The successful applicants will receive the following:

Accommodation, all meals and transport to  and from events in Halls Gap.

Access to workshops with:

• Australian Geographic’s wildlife artist – Ego Guiotto,
•  Native animal sketch artist – Linda Weil,
•  Photographer & painter Stephen Powell,
•  Outdoor photographer – John Tiddy
•  Collagraphy with – Val McCann.

Most art materials will be supplied.

Guided flora & fauna identification walk.

Film night at Centenary Hall.

Entry to Art Exhibition and Opening.

12 month subscription to GWAS.

It is proposed that the successful students will participate in the festival attending workshops, learning and sharing ideas and techniques. It is hoped that surrounding the students with professional artists and wildlife experts will inspire and foster an appreciation of the Grampians, wildlife art and artists. The students will produce their own works which may be useful in their VCE art folios. 

Time-line:

Applications Close 30^th May – Interviews early July – decision and notification by 19^th July.

For more information click here for a PDF application or please feel free to contact me on telephone (03) 5356 4314 .

Ingrid Rudolph

 Artistic Director

Grampians Wildlife Arts Society Inc.

Dear fellow committee, members and extended supporters of GWAS -
Our Society has decided to support this great initiative – to create more cycling paths in our Grampians Region – and so, we have come up with a team approach.
Through James and Maris ( James’ friend from Melbourne) we are planning a ‘ 5-G weekend’ full of fun and some gentle exercise and some light eating and drinking!

So please sign up and join us for the walk, the nordic walking lesson, the BBQ – the weekend really!

Please forward to all friends or family who may be just as excited as we are about this event!!

Click here for more information about Nordic Walking.

and here to view the full  Invitation  

 and here for more about Run the Gap

‘A treat for all those who do walk will be a special GWAS t-shirt based on this year’s festival hero shot by Ego!’

Packages

Full Package $45.00 AUD No walking poles $30.00 AUD Simply social $15.00 AUD

Glenda Lewin

President GWAS

The Experience -

Using their own camera or (by arrangement a camera supplied by the tutor), workshop participants will learn how to control light and how to set up the outdoor studio in a variety of local situations. The images achieved can then be  processed and printed allowing students to take high quality finished prints home for framing or display.

The Workshop – 2 days

Day one - The morning will be spent revising students photographic knowledge, ensuring they have an understanding of the basics of exposure and light. There will also be a discussion of lens choice, the use of flash and other aspects of photography

relevant to the field studio technique. The afternoon session will be in a suitable local location in the field, where students will set up their own “field studio” and create images of whatever Grampians flora is seasonal.

Day two- The morning session will be based on students mastering the technique in a “wet field studio” such as could be used for fish and amphibians. After lunch students will have the opportunity to use their new skills to photograph small  animals.

The final two hours will be spent on some of the points of Adobe Lightroom as applied to processing the RAW files, some

applicable Adobe Photoshop pointers and the production of prints of students work via a calibrated and profiled system.

The Experience -

Collagraph is essentially an experimental and inventive form of printmaking which uses a variety of textured materials stuck onto a cardboard base to create a low relief block which is then inked-up like an intaglio plate and printed on an etching press. In the workshop, a fun, imaginative and experimental approach is taken.

The Workshop – 2 days

The collagraph block can be made up of materials as diverse as scouring pads, wood chips / shavings, tea flakes, sand, wallpapers & textured papers, wool/string, seaweed, tissue/flocked papers, fabrics, lace, mesh, hessian, netting, bubble wrap, paper doilies, feathers and PVA glue. The possibilities are only limited by your own imagination. A Printing press will be available for the intaglio printing process and for relief printing rollers and inks will be available also

The first newsleter of Grampians Wildlife Arts Society was released, a much awaited event.

If you did not recieve a copy, you can click on this link …

and download or read a PDF version.

With three magnificent prizes up for grabs,

this should prove to be a very successful fundraiser for the society.

As a members or friend of GWAS, your assistance in promoting the raffle and selling tickets would be most appreciated.

Tickets are available in books of 25

just email James at webmaster@gwas.org.au to request books and arrange pickup or posting,

any unsold can be returned to the society.

