Have you ever painted on watercolor paper only to have your colors look dull, speckled and all of the water just soaked right in? Well, then, you have experienced bad sizing. I am noticing more and more watercolor papers with bad sizing these days, or more accurately, that the sizing just doesn’t last as long as it used to. BTW if you would like a real-time tutorial of me painting this crab and working on the finicky paper you can find it in Critique Club. In this video we will discuss: What is bad sizing? How to know if your watercolor sizing has gone bad. What you can do with poorly sized ..read more

Today we are speaking with Becca Hillburn. She is the author and illustrator of the comic 7″ Kara, an art teacher, and art supply reviewer! She attended the NAMTA/Creativation Art Materials Trade Show a couple of weeks ago and is here to update us on new products and trends in the industry. Also, there is a lot of geeking out about art supplies! I hope you enjoy this friendly art chat! If this 3 hour long podcast has you wanting more check out Becca’s Creativation Vlog Where to find Becca: Natto Soup YouTube 7″ Kara Watercolor Webcomic Patreon TikTok Author site Instagram Twitter Threads Ill ..read more

Hi friends! I was asked by a viewer about water brushes. Water brushes are paint brushes with a hollow barrel you fill with water. When you squeeze the brush water feeds through the bristles eliminating the need for a cup of water. To clean the brush between colors, squeeze out some water and wipe it on a rag. This makes them a no-mess option for painting and great for travel. Waterbrushes are best for watercolor, watercolor pencils, watercolor crayons, and dry panned gouache. In today’s video, I’ll show you how to use a water brush and explain the differences between the brands I used. Enjoy ..read more

Hi friends! I have been experimenting with old stuff in my studio. I had a couple of jars of home decor liquid wax left over from some chalk paint projects a few years ago. I did not like using it on furniture because you periodically needed to reapply it, hence why I have this leftover. I wondered if there was an artsy use for this stuff and after much experimenting I found one. Protecting your watercolors, painted postcards, and art journal pages instead of using Dorlands Wax. Learn how in today’s video! Pros of this method: It’s quick and easy It is cheap (or free if you have some leftove ..read more

Hi friends! It’s another riveting installment of Sat Chat. Kick back, relax, and enjoy a supersized version this week! Stuff I mentioned (that I can remember) I am offering a 40% discount on my Watercolor Landscape Workshop in honor of Plein Air April *Use coupon code PLEINAIR if the discount doesn’t show up automatically. The QOR mini palettes are still on sale! See below. The regular price of these is $55 and Blick sells them for $32! I paid much less! I purchased mine from the Amazon seller Small NC Town and received them in 5 days, much sooner than what was promised. I am very happy! I w ..read more

Hi friends! I took a photo of the entrance to the snowmobile trails the other day because the rocks caught my eye and the grass in the baseball field beyond was so bright. I thought it would be fun to paint. I used a basic 6-color mixing set of gouache for this painting. The tube colors were bright but easy to mix with. If you would like a real-time tutorial of this painting you can find it up in Critique Club now. Enjoy the timelapse below! Supplies (affiliate links used) 6 tube mixing set of Winsor & Newton Designer Gouache (blick) or Amazon Zen all-media brushes Rough watercolor pape ..read more

Today we are talking with Sarah Takacs from the SoCraftastic Youtube channel, where she has been delighting viewers with fun approachable arts and crafts projects for over a decade and has rung up almost 2 million subscribers! We talk about how her interests changed and evolved over the years as well as her new artistic endeavor. Where to find Sarah: SoCraftastic YouTube Channel Shop Sarah Lynn Tea Studios YouTube Instagram Facebook I hope you found this art chat educational and inspiring! Happy crafting ..read more

Hi friends! Today I have another easy Elegrant writer tutorial for you. Elegant Writers are calligraphy pens that you can draw with on watercolor paper and if you wet them the black ink splits out into lovely green and pink colors. They are very affordable too and great for quick sketches. Grab a pen and follow along! If you don’t have these pens try any water-soluble felt tip pen you have and see what it does! Supplies: Affiliate links used Elegant write pen best price at at Blick and also on Amazon Watercolor paper Water cup Brushes: 1″ flat, 1/2″ flat, #10 round (or in that ballpark) I ..read more

The month-long plein air painting challenge #pleinapril starts tomorrow so I invited Sarah Burns back on the show to discuss tips on getting outside to paint! She is a renowned landscape painter living in Scotland with a thriving YouTube channel and website focusing on plein-air painting, and I am thrilled to have he back on the podcast! Where to find Sarah: YouTube Sarah Burns Art Website Sketching Scotland Website The Fearless Brush Blog Instagram Patreon I am so excited to begin #PleinApril tomorrow. This conversation was just what I needed to get motivated. I hope you are having a lovel ..read more

Hi friends! Happy Easter weekend to all who celebrate it! We are having a quiet weekend here and I am thinking about experimenting with some paints and mediums I have to create encaustic-like effects. I am also thinking of making a sewing pattern for the shirt I am wearing today. I have some fabric I bought last summer to make tennis dresses with but that never happened and I think the material would be perfect for this wrapped top, plus, I can lay the top flat to trace on butcher paper. We will see if I do any of that, It’s easy to have ambitious plans while sitting at the computer. Now on to ..read more