Artists

SARA’S GUIDE TOFirst I take photos ofthe food on my Canonhandheld, phone, orwhatever can capture thebest light. Having goodreference shots is soimportant, because it’sall about the informationthat is there and youcan’t create that reality ifit’s not there.``````I sketch it out andthen paint it onwatercolour block paper,cold press, glued on thesides so it doesn’t pickup when painting. I’vetaped it to a boardbefore, but I think that’sto much hassle, so Iprefer ready-glued paper.``````Have a medium youfeel comfortablewith and draw it out. Iapproach watercolourlike oil and am consciousof white space, so I amcareful not to overworkthem. Traditionally youwould do washes, but Ithink a lot of the way Ipaint comes from how Ipaint oil, so I just go fromleft to right. OccasionallyI’ll apply a light wash tomake it a little easier,but I like to go from onecorner to the other, workon a little bit of themiddle, and connectthem. It’s quite ahaphazard method.``````Try different typesand sizes of brushesuntil you fi nd the rightone. I use a very tiny 5/0watercolour brush for themajority of my paintingand it took a while torealise this was thebrush I needed. I kepttrying to use largerbrushes to get cleanerwashes, but in the end, Ireally wanted the detailand even though it takestwice as long to paint, it’sworth it.``````I say this from myown experience, butthe biggest challenge inpainting, regardless ofwhat medium you use, isjust doing the work. Notgetting held up with fearsof what to paint orfeelings that you’re notgood enough. The onlyway to gain realknowledge is to practiseit over and over again.It’s inevitable that therewill be a rough phase,where the work is not atthe level that you want,but push through it andkeep going. That’s theonly way to get better.``````Top tipTRY GLUING THESIDES OF THE PAPERTO PREVENT ITLIFTING WHENYOU’RE PAINTING52 Sara Zin.indd 55 08/06/2016 15:38