Another most enjoyable workshop, Tara generously shared her extensive knowledge with Water Colour on Canvas techniques and process, gained from her London and her Mosman Studio experiences.
Our subject focus was on “Owls” ! We spent the morning learning and practicing the techniques and variances of using watercolour on canvas (Specially pre-treated canvas).
Then to execute the learnings, ably individually assisted by Tara.
The outcome results from the class were many and varied, all excellent and some delightfully funny and cute. (Pics below.)
AND, Tara kindly allowed each student to have two of her postcards, depicting animals and Owls painted in Watercolour on Canvas.
Thank you Tara for a most enjoyable workshop!
Tara Winona
Tara was guest speaker at our September general meeting.
At this workshop Tara will show us how to paint watercolour on specially prepared canvas.
Preparation for this Workshop
Tara has supplied a PDF which is linked. here
For those that cannot open a PDF, the content is extracted as follows:
T A R A W I N O N A
WA T E R C O L O U R O N C A N V A S W O R K S H O P
K U – R I N G – G A I A R T S O C I E T Y – O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7
In this workshop we will explore the potential and wonderful surprises that
watercolour on canvas offers.
Relatively recently watercolour gessos were introduced into the market,
opening up a whole new world. Watercolour is now no longer limited to
paper!
Working on canvas has similar qualities to traditional watercolour and
some wonderful differences…
Together through creating the portrait of an owl, we will explore the tricks,
techniques and flow that I have learnt on my journey in experimenting
with this medium. Watercolour has a mind of its own so there are no
‘wrongs’! This workshop is for beginners to advanced.
I will teach you how to prepare and seal your canvas, walk you through
techniques and guide you in creating your own owl interpretation.
Owls hold a special place for me. With their mythology, wisdom,
penetrating gaze and soaring flight, they lend themselves beautifully to the
freedom and flow that is the natural voice of watercolour and encourage
the expression of the unique creative self to come forth.
S H O P P I N G L I S T
– 2 x pre-prepared watercolour gessoed canvases
CANVASES MUST BE PRE-GESSOED A MINIMUM OF 3 DAYS BEFORE
THE WORKSHOP – BY THE EVENING OF TUESDAY 11TH OCTOBER
– 1 x experimental canvas (cheap, cheerful and small is perfect)
– 1 x masterpiece canvas at a size you would like to work at.
I recommend no more than about 50cm in height, so you can work seated at
a table. Square or landscape depending on the owl pose you wish to paint
– UV protective archival spray varnish – gloss and matt
– Packet of magic eraser sponges (you can get these from Woolies in the
cleaning section – without chamois or detergent)
– your favourite watercolour brushes – I would suggest a small detail brush,
a medium general brush and large wash brush (squirrel mop is my fav)
– palette
– watercolour in your favourite colour, preferably one that allows both dark
and light tones. My favourite is Prussian Blue
– several sheets of layout paper about the size of your canvas
– blue pastel
– lead pencil for drawing out your owl
– salt
– a roll of paper towels
– water jar/bucket
WATER COLOUR GESSO
Schmincke, Daniel Smith and Golden make watercolour
gessoes which are all great.
U V PROTECTIVE ARCHIVAL VARNISH
To seal the painting once it is finished, you must use a
solvent-based UV protective spray. Golden and Krylon
make the best varnishes to the highest archival standards.
You will need both gloss and matt – the first 6 coats must
be gloss, the final few matt to reduce the sheen.
P R E – W O R K S H O P C A N V A S P R E P
Please pre-prime your canvases a minimum of 3 days BEFORE the workshop.
You will need 2 canvases – one for experimenting and one for your owl
painting
1. Canvases must first be prepared with ‘normal’ gesso, as you would for an
acrylic or oil painting. Easiest is to buy shop-prepped canvases. If you do it
yourself, a minimum of 2 coats, 3 is preferable, smooth. I love the Matisse
gesso for this.
2. Watercolour gesso – please prepare your canvases with 3 layers of
watercolour primer a minimum of 3 days before the workshop. I suggest
spreading it on with a palette knife and then brushing it smooth with a wide
soft brush. You can use a very small amount of water to wet your brush and
help smooth it. Make sure each coat is dry before adding the next coat.
Watercolour gesso needs at least 48 hours to cure, so please make sure your
canvases are prepped and drying by the evening of Tuesday 11th October.
O W L R E S E A R C H
Please go online and look for an owl image that sings to you, that you would
like to work with. It may be a seated owl or an owl in flight. Is it gazing out,
connecting to the viewer or looking off camera – out to the horizon?
If you don’t find any images, don’t worry, I will bring some printouts with me
from my research trips that you are more than welcome to use.
Any questions please give feel free to contact me.
Art Scene in Ryde offer a 10% discount off materials if you go and say
you want the ‘Tara Winona’ watercolour on canvas kit
Telephone – 0467 878 225
Email – tara@ tarawinona.com
Tara Winona WATERCOLOUR ON CANVAS WORKSHOP 2017
Artist
Originally Tara trained as a designer in Australia. She became a creative director for ‘Son et Lumière’ spectaculars internationally: painting light through film, projection, lasers, fireworks and special effects.
In 2010 Tara got an art studio on the banks of a river in London. Gradually her art transformed – from something fitted in between shows to a daily, professional practise. In December 2014 Tara was invited to exhibit with a major gallery in London.
Tara is represented by several galleries in the UK and Australia and has exhibited in the UK, the Netherlands and Sydney. She also continues to paint with light (www.tara-designs.com). In 2015 she won the Outstanding Artist Award at the Tunbridge Wells International Art Fair and Editors Choice for the book ‘101 Artworks of the Animal Kingdom’.
check out her website at
You can book this workshop online via this KAS website. http://ourkas.com.au/news/workshops/
Any inquiries please contact Anne Carpenter on 0411 034 413