If you have tried your hand at landscape painting, you may have found, as I did, that taking your wet paintings home at the end of the day without damaging them can be quite a challenge. It is very disappointing to find your carefully painted passages marked and smeared all over the rest of your… Read more »
Why make colour charts? There are several compelling reasons why I wanted to make my own colour charts. It all boils down to what I knew I would learn in the process: Learning to mix different colours. This sounds simple but it was one of the things I found most difficult when first starting to… Read more »
When I first wanted to start painting I wondered which colours to buy. I did some research and discovered many different palette systems. That is particular sets of colours that work together. Each system seemed to come with a particular way of thinking; an approach required to make best use of that particular set of… Read more »
The search for the perfect drawing paper, part 2: As an artist you are likely to take an interest the paper you’re using. If you don’t, you should. It’s important for several reasons: Ease of use Finish desired Marks required Duration of work Scale of work Longevity The first post in this series was about… Read more »
The search for the perfect drawing paper: As an artist you are likely to take an interest the paper you’re using. If you don’t, you should. It’s important for several reasons: Ease of use Finish desired Marks required Duration of work Scale of work Longevity This post is about the importance of your choice of… Read more »
You may have read recent press coverage of the discovery in South Africa of 100,000 year old ochre based oil paint in South Africa. If you haven’t may wish to: National Geographic Article (The Original) Science Article Abstract The Art Instinct I was struck by how much we share with these early artists and just… Read more »
I am often asked, “What kind of charcoal are you using?” There are a few kinds of charcoal but their qualities are suprisingly diverse. I use all of them – for different purposes. Here is a quick run down of the different types and their key characteristics: Willow charcoal Willow charcoal is a made from… Read more »