Aud Rye came to us LIVE from Norway on Friday, June 3rd via Zoom to share her watercolor techniques and favorite color palette.

Here’s a quick Q&A with Aud:

How long have you been painting?
I have been painting with watercolor as a profession since 1986.

Who has inspired you?
My first big favorite was Zoltan Szabo with his amazing techniques.  Then followed great Norwegian, Swedish, English and American artists.  Some I met, others I studied their books – about two artists every year for 30 years, there were many.

What supplies do you prefer?
I mostly use Saunders, Waterford and Arches paper – 300 or 450 for the most part. I love many kinds of brushes, from sable to Chinese, each for its own use. Some I make myself. I paint mostly on my own palettes or on a large white porcelain plate.

Do you enjoy painting en plein air or in-studio? Do you paint every day?
I often make color sketches outside, but usually I paint inside the studio, mostly in the morning and early afternoon. I don’t paint every day, I like to write in between.

How do you start a painting?
Sometimes when I need good information, I paint from photos. I can start with a photograph and then work on the possibilities that arise. Very often, I just start by playing with colors and then challenge my imagination.

Do you listen to music while painting?
I like silence when I work.  Often words go hand in hand with the paint…..and I have to hear myself think.

How long does it take you to finish a painting – do you paint one at a time or work on several at once?
Anywhere between 30 minutes and 24 hours to finish. I often paint two pieces at a time, at least when I paint in the studio.  For courses, I paint one at a time.

What are your core colors?
My most important colors, which all my students must have, are five:  Nickel Azo Yellow, Quinacridone Pink, Phthalo Blue (Green Shade), French Ultramarine and Quinacridone Burnt Orange.  Later my students will expand to the colors of my dot card. I love working with colors. They are in a way my family. It often starts with the colors being exposed together with the water on the surface and eventually their personality emerges and shows me what it can be used for.

Tubes, sticks or pans?
I like the 15ml tubes the best.  I use a lot of the five main colors and because I often share, it goes extra fast. Many students bring bad colors so I would like them to experience how good colors can be helpful. Art should always be fun and not a fight.

How do you know when a painting is finished?
It is easy to overdo it. I often put blue masking tape around the picture I am going to paint. The blue color does not bother me at first, but when I get to the end of work, I get annoyed.  Maybe thinking… .there is something missing or wrong here. Most often it is the blue tape. When removed, the watercolor is finished.

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Join us online each week for an Up Close and Personal Conversation with Daniel Smith CEO and Owner, John Cogley and 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 follows up to share how they incorporate those features into their art. Click here for the upcoming week’s Zoom links.

Check our Facebook page for news about upcoming guest artists or to watch past replays. Each Zoom meeting is also recorded and shared on our YouTube channel. La traducción al español está disponible – selecciona el canal en español en Zoom.