An Artist'S Field Guide To Flowers: Floral Painters Share Their Best Advice & Breakthroughs

AN ARTIST’S FIELD GUIDE TO FLOWERS
ARTISTSNETWORK.COM
ART ON THE GO
Try Gouache for
Easy Outdoor
Sketching
What’s Key
to Plein Air
Painting
Garden Success?
WE’VE GOT
ANSWERS.
PARTY!
page 12
4 Floral Painters Share Their

Best Advice & Breakthroughs
SUMMER 2021
Watercolor masters
and those that dream to be,
paint with l’Aquarelle
by Sennelier
©Copyright 2020 Savoir-Faire. All rights reserved.

The Sennelier Family developed their first watercolor l’Aquarelle is still made with highest grade Gum Arabic
paints in 1887. Today, the l’Aquarelle line defines the from Sudan, local honey, and the purest pigments from
French Impressionist palette bringing to life the brighter around the world. So if you want to paint like the masters,
colors and more energetic brush strokes used by artists visit Sav\VrFaire.com and use the masters’ paint.
such as Cezanne, Degas, and Monet. Over the last 133
years, innovations in pigment and production continue LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THE MASTERS ALREADY
to make Sennelier the most brilliant and luminous KNEW, VISIT SAVOIRFAIRE.COM
watercolors available. But some things never change, FOLLOW @ARTSAVOIRFAIRE ON FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM
IMPORTERS OF FINE MATERIALS

FOR THE ARTS
Contents SUMMER 2021
Features
14
INSPIRATION IN BLOOM
Discover fresh delight in
painting flowers using tips
from four floral enthusiasts.
24
THE SPACE BETWEEN
In his dynamic landscapes,
Rick Surowicz demonstrates
that what you don’t paint is just
as important as what you do.
BY REBECCA DVORAK
32
THE FOGOTTEN ONES
The faces of child laborers and
refugees captured Frank Eber’s
attention, launching a series of
poignant portraits.
BY STEFANIE LAUFERSWEILER
40
40 48
LETTING IT HAPPEN SQUARING UP
A loose, lively painting Joseph Alleman uses the power
approach brings energy to of design and a restrained
Michael Holter’s figure-filled color palette to build paintings
32 cityscapes.
BY AMY LEIBROCK
rich in mood and story.
BY MICHAEL CHESLEY JOHNSON
2 Watercolor artist | SUMMER 2021

Columns
4 EDITOR’S NOTE
Enchanted by flowers.
6 HAPPENINGS
A new organization
promotes women in
watermedia.
BY MCKENZIE GRAHAM
10 ANATOMY OF
A PAINTING
A figural work by 19th-century
artist William Henry Hunt
reveals observational skills.
BY JERRY N. WEISS
12 BURNING QUESTION
Four artists offer tips for the
best plein air experience.
BY ANNE HEVENER
56 BRIGHT IDEAS
Grab and go with a toolkit for
making outdoor studies.
BY MICHAEL CHESLEY JOHNSON
62 WATERCOLOR
ESSENTIALS
Discover practical
strategies for painting 62
flowers in the field.
BY CATHERINE HILLIS
72 OPEN BOOK ON THE COVER

Fading beauty still inspires. A Field Guide to Flowers 62
BY XI GUO
Art On the Go 56
56 What’s Key to Plein Air Painting

Success? 12
Garden Party 14
Get Social Orange Hibiscus (detail; watercolor on

paper, 21½x29) by Kathleen Alexander
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Editor’s Note Watercolor
ARTISTSNETWORK.COM
W hile working on the article,

“Inspiration In Bloom”
(page 14), which explores
the infinite potential of flowers as
a painting subject, I immediately
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Anne Hevener
SENIOR DESIGNER Brian Roeth
SENIOR EDITOR Holly Davis
MANAGING EDITOR Christina Richards

noticed some commonalities between ADVERTISING
the four featured artists. Even though
ADVERTISING CONSULTANT Mary McLane
their stylistic approaches to the subject are quite different,
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notable that flowers can also stir nostalgic recollections of Southeastern U.S.; 505/730-9301
gardens we once knew and trigger an appreciation for the kcarter@goldenpeakmedia.com
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MEDIA SALES COORDINATOR Lori Hauser
Perhaps the accessibility of flowers is the subject’s most
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practical asset, but it’s the infinite variation that keeps
inspiration ever ready and ongoing. Not only are there all GOLDEN PEAK MEDIA
the many different flower types—offering a wide array of
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Gregory J. Osberg
colors and shapes—but there’s also the potential to work
SVP, CONSUMER MARKETING Paula Backer
VP, DIGITAL Melanie Darienzo
“
DIRECTOR OF CONTENT, FINE ART GROUP Tricia Waddell
The most fascinating thing NEWSSTAND SALES Scott T. Hill
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from life—either in the studio with a still life setup or P.O. Box 422140, Palm Coast, Fl 32142-2140
outdoors, on location, with flowers growing in the land- US/Canada 800/811-9834
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sometimes even in the flower bed. Plus, the garden hose is
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share some well-tested organization strategies for painting contact: sales@goldenpeakmedia.com.
the subject en plein air. On page 56, Michael Chesley
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FOR THE ARTS

Happenings
/ MAKING A SPLASH /
Lynn D. Pratt
Architect and artist Lynn D. Pratt
founded Women in Watercolor
(womeninwatercolor.com) in 2020
after noticing that the majority of the
students signing up for her classes
and workshops were women. “Instead
of the often competitive environ-
ment,” she says, “I hope that we’ll
learn to work together and build each
other up and learn from each other in
order to help increase our individual
and overall success.”
The organization held its first online
competition last year, gathering 1,200
entries from 50 countries. This year’s
competition runs from April 1 through
June 8. Pratt was so impressed by the
quality of last year’s entries that she
asked several of the top winners to
serve as jurors for the 2021 competi-
tion. The jurors were a great help, and
not just for picking winners. “They
helped me make big decisions about
the direction of the contest,” she says.
Eventually,
Pratt would love TOP TO BOTTOM
to expand her Envelop
organization to by Brittney Tough
(watercolor, 12x12)
include in-person
classes, shows Halloween Storm
and events—as by Irina Pavlova
soon as social- (watercolor, 15x22)
distancing
restrictions have relaxed and travel
resumes. For now, she feels the com-
petition has an important place in
the world of online art. “I have so
many talented students that have
mentioned to me over the years how
nervous they are to enter competi-
tions,” she says. “They don’t know if
they can compete, how they would
enter, how they would frame or
ship their work. I wanted to create
a platform that would make their
participation feel comfortable. Many
women, especially from other cultures,
feel nervous competing with men, so
I created an opportunity for these
artists—to enter into competition
and to see how talented they are.”

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SPONSORED CONTENT
A New Watercolor
Parisian paint maker Gustave Sennelier took advantage of the latest
scientific discoveries to create a bolder, brighter, more portable paint.
By Courtney L. Jordan
S trolling along the Left Bank in

Paris today, an artist can stop
in at 3 Quai Voltaire and walk
through the doors of Maison Sennelier
to satisfy all of their art material needs,
just as the Impressionists did 134 years
ago when the historic art supply store
opened its doors in 1887.
ARTIST & INNOVATOR

Before founding the company that
bears his name, Gustave Sennelier
learned the artist’s trade firsthand as
LEFT
A turn-of-the-century photo
shows the Sennelier
storefront in Paris. The shop
continues to serve the art
needs of 21st-century artists.
BELOW LEFT AND RIGHT

Chemist and paint manufacturer
Gustave Sennelier collaborated with
many of the greatest artists of the
age to create new and innovative
materials to better meet their needs.

SPONSORED CONTENT
Sennelier collaborated with ground-

breaking artists such as Paul Cézanne,
a catalog illustrator and later as a looking for more; they wanted lumi- whose 1888 painting, Bathers (watercolor
practitioner and student of chemistry nous, vivid colors that they could and graphite on wove paper, 5x8⅛)
—a science being fueled by industrial transport easily when painting and embodies the innovative spirit of the
French Impressionists and
advancements and a steady discovery sketching en plein air. Post-Impressionists.
of new elements and compounds. “The Impressionists were seeking METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK CITY
These breakthrough discoveries were a paints that had not been invented,”
boon for 19th-century artists, giving says Pierre Guidetti, co-founder and
rise to cutting-edge possibilities in the president of Savoir-Faire, Inc. “This
manufacture of pigments. was a time of important discovery in Informed about the latest break-
When Sennelier stepped out on his chemistry. The arrival of the cobalts throughs in pigment-making, and
own, he did so armed with an artist’s and the cadmiums transformed what inspired by the urgings and conversa-
sensibility and all the innovations of was possible in the science of color. tions of the artists closest to him,
modern chemistry at his command in These developments would have been Sennelier was able to answer the call.
order to fulfill his aim: to be the common knowledge to this group of His new watercolors held all the lumi-
maker of “the finest colors available artists—and for Sennelier, whose nous color that science could offer,
for artists.” store was a gathering spot for artists packaged in convenient and portable
of the day.” paint tubes. It was a perfect pairing
A NEW SCHOOL OF PAINT A key collaborator and creative for Cézanne and the Impressionists,
Sennelier began with the production of co-conspirator of Sennelier’s in the who now had the means to venture
oil paints, but it was his formulas for creation of his new watercolor paints outdoors and capture the brilliant
watercolors that would excite the was none other than the influential colors and light effects that would
Impressionists with their new school artist Paul Cézanne (1839–1906), a become synonymous with their name.
of art. Across the Channel, in England, close family friend who often painted
artists like J.M.W. Turner (1775–1851) in Sennelier’s own gardens. “Cézanne
and John Sell Cotman (1782–1842) was the first to discuss with Sennelier
were pioneers in the creation of trans- the making of watercolors with the
parent watercolors, but the ground- same boldness and brightness as
breaking Impressionists of Paris were oils,” Pierre says.
Anatomy of a Painting
Hunt’s technique inspired

a change in English watercolor
painting. Eighteenth-century
watercolorists preferred the
pristine use of transparent
washes, but Hunt achieved
enamel-like effects by applying
watercolor and opaque gouache
A New Way over Chinese white. Hunt’s work

was exceedingly popular, and his
methods found favor with the next
generation of English artists,
of Painting
particularly the Pre-Raphaelites.
In Study of a Young Model, Hunt

WILLIAM HENRY HUNT’s innovative technique displayed his knowledge of
and many-faceted skills made him a transitional human anatomy and an
understanding of the figure’s
figure in 19th-century watercolor. shapes in three-dimensional
space. Thus, he could
By Jerry N. Weiss convincingly render the
different angles of the head
and torso; the crossing of
forearms, with some forms
L ondon-born William Henry Hunt

(1790–1864) was an influential
and popular watercolor painter
in the first half of the 19th century.
The fineness and complexity of
Study of a Young Model (ca
1830; watercolor over graphite
with reductive techniques,
14⅛x9⅞) by William Henry Hunt
projecting and others receding;
and the weight shifted to one
leg, the other relaxed. Hunt
recognized the gesture in
a simple standing pose.
his technique, especially his use of
body color, and layered and scraped
surfaces, presaged the work of the
Pre-Raphaelites. Hunt mastered later, Hunt moved about in an “odd Hunt also understood
different aspects of watercolor, from little conveyance, half barrow, half perspective. He worked
loose atmospheric landscape effects bath-chair, drawn by hand, or now from a seated position,
to meticulously rendered still life. For and then by a donkey.” Eventually, simultaneously viewing the
model’s head from below
his facility with the latter, he came outdoor work proved too difficult, and while looking down at his
to be known as “Bird’s Nest” Hunt. Hunt turned to portraiture and genre feet. Herein lies another fine
He was equally proficient as a figure painting indoors. lesson for students: There’s
painter, producing a series of rural In the 1830s, Hunt painted as much attention to detail
British genre scenes that chronicled watercolors of children in humorous in the painting of the feet as
the lives of country folk. situations, which were published there is in the portrait.
The scope of Hunt’s skills was as lithographs. For several of these,
perhaps a deliberate response to his Hunt employed young Black models,
physical limitations. Hunt was born whom he may have met on the streets
with malformed legs, and since the in London. Although painted during The painting retains a luminous
disability precluded physical work, he this period, Study of a Young Model feel. Hunt left much of the white
chose to study drawing and painting. probably had a different purpose. The paper untouched, and the tones of
the youth’s skin seem to be suffused
At the age of 14, he was apprenticed Metropolitan Museum of Art speculates with light. Paint application
to landscape painter John Varley that this watercolor was created for changes throughout the figure,
(English, 1778–1842), with whom he instructional purposes—provided for with some passages composed of
shared an abiding interest in working female students who were forbidden short and stippled strokes and
from life. In 1808, Hunt began study- to enter life classes. Study of a Young others constructed of long marks.
ing at the Royal Academy, and later he Model displays Hunt’s powers of obser- Creases in the rolled-up pants
allowed for freer calligraphic
befriended aristocratic patrons who vation and facility with watercolor. WA marks. The placement of the legs
supported him and offered sites in the and feet was substantially
English countryside for further study Jerry N. Weiss is a contributing writer changed; Hunt scratched out and
of landscape. According to a biograph- to fine art magazines and an instructor repainted these contours.
ical sketch published many years at the Art Students League of New York.

