Ashley Hawkes shared her favorite palette and watercolor techniques:
Here’s a Q&A with Ashley:
¿Por qué haces arte?
I don’t feel like it’s an option NOT to! For me it’s like breathing. At this time in my life, art has helped me navigate being a mother of a child with special needs, as well as dealing with my own health battle, which have been really hard and art helps me to recharge. Art has been absolute therapy for me. I’m a better human when I make time to create.
¿Cuánto tiempo llevas pintando?
I don’t remember a time that I haven’t created art in one form or another. My mom tells me that as soon as I could sit at the kitchen table on my own, I was drawing or painting. I took a watercolor class in high school and painted here and there, but consistently since 2019.
¿Recibiste formación artística formal?
Not really. I have taken a few online classes and have followed many YouTube tutorials. I was a professional photographer for 8 years and that has helped immensely with my ability to see light and shadow.
¿Eres artista profesional o aficionado?
I started out as a hobbyist. Art was my reprieve. I started getting more serious in the past couple of years. I started taking pet portrait commissions last fall. I treat it like a business because one of my goals is to teach watercolor. My sketchbook practice is protected though. It’s just for me!
¿Qué te inspira?
Nature is a huge inspiration for me. I also love and am inspired by color and LIGHT!
¿Qué tipo de música escuchas mientras pintas?
I actually listen to audiobooks – I have been working through Tolkien.
¿Has tenido algún mentor?
I see so many people as mentors, they just don’t know it!
¿Pintas todos los días?
I do paint almost every day. I have a pretty consistent sketchbook practice that has been a total life-changer. When I’m really stressed out, I swatch and mix colors.
¿Pintas una pieza a la vez o trabajas en varias simultáneamente?
I generally have one commission going at a time and also something that’s mine. While waiting for one to dry (or when I’m feeling stuck), I will switch to the other.
¿Primero creas un boceto conceptual?
I have a sketchbook set aside for planning my commission pieces. I plan out my color palette and practice certain aspects such as eyes or nose or hair. It’s a great resource to thumb through for future pieces as well.
¿Prefieres pintar en estudio o al aire libre?
Both! I love my studio, it is my happy place. For my pet portraits, I need my studio. I have a system for how I approach these and need everything in its place. But I love doing plein air in my sketchbook. It’s not about the final work, it’s about the joy of the process. I find that it’s like a meditation for me. I love being in nature and basking in the plein air session with all of my senses. It’s a completely different experience!
¿Cuántos colores básicos utilizas?
I love having access to ALL the colors when I’m having fun, but for my pet portraits I’m starting to narrow it down to about 10 colors.
¿Tubos, sartenes o palitos?
All of them! I use half pans in a big master palette for choosing my colors for a piece, then I get out the corresponding tubes/sticks for the actual painting. I squeeze the tubes out onto a rectangular ceramic plate. I have about 8 sticks so far and I’m still experimenting with different ways to implement them.
¿Utilizas líquido de enmascarar?
I do use masking fluid for the highlights of the eyes and nose on pet portraits.
¿Cómo sabes que tu obra está terminada?
I usually have to walk away for a few hours and then come back with fresh eyes. I will often take a picture of it in good lighting and then look at it on my phone and immediately know if I need to add or lift anything or if it’s done.
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