Even More Even More Inspirational Painting Ideas!

Hello once again! This week's challenge is to draw or paint something that catches your eye that you might not normally paint or draw.  For instance, look at the wonderful shadow cast on the blue metal corrugated fence by the plant overhanging (the shadow looks almost purple).  Look out for things that surprise or interest you.  Look for the unexpected like the wonderful conical shaped plants below:

If the images above look a little complex, then why not try something a little simpler.  For example, below are some beautiful flowers growing in a wall.  The object of this challenge is to train your eye to look for beautiful in unexpected places to compose something out of very little or something very simple. 

I look forward to seeing your artwork of the surprising and unexpected images. Thank you to all those people that have sent me work already.  Keep them coming and remember art feeds the soul.

Happy Painting!!

Keep safe

Lee 🎨

All photographs copyright of Lee Papworth 2020

Even More Inspirational Painting Ideas!

Original oil paintings by Lee Papworth 2020

Welcome to week 3 of Inspirational Painting Ideas!

This week why not try painting the same subject at different times of the day (see example above).  For example, a houseplant on a windowsill in the morning and then again in the early evening, if that doesn't not take your fancy and you have a garden why not try painting a section of the garden at similar times (one in the early morning and one at evening time). If you are able to go on your daily exercise walk you could take photos of an interesting land or seascape at different times of day and paint that.  

You will be surprised and amazed at the difference this makes to the colours you mix up - although the hue will remain the same, the intensity (bright and dull) and the value (light and dark) will change.

Enjoy this painting idea or if you prefer, you could make it a tonal drawing challenge. 

Happy Painting!

Stay safe

Lee 🎨

More Inspirational Things to Paint

Watercolour Sketch by Lee Papworth 2020

Hi everyone!  Thank you for looking at the last post and joining in by painting various still lifes.  Excellent work :)

This week's inspirational painting task is to look out of any of your windows and paint what you see.  This could be a sketch like mine of nearby rooftops and garden fences, houses down your road with or without cars, a study of brickwork, a working sketch of perspective - in fact it can be of anything you see out of your window!

I look forward to seeing your work, remember it can be a quick sketch, a watercolour sketch, pastel or a painting.  As I said last time, the best work will be collected and put on the blog in the coming months.  Look out for next week's inspirational task!

Keep safe everyone

Happy Painting!

Lee 🎨

Inspiration for New Paintings

Watercolour by Lee Papworth

Welcome everyone.  If you are sitting indoors and wondering what to do - why not paint?

There are things that you can paint all around you.  All you have to do is look, better still observe.  Inspiration is everywhere! 

Original oil painting (close up of pepper) by Lee Papworth

Firstly, why not try a traditional still-life painting?  Look for interesting objects - shells, flowers and plants, fruit and vegetables, ceramics and textiles etc. Set your still-life up if you can using natural daylight or if not use a lamp to give you light on one side of the still-life thus creating shadows and light.   

If that does not inspire you then try something a little different with your still-life.  Why not cut open a piece of fruit, a vegetable or instead of looking at a flower from the outside you could observe and paint what is happening inside its petals (see example below): Try doing these on a large scale A2 or A1 there appearance will be more dramatic and stunning.

If this seems too much like hard work then why not paint a 'found' still-life i.e. crockery drying on the draining board, a pile of laundry, pile of books and a lamp (on or off).

These are a few suggestions to keep you going until next time when I shall suggest further painting inspirations.

Happy Painting, stay healthy and safe

Lee Papworth 🎨

Student's Artwork & Upcoming Courses 2020

Original acrylic painting by Maria

Over the past few months I have had the pleasure to teach several successful courses - 'Parisian Scenes,' 'Rainy Day Scenes' and 'Children in Art.' Each course started with some historical and contextual background - we looked at and discussed various paintings from other artists.  We finished week one with some tasks such as colour mixing, demos on how to depict rain and the human figure.  The rest of the weeks were spent developing the students paintings and the finished work is shown here. 

Original watercolour by Georgina

Original oil painting montage by John

Original oil painting by Gill

Original oil painting by Laraine

Original oil painting by Kate

Original oil painting by Pam

Original watercolour by Helen

Original oil painting by Jean

Original oil painting by Helen

Original oil painting by Meryel

Original watercolour by Georgina

Original oil painting by Terry

Original oil painting by Simone

Thank you to everyone who attended the courses and made them such a success!  

Upcoming courses can be seen on the last blog and more will be added after Easter.  If you would like to attend any of my art classes please use the contact form on the blog.  I also offer one-to-one tuition.

Happy Painting!

Lee 🎨

Upcoming Courses & Workshops for Spring & Summer 2020

Original painting by Lee Papworth 2020

3 Week 'Exploring Dot Art' starting on Friday 13th March, 12:30 - 3:00pm 
at Ryde All Saints' Church Hall, Ryde, course fee £60 
This fascinating course gives  you a chance to explore the role of 'dots' in art from Aboriginal Art to Post-Impressionist Pointillism, to Ben-Day dots used in Pop-Art to today's Printing methods.  You will explore all 4 'dot' techniques and create a final piece of your choice.  Above is my own interpretation of Aboriginal inspired art.  

