A New Video and a Surprise Invitation

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

”Whatever your goal is you will never succeed unless you let go of your fears and fly.”
– Richard Branson

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. The weather here is gorgeous, as I hope it is for you too wherever you may be. So nice to be able to have all the windows and doors open so that when I’m at my easel working on a painting it still feels like I’m sitting outside lol. Yep one of my many mind-games to keep me motivated lol.

I’m so pleased to say that I finally found the time to sit and edit a huge amount of video footage. There was around seven hours of it that I had to trawl my way through, needless to say one large mug of coffee didn’t suffice lol. This video when posted over onto my YouTube channel seemed very popular. It seems more and more people are beginning to use Derwent’s Inktense (water soluble ink products) but are just unsure of how to go about it. I now have several videos on my YouTube channel covering the use of this medium, and definitely want to create more moving forward. If there are any mediums, techniques or subjects you’d like me to cover just let me know and I’ll pop it onto my ‘to do’ list. Just in case you haven’t spotted it on my YouTube channel yet:

So that’s what I’ve been up to, but what am I doing now? Well I’m pleased to say that my latest commission is now on my easel. I can’t share this with you all just yet as the lovely lady who commissioned my receives and reads my newsletters lol.

A couple of weeks ago, 01/06/23 to be exact, out of the blue I received an email from my dear friend Simon over at Wildfoot Travel. He asked me if I was exhibiting at this year’s Global Birdfair and if not did I want to demonstrate on his stand instead 😃 Now I’m a great believer in things that are ‘meant to be’ – the Global Birdfair dates coincide with Patchings Art Festival (an event that I’ve demonstrated at for the past 12 years) so before agreeing to Simon I needed to find out first if I was still needed at Patchings this year. Guess what… due to unforeseen circumstances I’m free for the Birdfair instead!

And so it is with a grateful, and very excited, heart I can announce that I will indeed be demonstrating this year at the Global Birdfair for Wildfoot Travel in the Robin Marquee, Stand R11, 12.

Wildfoot Travel has commissioned me to create a painting for them which they will be donating it to the Global Birdfair auction, so it’s a win win for everyone concerned.

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 

Wildfoot Travel offer ‘Wildlife Cruises and Expeditions to Antarctica, The Arctic and Other Wildlife Destinations Around The World’

So they’ll be more news on this venture coming soon.

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 will be 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

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 I’m going to have to leave you now as I need to get to my easel and crack on with my latest commission, and don’t forget that if your out enjoying the sunshine remember your sun cream and stay hydrated 😉

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

glasses of fresh icy cocktails on marble table

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

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

A colourful frog from a surprise gift

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

”Whatever you are, be a good one.”
– Abraham Lincoln

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. Today was going to be a day doing some photography and sketching at Chester Zoo, but unfortunately the weather had different ideas. So never one to waste an opportunity I decided that I’d grab a drink and catch up with you all while I have a spare few minutes.

Not sure if I’ve mentioned this in a previous newsletter, if I have please forgive me lol. Around four weeks ago I received a surprise gift from Derwent. It came completely out of the blue, I videoed the ‘unboxing’ so I could share the moment with you all.

I was simply blown away by the ongoing generosity of Derwent, a fabulous company to be an ambassador for. Upon opening the my gift I was pleased to find the new release – 100 Inktense Pencil set containing their brand new 28 colours. I decided that I’d separate these new colours and create a little project just using them. I hope you like my little tree frog. I think I’m going to print some off smaller than life size and have them as book marks 😊

I videoed the process so that you could see the new pencil colours in action:

I’ve many smaller projects on the go at the moment, as well as a new commission waiting to be started, but I’ll share these with you as they take their place on my easel or work table.

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 will be the subject for June 2023 art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.

