These 5 NEW beautiful watercolours (available in 15ml tubes) bring the total number to 266 for the DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolour line – are you ready to add them to your palette?
King’s Royal Blue is soft and calming – excellent for summer skies, placid waters and tranquil florals.
Chrome Titanate Yellow is an earthy shade that’s great for mixing or use straight from the tube to paint florals, leaves and landscapes.
Iridescent Vibrant Raspberry is a stunning Luminescent that reflects dazzling bursts of deep raspberry when used over darker colors. It’s the perfect choice for orchids, bird wings, dragonflies, fish scales and fantasy worlds!
Black (Blue/Orange) is a soft neutral black that’s perfect for shadows, metals, stormy skies and angry seas.
Black (Red/Green) is a rich dark black that’s great for inky backgrounds and natural objects like fur, feathers or river rocks.
Production of fine art papers by the Lana mill in France goes back to late 16th century. Lanaquarelle is only one of many fine art papers produced by this mouldmade and machinemade mill.
Lanaquarelle is not heavily sized giving it a softer handle than most watercolour papers without compromising its ability to take dry brush techniques or wet on wet applications. It also happens to be an extremely forgiving sheet with which to work.
The sheet has gained enormous popularity by printmakers as a result of not being heavily sized and works incredibly well for flat bed lithography, intaglio and serigraphy.
Lanaquarelle was the very first watercolour range to offer a very white shade of paper.
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Pastelmat's single and original surface is a true innovation that combines the advantages of two traditional papers. The fine particles are sufficiently well-fixed for a smooth surface and comfort of use, and the smoothness of the cork grain in the adhesive ensures longevity.
The character "fixing" of this surface is so extraordinary that the positioning of multiple layers of pastels and the realization of flat tints, precise details, or delicate and transparent veils are easily achieved.
The use of fixative is not necessary with Pastelmat. The rigidity, weight, and non-acidity, as well as the paper's light-resistance, guarantee conservation of your artwork. However, it is recommended that a sheet of acid-free translucent paper be placed over finished artworks created on Pastelmat.
Pastelmat's are acid free, archival, lightfast and water-resistant. They are Ideal for use with: Soft Pastel, PanPastel ®, Pencil & Charcoal.
Please note: Due to inherent differences in computer monitors, colours displayed on the below colour chart may not accurately represent the actual colour.
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Artistico Traditional White paper is a traditional white shade with no use of optical brighteners. It is mould-made of 100% cotton, sized both internally and externally (no animal component), acid-free/neutral pH and chlorine-free, with two deckle edges, with the Artistico watermark running along. Made with 100% cotton produced with mould made process, a special industrial process that reproduces the typical characteristics of hand-made paper, which is why it is also called “manomacchina”. The paper is available in the three classic watercolor surfaces: Hot Pressed, Cold Pressed and Rough. As with Artistico Extra White, it takes well both lifting and scraping without compromising its quality. This professional-paper is suitable for all water media, printmaking, digital printing, charcoal and drawing purposes. Professional quality at a great price. |
It is now common knowledge that Fabriano is where Western paper making began. Ever since, the mill hasn’t ceased to innovate, from the creation of the watermark in 1282 to the invention of sizing. Today, all paper mills specialized in fine art paper still use rabbit skin glue as sizing, except one. Fabriano indeed likes to be one step ahead. A few years ago, the mill invented a non-animal sizing to avoid the undesirable smell while improving the performance of the paper in regards to paint. Today Fabriano enhance the value of its “Artistico” paper thanks to an enhanced quality and a presentation appropriate to its reputation. Here are the highlights of this paper: improved surface sizing, stronger surface, 4 deckled-edges, fixed-point watermark, Vegan Friendly product. Artistico is available in 2 shades of white: Traditional and Extra White, both without bleaches or optical brighteners, 4 surfaces: satin, soft grain, fine grain, coarse grain. • Mould-made 100% cotton paper
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Liquitex is proud to introduce 12 new colours to the Heavy Body range. This exciting extension provides even more opportunities for artists to expand their palette and indulge in creativity. Made with fine art pigments, Heavy Body is perfect for bold impasto work, holding crisp brush strokes and knife marks, and creating texture.
Now available in the Heavy Body range: Light Bismuth Yellow, Light Phthalocyanine Green, Indigo, Transparent Orange, Iridescent Rose Gold, Iridescent Black, Fluorescent Yellow, Fluorescent Orange, Fluorescent Green, Fluorescent Blue, Fluorescent Pink, and Fluorescent Red.
Light Bismuth Yellow - A toned-down version of the iconic Bismuth Yellow, known well from watercolour, great for mixing and highlights.
Light Phthalocyanine Green - A strong, vivid, opaque colour, great for mixing natural greens, beautiful greys and pastel tints.
