How to Store and Protect Art Supplies Between Sessions - art supply storage & paper protection

How to Choose Watercolor Paints for Your Practice

How to Choose Watercolor Paints for Your Practice Start with the way you paint Choosing watercolor paint is easier when you begin with your habits rather than a…

Selecting Brushes for Oil and Acrylic Painting Begin with the painting surface The surface and the way you apply paint influence which brush feels right. Consider the scale of the work too: large areas are easier to cover with broader tools, while small forms need greater control.…

How to Organize Brushes and Keep Them Ready to Use

How to Organize Brushes and Keep Them Ready to Use Organize around workflow A brush holder is most useful when it supports the way you paint. Place frequently…

•Using Palette Knives for Mixing and Expressive Marks

Using Palette Knives for Mixing and Expressive Marks Understand the two main roles A palette knife can mix paint on a palette and, when suitable for the medium and surface, apply paint directly to a painting. Mixing is usually about combining colors evenly and managing consistency;…

How to Choose Paper for Drawing and Painting

How to Choose Paper for Drawing and Painting Match paper to the medium Keep unused sheets flat, clean, and away from excessive moisture and direct sunlight. Handle paper with clean hands when a pristine surface matters.…

Building a Practical Drawing and Illustration Kit

Building a Practical Drawing and Illustration Kit Start with the work you want to make A drawing kit should support the kinds of images you actually create. Quick sketches, precise line drawings, shaded studies, and mixed-media illustrations require…

How to Choose an Easel for Your Workspace›

How to Choose an Easel for Your Workspace Think about where you work The right easel depends on whether you paint at a fixed studio station, move between rooms, or work outdoors. Consider the floor space…

Canvas or Painting Panel: How to Choose a Surface

Canvas or Painting Panel: How to Choose a Surface Decide how you want the surface to respond Canvas and rigid panels offer different working experiences. A flexible surface may move slightly under pressure, while a rigid support can feel more…

A Better Way to Mix Colors on an Artist’s Palette

A Better Way to Mix Colors on an Artist’s Palette Arrange colors for a clear workflow A palette becomes easier to use when colors have consistent positions and mixed colors have their own space. The exact arrangement is personal, but keeping it stable helps you recognize colors quickly…

Porcelain or Plastic Palette: What Should You Consider?

Porcelain or Plastic Palette: What Should You Consider? Compare the way each surface feels If you paint in different locations, the weight and shape of a palette may matter as much as its mixing area. For…

How to Set Up a Folding Palette for Painting Away from Home Plan a compact color selection A folding palette is most useful when its contents are planned for the session. Choose colors that can be combined into the range you expect to need, rather than filling every…

Organizing a Watercolor Tin for Efficient Painting›

Organizing a Watercolor Tin for Efficient Painting Build a palette around subjects Avoid contaminating one well with another color. Do not force a brush into a small well in a way that damages its tip. Organize colors so that neighboring wells are easy to distinguish, especially when several colors look similar at…

When Paper Palettes Are Useful for Painting

When Paper Palettes Are Useful for Painting Understand the purpose Before starting, arrange colors along an edge or in a consistent sequence, leaving open space for mixtures. If you work with many mixtures, use a fresh area rather than repeatedly scraping through old paint. This helps prevent the…

Choosing a Brush Holder for a Small Art Space

Choosing a Brush Holder for a Small Art Space Measure the space first A useful system is one you can reset in less than a minute. If brushes frequently end up in the wrong place, reduce the number of categories or keep the most-used tools together. Organization should…

Managing Color Mixing in Oil Painting↗

Managing Color Mixing in Oil Painting Set up the palette clearly Combine a little of one color with another and test the mixture before making a larger quantity. If the mixture becomes too strong,…

•Selecting a Surface for Mixed Drawing and Illustration

Selecting a Surface for Mixed Drawing and Illustration List the materials in your process A surface that works well for one drawing tool may not behave the same way with another. Consider the order…