Innholdsfortegnelse for December-January 2025/No. 160 i International Artist

Happy holidays to you and your family, and thank you to everyone who responded to our reader survey! We know you love International Artist as you rated us your #1 favorite artists’ magazine. This is a huge honor, thank you! It certainly makes everything we do absolutely worthwhile. A few other fun facts: 75 percent of you would like to see more content about fixing mistakes while painting (we understand this), and 90 percent of you use IA as a resource for buying art materials and supplies (we reacted to this). We also started a bookstore this year, and our timing must be on point as 70 percent of you want to see more books and digital publications in the magazine. You can choose from over 100 art books or…

Changhua City, Taiwan, The river in spring, gouache and acrylic, 21¼ x 151/3" (54 x 39 cm) My Inspiration The inspiration for this piece comes from the dynamic interplay of light and shadow on the surface of water in nature. The ever-changing nature of water prompts reflection on its beauty and serenity. I aimed to capture the tranquil essence of water, revealing its enchanting appearance under different lighting conditions, thereby conveying a sense of harmony to the viewer. My Design Strategy In my design, I emphasized the transparency of the water and the details of the light reflections to enhance visual depth. The use of gouache with its rich saturation and opacity allowed for a soft blending of colors in the base and shadows. I employed white acrylic to create…

As artists, arming yourself with a collection of quality tools is one of the best ways to set yourself up for success. In this issue, we’ve dedicated an entire section to art materials and supplies, with several special features focusing on different painting mediums, brushes and more. And biggest of all, we’re presenting the first-ever Art Materials & Supplies Buyer’s Guide. This curated guide includes a variety of products available to purchase that will enhance your art practice, from palette knives and brushes, to canvases and panels, to artists’ totes and aprons—all in time for the holiday season. Treat yourself or an artist friend.…

Getting Started I generally start my artworks with a medium neutral/warm pastel. It is so essential to get my first strokes precise with my subject. While laying them in the right place, I also put strokes into the background that are inspired along with those details. Back and forth impassioned strokes. Soon after, I begin adding the darker and lighter areas, introducing my subject’s colors. COLOR With pastels, I have every color possible and plenty of them. Enough to last me decades. I lay some of them down on my palette, separating blues, greens, reds, etc. In a separate section, I have a mixture of various colors scrambled together—ones that I might grab and use just for the fun of it. My inner mind sometimes gets a very interesting idea,…

SCOTTSDALE ARTISTS’ SCHOOL: How did you become a painter? NATALIE FEATHERSTON: I became a painter because of boredom and a great advertising campaign by the School of Visual Arts in the New York City subway system. I was living in New York working on my Master’s degree as a cellist and had decided music was no longer something I wanted to pursue. I dropped out of school, got a job waiting tables and thought taking an art class at night might be fun after seeing ads for SVA’s continuing education program. It turned out not only was it fun, it was the creative outlet I’d been searching for. SAS: Has trompe l’oeil always been your subject of choice? NF: I always knew I wanted to paint realistically, but I didn’t…

People seem to like my work for its Ploose and fresh feeling. Up close I like my paintings to look like they are abstract, just a bunch of jumbled up brushstrokes of color, but when they step back the painting comes into focus. That’s the magic I go for in my work. Being able to paint loosely has been my goal since I left my illustration career. Tight product renderings are difficult to do and feel like work to me, so in my fine art career I try to stay away from anything that feels like work. I paint freely and let everything just go. I paint with confidence with my drawing, design and painting skills that I have honed for 30 years as an artist. My paintings are always…

Pastel was love at first sight. Seeing Pand feeling the lush colors available in suede matte board was a sensuous experience indeed. Putting the first strokes on it with extra soft pastels had me hooked. This was not a medium I came to early in my lifelong pursuit of art. I was a watercolor painter from an early age and continued to perfect my craft until I was in my middle years. At that point I was looking for a medium that had more punch. I took on acrylics, and later on oils, all of which I love for their particular qualities and still practice. However, none of these mediums are as direct and immediate as pastels. It is just so much fun having all these bits of pure pigment…

