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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.

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Building The Surface

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Building The Surface

In this week's Vlog, I continue with the progress of the painting which I started last week. I'm adding the layers and building the surface using different tools to apply paint and get a range of effects. Watch as I share with you the process of building my current work as it's starting to get exciting.

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The First Layers

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The First Layers

This video shows the process of creating the first few layers of one of my latest paintings. I collaged with fabric and then applied paint and dry drawing media. Watch as I show you the process of how I bring life to the surface.

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Preparing for Painting

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Preparing for Painting

In this vlog, I'll walk you through how I start a painting from the very beginning: preparing the canvas and the first layers, and what my focus is at this stage. Stay to the end to see how one painting evolved from beginning through to the final finished form.

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Is Your Painting WRONG?

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Is Your Painting WRONG?

A painting is created by a series of decisions. Some more successful than others. How we respond to these decisions, the good and the bad, ultimately results in the final painting. Watch as I talk about how to respond to the less successful decisions in the painting process.

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Taking A Painting Backwards

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Taking A Painting Backwards

We all want to finish our paintings, but sometimes we have to take them a few steps backward in order to finish them. This takes courage and big moves, but in my experience always results in a better outcome. In this short Vlog, I demonstrate the process of taking a painting backward to finish it.