New Videos, New Merchandise & New Adventures…

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
Arthur Ashe

Please note: some items are repeated for the benefit of new subscribers. Thank you 😊

Hey there my friends how are you? I hope that you’re all keeping well and staying creative. I’ve been busy tidying up a few loose ends in my studio, finishing a few paintings and sifting through the ones that require additional work. I also took a little break to work in a new sketchbook – here I let my video camera roll and have the footage for you, now edited and completed by adding a voice over:

I’m so pleased to say that Wildfoot Travel have launched their page announcing an Arctic adventure that will include everything Wildfoot Travel normally offer, plus as an ‘added attraction’ I’ll be there too, offering art advice, tuition and encouragement along the way. I’ll be painting and sketching during the voyage and will be auctioning one of the paintings whilst on board, with all proceeds going to the WWF.

The following is a tiny portion from Wildfoot Travel’s dedicated page for this adventure: (for much more information on their site)

Wildfoot Travel are also offering a 5% discount to anyone booking prior to 10th February 2024

ABOARD: M/V HONDIUS I’ll be there encouraging and hopefully inspiring anyone who wishes to either start their art journey or take their skills to the next level.

Join renowned wildlife artist Kerry Newell on this very special voyage to discover the enchanting coastlines and fascinating, seldom visited regions of eastern and southern Spitsbergen. This unique itinerary offers you the once-in-a-lifetime chance to uncover Spitsbergen’s outstanding natural beauty in the company of one of the UK’s most revered wildlife artists, who will not only offer you tuition time, but will also be creating a new masterpiece right in front of your eyes as you journey through these wildlife-rich lands.

Sailing during the high Arctic summer solstice, on this authentic Spitsbergen cruise experience you can enjoy exciting Zodiac excursions, twice daily landings accompanied by Arctic experts, extended hikes through the region’s magnificent landscapes, an informative lecture and presentation programme, and thrilling wildlife observation opportunities. Discover a world of spectacular scenery, search for sightings of polar bears and indulge in the adventure of a lifetime!

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Discover Spitsbergen in the company of revered wildlife artist Kerry Newell who will be offering tuition and creating a special piece that will be auctioned onboard, with the proceeds going to WWF
  • Enjoy spectacular scenery throughout from amazing glaciers to icy fjord systems and mystical tundra
  • Experience the high Arctic summer solstice and sail under the Midnight Sun
  • Visit fascinating historical sites and bountiful seabird colonies
  • Good chances of spotting whales, seals, and possibly even polar bears

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

  • Full board accommodation on board with all meals, snacks and hot drinks
  • All zodiac excursions and landings with expert guides
  • Programme of expert lectures
  • Loan of rubber boots

PRICES FROM £3,364pp 17 JUN, 2024 | Up to 7 nights

Plus any bookings that mention ‘KerryArctic2024’, Wildfoot Travel have kindly offered to adopt a polar bear with WWF on behalf of the booker, on a per booking basis.

If you’d like to know more then please click on the button below, this will take you to Wildfoot Travel’s website where you’ll be able to further explore all that the polar regions have to offer:

An example from my page:

My ‘Red Eyed Tree Frog’ painting now offered in a variety of prints, including canvas prints and framed prints as well as greeting cards, tote bags and a plethora of other products too.

Site’s PRODUCT DETAILS:

‘Red Eyed Tree Frog’ iPhone case by Kerry Newell. Protect your iPhone with an impact-resistant, slim profile, hard-shell case. The image is printed directly onto the case and wrapped around the edges for a beautiful presentation. Simply snap the case onto your iPhone for instant protection and direct access to all of the phone’s features!’

The phone cases are available for all iPhones , from the iPhone 8 – iPhone 15. Cases are also available for the Galaxy S4 – Galaxy S8.

Fine Art America

Wildlife Art Workshops for 2024

£60 per person (materials not included)

All workshops are held at Martin Mere Wetland Centre and 50% of all proceeds go straight back into conservation.

DateMediumSubject
January 27th 2024
SOLD OUT
WatercolourReindeer
March 23rd 2024PastelBarn Owl
May 18th 2024WatercolourTBC
September 21st 2024PastelFallow Deer
November 23rd 2024WatercolourTBC
The above dates have been confirmed and bookings are now being taken.

My suggested materials for the the pastel & watercolour workshops:

Suggested Pastel materials:* Clairefontaine Pastelmat Paper (I rarely use anything else now)
* larger sheets are available and can be easily cut to size (this is what I do)
* Carbothello Pastel Pencils are a must have in my studio, available individually or in different set sizes
* Derwent Pastel Pencils are soft with a wide range of colours, available individually or in different set sizes, ideal for covering larger areas with their thicker pigment core
* Mungyo Soft Pastels – an affordable way to cover larger areas of a painting, and for adding base coats for your pencils to go on top of
* Pan Pastels – my ‘go to’ soft pastel choice, available individually or in sets, 92 colours in total
Suggested Watercolour materials:* 140lb (or heavier) Hotpress or Coldpress watercolour paper
* 9″ x 12″ minimum size (buying larger sheets is preferable as they can then be cut down to size)
* Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours are a great paint to get started with (I still use them for sketches etc)
* A variety of brushes, sizes & shapes, made from golden taklon which is a synthetic material. Here’s a link to the affordable W&N Cotman set.
* A white mixing palette or a white plate will do
* Bring along some white gouache too if you have some – great for adding highlights etc.
* Two water containers
My ArtDiscount & Amazon affiliate links – please feel free to click, browse and shop at no extra cost to you.
An excellent way to get started with Pan Pastels

Workshops alternate between Watercolour and Pastel, but feel free to bring along any art medium you wish if the subject is something you would like to create from. All workshops are suitable for beginners. More information can be found over on our exclusive Art Workshop page on the Martin Mere website as well as on the Workshop page of my website. If participants would like further mediums or subjects added then extra dates can be slotted in to suit. So if your passion is coloured pencil or you love acrylic or oil painting then just let me know.

This Kingfisher project was the subject for June 2023 art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.

New Diary Dates for 2024!

Arctic Expedition17th – 24th June 2024
Global Bird Fair12th – 14th July 2024
Exhibition of Wildlife Art26th – 28th July 2024
North West Birdwatching Festival19th – 20th October 2024

Arctic Expedition – Take a cruise around Spitsbergen and explore the icy waters of the North Atlantic. This special expedition offers you the chance to catch site of whales, reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, and the star attraction, the polar bear. Now with an addition of having me on board to help, encourage and hopefully inspire you should you wish to sketch and paint during the trip.

Global Birdfair – an international three day event – Join a community of nature lovers and birdwatchers from around the world as we gather to make a difference to Conserving Nature Worldwide. Lectures, demonstrations, art exhibitions, holiday destinations, authors, photographers, Global Birdfair auction, optics companies including Nikon, Viking Optical, Zeiss & Swarovski Optik – there really is something for everyone at this annual event that attracts thousands of people from across the globe. Global Birdfair will take place at Rutland Showground, Oakham, Rutland UK.  LE15 7TW 

Exhibition of Wildlife Art – ‘an exciting three day show featuring the work of some of the world’s most talented wildlife artists. The biggest and most successful, open selling, exhibition of Wildlife Art outside of London. All exhibited work is for sale and many artist demonstrate whilst there.’

North West Birdwatching Festival – Open at 8am, start your day by watching the spectacle of thousands of wild geese leave the roost before heading for breakfast in the Martin Mere restaurant. Over the two day there will be an array of guest speakers and exhibitors, artists and photographers including photography workshops, guided reserve walks, and more. I’ll be exhibiting and demonstrating throughout the weekend and would love you to drop by and say hello.

Subscriber Question

Q. Hello Kerry, I have a few different types of art mediums, which ones do you like to use together?

A. Awe this is an easy one to answer as I like to use mixed mediums on drawings and paintings. Now I’m unsure what materials you have so I’ll give you a few suggestions. A pencil drawing and watercolour washes is a simple and relatively cheap place to start. Ink (even a biro will work for this) and watercolour. Watercolour washes followed by pastel or coloured pencil. Ink followed by acrylic (as in the video below). Acrylic followed by oil paint. Pastel base layers followed by coloured pencils for more detailed areas. Just a few of the many combinations that can be used. If you let me know what materials you have, I may be able to offer further suggestions for you.

I may not always have a video on my YouTube channel to go alongside a subscriber’s question, but when I do I’ll be sure to add it.

Okay folks that’s it for me for today. Thank you once again, as always my friends, for spending some time with me today, and please feel free to leave a question or suggestion in the contact form below.

Until next time, as always, stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx

round white ceramic saucer and coffee cup

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

© Kerry Newell ⭐ www.KerryNewell.com ⭐ All rights reserved

Arctic Expedition, new videos, merchandise & more…

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

“Fear kills more dreams than failure.”
unknown origin

Please note: some items are repeated for the benefit of new subscribers. Thank you 😊

Hey there my friends how are you? I truly hope that you’re all keeping well and staying creative.

Now I know many of you have been eagerly awaiting news on my next trip to the Arctic – well I’m so pleased to say that Wildfoot Travel have finally launched their page announcing this much anticipated expedition. This Arctic adventure will include everything that is normally offered by Wildfoot Travel, plus as an ‘added attraction’ I’ll be there too, offering art advice, tuition and encouragement along the way. I’ll be painting and sketching during the voyage and will be auctioning one of the paintings whilst on board, with all proceeds going to the WWF.

I can honestly testify that visiting the Arctic last August was a truly life-changing experience, I would therefore love it if you could share the same experience with me this June.

The following is a tiny portion from Wildfoot Travel’s dedicated page for this adventure: (for much more information on their site)

EAST SPITSBERGEN – SUMMER SOLSTICE

WITH SPECIAL GUEST KERRY NEWELL

ABOARD: M/V HONDIUS

Join renowned wildlife artist Kerry Newell on this very special voyage to discover the enchanting coastlines and fascinating, seldom visited regions of eastern and southern Spitsbergen. This unique itinerary offers you the once-in-a-lifetime chance to uncover Spitsbergen’s outstanding natural beauty in the company of one of the UK’s most revered wildlife artists, who will not only offer you tuition time, but will also be creating a new masterpiece right in front of your eyes as you journey through these wildlife-rich lands.

Sailing during the high Arctic summer solstice, on this authentic Spitsbergen cruise experience you can enjoy exciting Zodiac excursions, twice daily landings accompanied by Arctic experts, extended hikes through the region’s magnificent landscapes, an informative lecture and presentation programme, and thrilling wildlife observation opportunities. Discover a world of spectacular scenery, search for sightings of polar bears and indulge in the adventure of a lifetime!