Welcome to the December/January issue and happy holidays! It’s hard to believe that 2024 has almost come to a close. As you reflect on the past year, I hope that you acknowledge all of your hard work, find gratitude in the people who’ve supported you along the way, and most of all, feel proud of yourself. Whether you’ve made vast leaps in your art practice or you’ve spent the year simply exploring your creativity, that inherent love of art always persists. This issue, we’re presenting our first ever Art Materials & Supplies Buyer’s Guide, just in time for the season of giving. You’ll find a curated guide filled with a variety of artists’ tools available to purchase from some of the top brands out there. As part of our Art…

HOW TO ENTER OUR ART COMPETITIONS FULL COLOR DIGITAL PRINT-OUTS Use the Official Entry Form over the page ONLINE Visit our website to upload digital files of the images you want to enter and pay for them using our secure server. www.internationalartist.com To upload your entries you need to prepare your image files to be at least 400 pixels at the shortest edge. Once you are in the Official Online Entry page simply select which challenge you wish to enter then follow the prompts and finally pay the entry fee via our secure server. There you can also see other entries received along with past winners of our competitions. CHALLENGE ENTRY FORM SCHEDULE AND CLOSING DATES HINTS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING YOUR ARTWORK • Set your camera to the highest quality available. •…

In a world increasingly dominated by digital technology and rapid innovation, young artists are finding themselves at a crossroads where the allure of contemporary methods clashes with a deep-seated craving for traditional training. This longing for classical techniques and the foundational principles of art is not merely a nostalgic sentiment; it reflects a profound desire for authenticity, mastery and a deeper understanding of the artistic process. As young creatives navigate the complexities of modern art, their yearning for traditional training reveals an inherent tension within the evolving landscape of artistic expression. The rise of digital technology has democratized the creation and distribution of art, allowing virtually anyone with a computer or tablet to become an artist. Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Etsy provide unprecedented opportunities for exposure and commercial…

STAGE 1: My paintings all start with an idea that involves the entanglement of places, people and memories. I first journal sketch the overall concept, making decisions that involve the model, the pose, the environment and the color palette for the work. I go through many of my images, weaving them together to see how their compositions and color presentations work together. Once the two images are selected and woven together, I choose the model and the pose and move all my images into Photoshop. The final composition becomes a layered collaboration of all my choices. This painting is for a very specific location, which is why I chose a half-moon shape. I typically work on polyester canvas adhered to ACM with BEVA371 film. Because of the size of the…

1 Utrecht Artists’ Acrylic Paints from Blick 2 Utrecht Artists’ Oil Paints from Blick 3 Blick Palette Knives by RGM 4 Blick Masterstroke Brushes 5 Raymar painting carriers, available in a variety of sizes. 6 Raymar’s L64C linen panel is the top choice of professionals. 7 Raymar natural copper panels. The non-absorbent copper surface is ideal for detailed brushstrokes. 8 Cheap Joe’s artist apron 9 Cheap Joe’s artist tote 10 MasterPak TitanStrongBox 11 MasterPak PrintPak 12 Rosemary & Co. Candidus Oval Mop 13 Rosemary & Co. Candidus Round Mop Raymar Founded in 1998, Raymar is a female-owned, second-generation family business of artists. Raymar crafts a wide range of archival panels with the finest quality canvas, linen or paper mounted on MDF, aluminum and Gatorboard. Contact hello@raymar.com, raymar.com, (623) 580-0614, (888)…

STAGE 1 Here are the first few strokes of my pastel of Rose Weasel. You see the accuracy of the form and shadow shapes. At this beginning stage, they must be spot on. At the same time you certainly see the artist within those shapes. STAGE 2 Now I’ve carried Rose’s portrait to a very important stage where her head scarf, facial features and background are getting worked in. No doubt you see the energy in these strokes. The values give form, and the angles give movement. Warm against the cool scarf. STAGE 3 Here I’ve turned the corner and am moving towards a completed art piece. All the details are where they should be. I’ve handed myself a pathway to the end. Hitting strokes that are “accurate” and then…

In my experience, the key to a Isuccessful hyperrealist painting is the understanding of tones and values, rather than an abundance of details. Simplifying the complexity of nature in a few abstract shapes that have the correct color and value will allow you to paint very lifelike subjects with a straightforward and easy-to-replicate method. At the root of this process is color matching: if you are able to precisely replicate the color you see, you will only need a few carefully placed brushstrokes to make the subject feel alive. In this tutorial I will share a few tips that can make color matching easier. First of all, I like to start with a warm undertone in my paintings. I usually go for burnt sienna if I am painting a tiger…

