This early oil was a breakthrough for me. I was on a painting holiday with fellow artist George Shaw, a professional artist whose work I much admired. He was a main influence on my work, and instilled in me a disciplined, structured approach: to establish a strong focal point, lay in strong transparent darks to create tone and shape, start with thin paint and finish with thick, then add the details. I took his advice then and apply it today.
A pastel demonstration executed whilst tutoring in Majorca. I was very taken with the little well house catching the sun and the pots of geraniums and other flowers grouped around it, balanced by those on the right in front of the vine support. The sun catching the vine helped to link the various items and provided a nice horizontal. The old lady and cat were added using a little artistic license!
I was fascinated by the structure of the greenhouse and the dappled light on the tree trunk. Taking the easy option I painted the framework with masking fluid which enabled me to run washes over the background, greenhouse and foreground. Removing the resist I finished the painting using watercolour and gouache for the lights, paying particular attention to the shadows from the tree playing across the greenhouse and grass area.
This painting, in pastel, started out as a demonstration for a group of students It was based on rough seas at St Audries, a small cove seven miles from my home. I made a sketch at the scene, got very wet, took a photograph and produced a working sketch in colour in the calm of my studio! In the final picture I tried to capture the whirling clouds, and spray above the distant headland, with the focal point being the huge wave breaking against the rocks. I hope I succeeded!
Course dates
11 Sep - 18 Sep 2010
Barry Watkin, an oil painter for many years, now works mainly in pastel but is equally at home with oils, watercolour and line and wash. He lives with his wife in Crowcombe, West Somerset, frequently visiting the wilder parts of Exmoor, Dartmoor, and the harbours and estuaries of the South Devon coast.
His inspiration is the play of light on the landscape and the changing atmospheric effects throughout the seasons. He is a keen advocate of the sketchbook and encourages his students to do likewise. Much of his work is started on site and finished off in the studio.
Over the years he has produced four art instructional DVDs for APV Films of Chipping Norton and a book on the pastel medium for Batsford in 1996.
He has tutored painting holidays in Australia, South Africa, Majorca and Tuscany. He enjoys working with students and his easy, informal manner rubs off on everyone. Over the years he has exhibited with most of the major London Societies and the Blackheath Gallery.
Barry is known not only for his exceptional talent as a painter but also as a tutor, lecturer and demonstrator. He has held workshops and classes all over the UK and abroad.
He is currently working for his next Exhibition at the Crowcombe Hall, Crowcombe, Somerset on Dec 5, 6 and 7, 2009, from 10am –5pm.
You can see more of Barry’s work on his web site, www.barrywatkin.co.uk
