Frans Aeyelts - Workshops

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"Paint Your Favourite Scenes",
with Frans Aeyelts

Are you at this stage in your development as an artist where you would like to enhance your skills in drawing and painting, but don't know where to start? Do you need assistance in transforming your favourite photographs into paintings?

Frans Aeyelts of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia also conducts workshops, which are designed to help students paint their favourite scenes from original photographs. His aim in the workshop is to assist students in developing their own style. Once a workshop is organized, he requests that students send him an enlargement of each photograph intended for the use at the workshop. Prior to the workshop, Frans gives advice on composition, design, colour and centre of interest. At the workshop, Frans offers individual attention and hands on support to students who desire some assistance in transforming their favourite pictures into their own paintings. The goal at "Paint Your Favourite Scenes" workshops is to send each student home with completed paintings.

Frans is available for one, two or three day workshops. Students who are interested in having a workshop conducted in their area may contact him at 902-634-8918 or by e-mail info@fransaeyelts.com
Mailing address: Frans Aeyelts, PO Box 803, Lunenenburg NS B0J 2C0.



Frans offers art lessons Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and every other Saturday, from 10 am to 1 pm, October through May (9 am - 12 noon, June through September). Cost per class lesson is $25 or $150 for 6 lessons. Private instruction: $30 per hour.

During classes, drawing is taught involving such topics as: perspective, design, composition, shading, etc. The second half of each class is devoted to watercolour techniques. The aim is to complete one painting per class.


Please read Frans' essay "Everyone Can Draw".



Plein Air Workshop in Italy - March 2011


Upcoming workshops


Workshop Schedule

Thursday, April 15, 2010
Une Belle Vue

The historic site of Grand Pré with Cape Blomidon in the background, is well known to most of us. The historic little church in this painting is the focal point. The two people looking at it in the left foreground is the second point of interest, placed according to the rule of thirds, guiding your eye from the two observers to the church, thus creating a link.

The broad vista is painted in strong horizontal lines, enhanced by the dramatic sky. The fence posts running diagonally across the image, suggests depth, and the vertical line of the spire creates strength. The color scheme used in this painting is based on most, some and a bit, where most runs from yellow-green through blue-green, some comprises yellow and blue, and finally a bit runs through red-violet and red-orange.

You may elect to paint this scene in different colors. In order to create your own unique painting, ignore the photograph's colors and paint it according to your own color scheme.



Plein Air: Maritime Watercolours
July 15, 16, 17, 2010 (3-day)
October 15, 16, 17, 2010 (3-day)

Frans will hold these two 3-day workshops under the auspices of the Lunenburg Seaside Craft School. Please register on their website.



Thursday, May 20, 2010
Spectacular Contrasts

Nature's last spectacular "finale", in the form of a magnificent dramatic evening sky, contrasts vividly with the sharp reflections in the calm foreground scene. Sharp contrasts, crisp complementarity colours (orange and blue), are predominant features in this painting. The strong horizontal background complemented by vertical lines create an interesting balance along with the gentle diagonal line (i.e. the dock), which suggests depth.

According to the one third rule, the three people having a conversation are placed in the lower right corner, giving the scene the human aspect. The colour scheme roughly fits within: "Most, Some and a Bit" principle.
Most: blue through violet.
Some: blue-green and red violet.
A bit: orange through yellow .

If you wish, change the colour scheme to suit your fancy. Use the colour wheel to assist you in making a choice.



Thursday, June 10, 2010
Walking the Dog

Is there a nicer place to let the dog roam more freely than the beach? Hence, you can easily imagine yourself in this setting. Painted primarily in mauves, blues, orange and some yellow, this is an attractive subject matter.

The rocks at left, the distant boulders curving back into the beach at right, form an elliptical composition. Within this concept is the couple walking their dog.

Try different color schemes on a reduced line drawing traced off the image, if this is interesting to you. Have your photocopies made on card stock at your local photocopy center. This is a heavier paper than normal bond paper, and lends itself to this type of experimentation.



Thursday, July 22, 2010
Day's End

Painted in analogous colours, "Day's End" emphasizes the lingering soft and warm colours of a summer's evening. Straddling the yellow spectrum, the blue hue in the barn's façade complements the orange colours, making it a focal point.

The composition has three distinct features: the hay-rake in the foreground, the barn occupies the middle-ground, and the forest contours form the background without any details, rendering a feeling of depth.

This subject can be expressed in various colour schemes. Consult your colour wheel and choose your favourite one.



Thursday, August 12, 2010
Revive your old "hum-ho" paintings

We all have anywhere from a few, to a stack of "so-so" paintings. Wouldn't it be nice to redeem them! Here's the good news. Varying from a few strokes to a radical make-over, those pieces can sparkle once again! Breathe life back into them; you'll be surprised to learn how those so called "unforgiving" watercolours can be manipulated.

This is a fun learning curve, which extends into all those other paintings you will re-assess with a critical eye. So, what's there to lose? Learn something totally new. Take the leap!

Select and bring along 3 or 4 paintings to this workshop. I'll guide you through the process and the possibilities which present themselves on the spot. Hope to see you there, let's have fun with this workshop!

Best wishes,
Frans


Thursday, September 16, 2010
Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute

Venice...conjures up images of a painter's paradise, if nothing else! Abundant with narrow canals, gondolas, alleyways, and an ubiquitous "joie de vivre", you'll be hard pressed to find more attractive painting sites. The image speaks for itself, this majestic edifice towers above the gondolier.

Painted in a warm, complementary palette, with sharp contrasts, soft and hard edges, it conveys the essence of this beautiful city. Surprisingly the colour range is limited. Have fun exploring this exciting topic, which you can render from monochromatic to a full colour range!

Hope to see you at the workshop.




All workshops include detailed handouts with step-by-step drawing and painting instructions. Full size 10" x 14" drawings are included which you may use to trace the image directly upon your quarter size watercolour paper, if you find the drawing aspect too challenging. You can use the handouts as many times as you wish, change the composition, colours or alter any aspect you fancy. Photocopying the full size drawing onto "cardboard stock" paper, allows you to experiment with colours and brush techniques in an economical way. Glue the paper onto "foam board" with spray adhesive. This way it doesn't buckle and your end results will be better. Inquire at your local photocopy centre whether their copiers will copy the image onto your pre-cut watercolour paper, i.e. 11" x 17", or smaller. Have them print the image on both sides! This will enable you to execute multiple paintings in a short time.