SBA 2011 Annual Exhibition and Graduation....oops I missed it!.

Returned home yesterday after visiting the 2011 SBA exhibition  at Westminster Halls on Saturday 16th April. After sharing the train with the Manchester United  and City supporters I was pretty relieved to finally arrive at Westminster albeit quite late in the day.  There's so much to take in at the exhibition and I should have been there for longer to do the show justice. As always the standard was high with lots of amazing work which included a central display dedicated to illustrations of various plants from all corners of the globe titled 'The World of Plants' - A few of my favourites this year include:  Jacky Jousson - for me he's one of the best botanical painters and the way he handles the light is truly amazing! Fiona Strickland's use of colour is fabulous, Julia Trickey's paintings are technically perfect and very beautiful, Billy Showell's  design based botanicals always bring something that's very refreshing to the genre. I also saw Sigrid Frensen 's work for the first time and it really is lovely - particularly the Pelargonium sidiodes.
I had 4 works on display, three of which were assignments from the SBA course. Next year I hope to paint something specifically for the exhibition....but what?

My Ceritficate for the SBA Diploma

It was also the graduation for course 6 of the SBA Distance Learning Diploma Course on the 15th at the Art Workers Guild in Bloomsbury. Unfortunately this didn't go to plan and I missed it! After a hectic week visiting family in Staffordshire I headed to London but for some reason convinced myself that the graduation was later than the time printed on the invite! This wouldn't have mattered too much but I also managed to miss the earlier train, then got lost! Logistics are not a strong point! I finally arrived a bit red faced and almost 90 mins late! just enough time to have a quick chat with Margaret Stevens and collected my diploma before heading back feeling rather stupid.....never mind some things just aren't meant to be!

     

Assignment 12 Mixed Flowers

There was nothing decent left in the garden when I finally got round to assignment 12, so had to resort to cut flowers for this one. This assignment was pretty challenging, and, like assignment 11, it isn't something I'd normally do. The protea didn't have any leaves, which was a real shame and the red rose was a tough subject.  Such tight petals and a rich colour. Also the maximum size of approx A3 is a bit small for something like this, it really doesn't allow much scope and ends up a bit cramped in terms of white space but I think I got there in the end with the arrangement.  There's another mixed floral for the diploma portfolio so I'm hoping to have a bit more choice of subject.  I've just about finished the other two portfolio pieces - the vegetable or fruit study and the botanical  illustration and will post when the final piece is finished....less than one month to go now, so nearly made it!
I've been seriously neglecting the blog and need to get back on track! Sorry the picture isn't great - seems anything white or red is difficult to photograph - I'll try again later.

Mixed floral, this is an updated photo, the original wasn't good. Margaret Stevens went of the purchase this one from me for a presentaion to someone...no idea who.

I tried to work with movement, balance ( colour balance too) and used the rule of odds and rule of thirds to create an arrangement. I took lots of photographs and made sketches but actually drew all the component part separately and arranged using tracing paper.  I didn't learn those things from the course though they were things I'd picked up over the years and put into practice for this assignment.

On to the Diploma bu

Botanical Illustration Assignment 9

Assignment 9. The Botanical Illustration. Pulsatilla vulgaris. Playing a bit safe really because I've painted it a few times. Again this assignment is worth more in marks with 15 marks.

This one is all about accuracy, not that the others aren't but there's more to measure. All assignments are marked with the same criteria, including on botanical accuracy but also on technique, composition, line and form, tone and colour. labelling of course has to be accurate too. This one will be scrutinised no doubt!  My turor Reinhild Raistrick who I had met at the SBA seminar in London and discussed the plant choice, she told me that Pulsatilla grow wild in East Anglia, where she lives and that she has painted them in situ many times, so perhaps I set myself a hard task choosing a plant she is very familiar with!  I wanted to paint a native species, it makes labelling compared to all those difficult to identify cultivars, but that's not the real reason, I just prefer native plants I guess..... and they're pretty important!

Detail showing all the fine hais on the flower stem and leaves, to add hais use a pale botanical grey mix against the white of the paper and add titanium white for hairs against the plant

I included side view opening bud, front view, seedhead leaves and enlarged reproductive parts and individual enlarged seed. Reproductive parts are lined up along the bottom and labelled neatly with pecil using a 'x' rather than a scale bar.  I think I could have included a rear view and closed bud but it's not essential.

The complete illustration, showing different aspects

My tutor said that the hue on these flowers is difficult particularly with the hairs but felt I had an accurate match.
The drawing she said was accurate and showed off the nature and shape of the subject to perfection!
She thought the botanical accuracy was 'professional'
For technique the washes and hairs she said were excellent...I've got a red face and big head now!
Composition well balanced and clean with labelling kept to a minimum on the front, as it should be.

The only suggestion was a possible light wash on the leaves to reduce the business.

Wow I was pretty pleased with that feedback and a good mark!

To be fair this is mypreferred  type of work , and I  should be ok with  dissection, measuring and the likes with being trained in Biology.  When it comes to mixed florals and card designs I will be in a bit more trouble!

