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WINSOR & NEWTON WATERCOLOUR CONTEST 2025 | HOW TO ENTER AND WHY IT’S WORTH IT
Join the Winsor & Newton Watercolour Contest 2025 and explore their stunning Revival Collection. In this article, I share how to enter, tips for starting your piece, and two free videos to inspire you, even if you’re not an experienced painter.

Julia Henze
9 min read


THE NO. 1 MISTAKE YOU'RE MAKING WITH WATERCOLOR
Many beginners use black watercolor to create shadows, but this often leads to muddy, lifeless sketches. In this post, I explain why black isn’t the best choice and show you how to mix beautiful, natural shadow colors instead.

Julia Henze
3 min read


PAPER: THE MOST IMPORTANT SKETCHING INGREDIENT
A guide to choosing paper for urban sketching: watercolor, mixed-media, sketching, and marker paper.

Julia Henze
2 min read


5 WATERCOLOR MISTAKES ALL BEGINNERS MAKE AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
Avoid these common beginner mistakes with watercolors: tweak your sketching habits to ensure amazing results.

Julia Henze
4 min read


GRANULATING WATERCOLOR PAINTS: WHAT THEY ARE AND HOW TO USE THEM IN YOUR PAINTINGS
Discover the basics of watercolor granulation. Learn how to use granulating watercolors in your sketches and paintings.

Julia Henze
3 min read


12 GREAT GIFT IDEAS FOR ARTISTS AND CREATIVES FOR THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS
Best gifts for artists, urban sketchers, and other creatives for 2022 holiday season. Ideal for Christmas, birthdays and just for fun!

Julia Henze
3 min read


WATERCOLOR PANS VS. TUBES: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE AND WHICH IS BETTER?
Pros and cons of using watercolor paints in pans and in tubes. Useful tips and personal experience.

Julia Henze
4 min read


GOUACHE AND WATERCOLOR PAINT LABELS: 7 IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS
How to read watercolor and gouache paint labels: series number, permanence rating, lightfastness, pigment number, opacity rating.

Julia Henze
5 min read


HOT AND COLD PRESS WATERCOLOR PAPER: IS THERE REALLY MUCH DIFFERENCE?
All you need to know about watercolor paper: textures, materials used, manufacturing methods, formats and sizes. Beginner-firendly guide.

Julia Henze
6 min read


MAGICAL POWER OF TURQUOISE: HOW TO INTEGRATE BOLD COLORS INTO YOUR SKETCHES
Practical tips for using turquoise in urban sketching: pre-made paints, markers, pencils; mixing your own colors. Inspiration and examples.

Julia Henze
4 min read


HOW TO MIX GREENS WITH WATERCOLOR
This article explains how to mix greens with watercolors, when and how to use pre-made greens, and how to use greenery in urban sketching.

Julia Henze
4 min read


TUTORIAL: ATMOSPHERIC PERSPECTIVE IN URBAN SKETCHING
In this tutorial, you will learn how to use atmospheric perspective in your urban sketches to make them look livelier and more engaging.

Julia Henze
7 min read
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