Fun Things to Do

Article by Roger Orton:

I teach watercolour painting to adult students in both group and one to one sessions. The majority of my students fall into the over 50 age group who have previously not painted that much, if at all since they have left school.

Cross One Thing Off Your "To Do List"

For those of you wondering if “taking up the brush is going to be for me”,  my advice would be to just give it a try.

At the very least you will know that this is one thing to cross of your "have a go at" list but then you may find it’s something that will provide you with many hours of fun and entertainment for the rest of you life, at what is very affordable compared to most other pastimes.

Meet New Friends

It doesn’t just have to be the fact that you are going to sit down at home and try and produce works of art that you, your family and friends can enjoy looking at, but also that this hobby can open up a whole new world for you.

Joining an art club will give you the opportunity to get out and make new friends, all having something in common with you to talk about …… painting and art in general.

Find a Local Art Club

Using my local art club as an example, we meet on Saturdays between 12.00 and 4.00 p.m., contributing £2.00 towards the running of the club which provides us with tea, coffee and biscuits.

Members do their own projects in the medium of their choice. It’s a great, no pressure environment away from home, life’s chores and distractions. Here is the opportunity to learn by seeing pictures being painted in different styles and mediums.

The art club session is as much a social event as a painting day out. Not to mention the opportunity of joining your newly made friends in what I call “other one day events”. These can range from going as a group to art exhibitions to annual events such as a Christmas lunch together.

Learning something new does not have to be scary

When teaching art, many new students admit that they are nervous on the first day. This can range from the “I know that I cannot paint very well so I don’t want to make a fool of myself” to the “Help, I’m terrified.”

Doing or learning something new can take anyone out of their comfort zone and this is probably the reason why I get asked to teach many beginners to watercolours on a one to one basis.

I believe that nerves get in the way of producing good art and the first thing to do is to get in the right frame of mind. Even for a painting veteran like myself, I seem to paint better when having my favourite pieces of music playing in the background.

It does not matter how it turns out

I think that beginners should try and take the attitude that it doesn’t matter what the picture turns out like in the end, but they are just going to enjoy every minute of painting it. Surely the enjoyment factor is the main reason that they want to do it in the first place! The more you enjoy it, the more you will do it and with a little guidance, the better you will become at it.

We all have to start somewhere

Once you have learnt basic techniques of how to paint, there is no right or wrong way of painting or even what your painting should look like. The rule to follow is “if it works for you and you like what you see then use it, and if it doesn’t work for you then find another way of doing it.” Do not feel that your picture has to look like everyone else’s. It’s the painting that looks different and stands out from the crowd that is usually liked more, making it a piece to be talked about and admired.

So to all who are thinking of taking up art as a hobby, don’t wait. Jump in with both feet and discover this whole new world of colour, light and shape.

Looking at the world in a different way

You will start to really see everyday things around you for the first time in a different way. Enjoy the whole experience.

Roger Orton

Find out more about Roger's painting courses

Roger Orton painting courses are held at various locations in the Midlands, North Wales and Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire.

You can visit his website for further information at
www.paintingcourse.org

Pictures are taken at Astley Art Club, Astley Reading Room, Astley, Nuneaton.