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Volume 1 | February, 2020
Painting Tips From the Aureolin Art Studio

This is my first newsletter, and I'm excited about using this format to share all kinds of tips and ideas with you to help you excel as a watercolor artist.
Deciding What to Paint

I want to address Composition today because so many of my students ask me what they should paint, or, some have photos they would like to paint but don't know how much of it to use in the painting. So I thought I'd talk about the first critical decision in building a composition: deciding what to paint.

I always tell my students to think about what they like to look at: stormy skyscapes or sunny beaches; bright flowers or deep forests; cats and dogs or wild animals; children or adults, landscapes or portraits ?
What moves you and draws you in to look closer?
Painting what you are passionate about will bring out the best in your painting.
My new passion has become an obsession...

I enjoy snow skiing, so I've been taking lots pictures on my ski trips. I'm really enjoying painting a series of "snowscapes." As I ride the chair lift, I take in all of the imagery around me... the emerald evergreens, the blue and purple shadows stretching across the sparking white snow, the creamy bark of the aspens and their wiry limbs that reach for the sun. I get so excited, I can hardly wait to get back into my studio to paint!
Steps to help you decide on your painting
Choose a scene that inspires you and make sure you have a good
light source in the photo.

Tips on photos:

If outdoors, it's best to take pictures before 10:00am or after 3:00pm when the shadows are long and dramatic.

Decide if your painting should be horizontal, vertical, or square.
Often your photo will give you a hint for creating the best result. You may want to crop the photo. For my painting above, I chose to "zoom in."
So the take away is...... paint what inspires you!
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