IONE HARRISON ART

Simple techniques for adding texture, movement and atmosphere to your paintings. Autumn is one of my favourite times of year to paint. The changing, vibrant colours; the light through trees; textures of fallen leaves - all these offer such brilliant inspiration. But how do we capture all that richness in watercolour without getting caught up in painting every leaf and branch? One of the things I love about watercolour is how much we can suggest with just a few simple marks. A

Sometimes the most valuable thing you can paint isn't a landscape or a flower. Sometimes it's simply a circle. The Japanese enso is a circle painted in one continuous brushstroke. Traditionally associated with Zen practice, it isn't intended to be perfect. In fact, the beauty often lies in its imperfections. Some circles are bold and confident. Some are hesitant. Some remain open rather than fully closed. Each one is simply a record of a single moment. This makes it a wonderf

Before I start almost any painting, I spend ten or fifteen minutes simply playing with water, colour and marks. These aren't finished paintings. They're warm-ups. Just as a musician plays scales before a concert, I find a few simple watercolour exercises help me relax, loosen up and reconnect with the joy of painting. Here are five of my favourites. wet on wet charging adding clean water with spray adding clean water with brush lifting out Equipment needed: 2 water pots, boar