Comment and WIN Watercolor Art Supplies!

Showcase your talent and win big in Artists Network prestigious art competitions! Discover competitions in a variety of media and enter for your chance to win cash prizes, publication in leading art magazines, global exposure, and rewards for your hard work. Plus, gain valuable feedback from renowned jurors. Let your passion shine through – enter an art competition today!

Have you seen the September/October issue of Watercolor Artist yet? In it is a special section on new watercolor art supplies. Our friends at Jerry’s Artarama, Blick Artist Materials, Canson® and Dynasty Brush came together to let you know about some exciting new paints and brushes that you can add to your stash. Even better, they want to give a sample of each to one lucky winner.

It’s easy to win, them, too–simply tell us what inspires you to paint by commenting on this blog post below, and you’ll be entered!*

Free watercolor art supplies | ArtistsNetwork.com
Here’s a sample of what you could win just by commenting below!

This contest ends August 18, 2016, so you have plenty of time to comment now and then share this with a friend as well (they’ll thank you for it!).

Here are the amazing watercolor supplies that you could win:

• Mimik Kolinsky Synthetic Sable Brushes from Jerry’s Artarama
• Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolors Lightweight Sketchers’ Box from Blick Artist Materials
• L’Aquarelle Canson® Héritage watercolor paper
• Dynasty New Faux Kolinsky Series Brushes

And highlights from this issue include: Watercolor Artist magazine | ArtistsNetwork.com

• 4 Plein Air Sketching Tips
• Rethink Your Approach to Color
• 5 Ways to Get More From Your Brushes
• Express Yourself With Unexpected Color

Download Watercolor Artist here, and comment below now for your chance to win!

*US residents only, due to shipping costs and international contest rules and regulations.

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Join the Conversation!

  1. Nature and its beauty makes me want to paint to hold onto the vision as long as I can. The beauty of a Peony and its colors and the delicate shadows…. I live in Maine and I never get tired of painting harbors and the granite mountains. I was blind until I started to paint.

  2. What Inspires me to draw?The life I see in a daily life what goes on in the world what makes everything so beautiful and stand out that everything has color!The whole world is art everything that revolves around me and every each and every one of us is a creation of god a painter who put all his effort in towards knowing exactly the color of the sky and the color of earth.So what inspires me to paint God the first painter to ever be…..!

  3. The Architecture, the light and mood at the time of day, the bustle of a busy city street, reflections of the masts of boats in a harbour, majestic mountains rising above a misty valley, dark narrow alleys, jumble of criss crossed electrical wires, wet streets after a downpour … are things that inspire me to paint
    http://artave1.wixsite.com/artavenuebc

  4. Congratulations, Elizabeth! You’ve been chosen as our random winner for this comment contest! I’ll send you an email with more details. Thanks to everyone for sharing your thoughts, and inspiring each other!

  5. What inspores me is living. So i try to draw things and people in my lofe that mean a whole lot to me. Since my grandma died i want to draw my family as a more personal pocture.

  6. Landscapes inspire me to paint, sunsets, mountains, lakes all of it is just beautiful and the minds eye captures it as we want to see it, which is what personalizes it so great!

  7. My inspiration begins with light and color playing off the landscapes of western Montana. From there, it is the look in the faces of the many children and adults that I share my painting skills with. It is so much fun to see the pride they feel after accomplishing a painting of their own.

  8. What inspires me is my family,just living, amd small accoplishments. Like getting that nose just right or drawing something people think is beautiful and giving gifts of your art and seeing people happy about it.

  9. The most unexpected things inspire me to paint. It could be a incredible sunset or a perfect leaf. Sometimes it’s a child’s happy go lucky smile.

  10. I am inspired by life in general. I also am inspired by classical and tribal music. African tribal just brings me to life. I like simple beauty. I once did an india ink painting of a lotus flower floating on a pond. The painting was done across four panels. Just the flower and its reflection. so little and yet so much. I enjoyed putting the ink in spray bottles and slowly layering the colors on. I have always loved color and could not imagine life without it. Water color much like india ink spreads in such a wonderful way. Just watching it spread across the paper brings childlike wonder back to my world. It would be great indeed to again have watercolors to play with.

  11. I love finding repeating patterns, like the spiral of shelf fungus climbing up a tree or the cracks and gouges in old concrete paths. Painting them helps remind me to notice my environment even if I’ve seen it before. Sometimes I must admit my greatest inspiration is making room for new supplies.

