Shadow and Shade – BobCat Gallery

Sep 9, 2025

Shadow and Shade Exhibition (online only)
BobCat Gallery, Putney, UK
6 – 31 October 2025
Curator’s Tour: Monday 6th October 6.30pm (GMT) (Book your free ticket here – LINK)

Two of my new Karoo landscape paintings will be part of this virtual exhibition with BobCat Gallery. Both pieces are of Adendorp, the little agricultural town where I live in the Karoo. In “Autumn Sunset, Adendorp” is the view from my street of a sunset earlier this year. “Leeb Str. Adendorp” is the view of tree shadows up the dusty road from the house that I rented when I arrived in the Karoo late last year.

Catherine Sweet, Founder of BobCat Gallery, says:

“Shadow and shade both have different connotations – as well as different applications for artists. One is usually associated with comfort, one usually associated with fear. This collection explores both literal and metaphorical shadows and areas of shade, and is a varied, intriguing and thought-provoking selection.

This is not a monochromatic collection by any means – expect full colour and a stunning range of techniques from a talented range of international artists.”

Leeb Street, Adendorp - original oil painting by Tracy Algar

Caring for your oil painting

Aug 31, 2025

An art collectors guide to keeping your painting clean, dust free and safe from harm.

Please note that these care tips are relevant to the oil and cold wax paintings that I make and sell. My paintings are oil and cold wax on primed board and canvas.

Equipment that you will need in your art cleaning kit.

A soft natural bristle brush like the type you get at the hardware shop for applying varnish, I like one 3 – 5 cm wide.

A soft microfibre cloth.

This should be enough for general cleaning and care.

If you have had an absolute catastrophe, like tomato soup or coffee splashes, or (this really happened) bat poop coloured with purple mulberries is deposited onto your painting by a bat that found it’s way inside on a windy night, don’t panic! There are solutions to these problems too, keep reading.

Regular general dusting.

This is the first place to start. Regularly dust your painting with the soft varnish brush. Don’t press hard.

Use a very slightly damp microfibre cloth with dabbing movements (definitely no scrubbing) to remove any loose dust left after brushing.

Cleaning a dirtier painting.

If the dust on your painting has been there a while, and isn’t playing along with the brushing and dabbing mentioned above, you may need to break out the soap. You want a very mild soap. A good old-fashioned bar of green Sunlight soap does the trick.

Work a small amount of soap into your microfibre cloth and squeeze it out well. Use dabbing motions to move stubborn dirt.

Rinse the cloth well and squeeze out again. “Rinse” the painting by dabbing with the clean damp cloth. Repeat the “rinsing process”, gently, until all the dust has been removed from the painting.

Safe hanging and handling.

All of my oil and cold wax paintings are painting with archival quality materials, however, it is still not a good idea to hang your painting in direct sunlight. Direct sunlight, over time, can cause pigments to fade.

Also, avoid storing your oil and cold wax painting in very hot places, like an uninsulated garage or in your car on a hot day. Cold wax is stable at normal room temperatures, but will start to soften at 50°C.

Transport and storage.

If you are moving with a painting, here’s what to do.

Cover the surface of the painting with acid-free tissue paper, wax paper (the type you wrap sandwiches up in) or glassine paper.

Use cardboard corner protectors.

Wrap the whole thing up in bubble wrap (bubbles on the inside) and seal any openings well to avoid dust getting in.

If you have a plastic wrap dispenser, make it completely dust proof by adding a layer of plastic wrap.

Catastrophes

If you’ve had an accident with one of my paintings that you can’t deal with, please do get in touch with me. I’m more than happy to help you save one of my babies. As fast action may be needed, WhatsApp me on 084 584 3757 (South Africa) and I will respond as quickly as I can.

Painting Lessons – Graaff-Reinet

Apr 10, 2025

Oil painting lessons in Graaff-Reinet and Adendorp. Beginner friendly.

Learn landscape painting in the beautiful Karoo.

I offer private oil painting lessons for individuals or groups in Adendorp and Graaff-Reinet.

What I teach:

Traditional representational landscape and still life oil painting.

What you’ll learn in my lessons:

The fundamentals of landscape painting: value, colour, perspective and composition.

How to use value studies to effectively plan your paintings and increase your chances of a successful painting.

How to use a limited palette to create more harmonious paintings.

How to create effects of light and shadow with colour temperature and value.