The prizes are:

1st Prize

Beautifully airbrushed 44 gallon recycled drum with a solid redgum top, airbrushed with Grampians flora & fauna by local artist Ingrid Rudolph. Value: $1,000.00

Ducks - Ego Guiotto

2nd Prize

Limited Print: ‘Ducks’ by renowned Australian Wildlife Artist & GWAS tutor for 2012: Ego Guiotto Value $450.00

3rd prize

Family pass to Halls Gap Zoo, or art materials to the value of $100.00

Prices 1 ticket $2.00, 3 tickets $5.00, Book (25) $35.00

For further information please contact Glenda on 0409423872

Through a philanthropic donation the Society has secured a long term lease over the land which will be developed as the home of Australia’s wildlife arts collection.
President of GWAS Glenda Lewin says

the acquisition of the site is a significant milestone in achieving our vision to create a centre of excellence for exhibiting wildlife art.

“It will also create a home for promoting the extraordinary depth of artistic talent in the Grampians region.
Now we begin the challenging task of gaining support from both Federal and State government agencies along with private sponsors to support our vision of creating Australia’s first truly national gallery for wildlife art”

said Glenda Lewin.

What will participants be doing for the duration of the workshop(s)?

• Choice of reference images.
• Scaling up and drawing image.
• Transfer drawing to painting board
• Application of paint and use of various brushes
• Enhancing the details and textures.
• Finishing off!
• Painting fur
• How to paint life like eyes

Schedule:

NOTE: Various presentations and demonstrations will be conducted over all three days. Subject to students interest in a particular area and relevance to the current stage of their work.

Day 1:
Introduction presentation.
Presentation describing the technique to be used from drawing up to finished piece.
Presentation on reference choice followed by group and individual analysis of reference each will use. Tuition on layout and design.
Canvas preparation and paper mounting.
Presentation on layout roughs to drawing up for painting.
Students prepare for first piece.
Painting demonstrations.
Students begin 1st painting.
Individual tuition and help sessions as appropriate.

Day 2
Students continue work on their paintings.

Day 3
Students should have worked through to near final stage on at least some of their first piece. Most may have completed 1st piece.

Do you love to draw and are passionate about nature and wildlife?

Thursday 30^th August – Sunday 2^nd September

At the Halls Gap Zoo on Thursday 9-30am to 4.00pm.

Then at the Halls Gap Cricket Club on Friday 9-30am to 4.00pm, Saturday 10.00am to 4.00pm and Sunday 10.00am to 3.00pm.

This workshop will explore various drawing techniques and mediums to create lifelike drawings your favorite animal from the Halls Gap Zoo. Learn how to get the best from your graphite and colored pencils – discover how to create a variety of hues and effects with water soluble color and graphite pencils layered and mixed. Experiment with different drawing mediums to create realistic textures of fur, scales or feathers. Linda loves drawing from life and her workshop will offer you the opportunity to learn how to study and draw a living animal in motion and to create a finished work from life studies. Live animal studies at the Halls Gap Zoo, photography and a variety of ‘found’ natural items including feathers, shells, seed pods will be used to help familiarize students with technique and mediums. Students are encouraged to develop their individual talent and style learning how to instill life, color and personality into their drawings. Hands on demonstrations and one-on-one tuition are a feature of Linda’s workshops. Some drawing experience preferred but not required, 16 years and over. (Note, some walking on day 1 at the zoo will be required, but it is not strenuous and you can take this at your own pace and distance)

Class structure

• Day 1 – 9.30 to 4 -Thursday 30^th August – Drawing from Life at the zoo. We will spend the full day at the zoo, drawing and photographing our subjects. Morning is to be spent walking the zoo as a group, and learning how to sketch from life. Linda will assist and demonstrate. After lunch each artist should have ‘chosen’ an animal they would like to concentrate on. Each will return to that particular animal and spend concentrated time drawing it in better detail and taking photographic reference shots. Linda will assist each artist individually in this.
• Day 2- 9.30 to 4 – Friday 31^st August – At the Cricket Room venue. Morning: basic techniques in tone, textures and fur demonstrated and trialled. Exploration of the different pencil mediums. Linda will demonstrate how to work up one of her life drawings of her ‘chosen’ animal into a larger, completed work using life sketches and photos taken. Materials to be used are graphite pencils and Aquarelle colour pencils used dry. After lunch, each artist will begin on their completed drawing of their chosen animal.
• Day 3 -10am – 4pmSaturday Cricket Room venue. Development and completion of your animal drawing
• Day 4 -10am – 3pmSunday. Small drawing of a ‘found’ object – a feather, stone, seedpod, etc. using wet medium techniques. Either water-soluble graphite pencils, graphitint pencils or aquarelle pencils

