I N S I G H T

Louise De Masi

Talk to Me
Choosing subjects that talk to her, this artist has
created some amazing watercolours.

M
y lifelong love affair with
art has had many ups and
downs. I cocoon myself in it
for a while, and then I push it away. It
always calls me back though. Art was
my favourite subject at school and I
was rarely without a graphite pencil
in my hand. I didn’t paint at school
because colour frightened me, and I felt
much safer working in grey scale.
In my late twenties, I worked as
a sign writer for a short while, but
it wasn’t long before I was tired of
working in the sun and climbing up
ladders. At that time, computer cut
vinyl lettering was the ‘new’ thing and
traditional signwriting was a dying art
form, so I put my signwriting brushes
away and took some folk art classes in
a nearby art studio.
It wasn’t long before the owner of the
art studio took me under her wing and
encouraged me to start teaching. I began
with a small number of students and
slowly my class sizes grew. Many of my
painted pieces were featured in art and
craft magazines, and a US publishing
company published a small painting

Left: Don't Look Back

Opposite page
Top right: As I Was Saying
Middle right: The Harem
Bottom right: Tickled Pink

62 Artist’s Palette
 I N S I G H T

instruction book I had written. I have

fond memories of this time in my life
because of all of the wonderful people I
met, but after 14 years of teaching, my
interest in painting with acrylic paint
was beginning to wane. It no longer
gave me any pleasure, and I found
myself looking for something else.
One day, while I was ironing, I heard
on the radio that the university near
where I lived was taking enrollments
for a Bachelor of Education course that
was starting the following year. Ever
since I was a little girl I had wanted to
be a schoolteacher, so without a lot of
thought, the next day I took myself off
to university to enroll.
When I completed my degree four
years later I didn’t realise how difficult
it would be to secure a permanent
teaching position, and I had to be
content with casual teaching, where
I would wait every morning for the
phone to ring. To keep myself busy on
the days I wasn’t teaching, I dusted
off my watercolour paints and decided
to have another play with them. I had
tried to paint with watercolour a few
times in the past, but had never had
any success.
I have a great affinity with nature
and I adore animals and birds, so I
began with little watercolour paintings
of animals and birds. Watercolour
paper is quite expensive, which is why
I started with A5 sized paper. After
a few weeks, I had little paintings
everywhere that I thought were okay. I
didn’t know what to do with them until
I discovered Etsy. I opened a shop and
listed some of my paintings, and after
a few months they began to sell. I was
hooked! I’m so pleased I found Etsy
because it has led to other work for
me. I was contacted by Walter Foster
Publishing last year to co-author a
watercolour instruction book titled
‘The Art of Painting Sea Life in
Watercolor’, and I now have an agent
in the US who works on getting my art
licensed.

Artist’s Palette 63

I am drawn to light and shadow
and beautiful textures. I love colour,
both soft and bold, and I pursue
simplicity, all of which I try to
convey in my work. Watercolour is
such a beautiful medium to work
with. It is fluid and quick, and the
colours are vibrant. I never tire of
it. The way the watercolour paper
absorbs the pigment, the way the
pigment dances with the dampness
of the paper, it is such a pleasure to
use. It has a mind of its own and I
know I will never fully conquer it.
64 Artist’s Palette
I N S I G H T
Watercolour gets me out of bed in
the morning and keeps me up late
at night. I am so grateful to have
reconnected with my art because I
am able to do what I love every day.
Painting in watercolour also helps
me to take my mind off myself. I
have had back pain on and off for
about a decade, and last year it got
significantly worse. I found I couldn’t
walk for very long without getting
terrible pain shooting down my legs.
I finally went to the doctor about it
and I discovered that I have scoliosis.
I was referred to a neurosurgeon who
sent me for many tests, and now I
know that spinal fusion surgery is a
possibility in my future. I can’t sit,
stand or walk for long. Every day I
have to alternate between the three
to keep discomfort to a minimum.
Painting helps me to stay positive. I
named my Poppy painting ‘Twisted
Sisters’ because it reminded me of my
twisted spine.
While I love to convey detail with
my own paintings, I admire artists who
convey a looser style of painting. I am
 I N S I G H T

a huge fan of John Lovett. Owning

one of his watercolour paintings is
on my bucket list. I love his loose,
carefree, confident style of painting. It
is a style I would love to emulate but
I never seem to be able to achieve it. I
also love the uninhibited work of Karl
Martens. He challenges his need for
control with each of his paintings and
he forces himself to lose control. This
is something I want to work on over
the coming years.
I am self-taught and I continue to
learn every time I work on a painting.

