I was so thrilled to see everyone enjoying themselves at the very first Great Ayton Art Club. It was wonderful to watch people relax, get creative, and learn something new to try again at home.
Starting with Roseberry Topping felt like the perfect choice, such an iconic local landmark and a great inspiration for everyone.
During the session, everyone learnt how to really see an image and not feel overwhelmed by it. We broke it down into simple shapes and colours, showing that a painting is built step by step. The first layer is basic and often feels uninspiring, but it creates the foundation. From there, each layer adds smaller shapes and more detail, and as the painting develops, you become more thoughtful and critical with each stage.
We also explored colour, learning that in natural landscapes it is important not to use paint straight from the tube, as it can look too vivid and unnatural. Instead, mixing colours helps create a more realistic and balanced result.
We learn the rules to get started, and then give ourselves permission to break them.
