Category Archives: Lessons
Basic Watercolor Brushes
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There are all kinds of watercolor brushes, but you will only need a few basic brushes to start. Brushes come in various sizes – the bigger the number, the bigger the brush. The best watercolor brushes are made of natural fibers, the finest being the Kolinsky red sable. These are actually not made from a […]
Hard Pastels
Oil Pastels
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If you purchase an art kit from a store or catalog, it will most likely include oil pastels among the markers and colored pencils. The size and shape of crayons, these pastels are a favorite with young artists, producing vibrant colors that are easily blended. Because inert oils and wax are used as a binder […]
Conte Crayons
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The French scientist Nicolas-Jacques Conté invented the square conte crayons in the late eighteenth century. They are made of a mixture of compressed graphite and clay and come in a range of colors, the most popular being black, dark brown, grey, white, and red-brown. These crayons are harder and thinner than traditional soft pastels, so […]
Using Fixative for Pastels
If you draw with pastels, you know that they are never permanently “set” on the paper; brush against them with a finger, and they will smudge. To lessen this problem, some artists use fixative with their pastels. There are many brands of fixative available in stores, ranging from about $5.00 to $25.00. A less-expensive route […]
Drawing from Photographs
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Because many of the people and animals you draw will be from photographs, here’s a tip to make it a little easier: change the photos from color to black and white. I do this almost every time I’m drawing from photographs in pencil. By changing your reference picture to “black and white”, you can see everything […]