Heather Ihn Martin from the USA demonstrates her favorite palette and painting techniques using gouache.

Here’s a brief Q&A with her:

Why do you make art?
Creating art brings me a sense of calm and peace like nothing else. I find it very meditative. I also thrive on challenges and am heavily driven by curiosity and exploration. There are so many different paths and possibilities with art – it never gets boring.

How long have you been painting?
I started painting late in high school and into college, but had about a decade where I was doing just digital art and working in the gaming industry. It felt weird going back to traditional art in 2016, but since then I’ve been painting on a regular basis.

Did you have formal art training?
Yes! I went to the Ringling College of Art and Design for Illustration. However, I honestly believe I learned an equal amount, if not more, by painting directly from life on a daily basis for a year. Not that the teachers weren’t good, but I was so young and did not fully appreciate the resources available at the time. I’d love to go back and try it all over again!

Are you a working artist or a hobbyist?
I’m a working artist and have been in the fine art industry since 2018.

Who inspires you?
Honestly, I’m easily influenced so I try to let my own intuition and curiosity take the reigns. It would be wrong to say I didn’t have artists that I look up to though, I often look back at old masters. Some of my favorites are Monet, John Singer Sargent, Klimt, and Sorolla.

What kind of music do you listen to while painting?
I’m often listening to podcasts or audiobooks. I’m not sure how, but my brain can easily simultaneously paint and actively listen to an engaging conversation. Lately I’ve been enjoying comedy podcasts like Smartless, and Conan Needs a Friend. I can usually be seen laughing to myself like a weirdo.

Have you had a mentor?
I call him my unofficial mentor, but Christopher Greco is a very good friend and artist who has given me so much help and advice over the years. He is so thoughtful and brilliant with such a vast library of art knowledge stored in his brain!

Do you paint every day?
I used to – sometimes more than once a day. But now I’ve slowed down a bit – I try to get 3-4 paintings done each week. It sounds like a lot, but the difficulty varies according to my energy levels, and I am aiming for a more balanced approach.

Do you paint one piece at a time or work on several at the same time?
Typically, I just paint one at a time, usually all in one session that lasts between 1-3 hours. There are rare occasions when a painting will take 2-3 sessions.

Do you create a concept piece first?
I do not. I always felt guilty, especially after being trained in illustration school where we are taught to do multiple thumbnails and color studies before moving to the final, but my creative spark can be quickly diminished by those things. I’ve learned to embrace my impulsive, energetic nature and go with my gut instincts.

Do you prefer painting in studio or plein air?
You can probably guess my answer based on the other questions, but I love plein air! I paint still life in the studio as well, but any subjects from life is what I’m interested in. I especially love plein air because of the smells, sounds, and unpredictable events that occur.

How many core colors do you use?
My palette varies, but the usual suspects are a warm and cool of all the primaries: Titanium White, Hansa Yellow Light, Hansa Yellow Medium, Pyrrol Orange, Pyrrol Red, Quinacridone Magenta, Ultramarine Blue, Phthalo Blue, and then some earth colors as short cuts – Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber and Black. I try to not get too attached to any color and I’m quite flexible on the exact pigments that I use.

When do you know that your piece is finished?
When there’s nothing more that I want to add or take away. I’m always stepping back and analyzing it at different stages, looking for things that need to be brought forward or pushed back. It’s definitely something that takes some practice.

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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.

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