Blog Profiles: Watercolor Blogs
Welcome to Blog Profiles! Each week, we select a topic and handful of blogs that do a great job contributing to the conversation. We’re feeling creative this week, so wanted to recognize a few unique watercolor blogs. Do you have a blog that deserves recognition? Tweet our writers at @BeyondBylines.
I’m not an artist.
At least, I don’t think of myself as one. Some might argue that because I’m a gardener and I create terrariums — that it lends to a type of creativity that counts as art. I like this argument, but I still disagree.
There are levels of art that amaze me: Fashion design, photography, sculpture, industrial design, poetry, and watercolor, to name several.
Watercolor fascinates me because it requires an immense understanding of color and the way something so simple — water — changes it.
I discovered some magnificent blogs around watercolor and the art community that surrounds and supports it.
1. Artists Network
The watercolor archives of Artists Network really are incredibly inspiring.
Artists Network itself covers much more than just watercolor. Readers will find material creating art, art demos, art events and competitions, and posts about different media — acrylic, drawing, pastel, oil, colored pencil, and watercolor.
“If you are a creative looking for nonstop access to prompts to jump-start your making process or traditional painting and drawing techniques to bolster your set of skill,” the blog says. “If you are part of the art curious tribe or an appreciator who relishes all the rich historic, creative and cultural intersections that art provides. Artists Network is built for you.”
Posts that caught my eye: The Zen of Traveling with Art Supplies, 7 Tools for Texture in Watercolor, and How to Paint Clouds in Watercolor.
Follow @artistsnetwork on Twitter.
Credit: @artistsnetwork on Instagram
2. Art Instruction Blog
Much like Artists Network, Art Instruction is a much bigger site. It was founded by Ralph Serpe in 2007.
Here, you can find information about submitting artwork, supplies, interviews, artist spotlights, and lessons by style and medium. Look under painting as a medium, and you’ll find eight sub-topics, including watercolor.
Posts you should check out: Step by Step Watercolor Painting Demonstration for Beginners, Maine Path Watercolor Painting Tutorial by Jennifer Branch, and Is Loose Painting Better Than Tight and Realistic?
Follow Ralph Serpe on Pinterest.
3. Watercolours With Life
UK artist Jean Haines is the brains and power behind Watercolours With Life.
“I enjoy working minus the use of a preliminary sketch,” Haines says on the blog. “Painting directly with colour aiming to capture the essence of a subject. Living and studying art over the years in Asia, Dubai and Europe has influenced my brushstrokes and technique.”
Her work really is fantastic.
Notable posts include Instagram? I am finally on it!, Be Exciting! 2018 Those Warm Up Washes, and Taking Flight: Hummingbird in Watercolour.
Follow @JeanHaines on Twitter.
A collection of my floral Watercolours mainly from my latest book "Atmospheric Flowers in Watercolour " @RHSWisley @GWmag @HampshireLife @HantsCulture @VisitHampshire @artpublishing @pain pic.twitter.com/UYJGpBo9Jo
— Jean Haines SWA (@JeanHaines) August 11, 2018
4. Watercolors and Words
Rhonda Carpenter says on her blog, Watercolors and Words, “I paint, therefore, I am.”
Carpenter talks about how she enjoys reading up on art blogs and magazines and watching DVDs to further her art education, while enjoying the “beauty that is being created around the world in watermedia these days.”
“I began my journey with watercolor painting in April 2003, taking weekly lessons for six years before I realized I needed to move on to explore on my own,” Carpenter says.
Posts you need to see: Simple flowers wet in wet, Egret in the marches – finished, and Kingfisher 2.
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Christine Cube is a senior audience relations manager with PR Newswire and freelance writer. Follow her at @cpcube.
These are really great resources to get inspiration but also to strengthen drawing and watercolour skills. I like watercolours, especially the cityscapes of large metropolitan cities, with traffic, lights and skyscrapers that are created using this technique.