Indigo - A deep, dark midnight blue, great for mixing black tints, greys, greens and purples.
Transparent Orange - A fully transparent orange with a deep red-orange mass tone and yellowish undertone made from a hybrid pigment – an innovation in pigment manufacturing which blends organic and inorganic pigments.
Iridescent Rose Gold - A beautiful opaque colour which reveals an iridescent luster with hints of rose and gold tones.
Iridescent Black - A strong black with mica particles for an iridescent shine
Fluorescent Pink - A vivid mid-range pink made with polymer coated dyes to give instant fluorescence.
Fluorescent Blue - A vivid mid-range blue made with polymer coated dyes to give instant fluorescence.
Fluorescent Green - A vivid mid-range green made with polymer coated dyes to give instant fluorescence.
Fluorescent Yellow - A vivid mid-range yellow made with polymer coated dyes to give instant fluorescence.
Fluorescent Orange - A vivid mid-range orange made with polymer coated dyes to give instant fluorescence.
Fluorescent Red - A vivid mid-range red made with polymer coated dyes to give instant fluorescence.
Fluorescents have a great visual impact when combined. Use on white underground for great effects, or with dark surroundings for optimal contrast.
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There is no colour medium that has made a greater impact on the advance of artistic achievement, particularly in the Western world, than oil colour. Our traditions over the centuries from the Renaissance to the present have placed the oil colourist at the forefront of those who have influenced the evolution of visual artistic expression.
For the manufacturer of artists’ paints, there has been an ever present challenge of improving the quality and performance of oil colour. It is a medium that has never been easy to use. Toxic solvents have been an important element in the use of the traditional oil medium. For many, the medium resulted in allergic reactions while, for others, the use of solvents in the painting and clean up process was offensive. The presence of oil and solvent in the process made use by the young difficult, if not hazardous.
There has always existed the need for an oil colour for the professional and for the student with all the handling qualities and characteristics of a true oil colour, but without the negatives of the traditional medium. Now technology has produced a solution through the use of the most logical of mediums.... water.
The production of a water soluble oil colour has been solved by different manufacturers in different ways, though not all seem to have the qualities of a true oil colour. Holbein’s objective in formulating DUO Aqua Oil Color was production of a genuine oil colour for the professional with the same qualities and characteristics of the traditional Holbein Artist Oil Colour, certainly one of the world’s finest. The pigments and densities are the same, with the same painting techniques, drying and permanency characteristics.
To make DUO identical to its traditional cousin, Holbein developed a unique additive which works as a surfactant, any residue of which loses its effectiveness once the oil colour is dry. The dictionary defines a surfactant as a surface active agent.
DUO is water soluble, but the oil is identical to that used in Holbein’s Artist Oil Colour. There is no special treatment, no modification or breaking down (cracking) of the oil. There is no water in the product, only the additive that is rendered redundant and of no effect in the drying process. The surface agent covers the pigment and oil, thus making both water sensitive or soluble. That is all. There is no other ingredient present.
When blended with water alone, DUO will dry to a slight mat finish. If the artist does not wish to use water, DUO may be used as a traditional oil colour and the result will be the same. This is the reason DUO blends naturally with traditional oil colour and mediums (although water solubility is lost if traditional oils or mediums exceed 30% of the mixture). Hence DUO cannot be classified as a true water base color, like gouache, watercolour, aqueous color or acrylic, all of which blend perfectly with DUO while wet (add a few drops of water when blending with acrylic). DUO starts to dry slowly and after the water dries out, the oil that remains continues to dry by oxidation in the same manner as traditional oil and with the same result.
Since the introduction of Holbein’s own DUO Water soluble mediums, the artist now has full command of their work.
A finished work should not, however, be varnished for 6 to 8 months, depending on climate, as is usual for oil color. Because of its versatility, the possibilities for special techniques and effects using DUO are limited only by one’s imagination.
Holbein’s Duo Aqua Oil is the only professional line of water soluble oil colors available to today’s artist. Painters and printmakers alike give it glowing reviews for superior quality and exceptional value.
Listed below are some of the specific reasons why Duo Aqua Oil has gained a loyal following among serious artists.
“Nice colours, clean roll-up with brayer, and easy clean up.”
John Greco, Master Printer
Josephine Press
“Being a mix-media artist I use different techniques to create my work. This can be costly and cause workspace challenges. I find that Duo saves me time and money by doing the work of two essential products. It is both a high quality paint and an outstanding printmaking ink.”
Pam Hudson, Artist
Jean Haines is an Internationally renowned watercolorist and author of best-selling books including “Atmospheric Watercolors”. Described as a “breath of fresh air” on the art scene, Jean’s ability to instill enthusiasm and inspirational motivation is captured in her popular DVDs, books and sold out workshops globally.
