Hi, I’m Kellie Day, a mixed-media painter, art mentor, and art educator for Golden Paints. It’s important to have quick, easy projects to get you painting...
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I don’t consider myself the strongest painter of water. . . but I do create a lot of paintings around the coast, so I need to...
Chrysanthemums are the symbol of the Fall season in Chinese Brush painting. Mums come in a variety of colors from the traditional yellow to orange, red, pink, purple, and white. For this painting we will be using the xieyi or “Freehand” style of painting which focuses on conveying the essence or spirit of a subject rather than an exact likeness. Required Chinese Brush Painting Supplies...
Birds and bamboo are two very popular subjects in Chinese Brush painting. Follow along with me as I paint a sparrow perched among bamboo branches, using...
Hello, fellow artists! If you’re like me, you probably have your own working methods that you’ve developed over the years. Today I wanted to share four...
Have you ever lost track of time watching painting tutorials on YouTube? I know I have! And I’ve found some AMAZING painting videos I’d like to share. Today I’m going to list over 50 of the best “how to paint” videos that I’ve watched in the last few weeks. I’ll start with the videos that apply to all painting mediums, and then share several videos...
Have you ever wanted to paint a night sky, with all its stars and galaxies? Today’s tutorial will show you how! This tutorial tends to be...
You’re probably reading this post because you’ve decided you want to learn to paint with oil paints, but aren’t sure where to start. Sure, you’ve browsed...
In my last tutorial we explored painting sunflowers in the Chinese Brush painting style. This time we will be painting Magnolia blossoms on a branch. Required Chinese brush painting supplies For this painting you will need a medium-size mixed-hair brush, often called a “flow” or “combination” brush. The inner part is made from stiff bristles which help the brush retain a nice point. The outer...
Chris is an energetic artist, and an expert in InDesign from his days as a graphic designer. As a thank-you for his help with one of...
I recently received the following question from a loyal EmptyEasel reader who is also an oil painter: I have been following your blog on EmptyEasel and...
Sunflowers are very fun to paint in the Chinese Brush painting style. This is a painting style that uses simple brushstrokes to convey the essence of a subject. For today’s project we will be focusing on the xieyi style which means “to write a picture.” There is no pre-drawing of a subject; all painting is done with the brush. The idea is to convey the...
Over the last couple of years I have had paintings in local galleries, and done a number of solo exhibitions, so I am always careful to...
In 2012 I was sent to cover homeland military operations at Maguire Air Force Base in New Jersey as part of the Air Force Arts Program....
Many so-called “rules” of art are more suggestions than rules. It’s helpful to know what they are, but you don’t have to follow them rigorously to make great art. However—when it comes to oil painting, there are three rules that you absolutely, positively MUST understand and follow if you paint in layers, or your work will fail every time. They are: Fat over lean Thick...
In late 2017, The Society of Illustrators in New York featured an open-call for their members to create artwork on the subject of “Food” for an exhibition....
Do you mix your own black oil paint, or use a black paint straight out of the tube? It’s certainly more convenient to buy black paint...
Are you trying watercolors for the first time? If so, here are 5 tips to kickstart your watercolor painting experience: 1. Start off light With watercolors you have to paint from light to dark (the reverse is almost impossible). So try to go as light as possible for your initial layers, and plan for your darker layers later. 2. Add multiple layers to increase contrast...
For more than 25 years portrait painting was my daily activity. In all those years, I would often hear that portrait models should not smile as...
Plein air painting is an exciting way to sharpen your observation skills and grow as an artist. However, it can also be a nerve-wracking experience your...
I am a Canadian watercolourist and have been painting landscapes, florals, and buildings with lots of character for over 30 years. I especially enjoy scenes that are sunshiny days with dancing shadows across the landscape or buildings. While watercolour is my preferred medium, I do enjoy trying my hand at various other mediums, like this painting, Guardian of Thornloe, where I used watercolour crayons on...