The Society have asked me to return for another year to undertake an afternoon demonstration of my painting technique. The subject was agreed to be Maritime and I selected to attempt a 1000 x 700 mm canvass of the deck of a fishing boat in a stormy sea. The task was to introduce a very fast technique originally inspired by my work on what are known as monotypes (see some monotype pictures on this website in the Printing section. The technique, working from some selected photographs, in this acrylic painting demo is based on a form of traditional Grisaille painting which basically is a painting in a single, usually an earth colour. As the paint will be diluted to be more manageable and more transparent it dries very quickly. The task for both me in the demonstration and the students following me a fortnight later is to quickly commit to the image. The composition at pace is provisional and drawn fast in charcoal. This image will be painted over and then the picture is drawn and painted following the logic and 'feel' of the painting and the surface texture and marks as it progresses.. Complex until you see it done in practice and very very liberating!
The Demo is officially 2 hours which includes introductory presentations and question before the demo begins. - fast and furious with no guarantee of success, I want to put myself in the position similar to the students, play, discovery, surprise, forced change of direction, learning to trust and delight in the marks...