Painting Tips for Beginners: How to Work with Color

Color Mixing Scheme Poster

When you look at a painting, what’s the first thing you see? Color is one of the most powerful tools in an artist’s arsenal, capable of evoking emotion, setting the mood, and bringing a painting to life. But for beginners, navigating the vast spectrum of colors can be quite daunting. Fear not — we’re here […]

Canvas Painting for Beginners: A Guide

Woman in studio, painting on canvas

You can technically paint on anything, but your choice of surface is just as important as choosing the right brush and paint type. While much can be said about the different surfaces one can paint on, chances are good that if you’re interested in picking up painting as a pastime, you’d probably like to try […]

Mastering Texture and Visual Effects with Palette Knives: A Beginner Guide

wood table with palette knifes and various paint texture tools

In the realm of visual art, each stroke of the brush, each texture created, and every color applied carries the potential to convey emotions, stories, and beauty. To shape these elements, painters aren’t just using brushes — in fact, your favorite effect or “brushstroke” in your favorite painting may have been made by something else: […]

Pros and Cons of Different Paint Types for Artists

A person uses a palette knife to paint in a studio

For artists, the choice of paint type is a big deal — a decision that shapes the foundation upon which creative visions are brought to life. Oil, acrylic, and watercolor paints stand as pillars of artistic possibility, each with their own distinct advantages and limitations. Whether you’re a seasoned creator or just beginning your artistic […]

A Guide to Paintbrush Types for Beginner Artists

An image of paintbrushes in a jar

Have you been inspired by Paul Kirby and his amazing robot artist Dulcinea to pick up a brush and begin your own journey in painting? With the right mindset, anyone can be a painter, experiencing the mindfulness, creativity, and therapeutic effects of shaping an image on a canvas. Painting offers a versatile and vibrant medium […]

7 Basic Paintbrush Techniques

A close-up of an arm using a basic paintbrush techniques

Whether the brush is held by a man or a machine, the brushstroke is the heart and soul of all painting. Each brushstroke is its own note in the symphony of a painted work, and so mastery of the brush is one of the most valuable skills a painter can hone. If you’re looking to […]

The Importance of a Brushstroke

A swath of paint… that’s all a brushstroke is, right?  It’s easy to view a painting as the sum of its parts – a singular, whole product limited to one image. But would you say the same about a dance? A dancer’s every step and movement conveys unique energy and emotion that embodies the spirit […]