This will be my second module with the OCA. I spent the last year working on Drawing 1: Drawing Skills, experimenting across various media, learning about materials, and stepping a toe into understanding context and influences within my works. I have been drawing for some years now, am comfortable with many dry media, and I am most comfortable and motivated when working with the figure.

Painting is a challenge for me, and where I want my skills to improve. I have been working with watercolour for the same length as I’ve been drawing. Six or so years back, I got interested in ink and watercolour as I was learning the process of drawing comic books. A pursuit I did not continue with, though perhaps I’ll return to at some point — narrative is very interesting to me.

I have also worked with acrylic and oil. I really dislike the speed with which acrylic dries, and the difficulty of creating smooth transitions. For some reason, I’m comfortable with the colour shift of watercolour, but dislike it in acrylics. A few years back I picked up some oil paints and decided I was going to start experimenting. Sometimes I can produce something acceptable, but mostly my progress with this medium has been slow, inconsistent and at many times frustrating.

Which brings me here. In 2021 I decided that I had done what I could with undirected learning, and found the OCA. I decided I needed structure, focus and critical feedback.

In this module, I’m hoping to practice a number of technical areas that I am weak with: brush control, colour mixing, and a greater understanding of the mediums and supports. Subject wise, as mentioned I’ve always been most interested in the figure but have been intrigued by plein air landscape — hopefully as I start this module in Summer I’ll be able to lean in here and find time and confident to try this.

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