Tom Shepherd is a UK-based watercolour painter, teacher, and the co-presenter of the Ask an Artist podcast. In this Artist Insights film, Tom demonstrates his watercolour painting process, explaining his set up, materials, and his approach to colour as he paints. Tom also reflects on the importance of discovering painting as you work, and how articulating ideas through his teaching practice gives him a deeper understanding of his own painting practice.

0:00 Introduction
0:38 “I just dove straight into it”
1:19 “Watercolour is where I really found my artistic voice”
2:17 “This is my standard watercolour set up”
3:02 “If possible I like to work standing up”
3:38 “Mop brushes get everything flowing really nicely”
4:03 “I’ve grown up loving wildlife”
4:19 “Be consistent in how you lay out your palette”
4:45 “I have my core set of colours”
5:58 “I like to discover the painting as I’m going”
6:24 “The drawing is the gateway into the painting”
6:54 “I go from light to deep tones”
7:26 “I love the balance between the logical and the intuitive”
8:03 “Don’t think of it as painting the subject, but laying the foundations”
8:31 “How my studio is organised is really important”
8:56 “A painting space is a sacred space”
9:37 “You can map out the painting quickly without committing too heavily”
10:25 “Watercolour is a lot more forgiving than a lot of people think”
10:49 “I find the act of using watercolour incredibly inspiring”
11:16 “I enjoy the challenge of trying to capture the light”
11:49 “I want to let the medium do its thing”
12:38 “I’d like to experiment in sketchbooks a little more”
13:13 “Bringing the paint to a single cream consistency”
13:48 “Even if you’ve only got six colours, play around with how they interact”
14:11 “The biggest mistake I see is going too dark too soon”
15:07 “When it comes to painting I’m quite impatient”
16:10 “Don’t overthink it”
16:43 “One artist who stands out for me is Sorolla”
17:32 “How far can I push these brushstrokes?”
18:48 “Some people like their paper to be completely flat”
19:23 “Notice what the watercolour is doing”
19:52 “The key element that opens up watercolour is understanding paint consistency”
20:17 “Keep the area alive by getting more moisture on it”
20:32 “Teaching other people has significantly improved my practice”
21:37 “Drifting into the deep shadow”
22:13 “The medium dictates when the painting is finished”
22:58 “What are we trying to do as a painter that might be different from the photo?”
23:32 “A solid foundation in theory is like a springboard”
24:17 “I’m not trying to labour the paint too heavily”
25:00 “The more confidently you do it the better”
25:56 “Do paint what you love”
27:34 Credits

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