Combining oils and acrylics in the same painting will allow you take advantage of the unique properties of each medium. Acrylics dry quickly so you can block in large areas of color and fix mistakes immediately. Oils dry much slower so they allow you to create smooth blends and soft edges with ease. However, you have to be careful with …
12 Tips That Will Make Your Paintbrushes Last Longer
I’ve ruined a number of paintbrushes in my career as an artist. I’m guilty of violating every guideline that I list below. Over the years I slowly figured out what was destroying my brushes and changed my habits. You may not be able to follow all of these guidelines, but your brushes should last longer if you implement even just …
How Long Does It Take for Gesso to Dry?
If you’re wondering how long it takes for gesso to dry then you’re probably eager to start working on your painting. Or perhaps you’re wondering how long you have to wait before applying another coat of gesso. The answer varies depending upon the circumstances, as described in detail below. How long does it take gesso to dry? Gesso dries to …
7 Photoshop Tips for Adjusting Photos of Paintings
It takes a long time to become proficient with Photoshop. As an artist you probably don’t have much time for learning it. It contains a lot of features that you’ll never use and it takes time to find the relevant information. So I came up with a short list of tips and tricks to help get you started. I frequently …
17 Tips for Saving Money on Art Supplies
Here are my top 17 tips for saving money on art supplies. I have developed these tips over the decades I have spent making art. As an art student it was a necessity for me to save money on supplies, but today I enjoy being frugal for different reasons. As Ben Franklin said “A penny saved is better than a …
Can I Mix Different Brands of Acrylic Paint?
It’s common to experiment with different brands of acrylic paint to see which one you prefer. At some point you’re going to wonder if it’s okay to mix them. The information that I’ve found from the manufacturers says that it’s okay to mix different brands of acrylic paint. However, you have to be aware that you’ll be averaging the properties …
What Are the Wooden Wedges That Come with a Canvas For?
If you buy a canvas from a store you may notice that it comes with small wooden wedges. These wedges are called “canvas keys” and they’re for tightening the canvas. Canvas keys are optional and they don’t work if the corners of the stretcher bars are stapled or glued. Art stores usually have a bucket of canvas keys next to …
The Easiest Painting Medium for Beginners
Thinking of taking up painting as a hobby? You may be wondering which painting medium is easiest for beginners. To be honest, learning how to paint requires consistent practice and effort. However, some painting mediums are easier to get started with than others. I believe acrylics have many qualities that make them more beginner friendly than oils or watercolors. Acrylics …
How to Mix Sky Blue with Acrylic Paint
When people mention “Sky Blue” they are usually referring to a generic light blue color, instead of the exact color of a blue sky. In this article, I demonstrate how to mix a variety of colors that could be used as Sky Blue. I also demonstrate how to match the exact color of the sky from direct observation. Sky Blue …
How to Mix Red
I’ve never taken a painting class that teaches how to mix Red. If the class covers color theory at all, they teach that red is a primary color and that you can’t mix it from other colors. This isn’t true. You can mix red with just two colors; Quinacridone Magenta, and Hansa Yellow Medium. This is not a new idea. …
