My Watercolour Diary

The rain has stopped and it's just me and the wildlife on my early morning walk.

I have been thinking recently about a new book project

I have started painting in the smaller format this week using the small Ron Ranson hake brush which I am trying to get used to.

There's an anxiety now to fill every space in your life. Remember to set aside protected time where you can chill out and relax.

I believe that any creation that comes from within is art regardless of age or talent. I had an interesting question from a listener who asked whether it was still art if their 5-year old kid did it?

A viewers comment about synthetic brush hairs got me thinking into how ethical our art supplies are?

I've started working on a new book project. My new book will be called 'Painting Loose Landscapes in Watercolour'.

We all have our favourite brushes but it's important to give them a little TLC

We all have trouble at times finding inspiration so today I talk about what I do personally when I feel short of creativity. Join me at http://www.patreon.com/stevencronin

How do you approach simplifying and improving on photos when painting your watercolours? How do you choose what to keep, what to lose and how to alter colours?

Polls are a great way of gauging viewers thoughts and ideas. In this episode I discuss the results of recent polls on my patreon page.

It's Saturday morning and I'm exploring Barr Beacon nature reserve seeking inspiration for my watercolours.

I have always wanted my painting to evolve into a loose semi-abstract style and it has certainly proved to be a challenge.

Following a critical comment from a YouTube viewer I talk about how I've focussed more on tonal values in recent years to improve my watercolours.

Using paint fresh from the tube had a negative effect on the way I paint. Today I discuss the pros and cons of using paint freshly squeezed or whether to let it dry on the palette before use.

Joe feels a bit stuck at the moment with his watercolours and wants to be more adventurous but it often ends in a mess. How can he loosen up?

Steven talks about how he stays disciplined and motivated in his art world. He also remembers his early experiences with other styles and techniques and why he has never used expensive paints though hasn't ruled it out in the future.

Steven talks about dealing with critical comments on social media as well as trying to gain recognition in the world of art.

Questions answered in Episode 5 from Rosa Rebada - Did you try any other medium?  How long did you paint before starting YouTube?  How do you decide what to paint? Thanks Rosa for your questions.

In this episode I discuss how I begin each painting in a loose and free manner, my recent dabble with acrylics and talk about my first experiences of art and what brought me to the style and technique that I use today. Thanks for listening and happy painting.

In episode 3 I discuss the pros and cons of bolder colours. Of the four available Ron Ranson hake brushes I give you my reason for choosing the large. I'll talk about other styles of painting besides landscapes. There's an update on my two new books. Finally I'll discuss the benefits of trying something different.

Watercolour artist Steven Cronin answers more of your questions including how he first started out in the world of art.

Watercolour artist Steven Cronin launches the first episode of his brand new podcast 'My Watercolour Diary'