“I love the stunning colours available in the DANIEL SMITH Watercolour collection and I am also fascinated in how many interact leading to fascinatingly unique effects. Perfect for my style which is why I am delighted to share my favourite shades.” -Jean Haines
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Jean Haines’ Master Artist Set
The set contains ten 5ml DANIEL SMITH Colors selected by Jean for their exciting, fabulous color.
“Since discovering DANIEL SMITH Watercolours, my life and art has changed dramatically. My work in now far more vibrant and exciting. Furthermore, the fascinating quality of each shade I have selected for this thrilling set of colours leads to beautiful watercolour effects that often cannot be repeated. A creative experience when painting that can only be described as the very best!” -Jean Haines
Please click on this link: Jean Haines’ Master Artist Set for details and photos for this new watercolor set!
Jean Haines’ All That Shimmers Set
Six 5ml DANIEL SMITH Colors that Jean has selected from the Luminescent (Shimmering) Watercolor collection.
“A fabulous selection of shining shades that can be used in so many beautiful ways. Mix with existing watercolour pigment, use alone or as a glaze to turn an ordinary painting into a stunning piece of art. Subjects can look fantastic when painted in watercolour but they can sometimes lack the lustre of life as seen in reality. Colour additions with one or more of the shades from my shimmer sets can beautifully bring them to life.” -Jean Haines
Please click on this link: Jean Haines’ All That Shimmers Set for details and photos for this new watercolor set!
]]>Anyone can learn to paint, said Bob: "All you need is the desire to make beautiful things happen on canvas."
His patented "wet-on-wet" painting style inspired countless amateur painters for a decade on PBS before his death. Now relive the joy of learning to paint with the quiet, nurturing guidance of Bob Ross in this 10-disc set, including filmed instructions on creating such happy scenes as mountains, lakes, waterfalls, barns, and seascapes.
We have all of the Bob Ross DVDs you need to get started right away and learn how to paint with Bob Ross instructional painting DVD sets.
]]>If you live in Toronto or the GTA you likely remember the exceptional episodes on PBS featuring the one and only Bob Ross! The unfortunate thing is that we cannot just flip on the television and tune in to PBS to see Bob Ross break it down for us on how to paint incredible landscapes. So the bad news is that after 11 seasons we can't catch anymore episodes live on the TV. The good news is that there are entire DVD collections available for purchase so you can catch up on all of the "how to" lessons in the instructional painting DVD sets with Bob Ross.
It really is incredible how Bob Ross DVDs can help you paint and it is amazing how with a little instruction and easy to follow guidance you can create spectacular paintings quickly and effortlessly. Even if you have no intention of become an artist and quitting your day job, just listening to the soothing voice of Bob Ross can be entertaining.
Many people in Toronto have started hosting Bob Ross painting nights with their friends and family. This is a great way to spend some quality time with your love ones and close friends by learning how to paint with one of the Bob Ross DVD collections. Life in Toronto and Mississauga is incredibly fast-paced and hectic and it is therapeutic to escape the mundane day-to-day responsibilities and tasks by creating a work of art right in your living room with the help and guidance of Bob Ross.
Get your DVD set today and discover everything that you have been missing in the Bob Ross DVDs. The best part is that if you find Bob goes a little fast in a certain part you can always rewind and watch it again to catch up. This is a big advantage over the PBS days!
]]>Most painters have a huge interest in colour and tend to want control over their choice in colours when looking for painting supplies. They are concerned with both the appearance of the colour right out of the tube and also the way it will mix with other colours to create new colours in a reliable way.
Successful colour mixing relies on the pigments in the paints. You want to be the one that selects the colours you need for your palette when looking for paint but the name of the colour alone isn’t enough to know what the colour will be in the tube. Different manufacturers sometime gives the same pigment different names and different pigments the same name. Additionally even the same pigment can differ to another because of treatment used by the manufacturer for their paint or the variety of that pigment.
The same pigment can have different names depending on the language it was named in, the name given to it by a brand or where it originated. For example Prussian Blue is also known as Berlin Blue, Bronze Blue, Chinese Blue, Iron Blue, Milori Blue, Parisian Blue, Paste Blue, and Steel Blue.
The same name can even be different for the colour that is actually in the tube depending on the brand and this is the other side to the problem. This is more of a headache than just having several names for a colour, so what this means is that when you buy different brands of one particular colour name, you may not get the same colour when it comes out of the tube.
Fortunately there is a way to get a better understanding of what is in the tube. Since the name of the colour can be unreliable it is important to look for the pigment number that’s on the label. It’s generally listed by the colour Index name, a code for the pigment group plus a number.
When you’re looking for the pigment information on a tube of paint you can spot whether it’s a single pigment or more than one pigment quite easily. Artist quality paints tend to be more single pigment colours and less mixed colours. Student quality colours make colours that look good if used right from the tube but chances are they may not mix well.