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Discover Spitsbergen in the company of revered wildlife artist Kerry Newell who will be offering tuition and creating a special piece that will be auctioned onboard, with the proceeds going to WWF
  • Enjoy spectacular scenery throughout from amazing glaciers to icy fjord systems and mystical tundra
  • Experience the high Arctic summer solstice and sail under the Midnight Sun
  • Visit fascinating historical sites and bountiful seabird colonies
  • Good chances of spotting whales, seals, and possibly even polar bears

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

  • Full board accommodation on board with all meals, snacks and hot drinks
  • All zodiac excursions and landings with expert guides
  • Programme of expert lectures
  • Loan of rubber boots

PRICES FROM £3,364pp 17 JUN, 2024 | Up to 7 nights

Wildfoot Travel are also offering a 5% discount to anyone booking prior to 10th February 2024

Plus any bookings that mention ‘KerryArctic2024’, Wildfoot Travel have kindly offered to adopt a polar bear with WWF on behalf of the booker, on a per booking basis.

If you’d like to know more then please click on the button below, this will take you to Wildfoot Travel’s website where you’ll be able to further explore all that the polar regions have to offer:

An example from my page:

My ‘Pretty in Pink’ painting now offered in a variety of prints, including canvas prints and framed prints as shown in the image, and in a variety of sizes too.

Site’s PRODUCT DETAILS:

Pretty in Pink framed print by Kerry Newell.   Bring your print to life with hundreds of different frame and mat combinations. Our framed prints are assembled, packaged, and shipped by our expert framing staff and delivered “ready to hang” with pre-attached hanging wire, mounting hooks, and nails.’

Fine Art America

On My Easel / Hot Off My Easel

Happy to say that I have two new YouTube videos for you this week. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did whilst creating the paintings for them. If you do pop over to my YouTube channel, don’t forget to ‘Like’ & ‘Subscribe’ if you haven’t already. Thank you in advance xXx

First is the Fallow Deer that was on my easel only last week:

The second video is a little watercolour project that I painted yesterday, using only three colours and a couple of brushes:

Wildlife Art Workshops for 2024

£60 per person (materials not included)

All workshops are held at Martin Mere Wetland Centre and 50% of all proceeds go straight back into conservation.

This Reindeer will be the project for January’s watercolour workshop 2024.
DateMediumSubject
January 27th 2024
SOLD OUT
WatercolourReindeer
March 23rd 2024PastelFallow Deer
May 18th 2024WatercolourTBC
September 21st 2024PastelTBC
November 23rd 2024WatercolourTBC
The above dates have been confirmed and bookings are now being taken.

My suggested materials for the the pastel & watercolour workshops:

Suggested Pastel materials:* Clairefontaine Pastelmat Paper (I rarely use anything else now)
* larger sheets are available and can be easily cut to size (this is what I do)
* Carbothello Pastel Pencils are a must have in my studio, available individually or in different set sizes
* Derwent Pastel Pencils are soft with a wide range of colours, available individually or in different set sizes, ideal for covering larger areas with their thicker pigment core
* Mungyo Soft Pastels – an affordable way to cover larger areas of a painting, and for adding base coats for your pencils to go on top of
* Pan Pastels – my ‘go to’ soft pastel choice, available individually or in sets, 92 colours in total
Suggested Watercolour materials:* 140lb (or heavier) Hotpress or Coldpress watercolour paper
* 9″ x 12″ minimum size (buying larger sheets is preferable as they can then be cut down to size)
* Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours are a great paint to get started with (I still use them for sketches etc)
* A variety of brushes, sizes & shapes, made from golden taklon which is a synthetic material. Here’s a link to the affordable W&N Cotman set.
* A white mixing palette or a white plate will do
* Bring along some white gouache too if you have some – great for adding highlights etc.
* Two water containers
My ArtDiscount & Amazon affiliate links – please feel free to click, browse and shop at no extra cost to you.
An excellent way to get started with Pan Pastels

Workshops alternate between Watercolour and Pastel, but feel free to bring along any art medium you wish if the subject is something you would like to create from. All workshops are suitable for beginners. More information can be found over on our exclusive Art Workshop page on the Martin Mere website as well as on the Workshop page of my website. If participants would like further mediums or subjects added then extra dates can be slotted in to suit. So if your passion is coloured pencil or you love acrylic or oil painting then just let me know.

This Kingfisher project was the subject for June 2023 art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.

Diary Dates for 2024 coming soon!

Global Bird Fair
Exhibition of Wildlife Art
Arctic Expedition17th – 24th June 2024
North West Birdwatching Festival

Global Birdfair – an international three day event – Join a community of nature lovers and birdwatchers from around the world as we gather to make a difference to Conserving Nature Worldwide. Lectures, demonstrations, art exhibitions, holiday destinations, authors, photographers, Global Birdfair auction, optics companies including Nikon, Viking Optical, Zeiss & Swarovski Optik – there really is something for everyone at this annual event that attracts thousands of people from across the globe. Global Birdfair will take place at Rutland Showground, Oakham, Rutland UK.  LE15 7TW 

Exhibition of Wildlife Art – ‘an exciting three day show featuring the work of some of the world’s most talented wildlife artists. The biggest and most successful, open selling, exhibition of Wildlife Art outside of London. All exhibited work is for sale and many artist demonstrate whilst there.’

Arctic Expedition – ‘Take a cruise around Spitsbergen and explore the icy waters of the North Atlantic. This special expedition offers you the chance to catch site of whales, reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, and the star attraction, the polar bear.’

North West Birdwatching Festival – Open at 8am, start your day by watching the spectacle of thousands of wild geese leave the roost before heading for breakfast in the Martin Mere restaurant. Over the two day there will be an array of guest speakers and exhibitors, artists and photographers including photography workshops, guided reserve walks, and more. I’ll be exhibiting and demonstrating throughout the weekend and would love you to drop by and say hello.

Subscriber Question

This question has been requested again as a couple of subscribers didn’t receive last week’s newsletter, thankfully the two new videos in this week’s newsletter should keep the rest of you busy lol xXx

Q. Hello Kerry, I received some Inktense pencils for Christmas, just the 12 set. Is it possible to create a complete painting with just these. Thank you.

A. Hi there Audrey, thank you for your question. You can most certainly create a project with 12 pencils. Swatch your colours out and try mixing them to increase your colour range if you want. Then you’ll be able to choose a subject that suits your supplies. The Intense pencils are very versatile, you shouldn’t have any problems at all. Have fun with your new supplies xXx

I may not always have a video on my YouTube channel to go alongside a subscriber’s question, but when I do I’ll be sure to add it.

Okay folks that’s it for me for today. Thank you once again, as always my friends, for spending some time with me today, and please feel free to leave a question or suggestion in the contact form below.

Until next time, as always, stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx

chocolate drink filled clear glass cup

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

© Kerry Newell ⭐ www.KerryNewell.com ⭐ All rights reserved

Happy New Year & goals for 2024…

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”
Steve Jobs

Please note: some items are repeated for the benefit of new subscribers. Thank you 😊

Hey there my friends how are you? I truly hope you’re all keeping well and that the beginning of 2024 is showing signs of being an amazing year for you.

An example from my page:

My ‘Splash of Lime’ painting has really come into it’s own as a phone case, tempted to order one for myself 😊

Site’s PRODUCT DETAILS:

‘Splash of Lime iPhone case by Kerry Newell. Protect your iPhone with an impact-resistant, slim profile, hard-shell case. The image is printed directly onto the case and wrapped around the edges for a beautiful presentation. Simply snap the case onto your iPhone for instant protection and direct access to all of the phone’s features!’

The phone cases are available for all iPhones , from the iPhone 8 – iPhone 15. Cases are also available for the Galaxy S4 – Galaxy S8.

Fine Art America

On My Easel

Okay back to my studio – This little deer in pastel is waiting patiently for me to get back to my easel, hoping it wont be waiting too long as I’ve a list of projects lined up for this year. Add no doubt more will be added by the end of January lol.

Arctic Expedition for 2024

For those of you interested in knowing more about this year’s proposed Arctic Expedition I’m pleased to say that the initial building blocks of my new website page are now in place, and I’m currently waiting for Wildfoot Travel who are busy working on the final details for their new and unique webpage for this venture, so hopefully it wont be too long until both pages and the widget below (for my homepage) will be going live. More news on this really soon.

Passengers will be able to experience the majestic landscapes and unique flora & fauna of an Arctic expedition as I did in August of last year, plus if they wish, they can draw, paint or sketch along with me during the more relaxed times of their voyage. The dates are now set as above and I’ll keep you all informed of any change, plus I’ll be sure to let you know when both mine and Wildfoot Travel’s new pages go live.

Wildlife Art Workshops for 2024

£60 per person (materials not included)

All workshops are held at Martin Mere Wetland Centre and 50% of all proceeds go straight back into conservation.

This Reindeer will be the project for January’s watercolour workshop 2024.
DateMediumSubject
January 27th 2024WatercolourReindeer
March 23rd 2024PastelTBC
May 18th 2024WatercolourTBC
September 21st 2024PastelTBC
November 23rd 2024WatercolourTBC
The above dates have been confirmed and bookings are now being taken.

My preferred materials for the the pastel & watercolour workshops:

Preferred Pastel materials:* Clairefontaine Pastelmat Paper (I rarely use anything else now)
* larger sheets are available and can be easily cut to size (this is what I do)
* Carbothello Pastel Pencils are a must have in my studio, available individually or in different set sizes
* Derwent Pastel Pencils are soft with a wide range of colours, available individually or in different set sizes, ideal for covering larger areas with their thicker pigment core
* Mungyo Soft Pastels – an affordable way to cover larger areas of a painting, and for adding base coats for your pencils to go on top of
* Pan Pastels – my ‘go to’ soft pastel choice, available individually or in sets, 92 colours in total
Preferred Watercolour materials:* 140lb (or heavier) Hotpress or Coldpress watercolour paper
* 9″ x 12″ minimum size (buying larger sheets is preferable as they can then be cut down to size)
* Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours are a great paint to get started with (I still use them for sketches etc)
* A variety of brushes, sizes & shapes, made from golden taklon which is a synthetic material. Here’s a link to the affordable W&N Cotman set.
* A white mixing palette or a white plate will do
* Bring along some white gouache too if you have some – great for adding highlights etc.
My ArtDiscount & Amazon affiliate links – please feel free to click, browse and shop at no extra cost to you.
An excellent way to get started with Pan Pastels

Workshops alternate between Watercolour and Pastel, but feel free to bring along any art medium you wish if the subject is something you would like to create from. All workshops are suitable for beginners. More information can be found over on our exclusive Art Workshop page on the Martin Mere website as well as on the Workshop page of my website. If participants would like further mediums or subjects added then extra dates can be slotted in to suit. So if your passion is coloured pencil or you love acrylic or oil painting then just let me know.

This Kingfisher project was the subject for June 2023 art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.

Diary Dates for 2024 coming soon!

