Noel's personal journey of discovering the world of painting
This is the story of how and why I first decided to learn to paint, and what the steps have been along the way since then
View ArticleHow to make mega-economical boards for oils, acrylics and pastels
Here I'll show you how to prepare the ultimate in economical, but properly prepared painting surfaces for oils and acrylics - but also useful for pastels
View ArticleAdvice on running an Open Studio
Lots of artists these days participate in "Open Studios". The idea is to open up your home, or share a studio with others, at the same time as other artists do the same in your town. Here's some...
View ArticleNine ways to overcome artist's block
And no, I have not copied these ideas from someone else! I've used all of these ways to overcome artist's block, at different times, and they have all worked for me. Maybe they'll work for you
View ArticlePainting outdoors in changing weather conditions
Painting outdoors is not to everyone's liking but it is something I really recommend you try. The weather can be unpredictable though, so what do you do then? Read on.......
View ArticleHow to analyse an outdoor scene and choose a good angle to paint from
Faced with a painting subject that has many possible angles and viewpoints, how do you narrow down the options? That's where it's useful to analyse the scene without rushing in. I'll show you how with...
View ArticlePainting commissions - the pain and the pleasure
Someone asks you to paint a picture for them. Great! And they are willing to pay you. So where do you go from here to make paintng commissions a pain free and enjoyable experience?
View ArticleHow to paint a snow scene Christmas card in watercolour
There's nothing like a snow scene, especially when it's coming up to Christmas. In this article I explain how to convert a summer's scene in "The Backs" in Cambridge into a mid-winter snow scene in...
View ArticleHow to make the best of a day out painting and sketching by the river
Noel recently spend a day sketching and painting on and around the River Thames in central London. Here he shares his video diary of the day and passes on some tips on how to make the most of a day...
View ArticleWhy you should follow Turner's example and distort the scene you paint - a...
In this article Noel compares a watercolour painting of Florence by Turner with a one of his own done twenty years ago, and an up to date photograph from the same viewpoint.
View ArticleWhat you need to draw and paint birds
This article and video covers what tools you need to draw and paint birds outdoors, and advice on how to start producing art that catches the look and character of birds around you
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