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Remember to work fast!!! Once you get the paint onto the paper you have only a little bit of time before it dries!

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How to paint a Watercolor sky with clouds

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Street artist is a muralist from Ghent, Belgium whose work has often been recorded and photographed, but very little is known about the artist and even less is documented.

At a very young age Roa remembers wanting to be an archaeologist or something adventurous and collecting little skulls from birds and rodents to draw at home. He grew up in the eighties and naturally was inspired by the American life; music, skating and so forth. The love for music, more in particular hip-hop, quickly joined his curiosity in graffiti. Like most muralists, he began by spraying throw-ups under bridges and walls. During his early years, Roa expressed an active, eclectic mix of styles. At the time, there was not prevailing movement in Belgium. As time went on, the scene's evolution further evolved as foreign visitors left behind an assorted collection of talents and skills. Slowly but sure Roa became addicted to the nature of urban art.

Roa is primarily known for his strong obsession for animals and rodents. He often combines life, death, and life after death in his murals, which quickly distinguishes him amongst traditional muralists. His animals are painted to include skeleton and internal organs, making the sight even more realistic. The artist states, "Organs are the vital substances of our body and they represent a lot of the symbolism which I like!" One's love for animals could not be expressed nearly as much as our artist Roa. This mysterious Belgian muralist has created hundreds of murals through Europe. He has also traveled to other locations around the world.

His preferred forms of methods to paint are by using spray paint or acrylic paint. In fact, most of his work is created through a mixture of black, white, and gray scale colors. At times, the muralist prefers to sketch, especially those large murals. He first began his artistic career by paining buildings and warehouses in his hometown. Nowadays, his distinctive black and white style street artwork can found worldwide.

Some major cities, where his work can be found include London, New York, Berlin, Warsaw, Madrid, Moscow, Los Angeles, Mexico City and Paris. Roa has visited London on numerous occasions and left a large number of street pieces there. His animals can be found on many walls across Shoreditch and more speciafically around Brick Lane.

Muralist Roa's true obsession for animals is unparalleled and he uses this obsession to paint for inspiration. Roa uses native animals based on the location he is painting in. For example, if he goes to a specific location filled with roosters, like Mexico, then he will paint a rooster. Not only does this make him a standout artist, but his attention to detail is phenomenal. He truly has a pure passion for painting. Roa simply paints to paint- no other reason.

Roa's work has been turning heads across the street art community by bringing birds, rodents, and other animals back into the consciousness in the areas they once inhabited. Although the street art is generally conveyed in a very natural matter, even his dead animal paintings seem at peace. Not only that, but his extra large scale black and while local rodents may be viewing the image at work from nearby.

Roa's latest solo show was held at Backwood Gallery in Melbourne, Australia, in the midst of the Coronavirus global crisis. Entitled " Annihilation ", Roa's show addresses conservation and the threat of environmental annihilation, and invites us to reconnect to Nature. O n the occasion of his Melbourne exhibition, Lannoo Publishers edited the first overview of the work of ROA. 'CODEX' is a 350-page book selecting the famous Belgian artist's work and dividing them into 4 chapters, each focusing on the continents where his work can be seen: Eurasia, Africa, America and Oceania.

Roa's anonymity has kept his work and his spirit free.

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Street artist is a muralist from Ghent, Belgium whose work has often been recorded and photographed, but very little is known about the artist and even less is documented. At a very young age Roa remembers wanting to be an archaeologist or something adventurous and collecting little skulls from birds and rodents to draw at home.

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Xavier Cortada, Endangered World: Eastern Hemisphere drawings, 180 graphite drawings on paper, each 9″ x 12″. 2009. (The 2012 Cintas Foundation Finalists exhibit at MDC Museum of Art + Design | Freedom Tower)

The work depicts endangered animals originally featured in the artist's 2008 North Pole installation. Cortada's "Endangered World" project has also addressed global biodiversity loss through art installations at the South Pole (2007), Holland (2009) and Biscayne National Park (2010) and through online participatory art projects

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Xavier Cortada, Endangered World: Eastern Hemisphere drawings, 180 graphite drawings on paper, each 9″ x 12″. 2009. (The 2012 Cintas Foundation Finalists exhibit at MDC Museum of Art + Design | Freedom Tower) The work depicts endangered animals originally featured in the artist's 2008 North Pole installation.