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK CITY; PURCHASE, KRUGMAN FAMILY FOUNDATION AND MALCOLM HEWITT WIENER FOUNDATION GIFTS, 2020
Burning Question
What’s your best advice

for ensuring a positive
plein air experience?
Brenda Swenson
When you’re setting out to sketch or paint on
location, be sure to factor in your available
time. If you allow enough time and set realistic
goals, you very likely will be able to complete
what you start. If you don’t, you could become
frustrated and decide your skills are lacking.
So, be realistic. Consider how much time it
takes you to make a sketch versus a finished
painting, and plan accordingly. I’m not a fast
painter and don’t aspire to be. I’ve learned
that slowing down makes me a better artist in
terms of design, shadows, edges and color.
For occasions when time is short, keep in
Iain Stewart
mind that watercolor sketches can be a goal “Put your painting kit on a diet. Iain Stewart
in and of themselves, or they can be used as Choose a few brushes and encourages artists to
pack lighter than the
a resource for larger studio paintings. carry only as much paper as painter depicted in
you think you reasonably can his lighthearted
Balcony (plein air watercolor on sketch, The Pain Air
paper, 10x11) by Brenda Swenson use in a day. All those extra Painter (watercolor
little things add up. Your back on paper, 6x4) by
Iain Stewart
will let you know when it’s time
to pare down, so listen to your
spine and leave the kitchen
sink at home. I see so
many painters setting
out as if they’re on
a Lewis-and-Clark
style expedition and
have packed accordingly:
Neither a Clark nor a Lewis
should you be.”
AN EXCERPT FROM IAIN STEWART’S NEW BOOK, EN PLEIN
AIR: LIGHT & COLOR (WALTER FOSTER, 2021).

Andy Evansen
When I’m plein air painting, I try to find
a subject with a few strong shapes and
a nice sense of light. That light helps to
define and simplify forms. Having fewer,
stronger shapes means I can tackle them
before the light changes too much. I can
then concentrate on the subtle colors and
mood, rather than frantically trying to get
all the action on my paper.
Julie Gilbert
Pollard
Adjust your expectations. Your overriding
goal should be to enjoy the experience—
not to produce. The pressure to perform,
that anxiety, can severely limit your
ability to see, draw and paint. Yes, we all
Bend in Stumpf Road (plein air watercolor
want to paint a masterpiece—a work
on paper, 11x15) by Andy Evansen that expresses all the love and wonder
we feel about the world and the scene
before us. That’s a lot of pressure! So, at
Oak Creek at Briar Patch XV (plein air watercolor
on paper, 9x12) by Julie Gilbert Pollard
the very beginning of an outing, resolve
to have fun. That may seem
too small a thing to mention,
but after teaching numerous
plein air workshops, I’ve seen
so many painters—myself
included—become paralyzed
by anxiety. So, my advice is
to consciously relax and
commit to enjoying the
experience—no matter how
the painting is going. Settle
in, take in the beauty of your
surroundings, listen to the
birds and the breeze in the
leaves. The more you allow
yourself to savor the
experience, the better you
will paint.
Inspiration in Bloom /
Bring a fresh take to your flower paintings with tips and insights from four
watercolor artists—Brent Funderburk, Carolyn Lord, Kathleen Alexander
and Soon Y. Warren—who never fail to find creative excitement in the subject.
Edited by Anne Hevener

Claude Monet, whose beautiful grounds at Giverny provided the Impressionist giant with
creative nourishment right up to his death in 1926, once said: “I perhaps owe having
LEFT TO RIGHT
become a painter to flowers.” In this, Monet is certainly not alone. Flowers have served as The Ides of July
a dependable muse to countless artists over the centuries, and—given all that attention— (watercolor on
paper, 15x11)
a contemporary painter might start to wonder whether there could be anything left to say by Carolyn Lord
on the subject. A quick bit of research offers abundant evidence, however, that flowers
Splendid Iris
continue to inspire unique, complex and personal expression from artists all over the world. (watercolor on
We asked four artists who are well-known for their floral paintings what it is about blooms paper, 16x20)
by Soon Y. Warren
and blossoms that captivate and excite their creative imagination. Their insights inspire
Huelo Heliconia
new enthusiasm for the subject, and their artwork offers confirmation that watercolor is an (watercolor on
ideal medium for the job. paper, 37½x26)
by Kathleen
Alexander
Brent Funderburk / A Burst of Astonishment
In Intermittent (watercolor
There’s a photo of me as a young child, in 1954, reaching for zinnias in the backyard. on paper, 29½x41½), a day
Looking at the snapshot, I can feel again what I felt then—a kind of bewildered bliss. that’s both rainy and sunny—
Bliss at the shock of color, at the perfect circle of petals, at the crazed butterflies also typical in Mississippi—is an
in delight. In my recollection, I believe I lingered and probably plucked. Years later, event of theatrical tricks.
when my own exuberant 3-year-old son, Jackson, brought home about 30 daffodils Pear blossoms vividly rear
up into ephemeral sun rays
(heads only!) as a gift to his mom, I painted one—in its fleeting glory. By painting that quickly fade into stormy
a flower, I’m still digging for this hidden bliss held within the flower—and within shade and flatness. I enjoy
the human heart. punching the daylights out
I don’t ever wish to paint a flower the same way twice. Often, a bloom asks to fill of the darkest darks while
sacredly saving the lightest
the frame, but sometimes the flower must diminish its prominence for the larger light. I build slowly from
story to emerge. The American masters Charles Burchfield (American, 1893–1967) undercolor to overcolor
and Walter Inglis Anderson (American, 1903–65) used watercolor to intimate the starting with warm color
vast and mysterious worth of nature. They inspire me to escape to the garden—the (yellows, oranges, reds), and
birthplace of creation. then moving to the cool col-
ors (blues, violets, greens).
Our current age of pandemic and pandemonium calls for such a respite. My hope I let each layer play out fully,
is for the quiet moment that sparks a burst of astonishment on the inside—in the careful not to jump in too
soul—of the child in front of the zinnia patch. soon and force its effect.
I watch and wait out the
storm, so to speak, much
A native of Charlotte, N.C., Brent Funderburk (brentfunderburk.com) is an artist and like the lone figure at the
a professor of art at Mississippi State University. He has exhibited his mixed-media work garden shed window as
in numerous juried exhibitions and solo shows across the U.S. seen in the painting.

GOOD ADVICE /
In building
layers, texture
plays a big role
in representing
the integrity of
form/space. I
engage masked
areas with salt
and alcohol,
imprinted
pattern, and
pours. When
combined with
a loose weave
of overlayed
color, this
complexity
counters the
graphic power
of my quick,
one-minute
thumbnail.
Chiaroscuro actually means

“clarity” in dynamic balance
with “obscurity.” In One to
One (watercolor on paper,
41½x29), a lotus flower is
backlit in its pool. The solidity
of the silhouetted bloom is
surrounded by a fantasy of
sunspots, reflective ripples
and vagrant hues moving
on, under and over water
and into sky. Careful drawing
of plant structures and fluid
wet-in-wet areas represent
the close communion of
worlds in nature that are in
distinct opposition.
BREAKTHROUGH Avoid the Ordinary

By drawing thumbnails, first in black and white “notan” mode and then in color, I can move on to the
contour drawing on my large, double-elephant watercolor paper. My hope is that, with an edgy
composition and dramatic lighting, I’ll avoid any danger of creating a ho-hum, predictable flower
painting. By choosing flowers, I provide my art-making process with an all-consuming dare.
Carolyn Lord / Evoking Memory
I like the symbolism of flowers and infinite variety they offer through the seasons.
When working on the compositional
I like the shapes or silhouettes as well as the patterns that they make with the repeti- sketch for April Afternoon (water-
tion of color and shape. I appreciate the color relationships between flowers and color on paper, 15x22), which I painted
leaves: While always in harmony, I ask myself: Are the color relationships warm/warm, in my backyard, I decided to ignore
cool/cool or warm/cool? Are the values matching or are there value differences? The the little spots of flickering light in the
shadow area by compressing values.
challenge is to be clear with my intent for the painting. Will my approach be decorative I brought the values in the overall
with flat pattern, for example, or will I use shape with cast shadows and form shad- shadow area closer to one another to
ows? Am I painting as if it’s a floral portrait or is it a panorama of the garden? unify the shape. In this way, I was able
As a subject, flowers are both timeless and universal. I find that floral paintings to simplify the painting into two basic
shapes: the light and the shadow. At
not only engage the senses, but they also awaken memory. When I’m painting in
the most basic level, it’s a two-color
the midst of my garden, I’m attentive to the formal aspects of the process, remem- composition of red and green with
bering how I resolved earlier paintings, but I also muse on family memories of mud reds that range from a bubblegum
holes, fruit trees, bee hives and chickens. If gardens can evoke memories for me, as pink to orange, and greens that range
the artist, I imagine that garden paintings are also meaningful for art collectors. from olive to mint. With a bit more
study, a secondary triad color scheme
comes into focus—dominated by
Award-winning artist Carolyn Lord (carolynlord.com) is a plein air enthusiast who finds green and offset with orange roses
ongoing inspiration in the California landscape as well as in her own backyard garden. and purple shadows.
Go Online for More!

