The Artist

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.

WELCOME from the editor

the artist

EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS

Next month in the artist

YOUR VIEWS • LETTERS, EMAILS AND COMMENTS

THE ART WORLD • NEWS, INFORMATION AND ONLINE EVENTS IN THE ART WORLD

Walter SICKERT

Urban Life • Caroline Saunders talks to Royal Academician Bill Jaddin about his large-scale oils and how he’s inspired by the streets of New York City

The written word • In the second of two articles on sources of inspiration for painters, Paul Riley looks at how literature, poetry, philosophy and religion can fire the imagination

Boats and harbours in gouache • In the final article in his series on capturing coastal scenes in gouache, Robert Brindley focuses on boats and harbours as he demonstrates a harbour scene with moored boats

Points to consider before judging whether a painting is finished

The shape of water: rivers, lakes and waterfalls • Capture the mood and atmosphere of lakes, rivers and waterfalls with Paul Weaver as he demonstrates how to capture the effect of still and moving water in watercolour

Animal portraiture • Catherine Ingleby shares her tips and advice for painting successful animal portrait commissions, as she demonstrates a characterful portrait of a dog

TRY THIS EXERCISE BEFORE SETTING PRICES FOR PORTRAITS

Paint a still life in the garden • Be inspired by Lizzie Black to paint a still-life set-up on your garden table, in oils

LIZZIE’S TIPS FOR CREATING A GARDEN STUDY

Capture skies in all their moods • In the first of two articles, Alan Bickley explains how best to capture skies when painting with oils, with advice on colour choices and painting techniques

The joy of interior scenes • Pastellist Felicity House shares her approach to painting interior scenes and includes her top tips for painting with pastels

FELICITY’S TOP TIPS FOR USING PASTELS

Garden birds in oils • In the second of two articles, Becky Thorley-Fox compares the differences between oils and watercolours, and their relative advantages, for capturing these fast-moving garden visitors

COLOURS

Materials and tools • Julie Collins takes a deep dive into watercolour materials – what’s essential and what’s not – and how to look after them

WATERCOLOUR PAPER – THE LOWDOWN

CARING FOR AND STORING MATERIALS

Sketching the countryside • In the second of two articles on sketching outdoors with the Fude bent nib pen, Barry Herniman reveals how this sketching tool has enabled him to take his work to another level

A personal approach to watercolour • David Curtis VPRSMA, ROI – one of the UK’s most successful figurative artists and editorial consultant to The Artist – will be exhibiting an inspiring collection of his watercolours in the Cotswolds in mid-May. Gallery owner Josephine Neil asked him about his working methods and personal approach to watercolour painting

The secrets of a successful business partnership • Steve Griggs reveals how his life-long dream of becoming a full-time watercolour artist could not have been realised without the...