How to use photos for painting

How to use photos for painting

Most artists use photos for painting at some point in their career. For some, they are the only reference they use, while for others they are rarely used. If you are going to be working from photos, there are a few things you need to be aware of if you want your...
Plein air watercolor painting

Plein air watercolor painting

Plein air watercolor painting has many challenges however its benefits make any effort you make well worth it. Not only has my work improved dramatically through painting outdoors but I also find the experience very relaxing and beneficial mentally. Only working from...
Plein air watercolor painting problems

Plein air watercolor painting problems

Sometimes plein air watercolor painting problems seem tougher than at others due to non-ideal conditions, if you are on holidays and are there to paint then you just have to try and make the best of your environment. I recently spent 4 days painting at a little New...
How to use color thumbnails to change mood

How to use color thumbnails to change mood

Recently one of my students painted a nice watercolor seascape. Her reference photo was of a coastal scene at Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia. It was of a bright day and her original painting reflected this. However she wanted to change the mood of her painting and was...
How to frame a watercolor painting

How to frame a watercolor painting

This article will show you how to frame a watercolor painting. There may be different ways but this is how I do it. The first step is to ensure your watercolor painting is totally flat. As I do not pre-stretch my watercolor paper it cockles or buckles a little so I...
Paint watercolors like a child

Paint watercolors like a child

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up,” Picasso. All too often artists seem to fall into the trap of taking their work too seriously. If their watercolor painting doesn’t work they feel let down, if they don’t win a...