Artist insights, creative techniques, suggested art supplies, and guided exercises for April 2026
by Elizabeth Ragona, with art by Cynthia Parsons. © 2026 Alabama Art Supply.

Spring invites artists to observe light and color before detail, allowing impression to lead the work.

Spring doesn’t arrive all at once. It drifts in gradually—through longer light, subtle color shifts, and movement that’s easy to miss if you’re not paying attention. One day the landscape looks unchanged; the next, everything feels different.

This month’s Studio Notes art blog invites artists to slow down and respond to Spring as it unfolds. Not to document it precisely, but to notice how light changes mood, how color arrives before detail, and how movement can be suggested rather than explained.

Inspired by the work of Cynthia Parsons, April is about loosening control and allowing impression to lead the way.

Light as the First Gesture

Spring light behaves differently than winter light. It’s brighter, more scattered, and constantly shifting throughout the day. Shadows soften. Highlights linger. Atmosphere becomes as important as form.

Rather than trying to “capture” light accurately, this month encourages you to observe how light affects color and feeling. Let it guide your first marks. A painting can begin with brightness, warmth, or contrast before any recognizable shapes appear.

Cynthia Parsons’ work often reflects this sensitivity—where light sets the tone and detail follows later, if at all.

Color Before Detail

In spring, color arrives before clarity. Greens overlap and compete. Skies hold layers of blue, gray, and warmth all at once. Nothing settles into place immediately.

By allowing color to lead, artists can resist the urge to define too early. Broad shapes, layered hues, and tonal shifts create space for the painting to breathe. Detail becomes a choice rather than a requirement.

This approach keeps the work flexible longer—and often results in paintings that feel more alive.

Movement Through Marks

Spring is motion. Wind moves through branches. Water shifts and reflects. Grasses bend, scatter, and regroup.

You don’t need precise edges to suggest movement. Expressive marks—whether made with a loose brush, palette knife, or layered strokes—can communicate energy more effectively than careful rendering.

In Cynthia’s paintings, movement often comes from the marks themselves. The surface carries the rhythm of what was seen and felt, not just what was observed.

Impression, Not Perfection

April is an invitation to release the idea that a painting must be resolved or complete to be successful. When artists focus on mood, atmosphere, and response, the work becomes more honest—and often more compelling.

Impression allows for uncertainty. It leaves room for interpretation. It prioritizes experience over accuracy.

Spring reminds us that growth is uneven, intuitive, and sometimes messy. Painting can be too.

Suggested Products (April, Weeks 14–17)

Week 14: Spring Light 

• Watercolor paper pad (e.g., Strathmore Watercolor Pad)
• Larger wash brushes (e.g., Round Wash Brushes)
• Portable palette (e.g., Masterson Sta-Wet Palette)
• Travel water container

Week 15: Color Before Detail

• Watercolor set (e.g., Winsor & Newton or QOR)
• Mixing palette or ceramic palette
• Wide flat brush set for bold color blocking

Week 16: Movement & Marks

• Palette knives for expressive strokes
• Assorted brushes with varied shapes and textures
• Mixed-media paper pad (to experiment beyond watercolor)

Week 17: Impression, Not Perfection

• Sketchbook (mixed-media or watercolor)
• Light-colored masking fluid (optional for preserving highlights)
• Quality graphite pencil (for initial light sketching)
• Portable easel or board

TRY IT NOW: Seeing Spring

April 2026 Studio Notes Exercise Guide

Inspired by the work of Cynthia Parsons

Spring doesn’t announce itself all at once—it reveals itself through subtle shifts in light, color, and movement. These exercises invite you to slow down, observe carefully, and respond with intention rather than precision.

This month is not about finishing perfect paintings. It’s about noticing what changes first: the quality of light, the way color emerges before detail, the energy carried in a mark. Each week builds gently on the last, encouraging you to loosen control and trust impression.

There is no required outcome. No single correct approach. Each exercise is a starting place—an opportunity to explore how atmosphere, movement, and mood can guide your work.

WEEK 14: Spring Light

What

Observe how spring light shifts throughout the day and affects color, contrast, and mood. Create a study that responds to light rather than detailed form.

Why

Light sets the emotional tone of a scene. By focusing on light first, you allow atmosphere to lead the painting instead of accuracy.

How

• Notice highlights, shadows, and soft transitions
• Work quickly to capture the feeling of the moment
• Let edges remain loose and unresolved
• Stop before adding detail

Tip: Light doesn’t need explanation—let it suggest, not describe.

WEEK 15: Color Before Detail

What

Block in shapes and colors without defining edges or objects. Allow color relationships to carry the composition.

Why

Spring color often arrives before clarity. Working this way keeps your painting flexible and open to discovery.

How

• Use larger brushes or tools
• Limit your palette to avoid overworking
• Let colors overlap and blend naturally
• Resist outlining or refining too early

Tip: If you’re unsure what something is, paint the color anyway.

WEEK 16: Movement & Marks

What

Use expressive marks to suggest motion in natural elements like trees, water, grasses, or clouds.

Why

Movement gives a painting life. Marks that reflect motion often communicate more than careful rendering.

How

• Vary pressure, direction, and speed
• Try palette knives, loose brushes, or layered strokes
• Let the surface record your gestures
• Avoid correcting marks once they’re made

Tip: Movement is felt more than seen—trust your hand.

WEEK 17: Impression, Not Perfection

What

Create a spring scene focused on mood and atmosphere rather than accuracy or detail.

Why

Impression allows for honesty. When you let go of perfection, your work often becomes more expressive and personal.

How

• Choose one dominant feeling to guide the piece
• Work intuitively rather than methodically
• Accept unresolved areas as part of the composition
• Stop when the mood feels present

Tip: A painting doesn’t have to explain itself to be complete.

A Gentle Reminder

Spring grows unevenly—sometimes quietly, sometimes all at once. Let your work do the same. Begin with light. Trust color. Let your marks move freely. The impression you notice first is often the one worth keeping.

⭐ Share Your Process

Trying the exercises? Finished or not, your process matters.

We’d love to see what you’re working on. Share your piece on social media and tag @AlabamaArtSupply or use #StudioNotesAAS so we can follow along.

A Final Thought

Spring doesn’t demand precision. It offers change—softly, gradually, and without instructions.

Let your work respond the same way. Begin with light. Trust color. Allow movement to appear through your marks. And remember: the feeling you notice first is often the one worth keeping.

Featured Artist Connection

This Studio Notes art blog is inspired by the work and approach of a featured artist at Alabama Art Supply. Visit the artist’s feature to explore their work, background, and creative perspective in more depth.

→ Meet the Featured Artist: Cynthia Parsons

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