"Look at nature, work independently, and solve your own problems" (--Winslow Homer)

Omitting Winslow Homer from a list of favorite artists would be a disgrace...especially for someone who's trying to learn to paint with watercolor.

Homer was, for the most part, a self-taught watercolorist, which gives me great hope. He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and had a long career as an illustrator, but he went on to study on his own.

I love his classic style of painting, and he's a master of controlling light, and tone in a painting. Often, he depicted seascapes, island life, and boats:

He knew how to mass the large shapes and simplify his subjects, and his washes were incredible and luminous:

I also love the simplicity of his studies--look at the muted tones of this painting, and how elegant it is in its sheer subtlety:

Here, in this landscape, the colors are so vivid and alive. I always love the skies and clouds Homer painted. As someone who's very intimidated by landscapes and vast images that necessitate simplifying, I am in awe:

Just look at the luminous quality in this figure. He gave his women such a quiet sense of beauty:

I have traveled to Bermuda before, and the first time I visited, I felt like I was walking into a Winslow Homer painting, because prior to traveling there, I'd seen his images of it. He captures it completely:

He's truly one of the best, and I'm a big fan of Winslow Homer's art. I happen to love a lot of artists, so bear with me!

"Never put more than two waves in a picture; it's fussy." (--Winslow Homer)

(Good to know! Words to the wise.)