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<p>We have had three new members join recently and plunge straight
in. It was a pleasure to welcome you last week and this. </p>
<p>Those who attended enjoyed our chat on studios. I'll give a
summary in a minute. <br>
</p>
<p>First, news of our next "social meeting" this coming Friday. We
are going to try having a theme, topic or task for some of these
meetings. This week, we suggest you produce a representation of a
rabbit in whatever medium you fancy. Please don't spend too long
on it, unless you really want to. You don't even have to do one at
all - we still hope to see you at the meeting. <br>
</p>
<p>Deborah has kindly agreed to chair the meeting. There is no one
time that suits everyone, unfortunately. We have picked 6pm again.
With any luck we shall be able to have participants share their
screens in Zoom to display their "homework". I have already sent
round the Zoom invitation. <br>
</p>
<p><b>Technical notes - Our discussion on Studios</b></p>
<p>Some members have converted an outbuilding or a garage into a
home studio. Others with "empty nests" repurposed a bedroom. The
remainder made do with what was available in living space, or
painted outside the home. <br>
</p>
<p>The changing colours and direction of daylight bothered some, but
not others. John Dawson uses cheap builders floodlights on a
stand, which he said are daylight bulbs. He showed us something
that looked like this
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-hlc400t-230v-twin-halogen-work-lights-w">https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-hlc400t-230v-twin-halogen-work-lights-w</a>
.Others use artists daylight bulbs, something like this
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://daylightcompany.com/artist-studio-lamp-with-stand/">https://daylightcompany.com/artist-studio-lamp-with-stand/</a>. One
garage conversion boasted daylight colour ceiling light, but in a
fitting which might make changing the bulb difficult. <br>
</p>
<p>Access to water and drainage was another issue. I was not the
only one to fear carrying anything painty over a carpet. <br>
</p>
<p>We also discussed the comparative smell of real oil paint,
modified oil paints and altogether different paints. We didn't
quite manage to discuss VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which is
the technical jargon for these smelly and sometimes dangerous
compounds. We had a brief diversion into oil and turps for oil
paints. <br>
</p>
<p>I inadvertently suggested using hairspray as a cheap form of
fixative for watercolour works, when I meant charcoal. Paul picked
me up on it. His response is interesting and I quote it in full:</p>
<p>"I would just like to pick you up on your hairspray comment and
my use of acrylic lacquer to protection for watercolour on gesso
paintings yesterday. It is not the quite the same as hairspray
which I would never use on watercolour for obvious reasons!
Practically everyone knows it is perhaps used as a cheap fixative
for charcoal etc but never for watercolour as far as I know.<br>
<br>
When painting on gesso it is quite different from paper. I will
not go into the reason for using gesso occasionally rather than
traditional watercolour papers but the paint tends to sit on the
surface. The result is that the surface needs extra protection
when complete.<br>
<br>
Acrylic lacquer is quite different from hairspray. Please see its
properties and usages below. Jacksons sell it but it is quite
expensive in comparison. When you look at the actual ingredients
(which I mostly do to avoid brand hype costs) you can buy the same
stuff far cheaper from other sources.<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.jacksonsart.com/lascaux-aerosol-uv-protect-varnishes-uk-only">https://www.jacksonsart.com/lascaux-aerosol-uv-protect-varnishes-uk-only</a><br>
<br>
Also when protecting watercolours with acrylic lacquer it no
longer needs strictly to be protected behind glass."<br>
</p>
<p>So what did we learn? I had the impression that everyone learnt a
little something, as well as just broadening our collective and
individual experience. More sessions to follow!</p>
<p>Adrian<br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
<b>Adrian Fowle<br>
Chairman, Bromley Art Society</b></div>
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