watercolours Archives - Yvonne’s Artwork

“When the working day is done”

A painting for the Cossack Art Awards 2024 “When the working day is done” Cruise and Diamond Pilbara Working Dogs. This is my watercolour entry for the 2024 Cossack Art Awards. I usually paint the native flora and fauna, but decided this year to do what I do best, domestic animals, and so I went looking for an image, I found one on the “Pilbara Working Dogs” Facebook page and was drawn to this image, as its colours were great to reproduce with my own interpretation. I asked for, and obtained, permission to paint this image and found the dogs names were Diamond and Cruise. I loved the simplicity of the image along with the classic red dirt of the West Australian outback. The sketch was drawn using a grid of 4cm square, so made to fit a large frame, I wasn’t sure if I should use white or black framing at this point. I put in as much detail as I can then very carefully rub out the grid. the background is in my classic style, using all the beautiful pindan colours of the outback. Australian Red gold (Art spectrum), Quinacridone Sienna (Daniel Smith,) and Dioxazine Purple (Windsor and Newton,) Lemon Yellow (Art Spectrum,) and Cadmium Yellow (Art Spectrum.) painted in large brush strokes then splattered with the paints to blend, and finally water to produce the lighter areas in the colour blocks. Making a start on Diamond and Cruise I loved the image as it has a definite warm and cool side, so I started with my blues and purples for the cool side first, Phthalo Blue (Art Spectrum), Dioxazine Purple (Windsor and Newton), Indigo ( Art Spectrum), are the main colours used, then as I moved to the warmer side I used Quinacridone Purple (Daniel Smith) with my Quinacridone Sienna and Australian red gold to make a warmer brown tone, the lighter areas had a touch of the yellows in too. I block in the areas first with quite bold strokes allowing the paint to bleed and soften, gradually building up a couple of layers until there is definite soft structure to the dog, this is done using wet on wet, but not soaked paper. that I can follow with my next layers. The lighter areas are just more dilute layers of colour. Once the first dog is blocked in I work on the second dog, same colours, same technique, leaving the eyes until last on the first dog… I always do the eyes last, it’s just a personal preference. Finishing Touches In this close up (Click the image to see an enlarged image) you can see the brush strokes and the different colours used, Some of the Quinacridone Purple is mixed with a little white gouache, and in some of the cooler light areas I have used a Light Cobalt (Windsor and Newton), and had to put in the Bengal Rose gouache (Windsor and Newton) these can be lightened with a little white, the Quinacridone Purple with the Light Cobalt make a nice blue that will cover and blend the colours underneath, as the Light Cobalt is opaque when only slightly diluted. I use a fine Liner brush (or Rigger) number 1 or 2. In the warmer areas I use the liner brush with the yellows, the Red gold, and the Quinacridone Sienna, to blend. The eyes are completed last, I paint a layer of the Iris in the Australian Red Gold, then lift a little for the highlight area, repeat another layer and then make a deeper brown, (by adding purple to my Red Gold) to paint the shading in the Iris. The Pupil is painted with almost neat indigo, leaving a small area for the highlight, which I paint with a mix of Phthalo Blue and purple mixed, then lift a bit off the blue/purple mix to leave a glassy eye look. A dot of white gouache, and an outline of indigo and the eye is complete. TIP: Mixing the Australian Red Gold, or the Quinacridone Sienna with the Dioxazine Purple, (or the Quinacridone Purple) make beautiful browns, more purple – the deeper the brown. With both dogs completed I used my background colours mixed with a tiny bit of white Gouache to make details on the ground and to stop the dogs from “Floating” in the painting, adding directional strokes helps. There is a little bit of Daniel Smith Phthalo Yellow Green in there too. Click the image to see and enlarged image. Final touch is a splash, quite literally, of Gold Alcohol Ink. I did use my draughtsman pen too, just to add some directional hair strokes. Wish me luck!

Paint your pet Workshop March 2024

Day One Paint your Pet workshop for march 2024 was another successful weekend, with 4 students all creating wonderful pieces of artwork. My studio is a great space for workshop’s. A maximum of 8 people can sit in a quiet room with great light, the smaller group size means there is more time to spend with each student. The first step is drawing the image, I prefer to use a grid system for my student teaching as it creates a well proportioned image. It is easy to use and can be used to enlarge or reduce the image sizes, plus work out the best placement for the final image. This workshop was a Rainbow workshop, using my signature bright coloured backgrounds. This is how the first stage of painting looks at the end of day 1. Day two With the backgrounds dry and completed we now work on the subjects. I demonstrate various smaller images to show how to paint White, Brown and Black subjects, this helps to explain how my colour theory of warm and cool colours can be used, also the mixing of colours. The students final work always amazes me, they step out of their comfort zone and experiment with colours they wouldn’t normally dream of. Each finished piece has their individual style, I find now, most of my students are returning for other workshops, As you can see each piece is wonderful! the final stages are adding the “Whitework” using a white gouache, and some penwork, some prefer no penwork , I prefer the pen as I am more of an illustrator in style, and I like my images to stand out a bit more. I use a Rotoring draughtsman pen for all my pen work. My Demonstration piece This is “Mr Buttons”, A commissioned portrait that I used to demonstrate my Black animal subjects. As you can see there is no black but a mix of blues, greens, magentas and purples. I use purple under a coat of Indigo for my “Blackest” parts. Happy faces! Show and tell , not everyone likes to be in photos, but I am always so proud of the work the students produce. These workshops are relaxed, social events with a huge amount of learning, the fact that my students come back for more means I must be doing something right! Look out for my workshops, they are advertised on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/YvonnesArtwork The next one is a day workshop for the basics of watercolours, suitable for beginners or those already painting, and for people interested in wishing to take up watercolour painting but don’t know where to start. It will cover paper choices, paints, brushes, stretching paper, drawing, mixing colours using my warm and cool palette. Date: April 13th 2024 Please contact me for more information.