Diary Dates

Art Safari in Uganda Postponed
Patching’s Art Festival13th – 16th July 2023
Exhibition of Wildlife Art28th – 30th July 2023
North West Birdwatching Festival14th -15th October 2023

Patching’s Art Festival – an international four day art event celebrating the best in art & craft. Open to all there’s something for everyone, the chance to meet over 250 artists, a lot of which will be demonstrating (including me demonstrating for Caran d’Ache). Plus ‘hands-on’ workshops and art material offers all set in 60 acres of beautiful Nottinghamshire countryside.

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

Q. I purchased some ‘jelly gouache’ paints after watching one of your videos. But when I wanted to use them they’d dried out. Please help as I can’t afford to throw them away.

A. Oh stop right there, there’s no need to throw them away, they’ll be perfectly fine. The same thing happened to me, so I made a little video showing you how to fix them by rehydrating them. Follow the tips in my video and you’ll be painting again in no time. Plus I explain how to stop them drying out in the future.

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 I’d love to sit here and chat with you all a while longer but I’ve plenty of things to be getting on with, including some DIY in my soon to be new studio. It’s getting there slowly but surely.

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

red ceramic mug on red saucer

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

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

‘Art courage’ and a new YouTube video

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

”Your passion is waiting for your courage to catch up.”
– Isabelle Lafleche

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’ve been writing for Derwent, sending off a new commission proposal and video editing this week, as well as completing my latest painting – so in all it’s been a busy week so far.

”Your passion is waiting for your courage to catch up.” – Isabelle Lafleche. What a powerful quote isn’t it. And the more I read it the more it speaks to me. If it speaks a truth to you too, know that you’re not on your own. We all, as human beings, often deny ourselves from reaching our goals. Not because we can’t but because we wont. By this I mean that sometimes our lack of self belief can hold us back, our fear of failing or our mind set that says ‘we don’t have time’. And then there’s ‘imposter syndrome’ – the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills. Now that is a syndrome that many of us have felt – well now it has a name too.

So the above paragraph may sound all doom and gloom, but it isn’t, trust me. Firstly lets consider why we feel these things:

Simple human evolution can provide a lot of answers. Staying ‘safe’ is programmed into our DNA. In fact our daily lives revolve around it whether we’re aware of this or not. Just think of a typical day going to the shops for some food items. Our ‘keep me safe’ thought processes are probably in overdrive lol. Driving or walking – avoiding collisions, assessing road or pavement conditions, arrive at the store – stairs or escalator? Maybe stairs going in as our hands are free, but escalator on the way back out etc. Then choosing our food items – checking sell by dates, do our food items look ripe or over ripe. Even if we see someone else handling a certain item that we want we wont choose that one but another one that hasn’t been handled (not that we’ve seen anyway) and it goes on and on and on. So what does this have to do with art you’re probably wondering, well the answer is ‘everything’! If we’re prewired to avoid situations that make us feel unsafe, then stepping out of our comfort zone when creating can feel just the same.

So we have the ‘feeling’ and now we have the ‘why’. So what’s the answer?

Rationality – the quality of being based on or in accordance with reason or logic.

We need to rationalise our doubts and fears. Really what’s the worse that can happen? Maybe we use up a few sheets of paper or some paint with not a lot to show for it. But we can always start again. Want to try a new art medium? Go ahead and try it, don’t expect to be great straight away, just enjoy experimenting. Want to put your artwork in a local exhibition? Do it, and enjoy being around other likeminded people. If you sell your piece then its a bonus. Want to draw or paint a different subject? Just try it, you may just find your new style or a love for something you hadn’t considered before.

My artistic journey is simply that. A journey that had a starting point somewhere in my past. I didn’t start this journey knowing how to draw a Kingfisher for instance. We’re all on this journey together, so lets all enjoy it and encourage each other to step out of our comfort zones as we go.

Here is my completed Kingfisher painting and the YouTube video I created from it this week, enjoy xXx

There’s a video link towards the bottom of the newsletter regarding out of focus backgrounds. I’ll leave it in this week’s newsletter and then move on to another subscriber’s question in my next newsletter.

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 2023PastelKingfisher
May 20th 2023WatercolourToucan
June 24th 2023PastelTBC
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 Red Panda project was the subject for February’s art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.

