LITTLE CAPTURES THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS more perfectly than a puppy nestled beneath the tree, bringing to mind the twinkle of festive lights, the glow of December evenings and that unmistakable mix of

ÉBAUCHE IS FRENCH FOR FIRST PASS OR QUICK SKETCH. You can see in great detail what has been lost and what has been gained by putting on a wet and wild ébauche after creating an initial charcoal drawin

Like many artists, I often develop designs for paintings from photographic reference, despite its still being thought of by many as cheating. They argue that it is only by working directly from the su

When painting from a reference photo, it’s fair to say that composition is already there for you. But when we paint in the great outdoors, it suddenly becomes very difficult. You have a wide periphera

I DREW AS A CHILD AND AMUSED CLASSMATES with caricatures of friends and teachers, but I also loved developing and printing my own photographs. I grew up in a council house in North Wales, and my ‘dark

You will learn How to blend layers for a smooth finish Deciding when to blend or not Other tools to use for blending Welcome back to the Colour Pencil Clinic, your monthly exploration of tips, tricks