Written by Mike Lamble

I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to be an art student again for a whole week it was expensive but worth it Lesley O’ Shea was the tutor conducting the class she was great! You can always learn something from someone, even though I have painted many portraits over the years. The first day as I sat there with other students watching Lesley demonstrating her approach to painting a portrait, my immediate reaction was ‘ what a great idea I never thought of this’ I can adapt the idea and use it with my students as well as myself.

Day 1

 All of us were given a photo of the aboriginal girl this was my painting of her in oils.

Day 2 & 3

We were given the photo of the old man all the other students took the same approach as in day one after watching Lesley’s demonstration ,this is where I deviated from what everybody else was doing Using acrylic ink on watercolour paper over a pencil drawing.

Day 3 & 4

After watching Lesley’s demonstration this time I worked from my own picture of Olivia using my ipad adapting some ideas I had gained from Monday’s demonstration. I took the the painting as far as the acrylic under painting so I wouldn’t have a rather large oil painting odours asphyxiating me  in the car for the duration of the three hour drive back to Sydney after painting a few studies of  Olivia’s face I will complete the painting in the weeks to come.

Day 5

I couldn’t resist drawing my adopted in a style straight out of the Renaissance with a view to painting her the following week in my own studio pencil on watercolour paper. In conclusion, to indulge one of my passions for a whole week was wonderful I remember my days as an art student and lamented the days I had wasted not appreciating the chance my parents had given me, even though I have made up for it since this week brought it all back to me, I was going to make the most of every minute and I did.