1 Day (2.5 hours) Painting Workshop on Friday 6th March, 10:00 - 12:30pm
at Northwood Village Hall, £30
This is a 2.5 hour workshop where you can bring along unfinished works of art no matter what medium and I will help and guide you to finishing them.

4 Week 'Tropical Scenes (towns and beaches)' on Thursday 23rd April, 

10:00 - 12:30pm at Bembridge Village Hall, £70

This is an open medium painting course.  Details to be confirmed

1 Day (2.5 hours) Figures for Paintings Workshop on Friday 1st May, 10:00 - 12:30pm

at Northwood Village Hall, £30

This is a 2.5 hour workshop where we will explore how to add figures into your painting compositions.  We will look at proportions of the human figure and poses.

4 Week 'Tropical Scenes (towns and beaches)' on Friday 12th June, 

10:00 - 12:30pm at Northwood Village Hall, £72

This is an open medium painting course.  Details to be confirmed

If you would like to joint any of my courses or have one-to-one tuition, please contact me using the blog contact form. Each class is small and friendly with expert tuition.

Happy Painting!

Lee 🎨

New Art Courses for 2020

Oil painting by Terry 2019

I hope you had a good Christmas. These are my upcoming courses for 2020!

4 Week Painting Course 'Rainy Day Scenes' starting on Friday 24th January, 10:00 - 12:30pm at Northwood Village Hall, Northwood/Cowes, course fee £72

4 Week Painting Course 'Children in Art' starting on Thursday 30th January, 10:00 - 12:30pm at Bembridge Village Hall, Bembridge, course fee £70

3 Week 'Exploring Dot Art' Friday 13th March, 12:30 - 3:00pm at Ryde All Saints' Church Hall, Ryde, course fee £50 (tbc)

Other one day courses will be added during the term.  One to one classes are available.  If you would like to book onto a course or a one to one session please contact me using the blog form.

Happy New Year and Painting!

Lee Papworth

Student's Paintings and Future Courses

Oil painting by Cathy

The paintings shown on this blog come from two recent courses and other classes - 'Painting Rainy Day Scenes' and 'Summer Haze and Autumn Fog.'  The paintings here are a selection of the finished artworks.  Thank you to everyone who made the courses such a success including those whose work is not shown here.

Watercolour by Carole

Oil Painting by Pam

Oil Painting by Jo

Oil Painting by Kate

Oil Painting by Jo

Oil Painting by Jo

Acrylic Painting by Geoff

Watercolour by Georgina

Oil Painting by Jean

Oil Painting by Meryel

Acrylic Painting by Linda

Oil Painting by Terri

Oil Painting by Maria

Oil Painting by Simonne

Oil Painting by Jean

Oil Painting by Jo

Oil Painting by Jean

There are still places available on the following courses:

'Painting Parisian Scenes' starting on the 8th of November and 'Still-life Drawing' starting on the 14th of November.  If you wish to join either of these courses please use the contact form on this post.

Happy Painting!

Lee 🎨

Upcoming Art Classes on Isle of Wight - September 2019

A hazy day in Sandown Bay, Isle of Wight (photograph by T Papworth)

The following courses below are open to everyone: beginners, intermediates and experienced artists.  All courses are open medium - oils, acrylics, watercolours, pastels, etc.  
Please bring your own materials (however, if you have none I can supply some on the first day).

'Painting Summer Haze/Autumn Fog Scenes' 
4 week painting course starting on Friday 20th September at 10:00 to 12:30 
Course fee: £72
Venue: Northwood WI Hall (Village Hall), Northwood, Cowes

'Rainy Day Scenes'
4 week painting course starting on Thursday 26th September at 10:00 to 12:30
Course fee: £70
Venue: Bembridge Village Hall, Bembridge

'Parisian Scenes'
4 week painting course starting on Friday 8th November at 12:30 to 3pm
Course fee: £72
Venue: All Saints' Church, Ryde

I will be arranging further courses such as: 'Mixed Media Portraits' and 'Still Life Painting.'

Alternatively if you are interested in one to one tuition please use the blog form to contact me.

Look forward to seeing you on my courses!

Happy Painting!!

Lee 🎨

My Latest En Plein Air Painting and Upcoming Classes

'The Pioneer Cafe' original oil painting by Lee Papworth 2019

I thought I would take this opportunity to show you my latest en plein air painting (en plein air is painting painted outdoors) which was done on Dunroamin Beach in Lake.  First of all I worked on sketches of the cafe and surrounding area.  Next I took photos for reference and worked out where I was going to stand when painting the scene.  The painting took two and a half hours in situ with a little bit of tidying up in the studio.  I wanted to keep the painting very simple with a simple colours and shapes rather than cluttering the composition with too much detail.  I think it captures the ambience of this friendly old cafe on the beachfront.  

At the moment I am working on a self portrait which is in the very early stages of planning and I will hopefully start it by the end of summer.  

Thanks to all the students who attended my courses this year.  I look forward to seeing you all in September when I shall begin new four week courses mid to late September. These will be held at Bembridge Village Hall, Ryde All Saints Church and in Cowes (venue to be confirmed). Keep your eye out for the next blog post for the details of the courses.

Please free to post your summer paintings in the comments below as I would love to see what you have been working on. 

Happy Painting!

Lee Papworth🎨