Global Bird Fair
Exhibition of Wildlife Art
Arctic Expedition17th – 24th June 2024
North West Birdwatching Festival

Global Birdfair – an international three day event – Join a community of nature lovers and birdwatchers from around the world as we gather to make a difference to Conserving Nature Worldwide. Lectures, demonstrations, art exhibitions, holiday destinations, authors, photographers, Global Birdfair auction, optics companies including Nikon, Viking Optical, Zeiss & Swarovski Optik – there really is something for everyone at this annual event that attracts thousands of people from across the globe. Global Birdfair will take place at Rutland Showground, Oakham, Rutland UK.  LE15 7TW 

Exhibition of Wildlife Art – ‘an exciting three day show featuring the work of some of the world’s most talented wildlife artists. The biggest and most successful, open selling, exhibition of Wildlife Art outside of London. All exhibited work is for sale and many artist demonstrate whilst there.’

Arctic Expedition – ‘Take a cruise around Spitsbergen and explore the icy waters of the North Atlantic. This special expedition offers you the chance to catch site of whales, reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, and the star attraction, the polar bear.’

North West Birdwatching Festival – Open at 8am, start your day by watching the spectacle of thousands of wild geese leave the roost before heading for breakfast in the Martin Mere restaurant. Over the two day there will be an array of guest speakers and exhibitors, artists and photographers including photography workshops, guided reserve walks, and more. I’ll be exhibiting and demonstrating throughout the weekend and would love you to drop by and say hello.

Subscriber Question

Q. Hello Kerry, I received some Inktense pencils for Christmas, just the 12 set. Is it possible to create a complete painting with just these. Thank you.

A. Hi there Audrey, thank you for your question. You can most certainly create a project with 12 pencils. Swatch your colours out and try mixing them to increase your colour range if you want. Then you’ll be able to choose a subject that suits your supplies. The Intense pencils are very versatile, you shouldn’t have any problems at all. Have fun with your new supplies xXx

I may not always have a video on my YouTube channel to go alongside a subscriber’s question, but when I do I’ll be sure to add it.

Okay folks that’s it for me for today. Thank you once again, as always my friends, for spending some time with me today, and please feel free to leave a question or suggestion in the contact form below.

Until next time, as always, stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx

hot choco in black mug beside white bowl

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

© Kerry Newell ⭐ www.KerryNewell.com ⭐ All rights reserved

Two new videos, plus new workshop dates for 2024!

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

“Nothing will work unless you do.”
– Maya Angelou

Please note: some items are repeated for the benefit of new subscribers. Thank you 😊

Hey there my friends I hope you’re all keeping well and warm. Just three sleeps to go until Christmas and I’ve still lots to do before I can take a well-earned break. Remembering what a busy time of year this can be for all of us, I’ll keep this post short and begin wishing you all a:

I hope you’re happy to hear that I’ve two new videos for you, both now live on my YouTube channel.

I hope you all have as much fun watching these as I had creating them 🎨 😊

At the moment I’m unable to share what’s on my easel as I’m currently doing some work for Derwent, all for a brand new product release in the Spring of next year! So watch this space….

For those of you interested in knowing more about next year’s proposed Arctic Expedition I’m pleased to say that the initial building blocks of my new website page are now in place. Wildfoot Travel are busy working on their new webpage for this venture, so hopefully it wont be too long until both pages and the widget below (for my homepage) will be going live. More news on this coming soon.

Passengers will be able to experience the majestic landscapes and unique flora & fauna of an Arctic expedition as I did in August, plus if they wish, they can draw, paint or sketch along with me during the more relaxed times of their voyage. The dates are now set as above and I’ll keep you informed of any change, plus I’ll be sure to let you know when both mine and Wildfoot Travel’s new pages go live.

Wildlife Art Workshops for 2024

£60 per person (materials not included)

All workshops are held at Martin Mere Wetland Centre and 50% of all proceeds go straight back into conservation.

This Reindeer will be the project for January’s watercolour workshop 2024.
DateMediumSubject
January 27th 2024WatercolourReindeer
March 23rd 2024PastelTBC
May 18th 2024WatercolourTBC
September 21st 2024PastelTBC
November 23rd 2024WatercolourTBC
The above dates have been confirmed and bookings are now being taken.

My preferred materials for the the pastel & watercolour workshops:

Preferred Pastel materials:* Clairefontaine Pastelmat Paper (I rarely use anything else now)
* larger sheets are available and can be easily cut to size (this is what I do)
* Carbothello Pastel Pencils are a must have in my studio, available individually or in different set sizes
* Derwent Pastel Pencils are soft with a wide range of colours, available individually or in different set sizes, ideal for covering larger areas with their thicker pigment core
* Mungyo Soft Pastels – an affordable way to cover larger areas of a painting, and for adding base coats for your pencils to go on top of
* Pan Pastels – my ‘go to’ soft pastel choice, available individually or in sets, 92 colours in total
Preferred Watercolour materials:* 140lb (or heavier) Hotpress or Coldpress watercolour paper
* 9″ x 12″ minimum size (buying larger sheets is preferable as they can then be cut down to size)
* Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours are a great paint to get started with (I still use them for sketches etc)
* A variety of brushes, sizes & shapes, made from golden taklon which is a synthetic material. Here’s a link to the affordable W&N Cotman set.
* A white mixing palette or a white plate will do
* Bring along some white gouache too if you have some – great for adding highlights etc.
My ArtDiscount & Amazon affiliate links – please feel free to click, browse and shop at no extra cost to you.
An excellent way to get started with Pan Pastels

Workshops alternate between Watercolour and Pastel, but feel free to bring along any art medium you wish if the subject is something you would like to create from. All workshops are suitable for beginners. More information can be found over on our exclusive Art Workshop page on the Martin Mere website as well as on the Workshop page of my website. If participants would like further mediums or subjects added then extra dates can be slotted in to suit. So if your passion is coloured pencil or you love acrylic or oil painting then just let me know.

This Kingfisher project was the subject for June 2023 art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.

Diary Dates for 2024 coming soon!

Global Bird Fair
Exhibition of Wildlife Art
Arctic Expedition17th – 24th June 2024
North West Birdwatching Festival

Global Birdfair – an international three day event – Join a community of nature lovers and birdwatchers from around the world as we gather to make a difference to Conserving Nature Worldwide. Lectures, demonstrations, art exhibitions, holiday destinations, authors, photographers, Global Birdfair auction, optics companies including Nikon, Viking Optical, Zeiss & Swarovski Optik – there really is something for everyone at this annual event that attracts thousands of people from across the globe. Global Birdfair will take place at Rutland Showground, Oakham, Rutland UK.  LE15 7TW 

Exhibition of Wildlife Art – ‘an exciting three day show featuring the work of some of the world’s most talented wildlife artists. The biggest and most successful, open selling, exhibition of Wildlife Art outside of London. All exhibited work is for sale and many artist demonstrate whilst there.’

Arctic Expedition – ‘Take a cruise around Spitsbergen and explore the icy waters of the North Atlantic. This special expedition offers you the chance to catch site of whales, reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, and the star attraction, the polar bear.’

North West Birdwatching Festival – Open at 8am, start your day by watching the spectacle of thousands of wild geese leave the roost before heading for breakfast in the Martin Mere restaurant. Over the two day there will be an array of guest speakers and exhibitors, artists and photographers including photography workshops, guided reserve walks, and more. I’ll be exhibiting and demonstrating throughout the weekend and would love you to drop by and say hello.

Subscriber Question

Q. Should I spray my pastels with something to keep them in place?

A. Hi there Sophie, thank you for your question. An easy way to make a background recede in a painting is to make it look out of focus, then apply finer detail to anything you want to draw the viewers eye to be drawn to, such as the little hedgehog in the video below. Also you could try adding cooler colours to the background and warmer colours to the foreground/subject, this also creates a sense of distance between the two elements. I hope this helps xXx

I may not always have a video on my YouTube channel to go alongside a subscriber’s question, but when I do I’ll be sure to add it.

Okay folks that’s it for me for today. Thank you once again, as always my friends, for spending some time with me today, and please feel free to leave a question or suggestion in the contact form below.

Wishing you all a truly magical Christmas, until next time, as always, stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

© Kerry Newell ⭐ www.KerryNewell.com ⭐ All rights reserved

Four New Videos, a New Project & More…

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

”If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way”
– Napoleon Hill

Please note: some items are repeated for the benefit of new subscribers. Thank you 😊

Hey there my friends I hope you’re all keeping well and warm. Sorry that I haven’t posted a more up to date newsletter, life sure gets in the way of living sometimes eh. This is my second draft of this newsletter due to having Gremlins residing in my website lol. Thankfully all seems well now thanks to Barry my website host – you’re a star and truly appreciated for all you do.

Okay grab a coffee, or beverage of your choice, and lets take some time together for a long overdue catch up. Now where to begin? Let me start by sharing what’s on my studio easel at the moment:

For those of you who know me well you’ve more than likely come to the conclusion that I really do enjoy working in a variety of mediums. My choice is sometimes made by the subject I want to paint or draw, and sometimes dictated by tuition and workshop dates I have booked in my diary. Next Saturday (25th November) I have my next Wildlife-inspired Pastel Workshop at WWT Martin Mere. I therefore had to choose a suitable subject for the day. I feel that this Lynx portrait encompasses everything that participants want to practise on a day’s pastel tuition. A simple and slightly out of focus background makes a great contrast to the finer detailed work of the Lynx’s eyes and fur. Also luminous colour in lifelike eyes is something that previous participants have been asking for in future workshops, so I’m hoping that this project will tick all of the boxes so to speak.

Now for those of you who love to draw and paint, or wish to start an artistic adventure, but are unable to join me in person, I’ve something for you too. I’m pleased to say that I’ve a whopping four new videos for you:

The first of these videos is all about the wonderful watercolour field easel by Meeden. To be honest I wasn’t expecting too much, not because Meeden doesn’t make quality art products, far from it, but because when I began unboxing the easel it was so very light weight. Wow was I surprised. This little field easel is absolutely perfect. Compact and light, and totally adjustable for different sitting and standing heights. A perfect design and made from durable materials. I’m in no way getting paid to say any of this, but hope that my testimony to it and the fact that it will be the easel of my choice to accompany me to the arctic next year, says it all.

This easel would also be wonderful if you create artwork at home but have a limited space to do so xXx

The second video is a must for all who have ever looked at a sheet of white paper and thought ‘where do I start?’ Yes we’ve all been there. It’s also for those who already have watercolour paints, or are looking to get some, but are unsure of ‘how to start’. When having these thoughts, several things can occur. For some people just those unsure feelings can be enough to dim a creative flame and that is such a shame. Some people feel that until they know what to do they’ll just be ‘wasting their materials’ – believe me when I say that the only ‘wasted art materials’ are the ones that are never used.