Some paints made with the same pigment look completely different to each other, so unfortunately knowing the pigment in a paint still isn’t a perfect solution to knowing what the colour will look like or how it will mix.
Some paints made with the same pigment look really different to each other. Currently, labels on artists painting supplies show the pigment used but doesn’t include all the ingredients. No specifics are given on the pigment just the chemical name and who knows what else isn’t listed.
Painting is fun, relaxing and can also be a great way to earn a living. If you're interested in some fun painting tutorials to do with your friends and family then you should definitely check out our Bob Ross DVDs.
]]>As you experiment and test out different art supplies you will find some things that you keep going back to time and time again. Some you will fall in love with right away and others you might use once or twice and then forget about. Over time you will discover a collection of favorites as you continue to explore artistry but the types of art supplies you will need depend on the medium you enjoy or wish to pursue. Although in most artist supplies are generally similar, the specifics will differ depending on if you paint with acrylics, oils, watercolors etc.
So what are the “Holy Grail” items of the art world? What are the basic items that every artist should have? Well at some point regardless of your medium you will have to sketch a subject before you start the actual painting. This makes a good and reliable set of graphite pencils extremely important for artists. You don’t need a lot of pencils, 3 or 4 basic ones is good. For general shading and sketching you should have a 2B, a 4H for light areas and a 6B for dark shadows.
No one is perfect so there will be time when you make mistakes. It’s useful to have both white and kneaded erasers. Kneaded erasers in particular are easy to use and don’t leave any residue behind. A cool thing about the kneaded erasers as well is that you can reshapes it in order to erase small areas of shading.
What is an artist without canvas or drawing paper? You’re definitely going to need a surface to draw those sketches on. Once you’ve sketched out those ideas for the painting, you’re going to want to draw the final piece on the actual surface you will be painting. Of course this can vary depending on your medium of choice. If you like watercolors, the best choice in watercolor paper is pre-stretched pad. You have two general options with acrylics. You can either use acrylic paper or canvas.
How much you spend on these items is really up to you but any inexpensive plastic paint palette does the job for both acrylic and watercolors. If you start painting with acrylics there are at least three basic paintbrushes you’ll want to have.
The three most useful brushes for water colors are:
Last but not least, you obviously must have paint. Regardless of you medium or palette size the basic paint colors you will need are at least one blue, one red, one brown and one yellow. There are at least three or four good paints to choose from for each hue. For example, your basic palette could consist of several paint that you can mix to create new ones.
So there you have it. The “Holy Grail” items of art. Not what you were expecting right?
Painting is fun, relaxing and can also be a great way to earn a living. If you're interested in some fun painting tutorials to do with your friends and family then you should definitely check out our Bob Ross DVDs.
]]>Are you an artist but only know how to draw things that you can see or from photographs? Is difficult drawing from your imagination? Is it possible to learn how to draw from your imagination? How can someone learn?
To successfully draw from your imagination, you have to be skilled in drawing from direct observation. Many young artists don't draw from life because drawing from photographs is a lot more convenient, doesn't require much thought and gets quicker end results. Drawing from life is much more challenging and time-consuming, but ultimately it’s the approach that will provide the necessary skills to draw from any reference. Drawing exclusively from photographs is the worst approach you can take as an art student. Often time’s students who have a lot of drawing experience, but bad habits, have a much tougher time than students with no drawing background. Drawing exclusively from photographs encourages these poor habits.
Obsessively laboring on one drawing for several weeks: Most art students become accustomed to working slowly. If aspire to be a professional artist, this is an approach you must cut out because it’s neither efficient nor is it sustainable. Students become precious about every drawing they make and what this does is set up an impossible expectation for every drawing to be successful. This severely limits growth and keeps you from expanding your abilities.
Being unable to do 2-5 minute gesture drawings: A key principle in all aspects of drawing I gesture drawing, it teaches you how to quickly capture the essential spirit of your subject with energy and movement. On the other hand people who draw from photographs are trained to draw in a very tight manner, resulting in drawings that lack vitality.
Ignoring fundamental structures and focusing only on details: Viewers are generally most impressed by drawings with great detail. However, no amount of detail can compensate for poor compositions and structures. You will get flat and superficial drawings if you invest too much focus on details.
There’s much more to drawing than just copying an accurate representation of what you see. History shows that some of the most ground breaking and pivotal drawings have been images that a photograph could never make. When an artist draws, they are offer an artistic interpretation of what they have experienced but a copied drawing provides no individual opinion. With drawing from life you get to fully experience your subject. You have complete creative control when drawing from direct observation. However, there are instances where using a reference photograph is necessary. In such circumstances, it’s advised that you take your own photo that way you can control every factor.
