A great painting class today, probably one of the best so far. All present were total strangers to me and we had a nice 50/50 mix of male/female. I know I will be seeing some of your faces again soon and look forward to it. 3 people had quite a journey for this class - coming in from Norwich, Corby, (Northants) and Leicestershire. I think I'm pretty safe in saying all students went home with paintings to be proud of. Well done to you all for making this a most enjoyable class.

As the Floyd Tribute Band Off the Wall gig approaches and our tickets for the David Gilmour gig are now secured, we find ourselves getting suitably 'Floyded' up. Out come the CD's, DVD's and videos. After an evening of watching Atom Heart Mother live, and a day with Floyd music playing in the background, I'm reminded of another resolution I made to myself late last year. I hope to create a portrait of David Gilmour. Whilst searching the net for a suitable pose I came across this wonderful snap of David playing a saxophone! I didn't realise this was an instrument he had mastered!

And I'm also reminded of another resolution that seems to have fallen off the list - to get out my own saxophone and brush up on my scales. Now where's the cleaner brushes and the brasso? I'll start with a session right away! ...........and if you haven't done so already, you might want to get your orders in early for David's new album 'On An Island', due for release on his Birthday, 6th March. PS: Thanks Jeff for the Gilmour Concert ticket info, a more than fair exchange for a sausage roll.

Another painting has been added to the YOUR PAINTING'S page. Here is another oil by Alan, from the Lake District. Alan will have his own website very soon, so watch this space for news of that. (PS: Alan, the script liner brushes are in stock now.)

Now and again I'll make an exception for 'non-arty' things I am passionate about and give such items an occassional mention on this page. Previous readers of Sue's Diary will know I am a huge Pink Floyd fan. Unfortunately, until the original band can be persuaded to tour together we have to settle for extremely good quality Tribute Bands (which really is no hardship!). One such band, of whom I have heard lots of impressive reports, just happens to be playing locally in a few weeks time. Off The Wall will be appearing at the Spa Pavillion in Felixstowe on Saturday 11th February - just too good an opportunity to miss! Just hit the following link and click on their Euro Gig for a list of dates and venues if you are interested in catching these guys perform their Wish You Were Here Spring Tour (Off The Wall)

We've got our front row seats and are thoroughly looking forward to the gig. The eagle-eyed of you will notice I have brought this section to the top of the page again....In a few weeks I will let you all into a little secret that this particular Floyd connection has brought me today. Just you wait :)

Something I often get asked about - my unique signature. Well, after some 6 years spent in various Middle Eastern countries, and after a 12 year marriage to a Lebanese Arab (hence the 'AYOUB'), it was inevitable that over the course of time I picked up a fair bit of the language. After a couple of years, the language actually become second nature to me, which caused me difficulty when I re-settled in the UK. I actually found I spoke pidgeon English and struggled to explain myself, yet the arabic words were flowing and fluent in my mind.

