Artists Back to Basics Issue 6 Volume 2

An amazing selection of artists, demonstrations, tips, and galleries are featured in this issue of Artist’s Back to Basics. We have gathered three amazing artists and they all have inspiring profiles and creative demonstrations for you to attempt. We visit two galleries and as it’s almost Christmas, a massive buyer’s guide for all those special gifts you need for the festive season. Brett continues his regular articles and if you keep an eye out you will see his latest book, Drawing with Brett A Jones Issue 3, on sale in newsagents. We hope you enjoy our latest edition of Artist’s Back to Basics. If you would like to see your work published in Artist’s Back to Basics, please send us some examples of your artwork or drawings ... You can…

A lifetime engaged with music and art. I first thought about becoming an artist when I was about 9 or 10 years of age. I grew up in the Perth Hills where there was a strong arts community, with people like Guy Grey-Smith, Robert Juniper, and George Haynes around. My parents were interested in art and that had a strong influence on me. My parents had several friends who were artists and I thought it seemed like a good life. I remember that there was a book of Leonardo da Vinci drawings in the house which I tried to copy. I also played the guitar, and at about the age of 14 I heard Jimi Hendrix and was blown away. After high school I went to art school in Perth…

MATERIALS • Linen Support –Claessons #13D/PR • Brushes – Rosemary & Co– 10 Long Flat SER 279– 7 Long Flat SER 279– 12 Ivory Long Flat– 10 SER 2025 Hog Bristle– 8 Eclipse Rigger– 7 SER 272 Round– 9 SER 272 Round • Solvent and Mediums– Gamblin Gamsol– Gamblin Galkyd Lite– Gamblin Neo Meglip • Paint– Old Holland –ScheveningenRose Deep– Gamblin – Alizarin CrimsonPermanent– Old Holland – CadmiumRed– Old Holland – CadmiumYellow Orange– Winsor & Newton –CadmiumYellow Deep– Old Holland – CadmiumYellow Medium– Old Holland – CadmiumYellow Light– Old Holland – English Red– Old Holland – Raw SiennaLight– Old Holland – ItalianBrown-Pink Lake– Rembrandt – Viridian Green– Old Holland – FrenchUltramarine Light Extra Composition This painting was a commission with a size restriction. The clients had seen my work at…

There are so many groovy and important aspects to the subject of shadows that they deserve an article all to themselves. They are one of my favourite parts of a drawing. Let’s face it, when you’ve only got a 2B pencil and a bit of paper you can’t draw the brightest highlights at all, one of the magic parts of for me of the whole idea of monochrome drawing is the fact that the very lightest parts of any composition is completely blank paper, and if you have gotten all the proportions and all important shadows right, those bits of blank paper can create the illusion of being pretty much anything. It wouldn’t be drawing too long a bow to say that out of all the things the old master…

From a very young age, I always liked to paint and draw. My first lessons were at the age of 13 years. I learned the basic principles of tone, form and perspective; beginning with charcoal before progressing to oils. I painted in oils until the mid 1980s and then moved on to watercolours. I attended a course in Bathurst which showed me a lot of different techniques in watercolours. I have used and adapted these techniques suit my own style, being predominantly self taught. Watercolours represented a real challenge. I attended some workshops, and the more I learned the more intrigued I became with the medium. Although at times I found it frustrating, I enjoyed experimenting and learning from my mistakes. I now paint mostly in watercolours; however I still…

MATERIALS • Arches 340gsm hot press paper.• Colour palette: Cobalt Blue; Indigo; Raw Sienna; Burnt Sienna; Black; Windsor Red.• Brushes: Number 12 Raphael mop; Number 8 mop; Number 6 mop; Number 3 and Number 5 Golden Sable synthetic. I photographed this scene on a trip to Echuca. I have always been inspired by the majestic gums on the Murray River and the historic port of Echuca. STEP ONE I started with a drawing on layout paper and transferred it to Arches 340gsm hot press paper. The reason for the use of layout paper was so I would not to rub out my final art work (the surface of the paper gets damaged by erasing mistakes). Next, I marked out the highlights on the pier and gum trees with masking fluid. STEP TWO I…