How limits improve your painting
It may seem contradictory to say that limits improve your painting. But in my experience, it is a good learning tactic that has worked for me. Limits make you stretch in different ways. For obvious reasons, we call it thinking inside the box. With limits,…
Finding your inner artist
Have you ever thought about finding your inner artist? Last month I was honoured to guest blog for Instinctive Living. Here is the post, as Pablo Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”…
Granulation Medium in Watercolours
Granulation medium is a valuable addition to a watercolour artist’s toolkit. There is a prodigious range of granulating paints available from art supply manufacturers these days. Daniel Smith Watercolours are best known for their innovative range of mineral-based granulating colours. But sometimes an artist wants…
Sketchbook Love
Sketchbook love never dies. Years ago, on a different blog, I wrote a short celebration of the humble sketchbook. There is something truly compelling about looking through an artist’s sketchbooks because they reveal so much about the artist’s approach. I know I am not alone…
Choosing greens – a curse or a joy
Choosing greens: for some artists, dealing with the ‘nasty greens’ is a nightmare – and I’m not talking about vegetables. But using green paint in your art doesn’t need to be a nightmare of indecision. With good judgment, it is possible to use green paint…
Not all Granulating Watercolours are Created Equal
Granulating watercolours have become increasingly popular, so watercolour manufacturers have responded to this trend by adding innovative paints to their collections. The range of effects that can be achieved simply by choosing the right tube of paint is staggering because every pigment is slightly different….
Watercolour texture on impermeable surfaces
In my last post I talked about a few items you could use for mark making to develop interesting watercolour texture. Watercolour texture can also differ significantly depending on the qualities of the support you use. Another way to get unusual effects in watercolour is…
Texture in watercolour – how to make your own tools
If you want to create texture in watercolour paintings, you can use granulating colours and granulation medium. You can also use watercolour ground and these days, even pearlescent watercolour ground. The development of painting mediums has given artists so many choices. Mixed media artists have…
How to layer in watercolours
So many artists want to know how to layer in watercolours without creating mud. Layering in watercolour is often considered very difficult. The main problem occurs when the initial layers of colour are disturbed and mix with subsequent layers. This can be hugely frustrating. You…
How to re-use failed paintings
Have you ever wondered how to re-use failed paintings? (I’m talking specifically about work on paper in this post). See that photograph of 62 failed paintings at the top of this post? That’s not a stock picture. That huge pile of paper had been sitting…