New Workshop date launched on my website

I have launched the first six months of workshop dates for 2012 on my website at http://www.paulappsfineart.com/workshops.html So please pop along and have a look at the titles and details. see if you would like to attend one and simply book online via pay pal it is so easy.

Please do not forget all my other teaching opportunities including my weekly classes in Hythe.

Also please check out my continuing blog on my website at www.paulappsfineart.com

many thanks

Paul

New Blog at a new location

This message is for everyone who keeps an eye on my blog posts here on Blogger. I have just changed my website to a new location and have attached a new blog to it.

So please

MAke a note of this new address and book mark it for the future.

All my latest work, offers and news will be on this new site

http://paulappsfineart.weebly.com

Thankyou

Images painted at the CLA

Pintail flight study for larger work

9" x 12" oil on natural linen

Whilst at the CLA I took a couple of blank canvasses to work on whilst there. On my publisher, Sally Mitchell's stand a small group of us paint for the duration of the show.

I part worked upon a fox hound image, but was eager to explore the ephemeral approach I had in my mind on these two paintings. I hope that you like them as much as I enjoyed creating them.

Painting in the Castle Grounds

Oil on panel 8 x 12

Plein Air

Well recently I was invited to the famous Saltwood Castle which is only 500 yards from our home. So to be able to paint in the grounds was fantastic. I also took some pics as I had only a limited time to work.

I managed two images, though the wind took my easel over and smashed the side of my open box m pochade ( now fixed as best I can) and the painting was smeared across the grasses. That ended that work.

I then painted this statue of an ancient female warrior figure, nestled within the grounds of the once Archbishop's private garden. I would love to think that she was possibly our much loved Queen Boudicca. Who knows, the details are long lost and only the romance remains.

The Castle was slept in by the assassins of Thomas A Becket in 1170 AD.

Wow that's history!!

New Demonstration for Paint Magazine

This is my latest work created as an oil demonstration for the S.A.A. Paint magazine in the autumn.

It is a stage by stage plein air work created in one and a half hours, contre-jour view from the North Downs at Stone Street towards Sussex and  near to where I live. The painting in oil on panel measures 12" x 16". Look out for the image in the magazine, and if you are not yet a member of the Society of All Artists then might I suggest you join.

www.saa.co.uk

A great organization for beginners to professionals alike.

Plein Air Studies 7th June

8" x 12" oil on panel 

This is a plein air study created at Lower Upnor on the River Medway

I enjoyed the crane and barges moored alongside the boatyard.

4" x 12" oil on panel

This was my second panel of the afternoon finishing around 5pm

The same area of Lower Upnor taking in the littlle half size Thames barge called 'Whippet'

with Upnor Castle in the background.

Both panels are for sale and will be featured on my other blog site in due course.

Little 5" x 7" studies, a new idea to study painting light

English Grey Partridge Study

5" x 7" oil on canvas panel

This is the start of a new set of work aimed to study simple subjects and lighting. They will be sold unframed and be more affordable for new collectors wishing to start owning my art.

It will be posted for sale on my other blog as soon as I can put it there.

New Plein Air Workshops - Book your places now

I have been asked many times as a result of my talks and demonstrations to art societies if I will do some workshops.

Well this year I am slotting in three En plein air workshops if the weather is kind. 

The spaces will be very limited on each occasion so they will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Early booking is highly recommended to avoid disappointment.

Booking call me on 01303 265126 or Email me on paul@paulapps.com

At this time only three dates have been set, others might be added later depending on how busy my schedule becomes.

Dates

Saturday 30th July

Saturday 3rd September

and 

Tuesday 20th September

If the weather is inclement on the day all efforts will be made to reschedule the day.

The day will begin at 9.30 and end around 4.30 to 5.00pm

We will have breaks and a period for lunch, I recommend that you bring sandwiches and sufficient refreshments  and warm clothes as standing still cane get a little chilly sometimes.

I paint in Oils and Acrylic on the workshops, and will demonstrate these during the day

You can work in your preferred medium including pastel and watercolour if you wish.

Whatever medium you work in I can help and assist you in your painting.

This workshop is designed to show you how to paint using the great outdoors as your studio. I will demonstrate techniques and assist you during your own painting.

I hope you will go away having had a great day lots of fun and laughs along the way. Moreover you will be eager to go out and explore the world around you own home and embrace the practice of painting plein air, and developing your new found skills to greater levels.

These workshops are for all abilities beginner to professional alike. we will end with an informal look at our days efforts before heading to our respective homes.

