Joni Murphy​ Artist
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Hi There Creative Soul!
Welcome to my Art World

Colour Wheel in Watercolour

31/7/2018

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Welcome to another watercolour Tutorial!
I hope you will paint along to the short video I have made for you, watch how to paint your own simple colour wheel.
The colours I am using are the 3 primary’s
a warm and cool of each.
Thats 6 colour in total. 
This is all you need to get started. From these 6 colours you should be able to make every colour in the spectrum.... in theory. 
​I will put a list of the colour names below.

​So grab your supplies and follow along...
You now have a complete rainbow which includes your 3 primary colours and 3 tertiary colours.

This exercise is essential for all beginners (All my students do this as a first exercise to learn the colour names and how to mix clean colour). As you learn, becoming more aware of colours and colour mixing, a bit further down the track, new colours are added to our palette.
​
There is another reason for learning this...
Understanding colour schemes
When choosing a palette a good place to start is with either
A complimentary colour scheme
or
An Harmonious (Analogues) colour scheme.
I will discuss this more in another post.

Here he is our beautiful colour wheel.
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You can choose to paint any shape you wish.
​The shape I have chosen to use here is the Seed of Life.
You can learn how to draw this yourself with my tutorial here
The Seed of Life Drawing Tutorial

​Our colours are
Lemon Yellow - cool yellow
Cadmium Yellow- warm yellow
Cadmium Red - warm red
Rose Madder - cool red
Ultramarine Blue - warm blue
Prussian Blue - cool blue
I love Windsor & Newton - Cotmans Watercolour.
This is a great Watercolour for students. Reliable, consistent, beautiful clean pigment with just the right amount of transparency.
You can find it in most Art supplies stores AND it’s super affordable too!
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The most important thing of all....
play, experiment and have fun!

For those ready to move on to something a bit more challenging check out these tutorials
Watercolour Colour Sampler Tutorial
and 
Watercolour Feather Tutorial
X
​Joni
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How to draw perfect Geometric patterns

31/7/2018

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Welcome to another Geometry Tutorial.
I know the word "geometry" doesnt evoke happy thoughts for most... but it truely is like a little bit of magic!
Have a go... I bet you will be hooked too.

Here is a video tutorial of dividing up a circle to create perfect geometric shapes.
You will need
  • Paper
  • Pens or pencils
  • Compass
  • Ruler
​Grab your drawing tools and follow along to make your own patterns too.
Once you have learnt the Seed of Life, the next fun thing I like to teach is how to find all the gorgeous patterns
You can see Seed of Life Tutorial here
Seed of Life Drawing Tutorial
Watercolour Colour Sampler

This is a great way to divide up a space for painting a colour chart.
You can see how I have used this for my colour sampler here
​Colour Sampler Painting Tutorial
Its also just a super useful little life hack for being able to make these shapes, perfectly geometric, quickly and easily!
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August in my Garden

31/7/2018

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My Garden Sketchbook and Journal

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Firstly, you must know...
I’m no horticulturalist
Im not a botanist....
I'm just a girl who is on a mission to get some order in my garden!
I have high hopes and all the nessesary tools. I want to be able to grow all the fabulous specimens for my drawing and eating pleasure.

I am setting myself some lofty goals which I’m going to share with you along the way. 
​So...
The artist in me, first, had to make a pretty garden planner for recording what I do in my Garden, and when. 
I thought I would also share this with you too!
(I will put a free download for my August 2018 Garden Planner at the end of this post.)
I have pasted this into a simple note book and painted my illustration.

Gardening by the moon cycle, "Moonplanting", is a tool I want to use this season, so i have placed the full moon and new moon. 
Working by this each month I hope to find a good rhythm in my Gardening routine, block out tasks and get a beautiful garden. 
Celtic Southern Hemisphere Gardening Calendar
Celtic Garden Calendar - Southern Hemisphere
This gorgeous Celtic Gardening Calendar poster that I keep in my shed is full of beautiful wise gems.

1st of August is Imbolc.
Imbolc is the half way point between the Winter Solctice and Spring Equinox. 
The first signs of spring are here!

This month is the beginning of the planting season for the summer garden, and there is so much to do!