  12. I am inspired to draw, sketch and paint by big skies and the drama that clouds lend to them; large landscapes and all the shapes and colors in the grasses, flowers, trees, and geological forms; flowers, either in manicured gardens or wildly strewn along the road sides or across fields, pastures and mountain meadows. I am inspired by watching other artists, the sight of paint boxes and palettes and imagining what those colors can become when put down on paper or canvas.

  13. Nature, colors, shades, hues, an open art journal, paints, watercolors, colored pencils, different types of paper, just the experience of not knowing how a piece of artwork will turn out, paint on my hands or viewing someone else’s art–all of these are inspirations for me.

  14. I am always inspired by the books I read. I tend to favor fantasy novels and my first serious forays into the world of watercolor were putting images to the magnificent dragons of Pern and the creatures of Narnia.
    I find inspiration in the antics of my cats as well, and the birds that taunt them through the windows.
    Music brings a fair portion of inspiration as well, the arts play nicely together, in my experience.

  15. I tend to look at the world in terms of line, shapes, color, and values. Sometimes I’ll stop, tilt my head a certain way, squint my eyes just so, and my wife knows I’ve seen something and am trying to figure out how to paint it. I’ve had people suggest painting certain subjects or styles because they sell or are the current style. My response always is the same, I don’t paint for money; I paint because I have to, because something’s trying to get out of me. My day isn’t complete if I haven’t held a brush for some period of time. What inspires me? Everything. I’ve learned that anything can be made beautiful and worthy of our attention when it gets the proper treatment in the hands of an artist.

  16. What inspires me? I started painting about 8 months ago, never having painted before and at 58 years of age. Due to spreading terminal disease I can no longer dance which I used to do several times a week nor can I manage big quilting projects and my social life has diminished alongside. Classes, whether in a studio or online are my outlet and help me forget the pain and discomfort. The work gives joy to my family as they see my continuing interest in living a creative and beautiful life. Watercolors allow for creativity, they challenge my brain and at the same time is teaching me to let go of things I can’t control. I wish I had started sooner but then again, this is the perfect time. I am greatly inspired by my 88 year old uncle who started only three years ago and just opened an art studio. I would be delighted to share this prize with him.

  17. I am new to watercolor and so enjoying all of it, experimenting with lots of things trying to find the style that is me. For right now im alowing myself to learn (and sometimes spectacularly fail!) And appreciating a new way of looking at light, shadow and color. Lovely supplies, thanks for the opportunity!

  18. I started my painting life in watercolors, and since have dabbled in acrylic and oil – but nothing feels as natural as watercolor. Now that my children are older, I am painting more again and entertaining new commissions! I miss watercolor, but my supplies are sparse – and these are breathtakingly beautiful!
    I also want to introduce my daughters (who are artists in various media – clay, photography, acrylic, fabric, ink, etc.) with me on this journey and introduce them to watercolor painting!
    Thank you for the opportunity!

  19. Do you remember the smell of a new box of crayons? I sure do! As long as I can remember I have been excited about color and those crayons were an open door of enticement for me. How many colors of green can I see? How blue is the sky today? What color is a smile? Asking myself such questions quickly became a way in which I learned about everything. My pulse quickens at the sight of a new set of paints. My brain gets excited to see a new art supply catalog in my mailbox. A pencil with a freshly sharpened tip can send me off into uncharted visions of drawings to make. My dreams are filled with images of art – some I have seen and loved – some simply imagined – and sometimes leaving me longing for my next painting. Always.

  20. I love to paint….draw….create….My inspirations come from everywhere I look from a baby’s face to an old oak tree…….My mind is constantly creating !!!!!!!
    Don’t know what I would do woth out my art it’s a part of my life…..It’s who I am……It’s Me!!!!!!!

  21. My dream when young was to go to art school. This was not possible. Now that I am old and retired, I am enjoying every free moment to paint with watercolor. My inspiration comes from the strangest places, or objects, or things. I try to make the “weird” good looking. The ” ugly” into funny. Thank you all for the chance to, perhaps, win that material.

  22. For any artist, inspiration can come from anywhere. For me, inspiration mostly comes from new challenges. The desire to learn from new techniques, to experiment with new materials and mediums, to develope new styles while being true to myself: it is the greatest feeling. I love reading articles about other watercolor painters and how they are unique, but I am also inspired by what we have in common. When artists share how they have overcome struggles or how they have risen to new challenges, I am especially inspired to challenge myself. There is nothing like that giddy feeling I get when putting the brush to the paper without total surety of what will happen, while at the same time, building on the knowledge that I have acquired in the past. It is a wonderfully beautiful process!

