art books | Annie Mason

You're an artist. What's in your studio?

Annie Mason
2 min read

YOU are an ARTIST. What's in your studio? What's in your head? Do the supplies and objects surrounding you inspire you? In an earlier post, I featured what inspires me: There is inspiration everywhere. One can be inspired, however, but the studio has to have the tools for you to bring that inspiration from brain to paper, canvas, clay, jewelry, mosaic tile, or simple sketch.

Now that I am settled into our new home, I love being in my studio almost daily. If you consider adding items to your home as a crafter, hobby, maker, or painter, here are my suggestions. I post those that I use frequently in my business, but I include supplies others have told me they had used, which assured me that the purchase was a good decision.

Many artists today are using digital art as their process so I will start with some devices, some of which I use even though the bulk of my artwork is traditional, ie, painting and drawing with brushes or pen. If you are younger than me (lucky you) you might choose an apple pen over paper or canvas. (Don't worry will cover the traditional items for you in this post).

1. 10 Inch Drawing Tablet with Screen, Stylus Pen

2. Graphic Monitor with PN06 Battery-Free Pen

3. Pencil for iPad with Dual Touch Function

4. Make Great Art on Your iPad (Paperback)

5. Epson Perfection V600 (This is my scanner)

Now, let's take care of the basic art supplies:

1. 20 Pcs Round Pointed Tip Paintbrushes

2. Strathmore 300 Series Watercolor Paper

3. Sakura Studio Set Koi Watercolor Kit, 72 colors

4. Caliart Acrylic Paint Set, 24 Colors

5. CENTSTAR Round Paint Tray Palettes 15 Ct.

STORAGE

1. Bins & Things Stackable Storage

2. 360°Rotating Desk Organizer

3. Multi-Functional Pen Holder

4. Rolling Wooden Storage Cabinet

5. Drawer Gate Leg Roll Cart with Desk

Furniture

1. Folding Table 6ft Portable Heavy Duty Plastic

2. SPACEKEEPER Storage Cart

3. Ergonomic Office Chair

4. Project Center Desk with 2 Bookcase Sides

5. Verilux SmartLight Full Spectrum LED Floor Lamp

Paint to Music, Video your artwork, and Post to Social Media

1. Itoya Art Profolio Storage (18 x 24)

2. UBeesize 67” Camera Tripod with Travel Bag

3. VideoPad Video Editor

4. SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING 4 SMALL BUSINESS

5. Portable Bluetooth Speakers

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Simply spring, flowers sing.

Annie Mason
2 min read

If you love spring flowers, these painting tutorials might get you started with trying some of your own.

A magnolia white bloom and green leaves — Magnolia pen & ink, and watercolor by Annie Mason

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1. Simple Flowers

Materials: (links are my favorites)

Simple flowers. It doesn't have to be that hard. MY MOST POPULAR Idea Pin on Pinterest:

click here ⬇️

A Watercolor Lesson Even YOU Can Do

This IDEA PIN currently has 1,011 Saves, has 13,678 clicks, and has 525, 620 Impressions

What does that tell you? It tells me that people like easy, and "I can do this" art.

Simple Flowers samples

2. Zinnia

Work in simple shapes. Find a real zinnia or a zinnia photo (check copyright) and have it handy to use while you are painting. This flower has a big circle, a stem, and big leaves. Remember, it doesn't need to be "perfect." Have fun.

Zinnia flower by Annie Mason Winsor & Newton travel kit

3. Poppies

It is more detailed than the zinnia, but in this case, I start with a light pencil drawing and then trace over the lines with a black ink pen. You must let the ink fully dry before starting the watercolor paint. Add the bright reds and greens, and it's like adult coloring books.

Bright red poppies flowers green leaves — Poppies by Annie Mason. Pen, ink, and watercolor

4. Stencil flowers

You can always use stencil shapes for flowers. I used a template of petal shapes in this video.

Supplies: Pencil, Watercolor paints, brush, stencils.

Stencil flowers (0:24 sec)

Why...it's a butterfly. Stencil watercolor by Annie Mason Pen and ink, watercolor.

5. Go Abstract

A flower is a flower. The shapes change, colors change. Parts stay the same.

“Nature is a teacher whose wisdom we can learn, without which any human life is vain and incomplete." ~ William Wordsworth

Once you recognize this...pick up your paintbrush, sing, and dance:

6. Translucent Flowers

This last sample lets you see how wonderful watercolor's translucent quality can be. It will take a little more practice, and the most important factor is to let the watercolor DRY COMPLETELY before adding another layer. The result is a visual delight.

Waiting between layers is the key. (0:36 sec)

Experiment...have fun.

Book: Wildflower Watercolor: The Beginner’s Guide to Painting Beautiful Florals

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12 of My Favorite Art Books

Annie Mason
2 min read

An artist doesn't work out of a vacuum. My ideas come from things that I see or dream. Yet, the ideas need to connect to the technique. The creative process has been studied by many, for example, The Five Stages of the Creative Process. I don't dwell on this, but I am sure I go through each stage. I don't analyze my process. I know that I do prep work, an idea "incubates," I do have "aha" moments, I evaluate what I'm going to do and what I need for materials, and I carry out a physical process, combining materials, technique, visuals, and the final result.

I don't often head for the myriad of art books that I have. More often than not, I have the images in my head before I start my work. A sketch, some pencil work, and I am off and running. I often work from my photographs, even if I have the objects in front of me (a still life). But art books do charge my batteries. Flipping through pages sometimes is enough to give me ideas for how to get a certain effect.

So here is my list:

1. Figure It Out! Human Proportions

I don't draw/or paint many people. Why is this my number 1? Well, for me, it's a desire to know figure drawing. As an art student at the Universidad de las Americas in Mexico, we had to draw every major muscle in the body and then overlay the skin to draw that body part. Whew. I still hear the professor: "The deltoid muscle raises the arm to a horizontal plane."

These books vary by level and are available in Paperback, Kindle, or Hardcover.

2. The Big Book of Realistic Drawing Secrets: Easy Techniques for drawing people, animals, flowers and nature

By Carrie Stuart Parks and Rick Parks. Paperback.

3. Watercolor for the absolute beginner (7 books)

By Mark Millenbrink. Available in Kindle and Paperback.

4. Watercolor 1 - Learn the basics of watercolor painting.

By Caroline Linscott. Assorted lessons. Paperback.

5. The Complete Watercolorist's Essential Notebook : a treasury of watercolor secrets discovered through decades of painting and experimentation.

By Gordon MacKenzie. Hardcover. Intermediate.

9. Colorways: Watercolor Animals: Tips, techniques, and step-by-step lessons for learning to paint whimsical artwork in vibrant watercolor

By Saunna Russell. Paperback.