The New Moon is on the 11th August

The Full moon is on the 26th August. 
Last month I began preparing all my garden beds, digging in the leaf mulch from autumn, compost from the bottom of my compost bin, chook poop form their house each time I freshened their bedding. I collected seaweed from the beach and ash from our outdoor fire which all went in. Then went in a huge sack of horse poop from our neighbours stables...
The last big dig over was handfulls of Lime whew! Thats a lot of digging!!

With all that done, I've let it rest. 

Another job is sprouting potatoes. 
Apparently, this takes a month. I've laid my seed potatoes in box, in a dry dark area in my basement. They will be ready to plant in September, which will hopefully give us fresh potatoes to dig up in time for Christmas... We are going to find out together.

August chores with the Rhythm of the Moon

Seed Collection
Last seasons Seed Collection
1st - 7th August. 
Harvest and Prune. Not a good time for planting.
8th & 9th August.
Sow & Plant Root crops.
10th -14th August.
Prepare beds for planting phase. Add Mulch and compost.
15th - 23rd August
Planting all above ground crops.
24th - 28th August.
Weeding and mulching. 
29th - 31st August
Sow and Plant root crops.

I'm going to decide what to plant and Sow.
​The beds are ready! Bring on Planting Day!

Click the Download here to get your printable August 2018 Garden Planner
gardenplanneraug2018.jpg
File Size: 1982 kb
File Type: jpg
Download File

Pretty Botanical Illustrations

This is one of my passions and one of the reasons I want to grow a luscious garden... so I can fill my sketch books with luscious botanical illustrations.
A few years ago I was inspired by an amazing Artist and Teacher, Margaret- Mary Farr, the joy of observational nature painting and drawing. 
I got the bug, I practiced (and continue to practice) everyday. 
There is a sence of peace I feel while Im looking deeply into a flower or studying a leaf pattern. 

My daily ritual is to go for a jog around our block and find something new to bring home to study. 
Slowly I am learning. Slowly I am getting better. 
A monthly addition to my Garden Journal?
This will be a treat to look back on in a years time! 

The link below will take you to a New Zealand site which has the Moon Calendar available for download
link to printable get a perpetual Moon Calendar ​
Happy garden planning
X
​Joni
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The Seed of Life - Drawing Tutorial

31/7/2018

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The seed of life is the first genesis of the flower of life.
This video tutorial will teach you how to draw this beautiful pattern.
I use this pattern a lot in my beginner painting tutorials and I teach this in the Mandala Drawing workshops I run.

There will be more about all the symbolism behind these patterns and lots of ways you can use this tool to improve your own painting in another blog post to come.

Meanwhile...
grab a compass, some paper and pens!
Start making this beautiful pattern ❄️

Its simple, fun and good for your soul
​
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Happy Drawing

X
​Joni
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Colour chart (or sampler)

31/7/2018

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Hi my fabulous Creative Souls
Here is a tutorial I've put together for you so you can learn a bit more about colour mixing, and make a beautiful Painting too!
If you haven't seen my first Watercolour Colour tutorial check it out here to learn the basics of the colour wheel.

​Beginners Colour Wheel Tutorial

Lets get started!!
You will need
  • Watercolour Paper
  • Clean water - just a small jar is plenty
  • A Watercolour Brush
  • Watercolour Paints 
I also like to have a paper towel handy to soak up puddles and to dry off my brush if it is holding too much water.
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Follow along to make your own gorgeous colour sampler.
This is a fun way to paint a colour sampler.

There are more formal methods to painting a colour sampler, but I quite enjoy the freedom of this more intuitive approach.
Begin with a colour, fill your first area.
I have started with Yellow.
As you move to each new area, make subtle changes in the last colour you used by adding tiny amounts of the next colour on the colour wheel.
You can make these any pattern, any size.
The aim is to experience colour and feeling an awareness in your sensitivity towards the subtle shifts in colour.
The more you practice exercises like this the more cohesive and natural your paintings will look. Your ability to intuitive choose the right colours for your subject will improve.
This makes a gorgeous painting!
And it’s fun!

The pattern I have used here is based on the Seed of Life, with Geometric divisions.
You can learn how to draw that here
The Seed Of Life Drawing Tutorial 
Easily Draw Perfect Geometric Patterns Tutorial

​
And if you are ready to take this to a new level ... checkout the Watercolour Feather Painting Tutorial for another fun easy painting project.

Happy Painting
x
​Joni
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Term 3... Lets get creative!

