Journey Art Supplies Blog
Tips, Tricks, Thoughts, and inspiration from across the art spectrum.
Exploring Color with Spray Bottles
Joe Miller explains how to paint with watercolors using a spray bottle to diffuse water and create air brush effects. These watercolor painting techniques are helpful for adding highlights to your watercolor art work.
Exploring Color with Spray Bottles
Joe Miller explains how to paint with watercolors using a spray bottle to diffuse water and create air brush effects. These watercolor painting techniques are helpful for adding highlights to...
Painting Ideas for Fall
Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just looking for a fun, creative way to celebrate the season, fall offers endless inspiration. We’re here to help you explore a variety of fall painting ideas that will bring the warmth, richness, and vibrancy of autumn into your artwork. From cozy watercolors to fun leaf prints, let’s explore some seasonal projects that will get your creative juices flowing. Fall Watercolor Ideas Watercolors are perfect for capturing the soft, gentle beauty of fall. The medium’s transparency and fluidity offer themselves to the delicate transitions of color that autumn is known for. Here are a few watercolor ideas that will help you celebrate the season: Autumn LandscapeThere’s nothing quite like an autumn landscape to show off the rich palette of fall. Try painting a calm scene of rolling hills blanketed in reds, oranges, and yellows, with a clear blue sky above. Focus on the way light filters through the trees, casting long shadows and illuminating the vibrant leaves. A touch of water and reflection—like a still pond or a gentle stream—can add an extra layer of depth to your piece. Check out our Art Workshops: Leaf Looker Season post for more tips on capturing fall foliage. Cozy Still LifeCapture the warmth and coziness of fall with a still life featuring different seasonal elements. Think of a table decorated with a woven basket of apples, a steaming cup of cider, and a scattering of acorns and leaves. Focus on the textures—the smooth surface of the apples, the soft wool of a blanket, or the delicate veins of a leaf. Watercolors are perfect for getting those subtle, soft edges and gentle color transitions that make these scenes feel inviting and homey. Fall FloralsWhile spring might be known for flowers, fall has its own unique variety of floral beauty. Mums, sunflowers, and asters in deep, rich hues make stunning watercolor subjects. Paint a bouquet or a field of wildflowers, focusing on the way the colors blend and bleed into one another. Pumpkin PortraitsWe all know that pumpkins are synonymous with fall, and they make fantastic painting subjects. Whether you’re painting a realistic still life of pumpkins on your porch or a whimsical jack-o’-lantern, there’s plenty of room for creativity. Focus on the varying shapes, sizes, and colors of pumpkins—from deep oranges to soft whites and even greens. You can even add in other gourds and squash for variety. Harvest BountyCelebrate the abundance of the season by painting a scene of a bountiful harvest. Think of a cornucopia overflowing with apples, pears, grapes, and ears of corn. Or paint a rustic farm scene with fields ready for harvest, hay bales, and a scarecrow standing guard. This is a great way to capture the essence of fall’s generosity and the simple pleasures of the season. Woodland CreaturesFall is also a great time to focus on the animals that make the season special. Paint a family of deer grazing in a golden meadow, a squirrel gathering acorns, or a flock of geese flying south for the winter. Use warm, earthy tones to bring these creatures to life. Seasonal AbstractsIf you’re looking for something more interpretative, think about creating an abstract painting that captures the feeling of fall. Use a palette of deep reds, oranges, yellows, and browns to create a piece that evokes the warmth and richness of the season. Play with texture and layering paint to create depth and interest. Fall Leaf Painting Ideas Leaves are one of the most iconic symbols of fall, and their endless range of shapes, sizes, and colors make them a great subject for painting. Whether you’re working with real leaves or simply inspired by them, here are a few ideas to get you started: Leaf ImpressionsLeaf impressions are a fun and simple way to create beautiful fall art. Start by collecting a variety of leaves from your backyard or a local park. Coat the leaves in acrylic paint and press them onto a sheet of watercolor paper or canvas. You can create a repeating pattern, overlap the leaves for a layered effect, or even create a leaf “collage” by mixing different shapes and colors. The result is a piece that’s both organic and graphic, capturing the natural beauty of fall leaves. Detailed Leaf StudiesFor a more detailed approach, we recommend doing individual leaf studies. Choose a few different leaves, each with its own unique shape and color, and paint them with attention to detail. Focus on the intricate patterns of the veins, the subtle variations in color, and the way the light catches on the leaf’s surface. This is a great exercise in observation and can result in a beautiful piece of art that celebrates the diversity of autumn foliage. Abstract Leaf PatternsIf you’re in the mood for something more abstract, why not play with leaf shapes and colors in a more expressive way? Use the basic outline of a leaf as your starting point, but let your imagination take over from there. Experiment with bold colors, unexpected combinations, and loose, flowing brushstrokes. This kind of abstract painting can be super freeing and allows you to explore the essence of fall without being tied to a realistic representation. Bringing Your Fall Paintings to Life No matter which fall painting idea you choose, the key is to let the season inspire you. Autumn is a time of change, of vibrant colors and cozy moments, and your artwork can capture all of that and more. We’re here to support your creative journey with a wide range of paints, brushes, canvases, and other supplies to help you bring your ideas to life. So grab your materials, find a cozy spot, and let the beauty of fall guide your brush. And don’t forget to check out our blog for other tips and tricks for creating beautiful masterpieces. For example, our post, “CJ Tips for Painting on Canvas” can be helpful when you’re ready to start your fall watercolor artwork. We can’t wait to see what you create!
Painting Ideas for Fall
Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just looking for a fun, creative way to celebrate the season, fall offers endless inspiration. We’re here to help you explore a variety of...
The Beginner’s Guide To Oil Painting
These mini art lessons are meant to provide beginners with a starting point into the world of various art mediums and techniques. Since oil painting has been around for hundreds of years and is still such a popular art form today, we decided it was time to select it as one of our topics. In this post, we’ll share what you need to know to get started with oil paints. You’ll learn how to choose the right tools and practice various techniques. Oil Painting Tips For Beginners Oil paints are a popular choice for many artists due to their unique textures, various technique opportunities, and their vibrant colors and hues. They’re similar in consistency to acrylic paints, but because they feature an oil base, they take much longer to dry which allows a painter plenty of time to achieve the effect or look that they want. For someone who’s just starting out, oil painting can seem pretty daunting because there can be many steps to prepare for and complete a painting. But once you become familiar with the process, you’re going to love working with this medium. Here are some of our tips for beginner oil painters – let’s walk through them together. Step 1: Organize Your Space The first step is to make sure you have the right materials and space to work with oil paint. Choose a room with plenty of light, or even head outside for some natural sunshine. When using oil paints (especially indoors), you need to make sure you have good ventilation. You’ll also want to cover the floor with something to protect it from any paint spills. Old sheets or drop cloths work well for this. Step 2: Find the Right Tools Choosing the right tools is a vital step for any oil painter, and the two main supplies you’ll need are paintbrushes and the oil paints themselves. There are many different products available, and they can range in price and quality quite dramatically. As a beginner, you don’t have to purchase the most expensive options, but you still want a few quality pieces to practice with. Once you know this is a medium that you enjoy, you can start investing in the higher-end stuff. Paintbrushes: For oil painting, you can use either natural hair brushes or synthetic brushes. We recommend choosing a small set of three or five brushes of different shapes and sizes to practice with. No matter which brushes you choose, make sure to clean them frequently during your painting process and also when you’re done. Look for oil or acrylic painting brushes, not watercolor brushes, to make sure the bristles are stiff enough to handle the heavier body of oil paints. Rounds, filberts, and flats are useful brush shapes for oil painting. Paints: A palette full of oil colors can be quite expensive, but you don't have to break the bank when it comes to purchasing quality paints. The American Journey Professional Artists’ Oil Color Set is a great option for anyone just starting out, and these paints are also formulated for professionals. Student-grade and poor quality art supplies can greatly hinder learning and progress, so it's worth investing in good paints from the start. If you can't afford an entire set, start with the basic primary colors of red, blue, yellow. You'll also want to add a big tube of white for tinting and mixing colors. From these three colors plus white, you can mix nearly everything else! Palette knives: These handy tools are extremely useful for mixing paints, but palette knives are also extremely useful when painting. Use the tip of the palette knife to scratch in tiny tree branches, or use the side of the knife to push paint and make various shapes and textures. You don't need anything fancy, and with a little bit of care, a cheap set of palette knives can last a lifetime. Oil painting solvents: Traditional oil paints require a solvent to thin the paint and clean brushes. Odorless mineral spirits is always a good choice and can be reused over and over. Always keep it in a lidded jar, work in a ventilated area, and dispose of it and any rags soaked with it safely. Oil painting mediums: You don't need a bunch of mediums to paint with oils. To begin, you likely won't need any, but if you're curious you can try one good basic medium like linseed oil. Linseed oil is mixed with colors to add flow, gloss, and transparency. In lieu of linseed oil, you can also use solvent to thin paint. You'll find it easier to layer and paint over colors if you thin with solvent on the first layers, an oil medium on the middle layers, and straight oil