Tips & Techniques
- Alla Prima Painting by Jim Auckland07/19/13
The Alla Prima Painting Group meets most Saturdays in our shop studio, and paints a clothed model for four hours. Everyone welcome. Please see our classes page for more details.
Portrait painted with Gamblin Artist's Oils
- Working with Wax-based Colored Pencils02/20/12
Not all coloured pencils are alike but there's nothing wrong with combining several types and brands. Oil-based pencils are hard, making them suitable for fine detail. Pencils like Colorsoft and Prismacolor Pencils are wax-based, making them softer and easily blended. Colorsoft and Prismacolor also make a solvent in a pencil form but you can also blend them using a liquid solvent like Winsor & Newton Sansodor or Art Spectrum Odourless Solvent. This method allows the blending of several colors, quickly.
- 4-Color Limited Palette09/18/11
Limiting your palette can be useful for learning about tonal values, contrast and temperature.
This painting was made using Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Titanium White and Ivory Black.
- Color 10109/18/11
Learning the essentials of good painting does not have to be expensive. All good paintings have three things in common and in order of importance and they are, 1) good composition, 2) good contrast and 3) good colour.
This Alla Prima painting was painted using the 3 primaries, plus black & white.
- Make Your Own Graphite Transfer Sheet07/07/11
How to make a transfer sheet that can be used over and over again.
- The Truth About Brushes02/02/11
What to look for when purchasing a brush for oils or acrylics.
- On the Go with PITT Artist Pens09/22/10
Chicago artist, Don Colley, draws on the go with Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens.
- Faber-Castell Polychromos Pencil Video Demo09/22/10
Botanical Artist, Wendy Hollander, gives a demonstration using Faber-Castell Polychromo Pencils.
- Le Stig Product-Test-Drives & Reviews09/17/10
4 itemsThere is so much misinformation and half-truths out there, it can be pretty confusing for the artist. Since the majority of art supply stores in New Zealand own product agencies (which we do not), we've decided to commission a 'tester' who will test products and give unbiased opinions and results.
- Watercolour Brush Guide04/21/10
Purchasing the correct brush will not only save you from frustration, but also save you money. Invest in the best watercolor brush that you can afford. Choose brushes that are specifically made for watercolor painting and never use your watercolour brushes for anything other than watercolour.
If you take care of your watercolour brushes, they can last you a lifetime.
- Solvent-Free Painting on Book Board04/09/10
Book Board is an inexpensive, acid-free, archival board that can be used as a substrate for painting or drawing or any mixed-media project.
- Dry Brushing with Artists' Acrylics02/10/10
This technique uses a dark field and Artists' Acrylics are dry-brushed over the top.
- How to Create a Paper Painting Panel02/09/09
This 13 step tutorial shows you how to create a paper painting panel.
How to buy
Note: we do not deliver outside New Zealand.
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Delivery Rates
Our delivery rates are:
- Prepaid A4 Satchel (nationwide): $5 per order †
- Local (Auckland): $5.50 per order *
- Local Towns (within 150kms): $7.50 per order *
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Rural delivery fee $3.30 per order
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