The UK’s best practical art magazine for aspiring amateur and professional artists - since 1931. Well-known artists reveal their working practices and techniques, covering all subjects and media, in every issue. Learn how established and up-and-coming artists create their work and use the tips they provide to help you improve your own drawing and painting. Keep up to date with the latest art materials, tried and tested by our trusted panel of expert artists, and keep in touch with the latest art competitions to enter and must-see exhibitions. Learn how other artists make money from their work, join one of our practical workshops/holidays, and don’t miss out on the latest art news and views.
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The Artist
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EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS
YOUR VIEWS • LETTERS, EMAILS AND COMMENTS
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THE ART WORLD • NEWS, INFORMATION AND ONLINE EVENTS IN THE ART WORLD
An eye for pattern and detail • Susie Hodge talks to Meg Dutton, winner of The Artist Award at the 2021 Royal Society of British Artists’ exhibition
Portraits demystified • Hone your watercolour portrait painting skills with tips and advice from Hazel Soan
Have fun with oils in the great outdoors • Enjoy painting en plein air this spring and improve your visual memory at the same time, with tips from Haidee-Jo Summers
The rhythms of the landscape • Laura Reiter demonstrates how to create a semi-abstract composition from a photo of a landscape using mixed media
Heralds of spring • Be inspired by Jenny Aitken as she celebrates the end of winter and warmer days to come by painting snowdrops and spring flowers
The split-primary palette • Graham Webber’s three-part series on colour mixing for landscape painting continues as he adds a further three primary colours to his basic three-primary palette to demonstrate a painting with atmosphere and light
Colour, tone and pattern • Jake Winkle demonstrates why colour, tone, pattern and negative shapes are key to successful watercolour paintings
Capture spring coastal scenes • In the first of three articles, Robert Brindley explores painting coastal subjects in gouache, with a focus on capturing the light. This month he demonstrates how to paint spring light
Understanding oil painting brushes • Alan Bickley presents his guide to choosing and using the right brushes for your work
MOST COMMONLY USED BRUSH SHAPES
Colour confusion • Baffled by the number of colours in your watercolour box? Julie Collins advises on how to choose the core colours to ensure success in your watercolour paintings
Develop a professional mindset • In the final article of her series about pursuing a second career in art, Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year finalist Sally Ward explains why a professional mindset is so important for the progression of your art career
Back in the studio – using the drawing walk • Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year finalist Clare Lord explains how she uses the source material she creates on her drawing walks to make a studio painting
GETTING STARTED
Success with techniques • Ian Sidaway drills down to the basics of why watercolour techniques work (or don’t) and what you can do to avoid frustration and disappointment
Portraits in charcoal • Marco Feray describes his process for drawing portraits in charcoal and shares his tips for the more important points to consider when using the medium
DIGITAL ART AND DESIGN • In the third of her seven-part series Sarah Edmonds discovers what fine artists can learn from graphic designers and their practice
ART BOX • Art products to help you develop your skills
OPPORTUNITIES & COMPETITIONS • Check out the latest competitions to...