california dreamin' - a closer look at a recent commission

In December of 2020, I was commissioned to paint an oil painting of San Francisco, California. And for the first time in history I managed to film the ENTIRE process! There is full length timelapse video of this painting now up on our Youtube channel “Painting with Lindsey & Nate”. Check it out here…

San Francisco is gorgeous city known for its steep hilly streets lined with cable car wires and colorful Victorians, breathtaking views of the bay, and all of its iconic ‘Summer of Love’ West Coast beauty. One of my favorite cities in the world, and a place I was fortunate enough to call home for close to 15 years.

The request for the painting was to not only paint a San Francisco street scene, but to depict a memory of “home” for the collector. We discussed what elements would best represent San Francisco for them, as well as what overall color palette and size would best fit their home. After several iterations and photoshop adjustments, we narrowed it down to a morning on Russian Hill looking out over the bay. Except, we changed a few things! The less exciting buildings on the right were replaced with a row of ornate Victorians from the Mission district, cars were removed and palm trees were added, as well as areas of “busyness” to help add color and personality to the sidewalks and streets. The end result being a collaborative composition between the collector and myself.

The size was enormous, measuring 26x60 inches, so the challenges were stacked high and wide for this type of scene. The drawing and perspective absolutely had to be correct, otherwise the mistakes would be glaring. And working in a small bedroom studio, backing up to see the painting from a distance was next to impossible. Plus not to mention the sheer amount of paint that’s needed to cover a panel this size! So saying I was overwhelmed is putting it lightly, but I was also very excited to really dig my teeth into a project this size of a place that is so close to my heart. 

The first step was setting up a large mirror in my studio opposite of my easel facing the painting. This is a great way to add distance to your space if you also work in a tiny studio! The mirror will double the distance while also flipping the image, so you can constantly “back up” and get a fresh perspective as you paint. It’s my all time favorite tool, and 100% necessary for working on large scale paintings in a small room.

And then because this painting (like most paintings) is a marathon and not a sprint, it’s crucial for me to have some friends and familiar jokes keeping me company in the background. Literally (and shamelessly) “Friends” and of course the gang from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” keep the studio light and breezy and strangely have a meditative effect on me while I paint. So in case you couldn't work out what is playing on my screen, there it is… just some old pals helping to keep me focused and feel less alone while I try and stay planted in my chair. :)

But onto the painting bit…. for the drawing I used a simple grid to help with perspective and scale, assuring everything was correct before moving on. Step two was the “wash” or underpainting which was used as a base for subsequent layers of paint. At this point no white paint was used at all, it’s just the white of the gessoed panel showing through as I applied the paint and wiped it away that established a value study that I used as a roadmap. I let this layer dry completely and then began the many, MANY layers of opaque paint and glazes.

In total, this painting took me close to three months to complete. I worked on it simultaneously with other paintings, allowing time for the layers of paint to dry between each session. There were days when it felt like no progress was made whatsoever, and others where huge changes happened. But that is just the nature of a cityscape, they set their own pace! 

I hope you enjoy this journey just as much as I did and get to do a little “California Dreamin” along the way.

And if you’d like to see the full timelapse video of this painting, click here…. 

Painting the Spaces in Between

…out and about taking reference in London (Buckingham Palace)

Recent article published by Fine Art Connoisseur - www.fineartconnoisseur.com

…I am fascinated by the power of art and its ability to alter the way we see our surroundings. How everyday things can gain exquisite beauty simply because we’ve experienced it through someone else’s eyes. That is the magic behind the paint brush. It grants us freedom to change how we see the world. It challenges the significant versus the insignificant and all of the shadowy spaces in between. It’s a memory exposed, and a loss for words defined. As the artist and the onlooker, art offers us a chance to see the things we miss.

