Paint what you see
“Paint what you see, not what you know” is a fundamental principle in representational art. That does not mean it is the only way to approach painting. Pablo Picasso is said to have remarked:…
Category: Techniques
Aerial perspective
Aerial perspective is the term used to describe the phenomenon whereby a landscape appears lighter, bluer, and less distinct at a great distance. The effect occurs when the air is filled with moisture and…
Don’t write with a brush
Why do almost all beginners paint a thin line using a bunch of tiny brushstrokes?The answer is actually pretty obvious: we’re used to writing with a pen but not with a brush. When we…
Stop Rubbing
Since many of my students – both beginners and those who have painted for years – tend to rub watercolor paint onto the paper, I assume this is quite a common habit. By “rubbing”…
Mix with three primary colors
It is often said that with three primary colors, all other colors can be mixed. Therefore, we will test this with a few simple mixing exercises. To try these yourself, I recommend the following…
Pouring and tilting Watercolor Paint
To create smooth and seamless transitions with watercolor, artists often use the wet-on-wet technique, which involves applying paint to already wet paper. Another way to achieve similar effects is to use generous amounts of…
Signing your painting
Artists haven’t always signed their work. The role of the artist began to shift during the Renaissance, when ideas of individual creativity and the artist’s status as an intellectual rather than a craftsman became…
A green hell
A Swedish artist who primarily painted winter scenes is said to have once referred to summer and spring landscapes as “a green hell.” I don’t know who said this, or even if the story…
Save the edge
When adding color to an object, it’s not always best to fill the entire shape with color. Sometimes the result is more airy, and gives a lighter feeling, if you leave a few millimeters…