Cost of the day will be £50.00

The locations will be finalized soon, but is hoped to be Camber, Rye and Hastings.

I am also planning 2 one day workshops in September and October painting Wildlife and British Birds, dates to be announced.

Call me and book a place.

Show me the Monet

Morning Flush

20" x 30" Oil on canvas

Although I was not a finalist in the program 'Show me the Monet', I was contacted last week and asked if this painting could be used as part of a sequence of artwork showing the high quality of submission. So I guess if you blink you will miss it, but hey it is on the show for free so who's complaining.

Show me the Monet Wednesday 11th May 2011

BBC 2 5.15pm

The Old Town of Rye

The Old Town of Rye

Oil on panel  12" x 16"

This new image of Rye Town is based upon the Plein air painting I completed on Easter Sunday. As I was painting that image I was aware that the scene was rapidly warming as the sun was descending. The scene took on a beautiful glow. As I was already well into my work, I was not prepared to start chasing the light, always a fatal decision to make, but I remembered the changes for this new interpretation.

I have used this painting as the step by step guide and part of my latest S.A.A. paint magazines article for the July issue. There you be able to find out more on how I accomplished the painting.

If you are not already a member of the S.A.A. then may I suggest you look into it.  The S.A.A is a great Pro/Am society promoting painting for all members and is excellent for helping professionals like myself to promote my teaching and workshop skills. It is also a great source for art insurance built into the membership costs, couldn't be simpler.

http://www.saa.co.uk

This painting is for sale at £850.00 and is presented in a handmade 23ct gilded custom frame

enquiries email me at paul@paulapps.com

Paintings from Camber and Rye, Easter Sunday

It has been a good while since I have been able to go out for a whole days painting, so with many jobs done at home and others shelved for the time being I went to Camber Sands and Rye for the day on Easter Sunday...What a fool eh! I got one of the last parking spaces in Camber, and £11.00 later was allowed to stay, all by 10.00am. With gear in hand, shorts ( big mistake) and a hat, a better idea, I set off. When I reached the sand it was almost standing room only. Thousands in fact, half of the UK had decided to come to Camber on Easter Sunday, though it was hot and so who could blame them. Anyway I set up and carried on with many strange and quizzical glances at my activity of painting, when indeed they had ice creams, beef burgers, windbreaks and assorted children and blow up beach toys with them. I suppose it must have seemed a little strange to the majority to see an artist at work.

Easter Sunday on Camber Sands

Oil on panel 4" x 12"

Plein Air

This picture does not begin to show the great numbers of people there, I did not have all day to paint them!

Easter Sunday on Camber Sand II

Oil on panel 9" x 12"

Plein Air

A little further out on the sand away from some of the hordes, looking towards Dungeness

The Crowds on Camber Sands

Oil on Panel 9" x 12"

Plein Air

Here I tried to express the vast numbers of day trippers that formed less than half of those there that day. Also a mild sea mist had descended cooling the colour values a little.

Incoming Tide at Camber

 Oil on panel 6" x 8"

Plein Air

Here I used my Palm box at the edge of the incoming tide, with soggy shoes I chose to study the waves as the oncoming tide pushed me back. 20 mins study. People did ask questions by now about my sanity.
 

 

Late Afternoon, Rye at Easter

Oil on panel 9" x 12"

Plein Air

I was by this time tired of the crowds, the heat and after suffering burns to my arms hands and ankles, I decided to leave the beach. I headed toward Rye for my last painting and this was the result.

I hope you enjoy this panel of work, they will be listed for sale on my other site 

http://paulapps-dailypaintings.blogspot.com/

Deal Fishing Boats Plein Air

Fishing Boats on Deal Beach

Plein air study oil on panel 4" x 12"

18.4.2011

I decided to go to Deal and paint some of the fishing fleet there. I know the town well having lived and worked there for many years back in the late 70s and 80s. Really showing my age now...

I have often wanted to go back and record the vessels as they sit on the fine shingle beach. Monday the 18th was the day and sadly I left myself a little short on time, but the day was warm and so I hauled my son Barnaby to go for the ride, he took a sketch book and joined in. I had forgotten the aspect of the coastline at Deal being due East, and we paid dearly for that lapse. The slight but constant breeze was very cold and my hands began to stop functioning after an hour, the failing sunlight did little to help, by this time Barnaby had succumbed and was by now sitting in the car. I could not blame him though he managed two small pencil sketches.

I had to finish and the result is posted above. I will go back to do more work here as the scene on other occasions will be worth the trek, though a westerly wind will be better.

