My new book is here!

My book cover!

Well I've finally finished writing my book on oil painting, and Search Press have done a wonderful job with the design and layout and now it's actually here and I'm so pleased with it!

I've also seen this really lovely review of my book, written by Henry Malt of Art Book reviews, and I promise you I didn't have to bribe him with chocolate biccies!

Vibrant Oils || Haidee-Jo Summers

This is really rather wonderful. The initial impression, picking it up, is that it’s more than usually substantial and, at 176 pages, it most certainly is. A quick flick through reveals a wealth of illustrations and an enormous variety of subjects. Haidee-Jo’s style is loose, relaxed and colourful and this doesn’t, on the surface, feel like an oil painting book, insofar as those are often rather lofty and worthy. The truth is that it’s not really a medium book at all, but rather a guide to the whole creative process that just happens to use oils as its vehicle. I’d even go so far as to suggest that you could find plenty to get from it even if you never had any intention of working in the medium at all.

Investigate further and the next thing you might notice is that, for all its size, there are only 4 step-by-step projects. This is entirely in keeping with the approach, which is to teach you about the subject, rather than simply to train you to emulate it. In the old analogy, it teaches you to fish and feeds you for life, rather than giving you a fish and feeding you for a day. Subject matter is catholic and includes landscapes, seascapes, still lifes, figures and flowers.

Along the way, Haidee-Jo considers composition, colours, light, cropping, the use of layers, tone and more. Some sections are quite short paragraphs, some are sidebars and others simple hints. Everything is accompanied by an example painting and the explanations are commendably clear.

The publisher is trying to sell this as suitable for all levels of ability. I have my doubts. If you were a complete beginner, I think you might find its comprehensiveness overwhelming. However, if you have some experience, or are new to oils, as opposed to painting, it has a great deal to tell you and won’t disappoint.

As a special thank you the first 300 people who buy the book through my website will be entered into a draw to win one of the original paintings in the book. I have also promised (although I am quite possibly at risk of writer's cramp) to sign those first 300 copies! 

Click to see more info

Yew tree and sun

Yew tree and sun
8" x 10"

March 14th

Mainly sun

4.30 - 5.30

On this late afternoon the sun was lighting up the stone wall of the cottage opposite and the distant trees with beautiful gold hues. Can you just make out the bird box on the right hand side, on the shadow side of the tree?

Yew tree and drizzle

Yew tree, March, drizzle
8" x 10"

March 12th

Dull and drizzly

11.30 - 12.30

A little series of paintings from my front garden last month. I love the way this small scene changes in different light conditions. I used an old board for this which I'd covered in muslin cloth, something that I hadn't been doing in recent years. I enjoyed the texture so much that I ordered some new muslin and made a huge batch of cloth covered boards.

Can I remember...?

Red boots
12" x 9"

Just wondered if I can even remember how to post to my blog, it's been so long. But of course you may not be on Instagram every day like I am so... hello again!

Since I spoke to you last in November I've been elected a full member of the Royal Institute of Oil painters - that's a VERY special achievement for me, and you can read more about the Royal Institute of Oil painters here :-)

That means that over here in the UK I shall now be known as Haidee-Jo Summers ROI, proudly sporting those letters at the end of my name. Now I'll just leave you wondering why the letters for membership of the Royal Institute of Oil painters are ROI and not RIO... meanwhile I need to order some new business cards...