Art Tutorials, Gardens, Painting, YouTube Channel

New YouTube video – Watercolour sketches in the garden, 2 blue flowers

I have a new video on my YouTube channel. Last Bank Holiday week-end, while we were having a mini heatwave, I spent some time in the garden and mixed some colours for forget-me-nots and Violas. It was a sunny, warm and beautiful day. I sat under the birch tree in the dappled shade. It turns… Continue reading New YouTube video – Watercolour sketches in the garden, 2 blue flowers

News, Painting, Pigment Spotlight

The final batch of Quinacridone Gold

This is it… we knew this moment would come but it still makes me sad. Quinacridone Gold, the real Quinacridone Gold PO49, is now completely gone… When the pigment manufacturer stopped production in 2001, they offered Daniel Smith (who were the first manufacturer to use Quinacridones in their paints) the opportunity to buy all their… Continue reading The final batch of Quinacridone Gold

Gardens, Plant of the month

Plant of the month – April 2018 – Muscari

Order:                   Asparagales Family:                  Asparagaceae Subfamily:            Scilloideae Genus:                  Muscari Common Name:   Grape Hyacinth Type:                      Perennial bulb Soil:                       Chalk, clay, sand, loam Ph:                         Acid, alkaline, neutral Aspect:                  Full sun / partial shade Propagation:         Seed of bulb division Native to:               Central and… Continue reading Plant of the month – April 2018 – Muscari

Art Questions, Art Tutorials, Painting

How to avoid muddy colours

Some watercolourists seem to find it hard to make the difference between neutral colours (especially browns) and muddy mixes. There is a huge variety of browns that are clean, transparent and without a hint of mud in them, not even the detoxifying cleansing spa kind. Unlike primary and secondary colours that are found on the… Continue reading How to avoid muddy colours

News, Painting

A postcard from 1923

I have a new hobby: I am painting plants and insects on the back of vintage postcards, from the Victorian era up to pre world war II. Some are still blank but others were written and sent. I love reading the faded words, inspecting the old stamps, imagining the people writing soft and loving words… Continue reading A postcard from 1923