There are actually quite a number. But instead of covering all of them, I’ll focus on the ones popularly used by most artists nowadays. I highly encourage you to try them out for yourself. Don’t let the fears of others stop you from exploration and discovery.
The thing to keep in mind is to be kind to yourself and have more patience. When first trying out a new medium, there will always be mistakes, trials, and a learning curve that you need to get through. So instead of dreading the process, try to enjoy it and fully explore the characteristics of each one. There are oil-based, water-based, acrylic polymer-based, and other more paints waiting for you to give them a go.
Let’s start with the most classic of them all that’s still a favorite these days…
Essential Palette oil paint set from ZenART Supplies.
Oil paint has been used by artists for centuries and is still highly popular to this day. From its name, you can already warrant a guess as to what kind of paint it is — pigments are mixed with an oil binder (usually linseed oil) to produce this paint.
The drying oils used dry through the process of oxidation and this takes a bit of time. Thus, oil paints’ drying time is quite slow compared to other paints in the market, which is a good thing if you want to take your time when painting. There are also a number of oil painting mediums that you can add to your paints to change the drying time, viscosity, and surface finish. Another thing that I personally like is the thick consistency, allowing you to create beautiful textural effects quite easily and straight from the tube.
It’s not as difficult as you think. In fact, I find it very forgiving compared to watercolor. All you need is just a solvent for thinning paint and/or for cleaning brushes and an oil medium for adjusting the viscosity and luminous intensity of your colors. Read through our oil paint mixing guide to have a better understanding of the painting process.
Having oil as the binder also makes the colors richer and the glazing you can achieve is just amazing. I especially favor it for painting skin tones, the luminosity you get is on a different level. Here’s an in-depth guide to oil painting skin tones, the principles discussed there will work across various mediums as they are heavily based on color-mixing, source and temperature of light, and other techniques.
This type of paint on the other hand has acrylic polymer as its binder and this makes the paint dry very quickly. So you need to take that into consideration when painting. Don’t squeeze out too much because once it dries, it stays dry. The good thing about acrylic is that it’s water-based. You basically just need water to thin down your paints or for rinsing your brushes in. Though there are already “open” acrylics available nowadays that have a longer drying time.
I reach for acrylic paint when I need to finish a painting quickly and don’t have the time to wait for the paints to dry for days. It’s also more reliable when it comes to experimental applications. The paint dries into a flexible film and this allows the paint to expand or contract instead of cracking right away. You can also achieve crisper lines and edges if that’s a painting approach you find yourself gearing more towards.
Read more about the main differences between acrylic and oil paint and see which one is more to your style.
Art Nomad Palette, 24 half-pans of artist-grade watercolor paints from ZenART Supplies. An all-in-one set that comes with 7 tools, a sponge, and a generous mixing area.
Watercolors are also water-based and unlike acrylic paint, they’re rewettable (and reusable) even when they’ve dried. You can find them in the form of pans, tubes, sticks, brush pens, pencils, and inks — from what I currently know of. The magic of watercolor paint is its unmatchable translucency. You can have the most beautiful layering by playing with how transparent or opaque the colors are.
To lighten any color, you simply add more water. And you use the whiteness of your paper as the white. Because of the transparency, the color of the paper will also affect the colors. Artists who want colors to appear more vivid use “bright white” watercolor paper as the usual ones are usually a bit off-white in color.
Watercolor is the type of paint that will always be one of my go-to paints for quick painting as you only need a few things to start painting. There are also a myriad of watercolor techniques that you can play around with to make things even more interesting.
Find out the key differences between watercolor and acrylic paint to better understand when to use which one.
B6 Artist’s Sketchbook and brushes from the Verbena brush set of ZenART Supplies.
Gouache is a cross between watercolor and acrylic paint. It’s water-based and rewettable just like watercolor. But it’s opaque like acrylic (because of the added chalk to the mixture) and dries with a matte finish. Such properties make it a favorite amongst illustrators and designers.
It can be used thinned down with water ala watercolor or very thick like acrylic. Many artists use it alongside watercolor for their mixed media paintings.
There’s also the acrylic gouache variant that becomes non-rewettable once dry due to the acrylic binder in the mixture. Learn more about this medium in our gouache techniques and painting tips article.
Untitled (2019) encaustic painting by Ayna Paisley, one of ZenART Supplies’ Brand Ambassadors. Check out our ZenARTist of the Month feature on her for an inspirational read on her journey into becoming a mixed-media artist.
Encaustic paint is a type of paint made from beeswax, damar resin, and color pigments. It has been around and used since ancient times. It has found popularity again in recent years as artists favor it as a medium for contemporary art.
To use encaustic paint, the wax and resin mixture is melted and then applied to a surface, such as a wood panel or canvas, using a brush or other tool. The paint can be layered, sculpted, and manipulated while it is still warm, and it can also be fused to the surface with a heat source, such as a heat gun, iron, and even a torch. This process allows for a wide range of effects, from translucent layers to thick impasto textures.
You need to be extra careful with this type of paint as it utilizes heat. It can also be messy and a working space with proper ventilation is a must. Melting the wax also releases fumes. Just make sure to follow safety precautions.
Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus (1484–1486). Tempera on canvas.
Tempera paint is made by mixing pigment with a binder that’s usually an egg yolk or egg white. It has been used for centuries, as far back as the ancient Egyptian times, and is known for its smooth, matte finish.
Tempera paint is water-soluble and dries quickly, making it a popular choice for artists who want to create detailed and layered works of art. You can get very precise and crisp edges. It is often used on paper, cardboard, or wood. It can be easily applied using brushes, sponges, or other preferred tools.
It comes in a wide range of colors and can be easily mixed to create your own shades. Being non-toxic, it’s a popular choice for children to use both in school and at home. Find out what the difference is between tempera and acrylic paint to see which one you’ll prefer to use for your future projects.
Spray paint comes in a pressurized aerosol container. It’s composed of a mixture of pigment, solvent, and propellant. Once sprayed onto a surface, the nozzle creates a fine mist of paint.
Artists use spray paint in a variety of ways. Some use it as their main medium, creating highly detailed works using stencils and masking techniques. Others use it in a mixed media style, for adding extra texture and depth to their works. It can be easily layered with other media such as acrylic paint or markers. Spray paint is also commonly used in graffiti art and street art, artists use it to create large-scale murals and colorful tags.
Spray paint is so versatile, it allows you to create so many fun effects, from fine lines to broad, sweeping strokes. It can be used on a wide variety of surfaces, such as on canvas, paper, metal, wood, and plastic. You can also control the opacity and intensity of the paint by simply adjusting the pressure and distance of the spray can from the working surface. Different nozzle types can also be used for even more added control and techniques. It’s a quick and easy paint to use for creating bold and expressive works with an impact.
Just like any other types of paint with solvent and fumes, make sure to work in a well-ventilated area. With spray paint, the fumes are propelled into the air with great pressure. Make sure to keep the cans away from the heat as they are pressurized. You can also wear gloves, a painting mask, and safety glasses for added protection.
There are of course other paints and painting mediums available, but these are the most popularly used ones at the moment. I hope this inspires you to try your hand at some of them if you haven’t yet. You might be surprised at what catches your painting fancy! Exploration is key!
What types of paint have you already tried out? Which one did you like the most? And which one was the most challenging? Any of the above mentioned paints you’re looking to try out soon? Let me know in the comments below! Join our friendly art community Painting Inspiration Daily on Facebook. You can share your art and ideas, watch LIVE tutorials, and be inspired to paint!
Have fun exploring the different types of paint and don’t be afraid to make mistakes - you will learn from them!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Kathleen is the Wordsmith at ZenART, resident artist and art editor. When God sent a shower of talents, Kathleen made sure she got a basketful of them! She's a visual artist with practical knowledge on various fields from painting and sculpture, to costume and set design which comes in very handy when writing about various art techniques and theories. She also shares her passion for the arts through teaching. She runs her own brand of handmade wirework jewelry designs.
]]>So if you need a translator or glossary, you've come to the right place. Here's a guide to the terms you'll come across on your oil painting journey.
An alkyd is a type of synthetic polymer resin used to replace the slow-drying oils in oil paints. It's also used as a medium to speed up drying time. Get alkyd oil paints if you want quick-drying colors.
It roughly translates into "at the first" or "all at once." Alla prima describes a painting created and finished all in one go. This is also known as the wet-on-wet oil painting technique since you paint layers of wet paint on top of each other before everything dries up.
Monet's "Morning on the Seine", 1989, oil on canvas. He greatly believed in capturing the "light" in particular moments of a day, season, weather, and such.
A binder or vehicle is one of the main ingredients in every type of paint. It holds the powder-form pigments together and helps them adhere to a surface (e.g. canvas, paper).
Oil paint is a slow-drying art medium made of pigments suspended in an oil-based binder. The most common binder is linseed oil.
For other mediums, gum arabic is used in watercolor painting, egg yolks are used in egg tempera painting, and acrylic polymer is used in acrylic painting.
A cloudy, often white patch that appears on varnished paintings. This happens when moisture gets trapped under the varnish. Blooms occur when an oil painting is kept in a damp or humid environment while it's still drying.
Every artist develops their own distinct style and you can see this in their brushwork. It's the signature way they move their paintbrush on a canvas to produce interesting effects.
An even paint layer of opaque and flat color that's mixed with gesso. This creates a tinted starting layer or a colored ground for painting.
Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring is a perfect, classic example of chiaroscuro
It literally translates to "light dark." Chiaroscuro is used to describe a painting that uses a strong contrast and balance of light and dark. Think Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, and Caravaggio.
A term used to describe the colors used when underpainting.
