Ivan Lapper RSMA | Royal Society of Marine Artists

Early Morning in Venice
Forts on the Horizon
Redwings
Small Boats and Seagulls
Shimmering Water and Seagulls

About Ivan Lapper RSMA

Artist details wrap

Biography

Artist's Statement

At the age of twelve Ivan started attending art college on day release from school. Eight years of full time art training followed, firstly at the Wolverhampton College of Art and then The Royal College of Art. Since college, art has been his life, working with commercial commissions, his own painting and part time lecturing. Ivan considers good draughtsmanship, and drawing from life of prime importance. Ivan’s greatest inspiration is water, the sea in all it’s moods, reflections in rivers and canals, and the moods they produce.

Method of Working

Ivan works from life, he makes sketches, takes reference photographs, and completes his paintings in his studio. He prefers to plan paintings on large sheets of paper which allows greater freedom and control of the composition.

Ivan works in oils, watercolour and line. He uses Arches 680gm paper for watercolour and line work. For oil painting he uses Vasari oil paint, with Michael Harding Oleo Resin Medium and Robersons glaze medium. He uses French or Dutch stretched linen canvas for oils.

Biographical Details

1939 Born on 5 August, Bilston, Staffs

1954-59 Studied Intermediate and National Diploma in Design (specialising in Illustration) at Wolverhampton College of Art

1959-62 Studied Illustration at the Royal College of Art

1962-63 Visiting Lecturer at Hornsey and Rochester Colleges of Art

1964-83 Visiting Lecturer in Life Drawing and Outdoor Drawing and Illustration at St Martin’s School of Art

1978-80 Visiting Lecturer at Ruskin School of Art, Oxford University

1981-89 Visiting Lecturer in Illustration at Camberwell School of Art

1990-96 Visiting Lecturer in Illustration and Life Drawing at Kingston University

2008 Elected an Associate Member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists

Society Memberships

Royal Society of Marine Artists

Other Society Memberships

Associate Royal College of Art

Scholarships, Awards, Prizes

Certificate of Merit, Designers & Art Directors Association, 1966

Lord Mayor’s Art Award, 1970 and 1971

The Charles Pears Memorial Award, Royal Society of Marine Artists, 2006 and 2007

Exhibitions

Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition 2016

Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition 2015

Other exhibitions

2008- British Modern Masters (touring)

2006- St Stephen’s Festival of Arts and Faith, London

2004- Tower of London Environs Exhibition

2003- Singer & Friedlander/Sunday Times Watercolour Competition, Mall Galleries, London

2003- ING Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London

2003- New English Art Club Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London

2003- Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London

2003- Royal Institute of Oil Painters Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London

2003- Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London

2002- Radio Times Golden Age of Illustration, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

2000- Millennium Exhibition, The White Tower, Tower of London

1988- Gerald of Wales, Cardiff

Publications

I have examples of my work on display at many historic Roman sites, castles and great houses in Great Britain, administered by English Heritage, CADW, National Trust, Historic Royal Palaces and many Museums. My reconstruction paintings appear in the guide books of the sites.

My work has also appeared in many publications.

Commissions

Approach to Commissions:

Does not take commissions