Our past three covers, including the issue you hold in your hands, have featured mediums that are occasionally less recognized than the juggernaut that is oil paint. The December/January and February/March covers were two very different applications of the lush, textural medium of pastel, while this April/May issue is a lovely and luminous watercolor. These mediums are in no way inferior to oil—far from it—they’re simply a little less common, which is why I always look for truly standout works to grace our covers and bring more attention to the fantastic artists who work with them. 

This cover, by watercolorist and art educator Cindy Briggs, depicts a 14th-century French cottage. Turn to page 38 for a dive into Briggs’ techniques in capturing old European stonework in watercolor, including a brief demo of this painting.

On page 76, readers will find an expansive 10-page demonstration by Belgian artist Joris De Raedt, who also utilizes watercolor, but in a completely different way. A field naturalist at heart, De Raedt captures his wildlife subjects in crisp and accurate detail, focusing heavily on his sketching skills while outdoors. On page 86 is a demo by Slovenian artist Aleš Stepan that highlights the joys watercolor brings in terms of looseness and freedom. 

This April/May issue also includes comprehensive demonstrations by Mary Carroll (acrylic), Duane Frey (graphite), and Jessica Le Clerc, Diana Tremaine and Karen Daigle (oil). And of course we always salute our exceptional resident pastelist Harley Brown (see his column on page 122 for some words of wisdom).

Whatever material you enjoy working with most, we celebrate them all! If there’s a more obscure medium that you’d like to see covered in the magazine, email me at atidwell@internationalartist.com. 

Warmly,
Alyssa M. Tidwell
Editor
atidwell@internationalartist.com