Leonardo da Vinci's La Scapigliata is an unfinished painting where you can observe the 'dead colors' he used for his underpainting
A liquid or medium used to dilute oil paints (e.g. turpentine). Diluents are meant to thin and not dissolve paints.
A substance added to oil paint or canvas to accelerate drying time. An alkyd is a drier.
As much as possible, you want your colors to dry at the same time, but there will be some colors (like burnt umber) that dry faster than others.
One of the more modern oil painting techniques, dry brush painting involves, as the name suggests, painting with a dry brush that holds paint but no oil or solvent. Using a bright or flat brush will give you the best result.
This oil painting technique is popular amongst street and portrait artists since it can produce smooth gradients and blurred edges.
A stand or frame used to support your canvas upright or at an angle. Also can be used to display your oil paintings.
How much or how little oil is used in oil paint. Low fat means lean or less oil, so it dries faster. High fat means more oil, so it dries slower.
A rule of thumb everyone must learn when oil painting is to paint fat over lean. With every succeeding layer of paint, you need to add more fat or oil.
What happens if you don't follow the fat over lean rule? What if you apply solvent-thinned paint over an oil-rich layer of paint? The paint film can become chalky and crack over time.
Some paints unfortunately can fade, lighten, darken, or even change color when exposed to light, temperature, and humidity. These paints contain fugitive pigments. A fugitive oil paint has a low lightfastness or permanence rating.
To avoid this, we recommend getting artist-quality paints that have good to excellent lightfastness ratings.
A type of primer applied in thin layers to a wood panel or canvas. It helps prep the surface for oil paint to better adhere to. Traditionally, oil painters used a mixture of glue (usually rabbit skin glue) and chalk (also known as whiting). These days, the most common type used is acrylic gesso.
A transparent and thin layer of oil paint that has been thinned with diluents. Glazes create depth and can create new colors on the canvas. When glazing, make sure the bottom layer is completely dry before adding another layer of paint. To create a nice glaze, it's best to use more transparent paints than opaque colors.
A monochromatic oil painting technique often used in underpainting.
A thin layer or coat of paint applied over primer or gesso. This gives the surface the texture and color you need to start painting. An oil painting ground is the foundation of your painting—it's what your oil paint comes in touch with. It's up to personal preference. Some artists like white ground while others like it toned.
A hue can mean two things in oil painting. It's the perceived color or actual appearance of a color. It can also refer to oil paint that uses a combination of pigments to mimic the color of a more expensive pigment.
Impasto painting is one of the more expressive kinds of oil painting techniques. It requires applying strokes of thick paint onto an oil paint surface. Usually, artists use a palette knife or a stiff brush. You can use an impasto medium to thicken paint, but since oil paint is already thick in consistency, it's not necessary.
Famous artists known for impasto painting include Vincent van Gogh and Jackson Pollock.
An Italian term meaning "the first layer." It's an initial stain or thin coat of color applied over a primed or prepared surface. This provides you with a transparent toned ground. Make sure this layer of color dries completely before starting the actual painting process.
Used to describe the overall tone or value of an oil painting. A painting has a high key if it's predominantly light, and has a low key if it uses predominantly dark values.
How permanent or fade-resistant a paint color or pigment is, especially when exposed to light. It's sometimes also called permanence, but this also considers effects besides light like heat, humidity, and acidity.
Artist paints are rated according to standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
Alternatively, you'll see these ratings according to the Blue Wool Scale (for the UK).
A type of oil made with flax seeds used to thin oil paint and extend its drying time. There are different kinds of linseed oil out there. The purest form is cold-pressed linseed oil, which gives a shinier and harder film when dry—however, this is a more slow-drying oil. more on that in our guide to mediums here.
The actual color of an object under flat white light, unaffected by shadows or colors of light.
Also known as mass color, this is the actual, undiluted, or untinted color of a pigment or paint straight out of the tube.
The Essential Palette from ZenART Supplies.
Also spelled "molding paste," this is an opaque, white acrylic-based paste or medium used to create texture on the surface of an oil painting.
There's a wide variety of oils artists can use in oil painting to achieve their desired consistency, quality, finish, and drying time. Besides linseed, some other common oils are poppy, walnut, and safflower oil.
The opposite of transparency or translucency. Opacity refers to how well a paint or pigment blocks light from passing through it. In other words, opaque paint will prevent under layers from showing through.
This can refer to the selection of colors used in an oil painting or the surface used for mixing paints.
You may confuse palette knives for painting knives. They're both metal or plastic spatulas used in many oil painting techniques. The main difference is that a palette knife is for mixing colors whereas a painting knife is used to apply thicker paint on a canvas.
The two leftmost palette knives come from ZenART's Verbena and Renoir Collection brush sets.
A pure substance, most often a fine powder, that gives paint its color.
A French term meaning "open air" that refers to paintings done outdoors instead of in the studio. The Impressionists—like Claude Monet and Pierre Auguste Renoir—preferred painting this way to best capture the effects of light on their subjects and landscapes.
Another type of glue applied unto a surface or canvas, to get it ready for paint application. It's usually applied after the size, in 2 to 3 layers. A primer is an absorbent coat that gives the paint something to stick to. Gesso is a type of primer.
Always size and prime your canvas or painting surface. To get a smooth surface, allow each coat to fully dry and lightly sand in between layers of primer.
One of the coolest, yet classic oil painting techniques that creates an optical illusion of depth and perspective. Fresco artists, notably during the Baroque period, did this to "open up a space" or to make flat surfaces look three-dimensional. It was often done to make ceilings look like the heavens or an open sky.
By Andrea Mantegna, di sotto in sù ceiling fresco using the Quadrato technique.
A thin or broken layer of semi-opaque paint brushed over an already painted surface. This creates texture in your painting while still exposing the bottom color or layer.
Removing areas of paint by scratching, cutting, or scraping. This reveals the underlayer. Artists like Rembrandt employed this technique to achieve fine details in their paintings.
To make a paint or pure color darker by mixing it with black.
A kind of glue used to seal wood panels or canvas before primer. You need to size or seal your surface so that the paint won't seep or sink through.
This is a necessary step to properly create a painting and ensure its longevity and structural integrity. Over time, paint can cause your unprimed, unsized canvas to rot or deteriorate.
A substance used to thin paint and speed up its drying time. Solvents are also used for cleaning brushes and painting implements. Turpentine is the most commonly used one, but it's toxic and emits fumes so be sure to paint in a well-ventilated area. Other solvents include turpenoid, odorless spirits or artist's white spirits.
You can opt for non-toxic solvents or just not use them altogether.
A general term for the surface you paint on (e.g. canvas, wood panel, paper).
To make a paint or pure color lighter by mixing it with white.
To make a paint or pure color duller or more neutral by mixing it with gray.
A French term that literally means "to deceive the eye." It's an illusionist, hyper-realistic style of painting that tricks you into perceiving a surface or object as real. Similar to quadratura.
The first or initial layer in oil painting commonly executed with a monochrome or dead color. It serves as the base of your composition, helping you map out where to lay down different colors.
How light or dark an object is, or the relative lightness and darkness of a color. It's often established on a tonal value scale, where white is the highest and black is the lowest value.
The final layer and a protective coat applied to a finished painting. Varnishes come in many finishes: matte, satin, glossy, and elsewhere in between. They also keep your painting protected from dust, cracking, and damage. Some varnishes now boast of UV protection for increased lightfastness.
An Italian term for the greenish or muted earth-green color—made from a mix of black, white, and yellow—to form a complete monochromatic underpainting. It was popular and essential to fresco painting but can also be used as a base for portraits or glazes.
Below you can see in Michelangelo's unfinished painting the underpainting process he used using the verdaccio method.
A thin or transparent layer of color. This is a more commonly used term in watercolor painting, but it can also apply to oil painting.
An occurrence where an oil painting darkens or yellows, often when stored in the dark. It's unfortunate but definitely avoidable and reversible.
To keep your painting from yellowing, make sure to varnish your work in a dirt and dust-free space. Don't overuse linseed oil medium as it contains acids that yellow over time. Finally, avoid varnishes that are prone to yellowing.
Now that you know most of the common oil painting terms, we're sure you can master the art of oil painting! Are there any terms we missed? Drop them in the comments below, and we'll add them to the list pronto.
Still unsure of oil painting? We've got tips, tutorials, and guides to the different oil painting techniques and mediums out there. Check out our guide to oil painting mediums, choosing oil paint, and oil paint brush strokes and techniques.
Head over to the Toolkit section on the ZenART Supplies blog. See you on the other side!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Belle O. Mapa is a writer and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She believes that everyone is born with an inner creative spirit—we just need to nurture and discover it on the blank page. Currently, she lives out her passion: writing stories, hosting journaling workshops, and advocating for mental health awareness.
]]>Here are a few methods to clean dried paint brushes depending on the medium you use and the type of bristles on your brush.
]]>Don't toss that dried paint brush in the trash just yet. You may be able to salvage it and even restore it to look like a still-new brush.
For this guide, we'll be focusing on cleaning brushes used with common art mediums like acrylic, oil, watercolor, and gouache paint.
Here are a few methods to clean dried paint brushes depending on the medium you use and the type of bristles on your brush.
See what works for you. And thank us later.
Renoir Collection, beautiful set of brushes with long, balanced handles. Has both hog and badger hair to choose from, a palette knife, and comes with its own travel case.
As they say, prevention is better than a cure. Don't let the paint dry out too long on your paint brush. Wash or clean them immediately after you're done painting.
The process to clean brushes may differ depending on your medium of choice, though. Here are some guides to check out:
The methods we mention here will apply to any synthetic brush. But if you're using natural bristle brushes for watercolor, you should treat them with extra care.
