One of the first questions you are faced with when you start painting is what medium you should focus on. The three main choices are acrylics, oils and watercolors. For the purpose of this article, I will be discussing the differences between oils and acrylic. Watercolors are arguably more difficult to pick up due to … Read more
If you are interested in learning how to paint, it is essential you have at least a solid knowledge of the painting supplies available to you and how to use them. To assist you, I have prepared this guide to painting supplies which is set out as follows: 1. The Basic Supplies Are All You … Read more
Camille Pissarro (10 July 1830 – 13 November 1903) was a Danish-French Impressionist & Neo-Impressionist painter. Pissarro’s work has been described by art historian Diane Kelder as expressing “the same quiet dignity, sincerity, and durability that distinguished his person.” Here is an insight into Pissarro’s mind with some of his famous quotes: “I sometimes have … Read more
Henri Matisse (31 December 1869 – 3 November 1954) was a French-born artist known for his vibrant and bold works. He practiced numerous mediums, including sculpture, printmaking and drawing, however, he is most famous for his painting. Matisse had an interesting perspective on life and left with us some great artistic quotes: “Impressionism is the … Read more
Color theory is a body of principles that provide guidance on the relationship between colors and the physiological impacts of certain color combinations. Color theory is one of the most fundamental areas of painting. The importance of understanding color theory far exceeds simply knowing how to mix colors together (for example, knowing that yellow and blue … Read more
I am sure most of you are aware of what a palette knife is, but for those of you who are not, it is basically a tool used in acrylic and oil painting for mixing paints and applying paint in a thick, impasto manner onto the canvas. What I wanted to discuss here was using … Read more
Vincent van Gogh, born March 30, 1853, is one of the most famous painters in history, despite being relatively poor and unknown for most of his life. His paintings are bold and expressive. These inspirational quotes give an insight into the interesting mind of Vincent van Gogh. “It is good to love many things, for … Read more
Want to learn how to paint but not sure where to start? Here is a step-by-step oil painting lesson using one of my favorite oil paintings, Noosa At Sunset. I will walk you through the entire process, from selecting a scene to paint to applying the finishing details. I was inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s brushwork for … Read more
Have you found your perfect artist signature for your paintings? At the start, I struggled with how to sign my paintings. Such a simple thing, yet I just could not get my head around it. With some practice though I settled on a signature (and by practice I mean hundreds of signatures on an old canvas). … Read more
Here is a step-by-step oil painting lesson based on my painting, “Milford Sound, New Zealand”, oil on canvas, 16×20 inches. The painting is based on a photograph taken by my sister, who is currently living in New Zealand. The painting follows my usual process of: Toned Stain Sketch Block in Detail Step 1 – Staining … Read more