In this following video I explore the world of ‘spontaneous watercolour painting’. A style that allows complete freedom and therefore takes away the pressure of painting that perfect something. Let me tell you there is no such thing as perfect when it comes to art. There’s no perfect drawing, no perfect painting and no perfect artist. There isn’t even a perfect way of going about something either. Art is a journey and it’s meant to be enjoyed.

So what is ‘spontaneous watercolour painting’? It’s simply applying watercolour paint to a wetted or partially wetted piece of paper and letting the paint just do it’s thing. Working with a limited palette helps (just a few colours are required which makes it ideal for beginners too). Once the paint is applied, just sit back with a coffee (yes another lol) and watch as shapes and colours appear. This is when the magic happens. Relax and let your imagination wander. You may see the shapes of mountains or trees, flowers or animals. Once you do you can begin to lightly detail these parts of the painting if you wish, or you can just leave it as it is. It’s entirely up to you. During this video I also get the opportunity to test and review a wonderful little watercolour travel brush set that was sent to me by a company called Fuumuui (yes that’s the correct spelling lol). The brushes worked really well and I’ll definitely be using them in conjunction with the above travel easel soon.

The third video ‘Reindeer in Watercolour’ builds on the previous technique.

In this video I begin by masking out the Reindeer then painting watercolour in a spontaneous style for the background. I use the same limited palette of colours as in the above video, this ensures that I already know the resulting colours and hues when they begin to merge and mingle on the wettened paper. Once the background has dried I then remove the masking film that’s covering the reindeer and begin to add translucent washes of colour, slowly building up the layers adding hues of colour and altering the tones and contrast as I go. To finish this little project a spattering of white gouache (opaque watercolour) is applied – I feel this added a little movement and extra atmosphere to the painting.

I’ve been creating art for over 50 years but I still get excited when I think of something new to try (think of art as a journey and not a destination), video number four started out as an experiment. I mixed a little Indian ink with some washing up liquid (Fairy liquid is ph neutral) and using a straw blew lots and lots and lots of bubbles lol. When the bubbles were left on the paper the ink sank in and stained the paper’s surface. I chose the little lizard to paint on top as I thought the vibrant colours would create a good amount of contrast against the diffused colouration of the background. I chose to paint the lizard in acrylic for a couple of reasons, the first being the vibrant colours and secondly I needed a medium which was opaque enough to conceal the background colour beneath. I hope you enjoy watching this video and the others too.

For those of you interested in knowing more about next year’s proposed Arctic Expedition I’m pleased to say that the initial building blocks of my new website page are now in place. Wildfoot Travel are busy working on their new webpage for this venture, so hopefully it wont be too long until both pages and the widget below (for my homepage) will be going live. More news on this coming soon.

Passengers will be able to experience the majestic landscapes and unique flora & fauna of an Arctic expedition as I did in August, plus if they wish, they can draw, paint or sketch along with me during the more relaxed times of their voyage. The dates are now set as above and I’ll keep you informed of any change, plus I’ll be sure to let you know when both mine and Wildfoot Travel’s new pages go live.

🎨 Saturday 25th November – just one week left to book your place on my latest wildlife-inspired pastel art workshop, limited places, beginners welcomed – line art provided. Note: materials NOT included. (50% of proceeds going straight back into conservation):
🎨 www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/martin-mere/whats-on/art-workshop-with-kerry-newell

Suggested art supplies for a pastel workshop:

Clairefontaine Pastelmat paper is my preferred surface when working with pastels.

Wildlife Art Workshops for 2023

£60 per person (materials not included)

All workshops are held at Martin Mere Wetland Centre and 50% of all proceeds go straight back into conservation.

DateMediumSubject
January 21st 2023WatercolourPostponed
February 25th 2023PastelRed Panda
March 25th 2023WatercolourFox in Snow
April 22nd 2023PastelPostponed
May 20th 2023WatercolourToucan
June 24th 2023PastelKingfisher
August 26th 2023Watercolourpostponed
September 23rd 2023PastelPolar Bear
October 21st 2023Watercolour
postponed
November 25th 2023PastelLynx
December TBCWatercolourTBC
All dates have now been confirmed

My preferred materials for the the pastel & watercolour workshops:

Preferred Pastel materials:* Clairefontaine Pastelmat Paper (I rarely use anything else now)
* larger sheets are available and can be easily cut to size (this is what I do)
* Carbothello Pastel Pencils are a must have in my studio, available individually or in different set sizes
* Derwent Pastel Pencils are soft with a wide range of colours, available individually or in different set sizes, ideal for covering larger areas with their thicker pigment core
* Mungyo Soft Pastels – an affordable way to cover larger areas of a painting, and for adding base coats for your pencils to go on top of
* Pan Pastels – my ‘go to’ soft pastel choice, available individually or in sets, 92 colours in total
Preferred Watercolour materials:* 140lb (or heavier) Hotpress or Coldpress watercolour paper
* 9″ x 12″ minimum size (buying larger sheets is preferable as they can then be cut down to size)
* Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours are a great paint to get started with (I still use them for sketches etc)
* A variety of brushes, sizes & shapes, made from golden taklon which is a synthetic material. Here’s a link to the affordable W&N Cotman set.
* A white mixing palette or a white plate will do
My ArtDiscount & Amazon affiliate links – please feel free to click, browse and shop at no extra cost to you.
An excellent way to get started with Pan Pastels

Workshops alternate between Watercolour and Pastel, but feel free to bring along any art medium you wish if the subject is something you would like to create from. All workshops are suitable for beginners. More information can be found over on our exclusive Art Workshop page on the Martin Mere website as well as on the Workshop page of my website. If participants would like further mediums or subjects added then extra dates can be slotted in to suit. So if your passion is coloured pencil or you love acrylic or oil painting then just let me know.

This Kingfisher project was the subject for June 2023 art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.

Diary Dates

Global Bird Fair14th – 16th July 2023
Exhibition of Wildlife Art28th – 30th July 2023
Arctic Expedition31st July – 11th August 2023
North West Birdwatching Festival14th -15th October 2023

Global Birdfair – an international three day event – Join a community of nature lovers and birdwatchers from around the world as we gather to make a difference to Conserving Nature Worldwide. Lectures, demonstrations, art exhibitions, holiday destinations, authors, photographers, Global Birdfair auction, optics companies including Nikon, Viking Optical, Zeiss & Swarovski Optik – there really is something for everyone at this annual event that attracts thousands of people from across the globe. Global Birdfair will take place at Rutland Showground, Oakham, Rutland UK.  LE15 7TW 

Exhibition of Wildlife Art – ‘an exciting three day show featuring the work of some of the world’s most talented wildlife artists. The biggest and most successful, open selling, exhibition of Wildlife Art outside of London. All exhibited work is for sale and many artist demonstrate whilst there.’

Arctic Expedition – ‘Take a cruise around Spitsbergen and explore the icy waters of the North Atlantic. This special expedition offers you the chance to catch site of whales, reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, and the star attraction, the polar bear.’

North West Birdwatching Festival – Open at 8am, start your day by watching the spectacle of thousands of wild geese leave the roost before heading for breakfast in the Martin Mere restaurant. Over the two day there will be an array of guest speakers and exhibitors, artists and photographers including photography workshops, guided reserve walks, and more. I’ll be exhibiting and demonstrating throughout the weekend and would love you to drop by and say hello.

Subscriber Question

Q. Should I spray my pastels with something to keep them in place?

A. Hi there Sophie, thank you for your question. An easy way to make a background recede in a painting is to make it look out of focus, then apply finer detail to anything you want to draw the viewers eye to be drawn to, such as the little hedgehog in the video below. Also you could try adding cooler colours to the background and warmer colours to the foreground/subject, this also creates a sense of distance between the two elements. I hope this helps xXx

I may not always have a video on my YouTube channel to go alongside a subscriber’s question, but when I do I’ll be sure to add it.

Okay folks that’s it for me for today. Thank you once again, as always my friends, for spending some time with me today, and please feel free to leave a question or suggestion in the contact form below.

Wishing you all the best, until next time, as always, stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx

hot choco in black mug beside white bowl

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

© Kerry Newell ⭐ www.KerryNewell.com ⭐ All rights reserved

A New YouTube Video, Workshops & more…

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

”The big secret in life is that there is no secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.”
– Oprah Winfrey

Please note: some items are repeated for the benefit of new subscribers. Thank you 😊

Hey there my friends I hope you’re all keeping well and enjoying this unusually warm October weather. Obviously not too warm though as I sit here with a large mug of coffee keeping me company lol. It’s another busy week again here, with a couple more offers from companies to review their products (one being not art related at all, but I’m saying yes as it’s something I’ll definitely use on a regular basis and what it produces will definitely be welcomed in my studio) I hope this has you guessing lol, more on this soon 😉

Well I’m pleased to say that my polar bear pastel painting is now complete, the video footage has been edited and the voiceover successfully recorded. The resulting video is now live on my YouTube channel should you wish to take a peek:

Tomorrow I’ll be spending the day in my studio, finishing off a couple of paintings, cutting mounts and framing projects ready for next weekend’s exhibition at WWT Martin Mere:

North West Birdwatching Festival 14th – 15th October 2023

Just a few days to go until the North West Birdwatching Festival 😀 If any of the previous ones are anything to go by then this should be a definite date for your diary. It’s all happening at WWT Martin Mere and it would be a shame if you miss out on all the fun 😉 ‘From guest speakers and exhibitors (me included) to photography workshops and guided reserve walks. A whole range of activities to enjoy for a full day out from dawn till dusk.’

A wide range of exhibitors will be attending Martin Mere for the weekend, on show and for sale, the exhibitors will be showcasing their wares, including books, artwork, wildlife holidays, optics etc With many wildlife societies being on hand to answer any questions you may have about the flora and fauna we live alongside.

Guest speakers this year include the Urban Birder David Lindo, the world renown author David Goulson and the wonderful Lucy Lapwing, plus a host of others. Lectures cover a wide range of topics across the two days including wildlife photography, nature writing, how to attract wildlife to your garden, birding in Ecuador, Peter Scott and the birth of modern conservation and much more.

Additional activities across the weekend also include guided walks around the reserve (the depth of knowledge of the guides always astounds me), canoe safaris and guided boat tours, Fujifilm seminar, photography workshops and bird ringing demonstrations.

For those of you interested in knowing more about next year’s proposed Arctic Expedition I’m pleased to say that the initial building blocks of my new website page are now in place. Hopefully within the next week or so, after speaking with Wildfoot Travel, I’ll be able to put the finishing touches to the information on there and then will be able to let it go live and share with you all 😊

This new widget is already on the home page of my website, once the page goes live this shortcut will go live too:

Wildfoot Travel are also building a new page for their website too. The idea is for passengers to be able to experience the majestic landscapes and unique flora & fauna of an Arctic expedition, plus if they wish, they can draw, paint or sketch along with me during the more relaxed times of their voyage. As far as I’m aware, at the moment for dates are set as above. I’ll keep you informed of any changes and will obviously let you know when both mine and Wildfoot Travel’s new pages go live. So more on this soon.

