-
Magnolias
Magnolias are seen as a symbol of dignity and nobility. They can also be associated with femininity and love. The blooming of these beautiful, majestic magnolia trees gives us hope that spring has finally arrived! Their beauty is not easy to capture – how do you make them so stunningly white like they are in nature? In this step-by-step plan, we show you how to recreate these lovely flowers using water colours.
Read more -
Kodama tree
Japanese folklore states that there are many spirits inhabiting the world around us. These spirits can resemble anything from animals to inanimate objects and even human beings. Kodama are spirits that inhabit trees. Trees a spirit supposedly resides in should be respected as you might become cursed if you attempt to cut it down. The Japanese tradition of coexisting with all of nature’s spirits inspired us for today’s artwork. Though the spirits depicted in this illustration are not necessarily those that Japanese folklore describes, we thought it would be fun to imagine what kinds of spirits would live in trees by making them appear with water colours!
Read more -
Abstract water colour with metallic accents
We love trying out new techniques whenever we can! In this step-by-step plan we show you how you can add special effects to water colour using alcohol or methylated spirit. To add some sparkle, we used metallic gel pens. Use this lovely combination in your hand lettering or illustrations to make them stand out even more!
Read more -
Kasuga Taisha in Nara
Nara is a city in Japan near Osaka that is known for its historical buildings, traditional imagery, beautiful landscape and temples. Yet, one of the most noticeable things about Nara is the deer that walk around everywhere. This includes the temple ground of Kasuga Taisha, one of the most famous temples in Nara. The deer are believed to be sacred messengers of the Shinto gods, so they are treated with the utmost respect. Vendors around Nara even sell treats to feed the deer with, which has made them very friendly to humans over the years. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Sakura, our Japanese brand, in 2021, we would like to share this beautiful Japan-inspired water colour illustration with you. This drawing depicts a common scene at Kasuga Taisha: deer following people around while they walk around the temple grounds. Get inspired by the dreamy imagery in this step-by-step plan! Don’t forget to have a look at the video at the bottom of the page to see some of the process!
Read more -
Japanese Tradition: Daisugi
To celebrate our Japanese brand Sakura’s 100th anniversary in 2021, we would like to show you how to paint a traditional Daisugi tree. Daisugi is a Japanese forestry technique that originated in Kyoto around the 14th century. Shoots from a type of cedar tree are carefully pruned so that multiple branches grow straight up from the base of the tree. This ancient tradition allows beautiful, straight logs to be harvested from the tree without having to cut it down at the base, which makes it a very sustainable forestry technique. The harvested logs are often used to build traditional tea houses. The Daisugi technique gives forests a mysterious, outer-worldly look that we want to help you portray in this step-by-step plan. The finished artwork’s colours and style are inspired by Japanese woodblock prints called ukiyo-e. These prints are characterised by their large, bold-coloured areas and a notable absence of shading and perspective. The pigments used in these prints were often blue, brown and orange, but we decided to also add green for the forestry.
Read more -
Crane and Red Sun
The crane and the red sun are arguably the two most iconic symbols of Japan. Both are ancient, important elements that can be found all over Japanese history and art; the red sun is even used in the national flag! Cranes are often depicted in paintings, origami (paper art) and literature. They are known to symbolise good fortune and longevity because of their fabled long lifespans. Join us in celebrating 100 years of Sakura, our Japanese brand, and learn how to bring these iconic Japanese symbols to life using a mechanical pencil, water colours and different pens.
Read more -
Tiger
Using water colours may seem a little daunting, but it does not have to be! This video shows you how you can paint this colourful tiger using Talens Art Creation water colours, brushes and paper. Learn some useful tips and tricks and create your own version of this piece. Have fun trying it out!
Read more -
Pears
Learn how to paint these colourful, summery pears with this step-by-step instruction video! In this video we show you how to build up your water colour painting using Talens Art Creation water colours, paper and brushes. Have fun making your own version of this painting!
Read more -
Sleeping cat
Cats and pets in general have been a great inspiration for many artists over the years. In this video we show you how to paint this cute curled up cat using Talens Art Creation water colours, brushes and paper. Have fun creating your own version of this painting with the tips in this video!
Read more -
Paint a fried egg
Instead of taking a picture of your food, paint it! In this video we show you how you can use Talens Art Creation water colours to create this painting of a fried egg. Have fun trying this out by yourself using the tips and tricks from the video!
Read more -
Portrait
Step by step, layer by layer, it is explained how to build a portrait. How do you obtain depth, what are and how do you work with granulating colours?
Read more -
Bridge
Water colouring is painting with large amounts of water. The more water, the lighter the colour. Wherever colours are mixed in the step-by-step plan plenty of water is always added. Begin by filling in the lighter colours and leave unpainted the areas you eventually wanted to be white. You then work with increasingly dark colours. Allowing work to dry thoroughly between stages (if necessary with the aid of a hair-dryer) prevents colours running into each other. Have you used too much paint? Soak up as much as possible with a clean, dry brush or tissue. Hold the brush more or less vertically when applying details and flatter when washing large areas. Hold the brush clean while working to avoid unwanted colour mixtures. Before you start, go through all the stages.
Read more -
Flower
Water colouring is painting with large amounts of water. The more water, the lighter the colour. Wherever colours are mixed in the step-by-step plan plenty of water is always added. Begin by filling in the lighter colours and leave unpainted the areas you eventually wanted to be white. You then work with increasingly dark colours. Allowing work to dry thoroughly between stages (if necessary with the aid of a hair-dryer) prevents colours running into each other. Have you used too much paint? Soak up as much as possible with a clean, dry brush or tissue. Hold the brush more or less vertically when applying details and flatter when washing large areas. Hold the brush clean while working to avoid unwanted colour mixtures. Before you start, go through all the stages.
Read more -
Boats on the beach
Water colouring is painting with large amounts of water. The more water, the lighter the colour. Wherever colours are mixed in the step-by-step plan plenty of water is always added. Begin by filling in the lighter colours and leave unpainted the areas you eventually wanted to be white. You then work with increasingly dark colours. Allowing work to dry thoroughly between stages (if necessary with the aid of a hair-dryer) prevents colours running into each other. Have you used too much paint? Soak up as much as possible with a clean, dry brush or tissue. Hold the brush more or less vertically when applying details and flatter when washing large areas. Hold the brush clean while working to avoid unwanted colour mixtures. Before you start, go through all the stages.
Read more
- Colour Expert since 1899
- 10+ Brands
- Empowering Creativity
