Table of contents for Issue 9 in Creative Artist

Jill Kirstein was born in Katoomba, New South Wales – high in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. After the war, her family moved to Bulawayo in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). It was at the Bulawayo Dominican Convent where a lifetime love of art first began to emerge in her youthful experience. Many years later, after marrying a Rhodesian cattle farmer, Jill took up painting with renewed fervour. The peace and tranquility of panoramic views from her farmhouse home inspired Jill to rekindle the flame of her passion for painting. As an accomplished flower arranger who had won several trophies and awards, Jill Kirstein followed her natural inclinations to pursue floral art in her personal search for artistic expression. Her particular love of roses reinforced her view that these distinctive blooms were…

I didn’t actively decide to pursue art until I was 13 years old and I entered (and won) an art competition run by the local community newsletter “The Village Journal”. Although always encouraged to dabble in art by my talented mother, until then I hadn’t developed any particular aptitude – the diverse array of art materials I had been preciously hoarding remained largely untouched! The competition called for a border design for the newsletter’s back-page calendar, and, ever ambitious, in that first attempt with a black felt-tipped pen, I managed to include a rough sketch of no less than five native Australian animals – a koala, platypus, echidna and quoll, with a pigeon to top it all off! It’s quite possible that I was the only contestant to enter the…

For the best results, pick clear blue days for landscape photography avoid smoke, smog and overcast days. After rain is very good, as the atmosphere is fresh and clean which gives clarity and saturation of colours. Generally, early morning and late afternoon are the best times for atmospheric lighting. We traditionally think of panoramas as a popular way to capture land, sea and cityscapes. For these sweeping landscapes, it is best to use an ultra-wide-lens and/or special effect fish-eye lens to capture a wraparound 360 degrees to give the WOW factor! Nothing has changed over the generations for artists and photographers, as these creative people look at life and things differently. One vista point can capture their imagination for years, revisiting the same place and viewing it in a new…

Born in 1945 in Newcastle, NSW, I lived at Waratah and Stockton. My grandfather Albert Sheppard introduced me to art by collecting thin sticks and showing me how to form them into outlines of boats and houses on the sand at Stockton. His brother, my Uncle Edgar, a well- known artist in Sydney, used to fascinate me, as I would watch him draw old boatsheds and wharfs along the Hunter River. From this and watching my dad doodling round the edge of a newspaper and mum painting little animal models etc., I always had interest in art. When I was five years of age, my dad decided we should move to Macksville as he tried to make a living from fishing. Living in an aged, small, fibro house I have…

Step One Pencil sketch for composition While the initial rough sketch usually takes the least physical time of the whole painting process, it can take a considerable period to settle on the right composition before putting pencil to watercolour paper. The composition for this portrait was relatively simple and was based on a few of my reference photos stitched together (to obtain the best combination of bird facial expressions). I use watercolour paper that I have pre-stretched and taped to a plywood board. I use graphite pencils in a soft, sketchy, semi-loose technique to outline and add details to the birds and branch. I’m not concerned about neatness at this stage, however, for wildlife portraits, form and perspective are particularly important – details around the focal point (usually the face…

I recall many years of my own struggle with the medium. Having studied the works of a few masters, I attempted similar subjects, hoping to emulate their techniques, only to end up with very disappointing results. I had not accounted for the many years of training and brush mileage that were behind their mastery. From those humble beginnings, I have learnt to respect watercolour. I now know why even many competent artists of other mediums are brought to their knees by this medium. There is a steep learning curve, and many regard watercolour to be the most difficult medium. Sadly, many beginners are put off by this challenge. Its true magical qualities are only revealed to those who are brave enough to persevere. Eventually, persistence and hard work will be…

Materials List • A smooth water colour sheet 150 to 250 gsm, 700 x 540cm• Staedtler pigment liner 0.05, 0.1, 0.6• Pencil 2H, HB, 6B• Backing board• 1m steel ruler• Good quality eraser• Masking tape• Camera with a good zoom lens I have decided to just tape the edges of my paper down with masking tape onto an old plywood cupboard door, but a 3 or 4-ply board is fine. I make sure the paper is parallel with the edges of the board as it aids in ruling grid lines accurately. Larger drawings are better stretched with water and gummed tape. If you decide to enlarge the drawing of your photo, allow for a good border with your paper. Now for my photo. Step One This is a downloaded black and white A4 photocopy of an old country…

Some 19 years ago, I picked up a film camera as a way of showing my photos to family and friends, highlighting some of the incredible experiences I was having out in nature. I didn’t plan on nature photography being my career, but after publishers started seeing my work and wanting to purchase my images for publishing, the ‘seeds were sown’, as the old saying goes. I then started teaching photographers how to use their cameras to take better images – eventually this became my career. I’m now a full-time, professional nature photographer, writer and tutor, travelling across Australia and the world to photograph, present photography workshops and adventures, speak at camera clubs and photo conventions, judge photography competitions and write articles for major photographic magazines. I use certain photographic…

Established in 1887, Bendigo Art Gallery is the largest regional gallery in Australia, presenting a dynamic temporary exhibition program alongside highlights from its extensive permanent collection. The Gallery has experienced monumental changes in recent decades, with major redevelopments providing generous contemporary spaces for exhibitions of national and international significance, and an array of balanced and inclusive public programs, events and educational opportunities for visitors of all ages. The city of Bendigo is firmly positioned within Australian history as a major area of gold mining activity during the early 1850s. It was due in no small part to this period of wealth and prosperity that the Gallery was founded, encouraged by a groundswell of public interest and reliant on donations and private philanthropy. Now owned and operated by the City of…

This demonstration contains instructions on executing a wet street scene from start to finish using watercolour. The scene is based on a reference photograph taken in the historic town of Goulburn in southern NSW. I love painting moody and atmospheric sceneries, where I could utilise watercolour to create these magical effects. Streetscapes with rain is a favourite subject for me; the wet streets provide me opportunities paint reflections, while the heavy atmosphere makes the colours muted. Step One The reference photo has lot of unnecessary elements that need careful consideration for elimination. The many cars parked at various angles does not support single point perspective, hence I have minimised the cars to a handful. Also, I have varied their sizes and placed them strategically to give an illusion of depth.…