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Dear Climate was a project started by three artists ( Marina Zurkow, Una Chaudhuri, Oliver Kellhammer) to start the conversation about climate change. The goal of this project was to make a difficult conversation more personal and approachable with a sarcastic, silly tone and simple images.

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CC BY 3.0 Dear Climate

"Dear Climate" is an art project that was conceived as "a new way to talk about the weather." The project is a collection of posters and sound collages that take on climate change with a more personal and conversational tone. Created by Marina Zurkow, Una Chaudhuri, Oliver Kellhammer, Frits Ertl and Sarah Rothberg, it is currently on display as part of the DUMBO Arts Festival in Brooklyn.

The creators explain what "personal" means to them in their artist's statement:

"Of course we were well aware of the emphasis on personal responsibility in the environmental movement-the injunctions to practice simplicity, recycle paper and plastic, avoid waste, and reduce consumption. But what about deeper realms of the personal, like pleasure, fantasy, fear, desire, sensation, vision, imagination?"

The work is free of the typical political discourse that surrounds climate change, and accepts flatly the reality that climate change is happening now. The posters are at once irreverent and serious, at times taking on a flippant tone ("Climate change? Will it make me look fat?") while at other times making dire warnings ("Face the food shortages.")

Yet much is left up to the viewer to interpret, and the images invite multiple readings. "Stay close to home" sounds like the kind of warning one might expect to get when facing extreme weather events, yet these words are paired with a friendly camping tent, perhaps suggesting a celebration of local exploration and low-carbon travel.

At other moments, the posters seem to offer advice such as "Flow with the floods" and "Dump your disposables."

Hi-res versions of the posters are available for download at the Dear Climate website, and the creators encourage wide distribution of the images. They suggest you post them at your work place, slip them into your local newsstand, or use them to sheet mulch your food forest.

An art project invites viewers to reconsider their relationship to global warming.

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"Dear Climate" is a playful yet dark invitation to meet climate change

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"Dear Climate" is an art project that was conceived as "a new way to talk about the weather." The project is a collection of posters and sound collages that take on climate change with a more personal and conversational tone.

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The effect that humanity is having on the environment is becoming ever-more important. Through our actions we are destroying habitats and endangering the lives of future generations.

At this point there is no denying the fact that our environment is changing. Hundreds of studies have been conducted to demonstrate that this is happening and it is having an effect on life around us.

However, many may be unaware of the specific issues that have led to these changes. Terms like "climate change" and "genetic modification" are commonplace, but without additional information it is difficult to see why they actually matter.

To complicate the matter, many of these issues are linked to one another. The key is that they are all important challenges that need to be confronted.

Here we examine the biggest environmental problems facing our planet today and why they should matter to you.

The Biggest Environmental Issues

17. Genetic Modification of Crops

Environmental issues caused by man-made chemicals are becoming clearer. For example, there has been a 90% reduction in the Monarch butterfly population in the United States that can be linked to weed killers that contain glyphosate.

There is also some speculation that genetically-modified plants may leak chemical compounds into soil through their roots, possibly affecting communities of microorganisms.

16. Waste Production

The average person produces 4.3 pounds of waste per day, with the United States alone accounting for 220 million tons per year. Much of this waste ends up in landfills, which generate enormous amounts of methane.

Not only does this create explosion hazards, but methane also ranks as one of the worst of the greenhouse gases because of its high global warming potential.

15. Population Growth

Many of the issues listed here result from the massive population growth that Earth has experienced in the last century. The planet's population grows by 1.13% per year, which works out to 80 million people.

This results in a number of issues, such as a lack of fresh water, habitat loss for wild animals, overuse of natural resources and even species extinction. The latter is particularly damaging, as the planet is now losing 30,000 species per year.

