Bring Julie to your home! New BARA Distance Learning Programme

This morning's lovely drawing class, home from homes. 

Bring Julie to your home!! Distance Learning from BARA.  Julie Douglas is resuming her very popular drawing and painting Distance Learning programme to enable personal growth and development while working from home. Click the link below for Julie's video to tell you all about it. https://vimeo.com/400636432 This week she began teaching her regular weekly students from home and has decided, after many requests, to extend the sessions to make them available for new students too. Using a combination of full tutorial videos, notes, AND weekly online classes, Julie will guide you through a fulfilling and rewarding creative experience. Julie has helped thousands of students to improve their drawing and painting through her user-friendly and positive approach. Having taught for a few years with London Art College, Juile is well equipped to teaching students at a distance. Feedback from the online classroom includes - Paul: 'that was so uplifting this morning, thank you' Kate: 'Julie this morning was fantastic. A real soul-lifting experience in a very challenging time. Thank you for your efforts' Student numbers will be strictly limited – please apply quickly to ensure your place, and to buy art materials from the list while you still can. email julie@juliedouglas.co.uk

Book review by Katherine Tyrrell, of Notes for the Atelier

I was delighted to read Katherine Tyrrell's review of my book. Katherine writes one of the most popular art blogs in the UK, and I have worked with her in the past, and was pleased to see her at the filming of Sky Portrait Artist of the Year in Battersea Arts Centre. (She was very encouraging there - it's amazing the difference it makes to a stressfull experience when you see a face you know, and they say nice things!!)

A spread from the book

If you would like to read her review, you will find it here.

https://makingamark.blogspot.com/2020/02/book-review-notes-from-atelier-by-julie.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MakingAMark+%28Making+a+Mark%29

Another spread from the book

BBC4 Life Drawing Feb 4th

This coming Tuesday I am delighted that my studio will be part of the first live nation-wide life drawing session, on BBC4 with Lachlan Goudie.

Last week's life class at BARA

Drawing the human form is a very centering experience (after all, we are drawing that most familiar of things - ourselves) and I think everyone should try it. More than once!

Details of the programme are here

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2019/life-drawing-live

It's a pilot programme, to encourage people to get their paper and pencils out at home and join in, following the live model on the screen.

Try to tune in!


Next workshops at BARA this Friday 7th February 6 - 8 pm portrait drawing and
Saturday 8th February Portrait drawing 10.30 - 5pm

Sky Portrait artist of the year - the movie!!

This link takes you to the Sky Portrait website, and gives you a series of 2 minute films of all artists doing their paintings.

https://www.skyartsartistoftheyear.tv/portrait-profiles/

SKY Portrait Artist of the year, 2020 - the filming

My finished portrait of actor/director Noel Clarke

This was the most stressful painting experience I have ever had, and it was exhausting, thrilling and, in a strange way, exciting all at the same time. Having done so much prep, all I wanted to do on the day was get ON with it, and found it difficult, at times, to even speak to the camera as I was so focussed. I felt nervous but ready - and didn't want to let my team down. SEVEN of my students flew from belfast to London to support me and watch the proceedings, and my brother and his partner also came, so I felt well supported. 

The Team...Margery, Sara, me and Catherine - the night before, like as if it was all a blast... They did, to be fair, text me at 6am to make sure I was up and ready for filming.. 

The venue, Battersea Arts Centre, was excellent, with consistent lighting and lots of space. There were cameras everywhere, with each artist easel having it's own camera in front and behind. 

Sara next to my self portrait

It was the first time that noel Clarke had sat for a portrait, and he was anxious in case he didn't do a good job. He needn't have worried - he was fantastic at sitting still and he was lovely to paint.

The first marks, literally! I always begin by using my hand-span as a guage for the head.

When I did my practice paintings, I worked sometimes from the model, and sometimes from my phone - I found that my phone was quicker, and that if I started from life, the camera wouldn't 'see' the same angle that I did, so it needed to be one or the other. If someone is going to sit still for four hours for me to paint them, then it's the least I could do to work from life. Most other artist, I understand, didn't do this. Great pity. On the other hand, this was less a paint-a-thon and more of a race, so whatever is the quickest! So I put my fastest-music in my headphones (ABBA! Not even joking!) and got started. 

The drawing, directly onto the canvas to save me the time of transferring it. I forgot my fixative spray, so was a tad nervous about painting over this... gulp. But nothing ventured... If I had drawn on a large pad, or larger canvas, I might well have NOT painted, but continued drawing.