Fruit Study, SBA Assignment 6

It's a Pineapple for assignment 6

Fruit Study Composition 2
Again I didn't really do a composition here, just a straight forward pineapple! I think I forgot what I was suposed to be doing and got carried away with the detail. I was also very short of time on this one. Anyway it was an enjoyable assignment all the same.

Having said that I don't think things need to be complicated just for the sake of it....I think a floating subject makse a good composition and the space is as important as the subject ( my justification) but seriously I dont want to add stuff for the sake of it.
I've painted a few pineapples and they always sell, so felt a bit like taking the easy option here by doing something that I was already familiar with but if time is short that seems like a sensible idea to me.

Many people say that  pinapples follow a Fibonacci sequence but I challenge anybody to go prove that. It's a very broad generalisation of  the growth pattern that results two spirals, one clockwise and one counterclockwise. The pinapple rarely adds up to fit the Fibonacchi sequence, it's a myth. However sunflowers and pinecones genarally do. This type of pattern is basically the most energy efficient growth pattern, it's a matter of energy economics or conservation. That's why these types of patterns occur ...it's  not magic nor mystery. People try to make things fit the sequence but they seldom actually test the theory by counting!

Tutor comments
 For this one lovely Billy Showell was the tutor : she was very kind with the comments and gave me an excellent mark. She suggested a wash on the leaves to deepen a little, she liked the level of  detail and colour.

I painted this one a few years ago and sold it at the SBA exhibition I think in 2004. I think it's better becaus eits more colourful, The one for the assignment was past it's best and very dark

Flower Composition. Assignment 5. Paphio

Paphio flower from Assignment 4

Following on from the  previous assignment, I decided to paint the whole plant of the paphio. Not much time at the moment because of other work. Not sure I read the brief properly here....that means I know I didn't.

Paphio Composition. Too much foliage! Hate this and it's heading for oblivion!

 Orchids are such obliging flowers and stay in bloom for long periods so are perfect for slower painters or those that have a limited amount of time each day. I think I fit into both of these categories.   Unfortunately I made the fatal error of not reading the brief properly for this assignment! so I carried on with the work oblivious to the fact that I was supposed to include various aspects of the flower! As a result I had only painted the central flower, then decided to read the assignment as I was about to pop it in the envelope. There was a clue in the word 'composition' and to my horror that I hadn't met the brief!  I tried not to panic and proceeded to add two further flowers ( showing front and back views)  I suppose I  was lucky in that the Paphio has more than one flower. So my lesson here was to read and re-read all assignment texts! It's pretty shocking considering that I'd worked as a freelance illustrator for over 15 years but for some reason these courses turn the brain to mush ! I wouldn't make this mistake again....would I?

Tutor comments:Anyway the surprise was that I got an exceptionally high mark for this from Margaret Stevens! yes she seems to be my tutor for a lot of the assignments! I had raised my own concern about the symmetry in the arrangement of the flower heads but she said she liked it, it reminded her of the Mikado 'Three Little Maids' and that in this case it worked, she didn't have any adverse comments..wow!  

SBA Assignment 4, Flower Studies and SBA Exhibition surprise award!

Assignment 4, Flower studies...must take a better photo!

This assignment involved painting a library of  seven flowers, which must include a yellow or white flower.  Again lots to choose from so went for different coloured flowers and different flower shapes, trumpet, umbel etc.  I chose yellow rather than white because for me it's more challenging. Flowers are: Alcea rosa, Crocosmia 'Lucifer', Digitalis purpurea, Hydranga macrophylla, Gentiana septemfida, Trapoleum majus. Sorry I've chopped the image will post a better one later. Not too challenging. I think I'd like to do more of the same.

Detail of the Paphio

 

I spaced the flower head evenly to cover the page in a balanced way, placing the Hydrangea at the centre. It worked out ok. My tutor for this assignment is Course President Margaret Stevens.


A good mark for this, best one yet, a very slightly dodgy alignment on the hollyhock reproductive parts was the only criticism. I missed that.She particularly liked the paphio and the hydrangea. She said she would like to include this and the previous leaf assignment in the DLDC exhibit at the Westminster but I need to remind her, and send it back to her in plenty of time.


A certificate in Botanical Merit form the SBA 
This month I also exhibited with the SBA, having gone a bit mad with the extra Graphite in January, working on getting the depth of tone right.  I completed a number of studies of things I'd grown from seed the previous year and submitted them with a few other for the annual SBA show. I was lucky enough to have all 5 accepted in Feb! I visited the exhibition and was delighted to find out that I'd been awarded a Certificate in Botanical Merit for my Scots Thistle Seed head. I was also highly commended for the Joyce Cumming Award!  There's and entry about it on the excellent Making a Mark blog 

Scots Thistle seed head which was awarded a Certificate of Botanical Merit at the SBA Annual Exhibition and also highly commended for the Joyce Cumming Award. Bit of a pale photo so some details below.

