Writing magazine articles again

Its been quite a while since I wrote for Leisure Painter magazine, but I came back with a lovely bright Spring-time subject using watercolour for the May issue.

Spring Blossom 15 x 22 inches

I wanted readers to get their paints out and experiment before embarking on a painting. I don't know why we do it, but we do seem to expect to paint a finished 'painting' each time we wet our paint brushes, when a little bit of a warm-up may be far preferable. 
The pressure is off and we can just 'go for it'
So this was all about softening edges, merging one section into another, even if the previous section had dried! 
How do you make it look like it was all painted wet into wet in one go?
Of course it wasn't, so how do we do it?

Experimenting joining wet into wet sections together

Then there was the 'allowing paint to run' bit! 
Eeek, I know its all be bit daunting, but once you let it go, you can tilt the paper and bring it back again!
Then how about creating some scrummy textures by dropping a medium into the wet paint, Oooh, just watch the paint separate into little clumps of textural goodness. Be patient though, it doesn't happen instantly.

Creating textures in watercolour

I will be demonstrating these techniques using seasonal flowers in my workshop in Marlborough on 18th May.

I hope you can come and join me.