Blog posts
Is pyrrole red acrylic paint worth trying?
I’ve had a couple versions of pyrrole red in my pile of acrylic paint colours….
Cerulean blue and cerulean blue chromium acrylic – what’s the difference?
Choosing a green-leaning blue for your palette can be tricky. Do you go for the…
When to use N8 Neutral Gray and Titan Buff acrylic paint
Today I’m taking a closer look at two pale neutral acrylic paints – N8 neutral…
Painting a strawberry in acrylics
I love summertime because it’s berry season! I love strawberries so much and they’re fun…
Titanium white and zinc white acrylic paint – what’s the difference?
I’ve been examining different similar acrylic paint colours, testing out colour mixes to see how…
How to paint a peony in acrylic
Peonies are one of my favourite flowers. They are a large, multi-layered riot of petals,…
How to paint clouds in acrylic
Painting clouds is a great skill to add to your repertoire. They’ve very common in…
The perfect gray acrylic paint?
Which gray is the best gray for your paint palette? I’m examining two versions of…
Speedball pop-in brayer review
I was searching for a better way to apply fabric ink to linoprints and came…
Bone black and ivory black acrylic paint – what’s the difference?
To many, black paint is black paint. They aren’t necessarily that different. But for an…
How to create a rainbow roll block print
I love creating linocuts. A great project if you’ve done a couple block prints in…
The perfect complementary colours? Burnt sienna and ultramarine blue
If you’ve taken a look at some of the posts on my blog, you can…
The scoop on carbon black and Mars black acrylic paint
Black acrylic paint is controversial in the art world. Some artists won’t touch them, saying…
Let’s talk disposable palette pads
I’ve tried quite a few different types of palettes. One type that I’ve used quite…
Why paint a monochromatic painting?
Creating a monochromatic painting using a single colour is a fabulous lesson for artists. Choose…
Mixing Hansa yellow light and cadmium-free yellow light acrylic paint
Today I’m looking at a couple cool-leaning yellows: hansa yellow light and cadmium-free yellow light…
Easy two-colour jigsaw block print
Do you want to have multiple colours in a single block print? A jigsaw block…
Protect gouache paintings with wax medium
Mixing paint with yellow ochre and yellow oxide
Yellow can be a tricky colour to paint with in acrylics . It can be…
Raw sienna and burnt sienna compared
Raw sienna and burnt sienna are natural pigments, sourced from the earth. They are named…
How to block print on fabric
One of the wonderful aspects of learning how to block print is creating art that…
How to paint a watercolour Christmas decoration
Create something special for your Christmas tree or as a gift during the holidays by…
How to use masking fluid
Painting acrylics in a sketchbook
When you’re an acrylic artist, you’re always painting. Some paintings are more successful than others,…
Raw and burnt umber – what’s the difference?
Let’s talk umbers – specifically raw and burnt umber. Umber is an ochre, which means…
All about Ternes-Burton register pins and tabs
Have you ever tried to print a linocut with multiple layers and nearly gave up…
Beginner watercolour supplies – all you need!
Watercolour painting is incredibly popular. It’s a beautiful medium where many artists produce anything from…
Teal and turquoise acrylic paint colour mixing
Today I’m examining my absolute favourite colour on the colour wheel: turquoise! I’ll compare two…
Beginner acrylic painting supplies
If you’re starting out on your acrylic painting journey – congratulations! You’re choosing a wonderful…
8 tips to make linocut carving easier
The very first time I carved a linocut, I was given a few different materials….
Choosing an orange acrylic paint
Orange is a secondary colour on the colour wheel because it can be mixed using…
Swatching and trying handmade watercolours
I was on vacation on Vancouver Island, and stopped at an art supply store. They…
How to gesso your canvases
I gesso my pre-gessoed canvases. Yes, you heard that right! I’m usually buying inexpensive canvases,…
Colour mixing with dioxazine purple and cobalt violet
Today I’m comparing two secondary colours on the colour wheel – dioxazine purple and cobalt…
How to paint a gouache rose
Gouache is a beautiful medium to paint with, and in today’s blog post, I’ll show…
Easy! Cleaning linocut blocks and tools
You’ve printed up several versions of your latest lino print and you’re ready to move…
What’s the difference between phthalo greens?
