Here are the two ideas for the sessions this month. As always, if you don’t fancy either idea, then feel free to bring along what you want to paint, including finishing any drawings and paintings from previous months. We’ll be having an Open Day again this year, on Saturday November 25th, so get organised early and complete a picture or two.

Also, if you come on Wednesday only but want to paint Saturday’s idea, or can only come on Saturday but want to paint Wednesday’s suggestion, then that’s absolutely fine too!

Wednesday 12th April – 7-9pm – Miniatures

An evening painting miniatures, in honour of our former member, the late Shirley Porter, who painted exquisite miniatures for many years. Shirley had many of her paintings exhibited at The Mall Gallery in London, as she took part in the exhibitions organised by The Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers.

The maximum size for the miniatures is 6″ x 4.5″ and that actually includes the frame. Paint or draw something approximately the size of a postcard, or even smaller if you wish. Any style any medium.

www.royal-miniature-society.org.uk

Click on the link to the home page then under ‘creating a miniature’ there is a lot of information about ‘how to paint miniatures’ and videos under ‘masterpieces magnified’.

Saturday 22nd April – 10am-3pm – Illuminated Letters

No, not shining a torch on letters of the alphabet! Illuminated letters are historically the first letters on a page or paragraph in manuscripts. Always enlarged and painted in colour, with gold applied in areas, of people, animals, plants and/or mythical creatures.

Choose the first letter of your name, a child or grandchild, or a friend. Illustrate that letter with hobbies or pets, or perhaps choose five things starting with that same letter. You could continue writing a sentence or poem to practice your calligraphy skills.

Goggle ‘illuminated letters’ for thousands of images of historical letters, but there are also many examples of modern styles of illuminated letters, with beautiful swirling patterns in bright colours and gold.

Remember all that gold paint you bought for last year’s competition on Tutankhamen? Now is your chance to use it again. Don’t use all of it though as the competition next month will probably require some too ;o)

Don’t forget to add the colour of the year, Viva Magenta, to your paintings too. Use any medium to create your painting.