New Signatures Exhibition Invitation, 26th May-18th June

Click on the image to see info and map.

 
There are some wonderful paintings on display so please do yourself a favour and pop in sometime to view these incredible pieces.


Looking forward to seeing you at the opening!!!!

Giclee Prints by Richard Rennie Jr.

On 4th June, Richard Rennie will be discussing.....
                                                        - Large Format Printing
                                                        - Pixel Editing and Retouching
                                                        - Coulour has a Number
                                                        - Subtrates and Inks
                                                        - Photography
                                                        - Copyright

Hope to see you all there!

Giclee Demo and Presentation

On the 4th June, Richard Rennie Jr. will be running a presentation on Giclee printing at the Manor Gallery in Douglasdale, Fourways. He will be doing a demo explaining what it is, how they are made, types of paper / canvas used, what is required in terms of photos of works etc. and of course an idea of costs. He will bring examples of actual Giclee prints plus the original artworks for comparison as well. Any questions from the floor will also be handled.
 

The presentation will be free to paid up WSSA members and R50.00 to others wishing to attend which is payable at the door.

 

The presentation starts at 10.00 am, so could we please ask you to arrive at 9.30 for 10.00am.

Please contact Kerry at the gallery to book your place.

I think this is a valuable presentation to all those artists who have painted beautiful paintings but buyers haven't been able to afford it. This is also useful for selling a painting at a reduced price so you can sell it over and over again with minimum effort and high returns and still hang on to the original. 


Giclee (zhee-klay) - The French word "giclée" is a feminine noun that means a spray or a spurt of liquid. The word may have been derived from the French verb "gicler" meaning "to squirt". To get more information as to what Giclee prints are link here. Giclee


Hoping to see you all there!!!

Sketchbook Workshop held this last weekend.

Your new branch chairman is Dave Croad and I wanted to take this opportunity and I'm sure you will all join me in welcoming him and wishing him well in a wonderful term with the Joburg branch. Tony Kelly, Robyn Spalding and Debbie Schiff who form part of the Johannesburg sub-committee and will be assisting him in areas relevant. We are looking forward to hearing from you and sharing updates on our blog on a regular basis, so please check in regularly.

BRANCH UPDATE.

On Saturday morning Cathy Gatland presented a wonderful workshop on keeping personal sketchbooks and artist's journals. Using her own and Barbara's sketchbooks and journals as examples, as well as some lovely books on the subject, Cathy gave a presentation using projected images, to illustrate how one can use sketchbooks for a myriad of reasons, all of them good!

Benefits include the obvious improving of one's drawing skills, sharpening one's perceptions and observations, thinking about and practising good design, experimenting with colour, and using small pockets of otherwise wasted time to do enjoyable art - eg on the bus, train or plane or in a doctor's waiting room, etc.

Expanding this idea makes for wonderful journals, which can go all the way, using found objects, crafts and decorative creativity - all without costing much at all. Cathy showed slides of the sketches of Daniel Gregory, whose discovery of making small sketches led to his being able to cope with great personal tragedy. You can visit his website at www.dannygregory.com to learn his story and see his journey.

Some of Cathy's wonderful Sketches

Then we were invited to have tea, and take one of the delicious cupcakes provided the the WSSA.....to own and eat, but first to draw!

The important thing is that sketchbooking and journalling is a lot of fun and has lots of positive reinforcement for the artist. Cathy showed the work of people from all over the world, mostly from the Urban Sketchers (Cathy is the Johannesburg Correspondent for Urban Sketchers).

Anyone can join Urban Sketchers. It doesn't cost anything as it is internet based and international. Cathy organises sketchouts regularly on Saturday mornings. Go to http://www.urbansketchers.org/ to see the organisation, and to Cathy's own blog at http://asketchintime.blogspot.com/ for more.

The WSSA would love to see more people adding additional strings to their artistic bows, so take a look.