Above:The Hoons
Right: The Tutu

Opposite page
Top left: Osprey
Top middle: Regent Parrot
Top left: Things Are Looking Up
Bottom left: Twisted Sisters
Bottom right: Erins Bouquet

Artist’s Palette 65
 I N S I G H T

I have learnt to use lots of water

when I paint, which is why I always
stretch my paper. I start to paint long
before I put paint to paper. I attempt
to paint the subject in my mind before
I pick up a brush. I have learnt that
it is important to leave things out of
the painting. Every single detail is
not important - I prefer to suggest
elements. The best way for me to do
this is to use large brushes. I try not
to touch my fine brushes until I am
at the end of my painting. I have also
learned to not paint for the sake of
painting. This is one reason I don’t
take commission work anymore. I
want to paint subjects that ‘talk’ to me,
subjects that move me in some way. I
believe it shows in my work.
Watercolour is perhaps the most
difficult medium to master. My
watercolour journey has just begun.
I don’t think I ever will master it the
way I want to, but I’ll have a lot of
fun trying.

Contact details:
Ph: 0428 603 900
Email: ldemasi@iprimus.com.au
Web: www.louisedemasi.com
Etsy: www.etsy.com/au/shop/
LouiseDeMasi I

Top left: Grey Matter

Top right: Angel Wings
Middle left: Crimson Rosella
Left: Things Bee Eaters

66 Artist’s Palette
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE!
D R AW I N G s P H O T O G R A P H Y s PA I N T I N G
D R AW I N G s P H O T O G R A P H Y s PA I N T I N G

OBSERVING &
APPRECIATING
AP R C ATI G
CHRISTOPHER VIDAL
subscription order form
TRAVEL TO IMPROVE
& ENJOY
E JO YOURU ART
A
YES! I would like to subscribe to 6 issues of Creative Artist magazine
starting with the next available issue.

1. YOUR DETAILS
TITLE Q MR Q MRS Q MS Q MISS
ALL THE
H LATEST
L ST Name ________________________________________________________________
NEWS
NEW
EXHIBITION Address______________________________________________________________

A$8.99 Incl GST

NZ $10.20 Incl GST
6 issues _______________________________________________________________________

for only
Issue 14
02

State______________________________ Postcode_________________________
ISSN 2203-6423

9 772203 642004

$29.95*
(PDLOBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

Telephone (inc. area code)___________________________________________

A R T I S T S ’ P R O F I L E S A N D W O

2. PLEASE TICK ONE BOX

‡0HHWWDOHQWHGDUWLVWVVFXOSWRUVDQG Q AUSTRALIA:  ,VVXHV RI &UHDWLYH $UWLVW PDJD]LQH
SKRWRJUDSKHUV IRU $8' 

‡$OOWKHODWHVWDUWQHZV Q NEW ZEALAND:  ,VVXHV RI &UHDWLYH $UWLVW PDJD]LQH

IRU $8' 
‡/HDUQSKRWRJUDSKLFWHFKQLTXHV Q REST OF THE WORLD: ,VVXHVRI&UHDWLYH$UWLVW
PDJD]LQHIRU$8'
‡9LVLWJDOOHULHVIURPDOORYHUWKHZRUOG
3ULFHV LQFOXGH *67 6XEVFULSWLRQV ZLOO VWDUW ZLWK WKH ÀUVW DYDLODEOH LVVXH ([LVWLQJ
‡([SORUHWKHZRUOGRIDUW VXEVFULSWLRQV ZLOO VLPSO\ EH H[WHQGHG ,I \RXU RUGHU LV FDQFHOOHG EHIRUH DOO LVVXHV DUH
UHFHLYHG SD\PHQW ZLOO EH SURUDWHG RYHU WKH WRWDO QXPEHU RI LVVXHV DYDLODEOH DV SDUW RI
WKH RIIHU IRU WKH SXUSRVH RI FDOFXODWLQJ DQ\ UHIXQG GXH
‡3DLQWLQJGUDZLQJDQGSKRWRJUDSK\ZRUNVKRSV
‡+RZWRXVHGLIIHUHQWWRROVDQGSURGXFWV  METHOD OF PAYMENT
Q &KHTXH0RQH\2UGHU$XVWRQO\

