Focal Point - Issue 3

Focal Point Issue Three

February 2013

In-house Magazine of the

Western Cape Watercolour Group

Focal Point Issue Three

February 2013

Editorial A new year always brings an excitement to me of new possibilities and I think of lots of different art techniques I can try. We can tend to become hooked on a formula that seems to work for us and if we are not careful we set ourselves up to stop being creative and to become routine. The easy formula leads to less thought which means you use your mind less and the less creative you become. So I hope that your new year will shake you out of your usual routine.

“Success is dangerous.

One begins to copy oneself, and to copy oneself is more dangerous than to copy others.

It leads to sterility.” Picasso To encourage me to think laterally I have been visiting art exhibitions in the area. The Liebrecht Gallery in Somerset West have had an amazing exhibition: “Facing the Future – Portraits for Africa,” where 55 artists produced some 550 portraits. I found it very exciting and I hope you managed to see it also.

Another exhibition I visited was that of Erinvale artists – a truly impressive and varied display of local talent. Grande Provence in Franschhoek put on their annual Angels exhibition which was much different from what I expected. “Angels 7 – I am an African” was an eclectic mix of artwork aiming to communicate the critical social and other challenges that currently face our society and environment.

Joubert Stander put on a solo exhibition of his finely detailed artwork (mainly portraits) at the Rialto Gallery and then of course there was our own Annual Merit and Little Gems exhibition, which showed some really stunning and varied work this year which I found inspiring.

Visiting these exhibitions is giving me much food for thought, but, like many of us I am sure, I am still trying to find my way through the maze of creative options we have today. In this issue I am concentrating a lot on colour. This affects our lives every day in many ways – what we wear, how we feel, how we decorate our homes and so on, and yet do we stop to really think about colour thoroughly?

As artists we need to understand colour – the properties and abilities of the colours we use, how to use them effectively, what they portray in our work and how they assist in our design.

We need to know what our personal preferences are and why. So I will explore some of these in this issue in the hope that they may assist you or encourage you to start using a new colour, or a familiar hue in a new way.

Please don’t forget that we write this magazine for your interest and so we would like to hear your thoughts and comments about the articles.

Should we drop some or develop new ones?

Please write to us: Kathy Wivell Chris Hall Editor Sub-editor Kathy@trainexp.co.za chris87hall@gmail.com

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Articles in this issue Page Branch member news

1. WCWG Annual Merit & Little Gems Exhibition

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2. Diane White Workshop

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3. Obituary – Heather Simmonds

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Talk to an expert

Mounting and framing artwork with Joubert Stander

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The long read

The insight on colour

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In conversation with…

Buddy Thomas

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Technical information

Supports for oil and acrylic paintings

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The artistic journey

1. Re-using unsold frames

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2. Judging of pictures at selection

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3. Copyright – what you should know

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Using colour

Learning Points

What’s on

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Terminology

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Symbolism of colour

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Colour value – high and low key

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Colour harmony

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Upcoming exhibitions & opportunities to exhibit

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Members own exhibitions

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Art Tuition

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Branch member news The Annual Merit & Little Gems Exhibition – December 2012 Annual Merit First prize “Cream of the Crop” Diane White

Second prize: Mary Serrurier Third prize: Cherry Nichols Most Creative: Marion Langton Highly commended: Marion Langton Commended: Marion Langton, Cherry Nichols

Little Gems First prize: Jeanette Hablutzel

Leo van Straten, Director of the Imibala Art Centre, giving the opening speech

Second prize: Marion Langton Third prize: Diane White Diane White, WCWG Chair and prize winning artist opening proceedings

Leo with Marion Langton

Highly commended: Jeanette Hablutzel, Diane White

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Di White Workshop – October 2012 After some pressure had been brought to bear upon Di, she agreed to run a workshop for members on the 29th September. We were asked to bring along inks, acrylics, watercolour paints and paper and a canvas sheet for a mixed media workshop. We were told that photographs would be provided, but we had no idea what an exciting day we were in for.

Firstly we had lovely photographs of the Zambezi River with trees overhanging and lovely shadows – very inspiring. Then Di showed us step by step how to develop mixed media works on paper and then on canvas sheets - I found the latter very stimulating to use and it encouraged me to try more on this support.