I had just started to learn the Arabic alphabet before I left Dubai and took great pleasure in signing my name in Arabic. Hence the signature......in arabic, written from right to left..... I thought it was something just a little bit different. An Arab associate visited our house a while ago. He remarked upon some of the oil paintings in the house. When we told him it was I that painted them he did not believe me - and I took the opportunity to direct him towards the signature. Zzz ooooozzz aahhnnnn - Ah, Zuzahn! Inty Kteer Chartra. The canvas delivery has arrived and I am delighted to be able to add these to my ART MATERIALS page. They are a bit special though.......they have a staple free edge ! - which means you can paint the sides with a complimentary colour, if you wish, and do away with a frame. Last week I experimented with a few finer details on Andalucian Lake, the subject of this Sunday's Painting Class and can offer a lovely variation. Those that will be attending this weekend's painting class can work at varying levels, depending on taste and confidence. Here's that same scene with a few little extra's dropped in...... As you can see, it makes for quite a difference. Week 4 - 23rd January to 29th January 2006 Coming soon : A Triple Canvas Painting Class. The date will be released in the next few days, again pending a couple of phone calls. I can confirm though, it will be held at Capel Village Hall, it will be on a Sunday afternoon and it will be within the next 5 weeks. It's taken a bit of research to get the right products at the right prices. This class will be £42.50, a little more expensive than normal as 3 high quality deep edge canvases are used. I will be painting a simple, calm and relaxing sea/landscape silhouette similar to the adapted image above. The requested colour theme this time will be chocolate and terracotta. I have 3 students for this project already and am able to take just 2 more. If you'd like to be put on the reserve list for this please e-mail me ayoub_art@hotmail.com *****Coming Soon ***** Viewers of my website will be able to take part in an Open Forum which will cover all arty aspects. You'll be able to 'chat' amongst yourselves and I will be able to add my comments also. It'll be similar (but less antiquated) to a Frequently Asked Questions page (which I've now decided against in favour of this much more up-to-date facility) . This new addition will cover many subjects. I've seen this facility on several forums and am thrilled to be able to host one of my own! I guess this facility will take a little time to gather some momentum and I hope my 'regulars' will help this along for me. A very, very successful Painting Class was had yesterday.  It's the first time I have tackled a mountain subject with such a large number, and it went really well. All those present will witness the individual care given to make sure everyone is 100% happy. It upsets me if this is not acheived and I'm lucky to say, this has not yet happened. Many products were sold from the display table, several after class questions were raised and I'm glad to have generated an eager interest in oil painting, proving that anyone can do it! You all know me now, I don't bite.......for those of you who now intend to paint for yourselves at home, if you get stuck I am just an e-mail ayoub_art@hotmail.com or phone call away and I am more than happy to help you if I can. I look forward to seeing most of you again and I especially look forward to hosting a Charity painting class soon thanks to 'Bub' at the back. I was especially flattered at this class - one chap made a 10 hour round trip just to attend - he had never painted before in his life and I have to say, he proved to be an absolute perfectionist and produced a truly stunning painting. Week 3 - 16th January to 22nd January 2006 The 5th February painting class is now full. However, please feel free to forward enquiries regarding this class to ayoub_art@hotmail.com and I can put you on the reserve list. People do drop out of classes for various reasons; the class scheduled for today, January 22nd, has had 2 people re-schedule to another date due to ill health. However, having a list of reserves for this class has enabled the spaces to be re-filled. Just to let you know, present at my classes is a product table. You will be able to purchase any of the items featured on my art materials page at a reduced price. Also available will be a selection of good quality second hand frames. These have proved to be a popular in previous classes. This weekend we will be 'kitting out' the kitchenette of our little self-contained Apollo Studio. I'm afraid this studio will not be ready in time for anyone travelling down for the February Painting Class, but we do hope to have this ready in time for the March Class. I will launch the Accomodation page once I am able to take new photos as this area is currently under drastic re-design. This cosy little double studio has lovely views of the garden, as you can see here. The studio boasts a wet room and seperate kitchenette. The salon area has TV, DVD, stereo, mini library and games. Capel St Mary has a few local shops for all your requirements, including Lucky Star, our rather tasty Chinese Takeaway Restaurant. There are a couple of Public Houses too, one of which serves excellent Indian Cuisine. A new addition to the YOUR PAINTING'S page has just been added. Do view the page for a larger version of this beautiful oil painting. It's a great joy for me to receive these e-mails with snaps of paintings attached - this page is just a few weeks old and I'm already wondering how big this public gallery will become. The subject for the February (Painting Class) will be Andalucian Lake. This is a lovely warm dusky painting, very moody and romantic. As the Winter months are nearly behind us and we look forward to the Spring, gone are the snowscenes - we can look forward to some really bright class subjects soon. And by sheer this week - courtesy of Tania & Steve from Finca La Mariposa in Valle de Abdalajis. It was taken from their rather grand roof terrace, which gives a panoramic view of the unspoilt countryside. They have a lovely self catering studio which they let at an extremely good rate to holiday-makers. Any of you artists out there who fancy painting inspiring scenes like this should give the finca a look. Meanwhile, I'm adding this lovely scene to my portfolio of 'things to paint'! Davy........you mentioned rustic tones, well I think this shot fits the bill. Just to show you all how, even when I follow my own instructions, no 2 paintings turn out the same! When I look at the 2 paintings at home, side by side, I much prefer the newer version, although when the snaps are shown side by side here on the website, I prefer the original version. The Purple Peaks on the right is the original version. However, there were a couple of small details I wanted to experiment with before next week's class. The version on the left is the result of using slightly different brushes. The sky, also, has been blended more, giving a softer look. I have to keep an eye on the clock when working on painting class subjects as I only have a 5 hour slot in which to teach this painting from beginning to end. If a painting class inspires you to go ahead and paint for yourselves at home, of course you can spend much more time on your works of art. What do I do with all these similar paintings, (bearing in mind I will be painting yet another version of Purple Peaks in my class)? Well, they