To learn more about the creative story behind Carolyn Lord’s
painting of calla lilies, visit: artistsnetwork.com/go/calla-lilies

BREAKTHROUGH Simplify!
Several years ago I took workshops at the Golden Gate Atelier (GGA) in Oakland, Calif. I learned the atelier approach
to drawing and painting, and expanded my understanding of composition and the hierarchy of simplification. I was
inspired to reassess and refine my skills as a plein air painter. Just as a college botany class helped me learn how to
organize the visual information of plants and flowers, GGA helped me see how to better organize and edit garden
motifs. In short, I discovered that I’d been working too hard: it’s not necessary to delineate everything.
I painted Poppies With Hollyhock Seedling

(watercolor on paper, 11x15) in my front yard.
The poppies were starting to bloom, creating
bright accents of orange in a painting that’s
GOOD ADVICE / Pay attention to the gesture of
predominately about foliage. Compared to the plant you’re painting. What’s the line that
the size of the hollyhock leaves, the poppy
flowers and leaves are small—a relationship
flows through the stem and into the flower?
I sought to amplify. The painting is full of inter- I liken it to the gesture line that conveys the pose
locking shapes, and the edges are hard
regardless of the object’s position—whether it of a figure, or the spine that brings order and
be the flowers next to my feet or the family cat logical placement to all of the parts of the body.
in the distance. I used all of the other tools of
perspective to suggest depth: diminished size,
loss of detail, decreased color intensity, and
compressed or minimized value contrast.
Kathleen Alexander / The Road to Realism
Aside from the inspiration provided
by the endless variety of colors,
shapes and sizes of flowers, I find the
contrasts between light and dark fas-
cinating. My interest in painting the
subject first began after traveling to
Hawaii and seeing the exotic, vibrant
flowers there. When my husband and
I moved to Maui 10 years ago, I was
finally able to devote myself to paint-
ing full-time. Living in such beautiful
surroundings—and having the time
to appreciate it—is something that
shows in my paintings, I think.
My approach to painting florals has
evolved over the years. I make use of
an underpainting technique now that
establishes all of the shadows first,
which I think adds to the illusion of
depth and realism. I’ve noticed a
move toward greater realism in my
work over the years. Although I’m not
sure what to attribute it to, I think
that having more time to devote to
observation—to “seeing” a subject—
has been a significant factor.
Even though working in watercolor
requires a great deal of planning, it’s
also a very spontaneous medium. The
water and paint—even gravity—are
going to contribute to the experience.
When painting florals, this spontane-
ity contributes to an organic and
natural look in my work.
A northern California native, Kathleen

Alexander (kathleenalexanderart.com)
relocated to Hawaii 10 years ago, opening
the door to all kinds of floral inspiration.
Her work has been featured in various art
publications and has been a part of
watercolor exhibitions around the globe.
BREAKTHROUGH Start With Good Reference

As a studio painter, I depend on photographs. Learning to take better reference—with lighting
that’s dramatic and that offers an interesting composition—has been key to achieving a greater
sense of realism in my work. I take my photos in the early morning or late afternoon when the cast
shadows will be most dramatic. I avoid overcast or foggy days, and I never use the camera’s flash.

GOOD ADVICE /
Use a lot of juicy,
concentrated
pigment. If your
paintings are dull
and lighter than you
want them to be, you
need to use more
paint. If you want
brighter paintings,
make sure you’re
using a well of
dissolved pigment
and begin with a
strong value (close
to 100 percent). Wet
one section of the
painting, or one
petal at a time, with
clear water and then
let the pure pigments
mingle on the paper.
Tipping the paper
will help with the
mixing of pigments.
I painted Jungle Jewels (opposite;

watercolor on paper, 39x26),
Orange Hibiscus (above; water-
color on paper, 29x21½) and
Lahaina Aloha (right; watercolor
on paper, 18x29) as well as several
other tropical-themed paintings for
a show at Village Galleries, in Maui.
I feel it’s important to create a body
of work that’s cohesive, but not uni-
form. So, while a grouping might
have an overall floral theme, I like to
vary the type of flowers, the color
schemes and shapes, and the scale
of paintings to keep it interesting.
Soon Y. Warren / Beauty in Every Bloom
Flowers are a common denominator between my life growing up in South Korea, It was late October when
I saw these tall, withering
where I helped my mother tend her flower garden, and my life as an adult in the sunflowers around a water
United States, where I now grow my own flowers. tank in Portland, Ore. My
I love that the beauty of a flower is not determined by its size or color. Whether heart started racing, and
it’s a small violet or a towering sunflower, every type is beautiful and magnificent in I knew immediately that I had
its own way. When I first started painting in watercolor, I chose the familiar apple to paint them. The result was
a series of paintings, among
blossom as my subject matter. Eventually, I moved on to other flowers I knew well— them, Rebirth (watercolor on
zinnias, roses, hollyhocks, Chinese lanterns, and more. Nowadays, I’ve introduced paper, 22x30). Most of the
new, more exotic floral subjects into my repertoire, such as birds of paradise, banana flower’s seeds had been
flowers, bougainvilleas, cactus flowers and more. The world of nature is so grand. I’ll eaten by birds, but I knew
that some of the fallen seeds
never tire of working to capture that excitement in my painting. would sprout in the spring
Perhaps the most fascinating thing about flowers is that they’re loved by every- and begin the process of life
one, universally. WA renewing itself.
Watercolor artist Soon Y. Warren (soonwarren.com) has shown her work in numerous
exhibitions, earning many awards. A Signature Member of the National Watercolor
Society and the American Watercolor Society, Warren is also a popular workshop
instructor and the author of two books on watercolor painting techniques.

I knew this ultrama-
rine blue crystal bowl
would be a perfect
pairing with the
warm orange color
of these physalis
alkekengi seed pods,
commonly called
Chinese lanterns.
I chose an exagger-
ated perspective to
keep the emphasis
on the seed pods,
which I further high-
lighted with an
arrangement that
kept them drenched
in sunlight. To finish,
I depicted the very
fine details of the
seedpod veins and
used the cast shad-
ows to provide
balance in the fore-
ground. I called the
painting, Korean
Lanterns (water-
color on paper,
30x22), because of
my memories of
playing with these
seed pods as a child
growing up in Korea.
GOOD ADVICE / I always take reference photos of flowers—whether an indoor

still life or an outdoor subject—on a sunny day, so that the sunlight is part of
the session. Taking photos in a side light or with the subject backlit, for
instance, can provide exciting value contrasts with which to play. I like to
exaggerate color when painting flowers to bring out the personality, and it’s
easier to bring out the drama when working with high and low values.
SPACE
The
BETWEEN RICK SUROWICZ doesn’t ban negative space to the

background of his paintings. Instead, the artist uses it
to push edges, build layered scenes and explore
relationships between objects. BY REBECCA DVORAK
W atercolor artist Rick Surowicz revels in nega-
tive space, often using masking fluid and the
white of the paper to take advantage of
unusual viewpoints, textures and patterns in nature. “After
years of observation, looking at art, creating art and trying
sources most of his material from his
home in Northeastern Ohio and from
trips he has taken with his family or
when teaching workshops.
Ultimately, the subject itself
to understand art, it clicked,” Surowicz says. “My work becomes irrelevant as Surowicz delves
should be less about recording what I see and more about into the relationships between the
OPPOSITE interpreting what I see and want to communicate. What positive and negative spaces in order
Release (watercolor I don’t paint is just as important as what I do paint.” to understand what lies between the
on paper, 22x30) Surowicz is a keen observer, making a point, he says, “to objects. “As important as it is to set
look where others don’t look and see what others don’t up a composition, a piece really begins
BELOW
River Rocks see.” He goes on to point out, “It’s not the typical pretty to evolve when I start to consider the
(watercolor on picture that inspires me. It’s the view behind the briar bush spatial relationships and stop think-
paper, 11x15) on the rocky edge of a creek that brings inspiration.” He ing about just painting things,” he
says. “I look at the larger shapes and value structures fundamental that absolutely cannot
first.” Much of the surface area of his paintings will never be overlooked.”
be touched—and it’s what he does with all of the other In addition to understanding mois-
shapes around that space that brings it to the foreground. ture content and utilizing the white of
Surowicz is a bit of a purist in this regard. He shies away the paper, he also works with his
from opaque colors and white paint, and relishes the chal- paper at an angle to embrace gravity
lenge of transparent watercolor. “With this medium,” he and control the bead of the paint so it
says, “I think it’s important to be in control, but not to doesn’t roll right off the page. By OPPOSITE TOP
control. I know what to expect from the paint, but I also understanding the core principles of Metropolis
let the watercolor be watercolor.” the medium, he can carve out his (watercolor on
painting while still letting the water- paper, 22x30)
DRAWING & PERSPECTIVE color flow and mingle on the surface.
OPPOSITE BOTTOM
Surowicz focuses on three fundamentals when working Throughout his career, the artist’s Sunny Days
on a painting—drawing and perspective, composition and style has evolved from very tight, (watercolor on
design, and technical craft. He stresses how important it detailed early pencil drawings to the paper, 22x30)
is for him to be able to anticipate what’s going to happen more expressive, loose watercolors of
BELOW
with the different properties of the paint. “For example, his current oeuvre, but he’s always Good Place To Be
I have to know what to expect when I take paint to dry careful not to lose balance and tip into (watercolor on
paper versus wet paper,” he explains. “This is a basic abstract expression. paper, 11x15)

“A piece really
begins to
evolve when
I start to
consider the
spatial
relationships
and stop
thinking about
just painting
things.”
LEFT
Before painting,
Surowicz’s first step
is to create a series
of small (about
3x4-inch) thumbnail
sketches (top), value
studies (middle)
and color studies
(bottom) to explore
the possibilities of
a scene.
COMPOSITION & DESIGN

To accomplish his carefully rendered
pieces, Surowicz maintains a regular
process and relies on a basic set of
materials and equipment that he
doesn’t often veer away from. His
work has become more consistent
over time. “I have a process that
I follow,” he says. “My materials don’t
change much, and I’m more focused
on composition and design. I do
more planning than I used to.”
In fact, advance planning is a cru-
cial step for Surowicz as he strives to
save the whites and lights in his com-
position, focusing first on value, then
on color. As seen in the thumbnail
sketches for a river landscape (at left)
he starts with a series of loose water-
proof ink-pen sketches and studies,
exploring different compositions,
interpretations and value structures
in his Canson 7x10-inch mixed-
media sketchbook. He then paints
over those sketches with Payne’s gray
to create his value studies. Those are
followed by color studies, in which
the artist uses ink pen and distrib-
utes warm and cool watercolors until
he lands on his composition. Once he
completes this contemplative plan-
ning process, he’s ready to start the
final piece.
TECHNICAL CRAFT
As Surowicz begins to develop the
painting as a whole, he starts with
a Silver Black Velvet synthetic/
squirrel blend round or a Princeton
Neptune brush to create light values,
large shapes and soft edges with
less detail. “These early washes and
soft edges create ‘the personality’
of watercolor,” he says. With land-
scapes, this means his pieces often
evolve from background to fore-
ground as he works with primarily
wet paint on dry Lanaquarelle 140-
lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper.

