But fun makes the best paintings.
Ruth Brownlee: Capturing the essence of Shetland
Ruth Brownlee is one of the best-known of the many artists practising in Shetland. Her much-loved seascapes can be seen in homes in and beyond the islands. Ruth’s solo shows have delighted gallery visitors in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, East Lothian, Glasgow, Harrogate and London, among other places. She has participated in group shows too, in locations as diverse as Wigtown, Crieff, Much Wenlock and Bergen.
Ruth was born near Edinburgh in 1972 and she studied drawing, painting and tapestry at Edinburgh College of Art, graduating in 1994. She has worked and studied in the USA, Norway, France and Cyprus. She particularly enjoyed a print-making residency at The Center for Contemporary Printmaking, a studio and gallery in Norwalk, Connecticut. “I’d like to have had longer – I only had two weeks. I felt I was just getting into it by the time I had to leave.”
Today, Ruth and her work are embedded in Shetland’s cultural life; so much so, indeed, that her studio – a lovely space overlooking the sea – was used in the filming of the fourth series of BBC1’s Shetland. “That was good, yes”, she laughs, “it was really good exposure!” The studio and its fittings and equipment have taken on the tones and texture of her paintings, even down to her computer mouse.
However, her move to the islands was a matter of chance. In 1997, she’d been exhibiting hand-made greetings cards at a trade fair in Birmingham, which Emma Gibson from Lerwick’s Peerie Shop happened to be visiting. Ruth wasn’t on her stand at the critical moment, but Emma picked up a business card, which she later passed on to Mary Smith at the Bonhoga Gallery in Weisdale. Mary got in touch and Ruth’s paintings were soon seen in several of Shetland’s leisure centres.
Serendipity shaped what happened next, too. Her work was seen by Mike Finnie, a painter and, nowadays, jewellery designer, and by the late Tommy Watt, curator at the Shetland Museum. They persuaded Ruth to take part in a workshop in 1998. Ruth recalls that Tommy loved one of her paintings so much that he not only bought it but, to her amazement, painted a copy on his kitchen wall. From October 1998, she and Tommy were together until his untimely passing.
In the 20 years that Ruth has spent in Shetland, her style has evolved, but her search for the essence of the islands continues. “It’s the constantly changing weather and light, and the openness. Having been brought up on a farm, I’ve always been used to having open spaces: but the light, definitely, and the coastal landscape and the sea. It’s dramatic: in one day, you can have four seasons, can’t you? I seem to be on a mission to capture the painting that encapsulates everything about Shetland. I don’t think I’ll ever get it: but the sea and the sky in one painting – that’s my main joy.”
Ruth doesn’t find the same fascination in painting the land. “Even I question, why am I so obsessed with just the sea and the sky, and not interested in putting buildings in? When I first came to Shetland, I was painting headlands and cliffs, but I’ve come away from that. Occasionally, I do paint a headland, but I find myself painting over it, because that’s not what it’s about. It’s about trying to capture the atmosphere. I just feel that I’m on this journey. I just go with how I’m feeling at the time, what I’m seeing, and what’s in my head.”
Texture is “really important” in her work, something that she thinks was reinforced by her training in weaving tapestries with wool. “I wove large scale tapestries, 5 feet by 7 feet – they were very abstract in comparison.”
Ruth’s technique involves mostly acrylic paint, “but I mix media and I also put in pumice gel – and sometimes my hair’s in it! I put on a layer of gesso, but then sometimes an idea comes, and I just start painting. I apply the paint onto board. I suppose I ought to be moving on to canvas, but I’ve never really enjoyed working on canvas. I like to be able to work on the flat and with board I feel I can score into it.
I’m very aggressive with the brushes, but it goes back to that need to get texture into it. And I use rags. It’s almost drag painting, a combination of brush and rags. I want to move the paint around and get that sense of movement. I like that feeling of the sky moving in my work.”
Perhaps not surprisingly, then, Ruth finds autumn to be the best time of year to paint, because of the colours – “and the gales are arriving!” Yet, although the light and the weather are the keys to her work, music also plays a part in her inspiration. She’s been listening to the British contemporary composer, Max Richter, and an Icelandic composer, Ólafur Arnalds. “Music takes me places in my head: I like to get music into my work.”
Among contemporary painters, Ruth particularly likes the work of the Norwegian painter, Ørnulf Opdahl, and it seems the admiration is mutual. “I feel really, really honoured. I know him, I’ve met him several times, and he even gave me the ultimate compliment, saying that we were related through our work. His pieces are massive. And then there’s an Irish painter, Melita Denaro; I used to look at her work, too.” Others she admires include Mark Rothko (1903-1970) and the Cornish painter, Peter Lanyon (1918-1964). But of course she’s also in contact with other Shetland-based artists and the steady stream of new arrivals: “Shetland is definitely a good place for an artist to be”.
“Shetland is definitely a good place for an artist to be”
Will her direction or style change? “Sometimes I think I should be pushing my work towards being more abstract, but it’s not what I’m after.” A friend on Facebook reminded her of one of her earlier paintings from years ago, which included the edge of a cliff, and “it just made me realise how much I’ve come away from that”. These days, too, she tries to get away from a distinct horizon: “I must get away from that line!”
Certainly, Ruth’s painting is distinctive, as a visit to her online gallery confirms. Her use of colour, enlivened by a wonderful luminosity and texture in water and spume, is masterly. It’s no wonder that her work is so admired locally, nationally and internationally. We’re fortunate that that her ability has been so successfully matched with the inspiration that the islands provide.
1 – Use More Water
When it comes to watercolour. one of the most important aspects is …. uh…the water!
Easy to forget if you are transitioning from painting in something else like oil or acrylic. It is water that makes the pigments in watercolour paint move and behave in that marvellously unpredictable way.