Di had also received so many queries about her work using newsprint under her paint that she decided to give us a demonstration of her technique. Columns of newsprint were stuck onto paper early in the day and allowed to dry. Then we had to drizzle paint or ink down the page and then develop the work.

Unfortunately we did not have time to conclude these in the workshop, but hopefully all participants did so at home. I found this rather difficult and again would like to experiment further.

So Di, thank you so much for agreeing to run this workshop and for organising the earlier workshops during 2012 – I gained a lot of new knowledge and hopefully more skills from each. Let’s see what 2013 brings. I would urge all members to try and attend some of the workshops we run as they really do open your mind to new ideas.

Kathy Wivell

Our next workshop…

Ray Potter will be running a 1 day workshop for members on Saturday 4 May in the Library Hall, Somerset West. More details to follow in our next newsletter.

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Obituary - Heather Simmonds

It was with great sadness, but with a certain sense of relief, that I heard Heather Simmonds had passed away on 21 November 2012, as she had not been well for some time and unable to do any of her beloved painting.

I first met Heather about 30 years ago when I joined the Somerset West Art Group. She was the Chairman (after Tom Jessop) and encouraged (coerced?) me into becoming her secretary, and then ultimately to take the Chair.

Heather was “ex-Rhodesian” in the true sense of the word – I can still picture her in her floppy sun hat, sandals and a cigarette close on hand, settling down to paint outdoors. She was an accomplished artist working mainly in pastels but she used watercolour as well.

She preferred working from life and produced many well-executed portraits, landscapes and floral studies. She was the mainstay of the Thursday Morning Group for many years and I think it is because of Heather’s guidance that this Group is still active.

Heather lived with her sister Vivienne in Somerset West for many years – neither of the sisters married, but they had a budgie named Buttercup whom they loved dearly.

Marion Langton

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Talk to an expert Questions on mounting and framing Interview with Joubert Stander of Rialto Framers, Strand - by Kathy Wivell

Q

Are most pieces of work brought to you by artists or by people who have purchased unframed work? Do you think people prefer buying framed work or unframed?

A

About 50/50 – many people bring in work they have purchased unframed or prints

Q

Do most people ask for your advice or have they already decided on what they want?

A

Artists usually have some ideas in mind when they bring in their own work, but we provide guidance.

Q

With watercolours and pastels – how do you consider the mounting colours to be used? What widths do you advise for small, medium and large works?

A

Firstly I would look for a colour in the painting – one that is not that obvious, but one to which my eye is attracted. I don’t look at the larger picture initially. This will be the inner mount colour. For the larger, outer mount I would advise to go more neutral - moving towards warm or cool colours depending upon the artwork. Mounts should not be narrower than 4 or 5 cms. A mount should always be wider than the frame. It should usually be wider at the bottom – this creates an optical illusion that opens up the picture.

Q

When thinking of frames what do you consider first – the width, the colour or the style? Which style usually goes with which type of work?

A

Usually the colour first – a colour that will focus on the work. I ask clients if they wish for something more contemporary or traditional. I then advise them and sometimes show them the opposite to their thinking and they may be pleasantly surprised and change their mind.

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Q

What do you consider are the errors people who do not heed your advice usually fall into?

A

People sometimes choose mounts or frames to match their décor and not the picture. The most common error is choosing mounts that are too narrow – often this is done from a financial point of view, but it can spoil the total effect.

Q

I have heard that when people buy a painting they often do not like the frame and want to have it reframed. This means that the artist has gone to unnecessary expense. What do you advise an artist should do to keep the work as buyer friendly as possible?

A

Each frame should be geared to the individual artwork. Many people prefer to buy artwork unframed; after all it is the art that is the key feature.

Q

What advice would you give to any person bringing work to you for mounting/framing?

A

Frame according to content and rather frame effectively than take shortcuts.

Often shortcuts are taken because it is cheaper, but it detracts from the work itself.

Q

What seem to be the latest trends in mounting and framing artwork?

A

I do not follow trends but I understand that gold is not popular in this area, though it is in Johannesburg. Here, white, silver and copper black seem more prevalent. I also hear that Zen is a current trend – less is more.