Dried Artichoke drawing also exhibited at the SBA

Detail from the Scots thistle

Detail from the Scots thistle

SBA Assignment 3, Leaves and Greens

I always loved painting leaves, so was looking forward to this one. Here's an autumn leaf, beech leaf on vellum. This assignment is is all about mixing greens and painting leaves.  It's a good idea to create a leaf library for reference!

Leaf library

Leaves.
A minimum of eight leaves to paint for this assignment- difficult part is choosing which ones. There is so much to choose from at this time of year in the the garden but I've gone for as much diversity in adaptations and colour e.g. shiny, hairy etc. Leaves are: (top row) Pulsatilla vulgaris, Althea rosa, Euonymous fortuni, (middle row) Trifolium repens, Stachys byzantina, Lilium auratum, (bottom row) Papaver somniferum, Polmonium pulcherium var. hidakanum 'Purple rain', Cotoneaster franchettei, Leycestaria formosa.

probably could have added a bit more on both the lily and pheasant berry leaf . I always think that leaves should never be overworked and should have clean edges. Over painting is a total no no! so thats what I try to keep in check.

Opium poppy lefaf. I love these leaves, the colour ( overall a blue biased green but with that interesting lemon colouation)  and the texture and that venation, it's a great subject to paint.  I build up leaves using transparent or semi transparent colours, and, if its a tonally light leaf I use high light value colours, e.g. cerulean and lemon yellow. 

The Stachys was Margaret's favourite! Agian light leaf = high light vale colours! dry brush over a wash to give the effect of softnes and hair......thinking texture here

A different coloured leaf! this lovely dark Jacob's Ladder from my garden ( all were) I like the two tone green /purple look. Add the purple over the green wash when it's completely dry. Little cotoneaster at the bottom. A blue wash first for shine

Margaret Steven's was the tutor for this assignment, I got a very good mark for this and some really nice comments, she particularly liked the Stachys, with the pale hairs. And also the use of dry brush and fine line work. personally I thought the Hollyhock and Euonymous were poor, too detailed. I would have marked myself down for that one, but thought the others were ok.Margaret criticised the Euonymous saying iot was a little too dark and the lighting could have been better. Again she picked me up on fiunising off the base of the stems! Must pay more attention!

 UPDATE May 2015
Here are a few leaves painted since I finished the course. I like to teach leaf painting now - could spend forever painting them! Decaying leaves are my favorite but I like a smooth shing green leaf too!

Decaying lime leaf on vellum

Work in progress

Cherry on vellum

Red maple

Another maple....falling through space

Another lime

Rhododendron and the process below

SBA Assignment 1. Graphite line and tonal drawing

First SBA assignment - pencil drawing.
Never really drawn in this much detail before or used such a broad range of pencils (from 4H to 8B). The Faber Castell 9000 Series is my preferred choice for this work. Have now completed numerous studies an look forward to trying more, particularly seedheads and lichens which seem to work well in this medium. This was basic line and tonal techniques, stipple, hatching and continuous tone etc. We used Sennelier paper for the course which is a lovely paper.
I enjoyed doing this, there was also line drawing but it doesnt photograph so well and there seems to be lots of time to complete the exercises. I hope to do lots more around the course work if I have the time. My tutor for the grapite work  is Julie Small, she's a wonderful artist.

What did we have to do:
1. A line drawing, This should be clean, no indentation of paper the weight of the line should be even and the linse continuous. Draw without lifting the pencil until you come to a natural junction

2. A flower or with leaf in stipple or hatch. A4 in size I chose stippling.  

Detail from the stippling technique on a Hellebore...it's all abut density of dots. I used this technique a lot in the past  with ink for illustrations. If you twist before you lift the pencil it prevents elongated dots!

3. Complete tonal study using continuous tone, using small elipses to create a smooth even finish and moving through the grades of pencil from hard to soft to build up from highlights ( using the white of the paper to mid tonnne and shade). I used 2H, H, HB, B, 2B and 4B for this study. I think you shouldn's skip more than one grade to achieve smooth transition from light to dark. It's surprising how how little white of the paper shows.    

Continuous tone, Iris reticulata. Love this technique 

Struggled slightly to find a decent garden subjects at this time of year but there is always siomething!  the Hellebores, Helleborous niger and H. lividus, and Iris reticulata obliged just in time.
 
We also produced a toinal strip, a bit like this. It can be used as reference for futire drawings.You should be able to see the transition from one grade to another clearly. See they get progressively darker with the softer grades. Pencil brands differ too becaus ethere is no standard. This is a fairly common activity. I've done this a few times before so it wasn't too bad. Basically id you cant see the difference between grade then the pressure is wrong. Majority of weight  should be in the arm/hand and not at the point wher pancil meets paper....never indent the paper! that's bad  

This is a tonal strip I did more recently using different pencil brands - can't find the one I used for the course

 I like to photograph plants and turn to black and white on screen - helps me to see the tonal values.

This assignment was worth 10 marks.

What did the tutor say?
It was good  but I lost marks for not finishing up the base of the stem on the stippled helebore.
And could maybe increase the depth of tone - yep agree
But good feedback and guidance