This image is now posted on my selling blog site at 

                                                http://paulapps-dailypaintings.blogspot.com

Best wishes

Paul

Old Tannery, Littlebourne.

Old Tannery -Littlebourne

Oil on Canvas Panel plein air 10" x 12"

16.4.11

This is a beautiful old Tannery that later had the additions of the old Kentish Oasts added to it. The building nestles along the banks of the river Stour in Littlebourne near Canterbury.

I found myself in Littlebourne submitting my work as a potential candidate for membership to the East Kent Art Society this last Saturday. So in the hour or so while my panel of work was being assessed I did not idle my time away but instead  found this scene to paint. 

I hope you like the image, it can be found for sale on my other blog site at 

                  http://paulapps-dailypaintings.blogspot.com/2011/04/old-tannery-littlebourne.html

New Spaniel Painting

Looking to Retrieve 

Oil on canvas 18" x 24"

This is my latest dog painting of a Springer Spaniel. It is a sequel to my painting 'Last Retrieve of the Day'. It has been painted in one set of primaries only, a severely limited palette. Not only am I really enjoying painting this way it is making me work extremely hard to mix what I need and to look hard at the values within passages within the painting. The end result is a harmony quite unlike that of using many pigments.

This new painting will be in print in time for the C.L.A. Game Fair at Blenheim Palace in July 2011. 

The original, unless previously sold will feature as one of my main exhibits on my publishers stand.

I will also be painting on the Sally Mitchell Fine Art stand during this event.

Latest En plein air study

Folkestone  Harbour from the East Cliff

8" x 12" oil on panel plein air study

This study was painted on Wednesday 23rd March at midday for just over an hour. Painting into the light made me tighten the values in the scene and mix harder with my primary palette. The sun shone and it was glorious to stand on the cliff and work this way, first time this season that I was able to paint in just a T shirt...

This image is for sale. See my other blog  Paul Apps- Daily Paintings for more details.

Small seaside study

Sunny Day at Camber Sands

oil on panel 4" x 12"

For Sale

This small painting was recently completed Alla Prima from Plein air studies I worked on last summer.

I might well do a larger version at some point . The painting is for sale and I can be contacted through my website.

Painting shortlisted finalist

Heed My Warning

This painting has just been shortlisted as a finalist in this years David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year 2011.

As on previous occasions this painting will hang in the prestigious Mall Galleries in London in June this year.

Fingers crossed that it will do well for me at the final event.

Romney Marsh View

Romney Marsh View

160mm x 220mm oil on panel

A view from the Romney Marshes, the flat lands in the extreme south eastern corner of England which is

the area I grew up in and have lived in for most of my life. This wonderful winters day was not painted on the spot as sadly that day I had no time as I was on the way to meet clients. As I passed this spot the clouds cast a shadow over the distant downs and the setting sun created this wonderful light opportunity, Catherine and I were amazed at its beauty.  I just had to stop, no kit with me just a camera, and a valuable lesson learned. I do hope that in this sketch I have captured the essence of the moment and will convey that into a new larger version later.

Winter Fields - Wingham

Winter Fields - Wingham

160mm x 220mm Oil on panel

This is another palm box study that is ready to translate into a larger panel and will be completed very soon.

I observed this scene as I was driving to paint plein air with other artist friends early on in 2010. I could not stop and paint because of the dangerous location on a bend in the road, also my friends would have been waiting too long. So a quick snap on a small camera did the trick.

Hollow Shore - Oare

      

Hollow Shore - Oare

160mm x 220mm Oil on panel

This small study is one done in my Jullian Palm box  of one of my favourite locations at Oare and Hollow Shore.

I have painted this several times, I really desire painting a much larger version of this scene. Soon I hope that I can find time to slot it in.       

Avocet - Dancing Light

 

Avocet - Dancing Light

Oil on canvas  12" x 16" 

This study was completed from reference sketched at Oare Marshes in 2010.

I wanted to convey some of the dancing lights observed in the water as the day was ending. The Avocet is one bird that as an artist I would never cease trying to capture. This wader with its finesse and outstanding beauty 1ranks as my top wader to see and render in a painting.

Plage de Cannes

Plage de Cannes1

This is a 12" x 16" canvas painted in primaries upon a cadmium red ground

It was created from sketches and plein air studies from my trip to the region in September 2010.

Other works from this trip are being planned for this year, I hope this image will be featured in my next mixed show at Francis Iles Gallery in late March .