“With this medium, I think it’s “I like the way this paper handles,
important to be in control, but not and I like the whiteness of it,” he
to control. I know what to expect says. “I don’t prestretch or soak my
paper; rather I mount it on a piece
from the paint, but I also let the of Gatorboard with contractor-grade
watercolor be watercolor.” masking tape.” He then uses a No. 4,
6 or 8 Escoda round or a Princeton
Aqua Elite brush to layer on darker
values, smaller shapes, harder edges
and more detail.
When playing with color, he shifts
hues, value and chroma to reach his
desired result. When applying washes,
he’ll often incorporate multiple warm
and cool colors. He uses a ceramic
30-well palette and currently has 25
colors within his preferred palette,
eight to 10 of which he uses fre-
quently. Surowicz relies on a
combination of Holbein, Daniel
Smith, American Journey and
DaVinci paints, plus Winsor &
Newton Payne’s gray, keeping the
warm colors of the color wheel on one
side of the palette and cool colors on
the other. He likes to make use of
color complements. “I try to establish
a warm or cool dominance in the com-
position and position bright against
neutral at times,” he says.
He finishes with minor glazing
and calligraphic touches, using a
Dynasty Black Gold quill brush across
the composition to sharpen an edge
or tone down a shape. He’ll do linear
brushwork along the edges of trees,
buildings or distant hills to balance
the colors and finalize the effect. This
is Surowicz’s favorite stage in the
process. “At this point, the painting
has little to do with the original refer-
ence,” he says. “It’s about my response
to what evolved through the process.”
ART IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Surowicz’s meticulous process and inti-
mate understanding of his medium
has made him an excellent teacher, and
ABOVE
Don’s Place
(watercolor on
paper, 22x30)
LEFT
Coastal Waters
(watercolor on
paper, 11x15)
he has experienced great success on YouTube. His channel ART HISTORY
on the platform has almost 50,000 subscribers and 3 million Surowicz’s passion for art was ignited
views, and it features more than 300 videos that include by his own art teacher in high school.
instructional content with step-by-step explanation. The “I always enjoyed artsy things as
most frequently viewed are the series of 15-minute videos a child,” he says, “but never really
that describe the fundamentals of watercolor, specifically thought of myself as an artist—until
those discussing moisture content, working with gravity my high school art teacher opened my
OPPOSITE TOP
and leading a bead of water. He’s currently growing his eyes to the rigor of drawing and per- Edge of Furnace
online course catalog as a replacement for the many in- spective, design and color, and Run (watercolor on
person workshops that were canceled over the last year. working in a variety of media.” paper, 22x30)
Surowicz’s YouTube presence has fostered global connec- After graduating from high school,
OPPOSITE BOTTOM
tions and ushered in an entirely new learning experience Surowicz attended the Columbus Winter River’s Edge
for him. He has heard from people all over the world— College of Art and Design (CCAD) (watercolor on
many of them serious watercolor hobbyists—who have with the intention of becoming an paper, 11x15)
turned to his videos for expertise, connection, education industrial designer. Before he finished
BELOW
and distraction. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see that, his second year, however, he joined
Wild River Valley
though the fundamentals are the same, we don’t all paint the Air Force in order to meet the (watercolor on
the same trees or mountains,” he says. financial obligations of school. paper, 11x15)

Meet the Artist
Rick Surowicz (rsurowiczart.com),
a painter living in Medina, Ohio,
discovered how much he enjoyed
the challenges of watercolor in
1992. From 1992 to 2000 he
exhibited in regional and, later,
national shows. After the birth of
his first son in 2000, Surowicz took
an extended break from painting
to focus on his family and career.
It wasn’t until January of 2016 that
he picked up his brushes again.
He has been painting vigorously
ever since. Surowicz is a Signature
Member of the Ohio Watercolor
Society and was recently elected
to one of the trustee positions.
Recently, his paintings have juried
into several national and
international exhibitions.
A selection of his watercolors also
appeared in Splash 21. The artist’s
YouTube Channel, “Rick Surowicz
Watercolor,” was selected by
Feedspot.com as one of the Top 75
Watercolor Painting YouTube
Channels, placing it 8th on their
list. The channel has now
surpassed 50,000 subscribers and
has more than 3 million views.
“I planned to continue my art education at the end of my when he was impacted by a reorganization at his company.
four-year enlistment,” he says, “but, instead took advan- His wife encouraged him to get back to his art, so he picked
tage of the educational opportunities available through up his brushes and started to paint again. Since 2016, his
the Air Force and ended up getting a Bachelor’s degree paintings have been accepted into the American
in manufacturing.” Watercolor Society, Transparent Watercolor Society, Ohio
Throughout his 30-year manufacturing career, during Watercolor Society, Louisiana Watercolor Society and
which he held various supervisory and management roles, Georgia Watercolor Society exhibitions.
Surowicz continued making art. He kept up his pencil Surowicz’s artistic career may have evolved in stops
drawings as well as some airbrushing and, eventually, gave and starts, but he never ceased to see himself as an artist.
watercolor a try. In 1993, he began taking night workshops “My artist mentality, while ever evolving, always remains
with watercolorist Fred Graff. Surowicz was leading classes a constant,” he says. WA
of his own and getting accepted into national shows by the
time his first child was born in 2000. Rebecca Dvorak is an arts writer and editor living in New
Once again, the artist put aside his paints until 2016, York City.
The FORGOTTEN
ONES Frank Eber’s primary goal in painting child
workers from the past and young refugees
of today is to make sure you notice them—
and remember. BY STEFANIE LAUFERSWEILER

ABOVE
The Fishmonger’s Daughter (watercolor
F
on paper, 14x18) shows a young girl who
rank Eber was already known for his oil landscapes
worked at a fish market with her father in San
when he became interested in a new subject and a Francisco’s Chinatown in 1906. The baskets
new medium. He’d painted portraits before, but in oil. were used to carry fish. “The painting’s strong
“There are lots of oil painters who do portraits well, but diagonal composition is one often used in both
in watercolor, not so many,” he says, naming contem- landscapes and portraits,” Eber says. “The
reference photo was in black and white, so it
porary artists Dean Mitchell, Stephen Scott Young and took a lot of work to add color.”
Mary Whyte as examples of portrait artists he admires.
The speed of the process and the elusiveness of water- OPPOSITE
color attracted Eber to choose this medium. “The “It can’t be a good feeling to be without a home,
a place where you belong,” Eber says of the
element of chance opens up possibilities,” he says—but
girl pictured in African Refugee (watercolor
he knew that merely painting pretty faces wouldn’t keep him interested for on paper, 14x19). “She has the jaded eyes of an
long. “There’s little depth to it, you know?” he says. “What’s the point?” adult. The innocent, open look that children her
Then Eber discovered old black-and-white photos taken by Lewis Hine, age have is completely missing.” Capturing the
a photographer who’d visited American mills and factories in the early girl’s expression was Eber’s biggest challenge
with this painting. He also notes the tonal depth
1900s. He’d wanted to document children laboring in the days before of her skin. “There are violet and brown tones
laws were passed to protect them from workplace atrocities and exhaust- present in black skin, and, of course, a much
ingly long days. “Hine was concerned with capturing the spirit of the darker overall value,” he says.
11-year-old Lalar Blanton. “No child
should have to work for 12 hours six
days a week,” Eber says, “but that’s
exactly what she did.”
Manning had made it his mission to
find out more about Blanton and other
workers pictured in Hine’s photos (see
The Lewis Hine Project, page 36). The
researcher’s legwork assisted Eber
with his artwork. “In the process of
finding out where her life led after
the photo was taken, Manning posted
a picture of Lalar at age 45,” says Eber.
The newer photo, taken with a more
sophisticated camera than would
have been available to Hine, proved
a tremendous help to the artist, who
had struggled to paint the girl’s face
from Hine’s blurry profile shot.
Translating black-and-white
scenes into color sent Eber on his
own trail of research. “That was really
the hardest part for me,” he says.
“I tried to find out about historical
clothing—what colors they could have
been at the time.” Skin tones were
also somewhat of a guessing game.
Again, the color photos, obtained by
Manning, of the children later in their
lives helped Eber make decisions.
“I’m so grateful for all of his work and
efforts,” Eber says.
LOST AND FOUND

Details matter in Eber’s portraits,
but equally essential is hinting at just
enough of the subjects’ surroundings
Eber’s main goal to contribute to their stories without
when painting each person he photographed, and that’s what jumped out stealing too much attention. Eber
child laborer in his at me when I looked at his photos,” Eber says. The artist may change the original background
series is to catch
the emotion on
found himself asking questions about the children pic- entirely if it threatens to overtake
their faces. “I loved tured. What was his life like? Was she happy? “It made the subject (see Been Through the
her look, staring me emotional, which was partly why I wanted to paint Mill, page 38). Lost-and-found
directly into the them,” Eber says. “I wanted them to be remembered, edges, which he’d grown accustomed
camera,” he says of because they’re forgotten people, but they played such to using in his landscapes, take on
the 12-year-old girl
shown in The Oyster an important role in our society.” new significance in his paintings
Shucker (watercolor of people. “I like the idea of having
on paper, 20x14), certain unfinished business in the
based on a 1916 PIECING TOGETHER A PORTRAIT picture—some areas unresolved and
photo. “There’s
definitely no fear—
Young Spinner (see A New Spin, opposite) is the painting others that are truly there,” Eber
maybe defiance and that, in 2019, launched Eber’s child laborer series, which says. “When you’re painting someone
mistrust.” has grown to include about a dozen watercolors. The art- who’s no longer living, they’re here,
ist based most of these works on Hine’s photos, which but they’re not here. Edges that come
have existed long enough to become copyright free. Eber and go emphasize that.”
learned through researcher and historian Joe Manning Eber works wet-into-wet for as
that the girl in the reference photo for Young Spinner was long as possible—90 percent of the

A New
Spin
Young Spinner began
Eber’s series of child
laborers in America,
based on the photos of
Lewis Hine. “I painted
this at least three
times,” Eber says of his
portrayal of 11-year-old
Lalar Blanton gazing
out of a window at
Rhodes Manufacturing,
in Lincolnton, N.C., in
1908. “Her face is hard
to make out in the
photo, so I spent a lot
of time drawing it, try-
ing to figure out her
facial features,” he
says. Considering the
photography equip-
ment of the time, Eber
suspects that Hine
staged this shot of
a pause in Blanton’s
12-hour workday.
“I don’t think he used
a flash here,” says the
artist, “so, he would’ve
set up a huge camera
on a tripod and told
her to hold the position
and not move.”
ABOVE
Reference photo, by
Lewis Hine, for Eber’s
Young Spinner
COURTESY NATIONAL CHILD
LABOR COMMITTEE
COLLECTION, LIBRARY OF
CONGRESS, PRINTS AND
PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION
LEFT
Young Spinner
(watercolor on paper,
18x11)
The Lewis
Hine Project
Photographer Lewis Hine
(1874–1940) gained recognition
for his photos of American
children at work before child
labor laws went into effect in
the U.S. He quit his job as a
New York City schoolteacher
to join the National Child
Labor Committee, which
formed in 1904 to investigate
the harsh working conditions
children endured at the time
in a number of industries.
From 1908 to 1924, Hine took
more than 5,000 photos
documenting abusive practices,
which played a large role in
the development of new laws
passed shortly before his
death. His photos are currently
viewable and downloadable
online through the Library of
Congress website (loc.gov).
Unfortunately, little
was recorded about the
child workers Hine had
photographed, and their
lives seemed destined to fall
into oblivion. Then, in 2005,
historian Joe Manning began
a painstaking process of
identifying them—combing
through death and census
records, tracking down and
interviewing their descendants,
and then writing the stories of
the young laborers’ lives after
Hine had photographed them.
Manning’s work culminated in
the Lewis Hine Project, which
continues to this day. Learn
more about the project at Regarding the shiny bowl
bit.ly/lewis-hine-project. in Temporary Shelter
go-round. In his third pass he fine-tunes, tightening (watercolor on paper,
20x14), from Eber’s series
edges here and there. depicting contemporary
Key to Eber’s technique is the adjustment of the refugees, the artist says,
time—spraying with water to keep ratio of water to pigment in his brush. “I take this to an “It looks like something
the paint workable as long as he extreme,” he says. “By adding more and more pigment, that would be given to
needs it to be. “Of course there’s a you get edges that more and more stay put, but they’re a dog to drink from—yet,
it’s a boy who’s emerging
limit to it,” he says, “but that’s how never hard edges. That’s why the painting looks soft from the door. He sleeps
you get the most beautiful edges.” overall.” Further explaining his process, he says,“With with many other refugees
He typically lays in the whole scene watercolor, they say you have to go in and then leave it behind that door—in
with the first wash, then adds light alone, but I pretty much do the opposite,” he says. “If it accommodations that
seem more appropriate
values and lets this first layer dry takes an hour to dry, I don’t stop working on it during for housing animals.”
before painting the midtones, nearly that hour. I stay with it, and I get different edges when
finishing the picture in this second I do that.”

