I am writing this blog to assist in finding some good deals on amazon for all my fellow artists. I don't know if other artists obsess with their artist arrangement. Or I should say art area , Do you have to sit on the floor ? Is your Easle just a little old and rickety?
This is my current easel
Three legged easle with drawer and a pallet! I think I got it on sale too for about 70.00 !! It is on sale now too.
Art Alternatives Sonoma Sketchbox Easel
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I must have had at least 15 years and I love it but it is kinda hard to fit in my little tiny living space but this is the best bet if you live in a small area or you like to travel a lot because it folds up.
Is your Drafing table not ideal (mine does not have a good flat angle on it )and what about all those supplies.
Here is a great drafting table but there is not a black friday discount on it the price is really good considering how much this would help my back!
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Tangkula Drafting Table Art & Craft Drawing Desk Art Hobby Folding Adjustable w/ Stool (Pink)
I love this one but it is not glass and therefore you can not use it to trace. This is fine for beginners.
How do you fit all your supplies in the area when you are lining up 3 canvases?
I actually use a plastic tool box it was my hubby's but the plastic does not do soo well with that much weight in it. So he gave it to me for my art but in reality what would be better would be something that you could attach to the wall at arms lenth.
Trunkcratepro Collapsible Portable Multi Compartments Trunk Organizer, Black
These are some questions all artists have faced. I used to live in a large place but now I am in a single wide trailer and I may be here for a long long time. So how do I make all this art in this small area. Oddly I have a drafting table and I have a easle but neither are all that helpful. both cause me great back aches...... the easiest way to paint is with the completely dry canvas sitting on top of me on the couch this is a super big NO NO right lol! How do you make it easy to get those details on the canvas without having to wallow in paint.
My Drafting table does not go straight up and down and I feel that is the only way that you can really get those good details.
Tangkula Drafting Table Tangkula Adjustable Drawing Desk Rolling Drafting Table Tempered Glass Top Art Craft
Light box is mandatory as well but with this table you can just put a light behind it. But incase you dont know what I am talking about here is a light box it is like a tablet bit it is just a light that you can draw on. Maybe your Mom is like mine and saved every single pretty photo she ever took for you to draw. (not to mention everyone else in your family) You can easliy put it on the light box and trace it and get that work done DOUBLE TIME! No it not cheating Working smarter not harder is the goal and your longevity of your hands is something I wish I had embrased a lot earlier instead of giving my self some kind of guilt trip.
A4 Ultra-thin Portable LED Light Box Tracer USB Power Cable Dimmable Brightness LED Artcraft Tracing Light Pad Light Box for Artists Drawing Sketching Animation Designing Stencilling X-ray Viewing
I don't know if any of you have seen Jim Carey Paint but this man knows whats up he put a ladder down over the canvas and practically lays down on his art. Inspired.
#jimcarey #yourock
Some of my favorite artists have a room dedicated to the art unlike me where i do art all over the place.(I used to and it was sooo awesome !!) I do acrylic pours in the kitchen and oil paint in the living room NOT A GOOD IDEA this is why you should buy my art so I can get a studio going thanks in advance.
Everytime I go shopping I need this list sooo bad here I am making it for me and for you too Acrylic pour To do list
Liquitex Pouring Meduim
Liquitex Professional Pouring Effects Medium, 32-oz
Acrylic Paints
Big bottle of very high proof alchol
like 90 or better
everclear lol I found this but it appears to be sold out at the moment I have no idea what alchol varnish is for but I am sooo intregued to find out ! But it is 80$$$
.... NEW Alchol varnish powder
and be sure to add some metalic and glitter if you want it to feel like the painting is calling out to you like a glistening eye.
Here is a really great deal on acrylic paint I have to warn you though when it comes to paint sometimes it is better not to take advantage of sales because ususally that means this is the paint that does not sell. But I have noticed with liquid pours the cheaper the better less mixing to do soo it is definately and experimental project,..................
Oil on canvas Ok here is the problem painting with oils it takes forever to dry. If you are a professional artist trying to get this out fast it is not a good idea to go for thinning oil paint out with oil. But it is far less toxic.
So if you are like me you probably were taught to use liquin or paint thinner and that is great if you are in a school project or a professional project that has time constraints but if you are opening a gallery you should not use toxic thinners because people think that the paint is what is toxic which some colors are more toxic than others. The paint thinner is the most toxic . Of course there is water soluble paints that is less toxic and I recommend this especially if you paint in your house where you have nosey children that may get into it or bad cats. I do so I have to use the less toxic. obviously the more toxic sometimes is better for longevity but I think it was Picasso or Van Gogh that used this. Wal-nut oil M. Graham 32-Ounce Walnut Oil Medium
Walnut oil is all natural If you are thinking oils are less toxic beware of linseed oil it is in your paints but if you use it as a thinner it is very easy to burn your house down. All it takes is one time getting it on you and wiping your hand on a cloth that piece of cloth can catch fire and burn your house down.
