Learning Something New

Hi there

In my last post I told you about my new project of making painting videos in place of being able to teach in person. I am pleased to say that my YouTube channel is filling up nicely with my tutorials and demonstration videos. They are all FREE for people to enjoy. I will be creating online courses in the near future for people to subscribe to.

What I have done throughout this latest project is to film a short tutorial first, then follow that with a demonstration video to show how to use the tips and techniques of the tutorial. There are more videos to come.

Here are the two most recent:

Acrylic painting videos available on my YouTube channel:

• Mixing primary colours tutorial Part One and Two

• Mixing complementary colours tutorial

• Demonstration painting using the complementary colours blue and orange

• Choosing a limited palette tutorial

• Demonstration painting using a limited palette

• Making tints, shades and tones tutorial

• Demonstration tonal painting using phthalo blue

• Warm and cool primary colours tutorial

• Demonstration painting using cool primary colours

The reason I titled this post as, "learning something new" is because not only am I offering something new for other people, but I have had a couple of steep learning curves myself! I've had the inevitable technical issues, but also painting technique issues. Being a landscape artist I found it a challenge to paint flowers again. It really stretched my brain! In the past I have gone to life drawing sessions or on a yearly course doing something different to keep up my art practise. I've not been for a while so I had to really concentrate with painting something new, but I secretly reveled in it, even if it was frustrating at times. It is a healthy reminder not to get too complacent in our practise.

I've had 3 major technical failures plus equipment set up problems and lighting issues, but I finally figured out solutions for each. The only noticeable change you will see is the change in perspective when watching me paint. My old video camera broke so I had to switch to an action camera which has a much wider angle shot so it appears very different on the screen but at least you can see all of the palette now! I tried the DSLR but I just couldn't get a decent overhead set up. I may use it for filming me at the easel in the future.

As with all new projects, there are always wrinkles to iron out, and I am now happy with my set up.

Apart from making videos I have been enjoying the lovely warm weather outside in the garden. My lovely little lurcher Meg is a real sunbather! It must be the whippet side of her loving the warmth. We have a sail up in the garden which keeps the sun off us, but she has to have her own patch in the sun, so we pop a blanket on the bench and she lolls about on there! Her other favourite pastime is hopping into the hammock with my husband. They fall asleep together which is very sweet. He deserves it after working hard at home all day.

After a shaky start when we first locked down in the pandemic, I'm just happy to feel motivated again ☺

Keep well and creative everyone,

Debs x