It’s Nearly Christmas again!

Time to buy your Christmas cards Its time to think about the festive season again, I’m sure it comes around quicker every year. This year I have produced a cat image for all our cat lovers out there, this one has found an interesting twinkly new toy to play with. As for all my dog lovers out there, here is one handsome dog tempting you under the mistletoe. “Go on… you know you want to” and “A new toy!” are available now at $3 each. I usually sell in packs of 6 but can split them to individual cards to make up the pack. Prices are in Australian dollars and postage is extra. Please message me if you wish to order either via my website, follow the “Book a commission” at the bottom of this page, or via my Facebook page Yvonne’s Artwork I wish to thank all my followers of my Facebook page and my website as your support is so appreciated. I have just won a major prize at the Harvey Art Prize for my treescape, “A Quiet Place” for the “Works on paper” category, This was a fantastic win for me, and I felt honoured to be awarded a prize for this particular painting. It is one of my favourite images that had been hanging on my wall. Other items available I still have a few of previous my years Christmas cards available, if you would like to still buy those while stocks last, same prices as the others @ $3 each. This one is “What would YOU like for Christmas” showing a gorgeous Greyhound with Santa. It is a particularly adorable image of gentle hands holding the face of a greyhound, exchanging a moment of tenderness. I also have some of these designs left too. “A Galgo Christmas dreams” showing two rescued Galgo’s snuggled up for the night and dreaming of a sleigh being pulled by Galgo’s. These dogs were a friends dogs, both rescued Spanish Galgo’s in their usual evening repose. I loved painting this image, its no secret that Greyhounds and Sight hound are a favourite subject of mine. Greetings cards I do have a range of greetings cards left blank for your own message, available at the Cellar door at Vineyard 28 in Yarloop WA. These three images are just some of the greetings cards on sale, left blank for your own message, available at the cellar door at Vineyard 28 The first image is “One last look” which won peoples choice at the 2023 Harvey art Prize . The second is “Pygmy Possum on Gum flowers,” and “In coming!” a red tailed Black Cockatoo. photograph reference by Ren Theelen. They are also available as fridge magnets. why not book to go and see my framed artwork on display at the cellar door and try some beautiful boutique wines.

Paint your pet workshop

“Paint your pet” workshop Teaching art is my something I love to do, combine this with teaching you how to paint using my signature style and this makes for a great workshop. Once again I am holding a Paint your pet Workshop. In the past these have proved to be very popular, and the results are amazing. From people with artistic knowledge and experience to the beginners, everyone leaves with a stunning pet portrait. I have taught at several workshops now and each one has been an amazing experience. I have been fortunate to meet some wonderful artists and beginners , and been lucky enough to help them on their art journey. A great learning opportunity At one of my workshops you will learn a few valuable tools to enable you to paint from a photograph. Pet portraits are fun as you already have great knowledge about your chosen subject, and that helps with the fine detail. DAY ONE Step one: Learn how to stretch watercolour paper. This is so the paper dries flat when you apply large amounts of water. The paper is soaked so the paint will run and blend during the process of painting the background. Without stretching the paper it will dry buckled, this doesn’t come out either, making framing almost impossible. You can create a fantastic piece of art that is ruined by buckled paper. Enlarging a drawing from a photograph Step two: You will learn is how to use a grid to enlarge a photograph. This is a fantastic way of enlarging or reducing an image, you can pick out fine detail, shading, shapes and know the proportions and the placement is correct. Essential for a good pet portrait! Here two students, one a total beginner, are enlarging their photographs. This was from a workshop in the Porongorups, WA Step Three: Learn about warm and cool colours and how to paint “wet on wet” to achieve my signature backgrounds. I give you a material list of paints to buy and brushes that will be used in this workshop, that way everyone is using the same colours as I use, a great way of making a start to your art supply collection. I use tubes of watercolour paint as they go further and spread easily during the wet on wet process. Once the portrait is drawn the background is completed. That concludes day one of the workshop. DAY TWO Step four: The next day students learn how to paint the portrait, what colours to use to achieve my signature rainbow styling, and tips and hints to achieve a great portrait. Step five: Pen work. I use pen work on top of my portraits to add extra depth and texture. I use a draftsman Rotoring ink pen but a artline fine marker works just as well. Finally the white gouache, the end touch, the dot in the eye or highlight that finishes the portrait. Not one student has left any of my workshops so far without a fantastic painting. I am thrilled that some have attended several of my workshops, and all students agree they have learnt a lot of valuable information during the workshop. I like to think that I can help them to gain confidence and most of all enjoy the process. The workshops are full on, busy, and most of all FUN! Want to book a workshop? My workshops are advertised on my Facebook Art page, the next on is the 18th and 19th of March, 2023, where I have 3 places still available. The cost is $250pp. You can contact me about doing a workshop, either by using the contact form on this website, or through my Facebook page. I work in my studio at my home in Pinjarra, Western Australia, and can take 6 comfortably in a class. Otherwise if you can rustle up some like minded friends, (no more than 10) I could possibly come to your venue, within Western Australia. (travel cost apply to workshops in states outside the southwest WA) https://www.facebook.com/YvonnesArtwork/

Yvonne’s Artwork

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“When the working day is done”

Paint your pet Workshop March 2024

It’s Nearly Christmas again!

Paint your pet workshop

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