Since I was a child, my love for art has always held equal importance to my deep connection with animals. I spent several years at art school before leaving to work for rescue organizations, edging towards a career in animal science. As rewarding as this truly was, there was something always holding me back from taking it further... The joy and wonder that comes from creating something from nothing. It was years before I picked up the paint brush again and saw oil painting for the limitless instrument that it truly is. It took following my heart and abandoning the path I was on, only to follow my heart right back to where it all began.... But this time with focus and intent.   

“Mission Antique”, 40”x26”, oil on panel, 2019 (available @ www.studiogallerysf.com

“Secret Keepers”x 18”x42”, oil on panel, 2017

This led to hours upon hours of experimentation and “trial and error” in the studio that eventually led to a layered approach to building a painting. Making heavy use of palette knives, battered brushes and hardware store finds, I began painting my everyday experiences in my new home in San Francisco. The impeccable beauty and the unkempt grit, the quiet and the chaotic, the nooks and crannies of my everyday commute, and the people and animals that interlaced the domestic city streets with the wild and untamed landscape of the country.

“Daybreak”, 20”x30”, oil on panel, 2017

Having lived most of my life in a bustling, urban environment, my work has always been heavily influenced by city life as a whole. Every day I bring something unexpected back to the studio, fueling the exploration of new ideas, tools and techniques. One being the abstraction of how we remember our days. Maybe it’s just the lights of the storefront at night that stand out, or the fog wrapping itself around the skyscrapers at dusk, or the sunset illuminating the hillside dappled with houses on the walk home. We have an emotional filter on all of our memories, so by tapping into how that could be illustrated in a two-dimensional sense is the closest I can come to painting something that “feels” real. Leaving the peripheral details undescribed forces our imagination to fill in the rest, which for me creates a deeper connection and emotional core to a work of art.

“And Then the Skies Broke”, 30”x40”, oil on panel, 2016

“In the Wild Morning Air”, 20”x20”, oil on panel, 2017

“King of the Farm”, 20”x10”, oil on panel, 2020

I also love the mystery of painting in layers and not knowing how each mark was made. It’s a puzzle within the riddle of the painting itself. The bits and pieces where the paint looks like it weathered the same storm as the subject. But most of all, I love the challenge of it. How do I recreate these moments in a truly “realistic” sense? What will make this real to me? That’s when the fun begins . . . 

I typically start each studio painting the same. I take a photo of the scene or subject and attempt to recreate the memory by adjusting my photo, giving it a clearer direction on where the painting can go. It’s a quick and easy way not to waste paint but still find the voice and “focal point” of the piece. For me this step has become the most critical. It’s when I decide what should be described with accurate detail or determine if it’s the lack of detail that will highlight its significance.

After I’ve successfully picked apart the reference I gameplan my layering strategy . . . Typically each piece starts with an underpainting followed by several back and forth sessions of detail and semi-transparent washes. I have a growing collection of tools I’ve found throughout the years that have become staple mark-makers in my process. For example I use soft rubber printmaking blocks I’ve pre-cut into various shapes and sizes to scrape washes over detailed areas to help create atmosphere and richness. Old brushes, destroyed from improper cleaning that work as wonderful foliage makers. An assortment of knives for detail and controlled chaos, and rubber gloves for finger painting. As well as various surfaces including wood panel and canvas either gessoed and sanded flat or left with texture. The possibilities with oil paint are endless, which has been my favorite discovery of all. 

And just as my subjects and use of pigment will be ever-evolving, so is the reason to create something in the first place. And the further I explore, the clearer it's become.... To remain aware. To see the things I might have missed, to immortalize the beauty of life on this planet, and to encourage others to do the same... Because it’s the little things that are the most important, and it’s the little things that make up our lives.