If you're working with watercolor paints, no need to mix or get a brush cleaner. For a deep clean, here's what to do.
There are brush cleaning soaps that you can buy like the one above.
You're most likely here because you're dealing with acrylic paint that's totally caked over your paint brushes. Because it's polymer-based, acrylic paint becomes hard and mostly permanent when dry.
If you're stepping away from your project for a while, clean your paint brushes first. Then put your wet acrylic paint or palette in a plastic bag so it doesn't dry out.
Now if you're one of the many artists that have left dried paint on your brushes, here's what you can do.
This works only on water-based paints like acrylic or latex.
For this method, you'll need:
As a rule of thumb, keep your fabric softener to water ratio at around 1:32. You can increase the volume depending on the size of your brushes.
This process is quite simple:
Using vinegar is an effective method to clean hardened paint brushes using stuff you probably already have in your pantry. The only downside is that it's time-consuming and smelly. If you're not bothered by the smell, here's what you'll need:
As for how much to use, you only need enough vinegar to coat your brush bristles. You have to boil it too, so we recommend that you cover your pot. Otherwise your kitchen will smell vinegary.
Here's how to clean dried paint brushes with things you have at home: good ol' rubbing alcohol.
Dip your paint brush in some rubbing alcohol. Soak if necessary. The paint should dissolve after a while.
Using alcohol does dry out your brushes. So restore those bristles with some moisturizing soap after cleaning.
You can also head to the art or hardware store to pick up paint thinner, brush cleaner, or a solvent that works with the paint you use.
Once you've chosen a solvent, it's pretty easy and straightforward to use. Get a pair of rubber gloves too, if your solvent is toxic.
Treat your oil painting brushes with care and they'll last you for ages. Some people are put off by oil paints, thinking they need a lot of harsh chemical solvents and oils that produce harmful fumes and smells. But this isn't always the case.
Here are some things you can use to clean paint brushes for oil painting:
Once you've picked what to use, this is how to clean oil paint off your brush bristles.
Our Renoir Collection, a 14-pc brush set of Chungking Hog and Badger hair brushes in various shapes and sizes.
We hope you've learned how to clean dried paint brushes better now. And we hope you've found the method that works best for you!
But sometimes there's truly no way to salvage or clean dried paint off a petrified brush. Sadly, you'll have to toss your well-loved brush into the bin. Now, one sure way to never make this mistake again is to know the right way to care for and clean paint brushes.
Before you start painting, know what paint brush to use and how to clean and store them properly. We've got guides for that. Check out our Toolkit section for more tips and tutorials to help you through your next paint project!
- MEET THE AUTHOR-
Belle O. Mapa is a writer and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She believes that everyone is born with an inner creative spirit—we just need to nurture and discover it on the blank page. Currently, she lives out her passion: writing stories, hosting journaling workshops, and advocating for mental health awareness.
]]>Oil paint has been around for a very long time. The oldest known oil paintings date back as far as 7 century AD, painted by Buddhist artists in Afghanistan. Today, it still remains one of the most popular mediums that artists choose to use.
I find oil painting to be very forgiving and a pleasurable working experience. Oil paints are quite flexible, and the range of depth and translucency that you can achieve with them is truly amazing. There are quite a number of oil painting techniques that you can explore and master. You don’t have to use them all, but knowing how they work will give you more tools to work with — and that’s always a good thing.
Here’s a short list of the basics that you’ll need to have or prepare. Have a look through our in-depth guide of oil painting supplies for beginners for a full-fledged list plus other ‘optional supplies’ that you might want to get in the future.
Oil Paints - You don’t need all the colors out there. Just the essential colors will be more than enough and I highly recommend that you start with them. ZenART’s Essential Palette has a color selection of said foundation colors. Working with a limited palette will help you understand color theory much better.
Oil Paint Brushes - A nice good set with a range of flat and round brushes is best. Flat brushes are great for spreading paint and will be used in a lot of oil painting techniques and brush stroke techniques. While round brushes are useful for small details. I personally love Filbert brushes and love the amazing selection of brushes from ZenART’s Renoir brush set.
Palette knife - This is quite essential for mixing colors, instead of your brush, use the palette knife for mixing. It’ll help you avoid overloading your brush with paint and you’ll get to mix colors more thoroughly and evenly. You can also use it to apply or remove paint, giving you very textural effects.
Supports - There are various supports that you can use: canvas, wood, panels, canvas paper, and more. Canvases are the easiest to source and the most popular choice. Opt for pre-primed or pre-gessoed canvases if you don’t want to do that step yourself.
Palette - The traditional palettes are wooden ones usually with a hole for the thumb to slip through. Nowadays, there are plastic, tempered glass, and tear-away palettes that you can get. You most definitely will need a palette for all the color mixing you need to do.
Mediums and Solvents - One medium of your choice: linseed is the most common. There are other mediums that will either alter the flow of your paint or speed up/slow down the drying time. And a solvent for thinning down your paint or for washing your brushes. A solvent is optional as you can just use oil and then brush soap to clean your brushes. I personally use an OMS (odorless mineral spirit) - for thinning down the paint for the first one or two layers and for the first step in cleaning my brushes.
Other tools such as a rag for wiping your brushes on and jars to hold your medium/solvent can easily be found around the house. With the tools above, you can already start painting and exploring various oil painting techniques.
A lot of the techniques fall under the umbrella of oil painting brushstrokes. Have a look through the different brushstrokes I highlighted over there with accompanying examples of works by the masters that used said brushstroke techniques.
Imprimatura is also known as adding a toned ground to the surface. It is covering your prepped support with a stain of color, usually earthy or other neutral colors, and usually in a thin layer or wash.
Not everyone includes this step in their painting process. The advantage of this technique is that it helps you get a better sense of your values (light to dark) when you start with a mid-toned canvas over a white one.
It also releases you from the pressure of having to ensure that your layers are opaque enough to cover the stark whiteness of your surface. Allowing the imprimatura to show through can also be another effect that you might like to play around with. You can sketch on your support first before adding the imprimatura layer over it.
Compared to imprimatura, underpainting doesn’t have to be restricted to a single layer. You can have a few layers just for the underpainting. This is where you can do all the preliminary painting planning that you want to do. From setting the tonal values to shading, and even the brushwork. It removes the fear of starting from a blank canvas.
Artists who do very detailed underpaintings find that it greatly aids their painting process. Two other techniques that somewhat fall under “underpainting” are Grisaille and Verdaccio.
The word grisaille comes from the French word gris meaning gray. A grisaille can be a standalone painting (rare, but it can be done), but is usually done as an underpainting. It is entirely painted in shades of gray or whichever neutral grayish color you prefer to use. Hence the term ‘dead layer’ or ‘dead color’ when referring to this technique.
It is a full monochromatic underpainting done in either yellowish, muted greenish brown or grayish color; made from mixing black, white, and yellow pigments.
This technique usually follows underpainting or is the first step to starting your painting (if you’d like to forego the underpainting). You need to observe your reference and decide which colors to use as the base colors.
For example, a deep brown for the nearby mountains, a grayish blue for the farther ones, pale blue for the sky, etc. It would usually be just one color for each section, at this point you’re just ‘blocking in’. So no need to add details or do blending just yet. This is the base up which you will add the various shades and highlights later on.
It is best achieved using thick, matte, and undiluted paint. The brushstroke is applied in such a way that it creates rough and broken textural effects. You can say that it’s the opposite of glazing where you apply an unbroken glossy layer over another.
With scumbling you want the underlying color/layer to show through, so you work with it instead of simply covering it up. A palette knife can be used for broader strokes and stiff-bristled brushes for smaller strokes.
Oils are the perfect medium for this oil painting technique. With the longer drying time, you can take as much time as you want or need to do your blending. Depending on how fine a blending you want to achieve, the brushes will dictate this so choose accordingly.
You can blend with brushes that have stiff bristles but expect it to be on the rougher or more textured side. If you want a smoother blended finish, use brushes with softer bristles. Mastering this technique will come in handy when painting realistically. You’ll be able to refine your edges, whether they are hard, soft, or lost-edged.
Gradient Blending - is just a specific kind of blending where you create smooth transitions between colors or show subtle value changes. You need to be patient and more precise when using this technique as abrupt shifting in colors and values may look out of place, unless it is meant to be exactly so. The more subtle the transitions, the more dine blending you need to do.
Artists who love to use this technique do so because it allows them to finish a painting in one sitting. You apply wet paint over layers that are also still wet. The challenge with this technique is blending your colors just enough and knowing when to stop. Otherwise, you can easily over-blend and end up with a muddy blend of colors instead.
Impressionists were keen on using this technique especially when they were out and about plein air painting. You can’t be waiting for days between drying times when you’re trying to capture the exact light and atmosphere of your surroundings that specific day.
For a successful impasto application, paint must be applied to the surface in thick layers. You can use a palette knife or any stiff brush to do so. Through this technique, an amazing range of textural effects can be made.
The thick and buttery consistency of oil paint lends well to this style of application. You can already produce the impasto effect with paints straight out of the tube. But there are also mediums available that can add extra body to your paints or help them dry faster. The speeding up of the drying process will be quite useful since oil paints dry slowly. Thicker layers will therefore take longer to dry as well.
This oil painting technique is reductive rather than additive. Instead of applying paint, you instead remove it by using a palette knife or the butt end of a brush handle. Or any other stiff-edged tool that you can use like old credit cards for example. You scratch off the paint to create details and texture. By doing so you reveal the previous layer/s of paint or surface underneath, creating a contrast against the top layer.