A little planning can go a long A way. This is why I do a value study before every painting, whether I am in the studio or painting in plein air. Sometimes my students complain when I make them do a value study because they are in a hurry to paint. I totally understand being excited to paint, but taking the time to plan is never time wasted. In fact, I find it especially necessary when painting in watercolor because I can only make limited adjustments during the painting process and the medium is spontaneous enough. Therefore, taking the time to plan out my composition and value shape arrangement can be the difference between composing a painting with impact and having a final product you are frustrated with. To understand…

Starting a new painting is exciting and fun, but don’t rush into it. Planning your image thoroughly can bring even better results. My main subject is human figures, which are beautiful on their own and contain so many possibilities. I like to design and build the set, invite my friends to model, and take reference photos myself. This way, almost all the elements of the image are in my control. I can manipulate the placement of furniture and props, coordinate the colors in the scene, direct the postures and facial expressions of models, manipulate the lighting and change the angle of my lenses. During the photoshoot, creative sparks often appear when interacting with the models, which enhances the outcome. This level of freedom allows me to be more experimental and…

If you wait with nature, she always rewards you. IThe weather was gray and drizzly, and we’d come a long way and waited all day for the low tide to make our pilgrimage. We walked out with the tide along the slippery estuary, around the corner to this iconic New Zealand spot, the Three Sisters. What greeted us was a smorgasbord of striated cliffs and towering rock columns. Then, just minutes before the sun gave up on us, there was a gap in the clouds. Golden God light poured through onto our scene, profound against the backdrop of dark gray. As if it were the last drops from the bottle, the light seemed more concentrated and richer than I’d ever seen it. I’ve found time and time again that the…

For artists, inspiration can strike anywhere at any time. In this section, we’ll present a different photo prompt in each issue for artists to use as inspiration for their next piece. Rather than a reference, this photo is meant to be interpretive. It’s a jumping off point—a means to spark creativity and get the imagination going. Capture the image exactly as you see it, or take elements of it to create something entirely new. Submissions can be fully completed artwork or rough sketches. Every approach is the right approach. In the following issue of International Artist, we’ll highlight several Editor’s favorites (including your Instagram username), along with the next photo prompt. Chosen submissions also receive a free six-month digital subscription to International Artist. Happy painting/drawing/sketching! HOW TO PARTICIPATE: Follow @internationalartistmagazine…

Rukiye Garip Balıkesir, Turkey, Winter Reflection, watercolor, 30 x 22" (76 x 55 cm) Grand Prize is a four-page editorial feature in American Art Collector magazine Visual Splendor Turkish artist Rukiye Garip is captivated by the natural world around her. Working in watercolor, Garip captures intimate moments in the outdoors, from little river rocks in a pool of clear water, to the first fallen leaves of autumn, to salmon making ripples in a pond. “My paintings are inspired by both soothing and provocative aspects of nature,” says the artist. “Tranquil elements such as still transparent water, soft sand, moss and autumn leaves give me a sense of happiness and peace, while the dynamism of bare rocks, steep slopes and thermal movements evoke an exciting sense of movement, energy, exhilaration and wonder.…

ENTER OUR NEW ART COMPETITION CHALLENGE No. 146 Still Life See your work published in International Artist magazine and also receive a 4-page Editorial Feature in American Art Collector, the prestigious magazine read by collectors and galleries looking for new art work in the world’s biggest art market. Winners and Finalists in our competitions don’t just win awards to hang on their walls. The real value of entering and being one of the winners is that your work will not only be seen by hundreds of thousands of readers worldwide but also by leading galleries and collectors in America, the biggest art market of all. Our Grand Prize Winners receive a 2-page spread in International Artist magazine and a 4-page Editorial Feature in American Art Collector. Publicity at this level…

Supporting the next generation is crucial for the future of the arts. The Portrait Society of America recently announced the First-Place winner of our 5th annual The Future Generation Competition, which was established to recognize the work of emerging artists between the ages of 18 and 25 years old. Our late Chair, Edward Jonas, believed that early recognition in art competitions could greatly influence a young artist’s career, much like it did for John Singer Sargent. At age 23, Sargent earned Honorable Mention at the Paris Salon for his portrait of his teacher, Carolus-Duran, thus launching his portrait career. From 322 submissions, Ecuadorianborn artist Ruben Astudillo took First Place with his self-portrait, Closer. Ruben Astudillo’s artistic journey began at the age of 6 when he first discovered clay. Though no…