  23. What inspires me to paint? So much really. I find inspiration all around me. If I see something that I think would make a good painting, or something fun to paint…chances are it ends up on my easel. Art feeds my soul.

  24. Color inspires me, I see movement and dancing and light when I see vivid colors. There restful peace that creeps into my soul with soft colors.

  25. I like photograph as well, Mostly wildlife and nature. Catching a good photo of any animal in its natural habitat inspires me to paint it.

  26. It began with Rabbits and Sheep…my obsession with animal paintings of Sheep and Rabbits, both whimsical and natural, hedging into the primitive. I just felt the need to take classes and learn to create something special “just for me”~~~It’s magical~~

  27. I paint to try and convey the perception of the world that I experience, to show others the beauty in things that they never considered.

  28. Nature and light and color….even other peoples’ work will inspire me. Honestly probably other artwork is my biggest motivator, if not inspiration to try my own ideas. For mediums, watercolors bring out more of my creativity and loosen me up to help inspire me since they bring surprises which can alter my direction, but that is very rarely a bad thing. I have spent the last few years exploring other mediums to expand my skills, but I have not found any that have captured my heart as watercolors. So maybe watercolors are my inspiration.

  29. Music and other artwork inspires me. Sometimes with songs I start to get an image in my head and start to lay out the basic idea in my sketchbook. When I look at other art work in a picture or a video if it is something I like it makes me want to paint.

  30. My inspiration for watercolor art comes from my dreams. I find this medium is the most appropriate for the fluid nature and undefined meanings of my subconscious mind.

  31. For me the watercolor medium is the epitome of artistic expression. The moment the paint touches the paper it takes on a life of its own and emboldens me to explore my creativity beyond the limitations I put on myself. The freedom of watercolor painting is very liberating and brings great joy by enabling me to see beyond the image I am painting. Hopefully when I paint I am allowing the viewer to capture the emotion or moment in time that I am trying to convey. The more I paint with watercolor the more levels of expression it takes me to. I love the person I am when I paint.

  32. I am a new artist, as of the past two years, and I have also found it helpful to maintain sanity! I am trying watercolours again!

  33. Beginner painter, anxious to learn new techniques. Looking forward to Fall to start online training courses and experimenting. I currently do some tole/ decorative painting on wood. Trying to make ornaments for my grandsons for Christmas. Thanks for opportunity to win!

  34. I am animation artist, and my favorite painting medium is most definitely watercolor. I am inspired by many fellow animators and cartoonists who use watercolor, including my own father who is also an animator/painter. The fluidity and softness of watercolor have always appealed to me. It was pretty frustrating for me to learn watercolor at first, but the challenge of mastering this medium became a strong source of inspiration for me.

  35. I am inspired by nature, landscapes and flowers mostly. When I am on vacations I always look for interesting scenes to paint. I take a lot of photos so I can paint them later.

  36. Art has helped me regain my sanity and myself. I use the medium that suits my mood when doing art for me, however with my commissions it is dictated by what the buyer wants. It’s no matter though because in the end, it makes me happier with my life and makes me a much more positive person. I have become particularly enamored lately of watercolors, supplementing them with watercolor pastels and pencils. I can have the looseness of the watercolor and control detail much better with the pastels.

  37. Everything can inspires me, but the most of all are animals. Dogs and cats, they have something cute always in their eyes that just turn on the inspiration in me

  38. I am a creative soul and daily painting is a necessary part of my life. Because I constantly wonder and experiment with my supplies, I find watercolor a perfect fit. It always surprises me. It has a fast drying time that allows me to add and remove the paint and layer new color. I love to play and see what happens!

  39. Beauty inspires me so I enjoy painting flowers and landscapes. Sometimes I’m trying to change the ordinary or “ugly” into something ascetically pleasing or finding the beauty in the everyday objects that I encounter.