In Rembrandt’s self-portrait painting above, the curly texture of the hair was achieved by scratching off the paint. The lighter color underneath is revealed here and there serving as highlights and giving fullness to the hair.
The word sfumato originates from the Italian word sfumare meaning: to soften, to shade, to tone down, or to fade away. Along with the word fumo meaning smoke or fume. This technique is used to soften the transition between colors, from their tones to their values. One of the most famous users of this technique is Leonardo da Vinci. To him, sfumato is "without lines or borders, in the manner of smoke or beyond the focus plane". Colors are blended in such a way that you don't see lines or borders.
It’s one of the four canonical painting modes of the Renaissance, the other three are cangiante, unione, and chiaroscuro.
Another Italian term, chiaro meaning light and curo meaning dark, chiaroscuro means ‘light-dark’. To achieve this, your painting must have a strong contrast between light and dark. This allows you to portray volume and three-dimensionality to the figures and objects in your paintings quite successfully. It also adds drama and sets the mood of the painting, a great compositional technique to keep in mind.
A more pronounced version of this is called ‘tenebrism’ where the contrast between light and shadow are quite extreme. Unlike chiaroscuro where some areas of the painting are under shadow but with imperceptibly visible forms, with tenebrism some or more often rather a lot of areas of the painting are in black or in complete darkness. This gives the painting a very dramatic effect where the contrast between light and dark is extremely high. With the light source usually coming from one direction.
A glaze is a mixture that contains a lot of medium with a small amount of paint. It is meant to be applied in a thin and semi-transparent layer on top of an opaque and already dry layer. You can do as many glaze layers as you want providing that you allow each layer to dry before adding the next.
Glazing can be used to change the value, hue, chroma, and even the texture of a surface. Because it is applied in thin and semi-transparent layers, the effect you can get is quite beautiful. The colors are not combined physically, but optically. Light is able to travel down to the opaque layer below, reflects back, and then refracts the layers of glazing above. Keep in mind that with each successive layer, you also need to use more medium to adhere to the ‘fat over lean’ principle.
You can use this oil painting technique for working on finer details, enhancing warm or cool areas, and – most importantly – creating deeper contrasts and shadows. I find this technique most useful when painting skintones. It’s very effective for achieving that luminous quality. It works best when using transparent pigments, then mixing with a glazing medium until it’s quite liquid, and soft brushes for a softer application.
Have you ever finished a painting and suddenly find that some areas appear dull and matte while the rest are glossy? That phenomenon is called “sinking in”. The oil has sunken into the lower layers leaving the top looking dry and lusterless. As a beginner, you don’t need to worry about using this oil painting technique just yet. But it’s good to know that there’s a way to ‘rescue’ your painting from such an occurrence.
I use a fine and clean cloth, dip it into the oil medium, then dab the areas that need “oiling out” with the cloth. Do this only when the painting has fully dried. Otherwise, you will end up smearing the paint or mixing colors without meaning to.
Having a good understanding of the characteristics of oil paints will save you from a lot of headaches. Drop by our oil paint mixing guide to have a better understanding of the oil painting process.
Oil paint is slow drying and pigments differ in their drying times as well. Titanium white for example is known to be a slower drying medium plus some formulations use safflower oil instead of linseed. Because safflower oil is not as yellowing, but the caveat is that it dries much slower than linseed oil. Getting to know your pigments better will help you plan out your layering and can help you decide if you need to mix in mediums that help hasten the drying time. Especially when you have deadlines.
Mediums can help you have more control over the drying process. But keep in mind that they will also affect the characteristics of your oil paints. They can change the viscosity, surface finish, and transparency too besides the drying time. So the best way is just to get acquainted with them first and experiment with the effects before using them on your main works. You can read up more about it on our guide to oil painting mediums.
Don’t scrimp on your paint and get the best quality paints that you can afford. If you overly economize using your paints, you won’t be able to fully appreciate the beauty of oil paints. It will greatly limit the things that you can do. There are good-quality paints for beginners that won’t break the bank like our Infinity Series Oil Paints: Essential, Impressionist, and Portrait Palettes. They are highly pigmented and have a nice buttery consistency, plus non-toxic! Here’s a handy guide on how to choose oil paints.
I hope this has inspired you to try out the various techniques featured above. You never know which oil painting techniques suit your style and preference until you truly explore and experiment with them. Reading about them and actually using them are worlds apart. Just enjoy the process and don’t overthink things.
Which techniques have you already used before? How about the ones that you find interesting and are excited to try out? And which one do you think will be the most challenging for you? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! Join our friendly art community Painting Inspiration Daily on Facebook. You can share your art and ideas, watch LIVE tutorials, and be inspired to paint!
Meanwhile, have a fantastic time exploring the different oil painting techniques!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Kathleen is the Wordsmith at ZenART, resident artist and art editor. When God sent a shower of talents, Kathleen made sure she got a basketful of them! She's a visual artist with practical knowledge on various fields from painting and sculpture, to costume and set design which comes in very handy when writing about various art techniques and theories. She also shares her passion for the arts through teaching. She runs her own brand of handmade wirework jewelry designs.
]]>Curious about gouache but unsure how to go about using it? The good news is that it’s super easy once you understand the basics of it. They are water-based colors that are a perfect mash-up of watercolor and acrylic. I find them to be beginner-friendly paints and kinda regret trying them out more seriously just the last few years to be honest.
Below are some tips on how to use gouache, plus answers to common questions that might be on your mind. This is not a paint to be fearful of. It is a fun medium that should be enjoyed and fully explored. The many ways of using and playing with it are limitless.
This versatile paint comprises many of the characteristics we love in our other paints making it the perfect middle ground. Plus you don’t need a lot of supplies to start painting with gouache.
ZenART’s B6 Artist’s Sketchbook, brushes from the Verbena brush set, mixing plate, and gouache tubes. The bull clip is for ensuring the sketchbook stays flat for double page spreads.
Gouache is a kind of paint with pigments that are quite similar to that of watercolor and is also re-wettable when dry - whether on the support or the mixing palette. What makes it different is that it has an additive mixed in (binder that’s usually gum arabic or dextrin) that makes it more viscous, similar to acrylic paint but on the tackier side.
It’s designed to be opaque just like acrylic paint but dries with a matte finish. But FYI, you’ll also encounter a specific kind called “acrylic gouache” (also called acryla gouache) which you won’t be able to reactivate once dry – just like acrylic. So unless that’s the specific property you’re looking for, be careful when buying your paints.
Gouache has a long history and has been around for more than 10 centuries, the Egyptians were known to have used it as well. It has long been favored for commercial use in painting posters, comics, illustrations, and in all sorts of design work.
The matte-ness, opaqueness, and vibrancy of the paints lend well to reproducing such works in print or digital form without having to do difficult edits. Its matte finish makes it much easier to scan or photograph as you don’t need to worry about lighting glares.
Quite easily, you can use it straight out of the tube. But where’s the fun in that? The nice thing about gouache is the wide range of applications that you can do. From the lightest wash ala watercolor transparency to very thick and opaque like acrylic. All you need is to add water to create the various consistencies that you’re looking for.
And don’t worry if your paint ends up drying on your palette, just reawaken it with water! Below are the basic gouache painting techniques that you need to be familiar with.
For a wash, you need to create a thin layer of color - simply use more water in your mixture until you get a very liquid and runny consistency. Then, apply the mixture evenly across your surface. You can have a wash that’s as transparent ala watercolor where you can see your surface’s color peeking through or go thicker. Below are three examples from a very pale wash to a more pigmented one.
Learning to blend colors is an important technique to master. You’ll find it essential for creating value and color changes both for subtle and bold effects. Apply one color and spread it towards the new/other color that it will change into. Overlap the edges of the two colors until you get the desired blended effect, ideally a smooth color transition. Fortunately, gouache colors blend really well, so you’ll be able to achieve beautiful blending results quite easily.
Painted using the #12 Round brush from the Verbena brush set. It spreads the color evenly, I just prefer a more textured finish. To get a smoother look, just swipe your brush back and forth, up and down until you like what you see.
But it doesn’t have to be an ultra-smooth blending, you can have more textural blending effects, too.
For this technique, you need to use a dry brush and thick paint. Scoop some paint with your brush and remove the excess paint by swiping it across your palette. Then brush the remaining paint on your surface to create a scratchy texture.
A most fun technique to use! Flick paint onto your surface using your brush loaded with paint. You want a consistency that’s not thick but not too runny. This can be used to create interesting textural effects such as stars in the galaxy, to add interest to your painting, and wherever you’d like to add it really.
You can paint on so many different surfaces: watercolor paper, illustration board, Bristol board, cardboard, and even on sketchbook paper. That’s the nice thing about gouache, it can be used in a loose and fluid kind of application where the color of your paper shows through or in a more controlled and opaque way.
Prepping your surface with a background of color or colors is a good place to start. You can even do more abstract mixes of color if you want to.
For thinner surfaces, you can opt to prime them with gesso or matte acrylic before painting with gouache. I do this when I want to be able to paint thicker and several layers without having to worry about the surface breaking down on me. Since the support has been covered/protected by the gesso or acrylic primer, the gouache paint won’t be easily absorbed. This gives you more time to work with as your paint stays wet longer, too.
I like synthetic brushes best for gouache painting, they have the snappiness that I need. Since the paint is much thicker than watercolor, I find that natural soft-bristled brushes are too soft and make it that much harder to spread the paint. While brushes with harder bristles easily lift off or reawaken previous layers that you paint over.
My favorites are brushes from the Verbena brush set, they are purely synthetic. I just reach for the whole brush roll/set and I’m sure to find one that’ll fit whatever needs. The short handles are another thing I absolutely love as I usually like to paint in a more controlled style.