Joburg Branch encourages its members to join, and challenges other branches to become correspondents, adding their cities and towns to the global sketching community.


Barbara's Sketches done from her March journal.



Finally, congratulations to Dave Croad, who won the lucky draw for a Winsor & Newton Sketcher's pan set!


Until next time.... enjoy your painting!

Latest Johannesburg branch Diary

Johannesburg Branch

Watercolour Society of South Africa

Calendar for March to June, 2011

Updated 7^th March 2011

22nd March 24th March	85th Open Deliver paintings 85th Open Opening	6:30pm for 7pm
27th March	AGM – striving for a new record for the shortest AGM in History! Great free demo in pastels by David Johnson	10 am at Manor Gallery 11am for 11:30am
9th April	Susan Orpen FWSSA Free demo – not to be missed!	Manor Gallery 9am for 9:30 am
19th & 20th April	Collect unsold work 85th Open	Normal opening hours
26th – 29th April	Don Andrews Workshop	Beaulieu College
May 7th	2011 New Signatures Selections	Manor Gallery (not digital)
May 14th	Artist’s Journal workshop with Cathy Gatland and Barbara Moore	9am to 12 noon
May 24th May 26th	Deliver New Signatures paintings New Signatures Opening	Manor Gallery 6:30pm for 7 pm
June 21st	Collect New Signatures unsold work.	Normal gallery hours
June 25th	Free Tonal Values workshop with Alma Vorster FWSSA	9am to 12:30pm

2011 CALENDAR

Here is our calendar for 2011. Double click on the image to see it full size. This diary has also been published in the October Aquarelle.

WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?

Don't miss the sketching outing with Cathy Gatland this Saturday. Here is Cathy's e-mail...

This Saturday, the 16^th October, is a Worldwide SketchCrawl day (see www.sketchcrawl.com)

We are meeting at the Museum of Military History (War Museum) in Erlswold Drive, Saxonwold at the top of the Zoo at 10am to sketch, and anyone (especially you Watercolour Society members!) who is able to join us is welcome.

Entrance to the museum itself is R22 or R11 for pensioners and students, but one can sketch the memorial and outside area without having to pay a fee.

PAINLESS PERSPECTIVE FEEDBACK

The workshop was very good, with everyone enjoying it and wanting the next step...we'll do that in the New Year towards the end of January...see the calendar that will be published soon.

One participant said,

"This workshop should be called Designing paintings using space, light and line".

Sounds good!

September & October FREE Workshops

We regret that Zanne's September 11th Beginner Workshop is full and we can't accept any more bookings.

If YOU are disappointed, please put your name down with Kerry for the next one and we'll schedule one once the list grows sufficiently.

In October our chairman Barbara Moore will run a workshop called

"Painless Perspective"

Once again, this is a FREE workshop to members, and booking is essential. The workshop deals with how to help your creativity, and not hinder it, by learning easy ways to get depth into your paintings and also draw plausible structures. The key is "plausible". Barbara says you don't need advanced mathematics...you just need to know quick techniques to achieve your objective so that you can get on with the creative side of your paintings.

Date: October 9th

Time: 8:45 am for 9 am - ends 12 noon

Venue: WSSA Head Office at Manor Gallery, Fourways

Booking: 011 465-7934 (WSSA office), 082 454-3233 (Barbara mobile)

e-mail: aquarelle@wssa.org.za

Notes provided

List of materials needed to participants on booking

FREE Beginner's Workshop

On Saturday September 11th Zanne Bezuidenhoudt will be giving a FREE full day beginner's workshop to WSSA members.

This is a very special event that anyone thinking about beginning to paint in watercolours simply cannot afford to miss!

So members please let your friends and family know and book as soon as possible. Zanne has prepared a pre-workshop pack for anyone making a booking so phone the WSSA now on 011 465-7934 or e-mail zanbezart@gmail.com or gallery@wssa.org.za

Participants will learn how to get started and will go away having achieved three charming paintings!