MAKING THE UNKNOWN KNOWN be there in a child.” Acquiring reference material takes more
Eber has begun a separate series on another largely over- effort for these paintings since the photos are newer and
looked group: refugee children (see African Refugee, page 32; taken by photographers who retain the rights to them in many
Temporary Shelter, opposite; Girl Study, below; and Boy in cases. Eber found, however, that the photographers were
the Backyard, page 39). “I was inspired by the African refugees usually willing to allow him to use the images. “They want
trying to get to Europe and how nobody wants them,” he the same thing,” Eber says, “for the images to be out there.”
says. “I connected to them as I did to the child laborers. Eber’s portraits of child workers and refugees continue
I see something about the look on their faces that shouldn’t to fulfill his desire for technical challenge and his need to
Artist’s Toolkit
WATERCOLORS: Daniel
Smith
SURFACE: Arches
cold-pressed water-
color blocks
BRUSHES: DaVinci
Casaneo and Frank
Eber by DaVinci,
series 224
PALETTE: Holbein
metal palette #500
DRAWING SUPPLIES:
• Faber-Castell
charcoal pencils
• General’s vine
charcoal
• Faber-Castell Pitt
Pastel Pencil in 101
white
• PanPastel in black
• Sofft mixed pack of
palette knives and
covers (for applying
PanPastel)
“Her shirt may have holes

in it, but she looks dignified
to me, like royalty,” Eber
says of the refugee in Girl
Study (watercolor on paper,
20x14). Positioned perfectly
for a powerful triangle
composition, the child’s body
is a memorable mix of lost
and found edges, definition
and ambiguity. Without
the help of masking, Eber
carefully saved the white of
the paper for the main focal
point—the lightest part of the
girl’s nose and mouth. “That’s
the brightest area in the
picture,” says Eber. “Leaving
them untouched as I painted
around them wasn’t easy and
required good planning.”
Been Through the Mill
The painting Will the Mill Worker presents 15-year-old South that he likes to incorporate lost-and-found edges between
Carolinian Will Morrill in 1908. He had worked in a textile the subjects and their backgrounds. He says this supports
mill for five years. “The striking part for me is that, despite his assertion that everything in life is connected and with-
his age, he looks like an old man,” Eber says. “He seems to out true separation. It’s also a visual way of acknowledging
have a weary expression, and his hands are all knobby that these child laborers are no longer alive. “We’re look-
from the work.” Eber changed the backdrop, pointing out ing at ‘spirits’ from a different time,” he says.
ABOVE
Reference photo, by
Lewis Hine, for Eber’s
Will the Mill Worker
COURTESY NATIONAL CHILD
LABOR COMMITTEE
COLLECTION, LIBRARY OF
CONGRESS, PRINTS AND
PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION
LEFT
Will the Mill Worker
(watercolor on
paper, 20x14)

Boy in the Backyard
(watercolor on paper,
14x20) depicts a child
living in Los Angeles
connect more deeply to what he paints. “Americans
don’t seem to be very connected to their own his- Meet the Artist
public housing. The
tory, and this can cause people to take for granted Based in Central
painting is among those the things they have,” Eber says. A longtime California, Frank
in Eber’s series focusing California resident, Eber is originally from Germany. Eber is an artist
on contemporary refugee “It’s different in Europe. There you’re constantly who works in
children. “The scene may getting bombarded with your own history,” he says. both watercolor
not be pretty, but it’s not and oils.
hopeless either,” Eber “You learn to live with it and also to look back and
say, ‘We have this now because that happened.’ ” Originally from
says. He had difficulty Germany, he
conveying the boy’s Painting these portraits has changed Eber, push- grew up outside
decrepit surroundings ing his body of work to the new level he was seeking
without bringing too
Nuremberg and
much attention to
and “opening up a new avenue” with a deeper pur- moved to the U.S. in 1994. He’s best
them. “I wanted to get pose. “The emotional aspect is the most important known for his landscapes and his city
the murkiness of the one for me,” says Eber. “These people suffered so and seaside scenes, but is expanding
broken window with the we don’t have to. I feel like we’re standing on their his body of work to include evocative
drop of paint halfway portraits that speak with broader
shoulders today. There are things still happening implications to the situations of his
down frozen in time,”
says Eber. “It took many today that are wrong, but that doesn’t mean we have subjects. Eber teaches watercolor
glazes to accomplish to stop trying to change things for the better.” WA workshops and offers one-on-one
the look of dirt caked on mentoring online. To see more of his
the glass, creating the Stefanie Laufersweiler is a freelance writer and editor paintings and learn more about the
dulled reflection.” artist, visit frankeber.com.
living in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Letting It Happen
MICHAEL HOLTER’S paintings have a loose, playful energy
that spans genres from landscapes to figure-filled cityscapes.
by Amy Leibrock
LEFT
From China Gate
(watercolor on
paper, 11x14)
OPPOSITE
Istanbul
(watercolor on
paper, 14x11)
“I was always the doodler, the drawer,” “I like to see something in my paintings that has a sense
says Michael Holter, “the one in my class who was called on of a place,” he says, “and then I can let the rest of the paint-
to create something for a poster.” Some might say art was ing be fairly abstract because watercolor lends itself to that
Holter’s destiny because, despite having no school art pro- kind of treatment. It’s an impressionistic sort of approach.
gram in his small North Dakota town and coming from It might be as simple as a building in a landscape that’s
a family that had little enthusiasm for the subject, he done with relative realism, and then I create this abstract
turned this doodling into a lifelong career. Holter has stud- world around it.”
ied architecture and graphic design, taught high school art, Holter started painting with watercolor when he was
worked in commercial art and operated gallery spaces. working at his first job as an art teacher in a Minnesota
Since 2011, he has been building his reputation as resort town. With a young family to support, he’d paint
a painter and workshop instructor in watercolor and oil. small watercolors at the kitchen table with his young
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Holter drew on his
technology skills to quickly translate his in-person work-
shops to virtual experiences. On many Saturdays, he would
offer “High Noon” painting demonstrations, attended by
dozens of painters.
From Impression to Expression

daughter on his lap and sell them at art shows on the When he was a new father with a family to support, water-
weekends. “I began to get more efficient and skilled in the color made practical sense, but Holter continues to enjoy
medium just out of necessity,” he says. “It’s interesting how the medium for the freedom of expression it affords him.
that can happen.” “There’s such strength in what you can accomplish with
Eventually practicality won out, and Holter went back watercolor,” he says. “I really enjoy the experience of paint-
to school for a visual communications degree. That led to ing when the water, the pigments and the paper are all
a career in commercial art, during which he learned about working, and you get into a groove. You’re not controlling
film, graphic design, animation and video production. This everything—you’re letting it happen.”
work took him to Virginia and then Texas, where he now In all the genres he paints, Holter likes to zero in on the
lives in Plano. Although painting professionally is the most details of objects, places and people. His cityscapes are an
recent of his artistic endeavors, Holter has already gar- expression of what aspect of a place makes an impression
nered signature memberships in 10 art societies. on him. “Was it the silhouette of a building’s shape? Was it
Those teaching skills the artist developed early on have the way the light hit it? It’s all about light and shadow and
helped him support his fine art career through workshops. how you can portray that,” he says.

LEFT TO RIGHT
New York Canyon
(watercolor on
paper, 12x6)
Weather Movin’
Through (watercolor
on paper, 12x16)
Lonnie (watercolor
on paper, 16x18)
Holter does do some painting en plein air, which he

finds “fun but grueling,” so more often than not, he uses
reference photos from his travels as inspiration, using only
a small portion as a jumping-off point. “Any place I go, I’ve
got my camera, and I’m looking at the light falling across
something,” says the artist. “The subject has to feel like an
opportunity to express myself with the media. I’m not
interested in copying a photo I’ve taken.”
Gaining Perspective
Once Holter has the germ of an idea for a painting, he uses
thumbnails, sketches and the computer to shape it into
a composition that will work. Next, he sketches out the
basic composition with pencil on watercolor paper.
Holter takes a three- to four-value approach to most of
his paintings, starting with the lightest values and working
from large to small shapes. “It depends on the painting,
but I might start by working wet-into-wet over the whole
thing to get some color in and lay the groundwork for
everything. Or I might start on dry paper and build up wet
areas to create some color areas,” he says. “But I always
start with the lighter values and usually with the warmer shadow perfectly, but if you can get the viewer to under-
tones when I need those yellows in there to make sure stand the basics of what you’re trying to get across by using
I don’t lose the sunlight.” those perspective keys, you’ve come a long way toward creat-
He lets the paper dry before moving on to the middle val- ing a reasonable representational image of the scene. With
ues, then adds the darks for details. In these middle stages, a cityscape, there are a lot of ways to develop a scene.”
he works to communicate two more aspects of perspective: Holter’s final darks are usually applied at almost full
aerial, and what he calls “solar perspective.” Aerial perspec- strength; elements like headlights are added with opaque
tive refers to the way things in the distance appear hazier paint so they sit on top of the painting surface, and people
than things in the foreground. Solar perspective is the way in a scene will usually have a little bit of light hitting them.
an artist shows where the light is coming from.
“Your job as an artist is to show the viewer, who’s look-
ing at this two-dimensional surface, where the sun is. It’s Papers and Pigments
not going to be in the painting typically; it’s going to be off Holter’s main advice to new watercolorists is to use good
somewhere,” he says. “You don’t have to depict every watercolor paper. “With good paper, even student-grade
paints with less pigment will work
better,” he says. For landscapes
and cityscapes, Holter prefers
a rough paper, such as Arches 140-
lb. cold-pressed. He uses a smooth
300-lb. hot-pressed paper for his
figural work.
As for paint, he’s not stingy. “To
get really good darks and really good
coverage in an area, you’ve got to be
liberal with your paint usage,” he
says. Since watercolor dries lighter,
he likes to push darker when it’s wet
to get enough pigment so he doesn’t
have to do too many layers for land-
scapes. “I try to get the color pretty
accurate the first go-around,” he
says. “This lets the beauty of the
light coming through the white paper
shine through the transparent paint.”
Holter keeps his palette fairly
limited. Time and again he reaches
for burnt sienna and ultramarine
blue. “They make a wonderful com-
bination, and in between are all
these grays and gray-browns,” he
says. “I add other colors to shift the
temperature either warmer or cooler.
Eventually I can’t tell you what color
I’m painting with because it’s a stew
that I’ve created.” To make greens,
he’ll often add quinacridone gold to
those base colors.
For details and final pops of light
and color, an opaque cobalt teal is
a favorite of the artist. “I use that to
add a little life to a shadow area or
a bit of color around the eyes,” he
says. “There are places where you
can add colors that are sort of
unusual, but they really work—your
eye blends them together.”
River Run (watercolor

on paper, 11x14)

Holter began Autumn Trees
(watercolor on paper, 12x6) by applying
a very light-value wash over the whole
sheet of paper. Once this dried, he
covered up a few areas and, without
much of a plan, started splattering
three different colors at the top:
ultramarine blue, burnt sienna and
quinacridone gold.
Meet the Artist