Verbena is a 17-pc brush set that comes in this lovely bamboo roll-up case.
Depending on the size that I’m working on, I would either use a ½ inch or ¾ inch flat brush first for laying down the background layer. Then switch to smaller brushes for the succeeding layers - rounds, smaller flats (regular flat, angled), brights, filberts, and riggers.
Flat brushes are fantastic for painting crisp edges and make it much easier to get into the tiny edges and spaces. Round brushes are useful for smaller details and the rigger for long and thin lines. The choice really depends on what I’m painting and whether I’m painting more loosely or highly detailed.
Try various brushes to find out which ones work best with your style. You don’t need the most expensive brushes to be able to make gouache work for you.
Visualize the strokes you plan to do and be confident when applying them. Over-scrubbing and repeatedly going over and over an area will work against you. The layers underneath will be reactivated and get mixed with the current layer that you’re working on. And you can easily end up with a muddy mix of colors instead of getting vibrant layering.
You can do soft layering or thicker and more pronounced layers. There are so many different textural effects you can play around with.
If you’re not satisfied with your latest layer, don’t despair! Just wait for it to be fully dry and then you can add another layer on top of it.
For working towards an opaque build of colors. Always start with the wettest applications at the bottom and paint the upper layers with a thicker consistency of paint. You can of course do thinner layers (or more transparent) over thicker ones (or opaque) if you’re going for a glazed effect.
Just like with any medium, learning tonal values first is the best way to get better at painting. By removing colors, you can pay more attention to becoming more familiar with how the paint works and behaves. Start with just black and white and study the characteristics of gouache.
Tonal values become much more challenging when there are a number of different colors involved. Having a thorough understanding of values will help you create dynamic and more realistic paintings. If you find that your work looks too flat, more often than not the culprit is having value ranges that are close to each other and without much contrast. Heighten the contrast of your light and shadowed areas. Darken your shadows and make your highlights further pop out. Because gouache dries matte, you lose the added depth that you would normally get with paints that dry with a glossy or satiny finish.
Once you get the hang of things, you can move on to using colors. I started with just 5 colors following the CMYK color mixing: Cyan, Magenta, Primary Yellow, Black, and White. Learning to mix your colors from a limited palette is important. First, you don’t need to buy a mountain of colors. But most importantly, you’ll have a better chance of achieving a more harmonious composition of colors.
Using these three primaries, you can easily mix any of the other colors. Then simply add white, black, or both to change the tints, shades, tones, or chroma of the colors. Explore color-mixing and you’ll find that you’ll end up with more harmoniously colored paintings when working with limited palettes.
Your sketchbook will be your best friend for these color explorations. Some artists even have dedicated sketchbooks for color-playing and color-recording. I love my B6 Artist’s Sketchbook for this as I always have it with me wherever I go.
Gouache in tubes is very convenient. You only need to squeeze out however much you need when you’re ready to paint. There are two ways that I keep mine moist once I’ve squeezed them out on a palette: I use a stay-wet palette or I have a small spritz bottle filled with water that I spray on the paints every now and then when I see them starting to dry out and I’m not done painting.
You don’t need to finish up the paint in one sitting. Just re-wet them on your next painting session and you’ll be able to use whatever leftover paint you had.
Yes, gouache is on the pricey side of things. But you don’t want to over-economize and not squeeze out enough paint - especially if you’re mixing colors. You don’t want to find yourself running out of paint in the middle of painting a section. By the time you've mixed a new batch, the previous one has dried and you’ll find it very hard to get an exact match.
Keep in mind that colors will dry darker or lighter compared to when they were wet. It’ll be even more expensive when you end up with a painting that you’ll be scrapping instead because you scrimped and ended up with a weird-looking one.
Instead, you can opt to paint smaller-sized works. This way, you’ll get to fully appreciate the wonders of gouache without having to compromise on the amount of paint you’ll use.
If you’re painting a landscape, paint the sky first and the base color of the ground, add the middle ground details in succeeding layers, and leave the finest details for last, especially the ones in the foreground. If you’re painting a house, paint the walls first, then the windows and door, and the fine details last again.
Keep in mind the rules of perspective. Objects that are farthest from you will have the least details and the colors will also be more muted or hazier. The ones nearest will have the most details and the colors will be deeper or more vibrant as well.
For lighter colors to show opaque when painted over darker colors, mix a nice creamy consistency. If you find that it's still not opaque enough, wait for the layer to fully dry and layer another over to help make it reach the opaqueness you’re aiming for.
Remember to paint those strokes with confidence! You can always add more layers when needed, just as long as you wait for each one to be well and truly dry before adding on top.
Here’s an overview of the process of a quick and easy landscape gouache painting I did on my B6 Artist’s Sketchbook:
A super light wash for the sky, a bit darker for the mountains and the rolling fields. For the next layers, I made use of the dry-brush technique to add texture.
Then I start to add the other details and layer the lighter colors over the dark, and also vice versa. Don’t be afraid to experiment and find your own style!
Here’s another easy painting using basic gouache techniques but with a more controlled and clean-edged style.
I started with a rather opaque blue background mix using Primary Cyan and White. My favorite brush for this is the Angled brush from the Verbena set. I can easily get into nooks and crannies with superb precision.
Followed by a base green for the leaves, a mix of Ultramarine Blue and Primary Yellow. Make sure each layer or area previously painted is completely dry before doing the next one beside it or on top of it. I usually use a round brush for softer details like these long and thin leaves.
Then I painted the pot and the surface where the pot is on. For the terracotta color I mixed Pure Red + Primary Yellow + White. For the surface: Pure Red + Ultramarine Blue + White.
Making sure the base green is dry, I added the pale yellow details on top (Primary Yellow + White).
The final details are then added such as the texture on the leaves, the marbling on the pot, and the cast shadow on the surface. For the darker greens and purples, I just used more Ultramarine Blue than Primary Yellow/Pure Red. And just White layered over the orange for the marbling.
And this quick painting is finished. You’ll see that I kept a record of the colors I used and color mixes I made from them on the left. This is a good habit to practice so you can easily recall the colors you used for future reference.
Yes, you can! The matte surface finish of gouache makes it highly receptible to accepting other media applied over it. I’ve used colored pencils, pastels, gel pens, pen and ink, and acrylic applied over gouache quite successfully.
You can easily draw over the top of your gouache paintings with pencils, pens, pastels, and even markers.
Another yes! Gouache works with water-based paints such as acrylic, ink, and watercolors. The best way to find out if you like the effects is to experiment with them.
When used in conjunction with watercolors, I usually use it to apply more opaque details over previous watercolor applications. It’s perfect for creating white highlights and details that go over very well on top of watercolor. Or when you decide you need more opaque details and other sections.
Below, white gouache was used to paint the frothy waves over the blue sea and sandy shores painted in watercolor.
And I usually use acrylic paint as a background base color for gouache to layer on top off. But you can most definitely apply acrylic paint on top of gouache, too.
I hope the tips in this guide will help you jumpstart your gouache journey. Remember not to compare it to your watercolor or acrylic experience. It’s a completely different and wonderful medium with its own unique characteristics.
Here are some gouache articles for some painting ideas you can try out to start you off!
Moon Landscape With Gouache
Two Gouache Flower Paintings - Step By Step
Which water-based mediums have you used before? What made you want to try out gouache? If you’ve used gouache before, what did you find most challenging about it? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! Join our friendly art community Painting Inspiration Daily on Facebook. You can share your art and ideas, watch LIVE tutorials, and be inspired to paint!
Have a wonderful time exploring and experimenting with the different gouache painting techniques!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Kathleen is the Wordsmith at ZenART, resident artist and art editor. When God sent a shower of talents, Kathleen made sure she got a basketful of them! She's a visual artist with practical knowledge on various fields from painting and sculpture, to costume and set design which comes in very handy when writing about various art techniques and theories. She also shares her passion for the arts through teaching. She runs her own brand of handmade wirework jewelry designs.
]]>So you want to get into oil painting but don't know where to start.
We get it. Just shopping for beginner oil painting supplies can be intimidating. With so many pigments, colors, and oil paint brands out there, it can be difficult to choose the best quality oil paint set for your skill level and artist needs.
That said, it's okay to try other paints to find the best ones that work for you.
For starters, base your decision on your preferred colors, skill level, and of course, your budget. But don't compromise on quality.
Here's a guide to choosing the best oil paints for you. Plus, a little more about the oil paints we have here on ZenART and what sets us apart from other brands.
Oil painting has been around for centuries. Your favorite classical paintings are likely oil paintings.
Artists love oil paint because of its versatility, vibrance, and longer drying time compared to acrylics.
You can work with different techniques to blend, layer, and apply your paint without running out of time. And once dry, most high-quality colors will stay rich and true.
Now let's talk about the chemical composition of oil paint.
Paints are made with pigments—a pure color often in fine powder form—that are suspended in a binder. In the case of oil paint, you have pigments suspended in a drying oil like linseed oil.
Its unique composition gives oil paint a rich buttery consistency.
Water-based paints like acrylics and watercolors dry by evaporation. Oil paint dries by oxidation, meaning the oil in the paint starts reacting to the air and hardens on the canvas, locking in the pigment.
Since oils take longer to dry, you have lots of time when working on an oil painting. In fact, painting with oils can take hours.
Of course, you can vary both the drying time and consistency of your oil paint by experimenting with oil painting mediums.
Here's a general list of things you need for oil painting. We'll cover how to pick quality oil paint in the next section.
To learn more, we've previously covered the basic oil painting supplies you need.
What use is a set of oil paints if you don't have the tools to work with them?