3
,HQFORVHDFKHTXHPRQH\RUGHUPDGHSD\DEOHWR

EASY WAYS :RRGODQGV 3XEOLVKLQJ 3W\ /WG $%1    IRU

TO SUBSCRIBE Please debit my:

&DUG 1R
Q 0DVWHUFDUG Q Visa

(02) 4722 2260 QQQQ QQQQ QQQQ QQQQ

([SLU\ GDWH QQ  QQ
and quote four issues offer

Fill in the form & freepost to: &DUGKROGHUQDPH3/($6(35,17BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

:RRGODQGV 3XEOLVKLQJ
5HSO\ 3DLG 
6LJQDWXUHB________________________________________'DWHBBBBBBBBBBBBB
*OHQPRUH 3DUN 

)D[WR (02) 4733 8583 FREE POST: Woodlands Publishing

Reply Paid 8035, Glenmore Park 2745
 D E M O N S T R A T I O N

Watercolours

The Giraffe By Louise De Masi

A regular visitor to
Taronga Zoo in Sydney,
this artist spends hours
taking photos of the
graceful and majestic
giraffes. Her reference
photo for this painting
is sharp, the light is
good, and there is
good contrast.

M AT E R I A L S

‡:LQVRUDQG1HZWRQZDWHUFRORXU
SDLQWV
²%URZQ2FKUH
²%XUQW6LHQQD
²,QGLDQ5HG
²/DPS%ODFN
²3D\QHV*UH\
²4XLQDFULGLQH*ROG
²6HSLD
²8OWUDPDULQH%OXH
²8OWUDPDULQH9LROHW
²9DQ'\NH%URZQ
²:KLWH*RXDFKH
‡%UXVKHV
²GD9LQFL1RYDURXQG
²GD9LQFL6SLQV\QWKHWLFV
²GD9LQFL6SLQV\QWKHWLFV
‡0DVNLQJ)OXLG
FINAL STEP ‡(UDVHU

