Why Visit Panama City? Panama City is one of the most underrated capitals in Central America. Modern skyscrapers rise beside colonial churches, rooftop restaurants overlook the Pacific Ocean, and the world-famous Panama Canal sits only minutes away. Whether you’re interested in history, wildlife, photography, or architecture, Panama City offers one of the most diverse travel…
Previous: Kilkenny, Rock of Cashel, Cork Cork, the Butter Museum & An Unexpected Detour Across Ireland Why Visit Cork, Killarney & Quin Abbey? A road trip through southwest Ireland offers an unforgettable combination of vibrant cities, breathtaking landscapes, fascinating history, and hidden medieval treasures. From exploring Cork’s colorful streets and unique Butter Museum, to hiking…
Previous: Cliffs of Moher, The Burren, Rock of Cashel & Ancient Ruins Why Visit Kilkenny and the Rock of Cashel? If you’re planning an Ireland road trip, don’t rush between Dublin and Cork without stopping in Kilkenny and the Rock of Cashel. Together they offer some of the finest examples of medieval architecture, ancient history,…
The camera records every window, every brick, every branch, and every sign. Your painting doesn’t need all of them. Ask yourself: “What can I remove without hurting the story?” Often the answer is quite a lot. One of the biggest mistakes beginning artists make is trying to copy a photograph exactly. Every branch. Every brick….
How to Paint Atmospheric Fog in Watercolor Best Subjects for This Technique Fog effects work especially well for: Watercolor is traditionally known as a transparent medium. Most instructors teach students to preserve the white of the paper and build color through transparent layers. Even though white watercolor paints exist, the brightest highlights are usually created…
For this painting of Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany, I had a crazy idea. I took the original photograph and made three copies. Then I stretched two of them vertically on the Y-axis and sliced the images apart before reassembling them into a single composition. I didn’t want the sections to line up perfectly. In…
For this experimental architectural watercolor, I combined three altered versions of the same photograph into one fragmented composition. By slicing the images into vertical sections and shifting the colors while maintaining consistent values, I could distort San Juan Cathedral without completely losing the architecture. Sometimes a painting begins with inspiration. Sometimes it begins with a…
Previous: First Day Back in Ireland Planning an Ireland road trip? This guide highlights some of Ireland’s most unforgettable destinations, including the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher, the historic Rock of Cashel, ancient stone monuments, and spectacular landscapes. Whether you’re visiting for photography, history, or unforgettable scenery, these stops belong on every Ireland itinerary. Explore the…
Water blossoms—or cauliflower effects, depending on whether you are feeling poetic or mildly irritated—can either ruin a painting or completely transform it. The difference is usually intention. When painting this atmospheric watercolor of the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul, the goal was not to avoid blossoms but to control them. Instead of fighting watercolor’s tendency to…
The 159th Annual International Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society (AWS) is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious and competitive watercolor exhibitions in the world. Artists from around the globe submit their finest work each year, and acceptance into this exhibition is considered a hallmark of professional achievement and artistic excellence in the…
