The Marks Method™

I’m approaching 10 years of studying watercolor. As I looked back at the paintings that felt most true to my vision, a pattern began to emerge. The same five qualities kept appearing. Identifying what worked, and turning that into a simple formula, became the basis for The Marks Method™!

watercolor and ink study

Marks • Atmosphere • Render • Key • Shine

M — Marks

Both a start and a warm-up, masking or mark-making in any form or medium. These initial marks establish rhythm and movement and often determine the energy of the piece.

A — Atmosphere

Atmosphere with an emphasis on color as expression. Whether sprayed, poured or painted, this stage leaves room for imagination to take the lead.

R — Render

Rendering is about adding just enough detail to enhance the spontaneous nature of watercolor while still giving the subject form. This might include negative painting, borrowed shadows, or layered color accents that build subtle structure.

K — Key

Keying the values to create harmony. This may mean anchoring the focal point or weaving values throughout the painting. The goal is for the values to have balance.

S — Shine

From subtle to sensational, this is the final stage where something special is added. It might involve sticks, stencils, softening edges, or a scribbled signature, the final shine!

If you’d like to learn the Marks Method™ through sketchbook studies, consider becoming a Mark Makers member on my YouTube channel @watercolorpour. Each month features a new study showing how I apply the Marks Method™ in my paintings. Click to JOIN

mixed media sketchbook study

What’s Next? One Hundred Paintings: The Marks Method™ to Mastery

The goal of creating one hundred paintings is nothing new. Countless artists have taken this path toward mastery by simply painting their way there. My Marks Method™ is designed as a guiding system for the process without rigid boundaries. Each letter in MARKS represents a key component of my approach while still leaving room for endless possibilities in execution.

Finding My True Style Along the Way

Through these hundred paintings, I aim to ease the tension between representation and abstraction in my work and find a sense of balance. I will also be documenting the making of The Hundred. If you have ever wanted to watch an artist evolve in real time, keep an eye on my next blog post, where I will share the entire journey, one painting at a time. This is meant to be an immersive, behind the scenes look at how the story unfolds.

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