Pussy willows are the surest signs that spring is here where I live in Canada. Snow might still be on the ground, but it’s melting and the little soft tufts start showing up on willow branches out in the countryside. Watercolour pussy willows are a great way to preserve this first sign of spring year-round. They […]
How to paint watercolour pussy willows Read More »
Cobalt and ultramarine blue are two similar shades of blue. I typically use ultramarine blue when I paint, but I’ve also had a tube of cobalt blue kicking around my box of acrylics, so I decided to put the two head-to-head and compare. I’ve always considered cobalt and ultramarine to be the most classic blue
Cobalt and ultramarine blue acrylic paint – which one is best? Read More »
I love my kneaded eraser! It’s a fantastic addition to any drawing kit, plus it’s very inexpensive. It can take a bit of getting used to but once you start using it, my guess is you’ll love it too. First up, you remove it from the packaging and give it a bit of a kneading.
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What’s the difference between phthalo blue (red shade) and phthalo blue (green shade)? The two colours are very similar, so I created a video comparing phthalo blue acrylic paints. Watch the phthalo blue red shade vs. green shade video on my Youtube channel. I really like using both versions of phthalo blue when painting in
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Learning to draw takes practice, and a great way for beginners to improve their skills is drawing simple, everyday items, like drawing an apple. An apple is a great item to sketch – it helps practice drawing three-dimensional form and improve your shading. Watch me sketch an apple on my Youtube channel. Why drawing an
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Sometimes, when you have a decent sized collection of watercolour paints, it’s easy to forget which colours are which. It’s easy to make a watercolour swatch sheet that fits right in your portable watercolour palette which you can reference while you’re painting. It’s also handy when you’re a beginner because you can be reminded of
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I put them to the test: which is better – student or artist (professional) quality watercolour brushes? Specifically, I’m comparing the Winsor & Newton Cotman and Professional watercolour brushes. When I shot the video below, I had one of each – a Cotman size 8 round and a professional size 8 pointed round. The pointed
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Back when I first started thinking I’d learn to paint watercolours, I picked up the Van Gogh Pocket Box watercolour set with 12 half pans. I’ve used it a fair amount over the years, switching back and forth between it and other sets I own or have built myself. Watch my review of the Van
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Are you looking for the best soft pastels to buy? Over the years, I’ve collected quite a few different brands of soft pastels. I enjoy using some more than others. And certain ones work well for certain uses better than others. Watch me try out different brands of soft pastels on my YouTube channel. In
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Learn how to paint a snake plant in acrylics in this simple demonstration. Snake plants are a great houseplant for beginners to paint because of their fairly simple form. They also add a few challenges, such as layering leaves over top of each other and adding minor details while maintaining the form of the leaves.
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