Q

If a person is to set up an exhibition should they use a universal frame throughout, or should they frame each work according to its style?

A

If work is on a theme, or all similar in style then a uniform frame can be used, otherwise, framing should suit each individual picture.

Q

What can you offer members of the WCWG over other framers?

A

Attitude and assistance – we aim for a relaxed, easy going and fun atmosphere.

Art should be fun. We also offer WCWG members 10% discount.

In conversation with Di White on this subject Di frames her works in white wooden frames. Then if a purchaser does not like the white frame they can easily repaint it to the colour they wish.

Framing of acrylic work During Derric van Rensburg’s workshop he showed us how he masks a wide border around his mounted canvas to create a white frame – hence no need for further framing.

See also note on re-framing work in The Artistic Journey Section 8

The long read - The insight on colour “The whole value of what you are about depends on colour.

If the colour is wrong, everything is wrong” John Ruskin Before the industrial revolution colours were of mineral origin (e.g. ultramarine from the semi-precious tone lapis lazuli) or from a few difficult biological extractions (e.g. purple from the mucus of a particular snail).

Because some of these were very difficult to obtain they were very expensive and became synonymous with wealth and prestige – for example the togas of the Roman Emperors and the upper echelons of Roman society were dyed purple from the snail extract.

Paints were hand ground from these pigments and any well-established artist usually had an apprentice to prepare his paints for him. However, with the coming of the industrial revolution new scientific knowledge and methods allowed for new

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opportunities to create new colours and so the trends in artists’ colours also changed.

By the late 19th century further theories on colour were developed and along with the newly manufactured brighter pigments came the convenience of packaging in tin tubes.

Hence the Impressionists could explode into colour and more easily paint en plein air.

Previously pigments were often known by the location they came from – burnt and raw sienna came from the Sienna region of Italy and the umbers came from Umbria. Many still retain these names although they no longer come from these regions.

Today we have a vast array of colours to choose from, but we can group them together by relationship.

The Cadmiums The cadmium yellow pigment was developed in 1817, being introduced into the ranges of British manufacturers in 1846. Made from roasted cadmium sulphide, this densely opaque and slightly orange biased pigment is the parent of all the other cadmium colours. By varying the degree of roasting and adding other chemicals other colours were developed.

Characteristics of cadmiums – the creamy colours are opaque, and found in all media except pastel. They can be discoloured if mixed with lead-based pigments (except in oil colours) and will fade if subjected to damp conditions. Otherwise they have excellent lightfastness.

Cost – they are expensive

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The Cobalts Cobalt blue came into use as a pigment in the 1820s. It is a roasted blend of cobalt oxide and aluminium oxide. It is semi-opaque having a purple bias. Later methods of adding other elements and roasting the pigments allowed cobalt greens and violets to be developed. In 1860 Aureolin (or cobalt yellow) came into use in Britain. Made from cobalt salts and potassium nitrite it makes a delicate and fairly weak tinting

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natural yellow. In mass tone the colour looks ochre-like, but when diluted into a transparent wash its bright delicacy is revealed.

Characteristics of cobalts. All cobalt colours are fairly weak in tinting power but are absolutely light fast. They can be used in any medium, except pastel.

Cost – expensive, because they are based on heavy metals.

3.

Earth colours These have been in use since early man and were originally made from pigments derived from iron and/or manganese rich clays that were dug from the ground. The quality of these natural earths is variable and so nowadays synthetically produced earth pigments are superior in quality. The earth yellows – yellow ochre and raw sienna are fairly weak tinting power, but the browns – light red, Venetia red and Mars violet are all powerful and strongly opaque.

The siennas and umbers are weaker in tinting power and more transparent, due to their silica content.

Characteristics of the earth colours – all have excellent lightfastness and can be used in all media.

Cost – they are inexpensive 4.

Phthalocyanines Due to the difficult name these are often called by other titles e.g. Winsor, monestial, pthalo, intense and thalo. These strong blues and greens were introduced in the mid1930s. Their lightfastness is excellent. They are transparent and can be used in any medium. The blue is available in both a red and green shade while the green is available in blue and yellow shades.

