Artists On Safari

Looking forward to Workshops & Demo

gregwellman — Sun, 06 May 2012 16:17:28 +0000

I’m really looking forward to Tuesday’s Portrait workshop at the Hartnoll Hotel. Then on Wednesday more tutoring, and in the evening I am doing a live portrait demo for Tiverton Art Society. With the latter I have a feeling of nervous anticipation. I enjoy the intensity of being in the moment during demos. No nipping off for a quick coffee or making that phone call. It’s so compelling and immediate. Sometimes during demos I get a momentary blankness generated by self -consciousness. A decision about something I am painting is almost impossible to make. If this happens, I have faith and move on to other parts of the work. By the time I come back to the ‘problem’ it has either resolved itself in relation to others things I have painted or I can now clearly see what needs to be done. These occurrences balance with moments of inspiration, happy accidents and energetic brush strokes that are partly the result of the speed at which you have to work when demonstrating. It’s important for me to enjoy ALL the moments, the concerns, the thrills, the pressure, and of course the interaction with the people watching. It has to be fun, for everyone. I make an assumption that everyone watching wants me to do well, as if they are friends and family (which sometimes they are). I avoid trying to impress, as this fuels fear of failure. I cultivate the ‘just do it’ attitude, which has served me well in so many things, especially my art. Commit to something fully, and your mind naturally tends to ignore insecurities, and starts working on the solutions. When you’re working on the ‘how’ it’s easy to ignore the ‘but what if…?’ that leads us to doubt ourselves. Use your human capacity for faith, and believe that you will do well. Tell your mind often enough and it will eventually say. “oh all right then, it MUST be true.”

It’s going to be a great week.

Introduction to Wildlife Painting workshop – you could book one too!

gregwellman — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:52:49 +0000

Just finished my Introduction to Painting Wildlife workshop with SAA member and artist Stuart Fowle. Stuart’s pencil work is excellent, and he wanted me to help him learn to translate his type work into paint. We worked on basics like fur, eyes, the value of tone and brushwork. Had a great day!

If you would like to book a workshop with me, or have any questions, just email me. You may be the lucky recipient of one of my Limited Edition prints – for free!

See Stuart’s work at http://www.artonthehoof.co.uk/
Thanks to The Hartnoll Hotel, Bolham for hosting this workshop. http://www.hartnollhotel.com/
Next workshop is May 8th, and then I am doing a live portrait demo (gulp!) at The Tiverton Art Society on Wednesday May 9th.

Here’s what Stuart Fowle said about the workshop INTRODUCTION TO WILDLIFE PAINTING, last Friday:

“Was a fantastic day, great tuition all clearly explained and I came away feeling that I had learnt everything I’d wanted to achieve from the day. Also to see Gregory’s work in person was inspiring.”

Winter Evening on Dartmoor painting short listed in International Artist Magazine- OUT NOW

gregwellman — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:25:35 +0000

The April May edition of bi-monthly magazine International Artist magazine features one of my paintings in its landscape competition. I entered online and was delighted when the editor contacted me to say that I was one of the finalists in their latest competition. If you buy the magazine its on page 11. Look out for my article in the next issue.

Painting in Africa, it’s not just a dream.

gregwellman — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 13:04:51 +0000

Imagine setting up your easel near an African waterhole. The sun is on it’s journey down to the horizon bathing the everything in a glorious, golden light. You sketch the scene before you, and then they arrive, the local herd of elephant. Trumpeting and flapping their dusty ears, they plunge into the cool water, drinking and playing carelessly. You take some photographs to help your composition for a later studio painting. Then you quickly sketch in some of the gentle giants and hurriedly mix paint to capture the colours and tones as you see them- in the flesh. Its a thrilling experience and you stop for a moment to take in your situation. The sounds, the smells, the beauty before your eyes. The words ‘dream come true’ are a cliche, but you don’t care, it’s no cliche for you, it’s all so beautiful.

This is Africa, this is your art safari.

Visit www.artistsonsafari.com and make dream reality.