Drawing from life involves a lot of work and patience but the benefits are great. Eventually you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the mechanics of light and shadow, see how structures are organized, understand how forms interact within a space, learn how to articulate textures and more. This knowledge will equip you with the skills you need in order to draw from your imagination.
]]>Did you know that even the art world has stereotypes? Think about it; when you hear about pastels, watercolors, or oils, certain images and beliefs might instantly pop into your head without questioning it. If you’re considering buying paint supplies as a beginner artist, don’t be too quick to shy away from oil.
Oils have been viewed as difficult to work with but the truth is that oils are much easier to work with than other forms. The fact that it dries slowly makes it easy to accomplish blending passages. Watercolors lighten ad they dry, acrylic darken and get dull but oils being the richest and most saturated will remain the same.
Oils are also seen as messier than other media but they’re really no messier than any other media. How “Messy” or not a session is depends on the artist themselves and not the paint. Together with acrylic and watercolors, oil requires a liquid solvent for thinning the painting, glazing and clean-up. One of the things you can use for cleaning up the messy after effect is 100-percent odorless mineral spirits.
It’s said that Turpentine is questionable but years ago turpentine was the standard for use with oil paints, simply because that’s all that was available. Due to the strong odor turpentine can be unpleasant to work with but odorless mineral spirits are a good alternative.
Another misconception is that oil paint is very toxic. Yes, they do have chemicals, as other kinds of paints do, but those chemicals are not necessarily toxic. Basically, oil paints consist of pigments, oil, color enhancers, and fillers. The same pigment that you find in watercolors are the same you would find in oil, there are no special poisonous pigments. Oil used in paints is absolutely safe as it’s usually linseed oil but painting oil and cooking oil are just processed differently. The solution to this is simple, buy good paints instead of the cheap stuff because it’s generally the cheap ones that have toxic chemicals.
Oil painting can be quick, easy, and fun. Just as acrylic paints were invented, the same goes for water-soluble oils, odorless oils, and the wet-in-wet technique.
]]>Are you looking for art supplies? Painting with acrylics can be rewarding, easy and fun. It can be used in many different ways to create many different styles of art. Reading an overview of the basic characteristics of acrylics will help prepare you for what to expect when using acrylic to paint. Acrylics are water-based, so unlike oil paints they can be thinned and cleaned with water. They are also non-toxic and non-smelly. It can mirror the quality of oil paints minus the toxicity and clean-up issues that sometimes go along with oils. Acrylic paint dries pretty fast, as with everything it has both advantages and disadvantages. If you like to work quickly or if you have to go over because you’ve made a mistake acrylic is the perfect media. On the other hand it can be difficult to blend colors since it dries quickly. Acrylics are very versatile, meaning they can be used to achieve many different effects and a variety of styles. For instance, they can be applied thickly or thinly.
There are several art supplies essential for painting with acrylics, learn what they are. Among these supplies are soap, varnish, cup of water, canvas, paint brushes, rags, acrylic paint and palette. If you don’t have all of these supplies it may be best to leave the painting until you do.
Read up on how to Paint Photorealism in Acrylics. There are many mediums an artist can use to paint (or draw) photo realistically but the most common are oils, acrylics, watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, and pastel. The majority of my photorealist work is done in acrylics using a paintbrush (as opposed to an airbrush).
Take some lessons in how to paint abstract art with acrylics. There are many different styles of abstract art, so the first step is to decide which style of abstract art you would like to paint. Then you can learn the different techniques for how to paint abstract art in those styles.
Finally, learning how to varnish completed acrylic paintings is essential. The varnish will protect the painting from UV rays, yellowing and dust. It also adds a layer of shine to the painting that brings out the beauty even more.
This should give you a rough idea of what acrylic artistry is like.
Painting is fun, relaxing and can also be a great way to earn a living. If you're interested in some fun painting tutorials to do with your friends and family then you should definitely check out our Bob Ross DVDs.
]]>Have you been developing a love for art? Is art your newest hobby? Artists may use many mediums to express themselves, and with practice, perseverance, and talent, art can be anything from a passionate hobby to a lucrative career.
The first thing you want to do is start by practicing with various mediums. Art is created with an almost limitless variety of mediums, from pencil and paper to oil paints. Experiment with the different techniques and materials, to see which is more enjoyable and productive to you, as an individual. If you can it would be helpful to enroll in an art class near you or maybe even register for online courses. You can take it a step further and check for studio classes or private art teachers if no classes are available where you live. In the past almost every artists would have begun as apprentices to "Masters".
In order for you to see your progress and establish a personal technique, you should keep a record or portfolio of your work. This can be a sketchbook, an album, or with photographs of sculptures/carvings. Once you have the opportunity you should work with your talents and skills. If you develop skill as a painter or in drawing, there may be openings for you with local businesses or organizations to do posters, signs and other artwork.