Material List

1. CAMERA with display device. This can be a digital camera with LCD screen, or your camera phone, or a laptop or digital screen device (like an e-reader) that can display your photos. We will take photos at the zoo as well as drawing and you will need to have a way to display and view your reference the photos for your finished work.
2. A4 Cartridge Visual Diary for sketching, composition and note taking
3. **Required for finished drawings** Quality Acid Free paper – at least 1 x A2 sheets of hot press (smooth water color paper)- you may cut this in half for ease of transport if required. Please keep paper flat, not folded or rolled. Paper should not be less than 280gsm..Optional: if you have any cold press paper (rough surface) as either sheets or in pad form please bring that as well.
4. Wood cased Pencils- Preferred brand iseither Staedler Mars or Faber Castell. Range should include: 2H, , F, HB, B, 2B and/or 4B –
5. *Recommended* but not obligatory that you purchase at least one Staedler Mars Techno 2.0mm Clutch pencil (also called a ‘mechanical’ pencil) with HB leads. Using the appropriate sharpener, the lead in this pencil can achieve a very sharp point not obtainable with wood cased pencils. If you cannot find these locally, or wish to try them first, they should be available from the Art Scene. They are expensive and not mandatory, so try before you buy. NOTE: I prefer using Staedler Mars Techno 2.0mm Clutch pencils, 2H, HB and 2B leads as my primary graphite pencil palette.
6. Aquarelle Coloured Pencils 24 set. I prefer Staedler Mars Karat Aqurelle colour pencils – however these are no longer available inAustralia. Faber Castell and Prismacolour are good alternatives. Please bring AQURELLE pencils, NOT wax based pencils.
7. Pencil sharpener – bring a good sharpener! I like pointy pencils! (note, if you bring a clutch pencil make sure you bring the appropriate sharpener for it – these are not always available where you buy your pencil and the sharpener in the pencilend is not goodenough)
8. Paintbrushes – Sable orequivalent soft hair brush.
   1. An AQUASH brush –Large size (this is a traveling brush that has a nylon brush tip with a water barrel)
   2. OR: a No. 12 standard round
   3. No. 3 or 4 standard round for detail
9. A water soluble graphite pencil 4B. There are several brands on the market. I will be using Derwent Sketching 4B Wash. Get a 4B in whatever brand you buy- but AVOID the Cretacolour brand please
10. * for fun * – Derwent Graphitint pencils Do not feel you need to buy these as, I will bring some for the class to trial. If you have a set bring them, but do not go out and buy these until you try them
11. Sketch Board and prop – at least A3 size. There are several inexpensive ones around. A sheet of MDF board cut to size is also suitable. This one here can be found at the Art Shed for around 6 dollars. (18″ x 18″ – 49.7cm x 49.7cm). You will also need a prop to hold the board at a slight angle. A board and masking tape is REQUIRED.
12. Kneadable Eraser
13. White plastic Eraser – again, Staedler Mars make anexcellent one.
14. Blue Tack
15. Cotton Gloves - These are cheap white cotton gloves that you can buy from your supermarket for around $2.00. With the fingers cut off they protect your paper from smudging.
16. Bull dog clips.
17. Tracing paper – a pad of A3 90gsm tracing paper is most suitable.
18. Acid free masking tape – if you can’t find acid free then bring ordinary masking tape – just remove it within 48 hours!

NOTE: Students are encouraged to bring in those materials they may have already been using and are comfortable with.

His fascination for Australia’s birds and animals is beautifully expressed in exquisite gouache, watercolour and acrylic works. Ego is a regular contributor to Australian Geographic Magazine.

A feature of this year’s festival  will be the unveiling of his original paintings of the new Australian Geographic annual calendar 2013 at the Festival’s Art Exhibition.

The Experience -

I try to keep things flexible and liquid when I teach as you never know the ability and the speed of  comprehension of different people. Also I just don’t stand in front of the class but sit one on one as long as time allows.

The Workshop – 4.5 days

Ego takes participants through a verbal explanation of materials used, with explanations of what can be achieved, the steps, process taken in an artwork from start to finish. Ego shares with participants what to look for in a composition, demonstrating painting techniques for creating lifelike textures.

Participants then start to draw up their own composition for individual artworks. Gaining experience in what one should look for in creating a natural subject and steps used in drawing then progressing to finish their composition and start to paint their individual artworks. Ego’s hope is the people will  leave the workshop enlightened, inspired and enthusiastic.