“Sunshine on the Hill”, 21”x30”, oil on panel, 2018

“Roadside Poppies”, 21”x12”, oil on panel, 2019

“The Sink”, 12”x12”, oil on panel, 2015

Cephalopods and Sobriety

"To gain altitude is not the ability to focus on the clouds or even the stars.... It's not the anticipation of what lies ahead or what you still recognize as truth in the distance behind.... It's the ability to appreciate what is directly in front of you. To be present in this single moment. To slow down and discover hidden pockets of time tucked in the cracks of your day. To step outside and smell the rain. To feel the warmth of the sunshine on your skin. To watch the wings of a butterfly catch the wind or explore the wonderment of a tide pool. To see life for what it truly is. 

Altitude comes when all of the little things become as important as the whole."

This was a response I wrote about two months into sobriety, when asked to interpret a new show I was participating in called “The Altitude Project”. It was a group show, and the theme was entirely up to the individual artist, and left open for the exploration of what “altitude” meant to us. 

As part of the series, I painted the piece below titled “Cephalopoda”. 

“Cephalopoda”, 30”x30”, oil on panel, 2016, sold

The inspiration came from a trip to Monterey Bay Aquarium in California on my birthday where I bought a book by Ernst Haeckel, called “Art Forms in Nature”. It’s a stunningly diverse collection of illustrated plates documenting “forms of organic growth” with the stylistic notions of Art Nouveau and Ernst Haeckel’s own design principles. As the author puts it himself, it has a “sense of beautiful” and for me possessed the power of uncharted inspiration soaked in mystery and romance for life on this planet. 

Something I realized I’ve been missing lately since we’ve entered our new strange reality. Inspiration from life around us, big and small. Which consequently has had me looking inwards for sources of inspiration, and regretting a promise I made to myself four years ago. Oh how I would give anything for my non-alcoholic wine to be accidentally switched in the night with a very alcoholic twin! 

This insane world that we’re living in right now is enough to make you question every decision you’ve ever made, that’s for damn sure. And the choice to stay sober is very much on the table every single day for me. But what I remind myself is that I didn’t quit drinking because I woke up in the gutter one day, or because my life was spiraling out of control (at least not that I thought at the time). None of that. It was simply because it was the one and only thing I had yet to try to feel BETTER. And it worked. More than I ever thought possible.

The experiment started small. And as the saying goes, it truly was and still is “one day at a time”. It began with… How will I feel tomorrow if I don’t drink tonight? How will I feel TONIGHT if I don’t drink tonight?? How will I feel next week if I don’t spend my weekend sick from a hangover? How will I feel if I begin to say no instead of yes?? Or, YES to feeling good and NO to feeling bad?

Besides feeling physically better, which was to be expected, how I felt about the world around me and who I was as a person began to change. My daily anxiety was becoming less and less. I started to appreciate the little things. I had room between the extreme highs and lows to feel the feelings in between. My eyes and my heart were open. And what I’ve learned most of all is that no matter how much I thought I knew myself, I had no idea what I was truly capable of. Not until I did every single thing in my life all over again, from celebration to heartbreak, as just “myself”. Not me with a crutch and a glass of “inspiration” or “confidence” in my hand, but a sober, clear headed, socially anxious, introverted person, FULL of feelings and in love with life. More human than I’d ever been, I allowed each interaction, each feeling... good, bad and the millions of shades of gray in between to flow through me, solidifying my new skin until it felt bulletproof. And one day I woke up and saw sobriety for what it truly is… a super power. 

So four and a half years later, the experiment must continue. I want to experience it all... the good and the bad, and everything in between. I’m not ready to give up my super power. Not yet. This world is much too fascinating, and this light is much too lovely to shadow in darkness.

…Sending you strength during these times, wherever you need it most.

“Papilio Ulysses”, 16”x16”, oil on panel, 2016 ~ Another piece from the original “Altitude” show. Available now @ Abend Gallery

DIY “drying rack” ideas for wet paintings: - Studio Series

As a sequel to last week’s post, I wanted to share a few more bits and pieces to consider while brainstorming about your creative space… Things like drying racks, mirrors, and maybe some ergonomic tools if needed! :) Some heavy hitters in all of my studios working diligently behind the scenes to keep things on the up and up. Most of my solutions have been a result of limited square footage, so for those of you making something out of nothing, I got you!

