Rain came down on the Peninsula and FHAS captured it.

It was a shame that not more people were inspired by the theme Rain, after all, Fish Hoek had plenty of it a couple of weeks ago!

Marcelle starts us off with a rainy scene in Simon's Town, a vibrant oil work from this busy and active member. Very atmospheric, Marcelle.







































Maugie took us to False Bay for her thunderous (and lightning!) image which definitely shows the elements at their fiercest.





















Ann brought us wet times in the Free State, an impressive work in watercolour. Wow, those clouds are very threatening!






Marie took us to Spain where - despite the line from My Fair Lady  - rain can fall anywhere. She did this in ink, watercolour and waterbased oil pencils (for the overlay of the sheets of rain). A vibrant approach.







































John and Cynthia took the EFFECT of rain on humans.



The first of John's is a child rescuing her doll from the rain: a strong composition in watercolour.

Cynthia's man is huddled in his raincoat as he hurries through the rain. It feels chilly with the use of cold colours and the well observed umbrella.


 


John brought us another rainy figure making puddles into a play thing. The water is cleverly portrayed. Did you use masking fluid John?




Fiona doesn't like getting wet but is fascinated by rain drops - both paintings are done in coloured pencil.

The first image you have already seen and the second is a new one taken from a very much enlarged photograph.

 


The next challenge is GOING OUT! That's the theme. deadline 05 August. Go for it!

Going out ... or not! We've got a new painting challenge.

Keep watching for the Rain paintings.

Last week's theme in Artists & Illustrators (the British art magazine) weekly lockdown competition was 'Going Out'. 

 

This a very interesting theme as everybody's concept of going out is so different.

So while going out, tomorrow, constitutes looking for the car keys, making sure I have a mask and gel, my own bags and clothes to change into when I return, from the supermarket I realise this is too dreary for a painting. 

Think further afield. Think what's more fun. Think what going out used to be or can be now days. Going out alone. Or in a group. 

Maybe going out looking at birds! 

Another family member has four dogs waiting at a door hoping this will be the moment they go out. 

    

Somebody else's concept might be to find some party shoes, favourite earrings and get them ready to go out. 

Or perhaps a cup of coffee and biscuit or slice of cake (now there's a challenge!). 

So, send your images along to us - as usual to noninichols@gmail.com before 04 August.

A trip to a park, a stroll along the catwalk. A look at new plants in a garden centre, or your neighbour's garden.

Here, summer had brought new fledglings learning to fly from their nest. Fat youngsters on branches being fed by parents ready to go out in the world.

What comes to YOUR mind when you think of a going out? 

Have a Google moment and look for some inspiration. But don't put in the key words, 'going out' otherwise your get dozens of youngsters going out on town dressed to attract. Unless you want this  - and why not!!

  

GOING OUT is the theme for this arty challenge and closing date for work is 31 July. 

Remember too the theme for FHAS’s August competition, the annual Hugh Murdoch competition: Through the Window.

All the and let your imagination take you to different places as you paint up a storm!

Yvonne Ankerman talks about painting in lockdown

We've been talking to local artist Yvonne Ankerman - whom many of you will know and have seen at one of our FHAS  meetings - about how she keeps up her enthusiasm and output of work over these difficult lockdown times.

It's fascinating to learn that she tries to put a painting out on media everyday - not necessarily a huge work, but something, even a small drawing, that is representative. The more you do, the more you want to do. And the better you get.

 Here are her comments on life during lockdown and the quest for inspiration.

WHY THIS IS A GREAT TIME FOR ARTISTS

I think now it is the best time ever to learn new things  as there are so many artists online!

They are offering free workshops and classes, and all kinds of things to learn, and there is just so much you can actually gain at the moment. It’s an IDEAL time to because you've got more time, you are staying at home and you've ought to be able to spend extra time on your art.

People feel uninspired because they're not getting together, not having exhibitions  and they think that there is not much chance to sell but you'll be surprised how many people are actually interested in purchasing something even in a crisis. 

Patrons are very aware of the difficulties artists are having in promoting their work.  I've recently put some things up on Facebook and I had a fantastic response! 

People actually want to help and buy a little thing so. There is always an opportunity to sell a small painting or things like greeting cards.

GETTING INSPIRED

A great place to look for inspiration is Pinterest or Instagram. (NOTE Yvonne's work can be found on Instagram at yvonneankerart. Easy to follow her!)

I find Instagram really wonderful. It keeps me painting as I try and to publish something on each day and although some days I might do two or three sketches, I will perhaps keep them back for other days when I am not so prolific. 

Of course you don’t have to post anything. You can look at other people’s pages. There is SO MUCH inspiration out there. It’s fantastic to see what everyone is up to.