Beginners are very welcome. Anyone can paint if they want to and are willing to practice.

You will need to have your own art materials for lessons. Please get in touch for a list of what you’ll need.

R150 per hour (lessons can be one to three hours) for individual lessons

R100 per person per hour for two to four people

If you have questions, get in touch with me on 084 584 3757 or hello@tracyalgar.com

What’s in my French Easel

Nov 14, 2024

The things I absolutely cannot paint without.

This is a thorough list of the art supplies that I currently use for creating my paintings. None are the links are affiliate links.

Let’s start with the paint

I paint with South African paint for economic and environmental reasons. After trying out what is available, I choose Zellen. In particular, Zelcol Artist’s Quality Oil Paint, made in South Africa.

I choose a limited palette, to limit how much paint I need to carry around with me when plein air painting, to limit how much paint I need to buy, and because a limited palette just looks great. Colour harmony is a thing!

These are my chosen colours:

Titanium white (always the big tube)
Arylamide lemon (or Cadmium yellow lemon)
Cadmium yellow medium
Yellow ochre
Burnt sienna
Alizarin crimson
French ultramarine
Phthalo blue

Medium

My favourite oil painting medium hands down is Cold Wax Medium. Zellen makes a 500ml tin that lasts me a few months. Yes, I am a total Zellen fan-girl.

Brushes

Dynasty 1350 range in a Prime Art brush roll.

I love a scratchy bristle brush, and don’t wash them too often 😳. I clean them after using by wiping the paint off and dipping in turpentine. Occasionally, I use a boerseep (Afrikaans for “farmer’s soap”), or actual brush soap, and give them a good clean.

My favourites are Dynasty synthetic bristle brushes and have a collection of flats, brights, filberts and rounds.

I wrap them up in a Prime Art brush roll.

I buy them from Brush and Canvas. They were my local art shop when I lived in Cape Town and Hermanus, and they deliver for free for orders over R700.

Dynasty Filberts

Dynasty Flats

Dynasty Brights

Painting surface

I prefer to paint on HDF or MDF board.

I buy my board from a hardware shop and get them to cut it up into the sizes that I want to paint on. I lightly sand the boards and apply three coats of gesso to it, sanding again in between coats.

The gesso I use is, you guessed it, Zellen gesso.

Palette knives

Cheap and cheerful Prime Art 1010 palette knives are my go to.

Easel

I have a modern French box easel with aluminium legs to make it lighter to carry. I can fit all my paint, brushes, palette knives, little containers for turps, and a board clamps to the outside. I still need to take along another bag for my sealed brush washer and Cold Wax Medium, they don’t quite fit in the box.

If you’d like to see what my old plein air set up looked like, before I bought the French easel, watch this old video.

Leeb Street, Adendorp

Oct 24, 2024

I was really itching to start painting when I started this one. It a very hot day during our second week in Adendorp. There were cicadas in the trees, Tom & Fred (the pets) were lounging in the shade. I put on a big sun hat and headed off left out of the gate.

A short way down the road I saw the painting. The sun shimmered on the dusty tar road ahead. Lovely shade from a thorn tree splattered across the road.

I took this photograph for reference and retreated back to the shade of the house to sketch it out.

Sketched out and blocked in. By this stage I was intrigued with the way the cold wax medium was behaving. The hot temperatures make it a little more liquid. There are definitely possibilities to be explored there.

Adjusting the distant and lighter foliage with lighter greens.

Reinforcing the darks and working on the edges within the painting.

Here I am with my nearly finished painting, standing in the view that I am painting.

And this is the final painting, available with free shipping within South Africa. Please contact me on hello@tracyalgar.com to enquire.

I’m enjoying exploring the neighbourhood in our new village. Visually it is very different from the lush greens of Stanford in the Western Cape. On sunny days (most days around here) the colours are quite washed out and the light/dark contrast is heightened.

I’ve been collecting reference photographs everywhere I go, and making notes about good plein air painting locations.

Greetings from Graaff Reinet!

Oct 17, 2024

Hello there from a sunny and warm Graaff Reinet. It couldn’t be more different here today than the day we packed up and the morning we left from Stanford.

We packed a 4-metre long trailer with pretty much everything we own while it hailed and rained on the Sunday. The next morning, with a cat in a cage, a dog at Johannes’s feet (I was driving because I have the licence that allows pulling a double axled trailer), we set off through the wind and rain and hail that accompanied us most of the way, on an epic twelve and a half hour drive at 80 km/h to Graaff Reinet.