  40. Watercolor inspires me to paint because of the medium’s strong parallel to life, especially when looking at the concept of “control”. Life is filled with both controllable and uncontrollable circumstances (of our own creation as well as those thrust upon us). It is up to us to determine which is which and/or how we want to plan or respond. Watercolors can be finely controlled – you can plan extensively, find or lose edges, tightly control water use, and layer and glaze to get just the right, detailed result. Or watercolors can be used in highly unpredictable ways; water and pigment can be so adventurously uncertain and haphazard when combined generously and freely. As this happens, it is up to us to embrace and improvise on the happy and unhappy results. Likewise, in life we can choose to plan certain events to get desired outcomes — and yet there are times where we can choose to be spontaneous and loose and unpredictable, knowingly accepting of the unknown. Every time I pick up a brush to watercolor I think about this inspiring parallel.

  41. Inspiration can come at any time or in any place. You just have to be open for it. Sometimes everyone will be looking at one thing and you see something completely different. It’s personal. Also I find that music can be inspirational to set a mood and free your mind. I like to match the music to the mood. Or sometimes let the music set the mood.

  42. Having time really helps with inspiration. Once I wet the brush and see the pigment move from its own nature, I feel a joy that then inspires me to paint more. And then I can’t stop.

  43. Inspiration is in nature for me. I love to see the textures from plants, the colors of the sky, the changes in the weather.
    Beauty is everywhere and I’m very blessed to be able to capture that with color.

  44. I’m inspired by the unexpected surprises that often happens with watercolor. It is exciting to create interesting results that may not have been planned. I’m always looking forward to the next adventure!

  45. I am inspired by nature mostly. But I am also inspired by the ability to create something different from any one else, even when we are looking at the same scene.

  46. I love everything about working with watercolor ! They challenge me and always surprise me with their versatility. Mostly I paint portraits or landscapes, either just using watercolor or in combination with ink or pastel. My inspiration comes from life and scenery around me or from the people I encounter.

  47. I am mostly inspired by nature, whether landscapes or the animals and plants of nature. When I visit places I am always on the lookout for something interesting to paint. I tend to take lots of photos, then do my painting in the studio.

  48. I love the way watercolor captures the look and feel I of nature and I wanted to learn to use this challenging medium to explore the world around me.

    Carol B
    ciaoitalia2007 (at) gmail(dot) com

  49. Usually textures and the play of light on textural objects, natural or man-made, will catch my eye and be the inspiration to paint.

  50. I generally stick to graphite and color pencil and have just started exploring watercolor. I went into Jerry’s Artarama the other day and he was so helpful with my purchases. Definitely could use some more supplies to flesh out my current ones.

  51. Stories inspire me to paint. This can mean actual tales found in books or told to me in the soft voice of my mother, or it can mean the scenes I create in my mind when looking at a cloud or imaging a little village nestled in the tucks of a folded blanket. I am inspired to paint by the depth of something more that lies behind everything we see. Everyone and everything has a story, and painting is a small way to tell it.

  52. I searched and searched to find the right medium to begin my journey in Art. I discovered that Watercolor reveals what we really don’t see, which is hidden treasures and beauty that is in life and nature. Along with having a mind of its own at times, the water and paint dance to form the most wonderful shapes. I’m surprised and amazed how it takes me on a journey. I have fallen in love or, has it fallen in love with me?

  53. It is surprising what will inspire me to paint; the feel of a smooth pebble or a cool breeze on a hot day, my cat trying to get my attention, my child finding her way through the world, a good nights sleep, or a restless night, a new song or a distant train whistle, my husband snoring softly beside me, even the colors on the evening news weather map.

  54. I’m inspired by nature and the way it is constantly changing. How the light can change the way the woods look from fantasy fairy land to ominous spooky scene. The possibilities are endless. There’s just not enough time to capture all the beauty around us, but I’m going try 🙂

  55. I’m inspired by all the beauty in the world that takes my breath away. Sometimes it’s in the natural world where sunlight creates shapes and colors which cause inspiration, and other times it is the unique interaction of human beings within the natural environment.

  56. Inspiration to paint comes from everywhere you look. It’s how you feel, what catches your attention, whether it’s the way light is hitting a potential subject, the flow of the water, the mood of a sky, the expression on a face, inspiration and subjects are everywhere. I see so much when I take the time to comtemplate….what if …what caught my attention and then I start from there. .

  57. I’m inspired by contrasting textures, shapes, values, and the abstract patterns they make. I’m also drawn by moody scenes and the challenge to create that look with watermedia.

  58. Nature with all it’s mysteries & nuances, vibrant colors and breath taking vistas and close-ups inspires me to pick up my brushes, watercolors and get to work. The creative drive then takes over and carries me through. It is a wonderful journey that I enjoy most everyday. It is good to be alive and know I can record some of natures awe inspiring moments.

