Leisure Painter

Leisure Painter - the number one learn-to-paint magazine featuring practical painting and drawing features from top art tutors. Includes step-by-step tuition and easy-to-follow advice on how to draw and paint.

Leisure Painter

Welcome

Q&A • PASTELLIST, NINA SQUIRE ANSWERS A READER'S QUESTION ON HOW TO FINISH HER SOFT PASTEL ARTWORK

Diary • THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH

Exhibitions • JANE STROUD RECOMMENDS

Art clubs • OVER TO YOU FOR THE LATEST NEWS ON CLUB EXHIBITIONS AND ACTIVITIES

Summer in the garden • How to paint a late summer garden scene using a variety of watercolour techniques, by Julie King

Painting project • Part 1 The late Murray Ince takes you through his methods for painting dramatic skies

Painting project • Part 2 Step into summer with Tony Underhill as he uses last month's photo to produce a holiday sketch of a Lake District village green

Demonstration Lake District Village Green

Just a bowl of cherries • Follow Rachel McNaughton step by step as she paints a pan of summer fruit on a dark background

Step into the landscape • Part 4 Create more exciting textures and shapes by painting landscapes with a knife, by DJ

The world in miniature • Christina Hopkinson demonstrates the techniques needed to paint in miniature as she produces a tiny rendition of a vast landscape in Florida

The essential sketchbook • Part 3 Develop your skills as Brian Smith discusses the value of producing ink line and pencil tone sketches

Why pastels? • Nina Squire begins a three-part series by discussing the merits of working with pastels – and in particular, her favourite technique

Three colours, two brushes • Watercolour doesn't need to be complicated. David Webb demonstrates what just three colours can do for your painting

The moonlit shore • Make a variety of marks to produce a nocturne of moonlight on water with Ian Pethers

Oil painting for beginners • Part 9 This month, Paul Minter tackles colour value substitution in a bid to ignore local colour and work with tone

The balancing act • Head to the beach to experiment with a variety of watercolour techniques and paint a stack of pebbles, with Kerry Bennett

Develop your skills • Part 3 How to create curved surfaces, using transport and vehicles as your inspiration, with Tim O'Brien

Online gallery • Jane Stroud's selection of works from our Painters Online gallery

Books • WHAT TO READ THIS MONTH

Leisure Painter

WELCOME

Put trees in the picture • Paul Weaver explains how to add trees to your watercolour landscapes, with advice on simplifying shapes and mixing colour for seasonal foliage

The perfect media for plein-air impressions • Julie Collins looks closely at using watercolour and ink for sketches and studies of foliage, trees and winter landscapes, with simple exercises and tips

Connections to the forest • Susie Hodge talks to watercolourist, Caroline Ward-Raatikainen about her painting practices