TAKE A LEAF OUT OF NATURE

Look at nature, paint from what you see or what inspires you. There is so much in the garden, or park around you. 

Look at leaves, views, trees and the shapes in them. Go abstract. Paint. Draw. Crayon. Cut out. Collage. EXPERIMENT!

If you don’t have a garden, look at Google Earth. Look at photos of landscapes or cities online (or even in books) and you can learn so much from this. Do some urban sketching. You could Google the Louvre Museum in Paris and get to see it from all different angles and look at some of the inspirational works housed in museums worldwide.

This is the time you've got loads and loads of time to do all this. Use it.

Why don’t you challenge yourself to do a painting from start to finish with your brush. Forget a pencil or pen. And don’t just do it once. Do it twice or three times. See if you improve every time you paint it. Sometimes my first is best. Sometimes my last. That works for me. Repetition works at getting it into your head.

As everyone knows with drawing and painting, you have to keep at it. You have to paint and draw. Whenever you can. As I said above, I really try and do something every day. Whenever possible.

LEARN SOMETHING NEW

What are the areas of difficulty that challenge you? You could learn something like perspective at this time.

If you are a bit like me, I hate the idea of coping with perspective but this is the best time to tackle it. Sit down and work it all out, vanishing points and sizing, and put it into practice. Get it right. So that when all this is over and we go off sketching in Kalk Bay, Simon’s Town or Muizenberg, you’ll have got to the grips of using perspective and you’ll produce something amazing.

SKETCHBOOKS

These are something you will keep for ever. I love my sketch books. And I treasure them. They are permanent.

You’ll never sell what is in the sketchbook. It is for you.

Perhaps it’s there for the day you can’t paint anymore and you can look back and it will bring rekindle fantastic memories. 

Even this lockdown period is worth recording. It’s part of our life and in five years time you’ll look back and you’ll see all the things you did in this period. (And you’ll note how you have improved subsequently).

I take my sketch book with me everywhere. I’ve always got a sketchbook with me. Here in the Peninsula and everywhere around. So too when I travel with my husband it’s in my bag. And when I head off on my ship journeys. 

It brings back so many memories later on little things, such as the weather, where you were, how the day was… you’ll remember all that.

GET GOING 

Don’t worry about creating a masterpiece at this time. Just get started. Get going. And you will get back into it and you will quickly improve if you do it every day. 

Check out those little things around you. Subjects abound. A coffee cup. A small vase of flowers. Your salt and pepper set. Just try it in whatever medium you like or even in one you haven't used for a while.

If you can’t find a subject straight away, start doodling. Think of Zentangle. Have fun. Try and be creative. It sets your mind at ease and takes you away from the present. At least when you draw and create you forget about all these things as it takes you into a different world. We are so fortunate to have this hobby and career as some people have nothing to fall back on. We are lucky. Be grateful for the gift that we have. 

Follow Yvonne on either Facebook or on Instagram.

And RED it was!

This was fun. Thank you so much for participating.

As you will have seen, RAIN, is the next theme. 

Red certainly took your fancy and there are some wonderful interpretations of the theme below.

We start with Ann's fabulous frog - a red eyed tree frog - a native of Central America.
Watercolour.

Cynthia gives us two radishes - and their clever shadows - in watercolour. Very realistic!

Another watercolour above from Cynthia: the poinsettia (native of Mexico). Great stuff Cynthia.

This is largely coloured pencil from your blogger as an entry to a competition. The theme was 'home'. It got a special mention!

Maugie is trying her hand at watercolours.
They don't get much redder.
She revealed that this is her first attempt.

Keep going Maugie we look forward to seeing more work!

 This is by John. A watercolour, I guess? You have certainly captured the feeling of a breezy day.

Another work by John (in mixed media with pastel?)
A brilliant red cockscomb atop this fowl.

Above, Marcelle interpreted from the television footage the tragic fire at Notre Dame last year.

A very successful painting of a terrible event. She did this in oils.

Another watercolour and felt tip by your blogger. The red taxi and the flame trees behind were real attention getters.

Marie brings us a painting of a small statue her daughter gifted her years ago. The red heart on a red background just fits the theme. Well done.

 Maugie Viljoen found a moment of inspiration in these very flash red shoes. Great interpretation.

Maureen didn't go far to find her brilliant poinsettia - it was flowering in her garden. It's a great watercolour Maureen!

Your blogger again who has fallen in love with these heliconia  (sometimes called lobster claw plants). Polychromos pencils.

Robyn, we love this so much we stole it from Instagram. It's a great pix of Kalk Bay harbour.

John assures us that these penguins feed on pink salmon.
So do bears, John, but they don't become pink!

And last but not least another watercolour from John. Luscious cherries - almost real ... from Klondyke, John?