Loosen up your Watercolour workshop with Allison Watt

nanaimoartists
Nov 20, 2020
1 min read

Updated: Aug 28, 2023

Nov. 20 and 27, 2020 via Zoom

"I need to loosen up!" is a common thing I hear from students. In these two sessions I will

give you some ways to loosen up your own paintings: letting the water do the work, using

large brushes, using resist, splattering, glazing to intensify, negative painting to keep shapes fresh.

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Our talented President, Patty, gave us a challenge to play on black gesso and have fun for exactly 30 minutes. She demonstrated, then we were all given the same photo and asked to do the same.

Here are the results along with a few extras.

Our own, Rich Williams, conducted another instructive critique of 17 paintings.

Here are some of the results from Terri Bowen's workshop on portraits.

Terri Bowen conducted our October workshop on portraits. We critiqued a variety of artists, while learning from a multitude of creative approaches that record the impressions of a human face.

Our monthly critique of 12 lovely paintings was led by Rich Williams. He gave us a handout to help us make better decisions.

For the Summer Challenge, we had to create one or three paintings with the themes: Sparkling Waters; Lazy Days and Gatherings. Marilyn Strongitharm was this challenge draw winner.

Our Sept. workshop was cutting edge, palette knife painting with our very own Rich Williams.

Rich demonstrated watercolour in a forest of hands-on, loose landscapes. Everyone absorbed the demos, then wielded their own knife in a...

Our last plein air for the season was held at Tom and Marie Hutton's large property overlooking the ocean. There was some art work done, but many just enjoyed the atmosphere while visiting & snacking.

Pam Donnelly and her husband hosted plein air at their very unique, secluded setting near Neck Point Park. They generously offered us the chance to tour the inside of their self built, home of art.

Michelle Frey was the host for another beautiful summer day of plein air.

It was a beautiful summer day for plein air at Westwood Lake on the first day of August.

A small gathering met at Sway-a-Lana for plein air.

Most of us just visited , but some brave and creative members did produce some art …. with a very cool “rain shower” effect.

Harald hosted a well attended plein air that involved another tasty pot luck luncheon.

Plein Air at Marilyn's with a pot luck lunch to top it off.

Colour with Purpose Workshop by Courtney LeBaron

Our exercise was first to challenge ourselves by making a grid with a limited colour palette using one or two colours with black and...

Lynn Saunders was the winner of our Spring Challenge for 2025, entitled April Showers - May Flowers. We combined the day with a delicious potluck luncheon.

We were to create a painting using Alizarin Crimson, Cobalt Blue, Cadmium yellow, and white or the transparent equals e.g. quinacridone...

Another critique by Rich Williams covered topics such as composition, hard and soft edges, breaking the rules, etc.

Doug Swinton did a workshop on "Setting Yourself Up for Success: The Art of Pre-Painting Preparation."

We learned the essential steps to prepare for a successful painting, from planning composition and selecting colours, to choosing the...

More "Facing the Group" results. This was obviously a popular workshop with the many excellent portraits.

Our monthly critique by Rich Williams had an excellent response of many lovely paintings - some of which needed very little critique.

At the “Facing” the Group workshop led by Diane Williams, we created a 5x7 portrait of a member of our Nanaimo Group of Artists. Several black and white images of selected "vectorized" faces......

(photo edits) were provided and we transferred these to canvas panels that were also provided. We used our powers of observation, our...

Vi, Lynn, Pam and Laurie provided samples of art they had done with Yupo paper along with giving instructions and demonstrations. At another table, Marilyn explained some techniques in using foil.

Rich Williams gave a very instructive and informative critique of a number of members paintings.

We had a second challenge this winter entitled - "New Light, New Life". It was a Draw - due March 14th. There were only 7 entries and Marlene won the draw.

February's workshop was with Joanne Ayley and was titled "Starting an Abstract Landscape on a Black Canvas".

She uses the "You Doodle Pro App" to both help her determine the shapes in her reference material and to help figure out her next steps.

Many members took part in a "self critique" on Friday. The majority of them were pieces that they had worked on in Trudy's translucent layering workshop using foil.

Here are some of the great results of Trudy's "translucent layering" workshop last week.

"Enhancing Your Artwork with Translucent Layering: A Workshop with Trudy Broadley, AFCA."

She demonstrated how to attach copper or gold leaf to our work to let the light pass through. This adds a vibrancy that is captivating! ...

Our talented President, Patty, gave us a challenge to play on black gesso and have fun for exactly 30 minutes. She demonstrated, then we were all given the same photo and asked to do the same.

Our own, Rich Williams, conducted another instructive critique of 17 paintings.

Here are some of the results from Terri Bowen's workshop on portraits.

Terri Bowen conducted our October workshop on portraits. We critiqued a variety of artists, while learning from a multitude of creative approaches that record the impressions of a human face.

Our monthly critique of 12 lovely paintings was led by Rich Williams. He gave us a handout to help us make better decisions.

