I spend quite a bit of time painting outdoors (plein air) because I know how helpful it is to my process. (Read more about the benefits of plein air painting.) Perhaps you’re making an effort to paint outdoors more regularly yourself, … Read More
There may come a time in the life of an artist when he or she looks at a recent creation and declares with pride, “Hey, someone out there might pay money for this! But, how do I get their attention?” … Read More
I’ve written before about mixing black and white to make a variety of grays. It’s a nice, simple exercise to better recognize value contrasts. But when painting with more colors, the best way to mix grays is of course to … Read More
We painters keep finding ways to smear paint onto canvases. Brushes are our typical tools of choice for the smearing, and brushwork is essentially what the viewer sees when they look at our paintings. With practice over time, we can … Read More
M. Graham & Co. recently released a limited-edition color called Azo Coral. They sent me a free tube to try and I want to pass along my experience with it. Azo Coral is an exciting semi-transparent color which has an … Read More
My last article covered my recent visit to the M. Graham & Co. factory in Hubbard, Oregon. While I was in the area, I also visited the headquarters of another paint manufacturer. Gamblin Artist Colors I visited the Gamblin facility … Read More
I just returned with my family from a couple of weeks in Oregon. While we were in the Portland area, I was able to visit the factories of two companies who make artists’ paint and I wanted to share some … Read More
After my post about the advantages of a studio gallery, a few folks asked if I could share some of the criteria I used to help me choose a location for mine. No earth-shattering secrets to success here, but the … Read More
Before 2011, I never saw myself running an art gallery. I was happily painting, but sales could have been happier. My wife Sarah and I had been trying to find a way for her to be a stay-at-home mom for … Read More
Do you ever wonder as an artist whether you’re the best judge of your own work? I’ve had several discussions lately with other artists about this topic and it’s been quite interesting to think about. Perhaps you can relate to … Read More