Leisure Painter - UK (2019 - Summer)

14 SUMMER 2019 http://www.painters-online.co.uk

T

his demonstration has a cormorant

as the focal point; it is all about

rocks and a boisterous sea set

against a moody backdrop. When

deciding on the subject, I chose one

of many sketches of cormorants and

a sketch of rocks in a different location,

bringing it all together in a studio sketch

before working on the final painting.

Many people have trouble painting

rocks so here I introduce an alternative

approach in the form of collage using

thin oriental papers, which contain

quite prominent fibres, applied with

PVA glue. When using this technique

I prefer to paint on heavier papers

of 425gsm (200lb) or 640gsm

(300lb) weight. LP

Follow David Bellamystep by step to paint an atmospheric scene of crashing

waves against a rocky foreshore using watercolour and oriental paper collage

Lonely sentinel

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

nHow to paint a successful

focal point

nAdd texture to your

watercolours with collage

Watercolour

Step 1

Using a 3B pencil, refer to your initial

sketch while you draw out the scene.

t

Step 2

Working flat, water down a fair amount of

PVA glue, mixing it up with an old brush. Use

your scissors to cut some rough shapes from

the oriental paper. Tear the pieces to match

the shapes of your foreground rocks roughly,

cover them with a layer of glue then place

t

Youwillneed

nSurface

lSaunders Waterford

425gsm (200lb) HP

watercolour paper

nWatercolour

lFrench

ultramarine

lCadmium red

medium hue

lNickel titanate

yellow

lLavender

lBurnt umber

lPhthalocyanine

blue

lQuinacridone

sienna

nBrushes

lRounds,

Nos. 14, 10 & 4

lLarge squirrel

mop

lFlat synthetic

12mm (^1 ⁄ 2 in.)

lRigger No. 1

lOld mixing brush

nMiscellaneous

l3B pencil and

putty eraser

lPVA glue and

old brush

lScissors and

oriental paper

lKitchen paper

lOld toothbrush

lWhite gouache

lScalpel

The initial studio sketch. While I was happy with the bird in the main drawing,

I preferred the rock structure of the upper small sketch.

t

them on the surface. Use your fingers or the

brush to position them, aiming to create a

rough textural surface. Work up to the pencil

lines of your sketch, but not over – this would

create a fuzzy edge, which would look odd on

the hard edges of the rock. Build up the

foreground rocks gradually. Keep the pieces

of oriental paper small; if you try to work

too large an area at once, you will likely find

the paper collapses on itself and becomes

unworkable. Allow to dry thoroughly,

preferably overnight.

Splashing waves Oriental collage

LPS 14-19 Bellamy copy_Layout 1 28/05/2019 11:02 Page 14