For the Summer Challenge, we had to create one or three paintings with the themes: Sparkling Waters; Lazy Days and Gatherings. Marilyn Strongitharm was this challenge draw winner.

Our Sept. workshop was cutting edge, palette knife painting with our very own Rich Williams.

Our last plein air for the season was held at Tom and Marie Hutton's large property overlooking the ocean. There was some art work done, but many just enjoyed the atmosphere while visiting & snacking.

Pam Donnelly and her husband hosted plein air at their very unique, secluded setting near Neck Point Park. They generously offered us the chance to tour the inside of their self built, home of art.

Nanaimo Group of Artists

Nov. 20 and 27, 2020 via Zoom

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Our talented President, Patty, gave us a challenge to play on black gesso and have fun for exactly 30 minutes. She demonstrated, then we were all given the same photo and asked to do the same.

Our own, Rich Williams, conducted another instructive critique of 17 paintings.

Here are some of the results from Terri Bowen's workshop on portraits.

Terri Bowen conducted our October workshop on portraits. We critiqued a variety of artists, while learning from a multitude of creative approaches that record the impressions of a human face.

Our monthly critique of 12 lovely paintings was led by Rich Williams. He gave us a handout to help us make better decisions.

For the Summer Challenge, we had to create one or three paintings with the themes: Sparkling Waters; Lazy Days and Gatherings. Marilyn Strongitharm was this challenge draw winner.

Our Sept. workshop was cutting edge, palette knife painting with our very own Rich Williams.

Our last plein air for the season was held at Tom and Marie Hutton's large property overlooking the ocean. There was some art work done, but many just enjoyed the atmosphere while visiting & snacking.

Pam Donnelly and her husband hosted plein air at their very unique, secluded setting near Neck Point Park. They generously offered us the chance to tour the inside of their self built, home of art.

Michelle Frey was the host for another beautiful summer day of plein air.

It was a beautiful summer day for plein air at Westwood Lake on the first day of August.

A small gathering met at Sway-a-Lana for plein air.

Harald hosted a well attended plein air that involved another tasty pot luck luncheon.

Plein Air at Marilyn's with a pot luck lunch to top it off.

Colour with Purpose Workshop by Courtney LeBaron

Lynn Saunders was the winner of our Spring Challenge for 2025, entitled April Showers - May Flowers. We combined the day with a delicious potluck luncheon.

Another critique by Rich Williams covered topics such as composition, hard and soft edges, breaking the rules, etc.

Doug Swinton did a workshop on "Setting Yourself Up for Success: The Art of Pre-Painting Preparation."

More "Facing the Group" results. This was obviously a popular workshop with the many excellent portraits.

Our monthly critique by Rich Williams had an excellent response of many lovely paintings - some of which needed very little critique.

At the “Facing” the Group workshop led by Diane Williams, we created a 5x7 portrait of a member of our Nanaimo Group of Artists. Several black and white images of selected "vectorized" faces......

Vi, Lynn, Pam and Laurie provided samples of art they had done with Yupo paper along with giving instructions and demonstrations. At another table, Marilyn explained some techniques in using foil.

Rich Williams gave a very instructive and informative critique of a number of members paintings.

We had a second challenge this winter entitled - "New Light, New Life". It was a Draw - due March 14th. There were only 7 entries and Marlene won the draw.

February's workshop was with Joanne Ayley and was titled "Starting an Abstract Landscape on a Black Canvas".

Many members took part in a "self critique" on Friday. The majority of them were pieces that they had worked on in Trudy's translucent layering workshop using foil.

Here are some of the great results of Trudy's "translucent layering" workshop last week.

"Enhancing Your Artwork with Translucent Layering: A Workshop with Trudy Broadley, AFCA."

Recent Posts

Our talented President, Patty, gave us a challenge to play on black gesso and have fun for exactly 30 minutes. She demonstrated, then we were all given the same photo and asked to do the same.

Our own, Rich Williams, conducted another instructive critique of 17 paintings.

Here are some of the results from Terri Bowen's workshop on portraits.

Terri Bowen conducted our October workshop on portraits. We critiqued a variety of artists, while learning from a multitude of creative approaches that record the impressions of a human face.

Our monthly critique of 12 lovely paintings was led by Rich Williams. He gave us a handout to help us make better decisions.

For the Summer Challenge, we had to create one or three paintings with the themes: Sparkling Waters; Lazy Days and Gatherings. Marilyn Strongitharm was this challenge draw winner.

Our Sept. workshop was cutting edge, palette knife painting with our very own Rich Williams.

Our last plein air for the season was held at Tom and Marie Hutton's large property overlooking the ocean. There was some art work done, but many just enjoyed the atmosphere while visiting & snacking.

Pam Donnelly and her husband hosted plein air at their very unique, secluded setting near Neck Point Park. They generously offered us the chance to tour the inside of their self built, home of art.

Michelle Frey was the host for another beautiful summer day of plein air.

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