The Michael Harding Brick Lane selection is the second of four new releases, each comprising 10 colours, that celebrate 40 years of Michael Harding oil paints. The first release was the Tunbridge Wells selection, named after the English town where Michael Harding first started making paints. The Brick Lane release commemorates the time the company spent in London’s East End in the 1990s. In this article, I will explore each of the colours in the Brick Lane selection, the pigments that have been used, and their colour mixing potential.     Review of Michael Harding Brick Lane Oil Colo ..read more

Michael Harding’s Brick Lane Oil Colours are a collection of ten paints that commemorate the time he spent in London’s East End in the 1990s. They include new convenience mixtures, like Neutral Tint and Blue Verditer, as well as single-pigment modern synthetic colours like Quinacridone Purple and Orange Benzimidazolone. In this film, Michael Harding shares each of paints in the Brick Lane selection, the feelings the colours evoke, and how they can be used in your painting practice. The new Brick Lane Oil Colours will be available on Monday 7th October 2024     Michael Harding Introdu ..read more

Lorenzo Aceto won a Judge’s Choice Award selected by Melissa Ling in Jackson’s Art Prize this year with his work Bucaneve. In this interview, Lorenzo discusses balancing parenthood with his studio practice, overcoming creative block, and how mistakes can be viewed as a valuable part of the painting process. Above image: Materials and palettes in the studio of Lorenzo Aceto.     Josephine: Could you tell us about your artistic background? Lorenzo: I began my studies at the State Art Institute of Pescara, initially enrolling because it had a reputation for requiring minimal effort. Aft ..read more

Brush Flush is a biodegradable and watersoluble brush cleaner that removes a variety of paints from natural and synthetic brushes. This article tests the effectiveness of the brush cleaner, including whether it can remove dry, hardened paint from brush fibres.     Brush Flush: A Brush Cleaner for Oil and Acrylic In the Jackson’s studio, our brushes are in constant use. While cleaning them isn’t the most exciting part of studio life, it is a crucial part of maintaining the space. Many of our brushes, especially hog hair brushes, are used for both oil and acrylic, so any oil residue ne ..read more

Willow Wells won the Intaglio Award in Jackson’s Art Prize this year with her work Resonance. In this interview, Willow discusses her traditional printmaking processes, how handmade sketchbooks help her to focus, and how simple tools are all that are needed to generate new ideas. Above image: Willow Wells in her graduate school studio.     Josephine: Could you tell us about your artistic background? Willow: I started studying fine art in high school, and have always gravitated toward the figure and representational artwork. I pursued this interest at Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts ..read more

Pete Cole, president and owner of Gamblin, visited the Jackson’s studio to share the story behind Gamblin, their environmentally-conscious approach to colourmaking, and the importance of listening to artists and art museums around the world to guide them in formulating their oil paints, varnishes, and mediums. He also discusses the great sense of pride they have in becoming a Certified B Corp, and why you’ll never see an acrylic range from Gamblin.     Contents – In Conversation with Pete Cole of Gamblin 0:00 Introduction 0:14 Gamblin was founded in 1980 by Robert Gamblin. Could you ..read more

Igor Bitman won a Judge’s Choice Award selected by Charlotte Sorapure in Jackson’s Art Prize this year with his work Europeans. In this interview, Igor discusses how he developed his process using the ancient technique of encaustic painting layered with oil pastels, and how the artists he admires have influenced his classical style. Above image: Igor’s studio in Paris     Josephine: Could you tell us about your artistic background? Igor: According to my parents, I started drawing at an early age, but I hardly remember that period. My father, whose desire to be an artist was interrupt ..read more

Will Rochfort is a UK-based oil painter with a distinctive narrative style. He constructs entire sets for his paintings, an approach that he likens to building a film set. In this instalment of our Artist Insights series, he discusses the impact that Americana and the Golden Age of Hollywood has had on his work, the attention to detail that goes into his sets and props, and shares his tips for artists at the beginning of their creative journey.   Artist Insights: Will Rochfort     Contents 0:00 Introduction 0:49 “I always say the only thing I’ve ever been good at is drawing and ..read more

Louise Wallace won the Oil Award in Jackson’s Art Prize this year with her work Pond Nite Life. In this interview, Louise shares her approach to colour and light, how she makes sense of composition, and the advice she received in art college that still informs her painting practice today. Above image: Louise in her studio     Josephine: Could you tell us about your artistic background? Louise: I studied law before art college. By the time I graduated, I knew that I didn’t want to be a lawyer so I started playing music in bands instead. I did that for five years and finally found my w ..read more

Melanie Berman won a Judge’s Choice Award, selected by Hugo Barclay, in Jackson’s Art Prize this year with her acrylic painting Sugar Plum Words. In this interview, she shares how her chromesthesia makes creativity instinctual, her passion for life drawing, and how an organised studio is crucial to her process. Above image: Melanie’s studio     Josephine: Could you tell us about your artistic background? Melanie: My artistic journey began as a young child, where colour always made more sense to me than words or sounds. Creating felt instinctive, and I quickly discovered a deep connec ..read more