Diary Dates

Art Safari in Uganda Postponed
Patching’s Art Festival13th – 16th July 2023
Exhibition of Wildlife Art28th – 30th July 2023
North West Birdwatching Festival14th -15th October 2023

Patching’s Art Festival – an international four day art event celebrating the best in art & craft. Open to all there’s something for everyone, the chance to meet over 250 artists, a lot of which will be demonstrating (including me demonstrating for Caran d’Ache). Plus ‘hands-on’ workshops and art material offers all set in 60 acres of beautiful Nottinghamshire countryside.

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

Q. I really enjoy pastel painting but struggle with backgrounds. Any suggestions would be welcome.

A. Many people feel intimidated by backgrounds so you’re definitely not on your own there. A simple way to start is by creating a bokeh effect. It’s easy to achieve with a little practise and once you begin to gain confidence can be used for out of focus foregrounds too. If you’d like me to create a video concentrating on more detailed backgrounds just let me know using the ‘suggestion box’ at the bottom of the newsletter or via an email, whichever you find easier.

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 that’s it for today folks, time to settle down with a cosy warm drink, an old black and white movie and my hubby.

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

aromatic hot cappuccino on knitted plaid
Photo by Ann poan on Pexels.com

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

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

Happy Easter and news from my easel (not literally lol)

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

‘Magic is believing in yourself. If you can make that happen, you can make anything happen’
– Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

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 (still a bit chilly here in the UK).

Let me first take this opportunity in wishing you all a wonderful Easter, and whether you’re busy at home or at work that you’re still able to find some ‘you time’ to relax and be creative.

Since we last chatted I’ve been quite busy – completing a private commission (can’t share with you just yet), writing an article for Derwent which they were over the moon with (but I can’t share that with you just yet either, sorry), taking on a new commission (will share this one with you once I begin it) and finishing my Toucan in Inktense…. which I can share with you. Hurrah lol.

Plus the new studio is coming along slowly but surely (can’t wait to move into my studio space and yes, for all of you who’ve been asking, I will make a video of my studio room once I’m in). Still waiting on the electrics to be installed (my electrician has damaged his Achilles tendon so may be a few more weeks). But while waiting for that I’ve been busy fitting the last of the insulation, and have now cut most of the plasterboard panels to fit, so I’m getting there and so pleased to say that it no longer resembles a building site and now actually looks like an inhabitable room!

Back in my makeshift studio space (aka spare bedroom) I’m busy at my easel working on my latest project – Kingfisher in pastel (I’ll post the image in the section below this one). I’m creating this for this month’s wildlife-based art workshop due to run on Saturday 22nd April at WWT Martin Mere. Kingfishers are such a beautiful species, but I was surprised by how many people in the UK have never seen one in real life. That dazzling fleeting glance of turquoise and orange takes me right back to my childhood. Memories that I cherish.

Okay onwards with the rest of this pre-Easter newsletter:

On My Easel

As briefly mentioned above here is a quick glimpse of my current project, Kingfisher in pastel. I used Pan Pastels for the background to create a bokeh (out of focus) look, and I’m using pastel pencils for the actual subject. I’m hoping to get this one completed over the next few days, so that hopefully I’ll be able to share the finished painting with you all in my next news letter. Once this is complete I’ll then be able to begin my next private commission.

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 2023PastelKingfisher
May 20th 2023WatercolourToucan
June 24th 2023PastelTBC
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 Red Panda project was the subject for February’s art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.

Diary Dates

Art Safari in Uganda Postponed
Patching’s Art Festival13th – 16th July 2023
Exhibition of Wildlife Art28th – 30th July 2023
North West Birdwatching Festival14th -15th October 2023

Patching’s Art Festival – an international four day art event celebrating the best in art & craft. Open to all there’s something for everyone, the chance to meet over 250 artists, a lot of which will be demonstrating (including me demonstrating for Caran d’Ache). Plus ‘hands-on’ workshops and art material offers all set in 60 acres of beautiful Nottinghamshire countryside.