14. Water Pollution

Fresh water is crucial to life on Earth, yet more sources are being polluted through human activities each year. On a global scale, 2 million tons of sewage, agricultural and industrial waste enters the world's water every day.

Water pollution can have harmful effects outside of contamination of the water we drink. It also disrupts marine life, sometimes altering reproductive cycles and increasing mortality rates.

13. Deforestation

The demands of an increasing population has resulted in increasing levels of deforestation. Current estimates state that the planet is losing 80,000 acres of tropical forests per day.

This results in loss of habitat for many species, placing many at risk and leading to large-scale extinction. Furthermore, deforestation is estimated to produce 15% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

12. Urban Sprawl

The continued expansion of urban areas into traditionally rural regions is not without its problems. Urban sprawl has been linked to environmental issues like air and water pollution increases, in addition to the creation of heat-islands.

Satellite images produced by NASA have also shown how urban sprawl contributes to forest fragmentation, which often leads to larger deforestation.

We have written an article outlining exactly what is urban sprawl? the issues it creates, along with potential solutions to those issues.

11. Overfishing

It is estimated that 63% of global fish stocks are now considered overfished. This has led to many fishing fleets heading to new waters, which will only serve to deplete fish stocks further.

Overfishing leads to a misbalance of ocean life, severely affecting natural ecosystems in the process. Furthermore, it also has negative effects on coastal communities that rely on fishing to support their economies.

10. Acid Rain

Acid rain comes as a result of air pollution, mostly through chemicals released into the environment when fuel is burned. Its effects are most clearly seen in aquatic ecosystems, where increasing acidity in the water can lead to animal deaths.

It also causes various issues for trees. Though it doesn't kill trees directly, acid rain does weaken them by damaging leaves, poisoning the trees and limiting their available nutrients.

9. Ozone Layer Depletion

Ozone depletion is caused by the release of chemicals, primarily chlorine and bromide, into the atmosphere. A single atom of either has the potential to destroy thousands of ozone molecules before leaving the stratosphere.

Ozone depletion results in more UVB radiation reaching the Earth's surface. UVB has been linked to skin cancer and eye disease, plus it affects plant life and has been linked to a reduction of plankton in marine environments.

8. Ocean Acidification

Ocean acidification is the term used to describe the continued lowering of the pH levels of the Earth's oceans as a result of carbon dioxide emissions. It is estimated that ocean acidity will increase by 150% by 2100 if efforts aren't made to halt it.

This increase in acidification can have dire effect on calcifying species, such as shellfish. This causes issues throughout the food chain and may lead to reductions in aquatic life that would otherwise not be affected by acidification.

7. Air Pollution

Air pollution is becoming an increasingly dangerous problem, particularly in heavily-populated cities. The World Health Organization (WHO) has found that 80% of people living in urban areas are exposed to air quality levels deemed unfit by the organization.

It is also directly linked to other environmental issues, such as acid rain and eutrophication. Animals and humans are also at risk of developing a number of health problems due to air pollution.

We have written a sperate article breaking down 6 Causes of Air Pollution, their effects along with some solutions to this growing problem. After doing extensive research we were able to see how these issues may impact our future.

6. Lowered Biodiversity

Continued human activities and expansion has led to lowered biodiversity. A lack of biodiversity means that future generations will have to deal with increasing vulnerability of plants to pests and fewer sources of fresh water.

Some studies have found that lowered biodiversity has as pronounced an impact as climate change and pollution on ecosystems, particularly in areas with higher amounts of species extinction.

5. The Nitrogen Cycle

With most of the focus being placed on the carbon cycle, the effects of human use of nitrogen often slips under the radar. It is estimated that agriculture may be responsible for half of the nitrogen fixation on earth, primarily through the use and production of man-made fertilizers.

Excess levels of nitrogen in water can cause issues in marine ecosystems, primarily through overstimulation of plant and algae growth. This can result in blocked intakes and less light getting to deeper waters, damaging the rest of the marine population.

4. Natural Resource Use

Recent studies have shown that humanity uses so many natural resources that we would need almost 1.5 Earths to cover our needs. This is only set to increase as industrialization continues in nations like China and India.