paint on the top layers - a painting technique known as 'fat over lean.' This will greatly reduce or eliminate cracking when drying. Paint palette: Disposable paper palettes are super easy and affordable. They are rugged enough to mix color on, they don't absorb paint, and are easily cleaned off with a palette knife. Simply fold up and safely discard the top layer of paper when you're finished painting, or save any leftover paint on paper palettes by placing it into a sealed container until next time. Placing the container in a freezer will slow down drying. Flat glass or wood palettes also work well for oil painting. Painting surface: Any surface needs to be primed to prevent the chemicals and oils in the paint from damaging or sinking into the surface. The primer also acts as a base coat, offering an additional layer for the oil paint to adhere to. Primed canvas or panels are the most popular oil painting surfaces and are very affordable. You can also reuse them by painting over an existing painting or by sanding and reapplying a gesso primer. Canvas pads are an affordable option and are excellent for sketching with oils, experimenting with mixes, and they also roll up easily for travel. To view our complete collection of supplies, check out our Oil Painting page. Step 3: Practice Techniques Now that you’re more familiar with the tools you need to paint with oils, it’s time to learn some techniques. Many techniques can be applied to oil paints, and the ones you use vary depending on your skill level and personal preference. Below are a few of the most popular ones for beginners that you can practice on your surface. • Underpainting: This refers to both toning the blank surface with an overall color on which to paint, and providing a value foundation to build your painting on. We recommend using thin layers of oil paint mixed with solvent to block in the basic composition of shapes, light, and shadows. • Alla Prima: This is a wet-on-wet technique that involves painting the entire surface without allowing the layers to dry. It speeds up the painting process, so it’s rather popular among artists and works well for painting outdoors or when you want to finish a painting in one sitting. Alla Prima paintings often feature fresh, energetic brushwork. • Scumbling: also known as dry brushing, scumbling is the technique of scrubbing straight oil paint over an area of already dry paint to add visual texture and change the tone or color of the underlying color. The underlying color might even peak through. • Glazing: This technique is essentially the opposite of alla prima, using the same concept but allowing each layer to dry before adding flowing color that's been made transparent with glazing medium over other colors to change their hue and value. This will give your painting a glossy layered look, and you’ll see a visible sheen and texture. • Impasto: This is a popular technique that involves the use of thick, stiff-bodied oil paint or oil with impasto medium added to create interesting surface textures. It’s useful when you want to add highlights, shadows, or depth to a piece, and usually happens in the last layers of the painting. Many artists recommend using palette knives and other painting tools to apply the paint thickly. Step 4: Take It to the Next Level! When you're ready to invest more in your painting set-up, consider one of our easels or taborets. These are extremely popular for supporting your painting surface and also a fantastic way to keep all of your painting supplies close at hand. If you're interested in trying your hand at plein air (outdoor) paintings, you'll also want to invest in a few additional tools like a brush carrier, a portable easel, and a tote or sling pack to carry your supplies. These 'next level' tools are fun and can be extremely useful, but it's important to make sure you enjoy oil painting before making any sort of serious investment. However, if you're like many of us, you'll likely fall in love with the oil painting process and also fall in love with discovering new art supplies almost as much as painting!
The Beginner’s Guide To Oil Painting
These mini art lessons are meant to provide beginners with a starting point into the world of various art mediums and techniques. Since oil painting has been around for hundreds...
Our Best Colors for Fall
As the crisp autumn air sweeps in and the leaves begin their transformation, we find ourselves inspired by the rich and varied palette that fall offers. We believe that the colors of the season can breathe new life into your creative projects. Whether you're painting landscapes, crafting seasonal decor, or simply experimenting with color, fall is the perfect time to explore the deep, warm, and vibrant hues that define this time of year.In this post, we'll get into the essential colors of fall and show you how to combine them in unexpected and beautiful ways. So grab your paints, brushes, and canvases—let’s dive into the wonderful world of fall color palettes. Curated Colors for Fall and Autumn When we think of fall, certain colors instantly come to mind. These are the hues that capture the essence of autumn—the ones that are reminiscent of the turning leaves, the harvest, and the golden light of the season. Below, we've listed a selection of must-have colors for your fall palette. These shades are perfect for creating that cozy, autumnal feeling in your artwork. Burnt SiennaBurnt Sienna is a classic fall color, reminiscent of fallen leaves and the warm earth. This reddish-brown hue adds depth and warmth to any composition, making it a staple in any autumn palette. It's perfect for creating shadows, adding richness to landscapes, and giving your work that unmistakable fall vibe. Cadmium OrangeNothing says fall quite like Cadmium Orange. This bright, fiery hue brings to mind pumpkins, bonfires, and the brilliant blaze of leaves at their peak. It’s a color that exudes energy and warmth, making it perfect for focal points in your compositions. Use it to highlight the vibrancy of the season or to draw the eye to key elements in your work. Raw UmberFor those earthy, natural tones, Raw Umber is one of our favorites. This deep, muted brown is versatile and grounding, perfect for balancing out brighter hues. It’s a great choice for painting tree trunks, soil, and other natural elements that make up the foundation of your autumn scenes. Yellow OchreYellow Ochre is a soft, golden yellow that captures the light of the autumn sun and the color of wheat fields ready for harvest. This color is great for creating a warm glow in your paintings, whether you're depicting a landscape bathed in late afternoon light or adding a touch of warmth to a still life. Olive GreenOlive Green brings a dash of nature into your fall palette. It’s a muted, earthy green that pairs beautifully with the warmer tones of the season. Use it to depict foliage that’s just starting to turn or to add a natural, subdued element to your work. Olive Green is also great for balancing out the more intense reds and oranges of fall. Alizarin CrimsonThis deep, rich red is perfect for capturing the essence of fall’s more dramatic moments—think the last blush of a sunset or the deep red of a maple leaf. Alizarin Crimson adds intensity and emotion to your palette, making it a powerful choice for artists who want to convey the full spectrum of autumn's beauty. Payne’s GreyWhile not a traditional fall color, Payne’s Grey is a versatile shade that can add depth and contrast to your autumn compositions. This cool, dark grey with blue undertones is perfect for creating shadows, stormy skies, or the subtle tones of dusk. It pairs well with the warmer colors of fall, adding a touch of moodiness and sophistication to your work. Best Fall Color Combinations Now that we've got our essential fall colors, let's talk about how to combine them in ways that are both classic and unexpected. The right color combination can elevate your artwork, adding dimension, interest, and emotion. Here are some of our favorite fall color pairings, including a few that might surprise you. Burnt Sienna and Olive GreenThis is a tried-and-true combination that captures the essence of fall. Burnt Sienna’s warm, earthy tones complement Olive Green's natural, subdued shade perfectly. Together, they create a balanced, harmonious palette that’s ideal for landscapes, still lifes, or any artwork that’s trying to capture the quiet beauty of autumn. Cadmium Orange and Payne’s GreyLooking for a bolder, more dramatic combination? Pair the fiery warmth of Cadmium Orange with the cool, moody tones of Payne’s Grey. This pairing is perfect for creating striking contrasts in your work—think of a bright pumpkin against a stormy sky, or autumn leaves against dark, wet pavement. It’s a combination that adds intensity and drama to your art. Yellow Ochre and Alizarin CrimsonYellow Ochre and Alizarin Crimson create a warm, glowing palette that’s full of autumnal richness. These colors work beautifully together in depicting the soft light of a fall afternoon, the rich tones of a harvest scene, or the deep hues of fall foliage. This combination is all about warmth, comfort, and the golden glow of autumn. Raw Umber and Burnt SiennaFor a more subdued, earthy palette, try pairing Raw Umber with Burnt Sienna. This combination is all about natural tones and subtle contrasts. It’s perfect for creating the look of fall’s more muted moments—the brown of fallen leaves, the rich earth, and the fading light of day. It’s a grounding, calming palette that’s perfect for more introspective, meditative works. Olive Green and Cadmium OrangeHere’s a pairing that might surprise you: Olive Green and Cadmium Orange. The deep, muted green of Olive Green creates a beautiful contrast with the bright, vibrant Cadmium Orange. This combination is perfect for depicting the changing colors of the season—the green leaves slowly turning orange, and the bright bursts of pumpkins in a field of green. It’s a dynamic, lively palette that captures the transition from summer to fall. Alizarin Crimson and Payne’s GreyIf you’re looking to create something with a bit more drama and mood, try pairing Alizarin Crimson with Payne’s Grey. The deep red of Alizarin Crimson brings a sense of passion and intensity, while Payne’s Grey adds depth and a touch of mystery. This combination is perfect for capturing the more dramatic side of fall—think of a red sunset fading into a darkening sky, or the rich colors of a stormy autumn evening. Bringing It All Together Fall is a season of transition, vibrant change, and of deep, earthy beauty. By choosing the right colors and exploring unique combinations, you can capture the essence of autumn in your art. Whether you’re painting a serene landscape, a cozy still life, or an abstract exploration of color, the hues of fall provide endless inspiration.We’re here to support your creative journey. Our wide selection of paints and painting accessories is designed to help you bring your autumnal visions to life. So why not dive into the colors of fall? Experiment, explore, and most importantly, enjoy the process. We can’t wait to see what you create. Happy painting, and happy fall from all of us at Cheap Joe’s!