There is a caveat here though.
Because watercolour is transparent, water is also effectively our white paint. It dilutes the pigments allowing more and more of the white paper to show through.
So, too much water can mean you wash the colour right out of your watercolour. But take heart, you can always layer up your watercolour with a subsequent wash or two, once the first one is dry.
It is about balance. I feel an abundant approach is best.
Lots of pigment.
That is the recipe for all those juicy splashes.
I like to start with a little water on my drawing (not a perfect flat wash of water) but just enough to create some random movement.
I find that starting with a somewhat random splash of water helps you to remember that you are not aiming for illustrative perfection but rather awaiting the happy little accidents.
Of course if you want a really loose first wash you can start with a completely wet page and paint everything in the first layer wet on wet.
(If you are brand new to watercolour and not familiar with these terms, or have found these techniques vexing in the past, you will want to check out Better Beginnings in Watercolour).
2 – Use a Bigger Brush
The next most important practical consideration is your brush I think.
Bigger is better when it comes to loose watercolour painting. The trick is to find a nice round brush that comes to a fine point. You will be surprised at just how much detail you can get out of the very tip of even a really large brush.
The finest mark is made by holding the brush perpendicular to the paper so that only the very fine tip makes contact with the paper. That means that the very same brush that covers huge swathes of your page when you press its juicy belly into the paper can also create the fine, whisper thin details that your painting is asking for.
Poor quality brushes don’t hold their point, or stop holding the point very quickly after a few uses. You can test your brush by dipping it in water and then giving it a good flick. Now check the tip.
The bristles of a good brush will form a neat point when damp. If your brush looks more like a toilet brush when you flick it, it’s time for a new one. My preference is a good synthetic brush, like the ones in this set.
You get a range of brushes for a reasonable price, including a good size round and my favourite – the oval wash. This is even bigger than the round and has that lovely fine point.
Most of the time you will be able to use the large brush to quickly block in your colours and shapes. This is fun and fast. These are 2 qualities that help you remember that the priority is the broad essence of the subject, not the minute detail.
3 – Big Shapes
Speaking of those big shapes that your large brush can swiftly capture…. They are very important, so there is a little more to think about here.
There is something of a skill to being able to see the large shapes in an image. It can help to squint your eyes a little. With half closed eyes, your brain will only receive half the information.
Just the important stuff. You will notice that even with your eyes almost closed you can still make out the subject from its form. That’s what you want to capture in the paint. Most of the rest is just white noise.
Don’t forget that you can always add some finer detail later on. You can’t really take detail away once you have painted it in. Watercolour is transparent, remember?
So if in doubt, leave it out.
Then you can take your time and assess whether anything more is needed.
An Introduction to Line and Wash: Which comes first pen or wash?
Line and wash is where drawing and painting meet. If I had a penny for every time I’ve been asked which comes first, ink or wash, I would be a rich woman! The honest answer is whichever you wish and swapping things around can keep your work fresh.
- Layers need to be dry before switching your media
- Often the media you use first tends to (not always) play the most important role
If you want to concentrate on edges and pattern, developing detail then maybe start with ink. If emotion and atmosphere is important to you, reach for the washes first. We are always looking to play to the strengths of the different media, so that the sum of the line and wash adds up to more than the individual elements.
It doesn’t have to be either/or
You can always add more colour or more line once the previous work is dry, but it is hard to take it away. So stop when you are 85-90% finished, whichever media you start with.
If you want to loosen up your watercolour why not do washes first and then regain control with line? Or you might save a failed painting with the addition of line work. It can add the contrast and impact you might be missing.
Try it both ways!
Select a simple subject from the fruit or veg basket and try drawing/painting it starting with the line first and then starting with the colour first. Try staying within the lines, try splashing outside them. It’s amazing how quickly you will develop your personal style and preference.
Materials You’ll Need
- Watercolour paper – NOT (Cold Pressed) surface, 140lb/300gsm
- Waterproof fineliner pen in black 0.4mm (if you have a few other widths or types of pen you can add them into the experiment)
- Watercolour paints and watercolour accessories of your choice
- Graphite Pencil and a pencil eraser
- An item of fruit or vegetable which gives enough detail to make a fun drawing
I chose an onion and regretted it when I cut it in half!
If possible don’t do a pencil under-drawing, be brave and start drawing your subject. Draw it at least twice, hopefully more. Draw it from different angles and make a pattern with it on your paper. Vary your marks, add texture, break up the lines, use different pen widths. If you have other pens and ink, please feel free to use them, just make sure they are waterproof as we will be adding washes and you do not want a muddy puddle!
Now add watercolour washes. On your first aim to stay in the lines, on the second deliberately ignore the lines. If you have done more, wet the paper and paint the subject wet in wet. Add spatter to another. Spritz the next one with a water spray to soften edges in a random way. Finally, pick out the best bits from the previous ones and combine them.
Wash First
Paint your subject using appropriate watercolours. The temptation is to paint it precisely, so if your subject can be used to create a print, it makes a great alternative. If you struggle to loosen your watercolour (and wish to), then this will really help you. It gives a naturally simple and loose layer.
Once dry, use your pens to draw your subject. Again vary marks, break up lines and draw from different angles. If you have printed you might want to outline some of the paint marks or ignore them all together. Do you need to add further watercolour? Avoid the temptation to tidy things up!
Compare and contrast
Now, stop and compare the drawings. Which has more energy and charm? Which has captured the essence of your object? I am not aiming for photographic likeness but rather the gestalt – the very being of the subject.
You should be able to see the strengths and limitations of both approaches and be well on your way to finding your favourite way of working.
If you would like to see this exercise in action (with a pepper, not an onion), hop over to YouTube:
