Mark Begbie from Canada shares his favorite watercolor palette and techniques:

Here’s a Q&A with Mark:

Why do you make art?
I have always been creative and there is a part of me that cries out for some creativity, some color. Life is busy and art my time-out where it’s just me, my materials and the piece I’m working on, like a cocoon.

How long have you been painting?
Since an early age, with my older brother’s materials and guidance. Then again in university as part of my studies, but I’ve been taking it more seriously and painting more regularly over the past 6 years.

Did you have formal art training?
I studied Architecture at the University in Johannesburg and part of my studies was architectural drawing, sketching and presentation. That was my first introduction to watercolor. After that I have been self-taught through online training, demos and connecting and learning from like-minded artists.

Are you a working artist or a hobbyist?
I paint for pleasure first as a hobbyist. Most of my works go to friends and family.

What inspires you?
I am inspired by my environment, my travels, architecture, design and color. I look to and connect with artists who think outside the box and extend their creativity beyond the medium or materials.

What kind of music do you listen to while painting?
All kinds, from 80’s hits to the new and esoteric. Sometimes jazz, sometimes instrumental – it all seems to connect with the moment, the environment and the painting.

Have you had a mentor?
I don’t have a mentor but I follow many artists who are on the same artistic journey as me, including many of the DANIEL SMITH Brand Ambassadors.

Do you paint every day?
While I strive to paint every day, I at least sketch every day. I will work on some pieces over many days or weeks, painting for 1 or 2 hours a day is sometimes what I can fit in to my schedule. I try to keep a healthy balance but also try to capture the moments of inspiration before they go.

Do you paint one piece at a time or work on several at the same time?
I usually get excited about a concept and that gives me energy to start a piece and I usually complete that piece before moving to the next one. But sometimes I revisit a piece after a week or two and might work on it some more.

Do you create a concept piece first?
Yes, I do color studies and sketch out the composition. Then a rough practice piece to see the harmony of the paint and paper.

Do you prefer painting in studio or plein air?
I paint in my studio.

How many core colors do you use?
I use about 30 core colors, with many more supplementary colors. Out of that I usually choose about 6 colors for a painting, to keep the color harmony of the piece.

Tubes, pans or sticks?
I use all 3 – mostly pans for the detail works, and sticks and tubes for the abstract pieces.

When do you know that your piece is finished?
When the harmony of the piece comes together and the painting tells you when to stop. But I do occasionally stop too early (to avoid overdoing the piece), so I will leave it for 1 day or 2 and revisit it with fresh eyes. Then I will finish it up or leave as-is.

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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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