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My Top Painting Tools

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My Top Painting Tools

This week I thought I'd lift the lid on my TOOLBOX!! I've rummaged around and taken out my top tools that I use when making my work and I share with you WHY I like to use them.

The interesting thing about 'favourite tools' is that people believe if they "...JUST had better quality brushes, or paint... or whatever SHE/HE uses... then my work would be better.... "

Well, for some things like paint, I think you get what you pay for... but what will REALLY make your work better is not really about tools - it's about the WAY you use them. I talk about this too...

Watch the vlog

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How to Get Your Painting Started- When It's Hard

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How to Get Your Painting Started- When It's Hard

In this week's Vlog, I break down how I got myself into these new paintings - from actually getting myself into the studio to the first marks I made and how I moved forward.

Hope it helps if you're starting some new work or finding some resistance to keep working on some tricky paintings.

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Authenticity In Your ART

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Authenticity In Your ART

One of the ways I do this when I'm building my layers at the beginning of a painting is to embed the work with drawings, words, shapes, colour, and collage that has direct relevance to my life at that moment.

Watch the Vlog to see this process demonstrated in my work, and stick around to the end to see bossy old Ginny.

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Soft Painting Using Sketchbook

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Soft Painting Using Sketchbook

So when I decided I was well enough to spend a little time in my studio I was in a quiet frame of mind. No strong value contrasts, no loud music.... just soft colours, subtle differences and gentle play.

I switched on RECORD, and this little session in my studio is the subject of this week's Vlog.

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Sketchbook Painting Exploration

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Sketchbook Painting Exploration

This week's Vlog is another foray into the sketchbook. This time playing with colour, value, and collage. I talk you through the tools and materials, and the WHY I do the crazy stuff I do...

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Painting With Mixed Media

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Painting With Mixed Media

I made a Vlog where I played with paint and mixed media in my sketchbook. I didn't know what I was going to do, I was all out of ideas, so I just started (and filmed it on my camera, just in case). Fortunately, I liked the result, and so here it is.

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Creating Textures With Collage and Black Paint

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Creating Textures With Collage and Black Paint

This week's Vlog is another sketchbook exploration - this time playing around with thick and thin black paint and seeing what texture you can create with collage and black paint. Have a look!

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Painting with Line

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Painting with Line

This week my Vlog is an exploration in line in my sketchbook. I've been updating one of the activities in my stARTs course and it's got me really interested in a couple of things - big shapes and delicate lines. I've always been a sucker for these two, but I feel like I'm going BIGGER with the shapes and more explorative with the line.

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Playing with Paint

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Playing with Paint

When I start my paintings I begin with play. I had to learn to play with the paint and the tools and whatever else I had to use just like a curious kid. "What happens if I use this?" "What happens if I do that?"

I recorded it, so you can see what it takes to play if you are like I was and sometimes find it hard to let go, forget about what you're making, and just get lost in the MAKING. Watch the Vlog.

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Your Shapes

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Your Shapes

This week in my Vlog I'm talking about digging into your past and finding things in your memories that can be included in your Art to make it more authentic. Finding SHAPES that you enjoy and that for some reason have some resonance for you, and how including these in your work can build connections with others. That's where the Witches Britches come in... Have a look!

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The Hero In Your Abstract Painting

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The Hero In Your Abstract Painting

One of the questions I ask myself when I'm trying to nut out my paintings is "What is this painting all about - where are my heroes?"

When I get this figured out it's so much easier to know what needs to be done next. Sometimes the hero can get lost in the crowd - so once I've identified what are the heroes, I can clear away the distractions and make some space for the main players to shine.

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Free & Loose Botanical Drawing

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Free & Loose Botanical Drawing

Develop a loose and dynamic approach to drawing botanicals, using simple line and colour combinations, pen, pencil and paint.

Learn how to read the foliage and structure of the subject then create rich texture, form and detail in your drawings by making expressive marks with a brush, pen or pencil.

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How To Use Glazing In Your Painting

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How To Use Glazing In Your Painting

Do you know one of the best things you can do in your painting is GLAZE? I've spent quite some time figuring out Glazing and I did use to skumble - I think... So how about I show you how I Glaze? It's a wonderful way of adding richness and harmonizing colour.

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Finding Clarity and Finishing

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Finding Clarity and Finishing

Here’s the final installment of what has become a 5-part grueling Serial of the evolution of one of my latest paintings. If you were with me at the beginning you'll know we had quite the journey!! Watch the Vlog to see the birth of 'Sunday Sundae with Red Lips Rose'

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Knowing Where You Are

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Knowing Where You Are

In this week’s Vlog, you'll see me start to find a direction and I talk about how I'm never lost even when I don't know where I'm going. It's all about knowing the stages of a painting and trusting your process. Knowing where you are in that process.

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Learning From Your Work

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Learning From Your Work

When I don't like what I see in my work my go-to solution is - ROTATE. I rotate the painting, look at it with fresh eyes, go back a step, and add more of what I like. I also look at what I DO like in my other work. What can my more successful paintings tell me - what have they got that the Cupcake in this painting hasn't? Watch as I walk you through and discuss the process of what I did in this week's vlog.

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Finding Direction in Abstract Painting

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Finding Direction in Abstract Painting

Last week you would have watched about the breakthrough and moving ahead with my paintings. And suddenly, this painting is taking me on a very bumpy journey - and you're all coming along for the ride!

At the moment, what it means to me is that this painting will be rich in layers, have AMAZING texture, and is taking longer to reveal itself... that's all. I can't describe the process, I'll just leave you to watch me making some very dubious decisions.