Anna Marie Steffenson shares some of her favorite tips for painting portraits and figures with watercolor:

Here’s a Q&A with Anna Marie:

Why do you make art?
Creating is part of who I am.

How long have you been painting?
Since infancy.

Did you have formal art training? 
The art degree was a diving board that increased my momentum in self-education.

Are you a working artist or a hobbyist? 
Full time professional artist for over a decade. Come geek out on color with me!

What inspires you?
There is no lack of inspiration!  My deficit is in memory. I have always kept an art journal to record my own inspirations. Then when the muse is reluctant to share – I can review my own visual sparks and epiphanies. When inspiration is ebbing, I know where to look. The challenge as a creator is to both curate the next project that I will invest my time in, as well as freeing up the time to play, explore, and make a mess for growing. I hope to have sixty years of artmaking ahead of me.  I am sad that time is so short. If I am struggling with lack of inspiration, then I try to step away from being overstimulated and busy.

What kind of music do you listen to while painting? 
Silence.  Chattering children.  Early morning birds.

Have you had a mentor? 
Thursday Figure Drawing Group in Ada, Oklahoma – they nurtured and welcomed me to grow. A gallery owner was wondering out loud why so many great artists came out of Ada. I know the reason! The amazing community of support. There is always Debra Sullum who has nurtured the sapling of art and peace in the midst of war. And Raymond Hain, my father, the first artist – he taught me to see.

Do you paint every day? 
Yes, with Grace. But more than the practice of markmaking – I read on art obsessively.

Do you paint one piece at a time or work on several at the same time? 
I will tell you that I only paint one at a time. That is, however, never true. I work on various types of watercolor projects, several of which take years to percolate. The Name Of God series was over three years in the making. In 2021, I methodically began 100 portraits per my mentor’s direction. It is in the process of growing to 1,000 portraits as I am quietly pivoting in artistic direction. The yet-to-be-unveiled series has been four years in the making and will take me at least another two.  But yes…only one painting on my easel at a time…unless it is a series. Unless I sneak in a quick sketch. Unless an inspiration needs to be caught in the moment. Unless I need to make a quick watercolor card. Unless there is a visage that needs a portrait. But yes, only one at a time.

Do you create a concept piece first?
Often, yes. Problem solving an image works best if I wrestle with it first.

Do you prefer painting in studio or en plein air?
Yes and yes. Also, sharing studios (thank you Dr. Obermueller for your hospitality this week). Corporate studios, impromptu studios, park benches are now becoming my studio, and my current practice for these years of transition – the car studio. Some of my best pieces recently have come from a bouncing car. The studio is wherever you are. It comes through your own hands.

How many core colors do you use? 
My color practice and theory continue to evolve. At the moment, I continue to work with a limited palette of three to six-ish colors. I choose from dozens of single pigment paints to make my limited palette selections. A unique palette is chosen for each image. Paints from my dot card are frequent friends.

Tubes, pans or sticks?
Yes, please! And anything else Daniel Smith will throw my way!

When do you know that your piece is finished? 
Your pieces are never finished. They are like your children. And there comes a time, finished or not, that you send them off to college. They must make their own way in the world. Overworking a piece is a guaranteed way for me to ruin it. I have found limitations on time to be a gift in creating watercolors.

••••••••••

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 and some of our Brand Ambassadors highlight a group of colors and answer 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.

If you prefer, you can visit our Facebook page at showtime to watch live. Replays can be watched on Facebook or YouTube.