Big Grapes, Oils 8in x 10in on board. The Craic is mighty.

This painting was one of the first I attempted on board. Having painted on canvas for a few months, a student of mine kept encouraging me to go ON, try BOARD, it's so much easier. Well, harumph... It's not easier, its just different. And for me, its sloooower because the first layer isn't absorbed in the way it is on canvas. With canvas, I painted in one layer, on board its usually about...several. Like all the oil paintings I've put on this blog, they were painted around A4 size - a small painting, but the grapes were larger than life size grapes. This was a labour of love. Every time I finished one grape I thought, yes, I think I've got the hang of it. But when I started the next grape, well, I knew I hadn't. My favourite bits are the white spaces in between the grapes. Sheesh! But I have a favourite grape as well...

It would have been sensible to have been holding the original painting while being photographed, to really show the scale of enlargement, but you'll just have to use your imagination. As you can see, I was enjoying myself too much to be that practical..! This is on the wall at The Wooden Spoon cafe in Killaloe, Co Clare. And next time you are in the vacinity, be sure to call in, for their food is rather heavenly. And, as they say in those parts, The Craic is Mighty. (if you don't know what The Craic is, that's TERRIBLE, for you, you must get some IMMEDIATELY. You've been deprived. Ask an Irish person!)  

Glass bottles, colour pencil on Bristol Board. Belfast, UK, Ireland.

When I ask students what they think is the most difficult subject to draw, the answer is often Glass.
The thing about glass is that you can see through it. That's the BEST thing about it. And yet, thats the thing that freaks folks out the most.

Poison Bottles,  Julie Douglas. Colour Pencil. 

If you draw what you Think glass looks like, you end up leaving large areas blank. But glass is mostly made up of what you can see through it. This weeks students have had their first go at drawing wine glasses, and they all loved it - really loved it (they weren't drinking, just drawing...). Distortions, reflections, and even a portrait of the person sitting opposite, because they could be seen in the glass. (which caused its own problems as students keep...MOVING, tsk!) To make it easier, the tip is to half fill the glass with water.  

Bottle with lemon, Colour Pencil, by P. Finlay, student.

Glasses with lemons, 2B and 2H pencil, by B. McKinley, student. 

Students were really enthralled, it was a joy to watch them. When they started to focus on what was really there, all the reflections and patterns and shapes, it was as if they'd never seen anything more beautiful in their whole lives. There is beauty in all things. Drawing glass can be like unraveling a complicated puzzle. and its great when everything Fits. 

Next up - Big Drawing weekend, Killaloe, Co Clare

- Intensive Portfolio Course, 

- Monthly Mondays. 

New course programme available, email me for details. 

BIG NOTE.... I really love teaching. Not everyone can say that. If I can help you in any way it would be an honour to do that. Just ask me a question. But I know that you will not learn anything by copying my work. Not a thing. So please do not do it. Don't print out my images, don't try to draw them, for the copyright is mine and you don't have my permission to do it. Thank you. Rest assured I will never, ever try to copy anything that you have created. 

Two Colour restricted palette exercise, Water Colour, Belfast

Helicopters (as we call them...) Water colour demonstration painting, Julie Douglas (seeds at bottom left to show the colours) 

Sometimes when I plan my classes I Think about it. Other times I Look about for inspiration. This week I had a lovely lesson planned, then while walking in the woods on the morning of the class, I looked up and was really taken with the seeds and foliage above me.  Spring has been incredibly bountious this year, and all the trees are laden with flowers, but these appealed to me because of the restricted colours. So the prepared lesson was put on hold in favour of a two-colour water colour exercise, using only reds and green. Excellent. Of course, when I was taking the photos, I got a bit overwhelmed by the wonderful shadows on the wall...

The student paintings were wonderful, with hardly any huffing at all....!

water colour, by L. Lauder, student. 

Step by Step Colour Pencil, Dog. 13cm x 15.5 cm (5in x 6in)

I drew this as a birthday gift for an angel. Many happy returns, you sweetest lovely thing.

 The top photo was taken after it was framed (because I forgot to do it earlier..), so there's a bit of a reflection. The next two images are to show you how many colours I used - pinks, purples, blues, not just white on its own. And blues, purples, turquise, not just black on its own.  Hair is always a delicious variety of colour - you've just got to look hard, and they're all in there. Colour pencil is a time consuming medium, and the most important ingredient, as well as patience and observation, is Love. The most wonderful artworks show the love. 

