Two minute landscapes with Astrig Akseralian
Having been asked to write about what I have been working on in my studio has made me reflect on what has inspired me recently. Trying to put into words my feelings about this strange time and how it has affected my work, makes me…
Books as art with Sue Downie
Making books I am really taken with making books. No, I don’t mean ‘How to paint bad watercolours in 5 minutes’ but unique artwork in book form. Until I started making books I didn’t realise it was a recognised artform which gives me more pleasure…
TIPS – Nifty travel kits
In August we asked our Facebook group to let us know what their small travel watercolour kits looked like and we had a response from Janet Hathiramani “This is my very tiniest one for the days when I just want to take my kit in…
TUTORIAL – Composition of a painting, the focal point
This newsletter article relies on my own recent experiences of being tutored, listening to artist friends, attending workshops, trialing ideas, reading books and art magazines and lots of practice of the things I get wrong or don’t do well! Please note I seldom get this…
TIPS – Sketchbook tips from Linda Purdy
Carry a sketchbook and mini kit everywhere and you will never have any wasted minutes again. Keep a sketchbook journal of your travels and holidays with dates and details noted alongside. There’s no better way to store those memories. The best brush in my collection…
TUTORIAL – Sue Downie on Composition
One piece of advice I have found very useful is to plan the tonal structure of the painting before you start to paint. So think about what you are about to paint, squint at it and make a three value notan. The concept and word…
TUTORIAL – Painting Snowdrops
One of the delightful sights of the cold January days is delicate white blooms of snowdrops drifting across verges and through churchyards. No wonder we have the urge to pick up our paintbrushes when we see them. The fragility of these pristine white blossoms…
TIPS – Texture in watercolour
How to create texture with watercolour There are many, many ways to create texture with watercolour, and I have folders full of experiments. Many years ago, I was first attracted to creating texture after seeing the work of one of my watercolour heroes, Tessa Shedley…
TUTORIAL – Chris Lockwood on Seascapes
Seascape – Surfers at Biarritz Materials list Paper: Saunders Waterford High White NOT 300lb Watercolour Paper, masking fluid or white acrylic ink, yellow oil pastel or wax crayon for texture. Paints: Windsor & Newton. Raw Sienna, Light Red, Cobalt Turquoise Light, Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine Violet,…