magazines

Magazines

START ART price £4.95
Subtitled - Easy First Steps in Drawing and Painting
Autumn Edition - so my guess, is that we will see this quarterly.

From the same publishing house as 'Leisure Painter' and 'The Artist' magazines this large publication is midway between a magazine and a book.

The focus is to encourage beginners to drawing and painting, leaning mostly to watercolour.

With an impressive panel of eleven experts, each contributing articles and step by step lessons to start you on your learning curve, there is something for most tastes and early abilities.

Being the first publication there is of course an in depth article on materials and equipment plus stretching paper by Robin Capon.

For the first step by step lesson Linda Birch takes you through sketching a still life.

Moving onto colour Jackie Simmonds has a similar subject using watercolour pencils.

Tony Paul introduces the first watercolour with colour mixing including invaluable advice on mixing greens.

Alwyn Crawshaw then describes the basic techniques for applying the colour, followed by a lesson for a landscape.

Ray Campbell-Smith advises on working from photographs and offers a further step by step demo.

Whilst June Crawshaw delights readers with a simple seaside scene.

Jill Bays then leads us into the garden for some flower painting and another lesson.

Hazel Soan paints figures at speed.

Finally Sally Michel gives a lesson in coloured pencils of a cat.

As if all this is not enough there are product and book reviews and an advert for search press offers a free book for all readers (£2.99 postage). The magazine has a free piece of bockingford paper on which you are invited to enter a competition for valuable prizes (closing date Dec 9th, so hurry).

In summary I feel this is more book than magazine, offering a wealth of information for beginners in a no nonesense format that will appeal to youngsters and more mature would be artists alike.

Despite the early closure date of the competition this would be a great stocking filler.

In the longer term I can see these magazines building into a worthwhile source for beginners, which more advanced artists will find useful to remind themselves of the basics or to teach younger generations.

Art of England -published by Masterclass Publications Limited, bi-monthly, price £1.80

Subtitled Midlands and the Counties. This high quality glossy magazine has up to date information and reviews of current exhibitions along with 31 articles ranging from artist interviews and profiles, practical demonstrations, showcases and features. It may be that other editions are available for other areas of the UK. Let me know and I can add a comment.

Painting with Watercolour - published by Eaglemoss, fortnightly on Wednesday, price £2.99

This magazine is a part work collection. Each issue comes with pages for the individual sections and art materials which will include Gouache and acrylics which are not technically watercolour media, so it will stray into 'mixed media' subjects. It is intended to end at 36 issues, but more may be added if there is enough interest.

Designed for the complete beginner, the pages are set out clearly. The only way to complete the collection will be to place an order at your regular newsagent, or to subscribe to deliveries with free gifts worth over £20. However I would advise checking messages on the chat boards of this magazines web site before deciding on subscription, as many customers are experiencing difficulties. You will find them on the related links page on this site. Review by Jane. Update ' Eaglemoss have now announced that there is to be 60 issues, with the materials originally promised in 36 issues to be spread out over the additional 24', making this collection less value than originally stated.

The Artist - published by the artist on the 15th of each month. Price £2.60

First published in 1931, this approachable glossy magazine is packed with the news, reviews etc. that you would expect from so many years experience. The magazine covers all styles and media, but as watercolour is popular you will have no difficulty in finding three or four pieces of interest. Other articles will also contain thoughts to improve your own work. Review by Jane.

International artist - published by Elladrent PTY Ltd available bi-monthly price £3.95

In contrast fast approaching it's 5th birthday International artist is much more highbrow. Showcasing artists from around the world. Even if you never read a word of the editorials, the beautiful paintings are worth the purchase and will perhaps inspire to create your own interpretations of them . Both this mag and The Artist look good on the coffee table. Review by Jane.

A&I (Artists and Illustrators) Magazine-published by Quarto Magazines Ltd £2.60 monthly

Described as the 'UK's best selling magazine for practising artists', from perusing the March 2003 issue it appears to cover mostly watercolour (though this may not be the case every issue). Regular features include tutorial, gallery, crossword, listings and a cartoon. There are also reviews, main features and letters etc. A thoroughly good value read and one I shall be reading regularly.

Subscriber benefits include receive your copy ahead of the shops, free P&P for your mags, reader offers every month, privilege club saving money at hundreds of UK art retailers, regular special promotions, and having your work published in the members gallery.

Follow this LINK to their web pages and follow through to apply for subscription or a free copy.

Review by Jane.

Leisure Painter

You don't appear to have discovered Leisure Painter magazine. It's monthly, costs £2.60, and comes from the same stable as The Artist. The website is at:

http://www.leisurepainter.co.uk/

Note that some articles from back issues are on the website, and they are, in effect, free lessons. Thank you David for this review.

Leisure Painter magazine published by The Artists Publishing company on the 12th of each month. price£2.60

I now have a copy of this excellent magazine courtesy of a mail order book club I have just joined. Subtitled 'Learn to paint with the UK's most popular painting magazine', it covers different media but contains plenty of watercolour. There are several tutorials and pages of troubleshooting in addition to the usual editorial content. A great magazine for beginners who may find others a little too advanced in the beginning. Reviewed by Jane.

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