Our Best Colors for Fall
As the crisp autumn air sweeps in and the leaves begin their transformation, we find ourselves inspired by the rich and varied palette that fall offers. We believe that the...
Easy DIY Watercolor Tree Holiday Cards
Think you don't have time this year to make special handmade holiday cards? We've got you covered with these quick and easy DIY watercolor Christmas tree cards
Easy DIY Watercolor Tree Holiday Cards
Think you don't have time this year to make special handmade holiday cards? We've got you covered with these quick and easy DIY watercolor Christmas tree cards
Free Art Lessons on Plein Air Painting
Cheap Joe's 2 Minute Art Tips - Plein Air Painting Time for more free art tips with Julie as we load up another 2 Minute Art Tip.In this one, Julie takes a wide look at the world of plein air painting
Free Art Lessons on Plein Air Painting
Cheap Joe's 2 Minute Art Tips - Plein Air Painting Time for more free art tips with Julie as we load up another 2 Minute Art Tip.In this one, Julie...
From Cheap Joe’s Art Blog
Basic Guide to Alcohol Markers We’ve got a few alcohol marker tips and tricks for you, whether you wantto begin creating marker art or just need some basic tips for adding markersto your artistic practice. Grab your favorite sketchbook and tools, and let’sget started!
From Cheap Joe’s Art Blog
Basic Guide to Alcohol Markers We’ve got a few alcohol marker tips and tricks for you, whether you wantto begin creating marker art or just need some basic tips for...
Better Blending with Alcohol Markers
This step-by-step tutorial for beginners is a great place to start learning more about alcohol marker blending techniques. Even if you are familiar with the basics of using markers, if you want to level up your skills, keep reading to discover some of the advanced techniques we recommend. Have you been too intimidated to draw with markers because they feel so permanent? Give these marker techniques a try and you’ll be surprised by how much more forgiving and fluid the drawing process can be. Have you been frustrated by the so-called “blender markers” not working as you expected to blend colors? In this post, we’ll show you better ways to blend and how to really use a blender marker. Before we get to the markers, we need to start with the paper. Successful marker blending begins with the right paper. Because blending techniques require lots of layering, the paper must be able to absorb the ink without becoming oversaturated too quickly. It needs to strike a balance between just enough bleeding to get the inks and alcohol to merge, but not enough to leak past the drawing area. The wrong paper can either not blend enough and cause unwanted streaks or will bleed too much, causing colors to feather. Check out our basic guide to alcohol markers for more detailed information on choosing the right paper for markers and more. Blending and Layering with Alcohol Markers The ability to create smooth blends is one of the main advantages of alcohol markers. The key to blending is to keep the area wet without letting the ink dry between layers. Find that sweet spot of coloring slow enough to let the alcohol seep into the paper but fast enough so that it doesn’t dry out. Once dry, it’s harder to get smooth transitions between colors and values, although you can go back over them to improve the blend later with more layers. Keep coloring out from the wet edge, working fairly quickly to keep that leading edge wet so it will blend well with the next color. It’s helpful to practice different blending techniques so you can get used to the sweet spot, which can vary slightly between marker and paper brands. Before you begin a blend, plan ahead. The best blends come from using a range of values to transition from one value or color to the next. This is why you’ll find that marker brands feature multiple values of markers within one color family: one for dark, one for a step lighter in value, one for 2 steps lighter in value, and so on. Organize the color groups you plan to use in advance. To blend well, you need to work while the paper is still wet with the marker ink, so spending time searching for the color you need can cost you valuable working time. It’s hard to get a good blend between two colors with a big value difference between them, so use enough small steps between the different marker values for best results. It’s a good idea to test blends before you start so you’ll have a game plan. Layering is crucial to successful blending. Work your color layers back and forth over each other until you get the blend as smooth as you want. When they blend, the inks are actually mixing together almost like watercolor, and you can push them towards or away from each other with the marker nib. In this way, the pressure of the nib almost acts like a palette knife, so the more you physically blend the colors, the smoother the blend can be. Be aware that the colors will darken with repeated layering, and the more alcohol gets added to the paper through layering, the more the ink may bleed past where you want it to. Repeated layering is the secret to getting the colors to blend. It’s like making a sandwich of color 1 over color 2 and color 2 over color 1, etc. until the blend is as smooth as you want. It’s best to work in smaller sections instead of all over a large area so that the ink stays wet while you blend, and you’re not having to rush around the image to create all the blends before the paper dries out. For example, if you have 3 flowers on a stem, work on one flower at a time, even if you’re using the same colors in each flower. It might seem like you’ll save time by coloring the lights in all three and then the darks in all three, but the blending may suffer as a result. If you plan to blend, it’s a good idea not to color all the way out to the edge of a shape because the extra alcohol added to the paper can cause bleeds. Stop about 1/16 of an inch from the edge, then wait a few seconds after the blending has been done to see how far out the color will bleed. If, after some time passes, you still see some white areas near the border, you can touch those up while the rest of the ink is still wet. After a while working with the same markers and paper, you’ll become familiar with how much the layered ink bleeds and how much you need to compensate. How to blend a smooth, large, single-color area without streaks With a chisel tip, use straight, overlapping strokes and then go back over it in the perpendicular direction. You can also color in a circular motion. With either technique, you’ll need to repeat the layers a couple of times to get a smooth color. Each time you do, the value will go slightly darker up to a certain point, which may (or not) be desirable. That’s why it’s helpful to have a light-through-dark collection of the color families you want to use. You can use that lightest color to go over the entire area again to blend without affecting the value or color, which gives better results than using a colorless blender for the same purpose. How to gradate a single color from dark to light to white It’s very easy to make a gradation from dark to light with a single color marker. Since layering a color over itself creates different values, you can control the gradation by simply adding more or fewer layers. When blending the color into the white of the paper, a fun trick is to bleach the tip of the colored marker with a colorless blender. Holding the blender marker on top and the colored one on the bottom, kiss the tips together until you see the color fade from the top 1/16th inch or so from the top. You might need to move the colorless blender back and forth along the tip to get an evenly faded area, especially on chisel tips. In a zig-zag motion, begin coloring with the bleached marker tip, starting where you want it to fade from the white of the paper. As you continue coloring, the colored ink will let down into the marker, creating a perfect gradation. You can also do this with 2 colors to get a nice gradation from one color to the next. The colorless blender leaks into the colored marker to create a temporary gradation from the white of the paper to the full marker color. The same technique can be used with 2 different colored markers. How to create smooth blends starting with light to dark Using the lightest color in your color group, begin by coloring the whole area you intend to gradate, even if that color will disappear under the darker layer. This primes the paper with alcohol, which will make the inks blend together more easily. Because it’s a light color, you can go darker as needed without worrying it will be too dark at the beginning, leaving you little room for more variation. With markers, it’s always easier to go darker than to lighten up a too-dark area. Add your darkest color where you want it. Don’t color it as far out as you think you need it because blending will pull some of that dark for you, and it might go farther than you want. Add your middle value in the area between the dark and light colors. While adding it, color over the dark area with the middle value to blend the two together well. Using your lightest color again, color over the entire area between the middle value and the lightest value and color over the entire area of the gradation again, just like you did in the beginning. The lightest color will smooth the blend without adding much extra color or darkening the values. It also helps unify the colors, especially if you’re having to make do with a color that isn’t necessarily in the same color family but is close. How to create smooth blends starting with dark to light Start with your darkest value and color where you want it to be, but not quite as far out as you want it to extend. The subsequent colors will pull it out farther, so you need to account for that. Add the medium value colored over the darker area and out as far as you want the medium value to be. Again, err on the side of less far out than you want it in the end because the lighter value will pull it out a bit. Add the lightest value where you want it to be and color it over the medium value to blend the transition, continuing over the darker area as well to facilitate the smooth blending of all the values. The more you layer the values, the more alcohol you’re adding to the paper, and the more the colors will blend. How to blend different color families It’s easier to get a good blend between different colors of the same value than it is a dark color into a different color family’s lighter color. The transition between values and colors is simply too great to get a smooth blend. Start with one of the colors colored up to the area where you want it to blend. Add the other color and overlap it with the first color. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until a smooth blend is created. Another approach you can use is to create value gradations in one color from dark to light, then light to dark gradations toward the other color. How to create optical blends with overlapping colors You can create new colors and subtle color variations by overlapping the transparent colors of alcohol markers. Also, if you color in a yellow-green that’s a bit brighter than you meant for it to be, you can mute it by adding a very light violet over the top. Violet and yellow-green are nearly opposite each other on the color wheel, so they mute each other. Similarly, if you need a color in the moment that you don’t yet have in your marker collection, you can overlap 2 of its parent colors to create it. For example, if you want a dark blue violet but you only have a violet and a light blue, you can layer the light blue over the violet until it becomes more bluish. Due to the markers’ transparency, any color you draw over another color will become another color. If you have a yellow bush already drawn that you want to give a slight pinkish cast, you can use a light, bright pink marker without fear it will be too bright because it will be dulled somewhat by the yellow underneath. Similarly, you can get a variety of values from one marker color by using gray value markers in the under-drawing. Don’t have a dark green? Color in a dark gray as the first layer, then the green you do have. This technique works best when the gray and the color are fairly similar in value to begin with so that the gray takes on the characteristics of the color layered over it without overwhelming it. The gray undertone will, of course, mute the overlapping color, so you’ll want to account for that. How to create soft edges and hard edges Sometimes you want a softer edge between colors of values, but not necessarily a blended edge. This can be when you want to contrast far-away elements, such as the background in a landscape, with sharper foreground elements. To get soft edges, you can draw in the background sky and mountains, for example, and while that area is still wet, draw in the elements on the mountains, like trees and boulders. The edges will blend together slightly while the paper is still wet. Contrast that softness with the foreground, where you can use the markers directly on dry paper or a dry ink under-drawing. The edges will be crisp and sharp. Left is wet violet on wet pink, right is wet violet on dry pink. Another way to optically soften the appearance of edges when the ink is already dry is to choose colors that are closer to each other in both value and intensity. They won’t contrast sharply with each other and so the edges will appear softer. For optically sharper edges, choose colors that are more different from each other in intensity and value so the edges will appear sharper. Low-contrast areas tend to sit back in space and attention, while high-contrast areas come forward in space and attention. You might use low-contrast areas for backgrounds and parts of the image not intended to be the focus and save high-contrast areas for foregrounds and focal areas. This is basic color theory. Can I lighten a color once it’s down? Yes, you can…somewhat. You can lighten a color a little bit by using either a lighter color in the same color family or a colorless blender and scrubbing it into the area you want to be lighter. It can take some time and several layers for the lightening process to occur, so be patient and wait a bit before overdoing it. Be aware that lightening in this way will leave a dark line around the lightened area where the extra alcohol pushes into the existing color, which might not be desirable. This is one reason working from dark to light is preferable - it’s easier to make a light color darker, but not vice versa. How and when to use a colorless blender Blender markers don’t contain any ink, but they do contain alcohol and can be used to add colorless alcohol to the page for various reasons outlined below. Ironically, colorless blenders are really not the best tool for blending. They work best in that regard when they’re used to prime the paper before colored ink is added. Pre-wetting an area with alcohol is a good way to help the subsequent color layers blend better. Colorless blenders are also useful for blending a light color into the white of the page. For example, if you want to fade a light color into the white of the paper. If used over darker colors or to blend already dry colors, it will create blooms that add a texture that may not be desirable. Therefore, it’s not a fix-all for blending that didn’t exactly go right the first time around. Blenders can act as an eraser to lighten areas where you made a stray mark. Let the stray mark ink dry and then firmly scribble over it with a bullet tip or chisel tip as if you’re pushing the ink back behind the border it escaped from. The color will lighten a bit, although a stain may remain. If you add too much colorless blender, it will cause a bloom with a hard, dark edge, so be conservative. Of course, the lighter the color is to begin with, the better this will work. Dark colors will leave more of a stain. It may take a few passes with drying time in between to lighten as much as necessary. You can also use a colorless blender to pick up a darker color that you want to blend into a lighter color to apply a smooth blend. Scribble some ink from your darker color onto a non-absorbent surface like a plastic or ceramic palette or plate. After you’ve colored the area you want to blend with a lighter color, you can use the colorless blender to grab some of the color from the palette and apply it as if it were the darker marker. As the picked-up ink is colored out, it will fade back to the colorless alcohol. Similarly, if you want to blend a color into the white of the paper but the color you’re blending is dark and you have no pale color to act as the transition, you can scribble the darker color onto a palette, then use the blender to pick up that color and act as the lighter transition color while you blend into the white of the paper. Don’t worry that you’ve ruined your blender with color! Before you put it away, clean it by scribbling on some scrap paper which will remove the colored ink. A colorless blender can be used to make creative textures and patterns within colors. Use a bullet tip or chisel tip to achieve more pressure and carve back into the dry color to lighten it. You can create stripes, plaid, dots, swirls, scales, a tree trunk, etc. that are a lighter color than the background. Alternatively, you can use a brush tip and simply dab instead of scrubbing to lighten. It takes more time to work, so be patient. You can control the contrast by adding more alcohol or less, scrubbing more or less. If you create these effects on wet ink, you’ll get softer edges than if the ink was dry. You can also use this technique to add highlights while the ink is still wet. If you wait until the ink is dry to go back in with highlights, you’ll get a hard, darker edge which may not be desirable. Similar to a blender pen, straight alcohol can be used to create some interesting textural effects. Fill a spray bottle with alcohol and spritz an area of dried ink. Wait a while for the alcohol to dissolve the color, and you’ll see lighter dots appear in the color. Or, use an eye dropper or brush to add alcohol onto a color, and a lighter area will appear. Left shows alcohol spritzed onto ink, right shows alcohol dropped onto ink. Incorporating the versatility and creativity of alcohol markers into your drawing practice is great for planning in your sketchbook, taking visual notes on site, working through the design process, and finished works of marker art. We hope this information inspires as much as it informs. When you’re ready to get started, we have everything you need in our Art Markers and Marker Sets. Artwork by Amanda Chapman, Cheap Joe’s Outlet Manager. Made with Alcohol Markers and Acrylic Paint Pens
Better Blending with Alcohol Markers
This step-by-step tutorial for beginners is a great place to start learning more about alcohol marker blending techniques. Even if you are familiar with the basics of using markers, if...
