Buy the current issue

Subscribe to
The Artist's Magazine

Buy the current issue

Subscribe to
Watercolor Magic

Buy the current issue

Subscribe to
Pastel Journal

The Artist's Magazine

artistsmagazine.com

Get 2 free issues

Renew

Watercolor Magic

watercolormagic.com

Get a free issue

Renew

Pastel Journal

pasteljournal.com

Renew

The Watercolorist's Essential Notebook: Landscapes by Gordon MacKenzie The New Creative Artist by Nita Leland The Art of Portrait Drawing by Joy Thomas Splash 9 by Rachel Rubin Wolf Painter's Quick Reference: Landscapes from the Editors of North Light Books

• Welcome!
• Glaze glossary
• Art on the go
• Calendar of art events
• Join the discussion
• What's new on pasteljournal.com
• Artistsmagazine.com highlights
• Hot topics on watercolormagic.com
• Special offers

We’re experiencing a digital revolution here at the Artist’s Network. How so, you ask? Well, now you can enter two of our art competitions online (rather than mailing us slides) for a chance to win fantastic prizes. But you better hurry: Submissions for the 8th Annual The Pastel 100 are due September 1. Entries for our first-ever The Artist’s Magazine All-Media Online Competition are due December 1. Go to pasteljournal.com/pastel100 and www.artistsmagazine.com/contests/amoc_2006.asp for additional details.

For more art advice and inspiration, read our articles on using glazes and capturing the scenery from your summer travels in your artwork. Plus, find out if an art event is happening in your neck of the woods this month.

Enjoy the Read!

—The staffs of The Artist’s Magazine, Watercolor Magic and The Pastel Journal

Whether you’re vacationing in an exotic location or just taking a stroll around the block, summer is definitely the time to hit the road. Five authors from Splash 9: Watercolor Secrets share their thoughts on capturing the sights you see while traveling.
 
Look for focus and frame: As I take photo references, I look for two things to guide composition. The focus is the thing that catches my eye—the original inspiration for the painting. The frame keeps the viewer’s eye inside the painting so it doesn’t wander over to the painting hanging next to it. This technique enables me to create a personal interpretation of the location rather than just painting a postcard view.  —Judy Morris
 
Spend more time planning than painting: When painting a scene, I let myself escape to a time and place to recapture a moment and express through watercolor how it felt. I start with a goal and a vision and decide in advance the big picture elements, including large shapes, colors and values. I don’t plan the details and work from a minimal sketch, which frees me while painting. This allows me to create work that is both deliberate and spontaneous. —David B. Goldstein
 
Communicate the energy of the city: It’s very difficult to paint a busy street, so I visit on sunny days and take lots of pictures. I first look for buildings rich in character—buildings with strong color, exciting imagery and dark, shadowy accents. To communicate the city’s energy, I look for interesting people in colorful dress, in action and with an attitude. City scenes are so full of detail that it’s easy to get confused working all over the painting, so I usually work one area at a time. —Ruth Newquist
 
Record travel photos: When I’m on a trip, I keep two kinds of notes of my travel photos. On a small notepad, I record a letter for the roll of film, a number for each picture and any on-site notes to refresh my memory. Each evening, I record the details of that day: highways, buildings, museums, gardens, pubs, food and the weather. Back in the studio, these records help me recall my feeling for the time and place. —Tommie Hollingsworth-Williams
 
Paint the Life of a Place: Wherever I travel, I paint the people—the life of the place. When I walk around the streets of a new city, I can feel a little of its soul from being out among people who are engaged in everyday activities. I look for a scene that can put the viewer with me on the streets of Milan, Siena or New York City. I usually shy away from using a landmark as a subject unless it’s connected to the life of the place and is alive with people. —Paul Sullivan

To discover additional insights for creating luminous, dynamic and expressive paintings from over 100 of today’s best watercolor artists, see Splash 9, The Best of Watercolor: Watercolor Secrets edited by Rachel Rubin Wolf, available at fine-art retailers, bookstores and online suppliers or directly from North Light Books.