The nerve wracking bit - adding paint on top of a perfectly fine drawing... will I 'lose' it...?? No going back now! (Photo courtesy of Katherine Tyrrell) 

Some of the camera crew - this was my view! 

Hard enough as it was to paint in such public circumstances, the worst bit was being taken outside at regular intervals to 'talk to the camera' - nightmare! I don't even like having my photograph taken, so this was torture. Though the crew were all absolutely fantastic and lovely. 

The fabulous Tai-Shan Scheirenberg

Joan Bakewell!

In the centre, 'the team' a bit star struck with Stephen Mangan. Far left is Gregor and Maeve, come to cheer me on, thanks! 

The quietest time was during the lunch break, when the hall emptied. Many of us continued painting, glad of the uniterrupted time to get as much done as possible. Even so, it was a marathon right up to the last minute. I didn't walk around the hall at any point - on the far side from my space all the self portrait were on the wall, but I didn't want to see ANY! (no room for nerves!)

Just seeing this photo brings it all back to me - it was getting busy by now! (Photo courtesy of Katherine Tyrrell)

Battery recharging!! 

With about 10 minutes remaining, I could hear one of the producers whispering to the artist next to me, asking 'what could possibly go wrong?', and I knew that she'd be asking me next. My goodness, there were so many potential answers to that question, mostly of the non-arty variety... and when she DID whisper, Julie, Julie what could go wrong?, I just hadn't the time to stop painting and said 'I have no words', and ignored her! Oops!!! It was a relief when we were told to put the brushes down..

and... it's all over. 

I was sorry not to get through to the next round, but I so enjoyed the experience. And, I'd do it again!!

Sky Portrait Artist 2020 - the prep!

'Brass Neck' - oil on linen, self portrait, Julie Douglas

Self portraits aren't really my thing. But when you enter a competition, and they ask for a self portrait, there is no option... I only had two weeks to complete it so had to decide very quickly on a composition that might attract the judges eye, and work round the clock, between classes, to get it done. I used to play the Euphonium when I was at school and was borrowing one from a local brass band, so decided to get a few distortions going in...

I happily admit that when I got the phone call from Sky saying I had a got through to the televised heats, I was slightly in shock. Oh yes! Oh NO!!! The challenge is to paint a portrait in 4 hours, while being filmed constantly, with a live audience, and popping outside at regular intervals to be interviewed...

So I had about 6 weeks to practice painting portraits, in 10% of the time I would usually spend on a painting. I would like to thank everyone who so kindly modelled for me. Most sat for me in the studio, some let me take a reference photo. I really enjoyed the process and all the sitters ejoyed it too, saying they were surprised at how relaxing it was for them. I can't say it was 'relaxing' from my side of the easel, but I learnt a great deal. I managed to complete 15 speed-paintings before the programme was recorded, of David, David, Claire, Conor, Ben (three different ways!), Catherine, Rachel, Ken, Amanda, Alison, Rory, Clive and Jonny. You are all beautiful and much more beautiful than I managed to capture in the limited time available. Thank you so much.

Here are some of the practice ones - and yes, I ALWAYS did a drawing first, and included that in the 4 hour time limit. Each drawing took around 45 minutes, leaving me 3 hours 15 minutes to paint.

These 7 paintings were all completed over 5 days - bit of a marathon. 

Alison

Conor

Claire

Ben

           

David - I did paint David too, this was the prep drawing

Clive

David

Jonny

Amanda. Amanda was my first sitter, and she is a massive fan of the SKY portrait competition - consequently we laughed and talked too much! So once I got this far I had to chuck her out so I could get ON!!! Ahem. 

Amanda

Ken

I will write another post about the day of filming... 

For info on workshops with me at BARA studios, please emial julie@Juliedouglas.co.uk

Upcoming workshops include Friday Night Life drawing, portrait drawing, two week oils workshop in April 2020 and weekly classes. 

SKY Portrait Artist of the Year, 2020

SKY Portrait Artist of The Year is a much loved programme, a favourite with not only many of my students, but lots of my non-arty friends too. It's a delightful watch, and artists are not judged harshly, but encouraged (and cajoled) by the judges and presenters alike.

The set for filming Sky Portrait Artist of The Year. Who's that in the apron... and, who are those two ladies bottom right... And, who's that in the blue and yellow dress..? All very familiar, just sayin... (this photo is a screen shot from the trailer)

The challenge for artists is to try to complete a portrait in just four hours. Perhaps 'challenge' is the wrong word - 'madness' might be better! If you have never seen the programme, you can watch previous series on many different platforms, including Now TV, Netflix and Youtube. 

