Sue Ford was Keighley art club’s final professional demonstrator of 2012-2013.

The evening was arranged by programme secretary Jeanette Bray to complete our season of different weekly subjects.

The session title was ‘Acrylics and Felt Tips’. This is an unusual combination of media, presented by a professional artist.

Sue travelled two hours from Stokesley in North Yorkshire, a market town south of Middlesbrough. She carries out workshops on watercolours, acrylics, pastels and mixed media. Some of her classes are on cruise ships, and she also organises painting breaks and holidays in France, Ambleside, Grasmere and Scarborough.

The demonstration was a portrait of a comedian, starting with the eyes and using charcoal. The initial sketch progressed to the outline of the nose, then mouth and chin on a pre-prepared primed board. Hair and colour were finally added.

Her outlines were drawn over with felt tip, as graphite in pencil shows through acrylic paint, which was news to us.

Using new Peblo acrylics, in vibrant colours, Sue mixed flesh tones for her base colours on part of the face, then she blended shades of brown into the felt tip markings in the hair to build up from lean to fat.

Jeanette asked whether it was better to start with a coloured background. Sue confirmed it was better than painting on a white background. One member said he would turn his drawings upside down to check the accuracy.

Sue is influenced by the colour of the photograph she works from, to provide the shades and tones. She then blocks in more of the features, followed by the eyebrows. Blues were used in shadow areas and added light colours in the direction the light fell, to produce the essence of the person rather than making it look like a photograph.

Barbara Klempka asked if Sue agreed the nose was difficult to produce, which she did, stating it was better to paint the profile image than a full-on image, as with this one of Martin Nesbitt, who sings funny songs.

She continued to build up the features and light, continuously comparing her work to the original.

In the meantime, she passed round tactile collages she completed previously – one of a dog and the other of a still life. She was thanked by president, Tony Pratt.

Keighley Art Club meets again this month. Contact Barbara on (01535) 669914 for further information.