Keep an eye out for contests or art shows that feature the medium you work in. Shopping malls, community organizations, and other groups often sponsor showings of work, and invite members of the community to display, and sometimes sell, their work. With such an opportunity you not only get to share ideas with other artists but also to see the reaction to your own work by the public. Every project won’t be successful so don’t let that get you down or disappoint you. If it doesn’t come together like you hope take a step back and then approach it again another time with a fresh eye.
There’s inspiration all around us, keep an eye out for it. The world is full of shapes, textures, images, colours, and forms that can get our creative juices flowing and inspire something great.
Painting is fun, relaxing and can also be a great way to earn a living. If you're interested in some fun painting tutorials to do with your friends and family then you should definitely check out our Bob Ross DVDs.
]]>Are you an aspiring artists? What art supplies will you need? There are many tools that you need to get started but let’s look at the different types of paper.
Watercolor paper comes with a “hard size” on top of the paper, allowing the water to penetrate and the pigment to remain on the surface. This gives the painting its brilliance and also allows for corrections. You can get Watercolor paper in different textures. The smoothest is ‘Hot Press’ (HP) and because it has been compressed to a harder surface it’s less absorbent. Secondly there’s ‘Cold press’ (Not) which has a medium textured surface and is the most popular, it’s especially good for beginners. Then there’s ‘Rough’ which is highly textured paper and is the most absorbent of hem all. Because of the smoothness botanical artists often prefer hot pressed paper, it allows them to be very accurate in their rendering. These papers can weigh anything between 90 lb to 400 lb. The heavier the weight of the paper the less the paper will buckle when wet. Watercolor papers can vary in whiteness from bright white to a creamy off-white and are available in tinted colors. They come in sheets, pads, rolls, and blocks.
Drawing/Cartridge paper is a high quality type of heavy paper used primarily for illustration and drawing. It comes in a variety of smooth textures. It is available in loose sheets, pads, hardbound and softbound sketchbooks and rolls. There’s Bristol paper which is a strong and durable, multi-purpose drawing paper. The surface is really hard, heavily sized, polished, and compressed. You can use it for airbrushing. Other suitable drawing papers include Stonehenge paper which are very popular as well.
Pastel paper is used for charcoal, soft and hard pastels. It’s generally also colored paper that comes in a few different textures, all with some amount of tooth or weave that will catch hold of the pastel particles. Ingres is a laid paper with a mesh imprint from a screen. Random texture gets its surface from a cloth matt imprint. There are a few types with toothy textures while a few come with the color screen-printed on and others are waterproof for working the pastels with water. As for oil pastels, the paper is hard and white and usually comes in a pad with glassine paper interleaving to protect it from smudging.
Using either oil or acrylic these papers are generally canvas textured and primed for painting. Most of the papers prepared for acrylic paint are universally primed to accept both oil and acrylic. When painting with oil paints the paper must be sealed completely to keep the oil from separating if the paper is absorbent and to also prevent the rotting of the paper over time. Acrylic paint can be used on any paper but it’s usually designed to mimic canvas. Oil and acrylic painting papers are an economical choice for making a study or sketch prior to the major work on canvas.
]]>Do you have artwork that you want to share with the world? The first thing you need to do is secure a spot in an exhibition. After you’ve done this, you then need to put together a body of work appropriate for the venue. Here’s an overview on how to prepare your own art portfolio for an exhibition:
On the day of the opening wear something that makes you feel comfortable and confident. You’re expected to socialize with clients, which can be very easy because they’re fascinated with you and your work. Be sociable, listen, offer insights on your paintings and just enjoy the event. All of your hard work has paid off and now it’s the gallery’s job to make things happen.
]]>Have you ever been stuck to the point where for a few days, weeks or even months, you just don’t have any inspiration? It’s funny how sometimes you can be overflowing with inspiration and ideas and then the next minute you’re blank. That alone can make you doubt yourself but once you get over that doubt, you realize that it’s actually a normal part of the creative process.
There are several reasons for these creativity lapses. It could be because of things going on in your personal life, lack of clarity in terms of your artistic direction or health problems etc. Whatever the reason, Here are a few ideas that could help you to get back on track and flourish as an artist.
Sometimes it can help to get out of your work space and head down to your favourite places in your city to seek inspiration. Other times you may find that picking up some new art supplies can offer a fresh new attitude and the right tools to get your creative juices flowing and start painting some amazing things again. You may even want to take some time and enjoy a Bob Ross DVD painting teachable video that is calm and relaxing and even if you are an experienced artist, sometimes just doing something off the beaten path is enough to spark your interest again.
It happens to all of us and the fortunate thing is that your creativity will always come back to you.