  59. I find inspiration in lesser known histories and in nature. As a self-taught artist, I learn the rules (e.g. color theory) and then deliberately break them because sometimes in the natural world, those rules do not apply.

  60. I am always inspired by other artists and the unique vision each one sees to create a new work of art. It makes me push ahead to achieve my own goals and creativity. Art is always around us and taking the time to see helps to inspire and keep the creative juices flowing.

  61. Other artists inspire me to paint. My students inspire me to paint because I have to have lesson plans for them and it is generally fun to watch their wheels turning in the process of the art assessments. Art supplies inspire me to paint, if I had more supplies I could make more art. Many things inspire me to paint, but specifically: sceneries, making postcard paintings for friends and family, and magazine photographs to see if I can recreate an interpretation from my own observation. Painting inspires the action of ideas and I enjoy being an idea machine for ice breaking conversations. I live in the desert near the mountains and that’s definitely an inspiration to paint because I grew up in the cornfields of the Midwest. Most importantly Jesus Christ inspires me to paint, without His example I would have no passion for such a talent.

  62. Something unusual in the landscape is what catches my attention, but what causes me to paint is getting restless, irritable and bored when I don’t…it is an itch that can’t be scratched, until I pick up my brushes or pastels and begin that lovely process of creating.

  63. I live in paradise – southwest Florida – so everything around me is an inspiration! The flowers, the wildlife, the exquisite blues and greens of the Gulf waters and white-sand beaches … all around me, the environment beckons to be painted. Having recently taken up plein air painting, I have the good fortune to be able to join artists who are much more skilled and experienced than I am, and find just hanging out with other great painters inspires me to paint.

  64. I’m inspired at every bend in the road. Nature is my inspiration. I live in the Pacific Northwest. I feel so blessed to be able to see the Olympic mountain range from my home, live surrounded by lakes and rivers, have the cascade mountain range in my back yard, and live in a neighborhood filled with flowers, trees, and bushes. All I have to do is take a walk in the morning to see something truly remarkable growing, or flying, or peaking at me from the bushes and I can’t wait to get home to my studio to splash paint around. Life is a blast with paint and paper and an endless supply of nature. The struggle is to produce something that does justice to what God created. So many gifts of inspiration, so little time to accomplish it all.
    Dru Duffey
    http://www.freeflowingpaint.net

  65. It is my time. Time to explore, create and experiment with colors and shapes. I love getting into the creative zone where nothing matters except what moves me and inspires me. I love trying out new mediums, paintbrushes, and paper/canvas. It inspires me to let go and just create. I enjoy taking the time to really look at my subject and look deep. Not just glance and go. To really seek the beauty in my subject.

  66. I love using watercolors. The looseness of the medium helps create some of the best ‘mistakes’ that make my paintings so much better. No other medium can do this. Painting wet into wet is another reason to love watercolor. I can get some of the best happy surprises that I never achieved with acrylics.

  67. I love color and I want to fill the world with bold colours and beautiful paintings. I also like playing with different mediums to create unique mixes. Exploration creates unique art.

  68. I am inspired by the need to put the water, brushes, paint into action. It really is a kinesthetic need to be creative. There is a thrill each time.

  69. I try to find inspiration is odd places, sometimes painting the leftovers from meal preparation found in my kitchen sink. Attempting to find something interesting in the uninteresting.

  70. I started painting a few months back ,I love every minute of it on a daily basis. My art can be a bit wayward and I even have one blank canvas where I just used a background with no picture, it shows where i was at on the day I took out that Canvas. I was feel sad and sorry for myself after just been told that my Lymphoma had started to progress rather fast and that I needed treatment urgently. My background Canvas shows a blank mind as well as a numb body. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to put this on pager or on a comment. I would be thrilled to win your competition.
    Kind regards

  71. I’m inspired to capture a bit of nature while writing poetry on the trails of the Nature Center. Especially when I see the seasonal change in foliage and watch the woodland animals in action, I can’t help but be awed by nature.

  72. I started with watercolor because I like to control everything (LOL), and with watercolor, you have to learn to let go and let the colors flow. I used to take pictures, but you are limited as to what can be put in the frame, but with watercolor, your imagination is your only limit. And maybe it’s because I heard watercolor is the hardest of the mediums, and I try not to back down from a challenge!

