Thursday 9th October 2025     Maggie Downer - Figurative Painting

Maggie began her demo by showing us slides of her recent work.

She shares one of her preliminary sketches in charcoal for the demo painting and explains that she divides her painting into four sections, drawing from the centre outwards. Her palette colours include:

OILS: Naples yellow, Van Dyke brown, scarlet, turquoise light, turquoise dark, sap green, olive green, magenta, lemon yellow, cadmium yellow.

ALKYDS: Titanium white and lamp black..

We are told that the figures in the paintings are from her imagination, although Maggie might occasionally be inspired by an interesting person she sees in public. In this particular painting, the character with the brighter colours is seated beside ones with duller ones.

Maggie has started the painting before the demo so, using black paint, she continues by painting in the dark areas to the man in the left hand side. 

She enjoys spreading colour, so she’ll add touches of pink from the lady’s coat to the men’s clothing. Naples yellow, scarlet, and Van Dyke brown are used for skin colours, while magenta is used for shadow areas..

Maggie continues to work on lighter areas, focussing on the shoulders, sleeves, and legs of the figure on the left. A touch of pale green is added to highlight the clothing of the figure on the right hand side.

Red is applied to the scarf of the man's on the left as well as a touch of red to his shoes.

Maggie says older people are more interesting to paint than young people, as more detail is added to the man on the left’s face, including the highlighting of the cheeks.

Maggie continues working on all figures, touching up highlighted areas and darkening shadow areas..

More detailed work is done on the dog on the left.

The painting (unfinished) at the end of the demo. Maggie will continue to work on it and will send us a photo of the finished painting.