Strathmore Artist Workshops
I’ve discovered this little gem online: Strathmore Artist Workshops
It’s a series of short, basic interactive online workshops. It’s presented in video format, with written instructions alongside, and templates as well for those who don’t want to practise sketching (just painting). My personal preference is always to draw from scratch, so I had a go at the exercises.
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- Week 1 – Blossom
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- Week 2 – Reflections
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- Week 3 – Value studies
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- Week 3 – Value studies
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- Week 4 – Portrait
If you sign up (it’s free), you can post in the forums and gallery, allowing you to interact with the instructor and classmates. As far as I’m aware, because there aren’t deadlines, it’s open for quite a few months to give you time to post your exercise attempts whenever you want.
While I was using up the last few sheets of my Cotman watercolour sketchpad, I found some watercolours I painted last year. I spent most of 2017 experimenting with watercolours – it’s a medium I’ve wanted to get better with for a long time, after favouring acrylics for so long. I love the thick textures and how expressive acrylics are (it really is the medium for me), but I also really appreciate the delicacy of watercolours. These were fun to do at the time – lovebirds and crane birds! What do you do with your small pieces, do you display them, sell them, or throw them out? Mine just stay in the pad!