The difference between the two is subtle. Both the blue and the green are used in student ranges to create cerulean blue hue and viridian hue.

Characteristics – both colours have strong tinting powers and are strongly staining.

They are transparent and bright and suited to all media.

Cost – relatively expensive

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The quinacridones Quinacridone is a substance used either on its own or in blends with other pigments to create a wide range of colours. It is used under its own name for magenta, red, pink, gold and violet. Quinacridone red is probably the nearest colour to primary red and creates wonderful bright oranges and purples. It also replaces the obsolete alizarin brown madder, name named just brown madder – a rich reddish brown and, under the name permanent rose, replaces natural rose madder.

Characteristics – most are lightfast and bright. Again, most will stain in varying degrees, and can be used in all media. The purity and delicacy of the colours make them ideal for flower painters.

Cost – fairly expensive Information extracted from article in Leisure Painter October 2012.

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More information Winsor and Newton produce very informative listing of all their colours giving information about chemical description, pigment used, permanence, whether transparent or opaque, granulation and staining power. These can be found on www.winsornewton.com/products Colour charts for Sennelier and Maimeri also give details of names, pigments, transparency and permanence.

What’s new in colour Lots of exciting things seem to be happening in the colour ranges available for artists. The Italian Artshop is starting to import Daniel Smith Watercolours who produce The Alvarro Castagnet Palette, and an exciting new group of luminescent colours. They have a range of 238 colours, but not all will be imported at this stage.

Rolfe’s Golden Products recently brought out The Virtual Paint Mixer –an on-line tool available to artists anywhere. This can work with virtually any system, so can be used on a tablet device or laptop alongside your easel. Photos can be uploaded to match colours and create palettes so saving time, frustration and money. Go to goldenMXR.com for more information.

Derwent have brought out Aquatone sticks which are softer and not as waxy as similar brands. They are slightly opaque and will probably be compatible with gouache, soft or oil pastels.

Daler Rowney have relaunched their Graduate Oil range with 38 vibrant oil colours and 4 high lustre metallic.

Please advise us if you have used any of the above and how you felt they responded to your needs. Also let us know of additional new products you have tried which other members may be interested in trying. There seem to be lots of new exciting things happening: let us know!

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In conversation with

Buddy Thomas Continuing in our interview series with some of our long-standing members, Diane White and I spent an enjoyable morning speaking to Buddy Thomas, who talked enthusiastically with us about her work and revealed how, when she was living and working in Bulawayo, she came to be known as the ‘Puppet Queen’.

Buddy arrived in Somerset West from Rhodesia in 1976. Having taken up painting previously, she continued with her art, attending classes and joining the Somerset West Artists Group (SWAG) in 1983, when Tom Jessop was chairman.

Buddy has continued with her painting ever since. Her lovely watercolours featuring flowers and landscapes are regularly on show at our exhibitions and she was the first artist to sell at the Annual Merit and Little Gems Exhibition last December.

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When did you first realise that you wanted to be an artist?

It was while I was working in Rhodesia after my older sister had started teaching me to paint. She also taught me puppetry. I did the puppetry for years in Bulawayo. It involved so many different skills: sculpture for the faces, woodwork for the bodies and dress design for the costumes. It was a whole world of fascination.

I feel that creativity was born in me. Painting is part of that.

Who has been the biggest inspiration or role model?

I spent a year studying oils with Pamela Pain when I first came to Somerset West. She was a real character. After that, I went to the Technical School in Strand where I met Surine Krynauw, a wonderful watercolourist and an inspirational teacher. It was she who got me interested in watercolours.

After that I went to Stephanie Watson for oils and acrylics. She was in Gordon’s Bay. I also had lessons from Antoinette Nystad who was teaching privately.

Surine had her own school and I kept going back to her. Later I went to classes with Susan de Preez and had pastel lessons from Sheila Bedet who lived in Helderberg Village at the time. I went to Cherry Nichols for years.

I’ve been to many workshops as well and still enjoy going to these. Derric van Rensberg is great fun. Hazel Soan also stands out. Her paintings are lovely and she is a thoroughly nice person.

