art techniques

Type of Stamp Ink to Use With Watercolors

Not all inks are created equal. There are at least four major types of stamp ink that all create different effects. Some inks are thicker and made for adding texture, and some inks are transparent and made to be mixed.

Ideas for Art Projects

Use these ideas for art projects that entertain and create interesting pieces of art. Use everyday art supplies found around most homes, schools, discount or hobby stores to create these art projects. Oil pastels and various paints of your choice make up the main supply list.

Acrylic Painting Tips for Beginners

Acrylic paint is a versatile medium that is excellent for beginning painters. They are made with synthetic ingredients, as opposed to oil paints which are based on natural oils. Acrylic paint dries faster than oil paint and can be thinned with water to achieve different techniques.

Art Materials for Painting

Painting is often seen as an elusive field. Would-be painters rarely know where to start. You can get started painting in acrylic, oil or watercolors with only a few standard items. If you want to start creating your own masterpieces out of paint, pick up these basic items.

Careers in Drawing

There exists today more potential career paths for those with a drawing talent than ever before. The unique gifts possessed by those who can use a piece of paper and pen or pencil to bring their imagination to life are sought every day across a wide spectrum of job types.

How Do You Realise Your Ideas, by Painting, Drawing or Computer?

The entire world is made up of ideas that were only visions and imaginations in someone's mind before being put on paper. Inside each of us is a creative genius that beckons to be expressed. Part of becoming an artist or realizing any dream is learning how to take those ideas and put them on paper.

Painting or Drawing on Canvas Ideas

Canvas is a wonderful support medium for painting and drawing because it is easy to form into project-specific shapes such as rectangles or ovals, its texture provides an extra dimension to the final product, and the weight of the material can easily hold a lot of paint or charcoal.

What Are the Basics of Drawing?

Besides being one the first skills attempted by preschoolers, drawing is also an enjoyable hobby that can continue throughout a lifetime. Wherever you go, you can record what you see not only in words but by sketching the sights.

Caring for Bronze Sculptures

A bronze sculpture can be a handsome addition to any home's decor. Unfortunately, bronze, like all metals, will oxidize over time and develop a greenish hue called a patina. Follow these steps to preserve the surfaces of your bronze sculptures.

About Oil Painting Cleaners

An oil painting is about more than just finding a work of art. It's investment in your home. And just like any investment, you want to take care of it the best way you can. That means cleaning it, but a lot of people don't like to clean oil paintings because they don't want to ruin the art work.

Acrylic Painting Tips

Acrylic painting is a fast and fun medium for artists of all skill levels. These water-based paints are easy to use and easy to clean up. If you are unfamiliar with acrylic paints, there are some basic tips that will help you improve your work and protect your paints.

Acrylic Painting Techniques

Acrylic paints are an increasingly popular alternative to oil paints. These polymer-based paints dry quickly and are water-soluble, allowing for several different techniques that can change the look of your painting.

Acrylic Landscape Painting Techniques

Acrylic paints have unique features that allow for different techniques than oil paints. They dry quickly and blend with water, allowing them to be thinned easily. Acrylic paint is a wonderful way for beginners to explore landscape painting.

Acrylic Painting Techniques and Textures

Acrylics are water-based paints that are popular because they're so easy to use. Besides being easier to clean than oils, acrylics offer a wide range of paints. Acrylics can be as thick as oil paints, or as thin as watercolors, when diluted with enough water.

Types of Acrylic Paint

Acrylic paint is a fine medium for any artist to use no matter their experience level. Acrylics are fast-drying and can be purchased relatively cheap making them ideal for beginners or those wishing to experiment.

Paint Brushes

Art brushes come in various shapes, sizes and textures. Because one brush can't perform all jobs or be used with all painting mediums, there are many brushes, each designed for different types of pigments and functions.

How to Clean Old Paintbrushes

Paintbrushes are often expensive, so they'll turn into an investment if you paint frequently. Cleaning your brushes properly is the best thing you can do to keep them in good condition. Old ones need especially good care while cleaning--their bristles are more likely to fall out or get damaged during the process.

Drawing Ideas for Kids

For children interested in art, drawing is a way to express themselves. These drawing ideas, which work best for children between the ages of 10 and 14, can help your child develop a more sophisticated and mature style.

How Do Mural Artists Paint on Curved Walls?

Murals are those large pictures that are painted on walls in cities, buildings and other locations. They can be large, grand works of art (the Sistine Chapel is a very famous mural) or more local affairs such as a local artist decorating an otherwise blank wall at a park.

Sketching a Gesture Drawing

Gesture drawing is such a valuable skill to master, as it can create inspiration for more in-depth drawings and paintings. David Clemen is experienced in a variety of art forms, such as illustration, painting, fashion illustration and graphic design. In this video, he demonstrates using a wooden model to learn the basics of figure drawing and gesture drawing.

Drawing Guides for Faces

Learning to draw the human face is a challenging endeavor that requires an awareness of proportion, shape, and negative space. However, the most important skill needed to master the human portrait is patience and a desire to try, study, and repeat.

Drawing Faces for Beginners

Drawing faces intimidates many beginning artists. Eyes and mouths create the personality. Draw these correctly, and your portrait closely resembles your model. However, the eyes and mouth, along with other features, require correct placement on a properly proportioned face before a true likeness appears.

Pencil Drawing Ideas

Pencil, often used to practice skills, also offers a versatile media for creating quality artwork. Pencil lends itself to a surprising variety of effects and subjects from the thin detailed line and texture markings of a plant to large dark strokes of tone needed when drawing a still life.

Garden Sculpture Yard Art Ideas

Garden sculptures are an individual choice. They reflect the tastes and values of the homeowner. But there are a few things for anyone to consider before purchasing a sculpture. The following information should serve as a helpful tool in deciding exactly what a person wants out of his garden sculpture.

How to Make Paper Sculptures

Paper, the most basic artistic material, does not only exist to be drawn or painted on. Paper is versatile, often used in other artistic fields such as three-dimensional design and sculpture. Paper sculpting is not like sculpting in other materials.

How to Carve a Stone

Stone carvings are beautiful works of art that take time and patience to create with results that will last a lifetime. Stone sculptures and statues have been around for centuries, and while early artists had to do all the work by hand, sculptors today have the unique ability to combine the old way of doing things with technology that makes it quicker.

Watercolor Painting Techniques

Watercolor offers a wide range of creativity, making it an art medium of wide diversity. Because watercolor involves water, the process goes quickly and is one of the most free forms of painting. Unlike acrylics and oils, it's not as easy to cover up mistakes as many watercolor pigments are transparent and staining.

Basic People Painting Techniques in Watercolor

Since watercolor is a fast-moving medium, as well as often unforgiving, many novice watercolorists avoid painting people. New painters are typically afraid to paint people or portraits, fearing they won't be able to paint all the details or skin tones correctly.

How to Use Watercolor Paints

Watercolor paints are convenient and relatively economical. Watercolors, particularly pan watercolors, travel and clean up easily and need only a small container of water. Practice using them and realize their surprising versatility.

How to Do Folk Art Painting on Wood

Do folk art painting on wood for a simple, colorful piece of artwork. Folk art began with rural artists who practiced and perfected their skills without the help of formal training. Folk painting is marked by simple country scenes and characters.

History of Japanese Prints

Japanese prints are time-honored artistic symbols and can be found today on a variety of decorative products from calendars to posters. Yet these woodblock paintings also have a rich history influenced by Japanese culture over the course of three centuries.