Hearts On Fire Episode 23
“This afternoon is about light and shade,” Julia said after they set up their easels at King’s Peak.
“There’s not much to paint here, dear,” Charlie complained.
“Exactly,” Julia replied.
“We normally go out on to the viewpoint,” Charlie continued. “Here there’s nothing but a few picnic tables and dead leaves.”
“That’s the whole point. We’re looking at identifying a focal point and enhancing that with contrast.”
“What focal point?”
“Oh, Charlie! Give the woman a chance,” Wizzy put in.
“I’ve asked Marianna to come with us.” Julia indicated their host, who smiled and waved.
“As you will have noticed from the paintings at Villa Davide, she’s an absolute genius at this.”
Marianna waved away the compliment.
“Oh, but you are, Marianna,” Wizzy insisted. “I love your landscapes. You always pick out something unexpected.”
She turned to Charlie.
“Doesn’t she?”
“Your paintings are certainly unexpected,” Charlie replied drily.
“And the dogs,” Wizzy added. “You get so much character into them. So much expression.
“That’s what you should be doing, Charlie.”
To her credit, Charlie made a movement with her head that implied she might actually agree.
Julia explained that she wanted everyone to start as they had the other day, by producing numerous rough sketches.
Then they should choose one sketch, identify the lines of movement and, from there, the focal point.
Once they were satisfied with the balance, they should transfer that sketch to their paper and begin their painting.
“And remember,” Julia concluded. “I don’t want you to be constrained by the colours of the forest.
“Which,” she added, “are rather brown. And to help, we have a live model.”
To a chorus of delight, Marianna produced Bruno.
The dog looked rather uncertain, his tail down.
He looked up at Marianna.
“He’s normally at home having a sleep at this time,” Marianna explained. “Come on, Bruno.”
With some cajoling, Bruno settled on a blanket at Marianna’s feet.
“I’m going to join you in this exercise,” Julia said, setting up her own paper. “We can compare later.
“Marianna will do the rounds, seeing how you’re getting on.”
Charlie leaned towards Wizzy and whispered to her, for once in a low voice.
“I think Marianna’s acting as chaperone because of you-know-who.”
Wizzy appraised Julia from beneath her eyelashes.
“Don’t be silly. Our tutor is doing a marvellous job.”
It was odd, though. Wizzy had never known Marianna to attend a session before, so something was amiss.
Wizzy tried to concentrate on sketching the little white dog with the black button nose and shiny eyes in various poses.
After 10 minutes, she realised the only one she felt enthusiasm for was Bruno zooming off into the sky like Superman on some intrepid doggy adventure.
Where on earth had that come from?
It was exactly the opposite of the vibes Bruno was giving off.
She caught Charlie’s expression from the corner of her eye, which was the epitome of disbelief.
“Draw what you imagine,” Wizzy said to her, “not what you see.”
Charlie rolled her eyes.
“At least it’s an animal today. I can do those.”
Marianna was reiterating to Debbie how to check the focal point of the drawing by adding the predominant lines of movement and checking where they intersected.
Wizzy listened vaguely. She knew all this, too, but enjoyed returning to basics.
Julia had said she had a flair for composition. Perhaps she just applied all these techniques naturally and subconsciously.
Either way, it was encouraging to receive positive feedback and praise for a change.
Soon she had settled on her picture.
She pencilled in the lines of movement and noted where the intersection was.
She smiled as Marianna encouraged people to start. She was ready.
“And don’t forget,” Marianna added, “maximal tonal contrast at your focal point. Tone down the peripheries. Make it a complete blur if you like.”
Wizzy transferred her sketch of Bruno on to the paper on her easel.
The focal point – his eyes – would be red, and she would reverse the remaining colour scheme to create a negative of Bruno.
“What on earth is that?” Charlie asked as Wizzy sketched out Bruno as he actually was, curled up on the blanket, his feet twitching in a doggy dream.
“That,” Wizzy replied, “is a were-Bruno.”
To be continued…