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

Q. I really enjoy pastel painting but struggle with backgrounds. Any suggestions would be welcome.

A. Many people feel intimidated by backgrounds so you’re definitely not on your own there. A simple way to start is by creating a bokeh effect. It’s easy to achieve with a little practise and once you begin to gain confidence can be used for out of focus foregrounds too. If you’d like me to create a video concentrating on more detailed backgrounds just let me know using the ‘suggestion box’ at the bottom of the newsletter or via an email, whichever you find easier.

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 that’s it for today folks, short and sweet, feeling in need of an early night with a hot drink and a good book.

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

Free cup of coffee photo

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

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

Encourage each other & a new project on my easel.

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

‘Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.’
– John D. Rockefeller

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 that you’re all being creative, whether that’s drawing, painting, knitting or crafting etc. Being creative in all forms is so therapeutic and makes me feel whole. This past week has seen me posting regularly each day on social media, not because I thought to but because my friend David encouraged me to. Sometimes being accountable to ourselves just isn’t enough, life gets in the way of living and we can easily let things slide. I’m sure I’m not on my own on this one lol. So I encourage each of you to encourage someone else today, even if that means stepping out of your comfort zone 😉

So I invite you to post one piece of artwork (or crafting project) each day for 10 days, and each day encourage someone new to join the challenge. It’s a fun way to share with others and to be honest quite addictive lol. It’s so enjoyable seeing what others post and filling social media with a positive vibe.

Just copy and paste the following, altering the highlighted areas for each day:

🎨 I have been nominated by Kerry Newell to participate in the #artistschallenge. Day 1 of 10. The challenge is to post one piece of your art for ten days with no explanation and to nominate another artist to participate. The aim is to support artists everywhere. I nominate the very talented your friend’s name xXx

On My Easel

I’m currently working on a Derwent Inktense painting. Derwent Inktense is a water-soluble ink, available as Inktense Pencils, Inktense Blocks and Inktense Pans. I’ve completed quite a variety of works in this medium now, so this current project is being filmed for a review which will be sent to Derwent, the video will also be available to watch on my YouTube channel when completed. So far, so good, absolutely love this medium:

Derwent have also released Inktense Paper – I’ve received some from Derwent, but have yet to use & review this, more news on this and other Derwent products soon.

Wildlife Art Workshops for 2023

£60 per person

DateMediumSubject
January 21st 2023WatercolourPostponed
February 25th 2023PastelRed Panda
March 25th 2023WatercolourFox in Snow
April 22nd 2023PastelKingfisher
May 20th 2023WatercolourToucan
June 24th 2023PastelTBC
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 Red Panda project will also be the subject for this month’s art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere. Nine new dates have now been confirmed for this year and all workshops will be suitable for complete beginners.

Diary Dates

Art Safari in Uganda Postponed
Patching’s Art Festival13th – 16th July 2023
Exhibition of Wildlife Art28th – 30th July 2023
North West Birdwatching Festival14th -15th October 2023

Patching’s Art Festival – an international four day art event celebrating the best in art & craft. Open to all there’s something for everyone, the chance to meet over 250 artists, a lot of which will be demonstrating (including me demonstrating for Caran d’Ache). Plus ‘hands-on’ workshops and art material offers all set in 60 acres of beautiful Nottinghamshire countryside.

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

Q. Is there an easy way to transfer a sketch to watercolour paper?

A. There are many ways to get a drawing onto our watercolour paper. The easiest and probably the most common is just by using tracing paper. Another way would be to use a graphite ‘trace down’ paper. However, if you don’t have these to hand or are worried about extra graphite smudging on your paper surface (something that can occur when using the ‘trace down’ product) you may want to go down a different route using light. You can either tape your initial sketch to a window, place your watercolour paper over it and trace your outlines that way. Or invest in a light pad (as in the video below) and transfer your image that way. These light pads are relatively cheap (around £16) cheaper than continually purchasing tracing paper that is just thrown away once your project is complete etc.