What You Need to Know About Alcohol Markers
Have you ever looked at a display of hundreds of colorful markers and thought how fun they would be to use, but you weren’t sure where to begin? We’ve got a few alcohol marker tips and tricks for you, whether you want to begin creating marker art or just need some basic tips for adding markers to your artistic practice. What Are Alcohol Markers? Alcohol markers are popular art and design markers where alcohol is the vehicle for the color, as opposed to water-based markers where water is the vehicle or xylene-based markers where xylene solvent is the vehicle. If it smells faintly like rubbing alcohol, it’s an alcohol-based marker and can be blended with other alcohol-based markers from different brands. Popular alcohol marker brands include Copic Classic Markers and Copic Sketch Markers, Prismacolor, Ohuhu, Arrtx, Arteza, and our own Koda Art Dual Tip Brush Markers and Sets. They’re easy to use for a wide range of subject matter and styles. The colors are vibrant and clear right off the bat and give great coverage. Because they offer rich results quickly, they’re a favorite of illustrators, manga artists, graphic designers, interior designers, landscape architects, fashion designers, architects, and artists. The transparency of these markers works similarly to watercolor in that colors can be layered to create darker values or optical color mixes, like yellow over blue makes green. Also similar to watercolor, the white of the paper plays a role in the light that comes from the background and through the colors, making them more vibrant and affecting the values. The inks are usually dye-based and therefore not fade-proof, so they’re best for design work where they will be scanned for their final iteration or for planning and sketching, but they’re not recommended for a final artwork for display. What Are the Pros and Cons of Alcohol Markers? Pros: Easy to layer with excellent blending capabilities. Come in a variety of tip sizes and shapes for a wide range of marking possibilities. Most have dual-ended tips, which give you multiple drawing style options in one marker. The colors are vivid and clear. Wide color ranges are available, from intense, highly saturated colors to muted, low-intensity colors. Even more colors can be created through layering. Wide value ranges are available from very light to very dark. Even more values can be created through layering. They allow for quick coverage, so you can cover more ground quickly compared to colored pencils or pens. Most brands smell only faintly of alcohol fumes compared to the dizzying xylene-based marker fumes. They can create hard edges between colors or softly blended transitions. They don’t smear when you’re working because they soak into the paper immediately and are quick-drying. Some brands are refillable and offer replaceable nibs, saving money and waste. Refills and nibs may be compatible between brands. They play well with other media, like pigmented ink pens, Chartpak AdMarkers, acrylic paint pens, and colored pencils. Cons: The inks are fade-resistant but not lightfast - meaning that eventually, they will fade. Best for design work that will be scanned for the final product instead of displayed artwork. You need a wide range of colors to get the best results, from light to dark in the same color family, so it can get expensive. Can be too quick-drying if you want to blend, so timing is important to manage. Not as forgiving if mistakes are made so advanced planning of the layers is a good idea. The ink bleeds through the paper, so thicker or marker-specific paper is required. There are bleed-proof shields you can use, or use an acetate sheet, or use bleed-proof paper like Crescent’s Rendr. Cannot be used on just any paper. The right paper must be used to avoid too much feathering or unintended dulling of the color. Some people can be sensitive to the alcohol fumes. What is the Best Paper for Alcohol Markers? Starting with the right paper is half the battle when using alcohol markers. For best results, look for papers specifically labeled for “Marker” or “Pen and Ink”, but smooth bristol board and smooth illustration board are also good. Heavyweight, smooth white paper that doesn’t bleed or feather is the best paper to use for alcohol markers. Feathering means that the ink spreads out from where you put it down, wicking through the fibers of the paper, which means you lack control over where the ink flows. What you want is a paper that’s balanced between bleeding too much and too little, allowing you the most control. Paper not designed for markers can dull the colors. For example, if you color the same marker on a sheet of printer paper vs a sheet of marker paper, you’ll see the color remains more vivid on the marker paper and isn’t quite as vibrant on the printer paper. You’re better off spending a bit more for better paper so your marker techniques will have more success. Each type of marker paper will react a little differently, so it’s important to do some test sketches so you can figure out how the paper will cause the ink to behave. You can discover its strengths and limitations and work those into your drawing process. You may choose a paper that blends easily for one project and another that leaves strong marks for another. Juicy alcohol markers bleed through paper easily, so you’ll want to use a heavier-weight paper or board. Cardstock, bristol board, and illustration boards are great options. There are some bleed-proof papers available, but they don’t tend to blend as well. Thicker paper is also sturdy enough to withstand the amount of layering and scrubbing of the surface that’s typically required. Thinner papers can disintegrate if repeatedly layered while wet. The smoother the paper, the better the results and the longer your nibs will last. If the paper’s tooth, or surface texture, is rough, it’s more difficult to create controlled lines and fine lines. Your nibs will also suffer and become less sharp as the fibers that make it up are roughened. Smooth paper is also best for scanning your art because surface texture shadows aren’t an issue. Bright white is the best color of paper to use with alcohol markers because it shows the colors at their truest and purest intensity. However, off-white paper or light-value toned papers offer interesting effects, such as a vintage look. You’ll just want to experiment with how the colored background affects the marker colors. Top Row from Left: vellum bristol board, Crescent Rendr, standard cardstock, hot press watercolor paper, Sketchmaker Drawing Pad. Bottom Row from Left: Crescent #310 Cold Press Illustration board, Borden and Riley #116 Drawing and Sketching Vellum, standard printer paper, Borden and Riley #234 Paris Paper for Pens, Koda Marker. Different Marker Tip Types Alcohol marker tips come in different shapes and sizes for various line weights and expressive character. How you apply different pressure on the nib also affects the line quality, so you can be really creative with this tool. Just like a pencil, lighter pressure produces lighter marks, while heavier pressure creates darker marks. Pressure variations when using a brush nib are where these markers really show their versatility. Spend some time testing the different mark-making capabilities of your marker nibs. Bullet TipsBullet tips are bullet-shaped and either slightly pointed or rounded at the end. They can be very fine or broad, but in general, they create consistent fine lines with little variation. They’re commonly used for outlining and laying out the general design before coloring, and for adding details. They’re also great for cross-hatching and adding texture. Different-sized bullet tips will offer thicker to thinner line weights, so having a couple of size options can be handy. Chisel TipsChisel tips are the widest nib type and have an angled edge for covering large areas quickly or drawing bold lines. You can create 3 different line weights with this one tip if you draw with the broad side left to right, the broad side straight down, or the tip alone. They tend to be very durable, so wear down less quickly than a fine bullet or brush tip. They’re also great for hand-lettering and calligraphy with their ability to change width depending on the stroke direction, just like a calligraphy nib. They can also be used for interesting gestural marks. Brush TipsThese tips look like round paint brushes and act in a similar way by creating marks similar to brush strokes. They’re flexible and respond easily to changes in pressure, achieving a fine line with light pressure and a thick line with increasing pressure. They’re the most versatile tip, great for coloring medium-sized areas, creating calligraphic lines, and blending, and they work well for both large and small areas. They’re a bit more fragile than the other tip shapes and can wear down over time. Avoid using too much pressure on the nib to color in a large area and switch to a chisel tip instead. Brush markers tend to lay down more ink, so if that’s not what you want for a particular area, switch to a bullet or chisel tip for less ink. Alcohol Marker Drawing Tips Markers are not considered a forgiving medium, which can make them intimidating. But they can be much more forgiving than you imagine with just a few basic tips. Sketch first in very light colors that can be covered by darker colors later. That way, if you sketch something you end up not liking, you can cover it up, and that light color will blend into subsequent layers. Save the whites of the paper for lighter passages. Draw around them instead of planning to lighten them later. Working from light values to dark values will give you the most latitude to make changes and adjustments as you go. Be aware that using a light color over a dark color can bleach it a little because the alcohol in the light color will dissolve what’s underneath somewhat. Working in layers is a huge part of successful marker art. The misconception is that you lay down one color at a time as if you’re coloring by number, but the truth is that there’s a great deal of layering going on. It can be a very organic expressive process. If you want areas to blend, work wet on wet. If you want them to layer, work wet on dry. Swatch out all your colors to see what they really look like. The marker cap colors are not always accurate and definitely won’t show you the value range available by layering a single marker over itself. In the initial stages, err on the side of less is more. That leaves you more leeway to make changes as you go. In other words, don’t fill in every detail or form right away. You can always add more later, but it’s harder to take away. Use some of the same colors or family of colors across the drawing to enhance unity in the color scheme. Use smaller tips for smaller areas and bigger tips for bigger ones. This will help avoid unwanted streaks and keep the ink from drying out too fast for you to blend effectively. If you make a mark with a color that’s not the value or shade you thought it would be, just go with the flow and add a little of it here and there to make it look like a deliberate choice rather than a mistake. Having many beautiful colors at your fingertips is fun and full of expressive possibilities, but you can get seduced by the color and forget the value. Relative lights and darks are how space is pulled forward and pushed back, and how a form shows its volume. Take the time to do some tests, swatch out your markers, and try different techniques where you can “mess up” without consequences. This is where the best learning is done, which will translate into better marker art. It can be helpful to print the same design on several sheets of paper as you approach it in different ways and see the possibilities. Also, having a little test swatch sheet of scrap paper by you while you work is handy to avoid surprises. Don’t get discouraged in the first stages. Things may look rough in the beginning before all the layering is done. Don’t give up! Keep going and you’ll see your design bloom as the surface becomes richer. Be sure to check out our blog post on alcohol marker blending techniques for more helpful tips and lots of visual examples. How to Store Alcohol Markers Store alcohol markers horizontally so the ink is evenly distributed in the spongy material inside, especially if the marker is double-ended. This keeps the markers from drying out on one end or from depositing too much ink on an oversaturated end. However, if you have a marker that’s getting dry on one end, you can store that marker vertically toward the end you want to use. After a little while, the available ink should seep into that side of the marker. Keep your markers in a dry space away from heat and out of direct sunlight. Keep your markers organized, and you’ll have an easier time making art with them. Organize your markers into color families. If you want to go further, organize them into values within that color family. Want to go further? Organize them from high intensity (bright) to low intensity (muted). This will make it much easier to see your options and compare them to each other in terms of hue, value, and intensity. Once your creative session is over, take the time to put the markers back in their rightful place so you’ll be ready to create when inspiration strikes next. If your markers become messy around the nib or barrel, use rubbing alcohol to clean them off. How to Revive Dried Alcohol Markers Art markers can be an investment, so you want to get the most out of them. If they start to dry out on you, you won’t be able to achieve all the special effects that require lots of juice. Or maybe you’re nearing the end of a drawing and just need a color to last a little longer so you can finish up. There are a couple of ways you can revive a dried alcohol marker. Some marker brands sell ink refills. Hold the marker tip upright at a 45-degree angle and add single drops of the refill ink onto the nib. Wait a second for the ink to absorb before adding more. You’ll see the nib go from shiny to dull. It could take 20 - 30 drops, depending on how dry the marker is. It’s best to underfill than overfill, where ink leaks out of the pen and creates a mess. Lay the pen horizontally for a few minutes to allow the ink to disperse evenly throughout the pen. If the nib is removable, you can carefully pull the nib out using your fingers or tweezers. Drop the ink directly into the hole left behind. Gently squeeze the ink refill to slowly add ink that can be absorbed. A little goes a long way, so don’t flood the marker. Start with less and only add more as needed. Carefully reinsert the nib and let the pen rest horizontally for a few minutes. You may want to avoid using this method on brush nibs since they’re more easily damaged compared to chisel or bullet nibs. Use the ink-drop method above instead. Don’t have ink refills? You can remove the nib as above and drop alcohol directly into the marker. Once the nib is reinserted, let the marker rest horizontally for several hours to evenly redistribute the ink. Left is before adding alcohol into the barrel, right is after. We hope this gives you the inspiration to incorporate these versatile creative tools into your artistic practice. We have everything you need to get started with alcohol markers, plus all kinds of other drawing pens and markers in the Art Markers and Marker Sets on our website. Artwork by Amanda Chapman, Cheap Joe’s Outlet Manager. Made with Alcohol Markers and Acrylic Paint Pens
What You Need to Know About Alcohol Markers
Have you ever looked at a display of hundreds of colorful markers and thought how fun they would be to use, but you weren’t sure where to begin? We’ve got...