Over the next few blog posts I’ll hit on all of these fun things. So lets start with an important one…

How to protect your wet paintings while drying: Enter, the drying rack! If you like to work on many paintings at once (as do I), and many different sizes, there is always a fresh painting if not MANY paintings vulnerable to the elements out to destroy everything you’ve worked so hard for…. dust, cat hair, earthquakes, a dance party that spins out of control, you name it…. It’s important to have a place to safely store your paintings. And it’s important to save on space! Storing your paintings vertically, like books on a bookshelf but separated slightly, is great for saving space. I’ve built drying racks in all of my studios in several different ways, so I’d love to share a couple of those solutions with you that will hopefully get your creative juices flowing…

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DIY “drying rack” ideas:

Drying rack made from wood, wire, screws, and scrap material (added later). I built it inside my studio, so it fit the space and could be larger than the door frame entering the studio. At one point I think I had at least 50 paintings plus extra frames stashed away in this thing!

• Wood, wire, screws, and scrap material: This one is the most involved, but it’s 100% worth it if you have the time and resources. Pictured in the first four images, is the drying rack I built in my Oakland (bedroom) studio. I believe it was about 84”H x 36”W x 24”D. The bottom shelf is 50” tall to fit 48”x36” paintings easily and the top shelf is 32” tall fitting the small - medium size work. I created “drying slots” to vertically store my paintings while they dry, with picture wire and screws. I also attached material to the outside, covering the exposed paintings to help reduce dust (material not pictured). The great part is, you can customize this general design to whatever dimensions work with your space and paintings!

  Materials used:

  • 3 sheets of 24”x36” plywood

  • 6 - 1”x4” wood beams

  • 4 support beams under the bottom shelf (to hold several heavy paintings at once)

  • screws, L brackets, and tape

  • 120 Eyelet screws and Picture Wire - 5 screws across the depth of the rack, spaced about 4” apart. And 6 wires stretching the width of the shelf about 8” apart. This created 6 slots, 36”L on each shelf to hold paintings. *Tip - you can also use doll rods to use as supports to create your painting slots.

It appears smaller in this image, but the dimensions are 84”H x 36”W x 24”D *Tip: if you want to further protect your wet paintings from dust, add material, wood, cardboard etc. to the outside to create “walls”. BUT, make sure there is still airflow to help with drying time.

Screws are in, now for the wire! This part took awhile but it was the simplest solution at the time for the resources I had. I used this drying rack for 6 years, and it fit all of my paintings, frames, and extra panels. And when I moved, I simply removed the 1”x4” beams and the entire rack (with wires) shrunk down flat to be stored.

Closeup of the wire spacers…. *Tip: Once the wires are wrapped as taut as you can around the screws, twist the screws to tighten the wires even more so there’s as little slack as possible.

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• Ikea closet/wardrobe drying rack: This is my newest solution to the riddle of the drying rack. My apartment in London came with a few large furniture pieces, two of which were Ikea Wardrobe closets (I think). They have 3 adjustable shelves and two glass doors. The perfect setup for a decent size drying rack! I’m only using two of the shelves right now for the amount of paintings I’m storing…

  Materials used:

  • Ikea Wardrobe/Closet (rented with the apartment)

  • Brown Craft paper

  • Rubber shelf liner

  • Small wooden shoe rack

  • Tape

Top shelf: 21.5”H x 38”W x 22.5”D - Bottom shelf: 32.5”H x 38”W x 22.5”D *Blue cityscape painting on bottom shelf measures 24”x36”. It’s a larger space than it appears!

Top Shelf of the Ikea wardrobe “drying rack”…. Since this is a rented piece of furniture, I can’t attach wires to the interior or have it completely covered in paint by the time I’m done with it… so my solution was to line the shelf with rubber shelf lining, and cover the interior walls with brown craft paper. I added one little “shoe rack” to hold my 6”x6” paintings which is in the process of getting wired.

