Leeds Art Group

Welcome back everyone!

Hope you all enjoyed being back in class after our little break.  The Animal Portraiture course were thrown straight back into getting messy with charcoal this week.  Well worth the mess if you ask me, for the fantastic pictures you produced of the iguana.  The Drawing course looked at accuracy and how using a grid can help to enlarge pictures accurately.  Attention to detail was very important here and I could almost hear you all concentrating.  The Portraiture course moved onto eyes this week.  Possibly the most important part of a portrait and worth spending time on to get them just right.  It’s great to have you all back and I’m looking forward to next week.

The details for new courses starting 27th March 2017 are now available on our “Courses for 2017” page.  Please contact me if you have any questions or would like to book a place.  Tel:  07788 871286 or email:  leedsartgroup@yahoo.co.uk or use the Contact page.

Wendy

Hi everyone

Another great week of new challenges and new techniques.  The Animal Portraiture Course 2 produced some incredible pictures of wolves using scraperboard.  This was a very unforgiving medium so you all did exceptionally well.  The Beginners Drawing Course 1 looked at scale this week and the difficulties involved in enlarging objects in a drawing whilst still keeping the correct proportions.  Well done everyone, you really got the hang of this.  The Beginners Portraiture Course made some studies of noses this week in both pencil and pastel – using the grey paper to act as a mid- tone.  Fantastic work everyone!

Don’t forget there are no classes next week but classes will resume on Monday 20th February 2017.  Enjoy the break and I’ll see you all back in class very soon.

Wendy

Hi folks

In the Beginners Animal Portraiture Course 2 we went all bright and beautiful this week with pastel drawings of butterflies.  Despite us all getting covered in pastel you produced some really lovely drawings, well done.  The Beginners Drawing Course 1 continued to look at composition and proportion but this time using manmade objects as a subject.  These are always a little bit trickier to draw than natural forms but really good practise to improve your drawing skills.  In the Beginners Portraiture Course we started to look more closely at individual features to really focus on details.  This week we looked at mouths and tried a cross-hatching technique to create different tones.  Great work everyone!

See you all next week.

Wendy

Hi everyone

What a great start to the new term.  The Beginners Animal Portraiture Course 2 started with a watercolour pencil drawing of a fish.  We really focused on getting the proportions just right as this is going to help us throughout the course.  You all did really well, especially as this was a brand new technique for some of you.  The Beginners Drawing Course 1 began with drawing some natural forms and looking at composition.  You selected some great compositions and it was good to see how well you picked up the basic shading techniques.  We will practise this a lot more in the rest of the course.  The Beginners Portraiture Course started by looking at facial proportions and how slight changes in the angle of the head, neck and shoulders can make a big difference to the overall look of a portrait.  You really got the hang of this and I was so pleased with the work you produced.  Well done everyone!  A fantastic start.

Looking forward to seeing what else you can all do.

Wendy

Only a couple of days to go before the Leeds Art Group term starts and we all start getting creative again!  Unfortunately the Thursday morning Beginners Pattern Course has been cancelled but there are still places left on all the other courses including 1 place left on the Beginners Animal Portraiture Course – Morning Course due to a cancellation.  Please get in touch if you need any further information or would like to book a place.

Have a great weekend and I’ll see you all in class.

Wendy

Hi everyone

Hope you all had a great Christmas and a very Happy New Year to you all.  Only three weeks to go until the Leeds Art Group term starts again.  I can’t wait to get all the pencils and paints out again!  The Beginners Animal Portraiture Course 2 – Morning Course is now full but there are still places left on the afternoon and evening sessions.  The closing date for applications will be January 13th but please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.  Please remember your place on the course is not secured until your payment has been received.

Looking forward to seeing you all soon.

Wendy

Hi everyone

Sadly, we have come to the end of term once again.  For the finale the Animal Portraiture Course created some parrot drawings using oil pastels.  A tricky medium to get the hang of but some really effective results.  The Watercolour course had a life model to pose for them this week.  So they were able to practise their proportion techniques as well as learning to work in a much quicker and looser style.  The Portraiture course also had life models this week which meant they finally got to put into practise all those skills they have been working on throughout the course.  Well done folks, you’ve all progressed so much since the start of the course and you’ve been fantastic to teach.  I hope you’ve all enjoyed this term as much as I have.

Remember to sign up soon for the January courses if you don’t want to miss out.  Go to the “Courses for 2017” page for further details.

Have a great Christmas everyone and I’ll see you in the new year.

Cheerio!

Wendy

Hi folks

Well done to everyone for braving the cold and the snow to get to classes this week.  The Animal course did some ink drawings of cats and used watercolour pencils to add a touch of colour.  The Watercolour course practised some figure painting from photographs so that we will be ready and able when our life model comes in next week.  The Portraiture course looked at drawing children’s faces and focused on how their proportions differ from those of adults.  Great work everyone.  Sadly next week is the last lesson of this term but new courses will be starting again in January.  Go to the “Courses for 2017” page for further details.  Some of the courses are starting to fill up already so remember to book early to avoid disappointment.  Please remember that places cannot be reserved without payment.

For anyone who is interested, there is an arts event on at Kirkgate Market in Leeds this weekend called “Personal Shopper.  Cornucopia!”  For further information click on this link:  http://compassliveart.org.uk/festival/festival-2016

Wrap up warm and I’ll see you all next week.

Wendy

Hi everyone

Welcome back everyone after our little break.  We were straight back into getting messy again with soft pastels in the Animal course and I think it’s fair to say you were all “happy as a pig in muck”!  Some Autumn leaves blew into the Watercolour class and we took advantage of all those gorgeous colours.  The portraiture course had two things to tackle this week:- ears and hair.  These two things can really make or break a portrait and it’s important to give them the attention they need rather than adding them as an after thought.  Well done everyone!  I’m pleased to say you definitely haven’t forgotten anything in your week off.  You’re now starting to work a little more independently which is great to see.  Two more lessons left on these courses but further information on the new January 2017 courses will follow soon.

Leeds Print Fair is on at the Leeds Corn Exchange this weekend if anyone is interested.  Looks like it might be a good place see local artists’ work and maybe pick up some early Christmas bargains.  Further details can be found on their website:  www.leedsprintfair.wordpress.com.

See you all next week.

Wendy

Hi folks

Over halfway through the course already – it’s flying by!  The Animal course tried a different sketchy style of drawing this week and did some timed studies of meerkats.  This helps you to focus quickly on which are the most important elements of a drawing.  The Watercolour course looked at how to work around a painting and build it up gradually whilst continuing to practise those all important colour mixing skills.  The Portraiture course focused on eyes this week – often considered the most important part of a portrait – with some really great results.  Well done everyone.  I know I really tested your observation skills this week but all your hard work is paying off and I’m really pleased with how well you’re all doing.

Don’t forget there are no classes next week but we will start back in week commencing Monday 31st October.

Enjoy the break and I’ll see you soon.

Wendy