Stretching canvas isn't that hard, but if you're just starting out, here's a step by step tutorial on how to stretch your own canvas. All you'll need is unprimed cotton duck (raw canvas), a staple gun, and some scissors to make your own stretched canvas.. . . read more
This step-by-step tutorial explains exactly how to prime a canvas, including the correct mixture of acrylic Gesso and water. Priming canvases isn't difficult - all you really need is Gesso and a brush.. . . read more
Linseed stand oil and turpentine (or odorless mineral spirits) are the ingredients to a painting medium for mixing oils. Learn how to mix your own oil painting medium with this simple tutorial. Improve paint flow, blending ability, and drying consistency. . . . read more
The differences between organic and inorganic oil paints is something most artists probably don't know enough about. I only found out myself less than five or six years ago, but once I did it completely changed my palette and lowered my frustration level in achieving the effects I was trying. . . read more
When I first started painting there was one thing I really hated about it—scraping old paint off of my palette. But luckily that's all in the past, and these days cleaning up is a breeze. My secret? I ditched the palette. Continue reading. . . . . . read more
If you're an oil painter then you know that mixing neutral colors like brown or black can be just as tricky as any other color. In this tutorial, I'll show you exactly how to mix the blacks and browns that every painting needs.. . . read more
There are a LOT of oil painting brushes available to choose from - big, small, square, angled, and everything in between. All of it adds up to a wide array of options that leads new artists (or artists just getting into oil painting) to ask: "Which brushes should I buy?" Well here's my. . . read more
An oil painter's most valuable tools are his or her brushes, and to keep a paintbrush lasting as long as possible it's important to get all the oil paint out of the bristles after painting. Here's the (very detailed) process I use when cleaning my brushes.. . . read more
Today I'm going to take you through the process that I use to make my my own canvas stretcher bars. I use materials and tools that anyone can find at their local hardware store, and often make large painting canvases for a tiny fraction of the price they'd cost me in an art supply store. . . read more
New to oil painting? The following tips will show you how to mix paint colors PLUS explain why some colors of oil paint mix strangely with other oil colors - making colors like mud, or simply making paint colors you don't want.. . . read more