68 Artist’s Palette
 D E M O N S T R A T I O N
STEP ONE
STEP ONE
,EHJLQE\PDNLQJVXUHWKDW,DPKDSS\
ZLWKP\GUDZLQJ7KHQ,SDLQWRYHU
WKHKDLULQVLGHWKHHDUVZLWKVRPH
PDVNLQJIOXLG,PL[XSDVRIWJUH\ZLWK
8OWUDPDULQH%OXHDQG%XUQW6LHQQDDQG
,XVHLWWRSDLQWDZDVKRQWKHVKDGRZ
VLGHRIWKHQHFN,SDLQWLWRQGU\SDSHU
DQG,PDNHVXUHWKDWWKHSDLQWLVZDWHU\
,SDLQWWKLVPL[RQWKHULJKWVLGHRI
WKHIDFHDQGDOVRRQWKHOHIWEXWRQ
WKHOHIWVLGH,ZHWWKHSDSHUILUVWZLWK
VRPHFOHDQZDWHUDQGZKLOHWKHSDSHULV
GDPS,SDLQWWKHZDVK,ZHWWKHSDSHU
KHUHEHFDXVH,ZDQWWKHZDVKWREH
VRIWHULQFRORXU,SDLQWWKLVZDVKLQWR
WKHHDUVDVZHOO,ZDLWXQWLOWKHVKDGRZ
RQWKHULJKWVLGHRIWKHIDFHLVGU\DQG
WKHQ,UHZHWLWZLWKVRPHZDWHUDQG
,GURSLQDOLWWOH8OWUDPDULQH%OXH
STEP TWO
1RZ,DPUHDG\WREHJLQDGGLQJVRPH
EURZQWRWKHJLUDIIH,ZLOOVWDUWZLWK
WKHRVVLFRQHV,ZHWWKHPZLWKVRPH
ZDWHUDQGZKLOHWKHSDSHULVGDPS,
SDLQWDZDVKRI%URZQ2FKUH,GURS
LQDOLWWOH%XUQW6LHQQDZKLOHWKHZDVK
LVGDPSWREHJLQDGGLQJWKHGDUNHU
DUHDV,SDLQWWKHKXPSRQWKHIRUHKHDG
LQWKHVDPHPDQQHUDQG,EULQJWKH
%URZQ2FKUHZDVKGRZQRYHUWKH
PX]]OHWRZDUGVWKHQRVH:KHQWKH
%URZQ2FKUHLVGU\,ZHWWKHSDSHU
DJDLQZLWKZDWHURQWKHJUH\DUHD
STEP TWO
DURXQGWKHQRVWULOVDQGZKLOHWKHSDSHU
LVGDPS,SDLQWWKHJUH\PL[WKDW,
PDGHHDUOLHU,ZRUNEURDGO\QRZQRW
ZRUU\LQJDERXWVSHFLILFV(YHU\WKLQJ
LVOLJKWLQYDOXH,ZLOOGDUNHQLWODWHU
STEP THRE
7REHJLQSDLQWLQJWKHGDUNDUHDVZLWKLQ
WKHHDUV,ZHWWKHSDSHUILUVWZLWKVRPH
ZDWHU:KLOHWKHSDSHULVGDPS,SDLQW
WKHGDUNVKDSHZLWK6HSLD,GURSLQ
DOLWWOH%XUQW6LHQQDZKLOHLW·VZHW
,SDLQWWKHVKDGRZRQWKHOHIWVLGHRI
WKHKXPSRQWKHIRUHKHDGZLWKZDWHU
DQGWKHQ,XVH%XUQW6LHQQDZKLOH
WKHSDSHULVGDPS,GURSLQVRPH
8OWUDPDULQH9LROHWZKLOHWKHSDLQWLV
GDPSWRFRROWKHVKDGRZGRZQ,XVH
DGDPSFOHDQEUXVKWRVRIWHQHGJHV
1RZ,WXUQP\DWWHQWLRQWRWKHH\H
RQWKHULJKWVLGH7KHILUVWWKLQJ,GRLV
WRSXWVRPHFRORXULQWRWKHKLJKOLJKW
DUHDVRQWKHH\HEDOO,XVH8OWUDPDULQH
9LROHWDQGVRPHRIWKHJUH\PL[HG
HDUOLHU,SDLQWWKHHQWLUHH\HRQGU\
SDSHUEHFDXVH,QHHGWRNHHSFRQWURO
RIWKHSDLQW1RZ,SDLQWWKHOLWWOH
KLJKOLJKWHGVHFWLRQXQGHUQHDWKWKH
H\HDQGWKHWRSRIWKHH\HODVKHVZLWK
8OWUDPDULQH9LROHW<RXFRXOGDOVR
XVH8OWUDPDULQH%OXH:KHQDOOWKH
KLJKOLJKWVDUHGU\,EHJLQWRILOOWKHUHVW
RIWKHH\HLQZLWK/DPS%ODFN,OHWLW
GU\DQGWKHQ,GHHSHQWKHYDOXHZKHUH
,QHHGLWE\UHFRDWLQJZLWKWKHEODFN
STEPS THREE AND FOUR
,VOLJKWO\GDPSHQWKHDUHDGLUHFWO\
DERYHWKHH\HDQG,XVH6HSLDWR
SDLQWWKHOLQHVWKHUH,IWKHOLQHVQHHG
WREHVRIWHQHG,UXQDFOHDQGDPS
EUXVKVRIWO\RYHUWKHP,GHHSHQWKH
GDUNHUDUHDMXVWDERYHWKHH\HZLWK
VRPH8OWUDPDULQH9LROHWDQGWKHQ
,GURS,OLWWOHELWRI/DPS%ODFNLQ
ZKLOHLW·VZHWWRGHHSHQLWIXUWKHU
0RYLQJRQWRWKHULJKWHDU,GDPSHQ
WKHORZHUHGJHZLWKZDWHUDQGWKHQ,
UXQDILQHOLQHDORQJWKHHGJHZLWKWKH
JUH\PL[HGHDUOLHU7KHPRLVWXUHRQWKH
SDSHUVKRXOGPRYHWKHSLJPHQWLQWRWKH
HDUVOLJKWO\VRWKDWWKHHGJHLVVRIW,
GRWKHVDPHDORQJWKHWRSLQQHUHGJH
,PDNHVXUHWKHHDULVGU\DQGWKHQ,XVH
