'A Splash Of Paint' 

Murray Ince, As Seen On TV!

I went up to SAA headquarters in Newark on November 13th and filmed some demonstrations, tips, techniques and product recommendations for the TV series 'A Splash Of Paint' the first of which will feature in the 37th episode and will, I believe, be aired on January 12th, I will also feature in various episodes after that. Artisan water-mixable oils and Unison soft  pastels are the main mediums that I demonstrate and talk about, along with some other wonderful products that I use regularly. The thought of doing this was a daunting prospect and my initial apprehension will probably be clear for all to see, however it got easier (well less daunting at least) as the filming progressed. I'm sure you will excuse and forgive any strange pauses and comments but the gist of what I say and demonstrate is from the heart and will hopefully inspire you all to have a go and maybe come and see me in live action at one of my many workshops or painting holidays!

I went up to Newark last December and filmed a very short demonstration of painting middle distant trees in Artisan oils which has already featured in episode 17, I also demonstrated live at the 'It's All About Art' show in the Business Design Centre in London back in July and am a contributing artist in the forthcoming SAA book '101 Tips And Techniques' which has all been hard work but a great deal of fun, and of course the best bit is getting to meet the most important people, 'You'!

Painting Holiday At Le Manoir de Gurson

Le Manoir de Gurson is in the heart of the Bergerac region of France. Le Manoir estate has three lovely fishing lakes and is a haven for flora and fauna. We saw a great many birds including Hoopoes, Wheatears and Herons, and were also privileged to see Pyramidal and Bee orchids with others not quite as advanced (there are 12 different orchids on the estate). There were also turtles, small lizards and even Coypu to be seen. There are many superb views for the artists inspiration on the estate and many more within easy walking distance, the reward for this little extra effort being some wine tasting in great company among some idyllic settings at Cecile and Gregoirs organic vineyard and also at Le Chateau de Gurson in the shadow of the old chateau ruins. Le Manoir is surrounded by vineyards and the most wonderful scenes for the artist to paint. 

Charmaine, Ray are fantastic hosts and couldn't make us more welcome, the food is excellent, the accommodation superb and we can play petanque, drink some wine and have a thoroughly good time. We will manage to do a spot of wine tasting locally (I may have already mentioned this) we will even manage to get some painting done! Why not join us for a very relaxed, informative and inspirational painting holiday in this glorious region of France? Contact me for more information. 

Dates For 2014 ~ May 24th to 31st and May 31st to June 7th

Pastel Paintings

Borthwood Bluebells 

This pastel painting was the result of a two session  workshop (about four hours in total) I did recently with one of my favourite Island painting groups 'The  Brading (Tuesday) Art Group' who are a talented group who all produced some lovely work! I think pastel works extremely well for this semi impressionistic style of painting and below is a another painting in the same style.

The Wild Meadow, Hidcote Manor

Porlock Weir The Finished Painting

This is the finished painting of Porlock Weir. I have painted in the beach flora (no I don't know what it is) which as with the distant trees, I start by painting in the shadow colour and gradually paint lighter foliage, usually two shades and finally the highlight colour placing the colour on with a No. 2 round bristle brush in the direction of growth. I strengthened some of the shadows around the boats, painted in the missing fenders, put some lighter tones on the grass area on the right and slightly lightened the main roof of the house and darkened the two smaller roofs. I put a little more definition on the right hand beach and signed it in the bottom right hand corner, a little smaller than usual but it is there! This painting is 800 x 600 and is a little larger than my usual work. Don't think that painting on a larger scale is any more difficult because in fact, I find that this makes it easier rather than more difficult! Why not have a go?!

Porlock Weir Update

I have been working on my painting of Porlock Weir for most of today and it is now about 90% complete.
I have painted in most of the foreground beach, added a little more detail to the far beach whilst I had the colours on the go and added some ropes, stones, seaweed and shadows to the foreground beach. I still have a bit of sharpening up to do and will put some judicious glazes here and there to alter the tonal values in some areas where I am not entirely satisfied. There is one more picture to come in a day or two which will be of the completed painting, I can hear you all holding your breath....

Porlock Weir Progress

My Porlock Weir studio painting is progressing as you will see in the picture below. 

I have put more definition in the shadows in the trees and having completed the boats I then moved on to painting the masts of the distant yachts some detail of the middle distant boats followed by the water and reflections, added the nearest boat and moved on to the reflections and seaweed in the foreground. I will now go on to intensify the shadows under the water of the sea weed and paint the foreground beach and detritus and beach-side plants.