Get yourself a set of good-quality brushes specifically made for oil painting. You'll also need a palette knife for either mixing your oil paint or applying it to the canvas.
We get into it with more detail in this guide to brushes for oil painting.
Can't paint without a canvas either, can you?
You have the option to buy canvases premade, pre-primed, and pre-stretched. They can save you more time and money. Or you could make canvases yourself for a more customizable experience.
Other surfaces you can make oil paintings on are canvas paper and canvas boards.
Don't forget an easel so you can paint upright and easily.
Solvents are used to thin or dilute your oil paint. They help to clean your brushes too.
Turpentine is a commonly used solvent but it's toxic and releases fumes, so if you're using this, make sure to paint in a well-ventilated area. You can also opt to paint solvent-free or use non-toxic or odorless alternatives.
Linseed oil is another staple for oil painters.
Adding more oil will enhance the texture and smoothness of your oil paints but can delay drying. You can use linseed oil to thin out your paint and try out a glazing technique.
More on solvents and mediums in this guide.
Now that you know what else you'll need to start oil painting, we can go over some tips for choosing high-quality oil paint.
You don't need expensive oil paints if you're still trying out the medium. Nor should you get the cheapest oil paints either. Sacrificing quality means sacrificing an enriching art experience.
If you're a beginner, a basic color palette of paints should suffice for now. It's a good way to learn how to mix colors and make the most out of your budget.
Here's an overview of what to look for in oil paints.
Generally, you'll come across three different quality ratings for oil paints.
From low to high quality, these are student-grade paints, artist-grade paints, and professional-grade paints.
What's the difference? Lightfastness, pigment purity and quality, and price point.
Again, oil paints are made with pigments, binders, and sometimes fillers.
Student-grade paints have less pigment or sometimes use pigment hues as a substitute.
The color isn't as pure since hues are mixed pigments. A student-grade paint won't be as lightfast or strong as artist-quality paint.
This isn't to say that student-grade oil paint should be avoided. You can still find good-quality student-grade paint from reliable brands.
On the other hand, you have professional-grade paints and artist-grade paints. These use pure, high-grade, and more expensive pigments without fillers so you'll notice the difference in quality and light-fastness.
There isn't much difference between professional quality and artist-quality paints, besides the extra cost and pigments used. Other brands even use these terms interchangeably.
This is your choice if your goal is to sell and exhibit your work.
Try out decent-quality student paints first to get to know the medium. Then, when you've gotten better at oil painting, move on to artist-grade or professional-grade oil paint.
Sometimes called permanence, lightfastness is how well oil paint can resist fading or color shifting when exposed to direct sunlight. If a color changes, fades or even darkens over time, it's called a fugitive color.
Not all oil paints in the same set will have the same lightfastness as this quality depends on the color and pigment used.
If you look at your oil paint tubes, you'll find the ASTM rating for lightfastness. Here's what those numbers mean:
Alternatively, you'll see these letters indicating an oil paint's permanence rating:
Opacity refers to how much light penetrates the oil colors.
Oil paints can be opaque or have a more transparent color. Your tube of oil paint usually shows the opacity rating. Here's what those letters mean:
Pigments are pure colors in fine powder form.
A tube of oil paint will often show the paint's Color Index Name: a combination of a pigment name and number to tell you what exactly is in your paint.
Experienced artists look to this code to assess the quality of their paints. This also determines how the paint will behave on canvas.
We recommend painting with a limited color palette. Many artists only use a few basic oil colors, preferring to mix their own paints to create unique colors. It's a great way to save money while learning color theory.
Since you're working with oils, you needn't rush when mixing paint. The paints don't dry up fast so you can keep trying out different color combinations.
We recommend the following basic colors for starters:
Some artists also like having earth color paints (e.g. Burnt Sienna or Raw Umber) to create shades or mix realistic skin tones.
Now that you know what to get, we highly recommend trying out the oil paint sets we have here on ZenART! Unlike other oil paint brands, ZenART oil paints use non-toxic pigments that still yield good quality paint at a good value, too.
Where possible, our professional-grade paints are crafted where possible with the finest, non-toxic single pigment colours. Not to mention, the buttery smooth texture makes for easy mixing.
And a fun fact! Our Infinity Series is based on the great masters of oil painting.
You don't need all the colors of the rainbow. Just the essentials, as we mentioned.
Think of this set as the foundation of your oil painting. Here are the colors in this set:
You need the primary colors (red, blue, yellow) in a warm and cool color. That way you control how vivid or muted your paint mix gets. You also need white paint for making tints and black paint for mixing shades.
Want to be like the Impressionists and get started on your next luminous landscape or seascape painting?
Start painting like Camille Pissaro and Claude Monet with this vivid, jewel-toned set. The colors included are:
With this, you get a vibrant set of oil paint that's perfect for scenery and portraiture.
Crafted and curated for the people watchers and portraiture pros, this is a set of unique colours for painting skin tones.
Our Portrait Palettes include a variety of earth colours so you can paint realistic skin tones:
We recommend using this as a supplementary selection for either our Essential or Impressionist palettes so you can paint any color you'll ever need!
White is perhaps the most essential color for oil painting. So you'll need a lot of it. This collection has three different white paints in larger tubes:
With this set, you can easily adjust saturation and tonal values, and even warm up your paint colors.
Are you new to oils? Have you tried oil painting before? Do you like working with limited colors or would you rather have an extensive oil paint color selection?
If you're just starting, we highly recommend checking out our other painting tutorials, tips, and guides in our Toolkit section. If you're looking for Inspiration, we've covered some of the great oil painting masters before!
Or if you want to branch out and paint with all the colors and mediums out there, check out our other paints here on ZenART Supplies!
Happy painting!
- MEET THE AUTHOR-
Belle O. Mapa is a writer and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She believes that everyone is born with an inner creative spirit—we just need to nurture and discover it on the blank page. Currently, she lives out her passion: writing stories, hosting journaling workshops, and advocating for mental health awareness.
]]>A color wheel (also called a color circle) is a circular arrangement of color hues organized into three levels and their relationship with each other – the primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. There are several different color wheels nowadays. Here, I’ll be focusing on the artist color wheel based on Johann Itten’s that deals with the classic color mixing theory and Albert Munsell’s modern color mixing system. I find it a very good foundation for artists to start from.
Getting to know the color wheel, how to mix various colors, and learning the different color theories are essential tools that will greatly aid any artist in their painting process.
Color has long been studied, debated, and speculated over. You’ll find studies by Chevreul, Von Bezold, Newton, Rood, Church, Munsell, and others if you want to have a deeper study of it. I personally like “Color Problems” by Emily Noyes Vanderpoel. It talks about color in layman’s terms with such great explanations and illustrations that didn’t leave me confused or lost.
Most color wheels use the trichromatic model where you have three primary colors of which three secondary colors are mixed, followed by another three tertiary (12 all). Some add more intermediaries amounting to 24 colors in total. Which three primaries exactly will always be a point of contention.
The most popularly used primary colors are based on the sensation of color that is first and foremost produced by light. Using a prism, the white light from the sun becomes a streak of colors called a spectrum. Sir David Brewster’s theory is based on this and was greatly popular with artists, the theory of three primaries – red, yellow, and blue. Mainly because of how easy it was to mix the secondary colors from the primaries, and the tertiary colors from then on.
But through time we have come to know that there are also differences between pigments, paints, and light that we have to take into account. For example: Through experimentation, green doesn’t show in blue or yellow light, only in white. And in red and green lights, you’ll see yellow. And so on with other colors under different lighting.
Nowadays, artists are divided between the traditional/classic color theory and the modern color theory. Modern color mixing is based on Albert H. Munsell’s color system where he takes into account the three properties of color: hue, chroma, and value. Based on his system, the colors Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow were designated as primaries. The same colors (plus black - the key color) that our printers are equipped with these days (CMYK).
I will not debate which one is right or wrong. For me, knowing both is the best thing to do, and from there you can decide on your own. I have found both to be equally useful. So I’ll do just that here and show you both artist color wheels. But first, let’s quickly go over these three below:
When it comes to color wheels/charts/models, it describes the main groups of colors based on the spectrum – red, orange, yellow, blue, violet, and so on. But you’ll find another usage of ‘hue’ in the labels of art supplies. In this case, hue means that another or other pigments were used in place of the originally known one. Like in the case of Cadmium Yellow Hue, it no longer contains the actual Cadmium Yellow pigment but instead another that is similar in color. But generally, artists use the word hue interchangeably with color.
Chroma is the intensity or saturation of a color. It shows the range of colors from their pureness to varying levels of brilliance, neutrality, or how subdued they appear.
This refers to the lightness or darkness of a color with black and white as comparisons at opposing ends of a scale.
Here is a wonderful diagram to help you visualize how the theory is applied to colors:
And here is what it looks like in a spherical-ish form with all the colors minus the cutout portion:
Color wheels can help you decide on what colors to use for your paintings. You don’t ‘have to’ use one, but it will certainly help you decide on your color palette for each painting. You’ll also have more harmonious paintings at least color-wise. There are “color harmonies” that you can study and use as guides for your future works.
Color is a big part of your painting’s composition besides the subject choice and the placement of objects in the given space. Read more about the basic rules of composition to help you have an even better understanding of how they go hand-in-hand, plus some very useful composition tips and tricks.
It’s fairly simple and you can have just a basic 12 color wheel. You can also try making a 24 colored one with more intermediary colors in the future. For this exercise we’ll use the RYB (red, yellow, blue) primary color selection first followed by the CMY (cyan, magenta, yellow).
Draw a circle, you can find a circular shaped item at home and trace it. If you’re using oil, it’s best to do it on a primed surface whether it’s canvas paper, panel, canvas, or wood.