Michael Holter (michaelholter.com) is an award-winning
artist who works in watercolor and oil. His paintings can
be found in private and corporate collections in the U.S.
and across the globe. Holter holds a B.A. in art education
and an M.A. in visual communication. He’s a member of
the Salmagundi Club and a Signature Member of the
National Watercolor Society, the American Impressionist
Society, the Watercolor Honor Society, the Transparent
Watercolor Society of America, the Outdoor Painter Society,
the Southwestern Watercolor Society, the Missouri
Watercolor Society and the Society of Watercolor Artists.
A Happy Place
Whether painting landscapes, cityscapes or portraits, has a point. When his drawing is set and it’s time to put
Holter likes techniques that let him watch a painting paint to paper, there’s a moment of tension and excite-
develop rather than those that require tight control over ment, especially when he’s doing a demonstration in front
the progression. Such was the approach he took in his of students. “I really only have one shot to do this, so I’ve
painting, Autumn Trees (above). “As the splatters landed, a got to make sure that it’s going to go somewhere.” It’s both
drip of paint came down—and that became a tree trunk. It his favorite and least favorite part of the process. But once
grew from the top down and developed into a scene with- he gets going with the broader wet areas and is watching
out any drawing or prep,” he says. “It was a matter of just the large areas of shape and shadow come together, both
letting the colors mingle. Colors only turn muddy if you the paint—and the artist—are in their happy place.
brush them into one another. If you let them do their own
thing, they find a happy place. If I do use a brush to paint Amy Leibrock is a Cincinnati-based writer and content manager.
tree lines, I use the pigment that’s already on the paper
and just drag it, taking care not to bring in other colors.”
Holter says that an oil painter friend of his calls water-
color “the ultimate performance art.” Holter believes he Turn the page for a demo.
demo
Pacific Grove Light
Value Sketch Step 1

I don’t always start with a value study, but a good value sketch or I sketched only the most important details of the architecture
monochromatic watercolor can help when looking for the main and the separation edges. I didn’t indicate much for the sky
value range in a subject. In this case, the white of the paper and or other parts of the landscape because that would have
three values of neutral tint provided all the information I needed. kept me from free expression with the paint.
Step 2 Step 3
I painted a wet-into-wet tone over the entire surface to set some I built up the basic shapes of the structure and
color harmony. Once the paper was dry, I re-wet the sky area added a darker value to the middle-ground trees.
and painted the clouds. Then worked in the trees on the horizon.
I kept them light enough to indicate a more distant landscape.
“I like to see something in my paintings that has a sense of a place, and

then I can let the rest of the painting be fairly abstract because
watercolor lends itself to that kind of treatment.”
—MICHAEL HOLTER

Step 4 Step 5
Starting with the lighter value and most distant area of the I finished off the land mass and adjusted the value seen in
embankment, I worked toward the front, getting darker as I went. the reference photo to make the left side lighter in value.
I was careful to keep in mind the center of interest and the direction
that I wanted the viewer’s eye to travel around the painting.
Artist’s
Toolkit
SURFACE
• Arches 140-lb.
cold-pressed
paper
BRUSHES
• No. 6 Princeton
Neptune quill
• Nos. 8 and 14
Princeton
Velvet Touch
rounds
• ¾-inch
Princeton
Velvet Touch
flat
• Nos. 6, 12, 14
and 16 Escoda
Perla synthetic
rounds
• various hake
brushes
PAINTS
• Daniel Smith
Final Watercolors
• Holbein (for
To finish Pacific Grove Light (14x21), I added texture to the beach,
a flag to break up the sky, and some details on the building. WA opaque colors)
More Online!
See another step-by-step demo by Michael Holter at artistnetwork.com/watercolor/landscape-holter.
SQUARING UP
THANKS TO AN INTUITIVE GRASP OF DESIGN AND RESTRAINED USE OF
COLOR, EACH OF JOSEPH ALLEMAN’S PAINTINGS PRESENTS A MYSTERY
WAITING TO BE SOLVED OR A STORY WAITING TO BE TOLD.
by Michael Chesley Johnson

hen you look at the watercolor paintings of Utah artist
Joseph Alleman, the first thing that strikes you, most espe-
cially in the architectural pieces, is a simmering calm. Nearly
onochromatic in color, they offer a casually cropped view of
world, almost as if you were gazing through a window. But
d the frame and beneath the quiet grays, you sense a power
g, a magnetic energy that pulls you into the scene.
ABOVE
Sodas, Sofas, Etc.
(watercolor on
paper, 17x22)
RIGHT
Steal Gray Sky
(watercolor on
paper, 30x20)
BEGINNINGS
Born in San Francisco in 1975, Alleman moved to Utah’s “I struggle when asked to name
Salt Lake Valley with his family at age five. He drew avidly influences,” he says. “There have OPPOSITE
as a child and began painting under artist Harold Peterson been many, but long lists are exhaus- Snow Covered
(1930–) in his teens, starting with watercolor but expand- tive and short lists feel incomplete. Derelict (watercolor
on paper, 15x11)
ing into other media after Peterson opened an art There comes a point when your own
academy in Salt Lake City. Later, while attending Utah vision as an artist comes into focus, BELOW
State University, Alleman studied illustration under Glen so it can be good to distance yourself White Blanket Barn
Edwards (1936–2019). from too much outside influence.” (watercolor on
paper, 20x20)

SENSIBLE DESIGNS
Alleman rarely creates studies or sketches in
preparation for painting, although he’ll work on
compositional problems with pencil or even
a ball point pen on scrap paper. These problem-
solving experiments, he says, are very rough
and really not worth noting. Still, they’re the
foundation of what comes next.
Unlike many landscape painters, who often
paint in a horizontal format to evoke the sense
of a broad vista, Alleman enjoys squares. For
him, a 5x5 surface—one of his most common
sizes—is a simple solution to several problems.
“It’s like a study, but it can be considered a
finished piece both in terms of the painting and
framing. It’s a format that’s easy to ship and
more accessible in terms of price. Plus, it makes
good use of material and framing that might
otherwise go to waste. It fills a small space and
hangs nicely in groupings but, most importantly,
it’s fun to paint,” says Alleman.
While the artist enjoys working in a vertical
format, the more traditional horizontal format
poses the biggest challenge for him. “I can’t
fully explain my thoughts on horizontal versus
vertical formats,” he says. “Some of my favorite
pieces have been horizontal, but I often find the
format uninspiring compositionally with a lot
of dead space on the sides, perhaps because so
much of my work features a central object.”
Variety in shape, placement and value are key
to good composition. “If you place something
high in one piece, try placing it low the next
time, or place something on the left instead
of the right, or go big and then little. I would
rather overfill than underfill a space,” he says.
Alleman admits he pays little attention to rules,
Besides finding inspiration in the work of historic water- eschewing the mathematical for a more intuitive
approach. “I love to crop work, so nothing is set
color painters, Alleman also learns from contemporary oil in stone—even if a piece is finished,” he says. If
painters. An exhibition of the work of Burton Silverman I’m bored by a painting, I’ll focus on what I do
(1928–) influenced Alleman in his figurative work, while like about it and eliminate the rest.”
contemporary Utah landscape artists Gary Ernest Smith
(1942–) and Michael Workman (1959–) continue to inspire
and steer his growth.
IT’S NOT THE MEDIUM

BUT THE MESSAGE
“Watercolor has always opened doors for me, so I feel really
fortunate,” Alleman says. When he started painting, the
medium let him approach galleries with something unique,
and it wasn’t long before the galleries began, in turn, to
approach him. “Many of the most memorable experiences
as an artist occur in the early years,” he notes, “when suc-
cess of any kind is a new milestone and a victory.” Along
the way, he enjoyed working on the odd commission,
sometimes sleeping in cars to travel “on the cheap,” and
enduring fickle weather at festivals and paint-outs. “It’s all
part of the adventure and part of the artist’s life,” he says.
These days, Alleman also works in oil, but he doesn’t
really favor one medium over the other. “I don’t think in
labels such as watercolorist or oil painter—that never
really resonated with me,” he says. “It’s all paint, and I just
think of myself as as a painter.” Sometimes Alleman might Sideward Glance (watercolor on paper, 5x5)
feel an idea seems better suited to a
specific medium, but most often it
comes down to what medium he’s in
the mood to work in. When working
in watercolor, he often paints start to
finish on a single piece. With oil, he
may have several paintings going at
the same time.
THE 14TH STUDIO

Unlike many watercolor artists,
Alleman likes to paint upright on an
easel rather than flat, despite
unwanted drips. He explains: “I began
painting flat, but found myself con-
stantly tilting my watercolor board to
manipulate the flow of the paint, and
eventually, it became more natural to
have things upright. Also, working in
more than one medium, you often
look for ways to harmonize your
approach, and it didn’t make sense to
be at an easel with oils but at a table
with watercolor.” His aluminum
11x15 Strada easel holds a John Pike
palette that he uses for both studio
and outdoor work. A few holes drilled
in the Strada’s lid allow airflow to pre-
vent mold growth when the lid is
closed. The easel sits on a small stand
next to his floor easel, which he uses
for large pieces that the Strada can’t
handle. When painting en plein air, he
attaches the Strada to a tripod.
Alleman’s work area sits in the mid-
dle of a spacious 15x25-foot studio
with 10-foot ceilings and large win-
dows on both the east and south
walls, providing plenty of light. He
designed and built the house in 2008,
making what would be a third garage
bay his studio. “Over the years, I had
13 different places I called my studio
before building a home with one,” he
says. “Some were great, others not—
the important thing is that art can be
created anywhere.”
Although the artist turns his easel
throughout the day to get the best
window light, he supplements the
natural light with overhead track
lighting. “I often point a spotlight at
the ceiling to further brighten the
room and bounce a more diffused
light onto my work,” he says.

“As is often the case
in those desperate
moments when
you’re forced out
of your comfort
zone, I learned
something new.”
but also evokes a mood to help view-

