Alex Hillkurtz came to us LIVE from France on Friday, July 1st to share his watercolor techniques and favorite color palette.
Here’s a quick Q&A with Alex:
Waarom schilder je?
Painting is how I communicate with the world.
Hoe lang schilder je al?
I first started painting with watercolor at university. I painted for a few years, but got to a point where I wasn’t progressing so I stopped and put it away for many years. It wasn’t until my wife and I moved to Paris a few years ago that I picked it up again.
Do you paint every day? Do you have a favorite time of day to work?
Not every day, but if too many days go by without painting, I get antsy. I find I’m most productive in the afternoons and evening.
Have you had formal art training?
No, I had a couple art classes in high school but nothing very formal. I studied film production in college, and have worked in the film industry for many years as a storyboard artist. My “informal” art training has been working with directors and cinematographers to create the visual language of a film.
Do you consider yourself to be a working artist or do you have another job?
Painting is my main job. I still occasionally take storyboard jobs for film production, which can be a nice change of pace. But I’ve been a full time painter for quite a few years now.
Wie inspireert jou?
Rembrandt for his line work, Turner for his travel watercolors, Sargent for his colors.
Do you work en plein air or in the studio?
I enjoy both. Now that the weather is getting better, I’m looking forward to painting outside more.
Hoe lang doe je erover om een werk af te maken?
Depending on the piece, it can take from 45 minutes to a few hours. Sometimes it takes multiple days for larger, more involved pieces.
Do you work on one piece at a time, or several at once?
I will occasionally work on more than one piece at a time, depending on the process. But I prefer to concentrate on one thing.
What kinds of music do you listen to while painting?
I have a very carefully curated playlist! It’s made up of favorites from rock, folk, jazz and pop. Certain stages of a painting call for different types of music, and I definitely have some go-to albums that set just the right mood.
Hoe weet je wanneer je kunstwerk af is?
A painting is done when it can sing on its own. This moment can be elusive and is only recognizable after painting many pieces, and learning through trial and error.
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