A wooden manikin can be a useful item to have on hand if you are beginning figure drawing or adding people into pictures. The joints of the wooden model are similar to those of the body, as the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, ankles, and leg “joints” enable these parts to be moved to the desired […]
I first discovered pastel pencils when I was looking for a way to color in some small areas using pastels. While they have the same qualities as traditional pastels, they are encased in wood like pencils and are easy to handle and control, and your hands stay cleaner as you work. 🙂 You can buy […]
Sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin when purchasing art supplies. If you’ve ever seen a catalog from a supply store, you know the options go on and on. So to get you started, I’ve listed the online stores where I often shop. These are discount art supply stores, and most products are less expensive than […]
Gouache paints (pronounced “gwash”) are opaque watercolor paint. These paints comes in tubes a little larger than traditional watercolors, or you could buy various colors in a pre-packaged set. They are similar to watercolors in that they can be thinned with water; however, because they are opaque, the paper won’t show through, and you won’t […]
Several years ago, I came across a book in our library called Painting Animals That Touch the Heart by pastel artist Leslie Harrison.  Leslie creates pastel paintings of horses and wildlife that are incredibly realistic. Because wildlife is my favorite subject to paint, I couldn’t wait to try her techniques. Soft pastels, also called chalk pastels, have more […]
If you are thinking of trying watercolor, you may be a bit overwhelmed. There are so many types of paper available, which kind should you buy? Watercolor paper comes in pads, blocks, or individual sheets of various sizes. There’s no wrong choice; you’ll want the paper that works best for your project and produces the effect […]
Colored pencils are a fun medium for any age. Economical and portable, the effects achieved with these pencils range from very soft, muted artwork to vibrant, colorful designs. Some of my favorites are made by Prismacolor. Once you start drawing with them, you won’t want to go back to the regular student brands again. The […]