M. Graham 8-Ounce Walnut Oil Medium
Certain pigments are always going to be more toxic than others such as yellow from cadmium Just be knowledgeable
What if you mess up and you have a ton of ruined canvases well you will need some sand paper
Sand Paper
If you can buy in bulk it may save you 20 trips to the store because if you are working on a face and you mess up then you use the really harsh grit which is like 60-80 can really mess up a painting. But if have some smaller grit it is great to smooth it out with this.120 To 3000 Assorted Grit Sandpaper for Wood Furniture Finishing, Metal Sanding and Automotive Polishing, Dry or Wet Sanding, 9 x 3.6 Inch, 36-Sheet
ok to use it first as long as its not just one layer of paint. The medium grit is great but don't forget to be safe get a fan and get a mask Yamde 50 Pcs Disposable Earloop Face Masks Germ Dust Protection Four Layer Activated Carbon Filter Face Masks
and go outside to sand sometimes when its cold I will do it in the kitchen but that is really not a good idea if you have to be sure to set up on the floor instead of close to your appliances like the toaster lol you dont want that paint getting on something that you may eat off of.
I really recommend just going out side if you have to sand anything unless it is just a tiny place and then maybe you could do it int he bath room.
Just incase you dont know me I dream of living in this Monolithic Dome home (or at least having a dome home galleria/ studio )
Fire resistant, hurricane resistant and you should too
Dome Living : A Creative Guide For Planning Your Monolithic Dream Home
Last But not least
Before you varnish sign your work but don't use a brush use a paint pen, Nothing peevs me more than not knowing if after I am dead I will get credit for my works.It is very hard to sign with a brush ! I put my finger print on my art somewhere remember this could effect the color of your painting (especially if you paint oil on canvas) so be sure to do this somewhere that your oils from your skin wont ruin the painting like on the back. I used to get sooo upset when I had paint on my fingers and got it on the back canvas. I would actually sand it off or paint over it . But now I do it on purpose! Ba hahaha
when you paint faces you really dont want all the brush strokes you want the person to exude realism you want to capture them as themselves. I have been tempted to use mu finger to do this and it can really make the skin color come out way darker if your oils get in that paint. So either use gloves or use this makeup applicator. Eastrin Makeup Sponges, Beauty Makeup Blender Blending Cosmetic Make up Sponges Buds Egg Shaped Set for Concealer Contouring Powder
For an extra proof of purchase do the finger print and the signing !!! Because I may never be famous until I die but I want my work to be known~! So use a good pen and sign it make sure it is acid free ! 120 To 3000 Assorted Grit Sandpaper for Wood Furniture Finishing, Metal Sanding and Automotive Polishing, Dry or Wet Sanding, 9 x 3.6 Inch, 36-Sheet
Rookey Mistakes
I once did and acrylic pour in the bathroom because even though people will tell you acrylic is less toxic when you are trying to create cells
Here is a you tube video to show you what I am talking about ...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay50Qk0VbVg This person used Floetrol Hmmm so I will check that out too!! This is for really big cells Lovin this look
Flood Floetrol Latex Paint Additive Plastic Clear
First in your acrylic pours you mix
Mix
click here to order bulk mixing sticks
..... .. Pacon Jumbo Natural Craft Sticks,100 pieces per pack
mix and mix more
It takes like an hour if you use a lot of colors.(so get your friend , hubby or neighbor to help you) You can use flotrol or silicone or Modge podge, or just liquid pouring medium to make cells.
Here is a link to Liquitex silicone. Liquitex Professional Slow-Dri Fluid Retarder Effects Medium, 4-oz
Then you will put the paint down on the canvas, table or whatever you are doing make sure you have a level to make sure that your surface is level . COLORE VIBRANT LIFE Acrylic Paint Set of 48 (22ML Tubes) with VibrancePro Rich Pigment Technology
In the video I saw online theat really seemed to do good cells they used the Basics brand paint so ...(the link above)
Be sure to get a spray bottle (less is more sometimes) Be soo careful not to kill yourself with fumes and not to ruin the painting by not exercizing PATIENCE!!!
I just can not express this enough get your meanest friend to come over and drag you away from the canvas because you will be temped to keep messing with it and that will not serve you well.
Go light and spritz it that combo gave me a BAD migraine and it was in my wide open kitchen that has no door I could not just close the door and so we literally stayed outside or in our bedrooms while it aired out for several hours. Mississippi is so hot you can not just open the door for a very long time to let in the air. So if you have to it will take some time to cool off again.
So with this in mind be sure to either have really nice day out and no rain or a garage or shed you can do this in. I actually have a shed or 3 just did not have it clean YOU CAN NOT DO AN ACRYLIC POUR in a nasty dusty shed !!! Because you dont want all those thousands of dust and grime getting on your painting. If it happends actually sometimes it does your painting may come out looking gritty Like that one time I did my pour while
I was drinking a Margarita and then got a little bit glitter happy it was still beautiful and sooo whimsical but it just wasent shiney and liquid looking and it completely killed my attempt to make this acrylic pour NO GLITTER !! But if you do and I know if you are an artist you may be tempted you can then sand it down and yes pour varnish or resin over it for that shiney loook WHOOT WHOOT
Dont forget to take lots of time to dry before the varnish is put on for oil it can take up to 6 months to dry if you used walnut oil to paint. Just google it and find out the drying time for the materials if rush it you can set it in a hot car or blow dry it but I do not recommend it because it can crack and that would put you completely back to step one. I used too much alchol and it most definately did crack and the glitter did not help any!
Liquitex Professional Satin Varnish, 8-oz
If you have any questions or comments please share.