  73. As a long time quilter, I’m getting a little stale. Time for something new. Gotta keep that gray matter fresh and functioning. I’ve painted with acrylics in the past, but never watercolors.

  74. I always wanted to paint but my experiments were not very good. So i put off getting serios until “someday when I have more time”. Somehow at the beginning of this year I decided I should quit waiting until someday, and now I can’t get enough! It seems like everything that was plain and ordinary before is suddenly beautiful or interesting and should be painted, from some onions or fruit on the counter to the trees and flowers I see when I drive. I’m seeing light and colors like never before, and it’s wonderful. Right now light and color inspires me to keep learning and paint!

  75. Painting relieves stress. It takes me into a world where anything is possible. I see the world through a painter’s eye with so many possibilities. It’s about what I see and feel — no judgements.

  76. Competition; “What inspires me?” I find inspiration everyday and search for it in everything! …colours, patterns, nature, seasons, people, machinery, life, death, cities/scapes, landscapes, mountains, sunrises/sets, ligths and ligthness, darkness, noises, soumds, music, …. I love searching a sight …..what can I paint ….what can I take away
    from from what I am looking at right now? I have a dedicated room to paint and keep a few things beside me downstairs and at my workplace!

  77. After years of neglect, I now have a passion for drawing and painting. I’m inspired by the world around me, by teachers and by observing the work of other artists. For me, doing art is the best form of meditation.

  78. Painting is inspired by other people’s art, gardens, flowers, dreams, hopes and more with the knowledge that it will ‘take me away’. Watercolor Artist, newsletters and blogs aimed at artists are the inspiration to create that come on a regular basis when flowers aren’t in bloom or when ‘painter’s block’ rears its head!

  79. My greatest inspiration comes from viewing the wonderful art I observe on this website and other sources such as the watercolor artist magazines! Yes, really! I used to have painting classes but since I moved I no longer have them. My instructors would do a whole demo and I was sooo inspired by their talent. Now I have to seek out my own inspiration!

  80. My biggest inspiration is the beauty in nature here in South Carolina. There are so many different potential subjects, it boggles the mind. Living near Charleston offers a unique opportunity for a fledgling painter such as myself.

  81. I have developed a bit of an obsession with clouds this summer and working on a series of plein air watercolor paintings. I would certainly put supplies to good use! ❤️

  82. I am inspired by nature around us, the photos of a close friend who is an amateur photographer, other photographers, and my instructors and those online. The Watercolor Artist magazine brings new inspiration each time it arrives, and I can’t wait to read through it for ideas and hints. There is so much to learn!

  83. The combination of people, places and color inspire me to paint. Challenging my creative side to interpret and express what I see with watercolor.

  84. I have just recently begun to paint watercolour and I am so inspired. It would be great to know the tools that are best for this medium.

  85. I love to pass time painting watercolors but even more, I love to sketch regularly with pen and watercolors as an urban sketcher to improve my painting and to see the world with different eyes!

  86. Do you know the feeling of time flying by when you are deeply involved in something? That’s me when I’m painting. Seeing a flower, an animal, a portion of a landscape, an old barn, a gorgeous sunrise or sunset, and having a stirring come over inside of you of excitement, of thinking how can I put that on paper/canvas, and what colors would I use……….it’s all a passion and a never ending life around you.

  87. I love to paint because it is so creative. I enjoy seeing how other artists see the same subject and have a different take or style on it. I am inspired by the beauty of nature around me.

  88. The patterns and colors of life, especially those found in nature, all inspire me. I love to see my own interpretation of those come alive on my paintings!

  89. What Inspires Me To Paint? Inspiration comes from the subject matter and it must move my soul. Without the deep stirring of the soul the painting will not happen. Next is the colors. I love pure vibrant colors for painting. Good quality paints are important to accomplish vibrancy and purity in the art work . Other supplies I use which must be of good quality are the paper, canvas and brushes. (There is nothing worse than having a brush shed hair while painting.)

  90. Painting is my peaceful place! All things beautiful in nature are what inspires me. Flowers, all animals, children, anything that brings a feeling of peace and beauty, love and calmness by watching! I know if I can capture this beauty and peace and love in a painting it may bring those same feelings to the viewer! We all need peace, love and kindness in our lives, whether experienced in our lives or from what we see!

  91. I am inspired by shapes and colors in the shadows. I love to paint closeups of nature’s wonders and show a view of what is often overlooked.