Let’s talk phthalo greens. You may have stood in an art store, wondering what the…
Four must-have beginner drawing supplies
Drawing can be a very inexpensive hobby. You don’t need many beginner drawing supplies to…
Mixing colours with viridian hue permanent and Jenkins green
Make your art shine with Fine-tec Pearlescent watercolours
I’ve always been curious about pearlescent watercolours. They look interesting to work with, and like…
A look at green gold and brilliant yellow green
A look inside my drawing kit
All about acrylic colour mixing
I’ve been learning as much as I can about acrylic paint colour mixing. It’s a…
How to paint northern lights in acrylics
The night sky is a beautiful subject to paint, especially when it puts on a…
Better quality lino carving tools
When I was first starting out block printing, I used an entry-level carving tool. After…
Terre verte hue vs. chromium oxide green
I’m continuing my journey around the colour wheel, testing out colour mixes to see what…
A close look at water and oil block print ink
There are two major categories of lino print inks: water and oil block print ink….
The best greens? Sap green and hookers green acrylic paint
Both sap green and hookers green acrylic paint are popular choices that artists choose to…
Derwent electric eraser review
I ended up buying a Derwent electric eraser when I was taking an online art…
Comparing warm red acrylic paints
I’m taking a look at how a pair of warm red acrylic paints, cadmium red…
Pro tools for any linocut artist
Once you have a few block prints under your belt, you might be interested in…
How to paint watercolour mussel shells
Mussel shells are beautiful seashells. I gathered some loose seashells when I was visiting an…
8 image sources for artists
As artists, we are always looking for the next great painting idea. Never fear –…
Testing cool red acrylic paint colours
There are two very popular choices for the cool red acrylic paint colours on your…
Speedball linoleum cutter review
The Speedball linoleum cutter is a very popular choice for beginners who are just starting…
How to paint a watercolour cone flower
I love cone flowers, also known as echinacea – I have a few plants growing…
Linocut for beginners – inking and printing
If you haven’t seen steps 1-3 of this linocut for beginners project, check out my…
Linocut for beginners – designing and carving
The best drawing pencils – the clutch pencil!
Clutch pencils are my favourite type of drawing pencils. For the longest time, I thought…
Winsor & Newton Watercolour Palette Review
I was fortunate to unwrap the Winsor & Newton watercolour palette on Christmas morning one…
Which warm cadmium-free yellow acrylic paint is best?
I’ve used cadmium yellow medium hue acrylic paint fairly extensively, but I am taking a…
Which cool yellow acrylic paint colours are best?
Which cool yellow is worth including on your palette? I compare cool yellow acrylic paint…
How to use a lead pointer pencil sharpener
I have a variety of different pencils in my drawing kit, including some mechanical pencils….
Linocut supplies for beginners
So you’ve decided to try out block printing, and are figuring out what linocut supplies…
How to paint watercolour pussy willows
Pussy willows are the surest signs that spring is here where I live in Canada….
Cobalt and ultramarine blue acrylic paint – which one is best?
Cobalt and ultramarine blue are two similar shades of blue. I typically use ultramarine blue…
How to use a kneaded eraser
I love my kneaded eraser! It’s a fantastic addition to any drawing kit, plus it’s…
Comparing phthalo blue acrylic paints
What’s the difference between phthalo blue (red shade) and phthalo blue (green shade)? The two…
The best practice – drawing an apple
Learning to draw takes practice, and a great way for beginners to improve their skills…
Making a watercolour swatch sheet for your palette
Sometimes, when you have a decent sized collection of watercolour paints, it’s easy to forget…
Which are best? Student vs. artist watercolour brushes
I put them to the test: which is better – student or artist (professional) quality…
Van Gogh Pocket Box watercolour set review
Back when I first started thinking I’d learn to paint watercolours, I picked up the…
The best soft pastels brand for your art style and budget
Are you looking for the best soft pastels to buy? Over the years, I’ve collected…
How to paint a snake plant in acrylics
Learn how to paint a snake plant in acrylics in this simple demonstration. Snake plants…
How I set up a watercolour palette
I have a few different watercolour palettes, but this one is the first one I…
8 linocut safety tips to to stay safe
When you’re carving with sharp tools, it can be easy to make a mistake and…
What’s in the Speedball Screen Printing Kit?
I was wandering the art aisles in Michaels, the big craft store here in Canada,…
How to use Absorbent Ground with watercolours
Go beyond paper! You can use Golden Absorbent Ground with any water media to paint…
Review and how to use a Sta-Wet Palette
The Masterson Sta-Wet Palette is my absolute favourite acrylic painting tool. It’s a system that…