Patiently....

laying the foundation blocks.....of learning to paint with oil!! Boy i'm having a great time, but there is this part of me that just wants to be able to take the image i have photographed, and paint it.....but i know that i first must build a foundational knowlege of how to achieve certain colours.

Having taught pottery to many people over the past 15-20 years i recognise that driving desire.....they come into the pottery studio, seduced by the look of a pot being thrown on the wheel, by the tactile quality of having your hands in the clay, and the idea of a beautiful teapot in their imagination.....and then they have a try! Reality check.....it's way harder than it looks!! Likewise, with a painting....it's way harder, more subtle and involves so much more than just having an idea and putting the colour onto the canvas.

I've been doing the guided lessons in a very good book The Oil Painting Course You've always wanted! by Kathleen Lochen Staiger
It is so informative, and i'm learning all about chroma, hue, the colour wheel etc. I did some painting many years ago, and have a small understanding of the colour wheel....but this is more extensive, and having the experiential aspect is so different from just having the theory!

So, it's been a very blustery, wet and horrid day out there....so i've happily concentrated on painting for the past few hours....nice way to spend a dreary sunday afternoon!