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Water Color Tips

Watercolor is a wonderful medium that can create dreamy, fantastical landscapes, but it can be a challenge to master. To get the most out of your watercolor paintings, it’s important to use high-quality materials. I recommend upgrading from a beginner-level paint like Pelikan to a professional-grade one like Schmincke. Schmincke paints have a higher pigment concentration, which means they produce brighter, more vibrant colors that blend well together.

In addition to using high-quality paint, selecting the right paper is also crucial. Watercolor paper is specially designed to absorb water and hold the paint in place, allowing you to create beautiful washes and fine details. I recommend using paper with a weight of at least 140 lb (300 gsm) and a rough or cold-pressed texture, like Arches Watercolor Paper.

To get the most out of your watercolor paints, there are a few techniques you can use. One is to use a wet-on-wet technique, where you wet the paper with clean water before adding paint. This creates a beautiful, soft look that’s perfect for creating dreamy, atmospheric scenes. Another technique is to use a dry-brush technique, where you use a dry brush to apply paint to a dry surface. This produces a more textured look, which can be great for creating interesting details and contrast.

If you’re new to working with watery materials, trying out ink on cheaper paper or cardboards can be a great way to experiment with a whole new world of painting. You can also experiment with different types of watercolor brushes, like round brushes for detailed work and flat brushes for larger washes.

Here are the links to the brands mentioned:

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Lets know some pastel brands

Pastels are a versatile medium that allow artists to create beautiful, soft, and textured artworks. There are many brands of pastels available, each with their own unique qualities and characteristics. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular brands of pastels and what sets them apart.

Rembrandt Pastels

Rembrandt Pastels are one of the most popular and widely used brands of pastels in the world. They are made in Holland and are known for their exceptional quality and rich, vibrant colors. Rembrandt Pastels are made with a high concentration of pure pigment, which means that they produce deep, intense hues that are perfect for creating bold, expressive artwork. They are also very soft and velvety, making them easy to blend and layer.

Faber-Castell Pitt Pastels

Faber-Castell Pitt Pastels are another popular brand of pastels. These pastels are made in Germany and are known for their high level of lightfastness, meaning that they resist fading over time. They are also very versatile and can be used on a variety of surfaces, including paper, canvas, and wood. Faber-Castell Pitt Pastels are known for their soft, smooth texture, which makes them easy to blend and layer. They come in a range of vibrant colors, and their square shape makes them easy to handle and control.

Sennelier Soft Pastels

Sennelier Soft Pastels are a French brand of pastels that have been used by artists for over a century. They are known for their rich, creamy texture and high pigment concentration, which produces brilliant colors that are perfect for creating luminous, expressive artwork. Sennelier Soft Pastels are very soft and crumbly, which makes them easy to blend and layer. They also come in a range of over 500 colors, including many unique and unusual shades.

Schmincke Soft Pastels

Schmincke Soft Pastels are a German brand of pastels that are known for their exceptional quality and lightfastness. They are made with pure pigments and a minimum amount of binder, which means that they produce rich, vibrant colors that are true to life. Schmincke Soft Pastels are also very soft and velvety, making them easy to blend and layer. They come in a range of over 400 colors, including many earth tones and subtle shades.

Holbein Artists’ Soft Pastels

Holbein Artists’ Soft Pastels are a Japanese brand of pastels that are known for their exceptional quality and lightfastness. They are made with pure pigments and a minimum amount of binder, which means that they produce rich, intense colors that are true to life. Holbein Artists’ Soft Pastels are also very soft and velvety, making them easy to blend and layer. They come in a range of over 200 colors, including many unique and unusual shades.

In conclusion, there are many different brands of pastels available, each with their own unique qualities and characteristics. Whether you’re looking for rich, vibrant colors or soft, velvety textures, there is a brand of pastels out there that will meet your needs. So go ahead, experiment with different brands and find the ones that work best for you!

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I cheat on Time, The joy of working with Acrylics

Acrylics are a versatile and popular medium among artists due to their quick drying time, variety of colors, and ability to adhere to a range of surfaces. However, their quick drying time can also be a disadvantage in certain situations, and it is important to use a middle to good quality acrylic to ensure the best results.

In addition to the traditional methods of painting with acrylics, such as applying it straight from the tube or using a brush, there are a variety of techniques and ways to approach using this medium.

One technique is to use acrylics in a watercolor-like manner, by diluting the paint with water to create translucent washes. This technique is great for creating subtle gradients and layering colors. Another approach is to use acrylics as a glaze, by layering thin, translucent layers of color over a base layer to create a luminous effect.

Acrylics can also be used for impasto painting, where thick layers of paint are applied to the surface to create texture and dimension. This technique is great for creating dramatic, three-dimensional effects, and can be achieved using palette knives, brushes, or other tools.

Another way to approach acrylics is to experiment with various additives and mediums. For example, using a gel medium can add texture and depth to a painting, while a pouring medium can create a smooth, glossy finish. Acrylics can also be mixed with other materials such as sand, glass beads, or even food items like coffee grounds or spices, to create unique textures and effects.

Acrylics can also be used for printmaking, as mentioned earlier, with the added benefit of being able to create multiple prints with the same plate or stencil due to the quick drying time. Screen printing, monoprinting, and linocut printing are all techniques that can be used with acrylics.

Overall, acrylics offer a wide range of possibilities for artists to experiment and create. Whether using traditional techniques or exploring new approaches and mediums, acrylics are a versatile and exciting medium for artists of all levels