In this post, I cover the top 90 art terms that are most relevant to drawing, painting, and photography. There are many terms that are unique to art. You’ll encounter new words and phrases when learning about art through books, magazines, and workshops. If you don’t understand what they mean, it will be difficult to follow the discussion. Some of …
The 6 Options for Painting the Sides of a Canvas
In this article, I cover the 6 most common options for painting the sides of a canvas. I also include a number of tips to help you decide which option is best for you. The most popular solutions that I’ve seen are to paint the edges a solid color, leave them white, or to frame the painting. 1 Leave the …
Liquitex Acrylic Gouache Review and Demo Painting
I’ve always wanted to try some version of matte acrylics so when Liquitex announced they were introducing a line of acrylic gouache, I knew I wanted to give them a try. There are fifty colors to choose from and they range from opaque to semi-opaque. They also offer sets of primary colors or fluorescent colors. In this review, I’m using …
Color Mixing Demo: Matching 8 Colors With Acrylics
Everybody has a simple understanding of the basic color mixing recipes, but it requires more skill to match a color exactly. Fortunately, there are some basic strategies and principles that you can learn. In this article, I discuss the basic color mixing strategies that I use for achieving exact color matches. It includes a 20 minute video where I match …
11 Ways to Mix Black Paint
In this post, I provide 11 different ways to mix black paint. I also include a YouTube video that demonstrates all of the color mixing formulas for black. While it’s convenient to buy a tube of black and squeeze it out on your palette, there are a number of benefits of mixing your own. Aside from learning more about color …
How to Photograph Art: Solutions to Common Problems
Introduction Below are the solutions to the most common problems that I see artists encountering when photographing their own artwork. Being able to take accurate photos of your artwork is very important. It’s the photographs of your paintings that are what makes the first impression on collectors, jurors, and art lovers. As an artist, you should strive to improve your …
The 7 Colors You Need to Begin Painting with Acrylics
If you’re a beginner, selecting a set of colors to start with can be intimidating. Some lines of acrylics have over hundred colors to choose from. Obviously it’s not practical to buy them all. It would cost a fortune, and it would be impossible to manage all of those colors on your palette. So the next logical step is to …
Do I Need to Prime a Canvas for Acrylics?
Priming a canvas with gesso is necessary when painting with oils because the linseed oil in the paint will eventually cause the canvas to deteriorate. You may be wondering if the same problem exits with acrylics. Do I need to gesso a canvas for acrylic Painting? No, it’s not necessary to gesso a canvas when painting with acrylics. You can …
Can I Hang a Painting in the Bathroom?
You’ve bought a painting that you absolutely love, and you think you’ve found the perfect spot for it. The only problem is that the “perfect spot” is in the bathroom. Can I hang a painting in the bathroom? Original works of art shouldn’t be displayed in the bathroom because of the frequent changes to the temperature and humidity can damage …
8 Palettes for Acrylic Painting
There are a wide variety of palettes available for acrylic painting. In this post I cover every palette that I have tried and I explain what their advantages and disadvantages are. I also offer tips on how to arrange your colors on the palette in the most efficient manner. These palettes aren’t listed in any specific order. Visit my recommended …