Painting demo #1 for Paint Magazine

Hi everyone 

I thought that I would show you the demonstration image for the first step by step used in the Society of All Artists Paint Magazine. This was the culmination of the first in a new series of articles upon oil painting for beginners. I posted the article to read a few days back, check out the article if you have not already done so.

It was a scene from a visit to Camber Sands and is one part of the extensive dune system that the beach is so famous for. I do hope you like the painting, and please feel free to leave a comment about this or any other of my posts.

Regards

Paul

New series in the S.A.A. Paint magazine

This new series of articles was commissioned by the Society of All Artists in the UK, for their bi-monthly magazine called 'Paint'. The new series is called 'Oils for Beginners'. I have just read the second article and have just finished the third one

http://www.saa.co.uk  go check them out and professional or amateur it is well worth becoming a member.

Just click on the page and it should open up in a new tab in your browser. let me know if it does not happen

This is the second of two pages, just click on the page and it should open up fully in a separate window in your browser for easy reading. Please let me know at the bottom of this post if that is not working.. Thank you.

I do hope that you enjoyed this article and please feel free to leave comments about it.

Regards as always

Paul

Working up a storm.... Wave

I am working hard in the studio and so wanted to change the challenge and force issues much further than I have so far. I love the idea of the wave study, and wanted to create a much larger version of the wave and this time add Gulls into the mix.

I carefully prepared a 20" x 30" canvas in anticipation, that red is so strong. I set up the study and set off on this new journey. Mixing the primaries I remembered parts from the study and used that information in the new work.

The result is below.

 

The Wave 

20" x 30" oil on canvas

The larger version is unified and cohesive. I have been able to transfer all the freshness, vibrancy, colour and harmony from the sketch into this final piece. You will notice that there are still no gulls in this painting. I honestly cannot make up my mind. I just love the statement this work is making without them. I will do something else I feel with gulls, or add them here later if I decide to.

I have added the study again below

Study

I am so hooked on working in this way I have put all my many other pigments away and only upon rare occasions will they see the light of day again.

I do hope you have enjoyed these recent posts and my new work, if so please feel free to leave me feedback, here or on my email.

Best wishes

Paul

A Boat Study

This is the second image of using a limited palette.

Dungeness Relic II

Oil on canvas   10" x 12"

The other aspect of this new approach to my work is that I am working on a bright Cadmium Red ground.

So loud I need sunglasses on before I start! Not all new images are completed this way, but in this single regard I am having so much fun. Some aspects of the red are left to show through and add further harmony linking the structure of the composition.

New images

I have often been trying to limit my palette and found it difficult at times, no great excuses except I had for many years demonstrated for many art companies at various venues. This allowed me access to their respective colour ranges to play with. So I did, but to a degree being spoiled in this way made things rather difficult. Colour mixing becomes an issue of laziness and paintings although good, often lack some degree of harmony.

I have also often, and still do, paint on a coloured or tinted ground, I often dislike painting off of white. There is nothing wrong with it, but I love to establish my light and dark values rather early on. I therefore use the colour as a basic mid tone.

Well all that said and done, I have gone off the deep end and WOW! so glad that I have. Check out the study below.

 

This study is 10" x 13" oil on canvas called the 'Westerly at Hythe '

When I say I have gone off the deep end, I have seriously restricted my palette to the primaries and a white. I have restricted myself to six colours before, never three. For the first time I am having to make hard decisions as I paint, colour mixing and elaborating upon the vocabulary I am able to draw upon.

The final effect is awesome as I have achieved all that I set out to do, the harmonies run through and unite the whole image. I was going to explore gulls in the image, but have delayed that for the moment.

I do hope you like this image.

My Latest Wildlife image

It has been a good while since I last posted anything on here or on Facebook, then you'll find just like a London Double Decker Bus several all come at once. I have been very busy playing catch up since Christmas having had an unusual last quarter to 2010. That said, I have been painting very hard and as a result delayed posting anything on here until there was something worthy to show and say.

 

This is my latest wildlife image to come out of the studio. An oil on canvas measuring 100cm x 80cm

The title is

'Heed My Warning'

It depicts a black Rhino at the prelude to a charge when any warnings taken lightly would end in a potential charge. In doing this I wanted to add a sense of action and drama by adding the Cattle Egrets. Their disturbance by the Rhino's action evoke that feeling I hope.

The title also has a double meaning relating to the ongoing threat to the Black Rhino's survival in the wild.

Lastly I am endeavouring to monitor the traffic on my blogs so please if you read this would you be so kind as to leave a little comment at the end, it would help greatly and thank you in advance. 

You are also invited to subscribe and follow my blog for the future.

Best wishes as always

Paul