Welcome to localartist.org.uk. The purpose of this site is to enable artists of all levels to showcase their work in an environment that encourages them to contribute good quality material that otherwise would remain beyond view in private collections, often never seeing the light of day.
We are based in the United Kingdom, and although the central focus of the material is UK-based, we will be welcoming submissions from all over the world.
After a long no doubt frustrating period of transition, we're finally underway with our new site. Therefore the moratorium on accepting new artists is over. One of the drawbacks of the site historically having been so popular is that there has been a corresponding amount of attention from various hackers and spammers, which is why we have to keep the registration process relatively manual, and also why we've had to turn the comments facility off.
There is a temptation amongst beginners to describe a painting as having made use of one medium in its creation when, in fact there are more than one. The finished work should be described as a mixed media product. If graphite (pencil) is used it not purely a watercolour painting. If body paint is included to add white for instance, it should be included in the description. Many artists use acrylic paints to fill in the blocks of paint before finishing with oils. This can hardly be described simply as an oil painting. Waterproof pens add detail and depth to watercolour depictions and should be described as line and wash or wash and line, depending on which was used first.
The ability to paint negative space is a useful qualification to possess. In watercolour, the background of, for instance, a floral display may be painted in colours that complement or enhance the subject, (the flowers) first. As the artist approaches the central focus they may be left blank or masked off with fluid, and the background layers built upon to form impressions of more foliage. The stems to be left the original colour applied and the negative space around them painted in a deeper hue to highlight them. White flowers benefit from this technique as they only need be shaded in the relevant places. The whole composition is formed by using negative space and leaving the white of the subject to be seen against it. The use of negative space around other subjects applies in a similar way but with more emphasis on the subject matter. The placing of objects against an uninteresting background brings the viewer to focus on the subject but in a much more interesting way if the negative space has been given proper thought. We ignore negative space at our peril.
by Barbara Le Blanc
One dimension that adds depth to watercolour painting is the amount of pigment on the brush. New artists to this medium are often afraid of adding much pigment in case the finished product is too heavy but that can be a mistake. Although watercolours are noted for heir airy quality, the omission of enough pigment results in a thin wash, and because the drying process allows the paint to fade, the end product is washed out and without the required depth for the painting to work.
The study of the works of JMW Turner reveals that applying slightly heavier washes give better results and that is all the proof I need.
Most of us have a particular view taken whilst on holiday that we treasure for some reason. The sunrise over the sea, the lights over the mountains from a setting sun or people we met from far afield. Lots of us have cameras ready to record places visited and experiences that will stay with us. But artists have an additional skill that can record these things with extra feeling.
Trying to take in a view in front of us is pretty overwhelming: what dimensions to use, (how big); what to include (that tree's too big); Can I move something I don't like in that position? Questions present themselves before we even start. Holding up a mount of a holdable size helps us to enclose the view and focuses the mind on which part of the area to include. Taking a photograph of various angles enables us to see the view from its best perspective. Don't include everything in front of you. It isn't necessary nor is it practical. Paintings have to include only what is necessary to be interesting and to create the right mood.
The need to represent the third dimension in paintings is sometimes overlooked, particularly by beginners to the medium.
Working in two dimensions (paint on paper or board), it is easy to forget that we need to create form in three. Omitting brushstrokes that travel around the branch of a tree, adding shading to each extension of the human body or natural phenomenon results in flat surfaces. Shape is created by shading, light to dark or vice versa. Abstract forms, are the exception to the rule. No shading is required.
Beginners can find the concept of the third dimension difficult and, thus, wonder what is missing from their work. Form and depth.