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Impressionist art developed among artists based in Paris in the 19th century. They used a relatively consistent method of creating such distinct artwork. Remember that light effects played a major role in impressionist paintings. Take a look at these general guidelines to see how!
So many techniques! Are you an aspiring artist? Like these impressionist tips? Maybe you’d like to make an attempt at impressionist art? Well we've got the supplies you need! If you’re in Canada and you’re looking for art supplies then you have come to the right source. We’re Canada’s preferred provider of artist supplies. You can even get DVD training videos, like the famous Bob Ross DVDs from us too. Call us now – we've got what you need!
]]>It’s one thing to create amazing works of art it’s another to sometimes get them sold. Some artists often have their own galleries to feature their work. To get people to buy your art you need to get creative. Who are you marketing to? Find ways to get ahead of your target market. You don’t just have to stick to the regular art lovers you can target those who have never been to an art gallery before as well. Here are some tips for you to increase your sales:
Host New Openings
A good place to start is by hosting an open house. Start advertising about it in your local newspaper and other mediums for publicity. For those who have bought from you before and for your regular buyers you can host a VIP event because they will probably buy again.
Sell to Businesses
You don’t just have to wait on potential buyers walking into your gallery. Set up appointments with businesses that may be interested in artwork for their lobbies and other areas. For reference, walk with a photo album of your work or invite them to your gallery to see for themselves. Whether it’s your personal art or another artist you represent be prepared to talk about the art and give details on the story behind it. You can even take it a step further and offer consulting services for those who don’t know what would best suite their company’s brand.
Use Online Strategies
Get online, create accounts for Social Medias like Facebook and Instagram. Make regular post about your art and your gallery. When hosting events share the details on those forums and encourage your fans to share with others. You can even share stories about the art featured to make it more interesting.
Loans
For some buyers, they need more convincing or time to think before purchasing. Offer prominent buyers the option of enjoying the artwork in their home or office for a period of time free of charge. If they get accustom to it being around and like how it fits in that space, they may make up their minds to buy and keep it for good.
]]>As CLEARLY implied by the temperature, winter is the coldest time of the year and summer is the hottest. What colors can we use in paintings to illustrate such temperatures? Blue or green tints are known as the cool colours, while red, orange and yellow hues are considered as the warmer ones (the more “likeable” or appealing colours).
You’d think that a painting of snow should be more of a blue-ish, green-ish scene, right? However, you can actually use some of the warmer colours in snow paintings.
For instance: trees in the winter would have leaves remaining that would be sort of orange, from in the autumn. Snow on the ground that is aligned with the sunrays, would not be ivory white, but should have a sort of yellowish hue to it. Even the skies can have a little warmth in colour – give the oranges and pinks to depict a late afternoon look, and cast the shadows down into the snow too.
Remember, the warmer the colours in the painting, the more likeable it probably is to the viewers’.
Maybe you’d like to try this method – warmers colours for colder scenery? Whenever you’re ready to try this one, or any other, you can come to us for all the materials you need - we are Canada’s preferred supplier. We’re able to supply you with art and painting supplies, Bob Ross DVDs and more! Check us out and then go get started on that art project!
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We’ve always had to try to learn to do so many things with our hands, from learning how to hold a tiny plastic spoon to our mouths to learn how to steer our families safely through the streets in our vehicles. Everyone has to learn something new with their hands once in a while, even artists. Here’s a technique we like to call “scrumbling”, wherein aspiring artists can use colored pencils to familiarize themselves with creating art.
When artists have perfected the art of using colored pencils, they can create artwork that is so realistic, that it may even be confused for another media, due to its detailed nature and smooth gradient.
Here’s a pretty simple way to do it:
What you shouldn’t do:
Although it may be a little time-consuming, you can get pretty interesting, realistic results by using this method. Get your paper, colored pencils and sharpeners right now! Try it out! If you’re in Canada and you’re looking for art supplies then you have come to the right source. Even if you might not necessarily be interested in scrumbling as an art method, we have art supplies that can cater to your other artistic preferences. We’re Canada’s preferred provider of artist supplies. You can even get DVD training videos, like the famous Bob Ross DVDs from us too. Call us now – we’ve got what you need!
]]>If you’re an avid painter, you might know that the skill of painting water is one of the most sought after in the art kingdom. In order to do that, you must consider and understand the different conditions of water that nature provides. Here they are:
Many times, artists make the choice of using water that moves lazily in their paintings, so they can avoid having to mirror the images of the surroundings onto the water (as in paintings of still water). Mirrored images seem to compete or clash with the rest of the painting.
In other paintings, in which the water is so disturbed that you are unable to see reflections, it may be quite boring. It is advised that you use special effects (like sunlight hitting the water or bloats and other objects on the water) to add a little interest to the image.