A few other ideas to get the wheels spinning. I have yet to try them, but they should work great...

• Metal Organizer Wire Rack: I can see this working as a great base for a drying rack. It’s adjustable so you can cater it to large, medium and small paintings. All you would need to do is wrap picture wire around the wire shelfs about 4” apart to create the drying slots to store paintings. I would definitely tape the wire to the shelf once it’s wrapped so the wire doesn’t slip. :)

• Metal frame, wood shelving rack: Another great base to customize however you need. You could use wire, doll rods, or even wood panels to create drying slots for your work. If I had the space, I’d invest in a few of these for sure!

• Storage Cubes: These would be great for smaller work! You could string wire through the cubes to create several drying slots per cube.

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*Also, a few more tips to help keep your paintings a little less dusty while drying (or once finished):

• Always lean your paintings at an angle with painting side facing down. This way as dust continually pours down from the heavens, it’s not sprinkling directly onto your wet painting.

• Keep your paintings off of the ground! Invisible dust and very visible dust bunnies are constantly getting kicked around on the floor, so store your paintings up as high as you can.

• Bag up your finished work. As soon as your paintings are dry (either varnished or waiting for subsequent layers) keep them in plastic bags. This way you know for sure they’re protected from dust. *I do this once they’re varnished and have been dry to the touch for about a week.

• If you need to speed up the drying time with a fan, always make sure your fan is clean before pointing it directly onto your painting.

I hope this was helpful, and if you have any other ideas or solutions to storing your creations, let me know!

Until next time friends…. stay safe and stay inspired!

Tips For a Home Painting Studio

Hello Friends! This is the first of hopefully many blog posts to come, and I’d like to begin with chatting about an essential part of my own daily existence, and something that I hope will benefit you as well …your own at-home space to create.

Hank in my old studio in Oakland, CA

There’s a feeling that comes from creating and building something from nothing... Something that has never existed before now. For me, the closest feeling I can relate that to is hope. It’s new growth… Like seedlings popping their heads up for the very first time. Making art is springtime with the anticipation of undiscovered summer blooms. So, therefore, putting time into building a space that will encourage you to create, and create more often, you support those beautiful and important feelings of hope… and who knows what kinds of flowers will bloom from your garden?

So first, I want to share a bit about my “studios” I’ve worked in over the years… From personal experience, you don’t need massive square footage, professional lighting, or even windows to build a space to create. My first studio was the corner of my kitchen in a 500 sqft apartment in San Francisco. I could reach the stove, refrigerator and sink all from my painting chair just by stretching out my arms. I specifically remember one time cooking macaroni and cheese while painting a picture of a boat simultaneously. It wasn’t ideal. BUT, it was the only spot I had that I could leave my palette and tabletop easel out 24/7, and never have to pack up my station. So important! I even submitted my first paintings to a gallery working from that kitchen. Whatever type of space you have, you can make it work. All you need is a corner in your home that is devoted to YOU and only YOU.

So, here’s a list of my essentials for ….

Our living room by day and Nate’s mobile painting studio by night. It just wouldn’t be realistic if Hank wasn’t in every shot.

Your Home Painting Studio:

#1 - It’s time to take yourself seriously: Maybe this only applies to myself, but it took me a very long time to take my art seriously. And if you’re currently in that boat, try not to let that influence your creative space or process. “Fake it till you make it” and “Dress for the job you want” totally apply here. The sooner you start to take your art more seriously, the sooner you will allow yourself the time, resources, and discipline it’s going to take to help you improve. And that doesn’t mean spending more for top-shelf products, but maybe that means…. telling your family or housemates that 3 nights a week you’re devoting 3 hrs to painting undisturbed (more would be even better!), or maybe it’s investing in a new easel that isn’t the wobbly hand-me-down, or finally fixing your lighting so the glare on your canvas is gone, or investing time into learning photo editing software to create better reference photos, etc. etc. Like everything, it’s one step at a time, but each tiny step you take to improve your studio environment (or build your first “studio”), will be one less excuse you’ll have not to paint!

