This one goes out to all you amazing artists who love to paint in a photorealistic or realistic style, and struggle to soften your brushstrokes to make your work look painterly. In this blog post, we'll cover canvas prep, values, rendering, and much more!
When it comes to creating art, your lighting setup can make or break your ability to see colors and values accurately. Whether you're a seasoned artist or just starting out, knowing how to properly light your art studio is crucial for achieving the best results in your work.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about lighting your art-making space. We'll cover essential topics like brightness, color temperature, the color rendering index (CRI), and how to harness natural light. Plus, I’ll share practical tips that fit any budget, so you can upgrade your lighting setup without breaking the bank.
Nearly three years ago, I published my first studio tour (seen above) on YouTube. It was a peppy, jazzy jaunt through my all white studio, filmed entirely on my iPhone. After a few weeks, it started to go viral, and it's currently my second most viewed video on the channel. The space was presented as cozy, minimalist and bright, and it certainly was all of those things. But I'll let you blog readers in on a little secret: it had some major problems. As the channel grew, I needed more storage, and the dresser I was using was both clunky and insufficient. The drawers didn't open properly, they didn't store very much, and the top of the dresser became a dumping...
Can you Paint on Paper with Acrylic? Definitely! If you're looking for a full step by step tutorial that you can follow along with visually, I've made a YouTube video all about the process, including priming your pages with gesso and mixing your colours. If you're looking for a detailed written breakdown, keep reading! Please note: the links below are affiliate links (Amazon) and I may receive a small commission should you purchase the product as a result of my recommendation. However, I believe in integrity above all else, so I will only ever recommend products that I personally use and have tested. Which Sketchbook is Best for Painting? For my sketchbook, I am using a Strathmore watercolor sketchbook with...
So. Many. Mistakes. This could be said about almost every painting I've created. If I were to summarize my artistic process into a sentence, it would be this: doing my best on the first shot, then fixing it until it's right. Since colour and value are contextual, my first attempt sometimes means taking a shot in the dark and hoping for the best. This was certainly true for this painting of the Rocky Mountains. I made a series of mistakes with this piece, starting immediately with the drawing. If you've been following me for a little while, you'll know that I NEVER paint on a white canvas. But for this particular piece, given that it was completely dominated by blues,...