get donated to charitable causes. Week 2 - January 8th to 15th January 2006 Yes, really! I have received several e-mails asking me if the (beginner's classes) are really, really for beginner's. I know it's hard to believe, but these classes are designed for people with no artistic talent what-so-ever. See opposite an oil painting achieved by a complete beginner back in November. (And very pleased with the result she is too.............) I received this comment from Lindy, a (fan brush) buyer. Lindy brought both the large and small sizes. She writes: 'never seen brushes this good/great handles/very good for the arthritis' I'd never thought of arthritis sufferers before, but I suppose with the extra long handles and the soft grip pad, at only £2.99 each, this must be quite a handy tool! Thanks for the feedback Lindy. A new product for the (Art Materials) page - Craft Lights / Daylight Bulbs. These bulbs are 100 watts and provide approximately 1000 hours of simulated natural daylight, offering ideal studio lighting and painting conditions. They are available in 2 types; screw base and bayonet base. Not just for painting either, they are recommended for poor vision and are excellent for close detailed work, such as embroidery, crossword/sudoku puzzles, jigsaws - you name it......for £3.75 delivered to your home, this is an excellent product to avoid eye strain. The new delivery of script liner brushes was received today, orders for these will be posted first thing on the 11th. I just mananged to catch the sale-person in time yesterday....and added another consignment of easels to the delivery. I've also ordered some stretched canvas and canvas board samples. I shall trial these over the next few weeks and hopefully if they come up to scratch I shall be able to add these to my (Art Materials) page. I'm really optimistic with the stretch canvas, they look great and the staples are all to the back, which enables the sides to be painted therefore dispensing with the need for a frame. Good, eh? Friends of mine have recently re-located to Spain. I've watched with great interest and excitement their really speedy progress from a plot of land to a finished villa. Not just a villa either! It has a rather smart self catering studio attached and I've been told recently, by a very reliable source that the photo's do not do it justice. (Finca La Mariposa) is situated in Valle De Abdalajis, Andalucia, Spain. Anyone interested in a holiday here can drop a line to stevewright001@hotmail.com For any artists reading this, they have astounding views all around. I visited their villa a few months back. The villa was nearing completion at the time and I just had to take this snap. It's the view through the (unfinished) window of a loo! Hows that for a framed landscape? You can see by their (Gallery Snaps) some of the stunning scenery available to guests who would like to set up an easel in the sun. Heck, it sounds so tempting, I might have to visit there again myself soon! I'm really pleased to say all my products on the (Art Materials) page now have a shopping basket to enable you to make multiple purchases, should you choose, via the Pay Pal secure payments system. I'm extra pleased to say, I've added these buttons all by myself! You can simply select items, add them to your shopping basket and make a 'one click' payment. (Or you can choose to buy just the one item using the same Pay Pal icon.) The pay pal icons were up & running in just a matter of a few minutes, no need for trials or tests either! You'll have to excuse me blowing my own trumpet on this one, and the IT literate will be smiling to themselves I'm sure at the pride I have in overcoming (what I now know is) a very simple hurdle. Pay Pal is a totally free facility to anyone with merchandise for sale. A small fee is deducted from any payments received. I'd recommend this to anyone and can see a few of you fellow painters have started to use this method on your own websites. So thanks to Tom of (Greens Gallery) who made the suggestion of a shopping basket just 3 short days ago, I'm pleased to oblige so quickly. Any other ideas for improving my website will be gratefully received. Week 1 - January 1st to Jan 7th 2006 Many thanks for the e-mails expressing sadness at the loss of my Diary page. I made a New Year's Resolution to spend less time on my PC in the evenings and on the plus side I have much more free time now. (I have to admit though, I am missing the Diary entries myself.) If it's any consolation, there's probably more entries placed in this week's Sue's News than there ever would have been in 7 days worth of Diary. I'm temporarily out of stock on these Script Liner brushes. The last one was sent out today. However, good news, more stock will arrive in time for the weekend. I also have 7 tabletop beechwood easels which I am selling at a REDUCED price of £15.50. They are brand new and identical to the £19.99 variety shown on my (Art Materials) page, but without the box. They will be packaged and protected well for delivery to any UK address. If anyone is interested in these easels, please contact me on ayoub_art@hotmail.com. ********Update: Sorry - Sold Out******** An invitation has been received this week to take part in the 32nd East Anglian Art Exhibition & Sale over the Easter at Needham Market. Details of this event are posted on the Forthcoming Events page over the next few days. This was a wonderfully successful show for me last year, resulting in the sale of Woodland's End After some experimentation, I've decided the subject for the painting class on Sunday January 22nd at Capel St Mary Village Hall will be Purple Peaks. You'll have to trust me - it's easy peasy lemon squeezy. Call me on 01473 311938 or e-mail me on ayoub_art@hotmail.com if you'd like to be booked into this class. The delivery of (Art Materials) will return to normal on the 3rd. Please note, if you are outside of the UK, you must include your telephone number with your address details. It is an essential piece of information required by the Courier. (Your Paintings) page has been launched sooner than anticipated! I hope this encourages you all to send in your work. If you'd like your work to be included in this gallery, please forward your pic's to: ayoub_art@hotmail.com As mentioned previously, a few changes to my web-site will occur over the next week or so. One of the changes is the removal of Sue's Diary. Instead I shall have Sue's News page. Although I have thoroughly enjoyed writing Sue's Diary I have to admit it can be time consuming. This weekly news page will draw your attention to any new products, exhibitions, classes and Painting Holiday updates. However, it does release me from the daily Diary writing. I guess you can say I have gone from a daily newspaper to a weekly magazine! My Weekly News page may be updated several times a week, so do keep checking. I am currently working on 2 new web pages, soon to be launched: 1) Your Paintings - this will be a page dedicated to readers' work. I am often sent snaps of wonderful paintings in all mediums which were previously shown in my diary. However, once the diary turns to the following month the paintings are relatively lost. This way we can enjoy such work for a longer period. 2) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) - I receive e-mails regularly asking for advice on technique, colour, equipment and many other subjects. I will continue to answer these e-mails personally but I think it's a nice idea to have a seperate page to share questions and answers.