Increased resource use is linked to a number of other environmental issues, such as air pollution and population growth. Over time, the depletion of these resources will lead to an energy crisis, plus the chemicals emitted by many natural resources are strong contributors to climate change.

3. Transportation

An ever-growing population needs transportation, much of which is fueled by the natural resources that emit greenhouse gases, such as petroleum. In 2014, transportation accounted for 26% of all greenhouse gas emissions.

Transportation also contributes to a range of other environmental issues, such as the destruction of natural habitats and increase in air pollution.

2. Polar Ice Caps

The issue of the melting of polar ice caps is a contentious one. While NASA studies have shown that the amount of ice in Antarctica is actually increasing, these rises only amount to a third of what is being lost in the Arctic.

There is strong evidence to suggest that sea levels are rising, with the Arctic ice caps melting being a major contributor. Over time, this could lead to extensive flooding, contamination of drinking water and major changes in ecosystems.

1. Climate Change

The majority of the issues previously listed contribute or are linked to climate change. Statistics created by NASA state that global temperatures have risen by 1.7 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880, which is directly linked to a reduction in Arctic ice of 13.3% per decade.

The effects of climate change are widespread, as it will cause issues with deforestation, water supplies, oceans and ecosystems. Each of these have widespread implications of their own, marking climate change as the major environmental issue the planet faces today.

The Final Word

The impact that human activities have on the environment around us is undeniable and more studies are being conducted each year to show the extent of the issue.

Climate change and the many factors that contribute to emissions could lead to catastrophic issues in the future.

More needs to be done to remedy the major environmental issues that affect us today. If this doesn't happen, the possibility exists that great swathes of the planet will become uninhabitable in the future.

The good news is that many of these issues can be controlled. By making adjustments, humanity can have a direct and positive impact on the environment.

Please feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below or engage your friends in discussion about the environment on social media.

Resources
Featured Image Credit: Ian Burt @ Flickr

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Environmental Issues: Top 17 List of Problems (With Examples)

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The effect that humanity is having on the environment is becoming ever-more important. Through our actions we are destroying habitats and endangering the lives of future generations. At this point there is no denying the fact that our environment is changing.

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Artists Against Climate change is a blog site where you can read about climate change topics, see artwork about climate change, as well as get interesting ideas about how you can help the environment! The blog is free to read and has really great resources :)

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In 2005, in an article titled " What the Warming World Needs Now Is Art, Sweet Art," 350.org founder Bill McKibben wrote that although we knew about climate change, we didn't really know about it; it wasn't part of the culture yet. "Where are the books? The plays? The goddamn operas?" he asked. An intellectual understanding of the scientific facts was not enough - if we wanted to move forward and effect meaningful change, we needed to engage the other side of our brains. We needed to approach the problem with our imagination. And the people best suited to help us do that, he believed, were the artists.

It took some time for artists to heed the call. Perhaps the problem was too big. Perhaps it was too political. Or perhaps they were not getting the kind of institutional support that would ensure the work got "out there." Nonetheless, obstacles eventually lifted enough to allow deeply-engaged, throughout-provoking and artistically-savvy responses to climate change to start showing up in galleries, concert halls and theaters. Finally, the cold scientific facts were being translated into human emotions. Finally, we had guidance, or at the very least a departure point for reflection. Finally, this huge, intangible issue that is climate change was being broken down into small personal components. And that was just the beginning.

Today, interesting artistic work about climate change is popping up all over the world, in all kinds of venues. It shows up in opera houses and hip hop poetry slams, in established galleries and on-the-fly exhibitions, in off-Broadway houses and regional theatres. The goal of this blog is to track these works and gather them in one place. It is both a study of what is being done, and a resource for anyone interested in the subject. We deeply believe that what artists have to say about climate change will shape our values and behavior for years to come. For that reason alone, we should pay attention.

Artists & Climate Change is an initiative of The Arctic Cycle.

