Tom Shepherd from the UK shares his favorite palette and watercolor techniques.

Why do you make art?
Like so many of us, I loved drawing when I was younger. Even as life took me off in different directions, this little voice in the back of my head never let me forget art. I kept coming back to it here and there and even quietly (never out loud) entertained the idea of wanting to make a living from art in some sort of way. Once I made the leap to making the creation of art a significant part of my life, that was it, I was hooked. It’s all I wanted to do, it became an obsession and still is now. Aside from family, friends and surfing, my mind is constantly occupied by watercolour ideas – how, what, why? I don’t know what would happen if I didn’t get to physically channel these ideas into my art on a regular basis.

How long have you been painting?
I’ve been seriously committing time to improving for around 15 years. I started playing with watercolour about 8 years ago and the last couple of years I’ve been working with it exclusively.

Did you have formal art training?
None at all. I did poorly academically with art at secondary school. I came out with a geography degree, but decided I was going to become a professional artist, with no idea of how to really paint, or run a business for that matter. Some years into this decision, I did spend a few months in the studio of a working artist where I gained greater insight into alla prima oil painting and got a glimpse into the fine art world – this was invaluable.

Are you a working artist or a hobbyist?
I have been a full-time working artist for 15+ years in one way or another.

What inspires you?
I find I am constantly inspired by scenes around me, but of course photos from so many sources can at least spark an idea or inspirational moment! I am and have always been drawn to the light, which, when it is doing something interesting, can make any subject inspiring. I really do love painting a huge range of subjects, from the challenge and human connection of portraits and figures in a setting, through to still life. Though if I had to pick a bias, I am more often than not drawn to paint wildlife, birds and the dramatic coastal scenes where I live. I also love looking back on the wonderful history of art for inspiration. My all time favourite artist (if I
really had to pick) would be Joaquin Sorolla. But with so many incredible contemporary artists, I am never short of inspiration – as long as I don’t fall into the trap of comparison with my own work! I find inspiration in anyone who is passionate about what they do and is focused on honing their craft and their skills within that field.

What kind of music do you listen to while painting?
I have a broad taste in music, but I am actually going through a period of not listening to music whilst painting. I used to listen to a lot of heavy guitar, particularly Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. But ultimately anything that sets the scene to get in the zone with painting works for me, which can vary greatly from day to day.

Do you paint every day?
No. There is often a lot of business admin and various other things to be done, so it can be easy for painting to fall to the bottom of the pile. However I am learning to prioritize it far more and find that even a small amount each day, in between larger blocks of time, can at least keep me satisfied and stop me from going stagnant.

Do you paint one piece at a time or work on several at the same time?
I work fast and like to focus all my attention on one piece at a time until it’s complete, even with larger pieces.

Do you create a concept piece first?
Very rarely, although I do small tonal studies and sketches for larger, more complex pieces. I do take time to really consider my color choices, what I want to achieve, where the big shapes are that I can link together to create large passages of wet into wet, where am I going to simplify, as well as composition, focal point, light and shadow. So there is always an element of planning with a rough idea of where I want to go, but it’s all in my head for 90% of my paintings.

Do you prefer painting in studio or plein air?
I do love to really settle into a studio piece. The studio also allows me to tackle subjects and ideas in a way which I simply couldn’t from life. But I’m finding myself loving the challenge and excitement of plein air more and more! The practice, whilst not always yielding the best finished results, always feels like it significantly improves my painting.

How many core colors do you use?
I have a core set of warm and cool primaries, plus some fun extra bonus colours. I would happily own only 12 colours if I had to. I do like the concise and harmonious nature of working with a limited palette, so out of the 12, I would reduce down to anywhere from 3 to 7 colours for individual paintings. Yet within the last 6 months, I have started exploring many more tube colours (largely due to my greater involvement with Daniel Smith) which is injecting a whole new lease on life into my painting and I am loving it! But I do feel working with a core set for many years has given me a good understanding of color and mixing, which is allowing me now the freedom to really play and experiment.

Tubes, pans or sticks?
I am very much a fan of tubes. I use a lot of water and pigment and I like working with rich colours. I sometimes cannot quite get the richness or density of color that I want.

When do you know that your piece is complete?
When I find myself saying, “I should have stopped 15 minutes ago!” Joking aside, I try very hard to constantly ask myself questions like: “Have I said what I wanted to say with this piece? What was it that grabbed me about the subject – have I captured that? Is this bit adding something to the painting?” If I answer these questions honestly, and they point me to leaving the painting alone, then I try to be very disciplined and stop, which is easier said than done. By stopping earlier than when a painting feels complete, then walking away for a good time, even overnight, then coming back – I usually find I can leave it where it is…or maybe just a few touches here and there…the famous last words of any watercolourist!

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