Divide the circle into 12 equal segments. Think of a pizza but with 12 slices instead of the usual 8.
The first colors you’ll need to paint are the three primarily colors. Place them separate from each other with equal intervals - three pies apart.
Then we start mixing the primaries to create the secondary colors. Mix the two colors nearest each other and place the new color between the two. There should be an empty pie on both sides of the new color. Do this for all the primaries next to each other.
Yellow + Blue = Green
Red + Blue = Violet
Yellow + Red = Orange
Now fill the remaining pies with the tertiary colors. Mix the primary and secondary colors next to each other to create each tertiary color.
Yellow + Green = Yellow Green
Green + Blue = Blue Green
Blue + Violet = Blue Violet
Violet + Red = Red Violet
Red + Orange = Red Orange
Orange + Yellow + Yellow Orange
And your artist color wheel is now complete. This will serve as a great guide when you study the different color harmonies. We’ve got a very in-depth article covering that plus more about colors in Oil Painting Mixing Colors. The color theory and harmonies you’ll find there are applicable across all mediums, not just oil. I encourage you to explore them as they can really improve your color palette choices.
Here’s an example on how your artist color wheel can be used to help plan out the colors you will use. Read the article mentioned above to see examples of paintings by the masters following the various color harmonies you see below.
The steps will be exactly the same as the RYB artist color wheel above. You’ll just be using a different set of primary colors.
Start with the circle and divide into 12 slices just like before.
Place your primary colors (cyan, magenta, and yellow) equally spaced apart from each other, three pies in between.
Mix your primaries that are next to each other on the color wheel to create the new secondary colors. Again, there must be an empty space on either side of each new secondary color you mix.
Cyan + Magenta = Blue
Magenta + Yellow = Red
Yellow + Cyan = Green
To finish off your CMY artist color wheel, mix the primaries and secondaries next to each other to create 6 new tertiary colors.
Magenta + Red = Rose
Red + Yellow = Orange
Yellow + Green = Chartreuse
Green + Cyan = Azure
Cyan + Blue = Violet
Here’s a very thorough video from a great artist and ZenART Supplies’ brand ambassador, Ayna Paisley. In the video, she details how to create three color wheels using a different set of RYBs for each one. The idea behind the exercise is that there are different blues, yellows, and reds that can be used to create a full range of different colors.
She used colors from ZenART’s Infinity Series of oil paint sets: Essential Palette, Impressionist Palette, and Portrait Palette. Watch the video to see how she goes about mixing and creating three artist color wheels!
And here’s mine but it’s still unfinished. I plan to add the tints (outermost of the wheel) and shades (inner) of each color as well so I’ll have an ultra handy guide.
I used the colors Cadmium Red Hue and Cadmium Yellow Hue from the Essential Palette and Ultramarine Blue from the Impressionist Palette. In the end I just went with the palette knife (from the Turner Collection) to mix and apply the oil paints. I didn’t use any solvent or medium and just used the paints straight out of the tubes. The upside to using a palette knife is that it’s much easier to clean between colors — just wipe the paint off with a paper towel or a rag!
Color wheels are fun to create and are quite useful to have around. You’ll be able to practice your color mixing and get to know your paints more intimately. Finding out which colors are more intense and learning how to temper the intensity down, when to use less and vice versa. After all, I believe that half of the painting process happens on the mixing palette.
I hope you found this useful and will encourage you to create your very own artist color wheel. It is a most enlightening experience that I’m sure you’ll enjoy!
Have you made your own artist color wheel before? Which primary colors did you use? Have you tried making a different one for each medium you use? I’d love to hear back from you, let me know your thoughts in the comments below! Join our friendly art community Painting Inspiration Daily on Facebook. You can share your art and ideas, watch LIVE tutorials, and be inspired to paint!
Have fun creating and painting your own color wheel!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Kathleen is the Wordsmith at ZenART, resident artist and art editor. When God sent a shower of talents, Kathleen made sure she got a basketful of them! She's a visual artist with practical knowledge on various fields from painting and sculpture, to costume and set design which comes in very handy when writing about various art techniques and theories. She also shares her passion for the arts through teaching. She runs her own brand of handmade wirework jewelry designs.
]]>Whether you’re a newbie or a pro watercolor painter, brush up on your watercolor lingo with this A to Z list!
Often used to describe watercolor paints, papers, and brushes. When something is artist-grade, that means it’s the best quality you can find. Artist-grade paints are more expensive, as they contain fine pigments and are more permanent.
For beginners, you can still find high-quality student-grade paints. These are recommended for you to get to know the medium first.
Also known as “backruns,” blooms are irregular shapes or forms that occur when one color of paint flows into another color that hasn’t fully dried. Though unintentional, they’re not necessarily unwanted. It’s an interesting technique that can also be used to create different effects.
As in “blotting a brush.” You do this to remove excess water or paint from your brush—usually by dabbing your brush on a sponge or paper towel.
Also known as “cockling.” Paper buckling is when your watercolor paper wrinkles or deforms. This happens because watercolor papers expand when wet. You can prevent this by stretching paper before painting or by using a watercolor block.
Read More: Watercolor Brushes for Beginners
Also known as an oval wash brush. This paintbrush is similar to a Filbert brush but it has a pointed tip. It’s a highly recommended brush for painting organic shapes like petals.
A watercolor technique where you mix colors directly on the paper instead of mixing them in a palette.
A color wheel made using our very own Espresso Palette.
Read More: How to Mix Watercolors
A visual representation of the relationship between colors and an essential tool in understanding color theory.
You have your primary colors (red, yellow, and blue). When you mix two primary colors together, you get the secondary colors (orange, green, and violet). Finally, mixing primary and secondary colors gives you tertiary colors.
The color wheel helps you make color combinations to form a color palette for your painting:
The dry brush technique involves using a mostly dry paintbrush with little paint and painting directly on dry paper. This is a watercolor painting technique that helps create interesting textures.
Most easels are used in oil painting, but there are easels that are designed for watercolor artists. An easel is good for working outdoors or en plein air. Usually, you have a wooden stand and a board to tape or mount your paper upon. It’s up to you what angle you want but many watercolor artists recommend 45°.
Read More: What are the Types of Paint Brushes Out There?
A flat brush with bristles that fan outward, hence its name. It’s a good shape for blending edges. You can also develop textures like fur, foliage, feathers, and ripples.
You’ll come across this term a lot in our brush guides. It’s the metal part of a brush that keeps the brush hairs attached to the handle.
Read More: Watercolor Painting Techniques
A glaze or layering wash is a sheer, transparent, or translucent coat of watercolor paint. Creating a glaze means painting a transparent color over another color that has dried completely. This effect makes the bottom layer show through, often creating the effect of a new color altogether.
Layering is often interchanged with glazing. The difference between the two is that the colors used in layering can be dark or opaque so the bottom layer doesn’t necessarily show through.
Also known as “tooth,” this term is used to talk about watercolor paper. Grain refers to the direction of the fibers in your paper or how rough the paper is. There are several levels: fine, medium, and rough grain.
This is the speckled effect you get when a paint’s coarse pigment settles into the paper indentations. Often, it has nothing to do with paint quality. This occurs when you have pigments of different weights.
This refers to a color’s saturation at its strongest or most vivid. You see this when your pigment is undiluted by water.
Sometimes used interchangeably with “strength” or “saturation.” A color is strongest when undiluted and therefore has weaker intensity when washed out with more water.
Watercolor brushes with hairs taken from a species of weasels native to Siberia or China. These are the highest quality and most expensive watercolor brushes because they are strong, absorbent, and hold a fine point very well.
Lifting your watercolors can produce interesting effects. For example, I used tissue paper to lighten parts of this wash to look like clouds.
Quite literally, you lift paint or remove the color from an area that’s still wet. This is done with a squeezed-out brush, a paper towel, tissue, or a cotton swab. Removing paint this way helps to lighten the area, fix mistakes, or create highlights.
A rating is given to watercolor pigments based on how permanent and fade-resistant they are—particularly after exposure to sunlight. Artist-grade paints typically come with a lightfast rating on a scale of I to IV, with I being the most permanent.
Filling or loading your paintbrush with watercolor. A loaded paintbrush becomes plumper in the belly since it contains a lot of watercolor paint for you to cover large surfaces with color.
Sometimes using white paint or watering down your paint to its lightest tone isn’t enough to preserve the whiteness of your watercolor paper. That’s when you need masking fluid—a liquid latex substance that you apply to protect parts of your painting. Once your painting is finished and fully dry, you can easily peel it off.
A large, round brush that can easily absorb paint and cover large areas with color.
A swatch card of our Art Nomad palette. Swatching your watercolors is a great way to test out their hue and opacity.
The opposite of transparent or translucent. A pigment or color has opacity or is opaque if it completely covers the layer/s of color or paper beneath.
This can refer to either a) the selection of colors an artist chooses to work with, or b) the surface on which a watercolor artist mixes their paints.
Typically used with thicker media like acrylics, oils, or impasto. A palette knife still comes in handy for mixing liquid watercolor paints or creating expressive effects by applying paint directly from tube to paper.
Clockwise from left: ZenART's 100% cotton watercolor paper pads in Pythagorean 4/3 (12" x 16"), Square 12 (12" x 12"), Arch A (9" x 12"), Albert Card (4" x 6"), and Square 8 (8" x 8")
Not all papers and sketchbooks can handle wet media, so it’s important to use high-quality watercolor paper. You can buy watercolor paper in loose sheets, pads (glued or bound on one side), or blocks (glued on all sides).
