Now she’s taking shape… I added 7 layers of wash to her dress (others needed a few more to get the effect) and a little blush to her cheek goes a long way. She’s essentially there now, we’ll just add a few finishing details next week. Hazel
We spent last week making our pretty little girl not so pretty. We’ve marked in the darks giving her structure, which will make it easier for us to build her form, and we’ll redeem her next week – I’m looking forward to it, I hate leaving her in this cartoon fashion. Hazel
This picture has a beautifully gentle start and this image represents work over two weeks (four hours). I’m sure that she’ll appear not so pretty over the next week or two until she returns to her full beauty – we’ll see. Hazel
Our Acrylic Painting Classes start back the week of 23rd April, running on a Monday Morning and a Tuesday and Wednesday evening. This time around I’ve chosen a picture of a young girl in her Mother’s shoes for my step-by-step demonstration if you want to paint along with me. Trish brought a copy of this picture in a year or two ago and painted an excellent version, she kindly left her photographic copy with us to use – it’s a painting she was very familiar with, and fond of, having spent many hours in a hospital corridor along side a print of it.
If you’d like to join us to paint this, or another picture of your choice, please call Hazel or Cyril on 0505 47025 or 087 2889616. All materials are provided – including the coffee! Classes run for 2 hours, morning classes from 10am and evening classes from 8pm, over 5 weeks and the cost is €110. All the best, Hazel
Tuesday evening, 17th April, we’re holding an oil painting class, starting at 7pm (earlier than usual) as this picture took me 3 hours to paint – wet into wet, with a break for coffee it will take us up to about 10:30 before we finish. We have 2 places left if you’d like to join us.
Ring Cyril or Hazel on 087 2889616 or email on info@bramberstudio.com. The paint, canvas and all other materials are included in the course fee of €35. All the best, Hazel
This coming Tuesday evening, 10th April, we’re holding 
a silk painting class. We’ll start at 8pm with a demonstration, then everyone will try their hand at painting with the dye themselves, after which we’ll break for coffee and a chat, then when we’re nice and relaxed we’ll confidently head back to paint a second picture.
If you’d like to join us, please ring on 0505 47025 / 087 2889616 or email us on info@bramberstudio.com. All materials are provided in the cost of €35.
All the best, Hazel
We finished our painting of the Blasket Islands this week, the last of a 5 week course. Isn’t it amazing what you can create from just 3 colours; ultramarine, cadmium red, lemon (and white for toning). This was actually a simple(ish) picture – by that I mean, there was a lot of work but it gave results – with the splash giving the most challenge. Here’s a photo of the work from one of the classes.
Last week saw us placing the foreground in the rocks closest to us, moving them around until they gave us the formation and atmosphere we wanted (powerful brushes – hey?). Then, to capture the distance of water between the bodies of land we indicated some depth and reflection.
Over the next two weeks we’ll work on the detail and really bring this painting alive.
Hazel
The sky is such a key part of this picture and it’s taken a bit of time to capture, but everyone now has a strong light source and interesting clouds. It’s quite a difficult sky, probably because we’re trying to portray such an expanse in a relatively small space – now all we have to do is bounce the light off of the sea and rocks – once we have sea and rocks!
Check our progress next week, Hazel
We started a new session of classes this week and the picture I’m using for my step-by-step demonstration is a photograph of the Blasket Islands at sunset. I collect all sorts of pictures, have done for years, and this one seems to have been salvaged from a calendar at some stage. It’s a challenge but worth the try (I hope!), I’m expecting the sea to be the toughest part – time will tell!
I’ll keep you ‘posted’! Hazel
