Big turpentine
After completing studies for my next BIG painting, I’m ready to start painting. At 5′ x 6′, this is my largest painting in more than a decade. A painting of…
Sinking in (canvases)
I always try to be as efficient as possible with my paintings. But I’m also cheap. The combination of efficiency and cheapness has frequently caused me headaches. Instead of saving…
Starting a painting
Everyone knows how to start a painting, right? You take up your brush and begin–what’s the problem? Joking aside, if you want to create a sketch or study, that IS…
‘Liberty Avenue’ again
Art students frequently struggle over how to start a painting. Once started poorly, a painting is hard to correct. I’ve shared the starting stages of several of my paintings for…
Painting flesh
Artists find painting people and portraits difficult. Even artists who can paint complicated landscapes without too much difficulty stumble when they attempt people. Why? Part of the answer is the…
Leaded oil completed
I began my latest batch of leaded linseed oil on July 27, 2021–38 days ago. I protected the oil from debris with a cover. I gently rocked the tray periodically…
Old Holland, I want to forgive you
I explain why I banished Old Holland from my palette in this post. Even though I rate Old Holland’s oil paint the best in my Oil Paint Reference, their prices…
Smooth is best
Rereading what I wrote about preparing a canvas, I realized that I didn’t emphasize the main goal enough. Yes, it’s important to protect the canvas, but the real goal is…