Artists Palette – Issue 208 2026

Summary

Donna Gilbertson's Celtic-inspired cover art leads Artists Palette Issue 208 2026, with a History of Celtic Art feature, a Christmas Buyers Guide Part 2, and five full step-by-step demonstrations spanning acrylics, pencils, oils and mixed media.

Artists Palette Issue 208 2026 features cover artist Donna Gilbertson, whose journey from singing and ballet to visual arts is profiled. A History of Celtic Art explores the mystical and inventive culture behind Celtic design. The Christmas Buyers Guide Part 2 rounds up art materials from favourite suppliers. Step-by-step demonstrations include Donna Gilbertson's Colour in Flight acrylic, Chantel Rose Smith's celebrity portrait of Willem Dafoe in pencil, Paula Wiegmink's Tears of the Rhino acrylic on emotion and impact, June Graham's Early Morning oils capturing Australian countryside sun, and Barbara Kenny's Blue Mountains acrylic and mixed media tribute. Chantel Rose Smith shares her intense study and future success story. Paula Wiegmink traces influences from the African bush to teaching art in Australia. Regulars include Letters to the Editor, Woodlands Gallery and What's On.

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Content Guide

Insights

p.12 · Donna Gilbertson
From singing and ballet in childhood to visual arts in the 1980s, Gilbertson's artistic journey is traced through her Celtic and nature-inspired work. She names the specific moment she committed to art full-time.

p.24 · Chantel Rose Smith
A passion for art combined with intense study has ensured the success of this driven and creative artist. Her portrait technique is detailed in the step-by-step section.

p.36 · Paula Wiegmink
From a childhood surrounded by the African bush to teaching art in Australia, Wiegmink's work now appears in private and commercial collections worldwide. Her acrylic technique for emotional impact is demonstrated in Tears of the Rhino.

Features

p.32 · A History of Celtic Art
The history of Celtic art shows a mystical, inventive and stoic culture. The article traces patterns, materials and symbolism from ancient metalwork through illuminated manuscripts to contemporary Celtic-inspired design.

p.44 · Christmas Buyers Guide Part 2
A range of choices from favourite art materials suppliers, covering paints, papers, brushes and gift sets for the holiday season.

Demonstrations

p.18 · Acrylics — Colour in Flight
Donna Gilbertson uses a variety of techniques to create this artwork, including layering, glazing and dry brush for feather textures.

p.28 · Pencils — Celebrity Portrait: Willem Dafoe
Chantel Rose Smith uses a favourite photograph to create a portrait masterpiece. The specific pencil grades and paper texture are named.

p.40 · Acrylic — Emotion and Impact: Tears of the Rhino
Paula Wiegmink wanted her painting to have impact and tell a conservation story. The article covers her glazing technique for achieving depth in the animal's eye.

p.56 · Oils — Early Morning
June Graham captures the glory of the morning sun on the Australian countryside. The colour mixing formula for the golden-hour light is given.

p.63 · Acrylic and Mixed Media — Blue Mountains
Barbara Kenny pays homage to the beauty of the Blue Mountains. The mixed media approach combines acrylic washes with textured collage elements.

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Editor's Take

Artists Palette delivers consistent practical value for amateur and intermediate artists through its demonstration-led format. Five full step-by-step tutorials across acrylic, pencil, oil and mixed media give the issue exceptional variety. The Celtic Art history feature adds educational depth that balances the practical sections. Weaknesses: the Christmas Buyers Guide Part 2 is essentially a catalogue — it lists products without critical evaluation of which represent genuine value. The Winsor & Newton Gibralter advertorial content blurs the line between editorial and advertising. The Letters to the Editor section is the thinnest regular with only four reader entries. The magazine's production values are modest but functional.

Strengths
• Five step-by-step demonstrations across multiple media
• Celtic Art history feature balances practical content with education
• Paula Wiegmink's Tears of the Rhino demonstrates genuine conservation-art crossover

Weaknesses
• Christmas Buyers Guide is catalogue-style without critical evaluation
• Letters section is thin with only four entries

Verdict: Recommended — Strong practical value for amateur and intermediate artists; the demonstration section alone justifies the price.