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 that’s it for today folks, time to head for the kitchen and cook up something nice for dinner.

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

Free cappuccino coffee heart latte

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

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

Newly completed pastel painting & working with Derwent Inktense

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

‘Hold the vision, trust the process.’
– unknown

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

Latest completed painting as of 22.02.2023

Hey there my friends I hope you’re all keeping well. This week saw the completion of the above painting – one that I was unable to share while it was on my easel, as I created this as a surprise birthday gift for my eldest daughter xXx

I’m currently working on a Derwent Inktense painting. Derwent Inktense is a water-soluble ink, available as Inktense Pencils, Inktense Blocks and Inktense Pans. I’ve completed quite a variety of works in this medium now, so this current project is being filmed for a review which will be sent to Derwent, the video will also be available to watch on my YouTube channel when completed. More news on this soon. Derwent have also release Inktense Paper – I’ve received some from Derwent, but have yet to use and review this, needless to say it’s now on my ever-expanding ‘to do’ list.

The following two images were completed using the Derwent Inktense products on watercolour paper:

Thank you to everyone who took the time to contact me after my last newsletter was released, your encouragement regarding my ‘new studio progress’ was truly appreciated indeed. More news and photos next time 😉

Wildlife Art Workshops for 2023

£60 per person

DateMediumSubject
January 21st 2023WatercolourPostponed
February 25th 2023PastelRed Panda
March 25th 2023WatercolourFox in Snow
April 22nd 2023PastelKingfisher
May 20th 2023WatercolourToucan
June 24th 2023PastelTBC
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 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 Red Panda project will also be the subject for this month’s art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere. Nine new dates have now been confirmed for this year and all workshops will be suitable for complete beginners.

Diary Dates

Art Safari in Uganda Postponed
Patching’s Art Festival13th – 16th July 2023
Exhibition of Wildlife Art28th – 30th July 2023
North West Birdwatching Festival14th -15th October 2023

Patching’s Art Festival – an international four day art event celebrating the best in art & craft. Open to all there’s something for everyone, the chance to meet over 250 artists, a lot of which will be demonstrating (including me demonstrating for Caran d’Ache). Plus ‘hands-on’ workshops and art material offers all set in 60 acres of beautiful Nottinghamshire countryside.

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

Q. My partner bought me some acrylics for Christmas, how can I stop them from drying out so quickly on the palette? I seem to be wasting a lot of paint through it drying out.

A. This is a common problem when beginning to work with acrylics and something that with time and practise you’ll get to grips with. Firstly, try not to squeeze out too much paint to begin with. Start with small amounts until you get the hang of mixing colours etc. Secondly, get your hands on a fine mist sprayer – fill it with water and periodically mist your paints once they’re on your palette. Thirdly, get a palette with an airtight cover, this way you can mist your paints, pop the top on and they’ll be good to go for your next painting session. The palette setup that I use and can therefore thoroughly recommend: Masterson Artist Palette box and New Wave Glass Palette 12″ x 16″ This combination is an investment, which over time will easily pay for itself by saving you the cost of throwing away hardened paint.

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 that’s it for today folks as it’s time to grab a coffee and head for my easel again.

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

Free cup of coffee photo

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

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

New studio progress and a Happy Valentine’s Day to all xXx

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

‘Impossible is just an opinion.’
Paulo Coelho

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

Garage conversion to my new studio – progress.

Hey there my friends I hope you’re all keeping well, and that the sun is shining in your life, be that metaphorically speaking or literally 😉. And before I forget Happy Valentine’s Day to you all xXx

As promised in my last newsletter my new studio is progressing well, finally looking like the beginnings of an actual room instead of a building site lol. The builders have been and the garage door has been replaced with bricks, mortar and yes a lovely big window that will let in lots of natural light. Taking a break away from my easel gave me a few days to get the rest of the floor joists down, the under-floor insulation fitted and the rest of the ‘floor panel boards’ fitted into place. Oh my word those boards weigh a ton lol. Today’s quote ‘Impossible is just an opinion.’ being quite apt I thought lol. Now, slowly but surely, I’m adding the first layer of insulation between the roof rafters while waiting for the electrician to come and work his magic. So hopefully they’ll be more updates soon.

