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Teaching Watercolor JANE BRENNAN When an artist lives in the country, it is difficult not to be inspired by the natural beauty of the region, Go to any local art gallery and you will see the rivers, lakes, hills, rocks, trees, and other flora surrounding us. Not to mention the sky with magnificently colored sunrises and sunsets that abound. This also holds for people who want to paint. Often, it is the landscape that beginning students want to work with and the landscape they continue to paint as they become more proficient in their discipline. Mastering watercolor technique is not as difficult as many think it is. The skill set involved takes patience, an understanding of pigment, a steady hand, and a flexible enough mind to change the concept when necessary. Local artist and teacher Jane Brennan has tought watercolor workshops at Peters Valley for the last four years. "I love going there, it's a great place--the people, the enthusiasm. I love the way I feel when I am there teaching Plein Air or studio painting." "I paint a lot of nature, in a loose representational style, which means that my work is not photorealistic," she said. "I prefer to work from real life rather than a photo." Brennan has sat outdoors for hours to paint. "What I see and what the camera sees are quite different. The camera focuses on what is closest to you. I see much more. It's not flattened, so I get a lot more information presented to me, which I think gives me a more interesting result." Brennan understands what most teachers know; she learnsCounty Community College, where she taught design, watercolor, color theory, and drawing in the art department for seven years. She has been active in the local art scene in the tristate area for over twenty years now and has either taught or show her work at the Artery, the Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council, Pike County Arts and Crafts, Skylands Gallery and Studio, and the Art Factory at White Mills, the Artists Market, and North Hampton Community College. We sat with Jane Brennan, in one of her teaching studios, as she explained her techniques for working with her community of students. How do you begin with someone who has never used watercolor before? we asked. "I usually give examples of working with color and gradation. I encourage them to pick from these small paintings for their first pieces. Here, I show techniques that they are interested in learning, such as how I might handle light and shadow," she answered. "It's not that I want them to actually paint like me. I would like them to develop their own style, and I would like to encourage them to experiment." "I have example boards with samples of working with a limited color palette or with a variety of colors. Some of my students have been with me for ten years, and many are new. I find a mix of levels works well for all. Most are always willing to try something new." Brennan understands that you cannot force a student to do anything; they must work on something that moves them. As far as critiquing her students, she will encourage them to see what they can do differently or perhaps share what she would do in the same situation. "If they come up with their own ideas or solutions, then I see that they are learning, they are growing." "The biggest mistake that students make is in using the wrong materials," she said. "Beginners need the best materials they can afford. Good paper, such as Arches is paramount. This is the most forgiving paper, and I find that most students are successful with it. Brushes are important too. I use sable, but I encourage my students to invest in good quality brushes that arn't necessarily expensive." "For me, the number one priority is to buy tube paints that have only one pigment in them, not mixed colors. DaVinci is my brand of preference for students. I find that my students are much more successful when they mix their own colors. Premixed colors can give a muddy look to the finished work if you are accidentally mixing complimentary colors. One must also always be aware of fugitive colors, which is color that fades in the light. It's important to be cautious of what you are buying." Wanting her students to learn from their mistakes, she encourages them to loosen up. "I encourage them to get over any hint of perfectionism and give them permission to play." One technique she has developed is to throw water on her paintings, which deliberatly alters the painting. "Happy accidents can turn out to be the best part of painting. It's a constant learning process." she noted. As the warm weather ends, Brennan and her fellow landscape artists will move away from some of the greens, blues, and magentas on their palettes as they lay down on their paper the rusts, ochers, oranges, and reds of the coming season.
Published: 09/2019 |