Why I use Unison pastels

gregwellman — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 19:27:59 +0000

Ever since I picked up a book of pastel paintings by Lionel Aggett I have loved using Unison pastels, and now use nothing else. When I bought my first large Portrait and Landscape boxes, my paintings took a big jump forward, as I no longer had to waste time searching through hundreds of tones and colours to find the right ones. The sets harmonise your work beautifully, look amazing on the painting (and in their boxes!) and speed up the whole process. More importantly they help me feel inspired, and I rarely find myself ‘hitting that wall’, you know the one, when you get to a point in your painting where you seem to have stumbled on a number of ‘problems’ that need resolving and creativity grinds to a halt!

If you’re wondering whether you should ‘invest’ in a large box..I would say, just go for it. We spend money on all sorts of things in our life to make it ‘easier’, but these things often do just the opposite. Unison pastels have made my pastel work easier, more exciting, and have been an essential part of my best ever work.

I want to be an artist- where do I start?

gregwellman — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:44:42 +0000

A great guy that I met on Alan Lee’s Illustration course in 2008 emailed me back along saying that he really wanted to focus on his art and was unsure where to start. Even though I was ridiculously busy I made the time to reply because his uncertainty was very familiar to me. This is what I emailed him…

I suggest you write down your goals/ where you want to be in two years and five years time. Make them specific. Break them into achievable objectives. Do something towards it every single day. Just start. Take the line of least resistance at first. Stick to something you are pretty good at and go for it. I know that’s vague but I don’t know your work well enough.

Here’s an example.

I know a lady who paints cats well. Actually she started using only coloured pencils. She showed friends and relatives and local art society members her efforts, someone asked what she’d charge for one, she kept it modest, and accepted her first commission. She took the photos and produced her best cat ever, encouraged and more confident because others seemed to have faith in her- more than she had in herself. After this she realised that technically she was now professional because she had been commissioned and paid. From there she put some ads in cat magazines, cat and dog shows and got better and better. By the time she emigrated to Canada with her husband she saw herself as an artist, a professional with exhibitions and a client list.

The point is, to get going asap. Dont wait for your website to be created, all facebooked and twittered up. Get some decent business cards made and create some form of image every single day. Even if it’s small. Stop looking at a mountain veiled in mist. Establish a little base camp first- grab a machete and start hacking the trail toward the foothills!
Most people have to do other work as well to help pay the bills but make sure you do something toward [ name ]Professional Artist, EVERY DAY (INC. WEEKENDS). As soon as you stop for a day or two, all your self doubt will begin creeping in again!!
At the moment it sounds like your uncertainty is your biggest obstacle.
Action always conquers fear.
Don’t wait for certainty. Do something tangible today!

I need to listen to that kind of advice myself at times, and I know there are others out there too! Let me know if this works for you by replying below.

Landscape painting shortlisted for prestigious magazine competition

gregwellman — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:13:15 +0000

My acrylic landscape ,Winter Evening, Dartmoor’ has been shortlisted for the International Artist Magazine Landscape competition. It will be out in the next issue, April/May. I love this magazine and so I am particularly pleased to be featured. Look out for my upcoming article in a later edition, will post a comment in due course.

Great Art Sponsorship

gregwellman — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:40:21 +0000

BIG THANKS to Great Art for their sponsorship. Just received a big delivery of materials! Fellow artists will know the joy of New Stuff…

Back to Basics or Get Ye to the Life Class

gregwellman — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:39:36 +0000

Cliche though it may be- it’s a good idea to get back to basics. Did a life class today- first one for about 4 years! Last one was at Alan Lee’s studio on Dartmoor. Six people braved the snow to arrive at Red Earth gallery studios in Bickleigh, Devon where Michael Harker was running the taster session for his upcoming Thursday night classes. I really enjoyed it, and kept away from playing it safe. The temptation is to go with what you know, draw in your comfort zone, but instead of being concerned with ‘getting it all right’ I kept rushing in, working without thinking too much and allowing mistakes to remain. Very freeing!

Landscape painting entered into Art Competition

gregwellman — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:01 +0000

I recently entered a painting online to the fabulous International Artist magazine (in my view the best on the market). It was a landscape I painted in acrylic after a wintery walk on Dartmoor, recently used as a location for Spielberg film War Horse. I wanted to capture the shadows thrown onto sparkling snow by the tall tussocks of grass. To emphasise them I painted it an an unusual size, 4.5″ x 10″. I was very pleased with it, and was delighted to be told by the editor that it has reached stage one of the competition. Nice to know it’s in the running. Even small achievements are worth appreciating. If it gets shortlisted I will let you know!