The online response to my ‘garage to studio conversion’ has been great, and for those of you who’ve asked how big my studio will end up being – I’ve just been and measured the dimensions – 13′ 6″ x 8′ 3″ Plus it’ll have a ceiling height of around 92″ (so just under 8′) which will give me plenty of room when manoeuvring larger canvas lol. So lots of plans for new creative adventures 😉 Anyway, hopefully I’ll be able to update you all in my next newsletter as things progress.

Wildlife Art Workshops for 2023

£60 per person

DateMediumSubject
January 21st 2023WatercolourPostponed
February 25th 2023PastelRed Panda
March 25th 2023WatercolourFox in Snow
April 22nd 2023PastelTBC
May 20th 2023WatercolourToucan
June 24th 2023PastelTBC
August 26th 2023WatercolourTBC
September 23rd 2023PastelTBC
October 21st 2023WatercolourTBC
November 25th 2023PastelTBC
December TBCWatercolourTBC
All dates have now been confirmed
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
* 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
* 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 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 Red Panda project will also be the subject for next month’s art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere. Nine new dates have now been confirmed for this year and all workshops will be suitable for complete beginners. I’ve been asked to include my preferred materials for the the pastel & watercolour workshops, so I’ll add that to the ‘workshop’ section below.

Diary Dates

Art Safari in Uganda 16th February – 3rd March 2023 TBC
Patching’s Art Festival13th – 16th July 2023
Exhibition of Wildlife Art28th – 30th July 2023
North West Birdwatching Festival14th -15th October 2023

Patching’s Art Festival – an international four day art event celebrating the best in art & craft. Open to all there’s something for everyone, the chance to meet over 250 artists, a lot of which will be demonstrating (including me demonstrating for Caran d’Ache). Plus ‘hands-on’ workshops and art material offers all set in 60 acres of beautiful Nottinghamshire countryside.

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

Q. I like working in watercolour, but sometimes I forget to leave the white of the paper showing. What can I use to put white on top of watercolour?

A. Great question and something that I guess most artists have done from time to time. You’ve many options to choose from here. You could first either mask out the areas you want to keep white with masking fluid or masking film. Or you could gently colour in the white areas with an oil/wax based colouring pencil (note that this will remain on the paper and repel the watercolour in this area). Or, and one of my favourite techniques, is to use white gouache (gouache is opaque watercolour). Whole paintings can be created with gouache on it’s own or with traditional watercolour combined. I’ll pop a gouache video below for you to take a peek at should you be interested.

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 I really do need to get back to my easel as I’ve a new painting waiting to be worked on.. I’ll be recording the process so stay tuned, it’s also going to be a review of one of Derwents products so lots going on.

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

round white ceramic saucer and coffee cup

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

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

Introducing a Red Panda in Pastel

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

‘One day or day one. You decide.’
Unknown

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

Red Panda in pastel.

Hey there my friends I hope you’re all keeping well, and that the start of 2023 has been a positive experience for you all.

Some good news regarding my garage renovation – the garage door has now been replaced with brick and a window!!! I’ll do a full update in my next newsletter, but needless to say I am indeed one step closer to being in my new studio! 😉

Now I’m not one for making New Year’s resolutions, are you? I always feel as though January, for me anyway, is a time when I’m constantly reflecting on the previous year whilst gearing up for the current one – a bit like a car standing stationary whilst it’s wheels are spinning lol. I’ve a couple of project ideas sketched out and will share them with you once they make it to my easel.

However, I have just completed this little Red Panda in pastel project. I filmed this project and it’s now available to view over on my YouTube channel:

This Red Panda project will also be the subject for next month’s art workshop over at WWT Martin Mere. Nine new dates have now been confirmed for this year and all workshops will be suitable for complete beginners. I’ve been asked to include my preferred materials for the the pastel & watercolour workshops, so I’ll add that to the ‘workshop’ section below.