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In 2005, in an article titled "What the Warming World Needs Now Is Art, Sweet Art," 350.org founder Bill McKibben wrote that although we knew about climate change, we didn't really know about it; it wasn't part of the culture yet. "Where are the books? The plays? The goddamn operas?"

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Table of Contents:

So You Want to Try Painting Watercolors

You may be a little intimidated by the thought of using watercolors. You may have heard that there are as many watercolor techniques as there are artists trying to master them. But, if you've ever stood in a museum and been inspired by the works of such noted watercolorists as J.M.W. Turner, Winslow Homer, or Jamie Wyeth, then as a budding watercolorist yourself, it's worth the effort.

It's not unusual to feel hesitant - a lot of artists who excel at other media feel the same way when they begin. Why does it have this reputation? Because, unlike other media, such as acrylic and oil, these paints react differently and, at first, can seem hard to manipulate. But, you shouldn't let whatever you've heard about their difficulty - or even your past experiences - deter you. Once practiced some watercolor painting techniques, you'll realize how wonderful it is!

Painting with pigments mixed with water is an ancient art form. Throughout the years, those who have mastered it have shared watercolor techniques. And, whether you've never picked a brush up before or have already given it a try, we're here to offer these tried-and-true methods to inspire the creation of your own original pieces.

Watercolorists worldwide enjoy this versatile medium for a variety of reasons. It's one of the most portable media, making it a popular media for those who love to get out of the studio or for adding vibrancy through color to a sketchbook. Just throw a tin of half-pans along with a pencil, paper or sketchbook, and water brushes in a bag or backpack and you're ready to paint practically anywhere and anything - urban scenes, nature, animals, or quick portraits. It doesn't need any smelly or toxic solvents for thinning or cleaning. And, speaking of cleaning, all you need is a mild soap.

Get Ready to Start

A pencil, paper, brushes, paint, palette, and water are all that's required. We recommend starting with these basics to make sure it's right for you. You'll find it's less messy, cleans up quickly, and is portable!

More Watercolor Painting Techniques to Try

Here are some of the most common watercolor artmaking techniques. Take a piece of thick paper and have fun with these.

Remember, even famous artists started out as beginners, so you're in good company. We believe after viewing our video and reviewing these easy-to-try methods, you've discovered the secrets to painting with watercolors!

Always Use High-Quality Paint & Paper

One thing all watercolor artists agree on is that it is imperative that you always use the highest quality materials you can afford. We used high-quality paint and paper in the demonstration in this watercolor video techniques for painting. You should know that low-quality paints tend to crack after drying or have a dull, chalky after-effect that will distract from the beauty of the painting. When looking at different brands, Arteza Watercolor Paint - 60 Colors (60 x 12ml/0.4 US fl oz) is a great choice for beginners and advanced painters alike. They come in a variety of pigments in easy-to-squeeze tubes and are organized in trays for quick storage.

Just as paint of a lesser quality will negatively impact your painting, so, too, will low-quality paper. Thin papers will buckle or tear when it comes in contact with water, so high-density papers work the best for the techniques that you will be trying. The Arteza 9x12" Watercolor Pads, 32 Sheets - Pack of 2 works well since it is 140lb paper that is strong enough to hold lots of water.

For your convenience, we offer free shipping on all products shown with these watercolor making techniques. Be sure to check out the link in the description to find the right beginner set as you explore making the art you'll love.

We hope you have enjoyed this watercolor tutorial on techniques to try! In addition to helping you get the hang of this complex, yet intriguing medium, we hope it has also inspired you. You're starting an exciting new journey in your art adventure and we know that these tips and techniques will take you from beginner to beyond in no time at all.

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You may be a little intimidated by the thought of using watercolors. You may have heard that there are as many watercolor techniques as there are artists trying to master them. But, if you've ever stood in a museum and been inspired by the works of such noted watercolorists as J.M.W.

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If you enjoyed using watercolors for this unit, this website offers tutorials and fun ideas if you want to continue using watercolors!

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33 Watercolor Techniques & Painting Tutorials

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The ultimate FREE guide (with pics!) to watercolor techniques every watercolorist should know! Includes techniques for texture, special effects & more.