🎨 Saturday 21st October – less than two weeks left to book your place on my latest wildlife-inspired watercolour art workshop, limited places, beginners welcomed – line art provided. Note: materials NOT included. (50% of proceeds going straight back into conservation):
🎨 www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/martin-mere/whats-on/art-workshop-with-kerry-newell

With Christmas on the horizon (yes I’m thinking about it already – no surprise for those of you who know me well lol) I thought a Reindeer in Watercolour would be suitable. The workshops are beginner friendly but you do need to bring your own art materials. I just wanted to make this clear as a participant arrived at last month’s pastel workshop without any supplies. I leant him some of mine so that he could still take part but obviously this isn’t ideal as he had nothing but his painting to take home with him so couldn’t practise thereafter. The reason I ask participants to bring their own supplies is for a couple of reasons; obviously the first is to keep this cost down, and the second reason being is so that I can advise each person on how to obtain the best results with what they have and let them know if they are missing anything beneficial that would help them in their artistic journey.

Suggested art supplies for a watercolour workshop:

Don’t forget to bring a couple of water pots too.
October’s watercolour project.

Wildlife Art Workshops for 2023

£60 per person (materials not included)

All workshops are held at Martin Mere Wetland Centre and 50% of all proceeds go straight back into conservation.

DateMediumSubject
January 21st 2023WatercolourPostponed
February 25th 2023PastelRed Panda
March 25th 2023WatercolourFox in Snow
April 22nd 2023PastelPostponed
May 20th 2023WatercolourToucan
June 24th 2023PastelKingfisher
August 26th 2023Watercolourpostponed
September 23rd 2023PastelPolar Bear
October 21st 2023WatercolourReindeer
November 25th 2023PastelTBC
December TBCWatercolourTBC
All dates have now been confirmed

My preferred materials for the the pastel & watercolour workshops:

Preferred Pastel materials:* Clairefontaine Pastelmat Paper (I rarely use anything else now)
* larger sheets are available and can be easily cut to size (this is what I do)
* Carbothello Pastel Pencils are a must have in my studio, available individually or in different set sizes
* Derwent Pastel Pencils are soft with a wide range of colours, available individually or in different set sizes, ideal for covering larger areas with their thicker pigment core
* Mungyo Soft Pastels – an affordable way to cover larger areas of a painting, and for adding base coats for your pencils to go on top of
* Pan Pastels – my ‘go to’ soft pastel choice, available individually or in sets, 92 colours in total
Preferred Watercolour materials:* 140lb (or heavier) Hotpress or Coldpress watercolour paper
* 9″ x 12″ minimum size (buying larger sheets is preferable as they can then be cut down to size)
* Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours are a great paint to get started with (I still use them for sketches etc)
* A variety of brushes, sizes & shapes, made from golden taklon which is a synthetic material. Here’s a link to the affordable W&N Cotman set.
* A white mixing palette or a white plate will do
My ArtDiscount & Amazon affiliate links – please feel free to click, browse and shop at no extra cost to you.
An excellent way to get started with Pan Pastels

Nine new dates for 2023 have been confirmed by Martin Mere Wetland Centre One running each month, with the exception of January, July and December. Workshops will alternate between Watercolour and Pastel, but feel free to bring along any art medium you wish if the subject is something you would like to create from. All workshops are suitable for beginners. More information can be found over on our exclusive Art Workshop page on the Martin Mere website as well as on the Workshop page of my website. If participants would like further mediums or subjects added then extra dates can be slotted in to suit. So if your passion is coloured pencil or you love acrylic or oil painting then just let me know.

This Kingfisher project was the subject for June 2023 art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.

Diary Dates

Global Bird Fair14th – 16th July 2023
Exhibition of Wildlife Art28th – 30th July 2023
Arctic Expedition31st July – 11th August 2023
North West Birdwatching Festival14th -15th October 2023

Global Birdfair – an international three day event – Join a community of nature lovers and birdwatchers from around the world as we gather to make a difference to Conserving Nature Worldwide. Lectures, demonstrations, art exhibitions, holiday destinations, authors, photographers, Global Birdfair auction, optics companies including Nikon, Viking Optical, Zeiss & Swarovski Optik – there really is something for everyone at this annual event that attracts thousands of people from across the globe. Global Birdfair will take place at Rutland Showground, Oakham, Rutland UK.  LE15 7TW 

Exhibition of Wildlife Art – ‘an exciting three day show featuring the work of some of the world’s most talented wildlife artists. The biggest and most successful, open selling, exhibition of Wildlife Art outside of London. All exhibited work is for sale and many artist demonstrate whilst there.’

Arctic Expedition – ‘Take a cruise around Spitsbergen and explore the icy waters of the North Atlantic. This special expedition offers you the chance to catch site of whales, reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, and the star attraction, the polar bear.’

North West Birdwatching Festival – Open at 8am, start your day by watching the spectacle of thousands of wild geese leave the roost before heading for breakfast in the Martin Mere restaurant. Over the two day there will be an array of guest speakers and exhibitors, artists and photographers including photography workshops, guided reserve walks, and more. I’ll be exhibiting and demonstrating throughout the weekend and would love you to drop by and say hello.

Subscriber Question

Q. I’m new to pastels and have trouble making the background look far away. Please help. Thank you.

A. Hi there Sophie, thank you for your question. An easy way to make a background recede in a painting is to make it look out of focus, then apply finer detail to anything you want to draw the viewers eye to be drawn to, such as the little hedgehog in the video below. Also you could try adding cooler colours to the background and warmer colours to the foreground/subject, this also creates a sense of distance between the two elements. I hope this helps xXx

I may not always have a video on my YouTube channel to go alongside a subscriber’s question, but when I do I’ll be sure to add it.

Okay folks that’s it for me for today. Thank you once again, as always my friends, for spending some time with me today, and please feel free to leave a question or suggestion in the contact form below.

Wishing you all the best, until next time, as always, stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx

hot choco in black mug beside white bowl

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

© Kerry Newell ⭐ www.KerryNewell.com ⭐ All rights reserved

Exhibiting in October plus new adventures for 2024

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

”If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.”
– Napoleon Hill

Please note: some items are repeated for the benefit of new subscribers. Thank you 😊

Hey there my friends I hope you’re all keeping well. Busy this end playing catch up (not to be confused with Ketchup lol). Spending two amazing weeks in the Arctic and then out of the game for a further week due to a virus, I now feel as though I’m running full speed ahead but my ‘to do’ list is getting longer instead of shorter lol. Needless to say, I have lots to do and haven’t found anywhere that sells 72hr days lol.

A few more quality studio hours have led me closer to having my polar bear painting completed, not far to go now:

Not sure yet what will be next on my easel – I have many art supplies waiting to be reviewed, all of these will need videoing, editing and voiceovers recording. Then I have a watercolour workshop project to put together for next month’s class at WWT Martin Mere, and I have various projects to complete as I’m exhibiting next month too.

So lots to do, but my number one priority for the next few days is building a new page for my website 😉 If you’ve recently viewed the home page of my website you’ll have hopefully noticed a new widget:

This will soon be the portal to my new website page showcasing a new Arctic experience for 2024. Wildfoot Travel are also building a new page for their website too. The idea is for passengers to be able to experience the majestic landscapes and unique flora & fauna of an Arctic expedition, plus if they wish, they can draw, paint or sketch along with me during the more relaxed times of their voyage. As far as I’m aware, at the moment for dates are set as above. I’ll keep you informed of any changes and will obviously let you know when both mine and Wildfoot Travel’s new pages go live. So more on this soon.

North West Birdwatching Festival 14th – 15th October 2023

Just two weeks to go until the North West Birdwatching Festival 😀 If any of the previous ones are anything to go by then this should be a definite date for your diary. It’s all happening at WWT Martin Mere and it would be a shame if you miss out on all the fun 😉 ‘From guest speakers and exhibitors (me included) to photography workshops and guided reserve walks. A whole range of activities to enjoy for a full day out from dawn till dusk.’

A wide range of exhibitors will be attending Martin Mere for the weekend, on show and for sale, the exhibitors will be showcasing their wares, including books, artwork, wildlife holidays, optics etc With many wildlife societies being on hand to answer any questions you may have about the flora and fauna we live alongside.

Guest speakers this year include the Urban Birder David Lindo, the world renown author David Goulson and the wonderful Lucy Lapwing, plus a host of others. Lectures cover a wide range of topics across the two days including wildlife photography, nature writing, how to attract wildlife to your garden, birding in Ecuador, Peter Scott and the birth of modern conservation and much more.

Additional activities across the weekend also include guided walks around the reserve (the depth of knowledge of the guides always astounds me), canoe safaris and guided boat tours, Fujifilm seminar, photography workshops and bird ringing demonstrations.

So there really is something happening the whole time during the weekend, so much so that you may be spoiled for choice lol.

If you haven’t been before I really hope that you’ll be able to attend this year.

Wildlife Art Workshops for 2023

£60 per person (materials not included)

All workshops are held at Martin Mere Wetland Centre and 50% of all proceeds go straight back into conservation.

DateMediumSubject
January 21st 2023WatercolourPostponed
February 25th 2023PastelRed Panda
March 25th 2023WatercolourFox in Snow
April 22nd 2023PastelPostponed
May 20th 2023WatercolourToucan
June 24th 2023PastelKingfisher
August 26th 2023Watercolourpostponed
September 23rd 2023PastelPolar Bear
October 21st 2023WatercolourTBC
November 25th 2023PastelTBC
December TBCWatercolourTBC
All dates have now been confirmed

My preferred materials for the the pastel & watercolour workshops:

Preferred Pastel materials:* Clairefontaine Pastelmat Paper (I rarely use anything else now)
* larger sheets are available and can be easily cut to size (this is what I do)
* Carbothello Pastel Pencils are a must have in my studio, available individually or in different set sizes
* Derwent Pastel Pencils are soft with a wide range of colours, available individually or in different set sizes, ideal for covering larger areas with their thicker pigment core
* Mungyo Soft Pastels – an affordable way to cover larger areas of a painting, and for adding base coats for your pencils to go on top of
* Pan Pastels – my ‘go to’ soft pastel choice, available individually or in sets, 92 colours in total
Preferred Watercolour materials:* 140lb (or heavier) Hotpress or Coldpress watercolour paper
* 9″ x 12″ minimum size (buying larger sheets is preferable as they can then be cut down to size)
* Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours are a great paint to get started with (I still use them for sketches etc)
* A variety of brushes, sizes & shapes, made from golden taklon which is a synthetic material. Here’s a link to the affordable W&N Cotman set.
* A white mixing palette or a white plate will do
My ArtDiscount & Amazon affiliate links – please feel free to click, browse and shop at no extra cost to you.
An excellent way to get started with Pan Pastels

Nine new dates for 2023 have been confirmed by Martin Mere Wetland Centre One running each month, with the exception of January, July and December. Workshops will alternate between Watercolour and Pastel, but feel free to bring along any art medium you wish if the subject is something you would like to create from. All workshops are suitable for beginners. More information can be found over on our exclusive Art Workshop page on the Martin Mere website as well as on the Workshop page of my website. If participants would like further mediums or subjects added then extra dates can be slotted in to suit. So if your passion is coloured pencil or you love acrylic or oil painting then just let me know.