Wildlife Art Workshops for 2023

£60 per person

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

Amur Tiger now finished, this was the subject for November 2022 pastel workshop at WWT Martin Mere.

Diary Dates

Art Safari in Uganda 16th February – 3rd March 2023 TBC
Patching’s Art Festival13th – 16th July 2023
Exhibition of Wildlife Art28th – 30th July 2023
North West Birdwatching FestivalTBC

Patching’s Art Festival – an international four day art event celebrating the best in art & craft. Open to all there’s something for everyone, the chance to meet over 250 artists, a lot of which will be demonstrating (including me demonstrating for Caran d’Ache). Plus ‘hands-on’ workshops and art material offers all set in 60 acres of beautiful Nottinghamshire countryside.

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

Q. How should I go about painting black fur without making it look flat?

A. Understanding that all colours are somewhat reflective helps. Adding lilacs and light blues to black will help create a cool effect, whilst adding burgundy or reddish browns can create a warmer looking black. I hope the following video will be of use to you. I do have another ‘black fur’ video on my ‘to do’ list which will go into more detail.

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.

Short and sweet this time as my easel is calling me 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

eyeglasses with mug on warm scarf

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

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

Wishing you all a Happy New Year!

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

‘Magic is believing in yourself. If you can make that happen, you can make anything happen.’
Johan Wolfgang Von Goethe

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

close up of two flute glasses filled with sparkling wine wuth ribbons and christmas decor
Happy New Year 2023

Happy New Year for this coming Sunday my friends!

Not a lot to report as this week, between Christmas and the New Year is always something of a mystery lol. How many of us have to check our phones just to find out what day it is? lol.

Today I received some watercolour paper that I haven’t tried before, so I’m looking forward to experimenting with it – Paul Rubens Sparkling Watercolour Paper 10.63 x 7.67”, 2 Pack, 40 Sheets, 140 lb/300 GSM, 100% Cotton, Hot Pressed & Acid-Free Sketch Paper for Watercolour Painting, Sketching, Acrylic, Gouache Yes you read that correctly ‘Sparking’ watercolour paper! And it really does have a sparkle to it! Ooooo loads of ideas for this paper, including next year’s Christmas card design. Let’s face it, with the year we’ve all had who doesn’t need a little sparkle in their lives 😉

As well as sending out a newsletter today, yep this one, I’ve also posted a new video over on my YouTube channel that perfectly fits a subscriber’s question (see the section towards the bottom of this newsletter).

The first date, Saturday 21st January, has now been confirmed by WWT Martin Mere for the start of next year’s ‘wildlife-inspired’ art workshops. Will let you all know as soon as I hear from them regarding the rest of next year’s dates:

Wildlife Art Workshops for 2023

£60 per person

DateMediumSubject
January 21st 2023WatercolourRed Fox in Snow
February 25th 2023PastelTBC
March 25th 2023WatercolourTBC
April 22nd 2023PastelTBC
May 20th 2023WatercolourTBC
June 24th 2023PastelTBC
August 26th 2023WatercolourTBC
September 23rd 2023PastelTBC
October 21st 2023WatercolourTBC
November 25th 2023PastelTBC
December TBCWatercolourTBC
Dates to be confirmed

Ten new dates for 2023 have been pencilled in, now waiting for Martin Mere Wetland Centre to confirm these. One running each month, with the exception of 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.

Amur Tiger now finished, this was the subject for November’s pastel workshop at WWT Martin Mere.

Diary Dates

Patching’s Art Festival13th – 16th July 2023
Exhibition of Wildlife Art28th – 30th July 2023
North West Birdwatching FestivalTBC
Art Safari in Uganda 16th February – 3rd March 2023

Patching’s Art Festival – an international four day art event celebrating the best in art & craft. Open to all there’s something for everyone, the chance to meet over 250 artists, a lot of which will be demonstrating (including me demonstrating for Caran d’Ache). Plus ‘hands-on’ workshops and art material offers all set in 60 acres of beautiful Nottinghamshire countryside.