You should use these basic guiding principles to help you paint the best water reflections you can.
Keep these tips in mind and see how your artwork’s end product improves. Get started on those water paintings today! You can get all you art supplies and products from us. We are Canada’s preferred supplier. We’re able to supply you with art and painting supplies, Bob Ross DVDs and more! Check us out and then go get started on that art project!
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A perfect art project is to create a portfolio of drawings. Yes, maybe painting is your thing, but drawing is a unique artistic skill that can help you improve the quality of your hand/eye coordination for your paintings. You should try it. Try drawing every day – time yourself to keep things fresh. Do as many as you can and switch it up now and then (you can draw the same subject in different ways and in different settings). Keep reading to see the different things you can try to draw to heighten your skills.
Try this little drawing challenge and see how it can improve different aspects of your art skills. If you need pencils, papers, sharpeners or any other art tools, you can check us out. We’re right here in Canada and we’re the number one supplier in the area. You can even get DVD training videos, like the famous Bob Ross DVDs from us too. Check us out – we’ve got what you need!
]]>Painting with watercolor - it’s actually a great medium that you can use for your work. You can choose the way you want to use it, depending on the final product you want to achieve or on your intentions or needs.
One method you can use is applying wet glazing on a vertical surface. What do you need?
There are 3 things you need to do.
You should do this kind of painting on an upright plane, because it will help give you better control over things like color, temperature, and manipulation of the paint. With time and effort, you will become a pro at layering, lifting paint, varying edges, using a dry brush to create a soft edge, etc.
After a bit of practice, you will layer quickly, lift up paint easily and vary edges. Learning to make a dry brush mark or create a soft edge on damp or wet paper will become second nature with wet glazing. Although I can paint using other techniques, wet glazing suits my process, and I enjoy the results.
Try it out and see if you achieve that end-product you desire, or learn about and practice other techniques that you think will work better for you. Whatever technique you choose, remember that we can supply all your needs. We’re right here in Canada and we’re the number one supplier in the area. You can even get DVD training videos, like the famous Bob Ross DVDs from us too. Check us out – we’ve got what you need!
]]>We are so thrilled with the response from customers to the newest addition of acrylics at our store. The Holbein Artists' Heavy Body Acrylics are a professional grade paint and have a range of 113 colours to select from. Whether it is traditional pigments, metallic or fluorescent, Holbein has created a range that gives the user seamless and effortless mixing and thinning.
These paints are vivid and smooth in every way. They will certainly meet and surpass the demands of the modern artists, whether painting small or large, opaque or transparent.
Shop now and experience professional quality at an affordable price!
]]>Inspired by the romance and mystery accompanying the transition from day to night, these Limited Edition "Twilight" watercolours by Winsor & Newton are surefire way to add drama to your paintings. From a rich deep Chromium Black, to a classical colour like Smalt blue, the "Twilight" collection of colours will flourish your art work. They are sumptuous, vibrant and rich in colours and are the perfect addition to any existing paint palette.
We are giving away three Winsor & Newton Professional Limited Edition Twilight Watercolour bundles in a painting contest. If you or your artist friends have any paintings that were inspired by the evening twilight you may enter the contest at the following link by clicking on the following link:
]]>Whether you are getting ready for Halloween, a birthday party or you just want to have fun with face painting, the Snazaroo line of face paints are just for you!
Snazaroo face paints are specially formulated to be friendly to the most delicate skin and are fragrance-free. They are manufactured using only ingredients fully compliant with EU & FDA toy and cosmetic regulations, and are non-toxic. Last but not least, Snazaroo face paints are all water-based, so they're as easy to get off as they are to put on.
Studio Six carries the Snazaroo palette kits, as well as the face painting sticks which are ready to use and are perfect for on the go face painting.
Shop now for Snazaroo Paints in Canada and get creative!
]]>The range of colours is vast with 100 different colours to select from, you'll want to buy them all! They are highly pigmented and of the highest quality and considered an artists' grade. DUO Aqua Oil from Holbein offers excellent lightfast ratings which is comparable to those of traditional oil colour.
Artists' are able to mix their traditional oil paints with the DUO watermixable oils, however if it exceeds 30% of the mixture, you will lose its water solubility and will have to use traditional oil painting mediums.
The range also includes 17 "Elite" colours. These colours signify the use of the heavy metal pigments which include the cadmiums and cobalts and tend to have a higher series price point.
The Holbein DUO Aqua Oil line also has a range of compatible mediums. They include the DUO Linseed Oil, DUO Stand Linseed Oil, DUO Painting Medium, DUO Quick Drying Medium and DUO Quick Drying Paste which is available in both Gloss and Mat finish.
If you have ever wanted to dabble in oil painting before, try the Holbein DUO Aqua Oils today.
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