SAA 'It's All About Art' Show, London July 25th 2013

I was invited by the SAA to go up to the Business Design Centre, Islington on July 25th to do a 30 minute painting demonstration on the Professional Associate stand which I did and thoroughly enjoyed after the initial but very brief trepidation wore off. It is the first 30 minute painting I have ever produced and though it is not quite my usual style I was not too disappointed with the result, I would call it an oil sketch, I leave you to judge it's validity....

I will be going up to SAA headquarters in Newark in October
to film three 30 minute painting demonstrations for the TV programme 'A Splash Of Paint' hosted by the ever popular Matthew Palmer along with various tips and techniques and the popular 'My Favourite' and 'What's In My Box' for which I am having fun with deciding what to do. It goes out on Sky channel 191 and Freesat 400 on a Monday from 17.00 to 18.00, I will keep you posted as to when it is likely to be aired.

'Porlock Weir' (800 x 600) A Painting In Artisan Water Mixable Oils

It was great to meet friends old and new at the Open Studios weekend and here is the painting that I was working on over the last two days of the event. I was at Yarmouth Town Hall last Sunday exhibiting with Ann Greenhill my friend of many years and worked on it on the pavement outside. the stage to which I have currently brought it. The colours on the picture below are more accurate though far from perfect. The first stage of the painting was to draw the main parts of the composition though much simplified as a lot of the detail would be lost in the painting and in fact the detail is put in with the brush.

The next job was to give the canvas a watered down coat of Raw Sienna acrylic which sealed the pencil lines and killed the white of the canvas making tonal value and colour choice easier. I then drew the major lines back in with a wash of Cobalt Blue acrylic. Next I start with the oils and the painting of the sky which I kept simple as the rest of the scene is complex. Next is the painting of the distant tree clad hillside in shades of pale blue/green which pushes the hill into the distance (aerial perspective). I then paint in the middle distant tree covered hill which forms the backdrop for the buildings. Continuing my method of painting from the distance to the foreground I paint in the buildings, sea walls and boats. I have a fair bit left to do but the most difficult part is almost complete then it's on to the foreground... I will post another photograph when I have completed the middle ground. The water and reflections will be good fun and I look forward that stage!

Painting Holiday At Le Manoir de Gurson

I have just got back from leading a fantastic painting holiday at Le Manoir de Gurson in the heart of the Bergerac region of France. The Le Manoir estate has three lovely fishing lakes and is a haven for flora and fauna. We saw a great many birds including Hoopoes, Wheatears and Herons, and were also privileged to see many Pyramidal and Bee orchids with others not quite as advanced (there are 12 different orchids on the estate). There were also turtles, small lizards and even Coypu to be seen. There are many superb views for the artists inspiration on the estate and many more within easy walking distance, the reward for this little extra effort being some wine tasting in great company among some idyllic settings at Cecile and Gregoirs organic vineyard and also at Le Chateau de Gurson in the shadow of the old chateau ruins. Le Manoir is surrounded by vineyards and the most wonderful scenes for the artist to paint. 

Charmaine, our lovely hostess and her two sons Alex and Tim couldn't have made us more welcome, the food was excellent, the accommodation superb and we played petanque on the grass, drank some wine and had a thoroughly good time. We managed to do a spot of wine tasting locally (I may have already mentioned this) of which there is some photographic evidence below along with some of the fantastic views, we even managed some painting!

We visited St. Emilion with it's wonderful French charm, had a coffee in the famous town square by the monolithic church and did a little sketching. We then climbed the 196 steps to the top gallery of the steeple and looked down on the picturesque roofs with the whole town laid out below us, not for the faint hearted but what a view! There are some great typically French narrow streets with fascinating buildings leading down to the square. We also paid an unscheduled visit to Bergerac which again was a lovely historical town spread either side of the Dordogne and is noted for it's beautiful medieval timber framed houses and of course it's most notable resident Cyrano de Bergerac, of whom I have put a photograph below.

If you fancy a totally relaxing painting holiday with fantastic food, lovely accommodation, genial company with some great painting opportunities you should book your place on one of next years holidays but don't wait too long as places are limited and are being snapped up quickly! 

Pastel Painting With The Black Cats Of Shanklin

I have today been out to the wonderful Black Cat Art Group in Shanklin where I did a demonstration in Artists Soft Pastel and among all of the lovely people I met once again was Michelle, an artist and renowned for her lovely cakes for which I can vouch for their scrumptiousness! Thank you all for your hospitality and I look forward to another visit one day....

Above is one of my pastel paintings 'Yarmouth From Norton Point' for which I received a 'Highly Commended' in last years SAA artist of the year competition.