We were happy to arrive, as you can well imagine.

The next week or so was a jumble of moving in, unpacking, taking the trailer to Craddock. Then followed organising the house build, a quick, small, wooden house project that will see us in our own place by the end of the year!

The image above is the magnificent view of Spandaus Kop from our plot.

There will most definitely be plein air painting workshops offered right here as soon as we are settled in.

And here are a few more photographs from Graaff Reinet and Adendorp from the past few weeks. I’m really lapping up the scenery.

Art Rooted In Nature

Oct 17, 2024

In July this year, I had a wonderful experience. One of my paintings was sold at an auction at Strauss & Co auctioneers.

The auction was a collaboration between Strauss & Co, Hermanus FynArts and Intethe Gallery.

Barbara Lindop curated a collection of artworks from artists that she represents (of which I am one). It was fascinating to watch the auction online and see the bidding happen in real time.

Barbara tells me that it means something to have an artist profile with a sold work at Strauss & Co. So here it is:

Or visit it here.

Simplify The Landscape

Mar 1, 2024

Thursday 18th & Friday 19th April 2024
Fork & Farm, Stanford

Two-day plein air landscape painting workshop.

For this workshop, we will be focusing on taking the complexity of the landscape and simplifying it into basic shapes. Discover and develop practical techniques for representing the landscape in paint.

Painting outdoors from life can be a bit overwhelming. There is a lot of information coming at you and the weather and wildlife to contend with. We will start by finding simplified compositions, drawing thumbnails and then value studies in our sketchbooks.

We will practice working quickly, finding the main idea for our compositions, and simplifying the elements of the landscape to create a painting. Working with a limited palette, we will create colour harmony, mood and depth.

18th & 19th April 2024 (Thursday & Friday)
9.30am – 3.30pm
Fork & Farm, Elands Valley Farm, Stanford Hills Road, Stanford

R1,500 includes:
Coffee/tea and lunch
Not included:
Art materials (please see the supplies list for this workshop)

This workshop is an opportunity for all skill levels to immerse yourself in two days of painting on a farm just outside Stanford. Choose to approach the workshop from a focus on learning the basic technical skills and processes, or focus on the experience of being in the landscape “in the moment” to just let go and push your skills to new heights. I will meet workshop participants where they are to help them achieve their goals for the workshop.

What to expect:

We will meet at 9.30am on Thursday morning to introduce ourselves, set-up, go over the basic process for the workshop and address any initial questions.

We’ll also discuss individual goals for the workshop, to set an intention for the work.

For example: one person may want to focus on one composition for the two days, while another might want to make many small studies of different compositions around the farm. Either is a good goal, but it’s helpful to know what you want to achieve before you begin to avoid wasting time or feeling undue pressure during the workshop. It also helps you get the best benefit from the two days. So, have a think about it.

I will go over some fundamentals, and start a demo. We will then familiarize ourselves with the farm by sketching possible compositions in our sketchbooks, and taking reference photographs.

Lunch at Fork & Farm restaurant at 12.00.

For the afternoon session, we will paint from 1pm until 3.30pm, giving enough time to finish a small painting, or make a good start on a larger one.

On Friday morning we will again meet at 9.30am and get straight into painting.

Lunch at 12.00 again, allowing for 2.5 hours painting in the morning, and ending the afternoon painting session at 2.30pm for an hour’s group critique/discussion. The critique will give us the opportunity to revisit personal goals set the previous morning before we started painting, and for us all to discuss what worked and what still needs work in our paintings.

For those who would like to take the conversation further, we’ll meet at Stanford Kitchen for Friday night dinner (for your own account).

Important Information

ALL levels of painters are welcome. Don’t be intimidated if you are a beginner or if you’ve never painted outdoors before. I will be demonstrating the fundamentals. Painting outdoors is the most wonderful immersive creative experience, don’t miss out because of a little bit of fear. It’s going to be great!
Intermediate and advanced painters are also welcome. We will have a group critique at the end of the workshop where we can all contribute to the conversation and where all skill levels learn from all skill levels.
Visit the Simplify the Landscape Materials List page for information on paint choices, brushes, surfaces, mediums and everything you’ll need for the workshop. Please contact me if you have any questions.
ALL styles and mediums are welcome, you don’t have to be a landscape painter or representational painter to participate. Immerse yourself in nature for two days and see where it takes you. I have experience and can assist with questions pertaining to the technicalities of oil, acrylic and gouache painting. You are welcome to use other mediums, but I won’t be able to offer medium specific advice.
Plein air painting is most enjoyable when you are well equipped for the experience, both in terms of actual equipment, and the way you feel about being outdoors. There will be things that happen that wouldn’t happen if you were painting in a studio, like the wind, and wildlife. Be prepared by bringing everything you need to be comfortable, and an intention to have fun.