The 2020 series is about to start, with the first episode airing on Tuesday 21 January 2020. If you watch on Tuesday 28th January, you may see someone you recognise...! (or perhaps several people you recognise!)

I'm not allowed to say more now, but instead I will show you this painting, which was one of 15 practice paintings I did, to work out how to complete a head in just four hours. Considering that most of my artorks take around 40 hours, 4 hours is very short. 

Drawing and painting completed in 4 hours - a marathon

For info on workshops and weekly classes, please email julie@juliedouglas.co.uk

Upcoming workshops include Friday Night Life drawing, portrait drawing, and an oils week.

David Gray, still life workshop 1 - 5 September 2020 at BARA

I am delighted to announce that internationally renowned artist David Gray is returning to Belfast, in 2020, to deliver a still life oil painting workshop. David's paintings are exquisite, and he is a great teacher. His teaching style is exact, kind and thorough. He teaches all over America and Europe. 

In this workshop, David will take you step by step through the process he uses in creating his professional works. From the initial under-drawing through to final glazes, learn to build your painting in a series of layers that will help you effectively create an elegant and refined still life. 

Each phase of the process will be covered in detail. Daily demos will be given and you will apply the lessons on your own canvas. Personal attention will be given to each student.  

David Gray is an award winning oil painter known for his still life and human subject paintings rendered in a style reminiscent of the French Neoclassical painters Jacque-Louis David and his student Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. 

Please join David for five days of intense study, of learning techniques and concepts for painting from life, as well as camaraderie, and hopefully a little fun, too.

This is how David presents his workshops, in his own words:

In my workshops I teach the application of the painting medium as I apply it in my own professional work. Though I strive to keep the class fun and upbeat, we move fast and cover a LOT of material in a short amount of time. Note taking is highly recommended. If you are totally new to oil painting this probably isn’t the class for you. It’s really going to benefit the student who has a fairly firm grasp of drawing and oil painting basics. If you are really new you will learn a lot, to be sure, but a lot of it will be over your head, too. I will teach principles as I demonstrate on my own piece. You will also have the opportunity (and be expected) to apply the lessons on your own painting.  Regardless of subject matter the schedule generally follows this sequence:

​

Day 1 — Underdrawing. I teach methods and thought processes of how to construct the underlying drawing of your subject on your painting support (your canvas or panel).

Day 2 -- Color Study and Underpainting. We will discuss some basic color theory and mixing. We will create a color poster study to help us work out our major color concerns before launching into our portrait. We will also apply a thin layer of oil color onto the drawing in preparation for day three.

Day 3 — Overpainting — This is the real business of painting where I show you how to paint your subject region by region; bringing each area to a finish before moving on. Among other things we will discuss paint handling, basic color mixing and turning form.

Day 4 — Glazing and Continuing the Overpainting. On this day I will show you how to glaze and make minor adjustments as necessary. We will also continue to work on the overpainting.

In addition students are encouraged to ask any other questions applicable to the art making process. In past workshops we have discussed other items such as: composition, how to take good photo reference material, the importance of drawing/painting from life, personal art making philosophy, and many other related topics.

You can see more of David's paintings at his website here; https://www.davidgrayart.com

Your host, Julie Douglas, has 25 years experience teaching drawing, painting, and illustration, and runs Belfast Academy of Realist Art (BARA), which offers termtime drawing and painting workshops, as well as year-round workshops with visiting artists, including Michael John Angel (founder of The Angel Academy of Art, Florence), David Gray, Paul Foxton and Colleen Barry. Julie is a combination of enthusiasm, Irish hospitality, and fun; she will welcome you warmly and think of everything you need before you do. If you've been looking for an arty guardian angel, you have found her! 

David's five-day workshop is fully tutored. The day runs from 10am - around 5pm with a break at lunch time. There are cafes and deli's nearby, and students may go out for their break or bring lunch to eat in the studio, which is large and roomy. Refreshments are provided. 

The BARA easels studio comfortably fits 16 students each with their own dedicated lighting, wall space, chair/stool, and shelves. The second studio has large tables for flat work, tracing and cutting, with space for students to eat as well as a comfy seating area ('the parlour').

Cost: £700 to include instruction, tea/coffee, and some materials. A list of materials will be sent upon booking.
Deposit of 50% is required upon booking to hold your place.

To book a place on David Gray''s workshop please email julie@juliedouglas.co.uk

Terms & Conditions:
A 50% non-refundable deposit is required to hold your place. Full payment must be received by 1st May 2020. If booking after 1st May, full payment is due at time of booking. 
Minimum number of students is 15.