I studied with many people and learnt a little bit from everybody, but it was Surine Krynauw who was the biggest inspiration for me.

Which medium do you prefer to work in? Why? I prefer watercolours. I have worked in oils over the years, but I always returned to watercolours. They are more challenging and more exciting.

I have been to many, many demonstrations over the years. I bought the demo paintings from some of them. I would have probably bought more, if someone else hadn’t got in first!

I’ve tried different styles based on the workshops I went to. Workshops are great fun and if the content appealed to me I would make notes afterwards to remind me.

What inspires you most as a subject matter?

I am inspired by flowers. Surine Krynauw was a flower painter. Flowers are always around and they lend themselves so well to watercolours. I’ve tried figure painting and portraits, but I always come back to flowers.

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Have you ever experienced a real bolt of lightning – a moment that changed your art going forwards?

No, not really, I just plodded on because I wanted to and I loved it.

It was the puppetry that really excited me. I started doing performances with my sister, but then I also performed on my own with the puppets, with my mother providing the music from records which she played on one of those old gramophones. We would put on shows for charity and for parties. It was cabaret puppetry which the audiences then really loved.

I made lots of different puppets and they all had their own characters: Alfonso the pianist, Cowboy Joe and Lily, there was a rock singer and a snake charmer with his snake. I still have 40 of them at home in a big wardrobe.

Cowboy Joe & Lil

Alfonso the pianist

How do you feel about the South African art world at the moment?

I have never been that involved. I never joined SASA; it was too far to go through. But I did go on the ‘paint outs’; SWAG members were invited to these.

This magazine speaks mainly to part time artists who want to improve their work. What advice can you give them?

Paint as much as you can. Paint over and over; use every moment. And enjoy it!

Chris Hall

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Technical Information Supports for oil and acrylic painting You have a choice of several supports:1.

Canvas There are different types of canvas to use for painting in oils or acrylics: 

Linen has a fine, even grain and it is usually regarded as the best surface to work on.

It is available in two grades – fine and superfine. The latter has a very close weave and is preferred for portrait painting as it is ideal for detailed brushwork.



Cotton is not as stable, but is a cheaper alternative. You should look for cotton that has a closely woven surface with no slub threads or knots evident. 15oz (510gsm) cotton duck canvas is a popular choice



Polyester is an alternative and very acceptable choice as it is very durable and has excellent paint adhesion qualities.

You can buy ready stretched and prepared canvas or you can prepare your own as follows: The essential items you will need are stretcher bars, wedges, canvas pliers, heavy-duty staple gun.

You can buy rolls or lengths of canvas and cut these to fit the chosen size of stretchers and the canvas should be taut, but still springy.

The priming and preparation is then dependent upon what medium you intend to use on the canvas.

For oil painting you can use either an oil-based or an acrylic primer, but for acrylic painting oil-based primers should not be used and glue size is not compatible with acrylic primers and paints.

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Traditionally canvases for oil painting were given a thin coating of rabbit-skin glue before applying the primer. Nowadays a popular choice is to use alkyd resin based primers e.g.

Winsor and Newton Oil Painting Primer, or acrylic primer, with no sizing required. If you wish to work on a neutral or mid-toned opaque support you can add some colour to the white primer or you can mix some colour with white paint to put onto the canvas after the primer has dried. If a transparent ground (or imprimatura) is desired you should heavily dilute the chosen colour and apply it freely over the primer with a large brush or clean cotton rag. Leave for a few minutes and then wipe it with some more clean rag to remove the surplus paint.

2. Boards and panels for oil and acrylic painting Prepared panels can be made from hardboard, MDF or plywood. They should be prepared in the same way as for canvas. With hardboard either side can be used – the one side smooth and the other textured. The textured side can be prepared either by scumbling the primer onto the board or by mixing it with a texture paste. If you intend to work in detailed brushwork you may want to rub the primed surface down with sandpaper to give a very smooth surface.

Linen or cotton fabric can be glued onto the hardboard surface using rabbit skin size – apply size to both the board and the canvas.

3. Other suitable supports You can buy ready prepared canvas boards, canvas paper pads or acrylic painting paper.

Thick watercolour paper can also be used for acrylics.

