Artist of the Year - Masterclass daily on SkyArts

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Hang on Studio Wall
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Gareth Reid and Sarah Reeve - both really informative on how they tackle portraits in charcoal and oils. Interesting that they both start from looking and finding shapes before focusing in on any details. As Marjorie mentioned, both their reference photos were the same size as their painting/drawing which must be an advantage, but not always possible for us. Ive never turned a drawing upside down but have seen others mention it or do it. I must give it a go - as it definitely seems to help. I was recently in Dublin and hoped to see Gareth Reid’s portrait of Graham Norton. Unfortunately it wasn’t on show which was disappointing, but they had an exhibition of the AIB  portrait competition for adults and children, which made up for it!
Duplicated.

Edited
by Alan Bickley

I enjoyed watching this ‘sketch’ develop by Morag, although it was painfully slow at times, probably seemed that way to me anyway because I draw rapidly… but I’m not criticising her, it can’t be easy working on these things in front of cameras etc. and I don’t feel it’s appropriate to criticise any of the participants in this masterclass series, which is proving really popular by all accounts! That’s the way she works, slow , thought out and methodical. The old worn out brush she used produced some rather interesting lines I thought. I enjoyed it and liked the end result, albeit it obviously wasn’t finished, I would have liked to have seen the next stage with more blocking in.
I expect you've seen her other work, Alan.  She prefers to use a white, or off white ground - which makes her choice of a dark palette board, unusual.  She doesn't usually block in all that much, and doesn't choose to use colour for molding/modelling (sp?) as one would expect. I see her work as coloured line drawings. Kate Bryan is a fan and used her work to open her new Gallery in Brighton.

Edited
by Norrette Moore

She has a very intense concentrated way of working. Very different from the big brush approach and not everyone could manage this approach. However, it’s interesting to see all the different ways of working. I think I’ll have a go, even though it wouldn’t be a natural way for me. Great series so far.
Simplified figures… more brilliance from Adibanji! I try and work this way, but I’ve learned a lot from today’s masterclass! Simple but always in control, I’ve noticed that he holds his brush quite a long way up the handle, I’ll have to give that a go…
He leaned through my telly screen and told me "you've got to sketch every day" like he knew I was watching 🙂.  Not sure I'd have his brush handling skills at my age though. I need to learn putty rubber handling too - perhaps I'd be keener on sketching by using one.
Norrette I would no be without a putty rubber when sketching, you can shape it toms point and sketch with it by taking out some of the dark areas . Definitely get one and give it  you will  soon get the hang of it for creating highlights etc . 
Thanks Paul, good advice
Good portrait also of the little boy, she is very talented and really shows what can be achieved using these Nitram charcoal sticks, or batons as they are known… The subject matter itself holds little or no interest for me, but I enjoyed watching the drawing progress nonetheless!
What came over , to me, was the importance of the “ transitions”. The difference between those who recognise the importance of  this and those who don’t. Observation is the key. It’s a journey…
What is largely evident in many of these masterclasses is that they can all draw, and draw well. Adibanji eluded to this himself in his adding figures in a landscape, and he’s so right!  I enjoyed both segments tonight, but I’ll comment on the cloud painting. I was amazed at how thinly he was using his paint, brushing it out to the enth degree with that big round brush. Interesting, I’ve never really painted that thinly but I’ll give it a try. It wasn’t a bad overall effect I thought, although needed to be finished off with some darker tones, particularly the foreground, which I felt that the edges of the hill needed softening quite substantially! I’m presuming his reference to ‘gold ochre’ was yellow ochre, and his ‘sky blue’ was King’s Blue light… so why not say that! Only two left I’m afraid, tomorrow is the final day as far as I can tell on the website… its been a really good series, and I’ve definitely learned a few good pointers along the way, which I will put into practice!
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