P\HUDVHUWRUHPRYHWKHPDVNLQJIOXLG
,GDPSHQWKHDUHDWKDWZDVPDVNHGZLWK
ZDWHUDQG,SDLQWDVRIWZDVKRI*UH\
:KHQWKDW·VGU\,XVHP\OLQHUEUXVKWR
SDLQWVRPH6HSLDRQWRWKHDUHDWKDWZDV
PDVNHGWRPDNHWKHKDLUORRNILQHU,
XVHDVPDOODPRXQWRIZKLWHJRXDFKHWR
GHILQHWKHKDLUKHUH7KHOLWWOHDUHDRQ
WKHRXWVLGHRIWKHHDUEHVLGHWKHKDLU,
SDLQWZLWK%URZQ2FKUHRQGDPSSDSHU
STEP FOUR
,ZHWWKHRVVLFRQHVZLWKZDWHUDQG
ZKLOHWKHSDSHULVGDPS,LQFUHDVH
WKHVKDGRZGRZQWKHOHIWVLGHVZLWK
VRPH%XUQW6LHQQD,DOVRGURSLQD
OLWWOH9DQ'\NH%URZQ,XVHWKHWZR
EURZQVWRVWDUWWRLQGLFDWHVRPHKDLURQ
Artist’s Palette 69
 D E M O N S T R A T I O N
STEP FIVE
WKHIURQWRIHDFKRVVLFRQH7KHHGJHV
RIWKHSDLQWUHPDLQVRIWEHFDXVHWKH
SDSHULVVWLOOGDPS,DOVRXVHP\OLQHU
EUXVKWRSDLQWWKHKDLUWKDWSURWUXGHV
RIIWRWKHVLGHRIHDFKRVVLFRQH
<RXFDQVHHWKHWRSRIWKHOHIW
RVVLFRQHVRWRPDNHLWORRNURXQGHU
,ZHWLWZLWKZDWHUDQG,SDLQWVRPH
3D\QHV*UH\RQWRWKHOHIWVLGHWR
IRUPDVKDGRZ,SDLQWWKHEODFNKDLU
QRZRQWKHWRSRIHDFKRVVLFRQHZLWK
/DPS%ODFN,ZHWWKHDUHDILUVWZLWK
ZDWHUWRNHHSP\HGJHVVRIW:KHQ
LWGULHV,DGGVRPHPRUHKDLUZLWK
/DPS%ODFNEXWWKHUHLVOHVVZDWHULQ
P\SDLQWDQGPRUHSLJPHQWWKLVWLPH
STEP FIVE
,EHJLQWRSDLQWWKHOHIWH\HZLWKD
YHU\SDOHPL[RI,QGLDQ5HGDQG
8OWUDPDULQH%OXH,SDLQWRQGU\
SDSHUEHFDXVH,GRQ·WZDQWWRORVH
FRQWURO:KLOHWKHSDLQWGULHV,PRYH
RYHUWRWKHOHIWHDUDQGSDLQWLWLQ
WKHVDPHPDQQHUDVWKHULJKWHDU
70 Artist’s Palette
,VWDUWWRSDLQWWKHVSRWVZLWK%URZQ
2FKUH,SDLQWWKHPRQGU\SDSHUDQG
,OHWWKHPGU\7KHQ,UHFRDWWKHP
ZLWKVRPH%URZQ2FKUHDQGZKLOHWKH
SDLQWLVGDPS,GURSLQDOLWWOH9DQ
'\NH%URZQZLWKP\OLQHUEUXVK
,SDLQWWKHFUHDVHVDERYHWKHOHIW
H\HDV,GLGWKHFUHDVHVDERYHWKH
ULJKWH\H,ZHWWKHSDSHUDQGZKLOH
WKHSDSHULVGDPS,SDLQW6HSLD
DORQJWKHFUHDVHV/HWWKHSDSHU
GU\DIWHURQHFUHDVHEHIRUH\RX
SDLQWWKHQH[WMXVWPDNHVXUHWR
GDPSHQWKHSDSHUDJDLQHDFKWLPH
7KHUHLVDVKDGRZDERYHWKHOHIWH\H
,ZHWWKLVDUHDZLWKZDWHUDQGZKLOH
LW·VGDPS,GURSLQVRPH9DQ'\NH
%URZQIROORZHGE\DOLWWOH6HSLD
STEP SIX
,SDLQWWKHUHVWRIWKHH\HLQ/DPS
%ODFNRQGU\SDSHU,NHHSWKHEODFN
OLJKWLQYDOXHDWWKLVVWDJH,SDLQWD
OLWWOHPRUH,QGLDQ5HGRQWRWKHOLJKWHU
DUHDVRIWKHH\HZKHQWKHEODFNLVGU\
STEP SIX
,GU\WKHH\HZLWKDKDLUGU\HUDQGWKHQ
,GDUNHQWKHEODFNZLWKDQRWKHUFRDW,
XVHPRUHSLJPHQWWKLVWLPH:KHQWKH
H\HLVGU\,GDPSHQVRPHDUHDVRIWKH
EODFNZKHUH,ZDQWVRPHKLJKOLJKWV,
XVHDZHWEUXVKWRSDLQWWKHZDWHUDQG
DWLVVXHWREORWWKHSDLQW,XVHDWLQ\
DPRXQWRIZKLWHJRXDFKHWRDGGDIHZ
PRUHKLJKOLJKWVZKHUH,ZDQWWKHP
,SDLQWWKHVSRWVRQWKHVLGHRIWKH
IDFHLQ%XUQW6LHQQDRQGU\SDSHU
%HVLGHWKHH\HWKHUHLVDVSRWWKDW
LVOHVVGHILQHGWKDQWKHRWKHUVSRWV
7RNHHSWKHHGJHVVRIW,ZHWWKH
SDSHUZLWKZDWHUILUVWDQG,SDLQW
ZHWRQZHWWKHUH,GURSLQDOLWWOH
9DQ'\NH%URZQKHUHDQGWKHUH
WRR7KHUHDUHVRPHVSRWVSDLQWHG
DOLWWOHGDUNHUKHUHZLWK6HSLD
STEP SEVEN
,ZDUPXSWKHVSRWVZLWKVRPH
%URZQ2FKUH,SDLQWLWVWUDLJKW
RYHUWKHWRSRIWKH%XUQW6LHQQD
EDVH:KLOHWKHSDLQWLVGDPS,
 D E M O N S T R A T I O N