London Studio all set up! Simple H-frame easel, two flexible arm lamps attached up top, palette on painting cart with added basket to hold brushes zip-tied on the side, adjustable chair, and computer on top of desk made from a wallpaper fold out table. Oh, and old curtains hung on the walls because this is a rented apartment and I can get messy. :)

#2 - Get creative with your space, and lock down a permanent or semi-permanent spot: There’s nothing more important when learning how to paint than to actually sit down and PAINT. Plain and simple. So the more of a hinderance it is to set up your painting gear, the less you will be inclined to do so. Believe me! This has been the biggest make or break in my career in art. I was once asked, “do I paint only when I’m inspired?” I so wish that were true. But that’s just not how this works. Most of the time, forcing myself to paint during the times I’m least inspired is what brings me inspiration! I would have never discovered half of the things I’ve discovered with painting had I not pushed myself. So having a permanent or semi-permanent zone to jump back on the horse easily, flexes the discipline muscle you need to continue to make creative choices and solve visual problems even when everything seems to fighting against you. So look around your house, see what furniture needs to be rearranged (or removed altogether), grab your velvet ropes (or room divider screen) and dedicate a corner just for YOU. :)

My Oakland, California studio - in one of it’s many configurations…

#3 - Lighting: This one seems obvious, but I think it took me three years to finally get my lighting right. No matter what I did, I couldn’t help but feel deceived every time I’d take my painting off of my easel and bring it into another room, or god help me, outside in the daylight. The colors and values would change so dramatically it felt hopeless. And not to mention glares from lights in the room on the canvas and palette! So here are a few things I do in every studio I create to avoid some common issues…

Aluminum shop lights attached to the top of my easel using some L-shaped pieces of metal I found at the hardware store. And no, I won’t bother to look up what those actually are. :)

• Ensure adequate light to see painting AND palette: I like to clip “aluminum clamp lights” or “flexible arm” lamps directly above my painting, as high up as I can possibly attach them. This way the lights are bright and shining directly on my painting and palette equally, but not too bright, tricking me into believing my painting is lighter in value than it truly is. *If your painting seems to always turn out darker than you planned, your lights might be too close to your canvas* Clip the lights at the very top of your easel. And if you don’t have an easel to attach the lights, try moving your painting station next to a tall piece of furniture (wardrobe, dresser) or close to a window where you can attach the lights to the top of the wardrobe or to the window curtain rod. Either way, attach them as high up above your painting as you can. Here are a few links:

  • Aluminum shop light

  • Flexible arm lamp

• Prevent Glares: Diffuse your lights… Most of the time if you cover the bare bulb with a flame retardant diffusing cloth it should eliminate the glare on your palette. (But make sure it does not touch your bulb!) I use Photography light diffuser cloth covers. And again, having your dominant light source directly above your painting and palette should help improve any glares that are a result of light shining down at an angle.

• Bulb temperature: This is going to be a personal preference, but I like bulbs that are skewed a bit cooler. “Bright white” is my preferred temperature, as they are usually not “warm” or “yellow”, but also do not have a blue or pink tint that some of the “daylight” bulbs can have. *When light bulbs are too warm (or yellow), colors can appear warmer and more saturated than they truly are. When light bulbs are too cool (or blue), colors can appear cooler and less saturated than they truly are* “Bright White” bulbs are typically right down the middle, which helps me to “trust” the colors I’m mixing, as they will not change dramatically when the painting is brought from warm lamplight, to cool daylight.

• Use indoor lighting as dominant light source, not daylight: This one relates to the temperature of light in the room as well… The colors are going to change dramatically on your palette and on your painting depending on what the light is like in the room. So if you’re dependent on daylight as your main source of illumination, you’re subjected to gray skies and blue skies as well as morning and afternoon light. Each variation changing what you’re seeing. *Therefore if you use indoor light as the dominant light source illuminating your painting & palette, you have more control* A little window light is fine, as long as it’s not the dominant source of light illuminating your painting and palette.