I used Caran d'Ache Luminance- a beautiful range of light fast pencils, quite soft, and gorgeous colours, especially the greens, as well as Prismacolor and Derwent, on Bristol Board. I mix the brands and use light fast colours only. Which is a challenge in itself. 

The difficult thing with colour pencil is that it is so linear - every mark is a line. But everything we draw needs to be seen as tone and shape, and drawing hair in colour pencil actually DIScourages this. It can make too many lines, and too many lines makes hair look like wire. So, observation is key. Every time. 

Copyright reminder - animals are a favourite subject. Please do not copy this drawing in any way.

BIG NOTE.... I really love teaching. Not everyone can say that. If I can help you in any way it would be an honour to do that. Just ask me a question. But I know that you will not learn anything by copying my work. Not a thing. So please do not do it. Don't print out my images, don't try to draw them, for the copyright is mine and you don't have my permission to do it. Thank you. Rest assured I will never, ever try to copy anything that you have created. 

Sunflowers, oil painting on board 8in x 10 in.

I did this painting a few months ago - the flowers were in a jug at the bottom of the staircase at The Wooden Spoon Bakery, and the light there is always delicious. Soft, inviting light. Just about everything looks wonderful, on those stairs!

And Laura, who owns the bakery, loved the painting, as well as another of Grapes, which I will post at some point too, and asked for prints for the wall of her new cafe. So I had them enlarged by the Best Printer...In The World... (www.priorypress.net) and they look rather amazing, fantastic colour match. To give you an idea of scale, the original painting is about A4, and here I am next to the print. Huge!

Next up - Big Drawing and Portrait Workshop, Belfast 

Water Colour Workshop, Belfast

Cloth, with apples. Oil painting, 8in x 10 in on Board

This painting has taken much longer than I expected and I have learnt a lot. (including, I never know how long a painting will take...) When I began my Oil Painting Learning Journey (thinking that it was a one-way ticket! How could I EVER have thought that?! But it isn't a return ticket either, its one that you hop on and off and sometimes when you hop off you haven't alighted where you thought and sometimes when you jump back on, hey, y'seem to have gone back a stop or two but at least its slowly moving forward....), this is the subject that I started with. Cloth. Because its challenging. Its been interesting returning to it on board, and I am now plucking up courage to revisit Canvas. All encouragement would be appreciated. 

Before starting this painting, I had begun a portrait painting, and once it got to huff-stage (when its wet or when its even more frustrating..), I decided to do the apples as a less-difficult distraction, a side track. A pleasant detour, possibly.  So there's another thing I learnt. The distraction wasn't less difficult. Just differently difficult. (though I reserve the right to change my mind once I restart the portrait, and decide that it was, after all, MUCH more difficult...!)

May, Colour Pencil on Bristol Board

This drawing is from a veeeeeery long time ago, and I'm posting it because its May Day. It was part of a college project I did in 1985 (before I was born...) for a calendar and all the illustrations were self portraits. I had fun doing it, and I have a vague memory of borrowing a fluffy white beard for December...

The link with the month of May is the ribbons, and the tradition of dancing around the Maypole. I have a strong image in my mind of seeing this happening in Holywood, Co Down, when I was small, but whether I really saw it or just visualised it from my Grandmothers description, I don't know. But the drawing launched my Illustration Career almost as soon as it was complete, so it holds a warm place in my heart. Just like the May Pole, and Holywood.

Next Up: One day - Painting trees on Location (yummy)

One day - Portrait Drawing

 Weekly Drawing and Water Colour classes resume, Belfast

Monthly Monday, Killaloe Co Clare    

 New Distance Learning course starting soon.

For info email: julie@juliedouglas.co.uk

BIG NOTE.... I really love teaching. Not everyone can say that. If I can help you in any way it would be an honour to do that. Just ask me a question. But I know that you will not learn anything by copying my work. Not a thing. So please do not do it. Don't print out my images, don't try to draw them, for the copyright is mine and you don't have my permission to do it. Thank you. Rest assured I will never, ever try to copy anything that you have created.