ers fill in the gaps. “Every painting
must portray mood in some way,” he
says. Often, his goal is to capture as
closely as possible the feeling of a par-
ticular location, especially with his
plein air paintings. But sometimes, he
prefers to escape the confines of real-
ity by exaggerating light, color and
value. “I like both approaches,” he
says, “but a piece may start out one
way and then change course midway.”
When engaged in painting en plein
air, Alleman aims to end up with a fin-
ished or nearly finished painting
rather than a field study that might
serve as a studio reference. In the
studio, he’s more likely to work from
photos, which he considers a starting
point rather than references to copy
slavishly. “There’s nothing wrong with
closely following a photo, but give
yourself ample room to deviate.”
A NEW APPROACH
ABOVE TO THE WASH
Guardsman
Alleman is a big fan of 300-lb. Fabriano
(watercolor on
paper, 30x22)
INSPIRING PERSONAL STORIES Artistico natural white cold-pressed
Since moving to Northern Utah, the artist has found paper, using anywhere from a 5x5
OPPOSITE TOP plenty of subject matter to paint, most of it not far from square to a full sheet (22x30). He
Man at Deli Profile home. “Good access to what you want to paint is obviously doesn’t soak his paper before painting,
(watercolor on
paper, 7x7) important, but my subject choice is deliberate and as its thickness is sufficient to keep it
thoughtfully selected,” he says. Often taking drives flat. After using a few loops of artist’s
OPPOSITE BOTTOM through the rural landscape in search of interesting shapes tape or low-tack blue masking tape
Winter Light or patterns, he notes it sometimes takes a moment to see on the back to attach the paper to his
(watercolor on
the too-familiar with a fresh perspective. Although every drawing board, he makes a preliminary
paper, 30x30)
landscape changes with the time of day and season, his ter- drawing with 2H graphite pencils,
ritory offers tremendous variation. “The landscape is using gum erasers for any corrections.
constantly changing because it’s cultivated throughout the The pencils and erases make a “gentle
year,” he says. “Also, the barns, homes and other struc- combination on the paper,” he says.
tures, which add an interesting human touch, deteriorate Alleman sometimes lays in a wash
in a way that’s fascinating both visually and historically.” but not regularly. A problem he once
Rather than trying to tell a story through his paintings, ran into with a wash led the artist to
Alleman intends for his work to inspire personal connec- a technique he employs frequently.
tions. To do this, he not only leaves gaps in the storytelling “I had one piece that was nearing
LEFT
Corduroy Ground
(watercolor on
paper, 8x8)
BELOW
Silver Green Sky
(watercolor on
paper, 22x22)
completion, and the first pass of a wash revealed a blemish an area roughly, he uses bits of artist’s
on the paper, some sort of thumb print either from myself tape pieced together. He finds a little
or an employee who had handled the sheet before it was masking fluid useful for sealing gaps
purchased.” Feeling he couldn’t just work around it, where the tape overlaps onto itself.
because the painting was destined for a show, he invented For paint, Alleman prefers
a new way to lay in a sky. “I crosshatched paint with a Grumbacher Academy or M. Graham
damp, wide brush, in a manner akin to rapidly beating the & Co. His brushes are mostly Loew-
paper, until the paint took on a smooth appearance with Cornell synthetics in various sizes
a light velvety texture and feel,” he says. This more aggres- with round or square tips, “I love new
sive approach broke the freshness of the paper’s surface, brushes,” he says, “but I do have a
giving him more control. “As is often the case in those des- few favorites that are very worn and
perate moments when you’re forced out of your comfort unidentifiable at this point. Those are
zone, I learned something new,” says Alleman. tricky because I can’t replace them.”
Alleman also likes to paint with a dry brush on occasion. In addition, he uses a variety of
“It’s a hot topic in watercolor,” he says, “and, like many smooth sponges for various effects.
approaches, it can be beautiful or feel gimmicky.” He uses Many of Alleman’s paintings
the technique sparingly, but he notes he does mix his paint employ a subtle color palette, often
heavily and frequently applies it heavily, as well. As for tending toward monochrome. For this
masking fluid, he now avoids it, having spilled a bottle of it look, he uses a combination of Payne’s
onto a painting years ago. Instead, he prefers to lift or dodge gray and Van Dyke brown to mix black
areas. “The result is generally more organic, but it’s a tool like and to deepen other colors. He also
anything, and on occasion I’ll use it.” If he needs to block out likes Davey’s gray, which is more of

ADVICE TO WATERCOLORISTS
a slate color. “I’m often more concerned with lightfastness Alleman believes in diving into the most challenging part
than color when selecting paint,” he says. “Generally speak- of a piece first rather than skirting around it. “It’s worse
ing, one shade isn’t better than another, and you adapt.” if you’ve spent a lot of time on a painting only to run into
He also prefers a warmer palette. He can push the Payne’s trouble with an element you’ve been avoiding,” he warns.
gray/Van Dyke brown mixture either warmer or cooler as “Also, really push the material. Good paper can take a lot
needed, changing the proportions to do so. “I suppose the of abuse. Paint can be laid in heavily and lifted out with
warmer tones and monochromatic aspect are a nod to the ease, so don’t be timid. Paint with confidence—you’ll
Wyeth tradition on some level,” he says. Alleman stops take a few falls, but it gets easier.” WA
working when he feels like the painting is his own. “You
reach a point where you no longer see areas that need a few Michael Chesley Johnson (mchesleyjohnson.com) is an artist and
more touches,” he says, “and you stop yourself. If you just instructor who teaches plein air workshops across the United
can’t stop, then get it in a frame behind glass before you go States. He’s the author of Outdoor Study to Studio: Take Your
too far. Works every time.” Plein Air Painting to the Next Level and other books.
Meet the Artist

Joseph Alleman (josephalleman.
com) began painting at age 15
under Utah artist Harold Petersen.
Born in 1975 in San Francisco,
Calif., Alleman grew up in Salt
Lake City, and graduated with
a B.A. in fine art from Utah State
University. He enjoys working in
a variety of media. Many of
his painting subjects can be
found in Northern Utah’s Cache
Valley where he currently
resides with his family. Alleman
is a Signature Member of the
American Watercolor Society
and the National Watercolor
Society, and he has received
numerous honors and awards
locally and nationally. His work
has been featured in American
Art Collector, Artists Magazine,
Art of the West and Southwest Art
magazine. He currently exhibits
with Mockingbird Gallery in Bend,
Oregon, in addition to galleries in
Arizona, Utah and Wyoming.
Bright Ideas
I suggested the texture of the cliff rocks in Cliffside Juniper

(gouache, 5x8) with drybrushed paint used opaquely. For
the foliage I first dabbed on thinned gouache followed
Grab and Go
by opaque blots. The tree highlights are white.
Gouache set. You may ask, Why gouache

For ease of use and portability, gouache and not watercolor? I could use water-
makes a perfect plein air sketching medium. color for these sketches, but the opacity
of gouache is more suitable for my
By Michael Chesley Johnson painting approach. As an oil and pastel
artist, I’ve always been a fan of broken
color and scumbling—two techniques
I find more amenable to opaque
I ’m a plein air artist who spends

half the year in New Mexico. While
hitting the trails for sketching excur-
sions, I discovered a hidden canyon
not far from my studio. The quiet and
canyon, relaxed, rejuvenated and at
peace with the world.
Because I hike along some rather
steep cliffs, I keep my sketching kit
light (see My Materials, opposite).
gouache than to transparent water-
color. Gouache’s opacity also allows
me to correct mistakes and eliminates
the need to save the lights. Instead,
I can punch in highlights toward the
beauty has become a daily inspiration. Also, I want these outings to be more end. As the need arises, I can also use
Most times, it’s just me, the wind in about “being in a place” rather than gouache transparently; when thinned
the pines and a canyon wren or two. “messing with gear.” My kit centers enough, it produces stained-glass-like
After an hour or so, I return from my around a 14-pan Caran d’Ache Studio effects, similar to those of watercolor.

GOUACHE SET I need there. Not all of the colors are a lid that’s good for mixing small
My Caran d’Ache gouache set includes lightfast, but this isn’t a problem for amounts of color. Tubes tend to get
some rather saturated colors. Since my me because I use the gouache set only squashed in my pack. Second using
canyon is mostly rock wall plus trees for sketching, and those sketches stay pan gouache saves me money. I waste
and bushes, I use mostly the earth protected from light, closed within tube paint because I squeeze out
colors with just a few of the others. The my sketchbook. I don’t intend to more than I need. Also, pan gouache
greens are a bit garish for my purposes, display them, but I may use them as is easier to re-wet, which extends the
so I tone them down with a little references for studio paintings. usability of the paint. Pan gouache
brown. On the other hand, I’ve taken I prefer pan rather than tube can even reduce expenses on brushes
this kit to Scotland (see Stromness colors for two reasons. First, the pans because, in the arid Southwest, tube
Wash and Uig, Scotland, page ••), and are more convenient because they gouache quickly develops a skin that
the variety of greens is exactly what come together in a metal tin with gets so thick, puncturing it with
a brush can damage the bristles. The
Caran d’Ache set comes with a tube
of white, but I put out just the tiniest
amount—and only when I need it,
typically for highlights.
My Materials
I painted most of Juniper Trunk (gouache, 5x8) transparently but used opaque gray and white for
the highlights and the shadowed bark.
PAINT: 14-pan Caran d’Ache Studio

Gouache set, which includes pans
of yellow, lemon yellow, vermilion,
carmine lake, magenta,
ultramarine blue, cyan, malachite
green, yellow green, emerald
green, ochre, brown, gray and
black, plus a small tube of white
SURFACE: 5x8 Pentalic Aqua Journal
BRUSHES: Richeson Plein Air Travel
Brush set, which has seven short-
handled brushes: ¼-, 1½- and ¾-inch
flats; Nos. 2, 4, 6 and 8 rounds
OTHER: watercolor pencil;
container for water and water
bottle, a few paper towels, a sheet
of plastic or other stiff material for
a painting backboard (for working
from my lap), clamps to hold
everything together, egg-crate
Although some of the snow in in Rock and Snow (gouache, 5x8) is simply the white of the paper, foam (optional back cushion)
I also applied opaque white thickly in certain areas to convey three dimensions and to define the
shape of the shadow.
Bright Ideas
JOURNAL BRUSHES AND PENCILS Although I’m a dedicated oil and

I scrub a lot when I paint, but the The Caran d’Ache kit includes a small pastel plein air painter, I find my
140-lb. cold-pressed paper in the brush, but I tend to be rough on gouache kit fits my sketching needs
Pentalic sketchbook is durable and brushes, so I’ve found the Richeson perfectly. Whether hiking locally or
can take a beating. It buckles only brush set to be the perfect supple- flying to Scotland, I’m happy to leave
slightly, even with a heavy wash. The ment. The flats and rounds have my other paints at home and pack my
pages are sewn into signatures and synthetic bristles that are quite gouache kit instead.
lie flat, so if I want to use two pages durable. I also keep a small water-
for a wider, 5x16 sketch, I can do color pencil tucked into my brush set, Michael Chesley Johnson
so. Sometimes, when the weather is which I use to draw a simple, light (mchesleyjohnson.com) splits his
cool and damp—as in Scotland—and compositional sketch before I begin year between a summer studio in the
my sketch hasn’t quite dried, I’ll painting. I prefer this to graphite Canadian Maritimes and a winter
lay a paper towel over it and close because the watercolor line will dis- studio in New Mexico. He is the author
the book, protecting both the new solve somewhat and, if I’m lucky, of Backpacker Painting: Outdoors
painting and the older painting on enhance the final result (although with Oil & Pastel and Outdoor
the opposite page. An elastic band on I don’t mind lines showing through). Study to Studio: Take Your Plein
the journal not only keeps it closed An earth-color watercolor pencil Air Paintings to the Next Level. He
with the paper towel in place but also works well if I’m painting a close-up frequently writes for Artists Magazine
prevents damage to the pages when of trees or rocks; a gray-blue is good if and Pastel Journal and teaches plein air
I cram the journal into my pack. I’m including sky. painting workshops throughout the U.S.
For Ponderosa Pine (gouache, 5x8), I painted the opaque highlights on the tree, including the orange-lit areas of the bark.
For the sky I first applied a thin wash of gouache and then added opaque notes of blue for a richer, darker look.

