A clear primer lets the colour and texture of the canvas or wood show in your painting. We look at 11 brands to see how clear they are, what they feel like to paint on, and more.   Most oil paintings on canvas or panel are prepared with white gesso and then the whole surface is covered with paint so that you no longer see the white ground. If you don’t want to cover the whole surface of your canvas or wood panel with paint, but instead want to leave small or large areas of canvas or wood showing as part of the painting, then you may want to prime your surface with a clear primer instead o ..read more

Jackson’s Plein Air Canvas Board Carriers can be used to transport wet canvas boards safely, and store them while they are drying. We asked prolific plein air painter Mark McLaughlin, to test them out along with Jackson’s Handmade Boards on his latest painting excursion, and here he shares his experience.   Mark McLaughlin Tests Jackson’s Plein Air Canvas Board Carriers I’m a painter based in South London and have shared a studio in Loughborough Junction called Clockwork Studios for over 25 years. I love to cycle around my local area seeking out new locations for paintings. One of my favo ..read more

Every artist knows the intimidation of a blank white canvas staring back at them, and underpainting is the perfect solution when deciding where to start. As a technique first utilised by the Old Masters, it underpins Renaissance painting, and lies quietly beneath masterpieces. Some have considered these traditional methods stifling, restrictive to the spontaneity that happens on canvas without a tight plan. But it’s important to consider that the definition of an underpainting is flexible and personal. It can be as simple as a coloured ground with a few lines, or as complex as a fully realised ..read more

Suzy Fasht RWS is a Dartmoor based painter who uses her sketchbook practice to support her painting practice, where she works in watercolour, oil and egg tempera to create observations of the natural world. Here she talks through the different reasons she turns to her sketchbooks, which vary in size depending on their purpose.   Suzy Fasht Takes Us Through Her Sketchbook Practice Sketchbooks are in the background of my painting practice. When I look back through them I see the seeds of ideas that are now finished paintings and have left the studio. At the time of making initial drawings I ..read more

Learn all about how to varnish an oil painting, a water-mixable oil painting or an acrylic painting. A varnish is a coating of resin applied to the surface of a painting for protection and appearance. Most paintings in oil, water-mixable oil, and acrylic will benefit from being varnished, both in their appearance and their longevity. Applying varnish is a good skill to learn. There are some basic steps and tools to use. As part of learning the skill of vanishing you may wish to try a few different types of varnish as there are a number to choose from with different characteristics.   Cont ..read more

Robert Senior won the Scenes of Everyday Life Category Award in the Jackson’s Painting Prize this year with his oil painting, Train Station. In this interview, Sayan Baigaliyev, the previous award winner from the year before, asks Robert about his practice and process, his studio and how he approaches creative challenges. Above image: Robert Senior in his studio   Sayan: Could you tell us about your artistic background/education? How did you become an artist? Robert: I was always encouraged to paint as a young child: The obsessive felt tip drawing of treble clefs and Batman on walls, shee ..read more

Aidan Crotty won the Still life/Botanical Category Award in the Jackson’s Painting Prize this year with his oil painting, Pine Marten. In this interview, Megan Seiter, last years winner of the same award, asks Aidan about the practical side of his painting, muted colour palettes, and using a visual scaffold to build a painting. Above image: Aidan Crotty in his studio   Megan: It’s wonderful to make your acquaintance through this Jackson’s Painting Prize interview! I’ve enjoyed learning about your work, and would love to ask you a few questions to gain a better understanding of your art an ..read more

Haeeun Lee won the Abstract/Non-representational Category Award in the Jackson’s Painting Prize this year with her work Chopin – Nocturne Op. 27 No. 2. In this interview, Rhiannon Inman Simpson, who won the award the previous year, asks Haeeun about her studio practice, setting the scene for a painting, and how she knows when a painting is done.   Rhiannon: Can you tell us a little about your artistic background and how your practice has developed over the years? Haeeun: My mother was a music teacher, my father worked for a financial institute with a hobby of collecting paintings, and the ..read more

Robbie Bushe won the Landscape/Cityscape/Seascape Award in the Jackson’s Painting Prize this year with his work Learney Incantation (Tornaveen). In this interview, artist and previous winner of the same award, Sarah Bold, asks Robbie about his practice, materials and finding inspiration in 1970s science fiction.   Sarah: First of all, can you tell us how you came to be a painter? Robbie: My dad was a sculptor (formal, metal and wood, a bit like Anthony Caro) and Mum did performance, design, poetry and much more – she was brilliant. I was always going to have the arts in my spirit and I co ..read more

Angelo Murphy won the Amateur Artist Award in the Jackson’s Painting Prize this year with his work Citrus Fruit With Blue Paper. An instant love affair as a child with the smell of brand new sketchbooks and pencils has developed into an obsession with paint, canvas and the beauty of objects sensitively placed in raking light. In this interview Angelo shares what he loves in particular about painting objects and why process is just as important as the finished work within his practice.   Lisa: What would you say was your initial motivation for picking up a paintbrush, and how would you des ..read more