The versatility of synthetic paper gives watercolor artist Taylor Ikin the freedom that perfectly suits her approach to watercolor painting. In this highly instructional DVD, Ikin reveals her masterful techniques for achieving lively tones while working quickly and boldly on Yupo.

During the 120-minute DVD workshop, Ikin shares an in-depth discussion of her favorite materials, answers frequently asked questions about Yupo, and explains how to paint, draw, revise, and erase on synthetic paper. She also reveals how she keeps her paintings lively by eliminating earth tones from her palette and concentrating on exciting hues. Her free-flowing style is to work big and fast while using large, bold strokes.

Ikin encourages viewers to achieve a sense of their subject rather than trying to copy nature. She teaches how to work from a photo reference and use a mirror to reverse the initial painting for evaluation — and warns against the excessive tidiness that discourages natural shapes.

Most important, Ikin encourages viewers to relax, feel happy, and enjoy the process. Her approach is high energy!

DVD. 120 minutes.