How to paint a stag in 5 easy steps.....

So this week has been a full one, last week of term and the end of primary school . No more drives to Copplestone twice a day down the lane that has so inspired me but time moves on and it is so close , that I will paint it many more times . So with school plays and assemblies to attend painting time has been scarce and at times tricky, I can let you know that several paintings have ended up in the bin ! Today I found that I didn't much want to settle to anything until I came across an old painting of a stag and my painting button had been pressed, I set off with renewed enthusiasm.

1. Paints out and cup of tea drunk , I keep my paints in a metal palette, and squeeze fresh paint in when they are getting low. I spray them before use and I am ready to go

2. Then I sketch out the stag, I use photos but I don't draw too much detail, just want to get the proportions right

3. Then as always I start with the eyes, even when they are a small part of the finished piece they still need to be 'right'

4. Then the other precise things like the nose, and the antlers. This is when you really to look, see where the lights are and the darks. Paint what you see and not what you think is there, stand back often and get some distance between you and the painting. Sometimes it is easy to get so involved that you can't see when it looks good.

5. Now the detailed work is done I can have fun with colour. I look for colours in the photo and exaggerate them, I also look for shapes , for lights and darks. I add and take away until I am happy, I walk away at times and come back to the painting, It helps you from rushing parts and not letting the watercolour work it's magic, and so despite an emotional busy week I have at least got one painting to show for it all