This Kingfisher project was the subject for June 2023 art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.

Diary Dates

Global Bird Fair14th – 16th July 2023
Exhibition of Wildlife Art28th – 30th July 2023
Arctic Expedition31st July – 11th August 2023
North West Birdwatching Festival14th -15th October 2023

Global Birdfair – an international three day event – Join a community of nature lovers and birdwatchers from around the world as we gather to make a difference to Conserving Nature Worldwide. Lectures, demonstrations, art exhibitions, holiday destinations, authors, photographers, Global Birdfair auction, optics companies including Nikon, Viking Optical, Zeiss & Swarovski Optik – there really is something for everyone at this annual event that attracts thousands of people from across the globe. Global Birdfair will take place at Rutland Showground, Oakham, Rutland UK.  LE15 7TW 

Exhibition of Wildlife Art – ‘an exciting three day show featuring the work of some of the world’s most talented wildlife artists. The biggest and most successful, open selling, exhibition of Wildlife Art outside of London. All exhibited work is for sale and many artist demonstrate whilst there.’

Arctic Expedition – ‘Take a cruise around Spitsbergen and explore the icy waters of the North Atlantic. This special expedition offers you the chance to catch site of whales, reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, and the star attraction, the polar bear.’

North West Birdwatching Festival – Open at 8am, start your day by watching the spectacle of thousands of wild geese leave the roost before heading for breakfast in the Martin Mere restaurant. Over the two day there will be an array of guest speakers and exhibitors, artists and photographers including photography workshops, guided reserve walks, and more. I’ll be exhibiting and demonstrating throughout the weekend and would love you to drop by and say hello.

Subscriber Question

Q. Hello Kerry, thank you for taking questions. I have a few sketchbooks, bought for me over the years by family and friends. But I can never seem to get any enthusiasm to use them and it seems such a waste. Any ideas you have would be great?

A. Awe thank you David for your question. You’re not on your own, I too have many sketchbooks waiting to be filled. One such sketchbook is the one used for the following video. Sometimes simply decorating the outside (yes you read that right) can give you an artistic nudge in the right direction and get those sketchbooks off the shelf collecting dust. If, however, it’s a case of not wanting to make any mistakes in them then here’s a secret – we all make mistakes, some drawings turn out well while others can leave a lot to be desired. Social media has a lot to answer for in this case, as we’ve all seen the beautiful ‘sketch book flip throughs’. But this is so unrealistic, as I’m pretty sure even those artists have off days. A sketch book, first and foremost, should be your ‘safe place’, a place where you can try new techniques, new mediums or colour combinations, you don’t even have to show anyone your sketchbook if you don’t want to. Just grab a coffee (or beverage of your choice) and a pencil and have a play. If you don’t know what to draw then how about drawing your art materials? Looks great for the first page of a sketch book as it’s personal just to you. I hope that this has helped you xXx

I may not always have a video on my YouTube channel to go alongside a subscriber’s question, but when I do I’ll be sure to add it.

Okay folks that’s it for me for today, as I’ve plenty to be getting on with and sitting here drinking coffee (as pleasant as that might be) isn’t shortening my ‘to do’ list lol.

So thank you once again, as always my friends, for spending some time with me today, and please feel free to leave a question or suggestion in the contact form below.

Wishing you all the best, until next time, as always, stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx

close up photography of cup of coffee

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

© Kerry Newell ⭐ www.KerryNewell.com ⭐ All rights reserved

Back From An Arctic Expedition & more…

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

”Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.”
– Earl Nightingale

Please note: some items are repeated for the benefit of new subscribers. Thank you 😊

Hey there my friends I hope you’re all keeping well. Sorry that it’s been a while, I was hoping that I would have written to you before now, especially with so much to say about my Arctic Expedition – just goes to show how life can get in the way and sometimes there’s not a thing we can do about it.

Update number 1 regarding my Arctic trip (there’s just too much to put into one newsletter) and if you’d like to know what events brought me to this point heading out to the Arctic on my own, then please read the previous couple of newsletters and all will be revealed 😉

My ‘trip of a lifetime’ to the Arctic began with a flight from Manchester airport to Oslo on Monday 31st July, staying overnight in Oslo before flying on to Tromsoe, and then from Tromsoe to Svalbard.

The views from the flight into Svalbard were simply breathtakingly beautiful.

As a time saver I’ve attached our full Trip Log in PDF form for you all to read. I hope this pdf version works for you. I haven’t, as yet, had time to go through my camera memory cards, so have only used the photos from my phone for now, but will ensure to post personalised photos of my trip when I get the chance. For now, at least, you’ll be able to see the amazing adventure that I was so blessed to be a part of:

As you can see the days were full and extremely well organised. Health and saftey were paramount from the very beginning, after all this wasn’t a ‘cruise’. From Muck Boots (which had to be worn on all Zodiac trips along with waterproofs) to life jackets, the location of lifeboats and safety drills, everything was covered on the very first day.

Being so far North we were literally out at sea on our own and our mobile phones soon became just mobile cameras when any chance of a signal was finally lost. That in itself was a truly freeing experience.

The scenery was immense, the air fresh (unlike anything I’d ever experienced before) and the seas clear and calm. The Arctic Experience had begun.

This image was taken on my iPhone, more to come from my camera soon.
Giving an introductory talk on the Hondius.
This image was taken on my iPhone – my most favourite place, the bird cliffs of Alkefjellet
One of my first encounters with a wild Arctic Fox 🙂
With 24 hour daylight the only place to be at midnight is on the deck with new found friends

Each day was packed with events such as Zodiac cruises & Zodiac landings (weather & wildlife permitting), and when back on board the Hondius there were lectures everyday on different aspects of why these extraordinary polar regions are so fragile and require our best efforts to prevent further ecological damage. Historical lectures were also given, these gave a deeper understanding of the efforts that were made by our predecessors to navigate and survive these perilous waters and unforgiving Arctic conditions.

View of the Hondius from one of our Zodiac landings. The area had already been ‘scouted’ to make sure it was safe.

And yes some of us who were daring enough (or talked into it by overenthusiastic guides lol) braved the Arctic conditions and enjoyed the adrenaline-fuelled thrill of an Arctic dip! 😂

Me and my new found friend/cabin mate Martina xXx

So that, for now, is just a tiny glimpse into what was an amazing Arctic Expedition. It really is a life changing experience and one that I was blessed to have and can now thoroughly recommend to others.

Exciting news – Because of the interest generated, plans are now being put into action regarding a polar expedition next year. We’re not sure yet whether it will be the Arctic or Antarctic, but we plan on having even more events on board ship for passengers to take part in on ‘sea days’ (these are the days when landings aren’t possible) including painting workshops with myself. I know that once the marketing plans are put into place Wildfoot Travel along with myself will begin working hard to make this new trip happen, so if you’re interested watch this space 😉

A few simple watercolour sketches from this year’s trip.

My flight back into Manchester airport was on Friday 11th August (wow four weeks ago already) but no sooner had I unpacked, put a couple of loads through the washing machine and put away items that were only needed for a colder climates, myself and my husband were packing again. This time for a break in London with friends, something that had been booked months before.

Upon returning home from London I wasted no time in sorting through and moving my materials and studio furniture into my new studio space, what a relief to finally be finishing off what I’d started all of those months ago:

After this I arranged for the return of building materials I’d purchased and not used. To see the last of these materials returned was a great feeling too, as my house no longer resembled a building site lol.

And so have you begun painting in your new studio? I’m guessing this is what many of you are thinking, and unfortunately the answer is ‘not yet’ due to a virus! I started to feel a little unwell about a week ago, thinking I’d just overdone things and needed time to relax. However Monday evening arrived and I was knocked off my feet by a horrid virus, like having the flu but without the cold if you know what I mean. I’m writing this newsletter a couple of lines at a time as my temperature is still up and I definitely have ‘brain fog’ but wanted to get a little update out to you all 😉

Wildlife Art Workshops for 2023

£60 per person

All workshops are held at Martin Mere Wetland Centre and 50% of all proceeds go straight back into conservation.

DateMediumSubject
January 21st 2023WatercolourPostponed
February 25th 2023PastelRed Panda
March 25th 2023WatercolourFox in Snow
April 22nd 2023PastelPostponed
May 20th 2023WatercolourToucan
June 24th 2023PastelKingfisher
August 26th 2023Watercolourpostponed
September 23rd 2023PastelPolar Bear
October 21st 2023WatercolourTBC
November 25th 2023PastelTBC
December TBCWatercolourTBC
All dates have now been confirmed

My preferred materials for the the pastel & watercolour workshops:

Preferred Pastel materials:* Clairefontaine Pastelmat Paper (I rarely use anything else now)
* larger sheets are available and can be easily cut to size (this is what I do)
* Carbothello Pastel Pencils are a must have in my studio, available individually or in different set sizes
* Derwent Pastel Pencils are soft with a wide range of colours, available individually or in different set sizes, ideal for covering larger areas with their thicker pigment core
* Mungyo Soft Pastels – an affordable way to cover larger areas of a painting, and for adding base coats for your pencils to go on top of
* Pan Pastels – my ‘go to’ soft pastel choice, available individually or in sets, 92 colours in total
Preferred Watercolour materials:* 140lb (or heavier) Hotpress or Coldpress watercolour paper
* 9″ x 12″ minimum size (buying larger sheets is preferable as they can then be cut down to size)
* Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours are a great paint to get started with (I still use them for sketches etc)
* A variety of brushes, sizes & shapes, made from golden taklon which is a synthetic material. Here’s a link to the affordable W&N Cotman set.
* A white mixing palette or a white plate will do
My ArtDiscount & Amazon affiliate links – please feel free to click, browse and shop at no extra cost to you.
An excellent way to get started with Pan Pastels

Nine new dates for 2023 have been confirmed by Martin Mere Wetland Centre One running each month, with the exception of January, July and December. Workshops will alternate between Watercolour and Pastel, but feel free to bring along any art medium you wish if the subject is something you would like to create from. All workshops are suitable for beginners. More information can be found over on our exclusive Art Workshop page on the Martin Mere website as well as on the Workshop page of my website. If participants would like further mediums or subjects added then extra dates can be slotted in to suit. So if your passion is coloured pencil or you love acrylic or oil painting then just let me know.

