Leisure Painter

Leisure Painter - the number one learn-to-paint magazine featuring practical painting and drawing features from top art tutors. Includes step-by-step tuition and easy-to-follow advice on how to draw and paint.

Editor's welcome

Leisure Painter

Editor's choice • Last chance – for something a little bit different, check out National Portrait Gallery Unframed. Immerse yourself in the nation's favourite portraits, see art in a new way and learn things you may never have known.

Spotlight on art • A round-up of events and ideas to enjoy live and online

The art of arrangement • Part 1 Six general principles to consider when composing a landscape, by Jem Bowden

Drama in the sky • Part 2 With a handful of acrylic colours and a few easy techniques, create subtle and atmospheric skies that enhance early morning and evening views, with Colin Joyce

ART BOX • Art products to help you develop your skills

Q&A Raindrops on roses… • Helen Carter answers your questions and provides helpful guidance, tips and tricks for using this versatile medium. This month, draw the effect of a waterdrop

10 TOP TIPS FOR PAINTING ON LOCATION • Follow Elena Parashko as she packs up her kit and heads to the great outdoors to paint

Lessons in the landscape • Part 2 Revel in applying fluid watercolour washes, mixing colours and building confidence, in this step-by-step demonstration by David Webb

Meadow gate • Take out your most summery colours and follow Rachel McNaughton on a soft-pastel journey

Figured out • How to include figures in your urban settings with ease, by Tim O'Brien

Coffee-break inspiration • Use your coffee and tea breaks today to capture a little garden arrangement, with Tony Underhill

Bookmarks • Liz Chaderton demonstrates the materials and processes used to produce these bright and cheerful small artworks

Sunshine & shadow • From preliminary sketch to final brushstroke, follow Colin Steed as he paints a summer scene in just seven colours

Exhibitions

Art clubs • Over to you for the latest news on club exhibitions and activities

Art club challenge • We're delighted to share some of the entries to June's art club challenge of which the theme was ‘Small things‘. Thank you to all of you who entered. We love seeing your work!

From the Gallery • A tiny selection of over 800 fantastic artworks posted to the Painters Online gallery over the last month… go to painters-online.co.uk/gallery to see the ever growing collection and upload your own masterpieces

SHAPES THAT FLOW

Leisure Painter

WELCOME from the editor

STAR LETTER

ANOTHER CHANCE ENCOUNTER • Lubaina Himid with Magda Stawarska: Another Chance Encounter 12 July to 2 November 2025

A day in the life of PAUL WEAVER • Paul Weaver talks to Sally Bulgin about his life and career as a professional artist

A return to NATURE • Caroline Saunders talks to artist, Hannah Dale of Wrendale Designs, about her widely recognised, characterful illustrations that accompany her new book, A Wilding Year

Journeys with The King • To coincide with the exhibition The Art of Royal Travel: Journeys with The King at Buckingham Palace, Patricia Crossley-Hayes talks to royal tour artist, Alan Cotton about his experiences of travelling with King Charles III

A summer landscape • In this abridged extract from his new book, Plein Air Painting with Watercolours, Grahame Booth shows you how to select, simplify and paint an open landscape scene on a hot summer's day

Drawing with paint • Classically trained artist, Luca Indraccolo, paints a figure portrait using a photo from the reference image collection provided by Raw Umber Studios and demonstrates...