wine bottles

© JANE MINTER
"empty bottles ii"

wine bottles
Fabriano Artistico 300g/m2
watercolour + wax resist
watercolour study painted from life

wild hellebore

© JANE MINTER

"wild hellebore iii "

HELLEBORUS FOETIDUS

WIP  inital watercolour study 
38 X 38 cm FABRIANO COLD PRESS 

painted from life 

Work in progress ..... the small vivid green flowers of the wild hellebores  are beautiful ......each  year I try to capture them .

bacche rosse

© JANE MINTER
"bacche rosse iv"
brilliant red chokeberries

WIP  watercolour wash

red choke berries - bacche rosse

© JANE MINTER
"bacche rosse iii"
brilliant red chokeberries
aronia arbutifolia brilliantissima

WIP   watercolour 

folly

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"folly"

old etching  - casa  ii

initial watercolour study
32 x 35cm
Canson Fontenay 

painted from life with pencil 


"painting of a painting " ... initial watercolour study of an old etching of a folly 


Pai

textures - watercolour + bubbles

©  JANE MINTER 2014
"bubble"
photo

watercolour + washing up liquid 

©  JANE MINTER 2014
"watercolour + washing up liquid"

WIP AND TEXTURAL SWATCH 

FONTENAY cansons 

1.  Here I simply added watercolour to the fine  foam ( washing up liquid + water ) in the sink  . 
2.  A sheet of paper was laid over the top of the fine bubbles .
3.  As the bubbles burst a delicate  imprint of the bubbles was left on the paper - some of the bubbles burst on the paper .  Hopefully the photos show this . This pattern reminded  me of the pattern of  flox glove petals.
4.  The paper was left to dry  .. The effects vary with the type and quality of the paper..... here I used Canson Fontenay 300g/m2 . (I could have carried  on working on this whilst it is still wet ) .

©  JANE MINTER 2014
"watercolour + washing up liquid"

WIP AND TEXTURAL SWATCH 
blowing bubbles with straw and printing on paper

PRINTING  paper 

1. A mix of watercolour pigment + washing up liquid + water  in a container were blown with a straw  to create a mass of large bubbles . 
2.  A sheet of paper was laid over the top of the bubbles ( the pattern will vary with the placement of the paper  and type of paper - there are  lots of options to play with  you can place the whole sheet or just part over the bubbles.  Moving  the paper whilst the bubbles burst is also interesting . ) 
3.  As the bubbles burst a delicate random  imprint of the bubbles was left on the paper - some  bubbles  burst on the paper . Hopefully the photos above show this and the variation of the imprint . The images are very pale (more pigment can be added if a darker value is required .)
4.  The paper is left to dry  . The effects vary with the type and quality of the paper. . Here I used a smooth good quality printing paper which worked well I also used a fine cardboard with a smooth surface that made very fine prints .( I'm looking for an economical solution to work with children . It would be interesting to hear from anybody who has tried a variety of papers.)
5. Beautiful effects can be achieved repeating the process with the superimposition of the bubble patterns.

©  JANE MINTER 2014
"watercolour + washing up liquid"

WIP AND TEXTURAL SWATCH 
superimpostion of bubbles on paper 

PRINTING  paper 

1.  Above I placed the residue of the bubble mix  (watercolour + washing up liquid and water ) onto a few of the swatches I made above. The organic patterns are fascinating . You can charge the bubbles with other colours and bubbles whilst the bubbles are drying on the paper . An alternative which kids love is to  blow the bubble mixture with colour onto paper and watch the bubbles burst on the paper.

more bubbles! ...exploring a few different techniques and applications to create textures with bubbles and watercolour  .

textures - watercolour + shaving cream

©  JANE MINTER 2014
"watercolour + shaving cream" 

 mono- printing textural swatches + work in progress

FONTENAY cansons 

©  JANE MINTER 2014
"watercolour + shaving cream" 

 mono- printing textural swatches + work in progress

FONTENAY cansons 

                                                       

©  JANE MINTER 2014

"watercolour + shaving foam "

last residue mono- printing textural swatches + work in progress

FONTENAY cansons 

"kids play" ....more textural swatches watercolour + shaving cream/foam .... mono printing / marbling with shaving foam and watercolour is great  fun for kids ....a smalll quanity of shaving foam and one colour went a long way and created some interesting patterns and forms .

textures - watercolour + washing-up liquid

©  JANE MINTER 2014

"watercolour + washing-up liquid" 

textural swatches + work in progress

cansons 

©  JANE MINTER 2014

"watercolour + washing-up liquid "

 mono- printing textural swatches + work in progress

cansons 

"bubbles" ...posting a few recent  textural swatches experimenting with  a mix of washing - up liquid + watercolour.

