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

YOUR VIEWS • LETTERS, EMAILS AND COMMENTS

STAR LETTER

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

ART picks

LUCIAN FREUD New Perspectives

Turning ideas into paintings • Caroline Saunders talks to winner of The Artist Award in last year's Royal Society of British Artists' exhibition, Mick Davies, about his acrylic, ink and print creations

Mick Davies: IN CONVERSATION

Worth the effort! • The outdoor watercolourist faces plenty of problems braving the cold of winter but, as Grahame Booth show us, there are riches to be had

Paper choices • Choosing the right paper is the foundation of our drawing. In the second of his two articles on line and wash, Alan Bickley takes a closer look at papers and demonstrates a still life on a tinted ground

INKS EXPLAINED

The lace painter • Sophie Ploeg shares her passion for painting antique lace, with advice and tips for creating these delicate patterns in oils

Sophie's top tips

The joy and challenge of watercolour portraits • Catherine MacDiarmid shows why it's good to get to know her subject in watercolour and relishes the unpredictability of the medium

A portrait of Morag • In the first of three articles on painting animal portraits in pastel, Emma Colbert demonstrates how her choice of Velour paper forces her to work in a more painterly manner

Evaluation and reflection • In the second of three articles Helen Tarr discusses how inspiration, experimentation and reflection can help you create oil paintings you will love

Let the adventure begin! • Peter Burgess finds inspiration in the work of the Old Masters. Discover for yourself new ways to learn about painting from artists of the past

The four seasons WINTER • Follow Paul Talbot-Greaves as he demonstrates a winter snow scene in acrylic and sets an exercise for you to try at home

Polyptychs: going large in watercolour • Paul Riley helps us to overcome the challenges of working in watercolour on a large scale and encourage a sense of exhilaration

First steps with linoprinting • Breaking the boredom of lockdown Gemma Curtis turned to linoprinting to release some creativity. Follow her guide to producing your first lino-cut print

THE VALUE OF A MENTOR • Sarah Edmonds sheds light on the value a mentor can bring to the life of an artist to help their business grow

CASE STUDY: PENNY HARRIS OF PARKER HARRIS

Eye catching • Recognising and emphasising what first caught your eye, whether in a photograph or from life, will help you to create better paintings. Bob Brandt explains why

Understanding coloured pencils • Milly England explores the medium of coloured pencils and encourages us to experiment to find the colours and ranges that suit us best

For the love of dogs • In this abridged extract from Atmospheric Animals in Watercolour Jean Haines demonstrates how to paint a dog's nose step by step

Exhibitions • GALLERY OPENING TIMES AND EXHIBITION DATES CAN VARY; IF IN...