Tag: The Paint Spot
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Watercolour Brushes – How to Choose
Most brushes comprise of a handle, usually wooden; a ferrule, usually metal; and hair: natural animal hair, synthetic ‘hair’, or a blend of the two. Watercolour brushes are designed to suit watercolour, not oil or acrylic paint. Brushes vary hugely in price, size, shape, and material. Brush quality varies, too, so it is wise to […]
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Oil and Acrylic Brushes – Tips
Examples of oil and acrylic brushes
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Varnish an Oil Painting
Not everyone chooses to varnish their oils. The benefits of applying a coat of varnish to an oil painting are to improve the appearance, unify the finish of a painting and get rid of ‘sunken-in’ areas. Varnish makes a painting easier to clean and provides a barrier to dust, pollutants, and physical damage. 10 Tips […]
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Big, Big Studio Still Life Show
We all love art materials! Let’s paint a still life to honour these humble materials, collections of creative tools, or favourite brands that work so hard for us. For our 35th Anniversary in May 2020, we’re filling our walls from front to back and side to side with your paintings of art supplies and studio […]
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Varnish a Painting – 12 Tips to Help You
Not everyone chooses to varnish their painting. The benefits of applying a coat of varnish to an acrylic painting are: to improve the appearance of, and unify the finish of the work; to make it easier to clean; to provide a barrier to dust, pollutants, and physical damage. This post will help you avoid some […]
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Gouache Painting – Top 10 Reasons to Love it!
True art story “What is Gouache?” Gouache is pronounced “goo wash” and rhymes with squash. The first time I heard the word ‘gouache’ mispronounced was by a student reading from her notes. Her teacher recommended she get a tube of white wash. At the time, I was a new employee at The Paint Spot. I […]
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Gamblin Oil Painting Tips
Gamblin has solvent-free alternatives Back to school is often the time we hear the perennial concerns over oil painting and solvents in the classroom. Fear not, Gamblin has safe alternatives. Here are links to practical advice. Gamblin’s mission is to lead oil painting and printmaking into the future. This means crafting materials as they ought […]
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35th Anniversary Sketchbook Exchange Project
Let’s take a moment to note and celebrate our history through a little visual storytelling. We invite you to help us illustrate an archive. Over the next several months we are hosting a sketchbook exchange project. Add a drawing, painting, cartoon, doodle, or caricature to our book and we will add art to your book. […]
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Mehndi Henna Body Art
The Mehndi Henna body art is a tradition that spans more than 5,000 years, the people of India, Africa and the Middle East have practiced the beautiful and mysterious art of painting on the body with preparations using the henna plant. History The art form is referred to as Mehndi In India and in the […]
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Introduction to Oil Pastels
In 1949 Pablo Picasso asked Henri Sennelier to create a completely new medium that had the qualities of oil paint and soft pastel in an easy-to-apply stick form. Picasso told Henri, ‘I want a coloured pastel that I can paint on anything…wood, paper, canvas or metal without having to prepare or prime the surface.’ This […]