  92. What inspires me to paint? A certain interplay of elements in a landscape, a certain contrast of colors, a certain expression of an interesting character, a certain exposure of light falling across a child’s face. In other words, life.

  93. Thank you so much for all the information available on this site. Now a contest to win supplies as well, double bonus! Art is a passion, and passion is an art.

  94. I love vibrant color, so I paint the life around me but in a much more colorful way. The results are the world as I would prefer it to be!

  95. As an artist , I want to show things that most people take for granted …things that are hidden from their casual sight .. to make them take notice of the breathtaking beauty of the simplest things in life and to record a captured moment in time .

  96. Painting is therapeutic to me. I am inspired by the art of others, how people can give meaning and paint a story with a few strokes of a brush. I’m a writer too and there’s that saying that “Every picture is worth a thousand words.” Painting is also like writing. Something about creating a story is the main thing that inspires me.

  97. My inspiration comes from the paintings my father did when he was still alive. Painting was his hobby and his passion and he was quite talented. I like to think there is a little of him inside of me that drives me to paint.

  98. I love how watercolor paints flow into each other and create infinite variations of color. Evocative music inspires me to paint.

  99. Recently, I’ve been inspired by my talented facebook friends. They are awesome photographers. I’ve been painting their photos and having a blast. They seem to enjoy seeing my version of their pics and say it is a complement to be chosen. I have never been a good photographer, so I am amazed at the beautiful images people are able to snap, either with their high-end camera equipment or just on their cell phone. I am so grateful to them for allowing me to try to do justice to their work with my own.

  100. I have never been an extraordinary student in school/college or a terrific software engineer (which is who I am by profession). When I look at those who are, their entire psyche is revolved around ‘What can I do to make it better? How do I grow?’. I think art (painting, sketching, digital art) brings out that quality in me. Most of us can draw. But it takes a very patient person to let the brushes take over what they’re thinking and express that on paper. I hope I can get there. For now, I enjoy various mediums and possibilities on creating art and expressing. And that is why I paint.

  101. It’s hard to decide what constitutes my inspiration, because watercolor has become one of the places in my life that just happens. Watercolor for me is absolute freedom. Whatever results, wherever the brush lands is exactly what is supposed to be.

  102. although im still a newbie painting helps me to let go of stress i wish i could paint all day; would love to win thanks for the chance

  103. How color and light changes your perspective of an ordinary object or person. Water color is a great way to capture the subtle differences.

  104. I love doing watercolors, especially flowers and plants. I guess my style would be doing almost botanical work. Watercolors are my favorite medium, and I would enjoy some new supplies to continue painting!!

  105. Love Watercolor, it can be relaxing and fun. I’ve always want to use a Dynasty Brush and to win a whole series would be heaven.

  106. When I paint I am creating. Creating brings me to the present moment. In the present moment life is good. My inspiration to paint is when I see or imagine something that I can only express through my interpretation in a 2D creative format.

  107. Somedays it is easier to be inspired by the little things around me, and then other days I have to dig deep. I spend my days most of the time doing graphic design, so a lot of the times, I don’t have a choice in what I am doing… which is why I have to go deep sometimes… but it is soooo worth it.

  108. my children inspire me to paint… I love to see them being themselves ~ interacting with each other and alone ~ discovering who they are and how they can affect the world around them. The beauty I witness in their fleeting moments of being is continually a challenge to capture in a painting… but I am so grateful to be able to attempt it over and over again!

  109. Sometimes the thing that inspires me is a sudden realization of beauty – the way a ray of light falls onto the forest floor. The way that a kitten looks while sleeping in a bundle of blankets or the way my son looks while he’s focused on a project with his toys. There are hundreds of reasons everyday I get inspired, it’s too bad I can’t keep up with all of them. But if I do just one – that’s a feat that is almost magic.

  110. I am most inspired by all the things I see everyday, the world around me,my hometown, my city, its industry, the subjects most find ugly are for me the most intriguing. There are stories in all of it and that is what I try to show in my work. The medium is secondary to the subject and I don’t want my paintings to have any of the ‘look’ of the medium first, over the subject which I think is far more important than the medium itself.

  111. I enjoy the way light and shape manipulate colors. There is nothing more challenging than to try to paint what Mother Nature has given us.

  112. Strong contrasts of light and/or a strong pattern formed naturally greatly inspires me to paint. I love the textures found in nature as well.

  113. Beautiful flowers have always inspired me however recently I’ve been seeing so much beauty in shadows cast across a roadway or path.

