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.

The Artist

WELCOME from the editor

EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS

Next month in the artist

YOUR VIEWS • LETTERS, EMAILS AND COMMENTS

STAR LETTER

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

ART picks

The imaginative artist • Caroline Saunders talks to mixed-media artist Silvia Pastore about the joys of painting from the imagination

The ever-changing landscape • Landscapes are never still. In the second of his four articles exploring landscapes in watercolour, Ian Sidaway focuses on the seasons and the effects they have on our natural environment

Sketching in the field • Richard Allen shares his tips on painting birds at speed at the inspiring RSPB reserve at Minsmere

A country idyll • Jenny Aitken demonstrates how to paint cows and sheep in acrylics by paying particular attention to shape and colour to achieve a sense of immediacy

Make your mark • In the second of her two articles exploring the creative possibilities of mark making, Melanie Cormack-Hicks puts her experimental work into practice to complete a triptych

The art of the limited palette • In the first of three articles on working in watercolour with a limited palette, Hazel Soan explores temperature bias, which is key to mixing good secondary colours

EXERCISE • Try painting this simple beach scene to show how red stands out on the picture plane

The drama of shadows • Jo Pickering draws on lighting techniques used by the Old Masters to create her own dramatic portrait in oils

A meadow riot • Put watercolour through its paces, from watermarks to impasto, with Catherine Beale as she paints meadow grasses and flowers

Kinder to the planet • Andrew Field test reports on the new Wallace Seymour plant-based oils and Co Co Bello painting mediums and enjoys the benefits of these eco-friendly products

Monumental trees • The magnificent trees in Petworth’s great park inspired Paul Riley to experiment painting them in large-format watercolours to reflect their grandeur

Drawn to landscape • Liquid graphite and charcoal are here to stay. Robert Dutton demonstrates why they are an essential part of his tool kit

Rural scenes in acrylics • Follow Robert Brindley’s step-by-step demonstration and capture a rural scene in acrylics, enhanced with acrylic inks and pastels

Developing your tonal range in watercolour • Bring structure to your watercolours with a broad tonal range, advises Julie Collins as she demonstrates how to use tone and colour value to best effect

OPPORTUNITIES & COMPETITIONS • Check out the latest competitions to enter and make a note of important deadlines

EXHIBITIONS • GALLERY OPENING TIMES AND EXHIBITION DATES CAN VARY; IF IN DOUBT PHONE TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT

ART SOCIETIES

UK ART SHOPS • Support your specialist art retailer by purchasing your materials from the shops listed here

Love your subject • Excel at one thing and become better at the rest. Mike Barr explains why concentrating our attention in one direction...