Artists Back to Basics

Artists Back to Basics is an entry level magazine for all artists. From setting up a studio to what easel to choose it’s a must for all artists. Featuring the latest in news, reviews and products from the art world as well as exhibition previews and reviews

The Earthen Artist • Australian born, Heidi Willis is an entirely self-taught natural history watercolour artist. Her work intricately illustrates our native and exotic plants, fruits and seed capsules, whilst her powerful and distinctive portraits of spectacular bird life offers viewers an insight into the world as she experiences it.

Rainbow Lorikeets and Black Bean • Making the colours sing, the artist brings extraordinary clarity of subject to this vivid watercolour.

HINTS AND TIPS

The Core of Art

Botanical Art Watercolour Studies • What is a Colour Study and why do we do them?

Paints and Mediums Contributed • Here's some helpful information on paints and mediums, highlighting some of the great new products that are now available, with plenty of hints and tips to help you on your way.

Art of an Aviator • Albert Einstein is supposed to have said: ‘Imagination is more important than knowledge’. And according to Peter Norvill’s long-held belief ‘art is imagination at its greatest’.

The City • Equally at ease with his painting tools or the controls of a light aeroplane, this famous Australian shares some of his creative secrets.

HINTS AND TIPS

The Third Way to Draw

Rediscovering Coloured Pencils • I’m confident most of us are familiar with coloured pencils having used them at some time in our lives, either at home with “colouring in books” or at school. Some people love “sketching” with the humble HB pencil. Well I’m here to take you on a journey of discovery, to hopefully re-ignite an artistic flame within.

HINTS AND TIPS

Lost Profession

Loading Wheat – 1920s • It is rare to see an artist displaying this level of skill and understanding in capturing the activity and atmosphere of bygone days from Australia’s agricultural history.

Brush Strokes • The other day I did what all artists do. I looked at something and broke it into “paintable” pieces. Dissecting information in the world is one of the wonderful things about being an artist.

Playing with Matches Line and Wash • Yes I know your mother told you not to, and you probably ignored her, as l did when still a young boy, but I’m not suggesting you strike them or set light to anything, just use them to draw character uncontrollable lines that will add vigor and life to your art work.