  114. What inspires me, well mostly animals i love them all. I am in procces of moving so it wont be long
    and i will be back at it again. This time not just painting but creating with almost everything from
    clay to jewerly , paint, pencil, photography, and sculpter and what ever i can use to get my point across.
    I am going to use most of my time creating, thats what i have been dreaming for a long time and now
    its time.
    Thank You,
    Gary

  115. There are many things that inspire me. Ideas that pop into my head, catching a glimpse of something, bright colors, a special moment in someones life, feelings, emotions. All of these things give me the desire to create a painting. And then the feeling of the paint going over the paper or canvas, how it flows together or accents the other colors around it. These are all stimulations of inspirations. Isn’t it wonderful to be an artist.

  116. I’m mostly inspired to paint by beautiful scenes in nature- from tiny insects to sweeping landscapes! I am particularly drawn to painting flowers, however. I love them!

  117. I am a pastel artist and haven’t painted with water color for many years it would be wonderful to have some water colors to try my hand at water color again. I liquefy my pastels for an undercoat currently and they look like a water color painting.

  118. So many things inspire me to paint. A pattern of shadows, the quality of light, the fields, the sky, the gleaming stars at night!

  119. I feel complete with a brush in my hand. Watercolor gives me peace of mind, yet challenges constantly. It demands that I refine my skills over the years, while at the same time, bringing me solace in its interaction. Watercolor is the only medium you work with, rather than slap into place. It’s refreshing.

  120. Everything in life inspires me to paint-from my coffee cup in the morning to my wine class in the evening.The sky is the limit-along with a giant vase of sunflowers!

  121. I collect pictures and find inspiration in scenery around me. I also like browsing through any art magazine I find. I have quite a few copies of Watercolor Artist, Acrylic Artist, Pastel Journal, Drawing, and the Artists Magazine in paper and digital format. I get a lot of tips and ideas from them.

  122. Painting is like breathing! Without it I feel like I am suffocating and gasping for air. It keeps me calm, less stressed, happy, and content. I paint because I love it but I also paint because I need it!

  123. I’m constantly inspired by other artists. It’s why I subscribe to the Artists Magazine (and so so many others!) — to see what other artists are painting, and learn the why and how behind their paintings. The support of fellow artists — whether it be live at a workshop or plein air event, or reading about them in magazines or Facebook — keeps me company and provides me with the inspiration to be an artist, myself.

  124. What inspires me? I would love to say it’s the beauty around me or nature that inspires me but in reality it’s waking up every day and having my husband tell me how creative I am and how much he enjoys watching me work in my studio. Don’t get me wrong, nature and beauty does inspire me but that sweet little pep talk I get each morning helps me open my mind up to all the possibilities around me. He is my muse and my inspiration.

  125. My inspiration comes from living with lupus. There are so many things I cannot do. I was so limited. But I have always loved arts and crafts. Several years ago I picked up the paintbrush and have rarely put it down. I love to paint life and people, pregnant moments and little ones dancing. I can paint places and activities I can only dream of. I lose the pain and enjoy being in the moment of being in my artwork. And of course I love new supplies!!!

  126. The light, the colors, the composition…Re-creating an amazing moment in time,emotion I feel translated in the painting… This process of building a painting when my life is slowing down and I’m connected to a parallel world… Struggling with every painting and at the end learning about myself… Acknowledge my fears and face them.
    Wish you all lot of inspiration, courage and finished beautiful paintings 🙂

  127. I check my emails frequently with the anticipation of receiving my copy of Watercolor Magazine. Only if I had sufficient supplies to recreate the knowledge in the magazine. Love the magazine so informative.

  128. Creative flow is sometimes slow, but once the process starts it is relaxing and meditative for me. I love to paint animals mostly but water and flowers too or all of them together in a scene.

  129. As an artist my interests/inspiration comes from just about everything, but especially light and shadow and how to best get that feeling onto my canvas (which can be anything at hand). I receive a few of the ArtistsNetwork magazines and find them a useful resource for new techniques, inspiration, and of course the wow factor of what others are doing.

    This is a great opportunity to try for some wonderful paper and brushes!

  130. As a brand new watercolor artist, I get inspired by thinking about what lies ahead in my watercolor career. I love just watching how the pigments flow about the wet paper and dreaming about all of the awesome things I want to paint. (Some nice supplies would also be inspiring!)

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