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The artistic journey

1. Re-using unsold frames Several of our members anguish over the cost of mounting and framing their work when submitting it for selection. Framing is expensive and if the work is not selected it seems such a waste of expenditure. However, if you produce future work of the same size you can easily re-use the same frame – if necessary a fresh mount is not that expensive or you can maybe use the same mount.

You can either take the work to the framer who will do the re-framing for you at little expense or you can do this yourself. Simply remove the hanging screws and backing paper carefully. Lift out the backing board with the artwork and mount attached and separate them carefully. Replace the previous artwork with the new one and reverse the attachment process.

In order to do this you will need the following:    

a towel to put your frame upon – to stop it scratching a craft knife for carefully removing the backing paper small pliers for removing picture tacks that hold the mounting within the frame new tacks and a small hammer for putting the new mounted picture back into the fame  masking tape Don’t forget to clean the glass before you replace it. Replace the hanging screws and string securely.

Watch out for our upcoming workshop on framing.

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2.

In conversation with three judges The three judges for our Annual Merit and Little Gems Exhibition were Jacques Vrey, Avril Gardner and Fawa Conradie and I interviewed them after they had completed the judging.

Q

What is the first thing you notice when judging a picture?

A

All three said that originality, uniqueness and boldness were instantly seen.

Good watercolour technique will always show through.

Q

Does presentation play any part in your decision?

A

All three said that they concentrated on the artwork itself, but a wider mount and suitable frame gave the impression of artistic self-confidence.

Q

Did you find it easy to reach consensus amongst yourselves on the prize winners?

A

Yes – although we may have used different criteria, it will always culminate in a joint decision – especially with watercolour where good skills are required.

Q

What impressed you most about our winners?

A

FC JV AG

Q

From all the work shown to you today, what recommendations do you make to our artists?

A

Look and learn from the winners. Watercolour is very much dependent upon technique – e.g. the use of white space, dry on dry, tone. Artists should not be colouring in the lines.

Very strong technique in the use of watercolour The boldness and intensity of the colours used Strong dramatic atmosphere had been created

Many use watercolour as a very light colour, but the stronger more intense colours are the ones to catch our attention – this does not mean bright colour.

The winners used few primaries, but mainly the older colours.

Always use the best paper and materials you can afford. Size doesn’t matter – in fact the Little Gems seems more intense and there is less room for mistakes – in fact some were the best of work submitted and were very striking.

Kathy Wivell 19

3. Copyright: what you should know Why copyright is important When someone has created something original, it's reasonable to expect that creation to be protected in some way to ensure that the creator can reap the rewards of his work.

As an example, consider someone composing a song. Someone else hears the music, copies it, records it and sells it claiming it to be his own. No one would think that this was right. The original composer would have had his music, and any financial rewards taken from him, in effect, stolen. When an artist paints an original picture it's his or her 'music'. The artist has created an asset for potential gain whether through the painting or from a series of prints. The physical composition, tonal balance, colour and style etc. have been worked out or 'composed' by the artist with the same right to protection as the composer of the music. 

A painting made from a photograph is known as a derivative work. However, this doesn't mean you can simply make a painting from any photo you find. You need to check the copyright situation of the photo. Just because artists like Andy Warhol used contemporary photos doesn’t mean it's fine if you do.

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The photographer usually holds the copyright to the photo and unless they've expressly given permission for its use, making a painting based on a photo would infringe the photographer's copyright. In terms of US copyright law: "Only the owner of copyright in a work has the right to prepare, or to authorize someone else to create, a new version of that work." You may be able to obtain permission to use a photo for a derivative work from the photographer, or if you're using a photo library buy the right to use it.



You might argue that the photographer is unlikely ever to find out if you use it, but are you going to keep a record of such paintings to ensure you never put it on display or offer it for sale? Even if you're not going to make commercial use of a photo, just by creating a painting to hang in your home, you're still technically infringing copyright, and you need to be aware of the fact.



The easiest solution to avoiding copyright issues when painting from photos is to take your own photos, or use artist's reference photos which are specifically posted on websites such as painting.about.com; or on the site Morgue File, which provides "free image reference material for use in all creative pursuits". Or you can use several photos for inspiration and reference for your own scene, rather than copy them directly. Another good source of photos are those labeled with a Creative Commons Derivatives License in Flickr.

