Naphtali Blackburn has a passion for the Old Master paintings, and studied the
secrets of the artists who shaped the splendours of that spectacular age.
Rembrandt. Leonardo da Vinci. Michelangelo. Napthali Blackburn can tell you about them all. And in great detail! Surprisingly, she wasn’t the artistic type growing up. Until she picked up a brush and some oil paint in her early 20s.
“It started with some dabbling and later progressed to landscapes. I then discovered Rembrandt – my ultimate favourite – and the other masters, and I just fell in love. Their methods, their history, the meaning behind their work. I wanted to know it all, so I could apply their ways to my own work.”
Even as she was hustling in the corporate world for three decades, she always kept the canvas nearby. Oh, and art books – lots and lots of them! Eventually, she got the qualifications, attended international atelier training, and was mentored by various locally acclaimed artists.
After leaving the corporate scene for good, Naphtali spent three years delving even deeper into her passion, making trips to Europe to visit some of its most admired art museums, and see some of her favourite artists’ work up close. Then came Covid.
“Although it was a very uncertain time, I was sure about one thing – I wanted to open my own atelier to teach the techniques of the Old Masters so it wouldn’t get lost in time. And so, as everything settled after the pandemic, I got my first students.
“With all the knowledge and experience I gained over the years I just felt inspired to share it with others. I wanted to teach my students that there’s so much more meaning behind the classics and that they have such beautiful stories to tell. I want to preserve this information, and pass it on to the next generation.
But for Naphtali, it’s so much more than just techniques and text on a page. It’s about feeding your soul. Being completely engrossed in your work. And being present. But most importantly, it’s about the journey of creating.
Although she hosts workshops for adults from time to time, Naphtali admits that she’s especially fond of teaching students between the ages of 12 and 18, as well as college students. Because … curious minds!
“They’re so enthusiastic. And they really enjoy the authenticity of the atelier. I also try to keep my classes intimate, to really stay in tune with each artist and their progress. There’s something so rewarding about watching them grow, and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it.
“One thing I’d want my students to take away from the classes is to be mindful, and simply enjoy the experience. I hope that it will teach them to simply be present in other aspects of their life too.”
Don’t think you’re the creative type? Naphtali begs to differ! “Absolutely anyone can be an artist – as long as they are willing to learn and put in the hours. With the right guidance, anything is possible.”
It’s not only art that brings her joy. Quite inquisitive, she’s currently busy completing her Masters in Philosophy. Because “life is about constant learning, understanding, and feeding the soul”.
And when she’s running low on inspiration? Well, spending some time in nature always does the trick! Whether it’s gardening, or taking a walk in the botanical gardens, there’s nothing that fuels her spirit quite like the tranquillity of the outdoors.
The ways of the Old Masters surely won’t be forgotten in the stony shadows of history. At least, not while Naphtali is around!
Details: Naphtali.co.za or contact 082-990-3684
Naphtali’s top tips for the beginner artist
• Invest in a small sketchbook that can be used to make thumbnail sketches. The thumbnail sketching method helps the artist to generate ideas for back in the studio. It can save you time when working on your final piece of artwork. Spend a couple of minutes roughing out some small sketches before launching the big project. Your sketches might take a couple of attempts but, once worked out, it provides a good direction. It will save you time and allow you to explore interesting composition options, identify values and work out what will be your focal point when working on your final piece of artwork back in your studio.
• Get the right tools. There are endless tools available. Start with some basic tools like a small sketch book or a piece of paper and a pencil. The main thing is to just start and explore. Try and buy the best quality art supplies you can afford. In my studio students start using two good quality pencils to render a drawing. I recommend a 2B pencil and a 2H pencil to start with. Another tool I can highly recommend is a kneadable putty eraser.
• Sharpening your pencil. Putting aside the standard sharpener for now. In the NaphTali Studio we use the sandpaper sharpening block method. With this method you can shape your pencil lead in a way that might be difficult to achieve with the standard pencil sharpener. Using the sandpaper sharpening method allows you to get your pencil lead as long as you would like it and to achieve various shading techniques. This is one of my preferred methods of sharpening graphite, lead, charcoal and other drawing media points.
• Drawing methods. There are numerous drawing methods but one of the general how-to-draw methods I include in my teaching is the Sight-Size drawing method to build accuracy and learning to work form the general to the specific. This method is one drawing practice you might find worth researching.
• Understanding value is one of the key skills for any artist. A large range of tones or values is not recommended for the beginner. A limited value scale to start with between four or five will assist with all the clutter of the uncountable values that nature presents us with. Keep it simple. You might ask how to simplify your values. An old trick I was told by many of my mentors was to ‘squint’. Squinting helps remove the detail and allows you to focus and identify the larger shapes.
Most importantly; remember to enjoy your artistic journey and have fun!
Compiled by: ALANICKA LOTRIET.
