Pen To Paper

Watercolor 365 – Daily Tips, Tricks & Techniques

Today, I visited my local Art and Craft shop, Eckersleys Art & Craft to spend a gift voucher I received for Christmas.

When I receive a gift voucher I always like to buy something memorable. It would be easy to spend it on more paints etc but those paints get used up and there’s nothing really left to show for spending the voucher.

Whilst surveying the shelves in the Art shop, I came across a book called, “Watercolor 365 – Daily Tips, Tricks & Techniques” by Leslie Redhead.

Buying any sort of ‘How To’ book can sometimes see us buying things we’ve already bought. They are so many books out there about Watercolour, when one buys a book, often the same material is conveyed, albeit sometimes in a different way.

Upon closer inspection I found that the ‘Tips, Tricks & Techniques’ contain: 

  • 52 Mini step-by-step instructions
  • 52 Q & A’s
  • 52 Troubleshooting tips
  • 52 Bits of creative advice
  • 52 General tips
  • 52 Definitions
  • 52 Exercises

I was impressed enough to buy the book. It looks very interesting and in viewing the book there are a quite a lot of things that I didn’t know (I’m not a full-time Artist). I believe I am going to enjoy using this book to help me in my Watercolour journey. Thank you, Leslie for producing this book. 🙂

Written by David Johnson

24 January 2021

Process

Inspirational Flashes

A Fine Writing Instrument

A Fine Writing Instrument

Staring Into The Flames

Staring Into The Flames 4

Rebirth

Rebirth 1

What Is A Poem?

What Is A Poem

Where Beauty Reigns Supreme

Where Beauty Reigns Supreme

Rediscovered Gems

We all like to be organised to some degree, I believe.

Sometime ago, I re-organised one of my bookcases. This particular one is in what I like to call my ‘Escape Room.’ It is where I do my Watercolour Sketches; Oil paintings; read, write my speeches do my photographic editing and meditate, hence the word ‘escape…’

The bookcase is 1.83 metres (6 feet) high and contains Art magazines, books on theoretical Art; Photography; Public Speaking; Art ‘How To’; Religion; Leadership; Communication; Writing; Thinking and a smattering of other subjects.

IMG_9734

Over time and especially last year when I had 4 committee/leadership positions across two organisations as well as everything else I was involved in, the bookcase became rather disorganised through tiredness which led to a lack of discipline on my part i.e. not returning the books to the appropriate sections. Am hoping that I am not the only one that this happens to…

Recently, I decided it was ’time to re-organise again’ and given that I have divested myself of all those roles I am now reading more again and am enjoying increased time on other enjoyable things like Sketching, Painting and Poetry.

Whilst re-organising the shelves I was able to re-acquaint myself with books that either I had:

  • not looked at in a long time
  • or forgotten about

It is indeed amazing what we have on our bookshelves. Rediscovered gems.

As I look across there now I see titles that I cannot wait to get my hands on again. So much to read, so much to inspire.

I can ‘hear them calling me now…’

Written by David Johnson
July 2020
IMG_9737