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

Next month in the artist

EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS

YOUR VIEWS • LETTERS, EMAILS AND COMMENTS

STAR LETTER

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...