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

Q. How do I create depth in a painting?

A. Creating a sense of depth in a painting is much easier when incorporating a background. Remember that in cases where added depth is required use cool colours in the background and warm colours in the foreground where possible. Also think about detail – only detailing items in a part of a painting also creates a sense of depth. In the painting below (Fallow Deer in pastel) the background and foreground are out of focus, leaving the deer and surrounding midground in focus. Another technique is perspective – this is something I’ll pick up on in a later video, so stay tuned and watch this space.

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 today, short and sweet this time. 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.

Let me once again take this opportunity in wishing you all a Happy New Year, I hope it’s a blessed & beautiful one for all! 😊

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

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

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

Merry Christmas!

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

‘All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.’ – Walt Disney

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

Merry Christmas my friends I hope you’re all keeping well and warm. Where has this year gone? I don’t know about you but for me the months have flown by.

Those of you that follow me on social media will no doubt know that I’m in the process of building a new studio – a ‘self-build garage conversion’ (yes I must be mad lol). Work is going well, but I’m now taking a break for the festive season (that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it lol). In actual fact the cold snap last week was enough to put a pause on things so to speak, as I’m now at the stage where the garage door needs to be replaced by bricks, blocks and a large window. So that, all being well, will be the next phase in January 😊

Yes that’s me busy fitting timber to the wall, and by the looks of it a complete ‘follower of fashion’…. not lol. I don’t usually walk around in socks and crocs, promise, lol, and yes I do wear boots when carrying the timber or using power tools lol. So looking forward to having the new studio up and running, and I promise once I’m settled in I’ll do a studio tour for those of you who’ve been asking 😉 Until then I’m having to work from the spare bedroom, oh my word the space is crammed with all of my supplies that I haven’t been able to fit into my mum’s garage. I can honestly say that our spare bedroom hasn’t turned out to be the Tardis I had hoped for 😂

Wildlife Art Workshops for 2023

£60 per person

DateMediumSubject
January 21st 2023WatercolourRed Fox in Snow
February 25th 2023PastelTBC
March 25th 2023WatercolourTBC
April 22nd 2023PastelTBC
May 20th 2023WatercolourTBC
June 24th 2023PastelTBC
August 26th 2023WatercolourTBC
September 23rd 2023PastelTBC
October 21st 2023WatercolourTBC
November 25th 2023PastelTBC
December TBCWatercolourTBC
Dates to be confirmed

Ten new dates for 2023 have been pencilled in, now waiting for Martin Mere Wetland Centre to confirm these. One running each month, with the exception of 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.

Amur Tiger now finished, this was the subject for November’s pastel workshop at WWT Martin Mere.

Diary Dates

Patching’s Art Festival13th – 16th July 2023
Exhibition of Wildlife Art28th – 30th July 2023
North West Birdwatching FestivalTBC
Art Safari in Uganda 16th February – 3rd March 2023

Patching’s Art Festival – an international four day art event celebrating the best in art & craft. Open to all there’s something for everyone, the chance to meet over 250 artists, a lot of which will be demonstrating (including me demonstrating for Caran d’Ache). Plus ‘hands-on’ workshops and art material offers all set in 60 acres of beautiful Nottinghamshire countryside.

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

Q. How can I stop my paper buckling when I paint on it?

A. Firstly by choosing to use a heavy weight paper helps, no lighter than 140lb. Secondly you can either stretch the paper yourself (see the video below) or buy your paper in block form. When sheets are purchased in block form they are all glued to each other around the edges, once you’ve completed your painting on the upper sheet you simply remove it with a palette knife. However, depending on the paper and the amount of water you’ve used even this paper can slightly buckle and would need to be dryed with a hairdryer etc to get it completely flat again.

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 today, short and sweet this time. 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.

Let me once again take this opportunity in wishing you all a truly magical Christmas! 😊

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

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

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