20/7/2018

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Art Classes in New Plymouth
for
Children, Youth and Adults

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Warmest Winter wishes...
Term 3 is about to begin and back into our weekly after school Art Classes. 
This term all our classes will be held at the Gables Studio.
We are so excited to be able to use this wonderful space, and we are very thankful to the North Taranaki Arts Society for giving us permission to rent this space. 
The children have a much more "real" art experience being in a purpose built art studio. And the added benefit of being located in the beautiful grounds of Brooklands Park. 
What a treat!
Children's Art Class with Zoe
Thursdays 3:40-4:40 for 5-10yrs
Zoe had a lovely time with the children's class last term, and all the children adored her! She loved it so much that she is going to be running it again this term. 
This term zoe has arranged lots of fun, creative activities for your young creative.
Zoe's art is focused on earth based arts and traditional hand crafts, using natural or recycled materials, and Eco arts principals. 
These classes are suitable for ages 5-10yrs
Held on Thursdays 3:40-4:40pm
At The Gables Studio (Brooklands Park Drive, same road as Brooklands Zoo, behind the Gables Gallery)
- I will add a google map link below.

Classes start week 2 of term
​2nd August 2018
​Term Fee $80.00 per child

​To reserve a spot or ask any questions about the Thursday After School Art Class with Zoe, email us here

Email Us
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Youth Art Class with Joni
Mondays 3:30-5pm, 11 yrs +
​At the Gables Studio

We had a fantastic group last term! All 10 students successfully finished a large painting and a sculpture, all based on their own ideas and concepts. 
They then organised an exhibition in the main gallery room in the Gables Gallery. This was well attended by families and members of the North Taranaki Arts Society. 
We will be working in the same way this term. Starting and finished a self directed creative project.
I will also be introducing geometry to the youth as a warm up to finding inspiration. This is one of my personal inspirations and passions, so Im quite excited to share this.

Classes start week 2 of term
​30 July 2018 
​​Term Fee $80.00 per child

To reserve a spot or ask any questions about the Youth Art Class, email us here

Email us

Adults Art Classes

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Last term was filled with new and fun classes.
I had a fabulous time with all the workshops at The Collaboration ... every class filled up super fast. 
All the participants had a great time, all making something they were really proud of. 
I even got message in the days following each from my awesome students thanking me for rekindling their creativity ... Such Joy! oh that really made my heart sing! 
I get such a buzz sharing my love of art and creativity.

I have been getting a few requests a full day Watercolour Painting class. 
So I have booked the Gables Studio for late August.
This will be working from bare basics and colour theory through to making a large finish painting from your reference photograph.
There will be an optional 2nd day for finishing a project and to meet the North Taranaki Arts Society Watercolour Painting Group.
This will be a great "ice breaker" opportunity for anyone wanting to come to the regular Monday night class and for my current Monday night Class students to get stuck into a bigger project. 
Finalised details will be available in a couple of weeks.


As usual the Monday night Watercolour Painting Class will be on at the Gables Studio.
Complete a different painting each Monday night 
Every Monday evening 
6 - 7pm

Look forward to seeing you and your children soon

Map to the Gables Gallery and Art Studio
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Easy Watercolour Leaf Tutorial

1/7/2018

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Well... the last couple of weeks have been so filled with Creative doings, I decided this weekend I needed to slow down and be a creative being!
Some simple warm ups turned into a lovely little tutorial series. 
 ..... Just another happy accident?
Putting the practice is the key!
Showing up to your creative space. 
Ready to be a creative being.  No matter how much bad art you make!

So, I hope you take the time to be a creative being. 
Here is a little leafy inspration
​

Simple Watercolour Leaf

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I would love to see your practices!
And let me know if you would like more of these tutorials to keep you inspired.

Original Leafy Works Gallery on Artists & Co

These original watercolour paintings are now for sale in the new Artists & Co online gallery. 
There is SERIOUSLY heaps of amazing talent over there!
Click on the picture below go directly to their site.
Happy Creating!
Joni
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    Author

    Hi, 
    My name is Joni and I am a full time Artist in New Plymouth, a small city situated between the sea and Mt Taranaki.
    With my very understanding Husband, patient children and all our weird and wonderful pets we enjoy a quite life filled with good vibes, good food and a lot of Love.     
    I love teaching art and enabling others to pursue their creative dreams! I hope I can inspire you too. 

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