SAA painting challenge 2014 - "on reflection"

SAA challenge “On reflection" 

SAA PAINT magazine

January 2014

I've only just received my copy of January 2014 SAA PAINT magazine . It's lovely to have had one of my watercolours "ESPRESSO POT" published alongside other SAA members work as an example of “metal objects” for this year's SAA challenge “On reflection" ... "getting to grips with painting metal painting surfaces ".

If you'd like to join in with the challenge you can find full details of this year's SAA challenge HERE or  

SAA website under COMPETITIONS  :  http://www.saa.co.uk/index.php  

….I'm looking forward to seeing the challenge throughout the year . Lastly a special  thanks to the SAA team for selecting my painting  "espresso pot" . 

van dyke brown + maganese blue

© JANE MINTER 
"van dyke brown + maganese blue" 

watercolour wash

W&N - CANSONS FONTENAY 

pots + pans - pentole

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"pots + pans"

"pentole"
interior view - casa  i

watercolour sketch

painted from life no pencil

I'm keen to tackle simple interior views so I've  decided to  start at home "casa" .This low key sketch is of  a few of our cast iron and mild steel pots and pans hanging from the dark old timber beams in the kitchen . Each day the arrangement changes. 

notizie - news

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"notizie"

"news"

corrosion iv 

initial watercolour study

wet on dry + wet in wet + masking tape resist + lifting 

Fabriano Artistico  

GRANA FINA - COLD PRESS

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"news"

"notizie"

corrosion iv 

section of watercolour

 Fabriano Artistico 

GRANA FINA - COLD PRESS 

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"masking tape resist + mono - printing "

inital textural swatch
watercolour textures 

Plein air watercolour sketches

©  JANE MINTER 2013
"pre-alps" 

mountains i
PREALPI VENETE
plein air watercolour sketch 
Fabriano Artistico  
GRANA FINA - COLD PRESS

©  JANE MINTER 2013
"pre-alps" 

mountains ii
PREALPI VENETE
plein air watercolour sketch
Fabriano Artistico  
FINE GRAIN   - COLD PRESS

©  JANE MINTER 2013
"pre-alps"
 PREALPI VENETE

section of  mountains iii
plein air watercolour sketch 
Fabriano Artistico  
GRANA FINA - COLD PRESS

......posting a few of my first plein air watercolour sketches of the New Year .... there was very little snow at the beginning of the week in the mountains the cold grey overcast sky enhanced the colours of the trees .... it was a treat to sketch outside .... ongoing challenge.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS - BUON NATALE

©  JANE MINTER 2013

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS and CREATIVE 2014!

"made by hand"  .....a  busy week prunning our old vines and  making Christmas wreaths with the beautiful long branches of the grape vines ...... wishing  all  my blog readers and friends a very Happy Christmas and Happy New Year ! 

©  JANE MINTER 2013

fading sunflowers

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"fading sunflowers" 

WIP

section of watercolour study

FABRIANO  FINE GRAIN 

work in progress ....section of a larger painting I'm working on 

fading sunflower

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"fading sunflower"

watercolour study

FABRIANO  FINE GRAIN 

greek antiquity ii

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"MUTULE" 

Greek Antiquity ii

watercolour 

FABRIANO  FINE GRAIN 

32 x 41cm

continuation of exploration  of Greek Antiquity #2  , Olympia  .. simple rhythm  and texture of a mutule .

Mutule

Rectangular block under the soffit of the cornice of the Greek Doric temple, which is studded with guttae. It is supposed to represent the piece of timber through which the wooden pegs were driven in order to hold the rafter in position, and it follows the sloping rake of the roof. In the Roman Doric order the mutule was horizontal, with sometimes a crowning fillet, so that it virtually fulfilled the purpose of the modillion in the Corinthian cornice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_architecture


 note : sorry the quality of the image is darker than the original

rapa rossa - beetroot

"rapa rosa"

beetroot

watercolour sketch
56 x 76 cm
Canson Fontenay  Cold Press 300g/m2 
painted from life ....no pencil 

hegdehog puzzle

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"hedgehog puzzle"

small timber hedgehog puzzle by sculptor John Spielman

painted from life 

A4 watercolour sketch 

childhood memories.... a quick 10 minute sketch of a small timber hedgehog puzzle by sculptor John Spielman.