Booking & Cancellation info:

Price: R1,500, paid on booking. No refunds for cancellations after 10th April 2024.
To book, please email or WhatsApp me:
- hello@tracyalgar.com
- 084 584 3757
For the workshop to take place, a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 10 people must book.
There is always the risk that the weather won’t be perfect on the day. As plein air painters, we can put up with a bit of wind, or more extreme heat and cold weather by being prepared. For this workshop, we will have shelter from rain and some wind in the wedding chapel on the farm, a structure with a roof and no walls.

WORKSHOP SUPPLIES LIST

Lands Cape

Jul 21, 2023

I’m excited to be part of a group show of small artworks at The DOOS Gallery in Knysna.

Friday 28th July 3 – 6 pm
Saturday 29th July 10 am – 1 pm

The DOOS Gallery
The Showroom
15 Meeu Street
Knysna Industria

Value Studies

Jun 8, 2023

Value is the foundation of a successful painting. It refers to how light or dark a colour is, and is more important than colour itself for creating a sense of form, depth, and convincing light. Without proper values, even the most beautiful colours will be unconvincing.

Value is what creates a believable image. You can see this if you look at a black and white photograph—the values are what make it powerful. A value study is my secret weapon; it lets me focus on this one critical element before I even touch a brush.

Reference photograph for Phillip's House by Tracy Algar

Tracy Algar sketchbook value study, part of the pre-painting process

Karoo landscape painting - the summer afternoon sun casts a shadow across a dirt road - cactus shadows are purple on the terracotta wall of Phillip's house.

Why I Do a Value Study

Value studies are an important step in my artistic process. They serve several key purposes:

A Practice Run: I see them as a chance to test a composition and see if it works before I commit to a full painting. Sometimes, a quick sketch reveals that a different angle or a different crop would make for a stronger image, and it’s much easier to fix it in a sketchbook.
A Compositional Aid: By simplifying my subject into a few distinct values, I can clearly see the big shapes and how they relate to each other. This helps me map out my painting and identify areas of light and shadow.
Pre-planning: For me, a value study is a blueprint for the painting to come. I can work out all the tricky value relationships and compositional elements in a low-stakes environment, helping me have a more confident and efficient painting process.

Reference photograph of the old barn at Dalham

A pencil drawing value study of an aged barn situated on Dalham Farm near Graaff-Reinet in the Karoo, South Africa. The sketch uses different pencil pressures to illustrate the tonal values and create a sense of depth and form for the barn, which is partially obscured by trees and foliage. — The old bard at Dalham farm, Graaff-Reinet

Old Barn, Dalham Farm, Graaff-Reinet - by Tracy Algar — The Old Barn at Dalham Farm 🔴 SOLD

My Process, Step-by-Step

Here’s a simple guide to creating your own value studies. This method is quick, easy, and will dramatically improve your paintings.

Fill in the Shapes: Using a soft graphite pencil (I prefer a 4B or 6B for its rich darks), I fill in the shapes I’ve sketched with their corresponding values. I use a consistent, light pressure for the mid-tones and build up pressure for the darks. I leave the lightest areas of my sketch as the white of the paper.

Select Your Reference: I always start by choosing a reference photo or subject. I crop the image to the composition I find most appealing. If I’m working from life, I decide on a specific view I want to capture.

Sketch the Big Shapes: In my sketchbook, I lightly sketch the large, dominant shapes of my subject. I focus on the main masses, such as the overall shape of a building, a tree, or a figure, and their placement within my composition. I don’t get bogged down in details.

Simplify and Map Out Values: This is where the magic happens. I simplify my subject into just three values: light, mid-tone, and dark. As I observe my reference, I categorize each area into one of these three values. For example, a sunlit wall is a light value, a wall in shadow is a dark value, and an area that’s neither is a mid-tone.