My newest bussing cart palette in my London studio still sparkling clean! *Another benefit of a palette on wheels, is it can be rolled and stored out of the way when not in use, but does not have to be completely taken apart at the end of each session.

Nate Plein Air painting in Mt. Shasta with his tripod and Strada easel he uses for Plein Air painting as well as indoor studio painting.

#4 - Easel: Stability is key! There is nothing more frustrating than a wobbly canvas when you’re in the flow. But sometimes a giant easel is not a possibility. There are lots of options out there! The one thing you want to avoid is any sort of “display” easel. These are not for painting, they are for displaying artwork once it’s finished. Also in my personal experience, French Sketching Box Easels tend to take up a lot of space. So instead, try an easel on wheels, a table top box easel, or an easel that attaches to a camera tripod - Strada easel or Prolific Painter - Day Tripper. My current easel is an H-Frame “Best Classic Dulce” made my Jack Richeson & Co. It’s sturdy, well made, and folds up flat if you need to tuck it away!

#5 - Palette: Mobility is key! If you hold your palette, this does not apply… but for those of us who like to have both hands free, it’s best to keep your palette on a flat surface nearby. BUT, if you’re having issues with glares, general comfort, or simply not enough space to keep every item of your painting station in one place … put your palette on wheels! I use a trolley or “restaurant table bussing carts” to hold my palette, paint, brushes, paper towells, etc. It fits everything and I can roll it around wherever I please! I get a custom cut piece of glass to fit the top shelf (my palette), and then use the other shelves to hold supplies. Otherwise a bedside table on wheels is great too! Here are a few links….

• Bussing Cart

• Adjustable bedside table

#6 - Computer vs. printed reference: The number one thing that has had the biggest impact on my paintings, was switching from printed photo reference to painting from a monitor screen. If you paint from life, that’s a different story, but if you’re painting from photos, work on getting your computer or laptop moved to your painting station so you can paint from the monitor instead. Benefits of working from a monitor:

• The colors, values, and detail of your image are not subjected to a “print quality” version.

• You have the option to zoom and see detail more closely!

• It’s self-illuminated which helps for overall color and brilliance.

• You can have many different versions up on the screen at once depending on what you need… original photo, black and white copy, small thumbnail, other inspirational art, etc.

#7 - Painting Supplies: This of course will vary depending on the artist…. but again, think about #1 and #2 on this list. *The most important aspect of improving your skills as a painter, is simply to paint more, and paint more often* So do whatever it takes! For me, that means not buying the most expensive brands, but buying in bulk. The more precious my art supplies become, the less I want to use them in fear that I’ll “waste” high quality paint, destroy a beautiful new panel, or ruin a good sketchbook. It has stifled me for years! So to begin with, start with student grade supplies, buying canvas or panels in bulk online, or trying a few “packaged sets” of paint brushes and work your way up… I still use student grade brands, and have only upgraded where I felt necessary. Quantity over quality sometimes wins if that means less hesitation to face your fears and paint! :)

Here are few brands that I like that are relatively inexpensive:

• Paint: Winton (Winsor & Newton student grade), Winsor & Newton professional grade, Gamblin

• Synthetic hair brushes: Utrecht Tuscan Series (US brand), Akoya Synthetic (UK brand), Rosemary and Co. (Uk brand)

• Bulk Wood Panels: Jack Richeson & Co - available on Amazon

• Gesso: Blick Professional Acrylic Gesso

Ok, well I think that will do it for this first post… I hope this list was helpful and maybe the teensiest bit inspiring for all of you badass creators out there! Do let me know if there’s a subject you’d like me to cover. I’m open to whatever will encourage more art and more beauty given out to the world!

Stay safe friends, talk soon!