Princeton Monarch brushes
I routinely disparage synthetic brushes. I’ve written about this topic several times on this blog. My collection of synthetics quickly resembles the brushes in this photo—mishapen hulks with limited usefulness. My opinion began to change several years ago when I used some synthetics that stood up to the beating from oil painting. I’ve steadily used
Review: Rublev paint
Rublev oil paint is excellent. Along with Harding, they are my choice for high-end oil paint. I’ve used Rublev oils frequently but only recently moved them into the top tier on my Oil Paint Brand Reference. I used some of their excellent lead whites over the past month and realized how fantastic this paint is.
Where are my workshops?
Reader lynnandjanice recently asked if I teach or hold workshops. I regularly get this question. Gifted teachers are rare. The first real art instructor I ever had when I was 13 possessed the gift. Her words imprinted themselves on me and unlocked the mysteries of drawing. I experienced something similar with a math teacher in
My fav…raw umber
Next to lead white, raw umber is my most-used color. Because it’s fast drying, it’s ideal for every use case, whether I’m making a quick sketch or preparing the underpainting on a large painting. Additionally, its high transparency means it can produce the widest range of tones. Raw umber has always been on my palette,
Design process
I’ve been drawing a lot lately. I made this small study while preparing a large (for me) new painting for my Amusement Park series. I’d planned to make an oil sketch but decided to heighten the lead drawing with white chalk and call it finished. So, it’s a lead drawing on a toned canvas, 20″
Loaded again
I know what you’re thinking but, no, not that kind of loaded. I get excited when I prepare my palette for another painting session. Seeing the waiting colors is inviting. I coat the glass palette with oil before applying the colors and mixed tones. This makes cleanup easier. In this photo, I propped the palette
Delicious copal jelly
I haven’t been a fan of gelling paint mediums since my early interest in maroger, a gelling medium made from mastic. But I like to experiment with mediums, sometimes to my harm. My go-to for paint varnishes and related materials is James Groves. I’ve praised nearly every product from James that I’ve tried. Indeed, his
RGH vs Harding
Readers know about my obsession with The Great White–flake (lead) white paint. This all-important color is getting harder to find because some manufacturers stopped making it due to misguided health concerns and regulations. I’ve discussed the merits of lead white several times on this blog so I won’t repeat myself here. (Those wondering why I