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COLOUR & LIGHT

John Walsom Near the Tate Modern, oil, 12316in

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OPPORTUNITIES & COMPETITIONS

Check out the latest competitions to enter and make a note of important deadlines

EXHIBITIONS

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Reality check

Brian Henderson uses enhanced light and contrasting textures in his acrylic realist compositions, as Caroline Saunders discovers

Painting in the Himalayas

To celebrate an amazing painting experience and forthcoming exhibition of the work completed during their trip, Patrick Cullen, Tobit Roche and Tim Scott Bolton share their experiences

THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATIONS

There are as many advantages to collaborating with other artists as there are reasons to join forces, as Sarah Edmonds explains

Putting your name on it

A signature is an important part of your painting. Mike Barr stresses the importance of a signature and why it’s better to keep to a consistent style

Make a tonal study of the head

In the first of a new three-part series about painting a portrait, Adele Wagstaff shows you how to use just black and white oil paint to make a tonal study

Try the ‘what-if ’ approach

In the second of a series of three articles, Brian Smith advises on how to achieve effects such as atmosphere, distance and focus by adjusting your pigment levels

Marine and coastal scenes

In the second article in his current series, Steve Hall explores the English coastline, where he finds plenty of inspiration for favoured subject matter, alongside an opportunity to make use of vibrant pastel colours

Still life with tulips

Follow Julie Collins as she shows you how to use glazing techniques to add depth in a watercolour still life of tulips in a vase

Hard, soft and broken edges

Paul Talbot-Greaves looks at three main types of edges in painting and explains what they are and how to use them, with an exercise for you to try

How to capture a person’s character

Carl Knibb reveals his process for painting portraits. Whether working in oils or acrylics he avoids making an initial pencil sketch, advising that it can be a fun exercise to go straight in with the paint and gestural marks

Use nature’s art supplies

Ann Blockley has discovered that connecting with nature in woodlands or close to trees helps creativity and to release creative blocks. As part of this process she makes natural inks and incorporates natural materials in her work

Explore acrylic spray painting techniques

Acrylic spray paints can inspire confidence and take your work in new directions. Robert Dutton shares his approach and working methods

Watercolour paper choices

Amanda Hyatt shares her experience of choosing and using watercolour paper and advises on how to choose the right surface for your work

Construct your own simple picture frame

Peter Burgess begins a series of three articles about picture framing. This month he shows you how to make a simple pine frame

Try your hand at abstract painting

Let Petra Thölken inspire and guide you to embrace abstract painting using acrylics and mixed media

PaintersOnline editor’s choice

Meet this month’s editor ’s choice winner from our PaintersOnline gallery