In May's Leisure Painter

As usual, we in Malaysia get it late. The May edition arrive at the bookstores on May 24. But better late than never!

Okay, let's look at what this month's feature carry. As you can see from the above, there are plenty as usual to learn from across a wide variety of media. Watercolour still rules here.

If you have been following the last issue's back to basic, you should buy this month's edition because Brian Ryder continues with Part 2: Add Colour To Ink Drawings. Here Ryder shows how to use both water-soluble ink as well as non-water-soluble ones.

I especially liked the free strokes in this, as you can see from the last picture on a harbour - Binham, North Norfolk in pen and wash. If you want to know how to achieve looseness and spontaneity in pen and wash, check Ryder out.




Other interesting issues this month is the Lesson in the Landscape by Kari McGowan. Follow step-by-step how McGowan recreate a painting of Dartmoor, fast and loose in watercolour.

There is also a section on painting the face and one on how to draw tulips.

Old Tree By The Lake

This was done of a particular spot at the National Zoo. I saw this old tree by the main lake in the heart of the zoo. There were herons, couple of flamingoes and painted storks around but I have chosen to exclude them to focus on the tree.

The style in this piece was adapted from John Lovett's techniques which I find incredibly fun and easy. I think watercolour should not be laborious simply because if it were, then it would have lost its mysticism. Best way is to let the colours do their work.