drop in a little Van Dyke Brown
here and there. I also drop in a little
Quinacridine Gold on some of them.
I wet the snout with water and I
use Brown Ochre to add some more
colour here. I also use Van Dyke
Brown to add a few more ‘washy’
spots while the paper is damp. I
wet the area around the nostrils
with water, and while the paper
is damp I drop in a dark mix of
Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna.
I paint the nostrils in Sepia. I wet
the area above the lips, below the
nose, with water and I paint some
Brown Ochre and also some Van
Dyke Brown there. I paint the
spots on the neck in Burnt Sienna.
FINAL STEP
I do some more work around the nostrils
and on the snout and mouth now. I
deepen the grey areas with Paynes Grey
and I deepen the colour in the nostrils
with more Sepia and a touch of Lamp
Black. I work on the white area directly
around the nostrils. I use the grey mix
of Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna
and also a little Brown Ochre. I work
on damp paper to keep my edges soft.
I paint the bottom lip with some
more Brown Ochre and while it’s
damp, I use Sepia to paint the
darker areas. I also deepen the
black ‘eyebrows’ above the eyes
with some Lamp Black. I dampen
the area first before I apply
the black.
Contact details:
Ph: 0428 603 900
Email: ldemasi@iprimus.com.au
Web: www.louisedemasi.com
Etsy: www.etsy.com/au/shop/
LouiseDeMasi I

ARTIST’S
HINTS AND
TIPS
‡,GRQ·WOLNHVHHLQJEHDXWLIXO
watercolour paintings that
have been framed where the
paper is cockled, so I always
stretch my watercolour
paper. I soak it in the bath
for about three minutes and
then I attach it to Gatorboard
with water-activated tape.
‡8VHSOHQW\RIZDWHUZKHQ\RX
paint. Let the dampness of the
paper move the pigment around.
‡'RQ·WILGGOHZLWK\RXU
painting. Let it be. Try to be
confident even if you’re not.
‡'RQ·WRYHUZRUN\RXUSDLQWLQJ
Leave negative space or soft
areas in your painting. Give
the viewer’s eye a rest.
‡8VHWKHEHVWTXDOLW\DUW
supplies you can afford.
‡/LPLW\RXUSDOHWWHWRDYRLG
muddy, jarring colour schemes.
‡0DNHVXUH\RXUGUDZLQJLV
perfect. Watercolour paint is
simply not thick enough to
cover any mistakes the way you
can with oil or acrylic paint. STEP SEVEN

Artist’s Palette 71