name but a few.

The golden section (sometimes called Golden Mean)

Rhythm

Front Elevation. In this stule, the object is at eye level which almost removes the need for perspective.

Unfnished story. This old painting only has three objects. The plate is empty, the cup is full, the flower is lying on the margin. 

Only about the light. This painting only has one object but it is not about the object it is about light reflected on and through glass

How many triangles in this painting?

Same objects, same artist, different theory

Close up

Beyond the object

Light and shade

In today's Urban Landscape class we looked at the work of Urban Sketcher Paul Wang from Singapore.  We love your work Paul.