For artistic works the copyright term in South Africa is fifty years from the end of the year of the author's death, or fifty years from publication if it is first published after the author's death. For photographs, films and computer programs, the term is fifty years from first publication, or fifty years from creation if not published within fifty years.

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Avoiding getting into trouble 

Don't use someone else's photo to do a painting from if you intend to display it publicly or sell it unless you have their permission.



Don't copy another artist’s painting and sell it or exhibit it as your own work.



Assume that all web images, text and diagrams are protected by copyright unless it is clearly stated that they can be freely used. A copyright declaration is not required for a work to be protected.



Don't take an artist’s or photographer’s image and use it on a website without their permission.



If you want to display your copy of someone else's painting from instruction material it's best to ask the artist or publisher first. Mostly, they will agree provided you credit them as the source.



Paintings from artists' instructional material in: books, videos, CDs, websites etc. are provided to copy in order to help you learn how to paint. These copies should be only for your own personal use and education. Some artists don't mind these being sold, but you should not do this without the artist’s permission and any acknowledgements that they request should be shown on the work.



If you display your own painted copies of artists’ teaching material on a website, always provide a conspicuous note of where the material came from and include a link to the artists' site if they have one. That way you are advertising and promoting them and it's unlikely that you will get into trouble, even if you have been unable to contact the artist.

Note Although not a copywrite issue, there are some important points to remember about paintings which are done Under Tuition. This covers any painting which is done in a teaching environment. Or even if you are painting with a group without a teacher and someone else changes or even touches your painting with a brush. Asking for general advice or discussing with a critiquing session is acceptable, but if the advice you seek or are given is detailed and ongoing, this amounts to coaching, so the under tuition rule applies.

Such paintings may not be entered into an exhibition.

Information contained in this article was taken from the following sources: http://website.lineone.net/~peter.saw/artstuff/copyright.html painting.about.com - info on Copyright 21

Learning Points – using colour Terminology For new artists the terminology of using colour can be confusing so here I give some definitions: Hue

the name of the colour e.g. Blue

Value

the lightness or darkness of the hue (colour)

Intensity

the purity or greyness of the hue

Temperature

whether the hue is cool or warm

Transparency

transparent colours permit the greatest amount of light to pass through to the paper – they impact luminosity

Opacity

opaque paints are deeper and heavier which reduces the amount of light transmitted through the paper

Staining quality

if a hue stains the paper it cannot be later lifted, whereas a nonstaining colour can be lifted.

Harmony

emphasises similarities – close values with gentle transitions

Analogous colour

colours that are adjacent to each other on the colour wheel e.g. red/red-orange/red-violet

Monochromatic

derived from the Greek words Mono meaning singular, and chroma meaning colour. A work created with a single colour applied in variations of lightness, darkness and saturation.

Fugitive colour

short-lived pigments capable of fading or changing, especially with exposure to light, to atmospheric pollutants or when mixed with certain substances

Please let us know if you would like any terminology explained

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The symbolic use of colours Colour can often be associated with emotions or be symbolic and can create the mood or atmosphere in your work. Here are some examples of the powerful meaning colour can convey: Blue:

relays a feeling of serenity, innocence, truth or sadness

Green:

signifies calm, sympathy, fertility, growth, lushness

Black:

is sombre and portrays death, emptiness, austerity but can also signify sophistication

Red:

is associated with passion and love, excitement or anger

Orange:

shows sociability, ambition, ego and pride

Yellow:

for optimism, intuition, happiness

Violet:

signifies wealth, eminence, dignity, spirituality and power

White:

is for innocence, purity, virtue and hope

Colour Value – High and Low Key Value is the range between light and dark artwork. High Key denotes light and bright to suggest an upbeat mood. Low Key values of darks and middle darks suggest a more sombre and introspective mood. You should avoid becoming stuck in the middle values with little or no contrast. Place your lightest lights and darkest darks at your focal point to create interest. Strong contrast gives visual strength and a forceful statement.