An original, fine art oil painting should be more than a mere reflection of what the eyes see. To create something A with more emotion and depth, we bring our history, our memories and our personal vision to a painting. If a piece were just about replicating what we see, a camera does an easier, far more detailed job at capturing a scene. A painting should be so much more than that, but how do we push it to another level? I’m going to explain my process of creating a concept to work with. I want options to choose from—different palettes, different compositions and formats and different value keys. I have a few methods of thinking outside of my own box. I love to get out and do field studies…

It makes a big difference which art supplies you bring for sketching on location because every medium has its own opportunities and special challenges. On each page I’ll focus on a single medium and I’ll demonstrate that medium with two kinds of subjects: a vehicle and an artist. Penci OPPORTUNITIES By removing color from the equation, graphite pencils let you focus on expressive lines and tonal relationships. It’s easy to erase pencils, and that opens possibilities for both fixing errors and making painterly light strokes. CHALLENGES Graphite pencils don’t go much darker than dark gray, which means you can’t get all the way down to black. They smudge, so it helps to work from the upper left to the lower right if you’re right-handed, and then use some fixative when…

Natural Natural fibers refer to any paintbrush hairs that come from an animal. These brushes absorb water and work well with oils, making them a staple for watercolorists and oil painters. Natural brushes also hold their shape well and leave visible brushstrokes, an often desired effect. HOG Both strong and flexible, hog hair is one of the most common natural bristle types. It’s recommended for both oil and acrylic painters and has a natural resistance to fraying. It also spreads medium to thick paints smoothly and evenly, but it’s much coarser than other fibers. Natural hog bristle brushes have a split tip called a flag, which helps the brush hold more paint. KOLINSKY SABLE Kolinsky sable comes from the tail of the kolinsky, a species of weasel native to Asia.…

In 2016, my husband and I decided Ito leave our bustling San Francisco lives and see what it feels like to live in Carmel-by-the-Sea on California’s central coast, a place we both knew and loved. Within a few months we decided to stay, and my art practice was unexpectedly transformed. IStimulating city sights and sounds were replaced by mists, twisting cypresses, falling asleep to the sound of the sea and year-round flowers. Almost immediately, I felt called to use flowers as my subjects, and so I began my Flora Portraits series. Now I spend my days in the company of flowers, gathering them, photographing them for references, writing about them in my art journals and painting them. They are symbols of beauty, yes, but they are also messengers. They tell…

Thirty-four years ago, I left oils Tbehind and fully embraced acrylics—my life changing medium. Art requires taking risks and approaching the easel with braveness regardless of feelings. The quick drying time of acrylic was the answer to overcoming the fussing and drove me to focus on laying brushstrokes down as quickly and as competently as possible—creating with ambition, assurance and bravado until I no longer knew how to paint any other way. Now, from the moment I place the paints out on the palette, my adopted mindset is that I would rather have an audacious failure than a timid half success. This approach leads to more experimentation with various techniques. Recently I’ve started including open slow-drying acrylic in my work alongside traditional acrylic for different effects. A painting is begun…

There are hundreds of adjectives to describe texture: rough, bushy, glassy, woven, velvety, slick, sharp, etc. This shows how important it is in our language and how important it is to us visually. Everything has texture; no scene is without it. A world without texture would still be colorful but would look like a cartoon. There are aesthetic aspects to texture, both tactile and visual. We enjoy the feel of silk, so we visually associate “silky” with “pleasant.” Things that are bristly are painful to touch, so we visually associate “bristly” with “unpleasant.” Food that is “furry” gets thrown in the garbage. In this way, textures contribute to the feeling of a scene almost as powerfully as lighting does. Once you understand the visual elements of line, value, shape, form,…

I work primarily with oil paint on I wood and hardboard. Because I paint a new piece nearly every day, most of my works are small (between 4 x 4" and 12 x 12") and completed alla prima in one sitting. I’m a slow worker and use tiny brushes as I work section by section, often using the same brush for an entire painting. I find that small round brushes allow me to include many details while still imparting a textured, painterly effect that I enjoy. My process is similar to filling in a coloring book. I start with a semidetailed pencil sketch and essentially color it in with paint. I use a different limited palette for all my paintings, typically using only three or four colors, plus titanium…

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