Start your art! We explore the question of “How can I paint or draw this?” in the 2016 painting and drawing sessions at The Old School House Arts Centre in Qualicum Beach soon underway, with a week left to get a seat. Shown here are some of the images we’ll be using in the watercolor and oil painting classes taken from our recent visit to the exotic islands of Okinawa – the tropics of southern Japan in the South China Sea as well as Chiba seaport on the eastern side of Tokyo Bay. How can we ever forget the best “swimming pool clear” waters in the world? Snorkeling was stunning with tropical fish in clear lighting and colors of aqua and cobalt. Even on an overcast day swimming with the sea turtles was unforgettable. Exploring the ancient streets and original dwellings offered fantastic scenes and an education about the fascinating Okinawans, survivors of World War II tragedies and still the longest living octogenarians on the planet.
Traveling with minimal weight backpacks and gear, I was grateful for my iPhone camera, taking many shots and a ton of resource for painting. Back to the studio. Ah – the scene is before you, and you’re stumped. You want to draw or paint what you see and you’re asking, “Where do I start?”. “What’s the “right” way to do this?
As artists, we at least know that there are some shapes, some light / dark areas, maybe some color, maybe some intriguing lighting, maybe not. The slightly nagging thought is still “What’s the ‘right’ way to do this?”, locked into a “right” or “wrong”.
We need to keep the main thing the main thing! We need to stay true to what impacts us about the subject, ditch a lot of 2nd guessing and be aware of our first responses when we are being inspired. Bottom line: I’m learning to stay in touch with myself and my first impressions and not let myself become deterred once I’ve made up my mind. When I lay those responses on a framework, a foundation of good design elements and principles, confidence grows.
For registration for Oil Painting, Watercolor Painting and Portraiture sessions starting Feb 1, 2016 contact The Old School House Arts Centre