“DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolors are a true love story for me, similar to when you fall in love with a person – you must not fail the other. These have never failed me and I am very loyal.”

George Politis has been working with DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolors since 1995 and he admits that he is very drawn to the unique colors in the range. “One of the best qualities is that they are professional grade and yet a beginner can use them without creating mud,” he states. “This is a dynamic way for newer artists to safely build their craft, as they can mix without the common fear of creating mud with one wrong turn and getting discouraged.”  George enjoys creating depth in his work with unique colors by mixing directly on the paper to create many layers in the darkest areas of his paintings.

George carefully curated the palettes for his two sets – they’re the perfect option for artists to experience a cohesive palette within the full range of colors. Selecting colors was a difficult task, as he wanted to inspire users to create their own style, yet show off some of the unique combinations of his personal palette. He decided to apply these three rules to guide his choices:

1)  Choose colors critical to Greek landscape paintings (his home country)

2)  Include Primatek colors with their unique granulation diffusions

3)  Introduce impressive metallics which are a must-have for adding the richness of texture

Set I contains the main colors George uses to depict the beauty of Greece. He loves the granulation and clarity of Cerulean Blue for skies, the intensity of Indanthrone Blue, the beauty of Quinacridone Gold for underpainting and light accents, the warmth and versatility of Mayan Orange, the granulation of Green Apatite, and his most favorite Moonglow for textures, shadows and mixtures.”

George Politis’ Master Artist Set I includes:

• Quinacridone Gold
• Cerulean Blue
• Green Apatite Genuine
• Indanthrone Blue
• Mayan Orange
• Moonglow

Set II contains the main colors he uses for textures. He loves the warmth and glow of Aussie Red Gold, the “wow factor” of Pyrrol Scarlet, the range of reddish to brownish nuances of Piemontite Genuine, the intensity of Lunar Blue, the magic and versatility of Cascade Green, and the strength and granulation of Bloodstone.

George Politis’ Master Artist Set II includes:

• Aussie Red Gold
• Piemontite Genuine
• Pyrrol Scarlet
• Lunar Blue
• Bloodstone Genuine
• Cascade Green

George considers his artist community to be a global group of like-minded people and he feels closer to artists with a passion for watercolor. He smiles when he says, “watercolors are not as popular in Greece as in some other areas of the world, so it is my global group that inspires me.” He enjoys and has been influenced by many mediums and art forms, including the British masters of the 18th century and Andrew Wyeth, although he jokes that his own art wouldn’t remind anyone of these styles.

George has been spending a lot of time adjusting his connections to the world in a virtual environment during the pandemic. He is optimistic though and is the type of person who finds the positive in all situations.

Advice for aspiring artists

1.   Make your art yours alone

George’s style is unique to his own imagination, as he prefers to experience a visual and then add his imagination to it, which allows him the freedom to see things however he wants. He suggests that aspiring artists try this technique – look closely at a scene you want to paint, then turn your back on it and paint. Perhaps revisit the scene for a reference, but let how you paint it represent your own feelings, deep inside.

2.   Work and practice a lot

Textures and layers are integral to George’s unique style, which he has mastered with years of practice. To become a great artist, you must not take shortcuts. Do the work – this means practice. Avoid copying works of art that you admire, as this can become a very bad habit that takes you down the wrong path.

3.   Decide what you want to say

Painting is about communicating, so you need to decide what is most important to say about your main idea. Everything you create within the painting should support your message clearly.