This months painting project is as I'm sure you all know a painting in the style of Van Gogh.

Now why should anyone want to do a painting in the style of Van Gogh. Yes he was a great painter, and painted very exciting art, but technically he was a pretty poor painter, his style was a bit of a dead end. Perhaps if he had lived he would have developed and become a great influence. If you get to see his attempts at impressionist painting next to a Monet or Renoir you will see how technicaly limited he was. I must say that he could draw well.

If you want a model to base a painting on why not pick somebody like Pissaro, Manet or Cezanne, who were major influences on the future of painting. Better still probably to paint in the style of Goya, Rembrandt, Velaquez, Ingres or one of the other great masters. Even to use Bougerau as a model would teach you the way to build up a painting with glazes.

If you are a watercolourist a better model would be Constable, Turner or Cottman. For pastellists Degas would stand out as an example.

Now I will stand back and wait for the brickbats.