Agnes Geets from Belgium shared her favorite palette and watercolor techniques:

Here’s a Q&A with Agnes:

Why do you make art?
It’s something in me, I believe – something I have to do.  I can’t imagine a life without art. Making art is stress relieving, something I need as work and family can be asking much (sometimes too much) of your time and energy.

How long have you been painting?
I have been drawing and coloring since I was very young. At around 12 years old, my parents let me go to art school on the weekends to learn pencil drawing, Chinese ink drawing, the beginnings of watercolor, etc.  I did that for 3 years every Sunday morning. Then in 2006, my father was in a hospital for months. There in the hospital hallway was a watercolor that intrigued me. THAT was what I wanted to do! Not long after that, I joined a local art group to meet with other enthusiasts who liked painting together. A few years later, I took an art workshop for the first time. That’s when the results of my efforts began to really improve.

Did you have a formal art training?
No, I am mostly self-taught, but also I learned technics in several workshops taught by artists like Gerda Mentens, Iain Stewart, Thomas Schaller and Joseph Zbukvic.

Are you a working artist or a hobbyist?
A hobbyist!

What inspires you to paint?
Inspiration is everywhere. In nature, in cities, just looking around the world where we live. There are also the many artists I admire. Also my husband’s hobby is photography, so those exhibitions I attend with him are inspiring.

What kind of music do you listen to while painting?
My favorite radio station is mostly easy listening.

Have you had a mentor?
From the teaching artists I have met, there are maybe two whom I see as mentors, because we became friends and they give support and advice whenever I need it.

Do you paint every day?
No. I wish I could though. At my age, having an 8-hour workday can be tiring, with no energy left to pick up a brush or even a pencil.

Do you paint one piece at a time or work on several at the same time?
Normally I paint one at a time, but sometimes when I have more time to paint, I prefer to start two works. I have a bad habit when I’m “in the flow” that I overwork a painting, instead of stepping back and letting it dry long enough.

Do you create a concept piece first?
I know that everyone says you should. But blame it on the lack of painting time – I rarely do.

Do you prefer painting in studio or en plein air?
I am most comfortable at my drawing table because I like to do portraits. However, I also love plein air painting – I want to take workshops to improve my plein air skills.

How many colors do you use?
I prefer to keep the number as low as possible. I do have a few favorites though – Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna are always there. For portraits, I try different combinations of yellows and reds.

Tubes, pans or sticks?
I still have to try using the sticks, but I normally use tubes.

When do you know that your piece is finished?
When I think it’s good enough and I think I can’t do better, I often take a picture with my phone and put it on a screen that gives me a more objective view.  Sometimes I put it away until the next day and look at it with fresh eyes.  99% of the time I correct what can be corrected, like soften a hard line here and there.

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Join us online each week via Zoom or Facebook for an Up Close and Personal Conversation with John Cogley (Daniel Smith Owner and CEO) along with guest artists from around the world. On Thursdays (2:00pm Pacific), John highlights various features of our products and answers your questions. On Fridays (10:30am Pacific), a guest artist shares a demo with their favorite tips and techniques. Click here for the upcoming week’s Zoom links.

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