pink + orange - spindle berries

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"spindle tree branch" 
spindle berries i

initial watercolour sketch  
painted from life
22 x 38cm Canson Montval 

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"pink + orange" 

spindle berries iii

watercolour wash
"wet on dry"+ "weti n wet" + "cling film" texture   
A3 Canson Montval 

work in progress......initial watercolour sketch and one of a few watercolour washes I've been working on  inspired by the vivid autumnal colours of the berries of the spindle trees

pre-alps - sketch

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"pre-alps"

Fabriano Artistico  
GRANA FINA - COLD PRESS
23 x 30.5 cm 
 watercolour sketch

posting a small section of a recent watercolour sketch of the pre-alps

olive oil - olio di oliva

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"olive oil"

olio di oliva 
Fabriano Artistico  
GRANA FINA - COLD PRESS
23 x 30.5 cm 
watercolour sketch
 painted from life

opening

©  JANE MINTER 2013
"opening"

prelimaninary study 
watercolour wash 
Cansons Fontenay
32 x 41cm 

a preliminary study working from memory and exploring washes inspired by large openings of the sliding industrial doorways of many façades on my recent trip to France .

old bottle

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"old bottle"

watercolour study  

 painted from life.... no pencil 
Cansons Fontenay
32 x 41cm 

empty bottles

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"empty bottles "
watercolour 
Fabriano Artistico 300g/m2
23x30.5cm 
watercolour study painted from life

salt cellars

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"salt cellars"

watercolour 

still life
Cansons Fontenay
32 x 41cm 

 ...watercolour study of small salt cellars painted from life ....once again the quality of the image uploaded is not very good  sorry .

dove cote

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"dove cote"

SAINT LOUP  LAMAIRE - CHICHE POITOU - CHARENTES - FRANCE

watercolour demo 

Cansons Fontenay

with special thanks to Bix Nash 

for the reference photo

 A view of an enchanting dove cote in Saint Loup Lamaire from one of our many visits to beautiful local villages and towns during my workshop last week at France Painting Holiday  ......a week was far too short !

FRANCE PAINTING HOLIDAY

JANE MINTER'S WATERCOLOUR WORKSHOP 2014

 DATES : 14/09/2014 - 20/09/2014

I'm delighted to have been invited back to Bandouille for next year as guest tutor if you'd like to join me 

for further information please contact Bix Nash at

 http://francepaintingholiday.com/ 

old enamelled ladle

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"old enamelled ladle " 

still life 

watercolour demo painted from life 
an exercise in negative painting  

Cansons Fontenay

 ........one of the painting demos I painted last week gifted to Bix and Drew after my workshop at France Painting Holiday.... a small  enamelled ladle which is treasured item of  Bix 

FRANCE PAINTING HOLIDAY

JANE MINTER'S WATERCOLOUR WORKSHOP 2014

 DATES : 14/09/2014 - 20/09/2014

If you would like to join me next year at Bandouille FRANCE PAINTING HOLIDAY I will be guest tutor week commencing 14th September 2014
for further information please contact Bix Nash at


 http://francepaintingholiday.com/ 

BANDOUILLE - PAINTING AT THE MONASTERY - FRANCE PAINTING HOLIDAY - GUEST TUTOR JANE MINTER 2013

Bandouille - FRANCE PAINTING HOLIDAY  - 2013

A heartfelt thanks to Bix and Drew of  France Painting Holiday
for hosting my recent watercolour workshop in France held at their beautiful home Bandouille .  I hope the short video of photos taken during the week gives you an idea of the idllyic setting of Bandouille , trips to local villages and towns  and a glipse of  "work in progress" in the studio during the week  . A special thanks to all the wonderful  guests Melissa Giovanna and Cristina . I so enjoyed  painting with you all and Bix .

You can follow Melissa's posts on her holiday at Bandouille on her blog.http://theslipcover.blogspot.it/2013/10/monday.html



FRANCE PAINTING HOLIDAY
JANE MINTER'S WATERCOLOUR WORKSHOP 2014
 DATES : 14/09/2014 - 20/09/2014

I am very happy to announce I have been invited back for next year as guest tutor
for further information please contact Bix Nash at
 http://francepaintingholiday.com/ 

Classical Order

©  JANE MINTER 2013

"classical order" 

Greek Antiquity # 1

watercolour 

Cansons Fontenay

32 x 41cm

Exploration  of Greek Antiquity ...initial watercolour wash inspired by the rhythm of the doric columns in Olympia.