Activity Play with high and low key – make a high key value sketch in colour to create an upbeat mood. Then create a low key sketch for a sombre treatment of the same subject.

Which did you prefer and why?

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Colour Harmony

Colour theory gives us four basic harmonic schemes: 1. Monochromatic – one hue is used in a range of values.

2. Analogous – when colours adjacent to each other on the colour wheel are used e.g. red-orange/red/red-violet or green/blue-green/blue 3. Complementary – colours opposite each other on the colour wheel produce some dazzling colour schemes e.g. blue and orange, red and green or blue-violet and yellow-orange.

4. Triadic – using the colours that are evenly spaced on the colour wheel, e.g. the primary triad or red/yellow/blue and the secondary one of orange/violet/green If there is no harmony there is discord – colours are disquieting to observe because they seem to share no intimacies with one another. However, harmony and discord are subjective and an artist may use a discordant pair such as red and blue-purple for a specific purpose. We usually work from our own intuition or perception or need, but a theory can provide us with a place to start, a platform from which to find freedom and our own expression.

Be aware that too much harmony can lead to monotony. To liven up a harmonious piece of work introduce subtle variations, e.g. a slightly brighter colour, a different line quality, an altered viewpoint, a tilted horizon line, an unexpected object or a piece of whimsy.

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Activities 1. Create a series of small harmonious designs or pictures. In the first sketch use only one colour to create a monochromatic picture. You need to make a strong statement and make the paper-white sizzle.

2. In the second sketch choose 3 or 4 analogous colours to create a pleasing arrangement of simple, similar shapes or an image with slight value contrast and close colour relationships.

3. In the next sketch select a different combination of 3 or 4 colours from the opposite side of the colour wheel and create another close harmony design/picture 4. In the fourth sketch use a triad of colours from equally spread areas of the colour wheel to create a powerful image.

Information and activities taken from “The new creative artist” by Nita Leland and “Experiments in Watercolor” by Michael Crespo.

FEEDBACK… Please let us know if you find these learning points of value and if you tried any of the activities were they beneficial. Perhaps send us a copy of your efforts for the next magazine.

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What’s on Local Exhibitions Stellenbosch SMAC Art Gallery until 9th March: “Mirror Mirror” A tradition of portraiture in South African Art (1912 – 2012) and a still life exhibition by Simon Stone.

SMAC Gallery, 1st Floor, De Wet Centre, Stellenbosch

Tel 021 887 3607

P J Olivier Art Centre  Friends in Art Exhibition opens 12th February, 2013  Woordfees 30 x 30cm exhibition is on during Woordfees - the official exhibition opens at 11h00 on Saturday 2nd March PJ Olivier Art Centre, Blom Street, The Braak

Tel 021 886 4854

Oude Libertas Gallery Original illustrations – members who feel they qualify as illustrators can submit work for selection (contact Fawa Conradie, one of the organisers, for further information – fawa@netactive.co.za)

Cape Town The Cape Gallery Solo exhibition by Roelof Rossouw: “People and Places of the Cape” 10th Feb until 2nd March Tel 021 423 5309 or www.capegallery.co.za

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Members Own Exhibitions Anita Glenister is exhibiting work of her Art Club in the Children’s Section of Somerset West Library until 26th February

Fawa Conradie is one of 13 artists who have been invited to take part in the Woordfees exhibiton at the PJ Olivier Art Centre in Stellenbosch from 2nd March (see previous page).

If any member is exhibiting their work we would like to know and to let other members know –please send details to Kathy@trainexp.co.za (well in advance)

Art Tuition i)

Ray Potter will be giving a workshop for members on May 4th – please contact Chris Hall to book a place

ii)

Marion Langton offers weekly classes in watercolours – contact Marion on 021 851 5687 for further details

iii)

Andrew Owen School of Art, 81 Helderberg College Road, Somerset West offers part time classes: 

Foundation drawing and painting



Life drawing and painting

Contact Jo on Tel 021 855 4553 or jo@aosoa.co.za iv)

Anita Glenister - Anita’s Art Club offers weekly child art classes and creative art dabbles for adults in mixed media – for details contact Anita on 021 851 5830

To advertise tuition in future issues please contact Kathy@trainexp.co.za

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