COST: £700 to include instruction, tea/coffee and some materials. A list of materials will be sent upon booking a place. 

Not included:
Accommodation, flights, transport, and all other personal costs.  Fees are non-refundable unless the course is cancelled for any reason. 
If traveling, it is recommended that you take out insurance to cover costs in the unlikely event of cancellation etc. 
If necessary, we reserve the right to replace the tutor in an emergency. 

Materials. 

Details of accommodation near the studio will be provided upon booking. 


For booking information and all enquiries please email julie@juliedouglas.co.uk 

Belfast is a vibrant city with a warm, friendly atmosphere. If you are traveling for this course, you will find lots of things in the city to enjoy in the days before or after the workshop. 

https://www.discovernorthernireland.com/belfast/

Graphite study for portrait commission

I always like to do a pencil study before I start a final piece of artwork. It helps familiarise me with the subject, and when it's a commission, it allows the client to see what the finishes item will look like, and gives them the chance to alter things. When it's a portrait, this is the time to decide if the likeness is true (and that means true to how the client 'sees' that person, not how I see them). 

I decided to show the finished study first, then you can scroll down to see the stages in reverse! In this case I drew a map of the face, then worked tonally from the eyes outwards. 

The whole thing took around 10 hours. 

For info on classes or portrait commissions, please email julie@juliedouglas.co.uk

Rose Painting Workshop with Kathleen Speranza, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 9th - 13th June 2020

I am delighted to be hosting a Rose Painting Workshop by the esteemed artist Kathleen Speranza in June 2020.

Garden roses are some of the most beautiful forms of the botanical world. They have been cultivated for centuries and bear little resemblance to the stiff generic varieties that are commonly available. In this intensive workshop, painters will have an opportunity to study their complex geometry and exquisite colour subtlety. The course will include an indirect method of painting and the introduction of a specific limited palette. A brief slide lecture on the hostory of the genre will inspire us as we explore this timeless motif. Previous painting experience is encouraged. 

Kathleen Speranza is an artist with more than 30 years of painting and teaching experience. She maintains a studio in Lynn, Massachusetts where she lives, and teaches workshops around the world. Ms Speranza is also on the faculty at Rhode Island School of Design and teaches Painting and Drawing to sophomores in the Illustration Department there. You can see more of her beautiful work here: https://kathleensperanza.com


Your host, Julie Douglas, has 25 years experience teaching drawing, painting, and illustration, and runs Belfast Academy of Realist Art (BARA), which offers termtime drawing and painting workshops, as well as year-round workshops with visiting artists, including Michael John Angel (founder of The Angel Academy of Art, Florence), David Gray, Paul Foxton and Colleen Barry. Julie is a combination of enthusiasm, Irish hospitality, and fun; she will welcome you warmly and think of everything you need before you do. If you've been looking for an arty guardian angel, you have found her!


This five-day workshop is fully tutored. The day runs from 10am - around 5pm with a break at lunch time. There are cafes and deli's nearby, and students may go out for their break or bring lunch to eat in the studio, which is large and roomy. Refreshments are provided. 

The BARA easels studio comfortably fits 16 students each with their own dedicated lighting, wall space, chair/stool, and shelves. The second studio has large tables for flat work, tracing and cutting, with space for students to eat as well as a comfy seating area ('the parlour').

Cost: £700 to include instruction, tea/coffee, and some materials. A list of materials will be sent upon booking.
Deposit of 50% is required upon booking to hold your place.

To book a place on Kathleen Speranza's workshop please email julie@juliedouglas.co.uk

Terms & Conditions:
A 50% non-refundable deposit is required to hold your place. Full payment must be received by 1st May 2020. If booking after 1st May, full payment is due at time of booking. 
Minimum number of students is 15.

COST: £700 to include instruction, tea/coffee and some materials. A list of materials will be sent upon booking a place. 

Not included:
Accommodation, flights, transport, and all other personal costs.  Fees are non-refundable unless the course is cancelled for any reason. 
If traveling, it is recommended that you take out insurance to cover costs in the unlikely event of cancellation etc. 
If necessary, we reserve the right to replace the tutor in an emergency. 

Details of accommodation near the studio will be provided upon booking. 


For booking information and all enquiries please email julie@juliedouglas.co.uk 

Belfast is a vibrant city with a warm, friendly atmosphere. If you are traveling for this course, you will find lots of things in the city to enjoy in the days before or after the workshop. 

https://www.discovernorthernireland.com/belfast/