This Kingfisher project was the subject for June 2023 art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.

Diary Dates

Art Safari in Uganda Postponed
Global Bird Fair14th – 16th July 2023
Exhibition of Wildlife Art28th – 30th July 2023
Arctic Expedition31st July – 11th August 2023
North West Birdwatching Festival14th -15th October 2023

Global Birdfair – an international three day event – Join a community of nature lovers and birdwatchers from around the world as we gather to make a difference to Conserving Nature Worldwide. Lectures, demonstrations, art exhibitions, holiday destinations, authors, photographers, Global Birdfair auction, optics companies including Nikon, Viking Optical, Zeiss & Swarovski Optik – there really is something for everyone at this annual event that attracts thousands of people from across the globe. Global Birdfair will take place at Rutland Showground, Oakham, Rutland UK.  LE15 7TW 

Exhibition of Wildlife Art – ‘an exciting three day show featuring the work of some of the world’s most talented wildlife artists. The biggest and most successful, open selling, exhibition of Wildlife Art outside of London. All exhibited work is for sale and many artist demonstrate whilst there.’

Arctic Expedition – ‘Take a cruise around Spitsbergen and explore the icy waters of the North Atlantic. This special expedition offers you the chance to catch site of whales, reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, and the star attraction, the polar bear.’

North West Birdwatching Festival – Open at 8am, start your day by watching the spectacle of thousands of wild geese leave the roost before heading for breakfast in the Martin Mere restaurant. Over the two day there will be an array of guest speakers and exhibitors, artists and photographers including photography workshops, guided reserve walks, and more. I’ll be exhibiting and demonstrating throughout the weekend and would love you to drop by and say hello.

Art Safari in Uganda – a two week tour taking in some of Uganda’s best national parks, optional gorilla and chimpanzee tracking, visiting a rhino sanctuary and so much more. With a maximum of 6 participants this art based safari ensures you’ll have all the natural world of Uganda has to offer, plus plenty of 1 to 1 guidance from me when you need it to enable you to capture all that you want on paper or canvas.

Subscriber Question

Q. Hi there Kerry, I know you do work for Derwent but do you know what the new Inktense colours are please?

A. Thank you Emma for your question. I actually made a little video using the new colours and can thoroughly recommend them all. They are available open stock so that you can purchase the new individual colours if and when needed. I hope this helps.

I may not always have a video on my YouTube channel to go alongside a subscriber’s question, but when I do I’ll be sure to add it.

Okay folks that’s it for me for today, as my head feels as though it’s going to explode lol.

Thank you once again, as always my friends, for spending some time with me today, and please feel free to leave a question or suggestion in the contact form below.

Wishing you all the best, until next time, as always, stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx

blue ceramic cup filled with liquid

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

© Kerry Newell ⭐ www.KerryNewell.com ⭐ All rights reserved

Arctic adventure & more…

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

”Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.”
– Theodore Roosevelt

Please note: some items are repeated for the benefit of new subscribers. Thank you 😊

Hey there my friends I hope you’re all keeping well. Wow what a crazy few weeks it’s been this end, and the next couple of weeks, I’m pretty sure, are going to be surprising (this may be the understatement of my life lol). ‘Lifechanging’ may be the apt word, time will tell. So lets catch up and I can you share with you all that’s been happening here.

Now many of you having been asking if my new studio is ready yet. Well I’m pleased to say that after eight months, a lot of hard work, and with the rest of the house resembling a building site my studio is finally complete 😁 The plastering is done, the walls have been painted, the electrics are finished and the flooring is down, hurrah! It’s been worth the wait as I finally have the room (as in area) that I had been missing since moving to Cheshire eight years ago.

So I’m sure you were expecting to see my newly finished studio complete with my studio furnishings and art materials, and me relaxing at the easel, paints out, music on, while a fresh coffee aroma fills the air. Well you wouldn’t be on your own thinking that as I assumed that’s just what I’d be doing too. However, things happen in life that can change your plans for the immediate future in the blink of an eye, things that you’d never even dreamt of.

Those of you who read my last newsletter will recall that I’d been invited to demonstrate at the Global Birdfair 14th – 16th July by Simon Rowland, owner of Wildfoot Travel Simon commissioned me to create a painting which he then donated to the Birdfair auction, the proceeds of this auction going straight into conservation projects across the world. This year the chosen project was ‘Saving Choco Forest’ – take a peek at the link: https://www.birdlife.org/campaigns-appeals/birdfair-choco-forest/ So humbled to be part of this.

Okay so there I am on the Wildfoot Travel stand, painting penguins, chatting to the public and sharing my techniques with anyone who asked. this link shows a little video of me ‘working’ lol: https://fb.watch/m0Y_0ZEc2v/

The first day was very busy, chatting to the public, answering questions, handing out business cards of course and getting to know Simon’s team on the Wildfoot stand. The second day was busy too, with the added bonus of selling my Lapwing painting:

Now if that wasn’t enough, life had another surprise in store for me. Simon introduced me to a lovely gentleman, a biologist named Ko de Korte from Oceanwide Expeditions (he’s a consultant there). After a lovely chat Ko invited me on an Arctic Expedition!!! Yes you read that correctly, and no I still can’t believe it myself. And so with a mixture of excitement and nerves I’m flying out to the Arctic on Monday 31st July – yep in four days time!!!! Needless to say that furnishing my new studio is going to have to wait lol.

To say that the last couple of weeks seem surreal is another understatement. Planning, preparing and not a lot of sleep lol. What I can share with you though is, I’m pretty sure, that this trip is going to be lifechanging.

The expedition circumnavigates West Spitsbergen (part of the Svalbard archipelago) Whilst on board the vessel Hondius, between landings on the Arctic ice, I’ll be sketching and painting and sharing my passion for wildlife & art with any passengers who may be interested. I’ll also be giving a 30 minute lecture (although I prefer the term ‘presentation’ as it sounds less formal and more relaxed). The idea behind this invitation from Ko is to enable me to immerse myself in this amazing part of our world, to research and gather reference material of the unique wildlife species that call this place home. All of this I will then use for an important future project based on the Arctic regions. Looking forward to hopefully catching sight of Polar Bear during one of our treks out on the ice – close enough to photograph but not too close if you know what I mean lol. Other wildlife encounters could include Arctic Fox, Caribou, Walrus, a variety of whale species including Gray, Blue, Fin, Minke, Bowhead, Beluga and Narwhal. Plus many bird species native to the Arctic regions. I’ve a lot to learn 😉

whale in blue depth of ocean

Talks are already underway regarding a trip next year, possibly in June, where likeminded passengers will be able to take part in art workshops with me. Ko likes to think of me as an ‘added attraction’ lol. But seriously my mind is just full of what ifs at the moment, hey I don’t even know whether I’ll get sea sick yet (but just in case the tablets are packed lol) Whatever the future holds is just that, in the future, for now I’m going to enjoy this amazing gift that’s been given to me, and hopefully in return encourage others to take the trip of a lifetime (a sketchbook in hand) with Oceanwide Expeditions and Wildfoot Travel.

While I’m away (31.07.203 – 11.08.2023) they’ll be little chance of contacting anyone, being so far north. So the wonderful team at Wildfoot Travel have introduced me to a wonderful website (and an app you can download to your phone) to share with my family and friends. It’s called Cruise Mapper, and is completely free. When you open this website, or app, you simply enter the vessel’s name I’ll be travelling on ‘Hondius’ and you’ll be able to see where I am 😊

If you would like to be kept up to date regarding future expeditions, just reading about them is amazing in itself, then drop me an email and I’ll pass your email details onto them xXx

kerrynewell1@gmail.com

I’ll be sure to write an extra special newsletter when I return 😉

Wildlife Art Workshops for 2023

£60 per person

All workshops are held at Martin Mere Wetland Centre and 50% of all proceeds go straight back into conservation.

DateMediumSubject
January 21st 2023WatercolourPostponed
February 25th 2023PastelRed Panda
March 25th 2023WatercolourFox in Snow
April 22nd 2023PastelPostponed
May 20th 2023WatercolourToucan
June 24th 2023PastelKingfisher
August 26th 2023WatercolourTBC
September 23rd 2023PastelTBC
October 21st 2023WatercolourTBC
November 25th 2023PastelTBC
December TBCWatercolourTBC
All dates have now been confirmed

My preferred materials for the the pastel & watercolour workshops:

Preferred Pastel materials:* Clairefontaine Pastelmat Paper (I rarely use anything else now)
* larger sheets are available and can be easily cut to size (this is what I do)
* Carbothello Pastel Pencils are a must have in my studio, available individually or in different set sizes
* Derwent Pastel Pencils are soft with a wide range of colours, available individually or in different set sizes, ideal for covering larger areas with their thicker pigment core
* Mungyo Soft Pastels – an affordable way to cover larger areas of a painting, and for adding base coats for your pencils to go on top of
* Pan Pastels – my ‘go to’ soft pastel choice, available individually or in sets, 92 colours in total
Preferred Watercolour materials:* 140lb (or heavier) Hotpress or Coldpress watercolour paper
* 9″ x 12″ minimum size (buying larger sheets is preferable as they can then be cut down to size)
* Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours are a great paint to get started with (I still use them for sketches etc)
* A variety of brushes, sizes & shapes, made from golden taklon which is a synthetic material. Here’s a link to the affordable W&N Cotman set.
* A white mixing palette or a white plate will do
My ArtDiscount & Amazon affiliate links – please feel free to click, browse and shop at no extra cost to you.
An excellent way to get started with Pan Pastels

Nine new dates for 2023 have been confirmed by Martin Mere Wetland Centre One running each month, with the exception of January, July and December. Workshops will alternate between Watercolour and Pastel, but feel free to bring along any art medium you wish if the subject is something you would like to create from. All workshops are suitable for beginners. More information can be found over on our exclusive Art Workshop page on the Martin Mere website as well as on the Workshop page of my website. If participants would like further mediums or subjects added then extra dates can be slotted in to suit. So if your passion is coloured pencil or you love acrylic or oil painting then just let me know.

This Kingfisher project was the subject for June 2023 art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.

Diary Dates

Art Safari in Uganda Postponed
Global Bird Fair14th – 16th July 2023
Exhibition of Wildlife Art28th – 30th July 2023
Arctic Expedition31st July – 11th August 2023
North West Birdwatching Festival14th -15th October 2023

Global Birdfair – an international three day event – Join a community of nature lovers and birdwatchers from around the world as we gather to make a difference to Conserving Nature Worldwide. Lectures, demonstrations, art exhibitions, holiday destinations, authors, photographers, Global Birdfair auction, optics companies including Nikon, Viking Optical, Zeiss & Swarovski Optik – there really is something for everyone at this annual event that attracts thousands of people from across the globe. Global Birdfair will take place at Rutland Showground, Oakham, Rutland UK.  LE15 7TW 

Exhibition of Wildlife Art – ‘an exciting three day show featuring the work of some of the world’s most talented wildlife artists. The biggest and most successful, open selling, exhibition of Wildlife Art outside of London. All exhibited work is for sale and many artist demonstrate whilst there.’

