From pulp to perfection: The art of making watercolour paper
The art of making watercolour paper is complex. I recently wrote about learning to make watercolour paint. I can’t claim to have gone on a paper-making course (although, that really would be bloody amazing!) However, I have done a bit of research to learn more…
Testing My Handmade Paints
In 2015 I made my own watercolour paints. I do these sort of things out of sheer curiosity. I wanted to know how they were made in order to learn first hand, what makes watercolour work. Then I had to start the process of testing…
Making watercolour paint
When I started painting, I never would have imagined I would be tempted into making watercolour paint. It all started with a visit to an art shop in Venice where the enticing rainbow display of pigments in the window tempted me inside. Just look…
A studio wishlist
There’s more on a studio wishlist than just paint and supports – those are the obvious things. But they aren’t the only useful items for a studio. Some of the indispensable items in my studio are a bit less obvious. Because of this, I keep…
How to Loosen Up Watercolours
The advice I am asked for most often at my Open Studios is how to loosen up watercolours. This year’s Cambridge Open Studios was no exception. ‘Do you teach?’, and ‘I wish I could paint looser watercolours’: the theme was repeated in so many questions….
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…