Aerial Landscapes When painting a work of art, every artist makes a conscious choice about perspective. Even the abstract artist considers how they’ll present the imagery they paint. Perspective is one of the powerful tools artists use for creating artwork that helps an audience look at old things in new ways. Having our perspective on the world around us supercharged yields the exhilarating feeling of seeing through fresh eyes—a feeling that few things can easily offer, one of which is art. Of the influences on my artwork, one of the most undeniable is my experience working as a commercial p ..read more

Seeing your artwork displayed across the side of a building, becoming the background for people’s lives as they go about their day, is just one of the reasons painting a mural is an achievement many artists seek. While the excitement of painting a mural is a thrill, the journey can be just as challenging as it is exciting. If you’ve got mural-painting on your mind, you can use our first-hand experience of what it’s like to paint a mural from start to finish as your guide. Whether you’re dreaming of painting a mural or prepping to start painting, we’re laying out the things we learned and wish ..read more

The method of creation an artist chooses often gets overshadowed by their creations. While the finished piece is where the artist’s pride lays, the tools that birth an artwork also carry a part of the story. The paintbrush is so iconic an artist’s tool that it evokes less curiosity from an audience about its use. The same cannot be said for the sight of a painting knife. This tool has a short but rich history, only having gained traction since the 1800s. The palette knife was once reserved simply for mixing paint. Artists like Rembrandt and Matisse saw its value by adding to their art what th ..read more

The Process This piece was created using Gamblin Artist Oils on stretched, grade A, 10 oz cotton duck canvas that was triple primed with a professional archival gesso. I stretch my own canvas using the technique I shared previously Here , using kiln-dried, gallery style stretcher bars (1.5” profile) made in Canada from renewable resources. For this work, I applied an alla prima technique, also known as wet on wet. With this method, no underpainting is done before the paint is applied. Ultimately, I finished the work with a Gamblin Gamvar finish. The Obstacles Every artwork presents unique obs ..read more

Starting can often be the most intimidating and challenging part of painting. You might know where you want to end up, but how you get there is less easy to answer. If you’re searching for advice about the best way to start your painting, we’re sharing our personal process and the unexpected color we love to tone with: pink. At the very core, painting is about creating something no one else can by calling upon the unique parts of who you are as an individual. The best painting you can make is the painting that you most enjoy. In some ways, technique is all about how to get closest to creating ..read more

Stretching your own canvas is a rite of passage for an artist. You’ll be better able to understand and get closer to the tools you depend on to create your work. Getting comfortable with your materials isn’t the only reason to stretch your own canvas, however. As an artist starting out, cutting expenses where you can is crucial and gives you more room to spend extra where it really counts. Whether you want to become one with your canvas or not, stretching it yourself will save you plenty of money. Plus, consider you’ll be purchasing your materials in bulk and reducing packaging, stretching yo ..read more