Arctic Expedition – ‘Take a cruise around Spitsbergen and explore the icy waters of the North Atlantic. This special expedition offers you the chance to catch site of whales, reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, and the star attraction, the polar bear.’

North West Birdwatching Festival – Open at 8am, start your day by watching the spectacle of thousands of wild geese leave the roost before heading for breakfast in the Martin Mere restaurant. Over the two day there will be an array of guest speakers and exhibitors, artists and photographers including photography workshops, guided reserve walks, and more. I’ll be exhibiting and demonstrating throughout the weekend and would love you to drop by and say hello.

Art Safari in Uganda – a two week tour taking in some of Uganda’s best national parks, optional gorilla and chimpanzee tracking, visiting a rhino sanctuary and so much more. With a maximum of 6 participants this art based safari ensures you’ll have all the natural world of Uganda has to offer, plus plenty of 1 to 1 guidance from me when you need it to enable you to capture all that you want on paper or canvas.

Subscriber Question

Q. Hi there Kerry, I want to start drawing but I don’t know what to subject to draw, and I’m frightened that if I try to draw something I’ll just go wrong, hoping you can offer some advice.

A. Hi there, thank you for your question Bridget. If I were you I’d go on either of these two websites www.unsplash.com or www.pixabay.com begin looking at subjects that are of interest to you. You may like birds or mammals, fish, amphibians or reptiles. Or maybe you like flowers or shells. Well these two websites hold a plethora of images, all royalty free so that you can use them to draw from with no issues such as copyright getting in your creative way.

Once you’ve found an image you like, and normally that’s the hardest bit as there’s so many images to choose from, you’re ready to start drawing. Personally I like to start with basic shapes, lots of rough lines that can be left or erased later. My sketches start out very loose and tighten up once I’m happy with the basic shapes I’ve made. Leave the details to last so that you don’t get distracted by them. And remember to relax, it’s just a piece of paper and a pencil, nothing to be scared of. What’s the worst that can happen? If you go wrong you can always start again.

I’ll add a little video below that you may find helpful xXx

The following video uses a very limited palette so you can see that a lot can be achieved with just a few colours.

I may not always have a video on my YouTube channel to go alongside a subscriber’s question, but when I do I’ll be sure to add it.

Okay folks that’s it for me for today, still lots to do before Monday ✈

Thank you once again, as always my friends, for spending some time with me today, and please feel free to leave a question or suggestion in the contact form below.

Wishing you all the best, until next time, as always, stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx

blue ceramic cup filled with liquid

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

© Kerry Newell ⭐ www.KerryNewell.com ⭐ All rights reserved

A Completed Commission, Studio Update & more…

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

”If something is important enough, even if the odds are stacked against you, you should still do it.”
– Elon Musk

Please note: some items are repeated for the benefit of new subscribers. Thank you 😊

Hey there my friends I hope you’re all keeping well. I hope you’re all finding time to be creative. Lots happening here I’m happy to say. My latest commissioned painting is now complete and safely delivered to my client. Tears were shed when Sandra finally received the portrait of her beloved husband, Barry, who sadly passed away last year, and their delightful canine companion Gracie. Sandra has kindly given permission for me to share this portrait with you all:

I’m also pleased to say that my new studio is finally resembling a usable space after eight months of looking like a building site lol. For those of you new to my newsletters – in October last year I began renovating our garage into a new studio. The journey has been a huge learning curve to say the least. The plasterers have been and worked their magic and the electrics are in. Now it’s up to me again to get the walls painted. After which the electrician will return to finish off, including bringing the spot lights down through the ceiling etc. Then the flooring, skirting boards and window sill will go in. And then I’ll finally be able to begin moving my studio equipment and art materials in, exciting times ahead. So here is a before and where I’m up to at the moment:

And now to some equally exciting news, an update – only one week to go the the Global Birdfair! Wow how time flies when you get short noticed lol. For those of you who haven’t read my most previous newsletter – I’ve been invited by Wildfoot Travel to demonstrate for them at this year’s Global Birdfair 🙂 If you haven’t heard of or visited this event before then I truly urge you to check out the link for more information on this amazing annual event: Global Birdfair If you do visit then I’d love it if you could drop by and say hello 😉 Robin Marquee, Stand R11, 12. I take my coffee white (soya or almond milk) and no sugar lol. Only joking of course but it would be great to see you. Wildfoot Travel has commissioned me to create a painting for them which they will be donating to the Global Birdfair auction, so it’s a win win for everyone concerned.

Then in just three weeks time I’ll be exhibiting and demonstrating at the EWA (Exhibition of Wildlife Art) over on the Wirral. This really is an amazing event too, lots of exhibitors from across the UK, many of which are on hand demonstrating and chatting with the public. So blessed that they chose part of my Kingfisher painting as the logo for this year’s event.

Wildlife Art Workshops for 2023

£60 per person

All workshops are held at Martin Mere Wetland Centre and 50% of all proceeds go straight back into conservation.

DateMediumSubject
January 21st 2023WatercolourPostponed
February 25th 2023PastelRed Panda
March 25th 2023WatercolourFox in Snow
April 22nd 2023PastelPostponed
May 20th 2023WatercolourToucan
June 24th 2023PastelKingfisher
August 26th 2023WatercolourTBC
September 23rd 2023PastelTBC
October 21st 2023WatercolourTBC
November 25th 2023PastelTBC
December TBCWatercolourTBC
All dates have now been confirmed

My preferred materials for the the pastel & watercolour workshops:

Preferred Pastel materials:* Clairefontaine Pastelmat Paper (I rarely use anything else now)
* larger sheets are available and can be easily cut to size (this is what I do)
* Carbothello Pastel Pencils are a must have in my studio, available individually or in different set sizes
* Derwent Pastel Pencils are soft with a wide range of colours, available individually or in different set sizes, ideal for covering larger areas with their thicker pigment core
* Mungyo Soft Pastels – an affordable way to cover larger areas of a painting, and for adding base coats for your pencils to go on top of
* Pan Pastels – my ‘go to’ soft pastel choice, available individually or in sets, 92 colours in total
Preferred Watercolour materials:* 140lb (or heavier) Hotpress or Coldpress watercolour paper
* 9″ x 12″ minimum size (buying larger sheets is preferable as they can then be cut down to size)
* Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours are a great paint to get started with (I still use them for sketches etc)
* A variety of brushes, sizes & shapes, made from golden taklon which is a synthetic material. Here’s a link to the affordable W&N Cotman set.
* A white mixing palette or a white plate will do
My ArtDiscount & Amazon affiliate links – please feel free to click, browse and shop at no extra cost to you.
An excellent way to get started with Pan Pastels

Nine new dates for 2023 have been confirmed by Martin Mere Wetland Centre One running each month, with the exception of January, July and December. Workshops will alternate between Watercolour and Pastel, but feel free to bring along any art medium you wish if the subject is something you would like to create from. All workshops are suitable for beginners. More information can be found over on our exclusive Art Workshop page on the Martin Mere website as well as on the Workshop page of my website. If participants would like further mediums or subjects added then extra dates can be slotted in to suit. So if your passion is coloured pencil or you love acrylic or oil painting then just let me know.

This Kingfisher project was the subject for June 2023 art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.

Diary Dates

Art Safari in Uganda Postponed
Global Bird Fair14th – 16th July 2023
Exhibition of Wildlife Art28th – 30th July 2023
North West Birdwatching Festival14th -15th October 2023

Global Birdfair – an international three day event – Join a community of nature lovers and birdwatchers from around the world as we gather to make a difference to Conserving Nature Worldwide. Lectures, demonstrations, art exhibitions, holiday destinations, authors, photographers, Global Birdfair auction, optics companies including Nikon, Viking Optical, Zeiss & Swarovski Optik – there really is something for everyone at this annual event that attracts thousands of people from across the globe. Global Birdfair will take place at Rutland Showground, Oakham, Rutland UK.  LE15 7TW 

Exhibition of Wildlife Art – ‘an exciting three day show featuring the work of some of the world’s most talented wildlife artists. The biggest and most successful, open selling, exhibition of Wildlife Art outside of London. All exhibited work is for sale and many artist demonstrate whilst there.’ I’ll be demonstrating whilst exhibiting there this year and would love for you to drop by and say hello.

North West Birdwatching Festival – Open at 8am, start your day by watching the spectacle of thousands of wild geese leave the roost before heading for breakfast in the Martin Mere restaurant. Over the two day there will be an array of guest speakers and exhibitors, artists and photographers including photography workshops, guided reserve walks, and more. I’ll be exhibiting and demonstrating throughout the weekend and would love you to drop by and say hello.

Art Safari in Uganda – a two week tour taking in some of Uganda’s best national parks, optional gorilla and chimpanzee tracking, visiting a rhino sanctuary and so much more. With a maximum of 6 participants this art based safari ensures you’ll have all the natural world of Uganda has to offer, plus plenty of 1 to 1 guidance from me when you need it to enable you to capture all that you want on paper or canvas.

Subscriber Question

Repeated from the last newsletter due to a faulty YouTube link xXx

Q. After reading your last newsletter I treated myself to a small set of Derwent Inktense pans. Do I have enough colours to complete a full painting?

A. Hi there, thank you for your question Emma. Now I’m assuming from your description that you’ve purchased one of the two Inktense travel pan sets. Either of them will give you the mixing capabilities to create numerous colours and therefore paint a painting of your choice. What I would do if I were you would begin by swatching your colours out so you can see clearly the vibrant colours in your set. Following this begin mixing a few colours from the colours you have. Once you have an idea of what colours can be achieved with your set you’ll find it easier to choose a reference that matches your supplies so to speak. Mixing cool colours together and mixing warm colours together is a simple way of avoiding mixing mud lol. I’ve just made a mental not that I need to create a video on just this (I’ve written it down to so I don’t forget lol)

The following video uses a very limited palette so you can see that a lot can be achieved with just a few colours.

I may not always have a video on my YouTube channel to go alongside a subscriber’s question, but when I do I’ll be sure to add it.

Okay folks that’s it for me for today, I do hope you all have a ‘feel good Friday’ tomorrow and a wonderful weekend thereafter.

Thank you once again, as always my friends, for spending some time with me today, and please feel free to leave a question or suggestion in the contact form below.

Wishing you all the best, until next time, as always, stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx

clear glass bowl beside yellow flower

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

© Kerry Newell ⭐ www.KerryNewell.com ⭐ All rights reserved