5 Tips to Improve Your Observational Drawing Sk...
Observational drawing practice is about more than just making your drawing look like the subject; it’s about improving how well you see and practicing hand-eye coordination. Our eye can trick us into making many assumptions about what we see, leading to distortions, confusion, and frustration. For example, an object may seem taller than its width when it’s actually the opposite. Seeing in 3D with our two eyes stereoscopically but drawing 2D flat shapes on paper is essentially an abstraction. The practices outlined below help check our visual assumptions against the objective reality of the scene before us and allow us to see and draw that two-dimensional abstraction of reality more successfully. Your drawing will become more accurate, and your experience of drawing will be a more fulfilling enjoyment of seeing deeply. These techniques work for still life, landscape, figure, portraiture, and any other subject you’re translating from three dimensions to two dimensions, from the simplest still life to the most complex urban landscape. Experienced artists might use these skills without thinking about them but always need practice. For beginners or those who want to improve their existing observational drawings, consider these tips as training wheels for your eyes. The more you practice them, the more they’ll become second nature. Observational drawing is a valuable skill even if you don’t create realistic representational artwork. Keeping an ongoing drawing practice in your sketchbook will improve any art you make outside of it. Here are 5 techniques guaranteed to improve your drawings from life: Draw the Overall Shapes Before the Details The tendency is to get distracted by the details and dive into those first, but details should be considered the icing on the cake and one of the final stages because details need a solid structure to sit atop. That solid structure is the subject matter's overall shape, scale, and form.Start by positioning the entire scene within the limits of the page so you can include everything you want to include. Many times, we’re so interested in the main subject that we make it larger than it really is, pushing the rest of the scene off the page and compromising our composition. So, to get the correct scale-to-page size to begin with, lightly sketch in the main elements with simple blobs of approximate placement, always with an eye to how each form in the scene relates to the others. Your eye should be dancing back and forth across all the elements and the spaces between them rather than focusing on each element separately. This will ensure the best start to overall proportions. You don’t have to be perfectly accurate right off the bat. Once you have all the blobs in their approximate place, use the sighting techniques below to gradually correct each form's basic outer shapes, scale, volume, and relative placement. Your lines can become darker as you become more confident in the placement. This tweaking process will take several passes over the whole scene and page as you gradually zero in on the locations and outlines of each form. Enjoy the ride! Use Vertical Lines, Horizontal Lines, and Angled Sight Lines Imposing horizontal and vertical lines over the subject from your point of view will help position elements at the correct height and placement compared to each other. When learning this technique, a thin bamboo skewer or chopstick is a great tool. Having this dedicated ‘Sighting Stick’ encourages you to use it, but you can also use your pencil, pen, or brush handle. The point is to use a longish, thinnish, straight tool that you can impose over the scene but that does not block the scene’s elements. How to use Vertical Sight Lines: Holding the Sighting Stick vertically, like a plumb line, put one end on the edge of a form and see where another form falls to the left or right in relation to it. You will be surprised how your eye has tricked you! Holding the pencil vertically at the right-side edge of the vase helps to see how far out the belly of the vase falls compared to its base. The dotted red lines in the images below indicate areas where it would be helpful to use vertical lines. The circled areas indicate comparison points from top to bottom of the scene that will help you correctly locate and size objects in relation to each other. How to use Horizontal Sight Lines: By holding the Sighting Stick horizontally, you can put one end on the edge of a form and see where the tops and bottoms of other forms fall in relation to each other. Holding the pencil horizontally on the edge of the plate's base shows how much higher the vase's base sits on the table. The dotted red lines in the images below indicate areas where it would be helpful to use horizontal lines. The circled areas indicate comparison points from left to right of the scene that will help you correctly locate and size objects in relation to each other. How to use Angled Sight Lines: To find the angles between objects, which also helps find their placement relative to each other, hold the sighting stick at the angle that connects the points you’re trying to find. This works best when your arm is held straight out, not bent at the elbow. Imagine the stick is on a clock face or pane of glass and cannot be tilted toward or away from you. The idea is to keep the stick perpendicular to your line of site so you get the most accurate angle possible. Sighting an angle also helps you see the angle of a form by exaggerating it and showing it to your eyes more clearly. It then becomes easy for you to translate an angled edge to two dimensions. Holding the pencil at an angle on the curved edge of the vase shows the overall angle at which the bottom portion of it curves upwards. This makes a helpful guideline when sketching the curvature. The dotted red lines in the images below indicate areas where it would be helpful to use angled lines to see at what angle forms are in relation to each other, as well as the overall angle of individual elements. The great thing about sighting Vertical Lines, Horizontal Lines, and Angled Lines is that they’re helpful at any scale, from assessing the whole scene to measuring within individual forms. This technique also helps you clearly see the negative shapes, which can help draw the positive shapes. For example, the angle of a roof compared to 90 or 180 degrees, the amount a terracotta pot’s sides slope away from the rim, or how far out that arm the model is leaning on really reaches. Angled Lines even assist when you’re measuring a curve because you can lay the Sighting Stick along the main arc and more easily see the overall direction of the curve. Use the Negative Shapes to Find the Positive Shapes Negative shapes, often considered the background, are the spaces between the foreground subject. Negative space, however, is relative and depends on context. For example, the wall between a potted plant in the foreground is negative space, but so is the terracotta pot behind a plant leaf that’s further in the foreground. The red outline shows a negative space shape in the context of the pot and plant, where the wall between the stem and pot edge creates a shape. The red outline shows negative space shapes in the context of the shadow on the wall, where the wall areas not in shadow create shapes that can be useful for seeing more accurately. The red outline shows negative space shapes in the context of the pot behind the plant stem which can help place the foreground stem accurately. Our eyes are most easily tricked when we only draw the positive shapes without checking the corresponding negative space. Our brain is designed to focus on positive shapes instead of the spaces between them, but they are usually more complex to decode than the relatively simple negative shapes. This makes negative shapes far easier to see and visually measure, so they’re a useful tool in observational drawing as you hone in on more accurate placement of objects and form edges. Once you get used to looking for the negative space, you’ll never see the same way again! Sighting for Scale and Proportion Observational drawing is all about relativity, comparing one area of the subject to another to form a complete whole. Sighting is a way to visually measure the forms in the scene from your point of view and get them in the correct scale and proportion compared to each other and the whole. For this technique to work properly, use your Sighting Stick consistently at arm's length, with elbow unbent, so that the distance from your eye to the stick remains the same. You’ll also want to close one eye, the same eye each time, to eliminate the forms jumping back and forth between each eye’s vantage point, resulting in inconsistent measurements. Keep the stick perpendicular to your line of sight instead of angling it toward or away from you. Finally, keep the same point of view instead of moving left or right, up or down. Decide on your composition's best point of view and stick with it, or your comparisons will have no constancy. All your measuring will be done from this one point of view - not closer or farther away. It’s your source of truth!Once you have your composition and estimated placement blocked in with light blobs, choose one of the midsize to smaller elements as a ‘key.’ The idea is to use this element to measure the other elements and negative spaces against. It’s as if you’re creating your own 'inch'. This will help keep the entire scene in the correct relative proportion.Measure the relative width and height of the key form from your point of view. First, measure the shortest dimension from your point of view by holding your sighting stick’s tip up until it meets the edge of one side and placing your thumbnail at the point where the other side ends. Hold onto that place with your thumb and turn the stick perpendicular to how you just held it. Now, count roughly how many of the shortest dimension fits into the longest dimension. Is it about twice as high as it is wide? Or 1-1/2 times as wide as it is tall? Or maybe there’s no difference at all between the dimensions. Lightly draw in the measurement marks from top to bottom. At this point, you’re just creating a 'fence' to draw within. Don’t worry about the exact outline of the form yet.Now work from the general to the specific in the same key form, keeping within the 'fence' you’ve created to ensure you don’t enlarge or shrink it by accident. Use the same comparative measuring technique above to measure the next most general aspects of the form. For example, how much of the side or top can you see compared to the rest of the form? Is it about 1 part top to 2 parts side? Say there’s a vase that swells near the top and tapers to the bottom. You can see how far up that swell is compared to the tapering bottom and make light outlines to show you where that happens. You can also use a vertical sight line against the side of the swell to see what the negative shape of the tapered bottom looks like. Use vertical, horizontal, and angle sight lines to hone in on the form. Avoid putting in any detail until later in the drawing. After all, you may still need to make adjustments, and you’ll be reluctant to do that if you’ve already drawn in the details.Once you have the key aspects of the key form lightly in place, you can use it as a measuring gauge for the other forms in the scene. How many of the small vases high is the side of that larger bowl? How many of that key tree’s height fit in the space between it and the next tree over? Immaterial forms like shadows and seemingly empty space are forms, too, and can be measured similarly. Remember, this is approximate visual measuring to help your eyes see better - you don’t need to pull out a ruler or do math. Don’t get overwhelmed by exactitude, or it won’t be fun!As you lightly draw in the outlines of the major edges in the rest of the scene, you’ll be dancing back and forth between using vertical lines, horizontal lines, angle sight lines, and measuring. You’ll begin to understand which sight line will help you at the time as you solve each part of the puzzle. The goal is to work all over the entire drawing as you compare and contrast placement, angles, height, width, etc. Be willing to correct and erase during the process and open yourself up to change! There’ll be a point later on where you can pin down the style, expression, and amount of detail you want to include. Measuring the height of the vase with the eraser at the top edge of the pencil and the thumb marking the base edge. Keeping your thumb at the same spot on the pencil, measure the branch's height. The branch is a bit more than 2 vases high. Make this notational mark on your drawing. Measuring the width of the vase with the eraser at the left edge and the thumb marking the right edge at the widest point. Keeping your thumb at the same spot on the pencil, measure the plate's width. The plate is a little wider than the vase. Make this notational mark on your drawing. In this landscape, the height of the tree group in the middle ground makes a useful unit of comparison. Place the pencil eraser at the top of the tree group and your thumb at the bottom. Holding that measurement and comparing it to other areas of the scene both horizontally and vertically, you can see that the width of the tree group is 2 times its height, the highest field's width is only half the tree group's height, and the foreground fence is the same height as the tree group. You can mark these notations in your drawing and use them to keep all the elements in proportion to each other. Draw Through/Follow Through Observational drawing is a process of building from the general to the specific in overlapping layers. In the early stages of the drawing, use longer and lighter continuous and repetitive sketchy lines instead of short sketchy lines. There’s no need to pin down the exact location of a line at first with a dark and final mark - you’re just beginning to map the line, so keep it loose, light, and non-committal as you sketch and resketch back and forth to find the edges. The light repetitive sketching is an active part of the finding - seeing is not just happening in your eyes, but in your hand as well. Follow the lines through with your whole hand and wrist instead of just moving your fingers. Your wrist makes a great pivot point for curved lines. Following through with a line instead of starting and stopping will make your drawing look more confident and less stiff. Remember that if you start light, you can gradually increase the pressure and go darker as you hone the placement and accuracy of your forms. Relax, and don’t put too much pressure on yourself to get it right with the first stroke. Instead of stopping where one form goes behind another, picking up the line on the other side, draw each form as if it’s made of glass and can be seen through. This will help you understand how each whole form exists in the three-dimensional space as you translate it into two-dimensional space. This is especially helpful when drawing volumes like cylinders where ellipses, or circles in perspective, can get too football-shaped. It’s also beneficial with the angles found in buildings or tables. When you start with lighter lines, these see-through guidelines will fade into the background when you gradually draw darker as you get more accurate in the middle stages of the drawing. Draw objects as if you could see through them to gain a better understanding of the overall form and the forms in space. The techniques outlined above are not meant to dictate the level of expression, style, or energy in your drawing. They’re useful to help you see more thoroughly and accurately, but what you do with that visual information is entirely up to you. You’re the artist, the one who will take the information that’s out in the world and interpret it your way. These guidelines are meant to help you see better, not stifle your style with rigid rules. Use them as tools to help you reach your expression, not the dictator of truth that overrides your artistic vision. Whether or not you ever draw from life in the artwork you exhibit, you may enjoy this practice of honing your seeing skills, improving your hand-eye coordination, and engaging the creative problem-solving part of your mind. Your visual acuity will improve, and your ability to see more deeply will positively impact whatever type of artwork you make. You’ll find yourself visually measuring in your daily life as it becomes second nature!
5 Tips to Improve Your Observational Drawing Sk...
Observational drawing practice is about more than just making your drawing look like the subject; it’s about improving how well you see and practicing hand-eye coordination. Our eye can trick...
Cheap Joe Miller's List of Watercolor Painting ...