ABOVE
To capture the
texture of the rocks
in Stromness Wash
(gouache, 5x8),
I dragged a brush
loaded with opaque
gouache across an
earlier wash.
LEFT
The opacity of
gouache was
particularly useful in
adding colorful bits
of highlighting to the
foreground rocks in
Uig, Scotland
(gouache, 5x8).
Turn the page for a demo.

demo
Juniper in Gouache
With my minimal painting kit, I’m always ready for a quick sketch.
1 2 3 4
Step 1
In my sketchbook, I first lightly drew the
shape of the juniper with watercolor pencil.
I chose a blue pencil because it would add
a nice temperature contrast to the warm
colors I planned to use when painting.
The brown speckles are from an overly
aggressive treatment of a sketch on the
opposite page. I didn’t mind them because
I knew they’d add interest to the final sketch.
Step 2
I like to block in tree shadows first because,
in the canyon, the light seems to move
especially fast. I used a gray wash for this.
Step 3
I started applying transparent color,
thinning the gouache enough so it acted
more like watercolor. I used a darker, thicker 5 6
wash mixture of black and brown to draw
the lines denoting form in the tree.
Step 4 Step 5 Step 6

Using the edge of my brush, I scrubbed dark In the final stage of Canyon Juniper (gouache,
Next, I began laying in areas of more opaque notes into the shadow areas. The brush, which 8x5), I added texture to the bark, being careful
paint, especially in the foliage. Then I washed was fairly dry, left sharp-edged marks. to keep the brush fairly dry. Juniper bark can be
in some warm foreground colors—yellows, quite light where sunlight hits it, so I used fully
reds and browns. I added a touch of cooler opaque white to add a few highlights. On the
red and magenta to the cast shadows. other hand, junipers often have shreds of
warm, dark bark, especially in the shadows. To
convey the feeling of that shredded bark, I filled
my brush with opaque brown gouache and
tapped it gently for a spatter pattern. WA

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Watercolor Essentials
A Field Guide to
Painting Flowers
Organize your plein air supplies and painting process
to interpret outdoor scenes more successfully.
By Catherine Hillis

T he thing I love most about
plein air painting is that each
excursion leads to a different
adventure. I’m capturing a moment
in time that can never be repeated.
plein air painting, I’ve found that a bit
of organization helps me to interpret
outdoor scenes more successfully.
ORGANIZE
While every location has its own YOUR SUPPLIES
allure, no other painting subject gets It takes time to determine what sup-
me quite as excited as a flower garden plies work best in the field. Over the
bathed in light. years, I’ve pared down more and
Landscapes contain so many little more. I carry an easel, a palette filled
details to paint—I often have to with paint, a board, paper, brushes,
restrain myself from plunging right in. pencils, an eraser, tape, clips, water in
Some planning is always necessary a small container and paper towels. All of my plein air supplies fit into my backpack.
before placing paint on paper. Although A camera is also a must, along with
spontaneity is critical for a successful snacks, water, sunblock, bug spray,
a hat, an umbrella and any other nec- the place. I may allow myself a full day
OPPOSITE essary comfort items. I also keep or more to determine what subjects
The subject matter for Pushing Up Daisies a camping chair in the trunk of my suit me best. Once I have all the photo
(14x10) was complex and required car, even though I rarely use it since references I need, I begin to set up my
simplification. I changed the original horizontal
format I had planned to a vertical orientation I prefer to stand when painting. workstation.
and designed a zig-zag composition.
ORGANIZE ORGANIZE
BELOW
It was easy to get distracted by the floral
YOUR THOUGHTS YOUR WORKPLACE
details while I was painting Little Church in the
Once I’m on site, I walk around and Because I’ve encountered unusual,
Woods (10x14). I tried to focus on the large take photographs; I review the light and even dangerous, situations while
contour shapes of the connected plantings, and try to visualize the character of painting en plein air (that’s a topic for
relying on my value sketch for guidance.
Watercolor Essentials
My En Plein Air easel is lightweight and

portable, and it allows me easy access to
my equipment.
another article), I now make safety

a priority. I check for cell service, con-
firm someone knows where I am and,
sometimes, I might choose to work in
my car or find another location.
I scout for bathrooms and I look for
shade—or set up my umbrella. If it’s
windy, I place weights on my easel and
stabilize my supplies with heavy clips.
I set up my brushes, water and paint.
ORGANIZE YOUR HABITS

This task is the hardest. I get so
excited when painting that it’s easy to
forget about self care. Because of the
very real possibilities of heat stroke
and dehydration, it’s important to
stop and take breaks. During these
times, I try to remember to take some
photos of work in progress and review
it. If there’s a mirror in a restroom,
I take a look at my painting there.
ORGANIZE
YOUR PAINTING
The enthusiasm to get started paint-
ing makes it easy to neglect
preliminary steps, but their impor-
tance can’t be overstated. Make value
studies. Train yourself to eliminate By eliminating the details of petals and leaves in Morning Light in North Carolina (12x6),
details and focus on big shapes. I start I was able to tell a story about light.
with 4x6-inch contour drawings,

TOP LEFT
Savannah Secret Garden (9x12) took me two
days to complete. There are very few details—
I wanted to keep those big shapes connected.
BOTTOM LEFT
This pot of flowers sits right outside my front
door, so it was easy to get comfortable while
painting My Geraniums (10x7).
focusing on connecting the geometric

shapes. Every drawing begins with
circles, cones and squares—simple
connected shapes. I refine from that
basic beginning and, once I have a
successful design, paint one middle
value of neutral tint. I leave the light
areas as the white of the paper, so the
sketch ends up with two values: white
for the low values and neutral tint for
the middle values. This value study
becomes my guide, providing patterns
of light and connected shapes. I credit
Andy Evansen for showing me this
approach. Once this step is complete
and my sketch is on watercolor paper,
the painting process goes very quickly.
ORGANIZE THE ENDING

It’s easy to overwork a watercolor.
I try to stop when I’m about 75 per-
cent finished. I study the painting
with a mat. I turn the piece upside
down and, if possible, view it in a mir-
ror. Converting the work to black and
white on my tablet or phone is help-
ful, too. I make sure I have plenty of
high-quality photos of the painting
and, unless I’m in a painting competi-
tion, I never worry about finishing a
piece in the studio if that’s what it
takes to make a work successful.
A WORTHWHILE
ADVENTURE
Painting en plein air will make you
a more competent artist. Your obser-
vational skills will become sharper,
your responses will get faster, and
your design ability will grow stronger.
Capturing a moment in time will force
you to see in a fresh and exciting way
a fleeting moment that will be pre-
served in paint forever. And a few
minutes spent organizing your sup-
plies and painting process will help
ensure you get the most out of the
plein air adventure that awaits you.
Turn the page

for a demo.
demo
Plentiful Poppies
If you’re just starting out in plein air painting, I suggest you begin
with a simple subject such as a pot of flowers with a dramatic shadow.
Find a spot where you can get comfortable and stay a while.
Contour Sketch Value Study with Low and Middle Values Value Study with Darks
Step 1
I drew the contour sketch and then completed the value studies, breaking the shapes down into simple forms. I designed an
obvious “S” curve to help pull the viewer into the painting. Then I wet the back and front of the paper, clipped it to my board
and placed the value sketch on my easel. I decided on a color triad of quinacridone gold, napthol red and ultramarine blue.
Step 2 Step 3
I painted the paper I misted the paper to
with a bold, warm keep it damp and
underwash of painted in the middle
quinacridone gold values of my triad
and napthol red. colors. Then
While the paper was I introduced cerulean
still wet, I brushed in and cobalt blue,
ultramarine blue, Hansa yellow and
diluted to the some other reds. I let
consistency of tea. the colors merge into
I kept the first wash in muted grays and
low to middle values. greens. A few hard
edges began to form.

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WATERCOLORS
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Final
I stood back and observed the painting, selecting a few places to paint darker values and harder edges.
I also painted negatively around a few shapes. To complete Poppies a Plenty, I defined the flowers with the
dark centers and added details to the statue. Most of the details were painted wet-on-dry. WA
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September 13–16, 2021, Lac du Flambeau, anticipated. First place: $5,000.
Wisconsin Prospectus: https://www.sdws.org
October 4–7, 2021, Huntsville, Alabama
October 25–27, 2021, Lakeland, Florida DEADLINE: JUNE 1, 2021
Contact: Tony Couch at 770-630-4338 or THE MONTANA WATERCOLOR SOCIETY
toncouch@mindspring.com, ANNOUNCES ITS 39TH ANNUAL JURIED ART
www.tonycouch.com EXHIBITION, WATERMEDIA 2021
Exhibition dates are October 8–December 18,
Vladislav Yeliseyev
June 3–10, 2021, Croatia 2021 at the Hockaday Museum of Art, Kalispell,
Painting Vacation with Vladislav Yeliseyev. Contact: Montana. Juror is Soon Y. Warren. Over
941-330-6865 or Marina at artist.vladis@gmail.com $5000 in awards. For Prospectus, go to www.
June 17–27, 2021, Russia Painting and Cultural montanawatercolorsociety.org or contact
Vacation with Vladislav Yeliseyev. Contact: 941- Kristin Dahl Triol, Watermedia Show Entry Chair,
330-6865 or Marina at artist.vladis@gmail.com kristintriol@gmail.com 805-402-8212
July 30–August 1, 2021, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Studio Watercolor Workshop DEADLINE: JULY 8, 2021
Contact: 508-540-3304; or www.falmouthart.org KENTUCKY WATERCOLOR SOCIETY AQUEOUS
August 2–5, 2021 Landgrove Inn, Vermont USA 2021, 44TH ANNUAL JURIED EXHIBITION
Watercolor Workshop. Contact: vtinn@sover.net or August 16–October 8, 2021 Living Arts and
800-669-8466 Science Center, Lexington, Kentucky. Juror: Iain
August 10–13, 2021, Dawnsonville, Georgia Stewart. Awards of cash and merchandise.
Studio Workshop. Presented by Georgia For more information and prospectus visit
Watercolor Society Kentuckywatercolorsociety.com
Artists Magazine
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Camouflage
by Kathy Morris Last Call for Entries!
$24,000 in cash prizes and special awards for students.
Put your masterpiece in the spotlight and enter our largest
competition of the year!
Five categories include:

QPortrait and figure
QStill life and interior
QLandscape
QAbstract and experimental
QAnimal and wildlife
Final deadline: June 7, 2021
LEARN MORE AT ArtistsNetwork.com/Art-Competitions/Artists-Magazine-Annual
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minimum cash awards plus merchandise awards.
45th Annual Exhibition
in the next issue of

$35/1st entry and $15/additional entry up to
5. Online competition for women working in
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entry information go to
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DEADLINE: JUNE 30,2021 Mark E Mehaffey
ONLINE ONLY TWSA DM
53RD ANNUAL WATERCOLOR WEST
INTERNATIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION July 21-23
Juror: Thomas Schaller.Approximately $15,000 Cash Representational
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Only Transparent Watercolor on Rag Paper. Online
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Non-objective Abstract
Watercolor
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information Watercolor
Waiting #8 Kildeer by Mark E Mehaffey, TWSA DM
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July 21-23
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Open Book
Seeing Beauty
When artist Xi Guo (xiguowatercolor.com)
discovered a bundle of fading roses
in a garbage can, she turned the
discovery into an opportunity for
painting. “Decaying flowers are
still beautiful,” she says. “The
fading color often adds even
more elegance.” After making
a pencil sketch, Guo applied
masking fluid to preserve the
highlights. After painting,
she removed the mask
and then used a water
brush to soften edges.
She worked quickly to
capture the rose’s fleeting
beauty. “The secret to
painting fast,” she says,
“is to get the right value and
tone with the first try—to paint
intuitively, as if the brush were
an extension of your hand.”
YOUR TURN!
Share a sketch that depicts the
beauty of a fading flower or bouquet:
@ArtistsNetwork on Instagram:
#openbook_seeingbeauty

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AN ARTIST’S FIELD GUIDE TO FLOWERS

4 Floral Painters Share Their

©Copyright 2020 Savoir-Faire. All rights reserved.

IMPORTERS OF FINE MATERIALS

2 Watercolor artist | SUMMER 2021

72 OPEN BOOK ON THE COVER

56 What’s Key to Plein Air Painting

Get Social Orange Hibiscus (detail; watercolor on

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SENIOR DESIGNER Brian Roeth

SENIOR EDITOR Holly Davis

MANAGING EDITOR Christina Richards

VP, DIGITAL Melanie Darienzo

universally loved by everyone. EDITORIAL OFFICES

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Printed in the USA.

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S trolling along the Left Bank in

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