I’ve been drawing for years but it was only recently that I started using fountain pens for drawing. While disposable technical pens are convenient, they can be expensive in the long run because you have to replace them frequently. Plus the felt tips get worn out with use which creates ragged lines. Fountain pens have a number of advantages over …
10 Tips to Make Color Mixing Less Frustrating for Beginners
Color mixing is one of those things that looks like it should be easy, but once you try it for yourself you realize there’s a lot to it. In this post, I cover the top 10 color mixing tips that I have for beginners. Over the past few years, my color mixing videos have gone viral on social media. I …
7 Differences Between Stretched Canvas & Canvas Panels
I paint on both stretched canvas and canvas panels. They each have their own advantages and provide different painting experiences. Which one you will prefer will probably depend on how you like to paint. To help you decide which is best for you, I list the differences between canvas panels and stretched canvas below. *The links in this post that …
How Long Does It Take for Water Mixable Oils to Dry?
Water mixable oils are a unique painting medium. You can use them like regular oils but you don’t need solvents. They’re basically regular oils that you can clean up with water. They’ve only been around since the 1990s so they’re not as widely used as traditional oils. Naturally, if you’re thinking about switching to water mixable oils from another medium, …
How to Ship Small Paintings With Free Envelopes!
Okay, so you sold a painting. It’s a great feeling, isn’t it? But then you realize that you have to ship your painting across the country. Figuring out how to ship a painting without damaging it can be a little intimidating. There are so many options. Do I use bubble wrap to protect the painting? Can I buy postage online …
What Can You Mix With Water Mixable Oils?
Water mixable oils are a relatively recent invention. They are a special type of oil paint that you can clean up with soap and water. You can also thin them down with water instead of paint thinner. So since you can thin them with water, you may be wondering if you mix them with water based painting mediums such as …
The Simple Way to Use Oil Paints Without Thinner
If you’re like me, then you probably don’t like using paint thinner because of the smell. Not only is it unpleasant, it can also be toxic. One solution is to use odorless paint thinner. But even odorless paint thinner requires ventilation. So maybe you’re wondering if you can just use oils without paint thinner. Can you use oil paint without …
The Top 5 Ways Linen Is Different Than Canvas
Many artists have questions about how linen fabric differs in comparison to canvas. In this post, I explain the 5 major differences are between linen and canvas. Canvas and linen differ in texture, strength, durability, and what they’re made from. I write about these differences in more detail throughout this article. However, for the sake of convenience, I include a …
How to Get the Last Bit of Paint Out of a Tube-The Easy Way
Paint is expensive so it helps to squeeze out every last bit of it out of the tube. No matter how much you squeeze the tube with your fingers, you’ll never get it all of the paint out. Plus you might strain your hands in the process. How do you get the last bit of paint out of the tube? …
5 Reasons Why Color Wheels Aren’t Helpful for Mixing Colors
Some of my color mixing videos went viral over the past year on social media. As a result, I receive a lot of questions about color wheels. Some of the comments are about how to use color wheels for mixing colors. The interesting thing is that I don’t really rely on color wheels or recommend them very often. Color wheels …
