The secret of success

DECADES MAY HAVE PASSED, but Norfolk still has a claim on David Riches. Wooden sailing boats on the Broads, sunlight on the water, the quiet countryside – they still appear in his work. “If I see a tr

I STRUGGLED INTO MY LAYERS, picked up my light sketching kit and off I went up into the hills behind where I live. I wasn’t the first to arrive; halfway up the hill I could already hear the cries of e

Old buildings tumbling into decay have always fascinated me as a painting subject, and adding that time-worn, tatty appearance can infuse your work with an extra dimension that will increase its appea

Capturing the immediacy of fighting and the writhing bodies of soldiers, as well as keeping narrative clarity, proved enormously difficult for painters depicting battles before the advent of photography. Michael Hall reveals how they rose to the challenge

Every painting’s varying subject matter and scale offers us distinct opportunities and challenges. Before I start any project, I like to consider what I want to convey, what opportunities and challeng

The word is enough to send shudders through many painters, and not just beginners. For me, an understanding of perspective was absolutely fundamental in allowing me to create an accurate drawing and p