“I was a practicing pharmacist in my mid-40s when I took up watercolor. All I wanted to do was paint nice little landscapes, local scenes, barns, homes, the mountains, etc. It didn’t take me long to come to the conclusion that I couldn’t draw a straight line and had no talent. I failed time and time again, partly because I didn’t have good materials. I had dime store paint and paper and I was frustrated. An art professor at our local university helped me. He gave me a list of things I would need telling me, “You’ll never learn watercolor if you don’t have good paper, quality paint, and brushes." The list of things I would need included 100 sheets of watercolor paper. He said if you buy a sheet or two, you will never learn watercolor because you will be afraid you will ruin your paper." -Joe Miller The genesis of Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff began with pharmacist Joe Miller’s love for watercolor as a complete beginner. Cheap Joe’s developed and grew alongside Joe’s art, and he eventually became a teacher himself. For his students, he created a list of the best watercolor painting supplies for beginners, which we want to share with you. Joe’s mission was to offer artists the best quality art supplies at affordable prices so they wouldn’t be prohibited from reaching their potential by poor materials. The materials he recommended for his classes are ones he developed with that goal in mind. For example, American Journey is a professional quality watercolor paint that comes in larger, more economical 37ml tubes so artists don’t feel they have to be stingy about learning through experimentation. Below, we share Joe’s palette color list and a watercolor supply list that we've adapted from information that he created for his students and others. Joe taught his last watercolor class in 2018, and if you were ever lucky enough to take a workshop with Joe Miller, you know his generosity of spirit and his contagious enthusiasm for art, learning, experimentation, and fun. Joe's recommendations are always designed for beginner and experienced watercolorists alike and were developed from his years of experience through trial and error. Try building a palette Joe's way to see what you think and if it helps, and we hope you enjoy his suggestions! WATERCOLOR PAINT "I use American Journey Professional Watercolors, but another great brand is Da Vinci. Both of these brands are professional-grade paints. Listed below are five color groups. Chose at least one color from each group. If you have the colors in your current art supplies, great! And feel free to [add] any other colors that you use." -Joe Miller YELLOW Joe’s Yellow New Gamboge Raw Sienna DARK BLUE Joe's Blue Ultramarine Blue Indanthrone Blue RED / ROSE Joe's Red Cadmium Red Permanent Rose Rich Opera (aka Wild Fuchsia) Quinacridone Red Rose Deep (aka Rambling Rose) BROWN / BLACK Burnt Sienna Burnt Umber Transparent Oxide Brown Lamp Black LIGHT BLUE Cobalt Blue Sky Blue Cerulean Blue Andrew's Turquoise “The 15 ml size is adequate for starters. However, if you really want to make a rock-solid commitment to yourself that you will learn watercolor then buy the 37 ml size and 25 sheets of watercolor paper… [My palette] changes. I add a color. I take out a color. There are 100’s of colors and you can add them to your palette as you travel this wonderful journey." -Joe Miller We're happy to share an image of Joe's color list and palette layout above. Joe was very generous, and we know he'd love for you to have a copy. But please note that several of the colors that Joe used have since been discontinued. PALETTE “You will need a watercolor palette. My all time favorite is the American Journey Cavalcade, a heavy duty porcelain palette that will outlast us all. However, any plastic palette with a lid will do and they are less expensive. Be sure you get one that has at least sixteen or more wells and two mixing areas." -Joe Miller Joe always recommend any palette that has a good fitting lid such as the American Journey Porcelain Cavalcade. Joe liked to fill his palette with warm colors to cool colors, and you can view a video of Joe's original instructions on how to set up a watercolor palette at the link. BRUSHES “Use the largest brush you can until you can’t stand it any longer, then a smaller one. Save smallest for detail." -Joe Miller Any good quality natural or synthetic brush will do. Among Joe's favorites were the American Journey Interlocked brushes, and the essentials for his classes were: Rounds- size 8 or 10 Flats- size 1/2" and 1" Rigger- size 1 or 2 OPTIONAL- 1 1/2" or 2" Golden Fleece Flat Wash old toothbrush WATERCOLOR PAPER “The essential item is watercolor paper. You MUST buy good paper. Don’t even think about using cheap wood fiber papers. They will frustrate you and you really will be discouraged. The investment in good, high quality cotton paper will pay big dividends." -Joe Miller Joe recommended only professional 100% cotton rag papers like Arches or Kilimanjaro when painting and encouraged his students to avoid many student-grade papers. Thankfully, quality student-grade papers (like those found in most sketchbooks) have become much more widely available since Joe's teaching days. And student-grade papers are also much more affordable than cotton rag papesr. However, high quality papers and tools can make watercolor painting easier and often more enjoyable, especially for beginners! We hope you have found Joe's supply list helpful. The tools that Joe used are timeless, just like "Cheap" Joe Miller himself!
Cheap Joe Miller's List of Watercolor Painting ...
“I was a practicing pharmacist in my mid-40s when I took up watercolor. All I wanted to do was paint nice little landscapes, local scenes, barns, homes, the mountains, etc....
20 Stocking Stuffer Studio Staples
If you find yourself struggling to decide what to get the artist in your life this Christmas, we are eager to help with recommendations for gifts artists will love any time of the year, especially during the holidays. With Christmas quickly approaching, some of us may be trying to finish shopping for the perfect art stocking stuffers for our friends and family. Looking for gifts that will be appreciated and cherished by an artist may be a bit of a challenge, and that's why we wanted to share a few ideas with you! As artists, many of us tend to be very particular when it comes to choosing the materials we use. We usually know what brands of paint and brushes work best for us and what paper, canvas, or substrate we love to paint on, and we usually buy these materials for ourselves when we need them. This may make it feel as if purchasing a gift for us at Christmas is difficult, but Cheap Joe's will help make it easier for you to find a universal gift that works for almost every kind of artist. We’ve collected a list of practical stocking stuffers for artists. While these humble art supplies may not be the stars of the show, they’re the unsung heroes of the studio. Any artist will appreciate finding these in their stockings or as little extras within gifts this Christmas. Sketcher Strap - This simple contraption straps around a sketchbook and holds pens, pencils, markers, and brushes It’s an easy and inexpensive solution for carrying art supplies on the road. Brush Soap - This brush cleaner not only clean brushes but brings them back to life. If they don’t have some already, then encourage them to get in the habit of taking good care of their brushes. Cheap Joe’s Crossback Apron - An artist's apron that can house art supplies and protect their clothing is a simple but helpful art stocking stuffer that will save clothing and prevent unwanted stains. With so many pockets, it’s especially helpful for plein air painting. Alumicutter Ruler - We use these rulers often for cutting. It takes less effort to hold it in place than a thin cork-backed ruler, and the blade won’t skip over the protective barrier and hit their fingers. If you know, you know - every artist has an Xacto wound story! Xacto Gripster Knife - Xacto knives are ubiquitous in art studios, and the Gripster is the best version. The soft handle cover makes it soft on the fingers. But the best part is that the blade-tightening screw is at the end of the knife instead of at the grip, so they don’t inadvertently loosen the blade as they cut. Cheap Joe's Tube Wringers - Get every bit of paint out of that tube with these practical but pretty paint tube wringers. It saves money to save paint. The large turn key on these are easy on the fingers. (Plus, they’re made of durable metal – because we’d like to bring less plastic into the world). Works well for toothpaste too. Micron Sets - For writing, sketching, and making art, these fine felt tip points with fade-proof, waterproof ink are super useful and beloved by many artists. They’re one of the best drawing pens out there for detailed work. Thumbnailer Sketching Template - This stencil makes it easy to draw composition boxes in sketchbooks. The windows are sized to standard canvas and paper ratios so they can translate their composition study onto the right size canvas or paper without having to use math! Niji Premier Waterbrush Set - Brushes that have water in the handle are a sketching essential because they’re more portable than a brush and water container, and are simpler for sketchbook drawings. The design of these waterbrushes is a step up from the standard squeezable handle, with an easy-to-control water release button on the grip. Itoya Profolio Midtown Pouches - These small colorful pouches carry along a surprising amount of supplies to encourage a robust sketchbook practice. The divider is helpful for organizing the contents. Cheap Joe's Waterproof Dry Bag - While this bag is commonly used to keep water out, it can also be used to keep water in. For example, to keep leaky paint tubes and water containers from accidentally spilling into the rest of their art kit when they’re out and about. Magic Palette Color Matching Guide - This tool not only allows easy color and value identification to find just the right color to mix but can be used to preview how well a particular color intensity or value will work on works in progress. Stuffit Towel - You’ll often find artists with a towel in hand or nearby when working. Because they’re washable and reusable, these are more eco-friendly than using lots of paper towels. They start out the size of a hockey puck but expand to handtowel-size when moistened, which is just plain fun to watch. Itoya Hikigiri Scissors - These are the kind of scissors they’ll reach for often. They’re a sharp design with sharp blades that make it easy and pleasant to cut with precision. Bullet Pencil Sharpener - With a satisfying heft, ergonomic design, and sharp replaceable blades, this handheld pencil sharpener is a simple yet functional design that makes it easy to hold straight on the pencil, reducing accidentally broken points. Golden Gripr Tube Opener - Instead of chewing up stubborn paint tube caps with pliers or teeth, this paint tube opener grips stuck screwtops with ease. Its simple design fits multiple cap sizes and offers more leverage, preventing stuck cap and twisted tube rages. Canson XL Recycled Pocket Sketch Pad - We love the size of this chunky sketching pad. It has lots of sheets to encourage lots of sketches, and it’s super portable at only 3-1/2" x 5-1/2". The perfect palm-sized pad for dashing off ideas anywhere. Zig Glue Pens - Many artists like to paste inspirational clippings into their sketchbooks or use collage to plan compositions. Zig Glue pens offer more precision and less mess than glue sticks. The glue can be used as permanent or repositionable. Factis Pencil Eraser Stick - This pen-stye eraser is a huge help when sketching in a sketchbook where drawings are smaller so erasers need to be too. With its small tip, it can erase or blend with precision. Frixion Erasable Pens - These are a favorite with Cheap Joe’s staff for both writing and sketching. They offer the clarity and cleanliness of a pen with the reversibility of a pencil. Plus, the ink doesn’t smear when erasing like other erasable pens.
20 Stocking Stuffer Studio Staples
If you find yourself struggling to decide what to get the artist in your life this Christmas, we are eager to help with recommendations for gifts artists will love any...
