Artists and Illustrators Magazine: The UK's Leading Magazine for Practising Artists

Artists and Illustrators is the UK's leading magazine for practising artists, published monthly since 1986 and covering the full range of painting and illustration techniques, materials, artist profiles, and exhibition news for artists working in traditional and digital media. The magazine has built its reputation on a combination of high-quality technique instruction, inspiring artist profiles, and practical coverage of the materials and equipment that artists use, making it one of the most valuable and trusted resources for practising artists in the UK.

The magazine's focus on practising artists is one of its most important characteristics. Unlike art history or criticism publications that address art from an academic or curatorial perspective, Artists and Illustrators is written for people who make art, covering the practical aspects of artistic practice including technique, materials, and the professional and business dimensions of an artistic career. This practical orientation makes it immediately useful for artists who want to develop their skills and their practice rather than simply appreciate art from a distance.

The Technique Content

The technique content is the heart of the magazine and the area where its value to practising artists is most clearly demonstrated. Each issue includes detailed technique articles covering specific aspects of painting and illustration, with step-by-step demonstrations by professional artists that show exactly how specific effects and approaches are achieved.

The technique articles cover a wide range of media and approaches, from traditional oil painting and watercolour through acrylic, pastel, coloured pencil, and digital illustration. The breadth of media coverage reflects the magazine's understanding that its readership includes artists working in many different media, and that the most valuable technique instruction is instruction that is specific to the particular challenges and possibilities of each medium.

The step-by-step demonstrations are one of the most popular features of the magazine, providing detailed visual documentation of the process of creating a specific painting or illustration from start to finish. These demonstrations are valuable both for the specific techniques they demonstrate and for the model of professional practice they provide, showing how accomplished artists approach specific subjects and challenges.

The Artist Profiles

The artist profiles are another important and popular feature of the magazine, providing in-depth coverage of the work and practice of professional artists across a range of media and styles. The profiles cover both established artists with long professional careers and emerging artists who are developing distinctive voices and approaches, providing a picture of the current state of British and international painting and illustration.

The profiles are valuable both for the inspiration they provide and for the practical insight they offer into the working methods and professional practices of accomplished artists. Many profiles include studio visits, process photographs, and detailed discussion of the specific materials and approaches the artist uses, providing the kind of behind-the-scenes access that is genuinely informative for practising artists.

The Materials Coverage

The materials coverage is one of the most practically useful aspects of the magazine, with regular reviews of new and established art materials that help artists make informed decisions about the products they use. The materials reviews are written by practising artists who have direct experience of the products they review, and the reviews are honest and specific rather than promotional.

The materials coverage includes both reviews of specific products and broader articles on the characteristics and uses of different materials, providing both the specific product information that artists need for purchasing decisions and the broader understanding of materials that helps artists make more informed choices about their practice.

The Online Presence

The Artists and Illustrators website extends the magazine's content online, with tutorials, artist profiles, and other content that complements the print edition. The website also provides access to the magazine's archive, allowing subscribers to access back issues and to search for specific technique articles and artist profiles.

The online tutorials are particularly valuable, providing video demonstrations of techniques that are difficult to convey fully in the print format. The video tutorials complement the step-by-step articles in the print magazine, providing a more complete picture of the techniques being demonstrated.

The Competitions and Events

Artists and Illustrators runs several competitions throughout the year that provide opportunities for artists to have their work seen by a wide audience and to receive recognition from the professional art community. The competitions cover different media and subjects, and the winning and shortlisted works are published in the magazine and on the website.

The magazine also organises and promotes workshops and events that provide opportunities for artists to develop their skills with instruction from professional artists. These events range from day workshops covering specific techniques through longer residential courses that provide more intensive instruction and the opportunity to work in inspiring locations.

The Bottom Line

Artists and Illustrators is the UK's most valuable and trusted magazine for practising artists, combining high-quality technique instruction, inspiring artist profiles, and practical materials coverage in a format that is immediately useful for artists who want to develop their skills and their practice. For UK-based artists who want to stay connected with the current state of British painting and illustration and who want access to practical technique instruction from professional artists, Artists and Illustrators is one of the most important and reliable resources available.