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MoMA | How to use watercolor: still life tutorial | IN THE STUDIO

Dec 11, 2025

VIDEO

Jia Sung is a Singaporean-Chinese artist based in Brooklyn, whose practice includes painting, drawing, books, and even contemporary tapestry, employing influences from mythology to Buddhism.


With this engagingly instructive video - part of MoMA’s IN THE STUDIO series - she takes viewers step by fascinating step through her process of applying watercolors to a work of art. She makes insightful references to both Paul Cezanne and Georgia O’Keefe along the way.


"I really like watercolor for its immediacy," she explains. "There's something about how simple it is, that feels just really approachable. More water, less control; less water, more control."


This makes watercolors perfect for introducing kids to painting without much fuss and frustration.


By the way, a couple of our favorite watercolors from the permanent collection at MoMA are Elizabeth Peyton’s ‘John 1971’ (a portrait of Beatles legend John Lennon), and Marc Chagall’s exuberant ‘Gypsy’, from 1942.


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Check it out! MoMA's Heyman Family Programs series has some great ways to engage with creativity.


Notably, their Art Lab, open 11am - 5pm - and FREE with museum admission - lets kids explore the relationship between art, sound and everyday life. There are also ongoing Family Story Time events on Wednesday mornings, regular UNIQLO Family Day experiences, and Family Gallery Talks. Just click on this link for the most up-to-date info.





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