Packed with page after gorgeous page of illustrations demonstrating tried-and-true techniques, inspirational ideas and the most up-to-date information about must-have painting tools and materials, watercolorists find everything they need in WATERCOLOR ARTIST to help them create stunning art...from start to finish.
Editor’s Note
Watercolor Artist
Laurin McCracken
New + Notable
A Ghastly Composition • Carpeaux’s study for Ugolino and His Sons is as beautifully painted as it is disconcerting.
By the Numbers • Taking on series with subjects that present a pre-established number supplies ongoing momentum for sustained inspiration and discovery.
The Beauty of the Unknown • Letting go of certainty and embracing questions over answers can unlock deeper creativity, personal truth and a more meaningful artistic journey.
A Colorful Journey • USING A LIMITED PALETTE AND AN UNEXPECTED PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, DEBBIE FRIIS-PETTITT CREATES RICHLY DETAILED CELEBRATIONS OF NATURE.
Cultivating the Fertile Mind • ANN SMIGA GREENE PLUMBS THE DEPTHS OF HER IMAGINATION WHEN SHE SITS DOWN TO PAINT, INSPIRED BY SHAPES—BOTANICAL AND HUMAN
Scaling UP THE Subtle • PAULA FIEBICH USES A MULTI-PART PAINTING PROCESS REMINISCENT OF THE OLD MASTERS TO CREATE VIBRANT, IMPACTFUL STILL LIFES ON A GRAND SCALE.
Where Color Grows Wild • KAREN ROMANI TRANSFORMS NATURE INTO RICHLY LAYERED STILL LIFES SHAPED BY PRECISION AND EXPERIMENTATION.
Splash Into Fall • The 2026 edition of The Best of Watercolor celebrates the 150 winners of the Splash 27 Watermedia Competition. Although the showcase of winning works offers an incredible diversity, we handpicked a few pieces that embrace autumn’s rich hues and subtle shifts to inspire you as we gear up for the season. What better way to welcome the turning leaves and reflective rhythm of fall?
DEDICATED TO THE Natural World • JOHN WARREN OAKES HAS TURNED HIS LOVE OF NATURE INTO ART, CREATING WATERCOLORS THAT REVEAL THE HIDDEN ARCHITECTURE AND SOUL OF THE FOREST.
Swaying in the Wind • Follow this step-by-step guide for painting ethereal flowers.
What mistake—when fixed—can make a real difference in a watercolor painting?
artist’s marketplace
In the Garden • For Carolyn Lord, the Sonoma Garden Park is one of many inspiring places to enjoy plein air painting in the Golden State.