Watercolor paper is typically made with natural fibers like wood pulp or cotton. But just as you can get synthetic brushes, you can also find synthetic papers on the market.
Watercolor paper comes in different kinds, orientations, and sizes. What you use depends on your preference.
For reference, the watercolor paper we have here on ZenART is cold-pressed, acid-free, and of archival quality.
This mildly textured paper is most suitable for watercolor painting. Cold-pressed paper has some tooth or grain and is more absorbent than hot-pressed paper. It’s sometimes called NOT paper because it’s not pressed by hot rollers.
Best for painting fine details, hot-pressed paper has a smooth surface texture because it was pressed between hot rollers during manufacturing.
You’ll know it by its highly textured surface. It’s the roughest of these three kinds of watercolor paper because it was left to dry naturally without being pressed by rollers. This type is great for creating granulating effects with your watercolor paint.
A pigment is usually an insoluble powder that gives paint its color. Paint pigment can be derived from natural or synthetic substances. In watercolor, a pigment is suspended in a vehicle or binder such as gum arabic and is then activated with water to release the color onto the paper.
Read More: Watercolor Brush Sizes
A type of watercolor brush with long bristles and a fine point. Originally, the rigger brush was used to paint long rigging lines on boats, hence its name. Though thin, these brushes hold a lot of water and are useful for painting long, thin lines.
A color made darker by adding black. Some artists also mix their own black paints to adjust their shades. You can create black by combining all primary colors.
This refers to the behavior of a watercolour brush. A good brush can “snap” back into shape after being bent at an angle. A brush with spring can hold its shape while pressed on the surface of the paper.
An effect that creates paint splatters or blobs. To do this, load your paint brush or use an old toothbrush and start flicking paint onto the paper. It’s harder to control but adds a nice effect to your painting.
Some watercolor paints have a tendency to sink in and absorb into the very fibers of your paper even before the water fully dries. Staining colors will leave a permanent mark on the paper and are harder to lift or remove.
This refers to paints or colors that allow light to pass through. It’s easy to confuse it with translucency.
A color is transparent if it can totally be seen through and light can fully penetrate through the pigment. A color is translucent if the light still passes through but not enough to show all layers, forms, or colors beneath.
A color made lighter by mixing it with white or by adding more water.
You create a tone of a color by adding gray. By doing this, you can desaturate and make a color more neutral, pastel, lighter, or darker.
This refers to the lightness or darkness of a color or the relationship between different tones on one image. It’s often shown in a tonal value scale. White is the lightest value. Black is the darkest value. The halfway or in-between is gray.
A basic watercolor technique used to cover large areas with a transparent wash of color. It’s often the first step or layer of a watercolor painting. To create a wash of watercolor, load your brush with very wet watercolor paint and drag it across the paper moving downwards to spread more color.
There are many kinds of watercolor washes. Watercolor washes don’t necessarily need only one color; they can transition from light to dark, or from one color to another.
Literally a flat area of just one color. Ideally, the color shouldn’t vary in intensity or tint but be consistent throughout the area of the wash.
Also known as a gradient or graded wash, here the color gradually lightens as the wash takes form. To create that gradient effect, just keep adding water little by little until you get the lightest value you want in the wash. This technique comes in handy in landscape painting.
A type of wet-into-wet wash where you paint with two or more different colors. The aim of a variegated wash is to allow colors to smoothly blend together and form soft edges once dry. You can create an ombre effect by transitioning from one color to another. You can also use the charging technique and let the colors mix together on wet or damp paper.
(See above: Glazing or Layering) Another basic watercolor technique that involves applying watery or wet paint directly on top of dry paper.
The wet on wet or wet into wet technique involves painting with wet paint on wet paper. To do this, pre-wet your paper and then start adding colors into that area. This style of painting lets colors blend seamlessly together, creating soft edges while the paint dries.
For beginners, the wet-on-wet technique may create unpredictable color combinations—worse, colors that mix badly and become muddy.
As a rule of thumb, remember that watercolor will flow from the wettest area to a less wet or damp area of the paper. You can vary the degree of wetness on your paper depending on the effects you’d like to create with this technique.
The great watercolor painter, JMW Turner, often used this technique for his landscapes.
Are you a watercolor beginner or a watercolor pro? If so, how many watercolor terms were you already familiar with? And which of these terms did you only find out about now?
Level up your watercolor knowledge! Check out our Toolkit section on the ZenART blog for more guides, tips, and how-tos!
- MEET THE AUTHOR-
Belle O. Mapa is a writer and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She believes that everyone is born with an inner creative spirit—we just need to nurture and discover it on the blank page. Currently, she lives out her passion: writing stories, hosting journaling workshops, and advocating for mental health awareness.
]]>Most people love to paint landscapes as they find it very therapeutic and relaxing. And of course, when you are painting nature, trees are almost always part of the picture. This article will be a beginner’s introduction to how to paint trees in oil, specifically pine trees. In just a few easy steps, you’ll learn how to paint one using a limited color palette and a few oil painting supplies.
Plus some extra tips along the way!
Oil paints - colors from the Portrait Palette, from the Infinity Series of ZenART Supplies: Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Chromium Oxide, Titanium White, and Yellow Ochre.
Extra Tip: I prefer to use tear-off palettes. The sheets don’t dry out the paint and you don’t have to clean them afterwards. Instead, if there’s some leftover paint that you’d like to use at another time, you can transfer it using a palette knife to a fresh sheet for next time. Additionally, opt for a glass pallet and not a wooden one. Wood (unless properly treated before use) absorbs the paint, making it dry faster.
Oil paint brushes - #7 Bright Chungking Hog from the Renoir Collection, #1 Rigger Brush from the Fine Line detail brush set, both from ZenART Supplies.
Hog bristles are on the stiffer side, making them perfect for creating suggestive foliage textures in this how to paint trees in oils exercise.
Medium & Solvent - I used Odorless Mineral Spirits to dilute the paint and linseed oil to make the paint flow smoother.
Extra Tip: Use linseed oil for a more fluid flow to your paints. Though ZenART’s oil paints have a creamy, buttery consistency already. But adding a little bit of linseed oil to your paints makes your brushstrokes run smoother, especially if you are painting on a rough surface.
Support - For my painting surface, I used a small 14x18 cm cotton, triple-primed canvas board which I covered with Cobalt Blue Hue acrylic paint for my background. A nice base color for this how to paint trees in oil demonstration. You can leave it as is for your background if you wish. Or you can layer other colors over it but without the pressure of having to fully cover it. It will look great subtly showing through under other colors that you will choose for your background.
Extra Tip: Always make sure that the surface you are working on is primed when you are painting with oils. Either by priming it yourself using gesso, applying at least three layers, and waiting for each layer to dry for a minimum of two hours before applying the next. Or you can buy a canvas that is already primed if you don’t want to deal with the priming process…
This is a very important step because if the pores of the surface are not sealed with gesso, the paint will be absorbed into the surface. This affects the performance of the paint and the outcome will be far from pleasing. In the long run, the integrity of your canvas or support will also be compromised.
As for why I covered the surface with acrylic instead of oil, it’s because acrylic paint dries faster. If I were to use oil for the background, I would have to wait for at least a day for it to dry. Or I will be painting directly on top of the color of the still wet background. The color will easily mix with the colors of the trees and thus cause the colors to be altered or muddied.
Whether you’re learning how to paint distant trees in oils or ones close to you, it’ll follow the same principle. If pressed for time, you can use acrylic to tone your canvas at the start. You can always work more on the background later if you wish.
After covering the surface with the Cobalt Blue Hue acrylic paint, I wait for the paint to be fully dry. Then, I start by taking my #1 Rigger brush from the Fine Line set and get some of the Raw Umber paint mixed with a hint of linseed oil for better flow. I paint a vertical line right at the center of the canvas. Starting from the bottom, and as I move upwards, the line tapers and becomes thinner. It’s perfectly ok if the line is slightly crooked. In fact, that will make the tree look even more natural.
Before I start painting the foliage of the tree, I first add the colors I am going to use on my palette and pre-mix the various shades I’m going to need. Avoid mixing the colors directly on the canvas as the colors will easily appear muddy and the shades might not turn out to be the ones you had in mind. Instead, it is best to be more organized about it.
So I add all five colors to my palette and pre-mix all that I think I will be needing for this how to paint pine trees in oil. It also makes for a more seamless painting process.
I mix Chromium Oxide with the Burnt Umber and a hint of Raw Umber to create a darker shade of green that I’m going to use for the first layer. Then I took some of this mixture and added a bit more Chromium Oxide for a mid-tone green. And for the lightest color and highlights, I mix Chromium Oxide with Yellow Ochre and a little bit of Titanium White.
Then we start from the top using the #7 Bright Chungking Hog brush. Pine trees in general have a slightly triangular shape. So at the top, the branches are shorter and have less greenery. But as we move downwards, the branches slowly become longer and fuller while always maintaining the overall triangular form.
Using the same brush, I take some of the darker green mixture and start by lightly dabbing my brush on the canvas. Bit by bit, I make my brushstrokes go wider as I move towards the bottom as mentioned before. Make sure to feather out your brushstrokes at the fringes. The small edges you create will give some organic-looking textures that suggest leaves. This will make the painting appear less stylized and more natural.
Extra Tip: Chungking Hog brushes have stiff bristles that help for creating heavily textured strokes, visibly leaving traces of the bristles’ path as you apply your paint. That’s why I highly prefer to use them when painting landscapes, it makes for beautiful textural work quite easily.
Next, it’s time to add the mid-tone green mixture. Using the same brush, I add some brushstrokes at the center area to lighten up the color there, giving a sense of volume and dimension to the shape.
Then visualize where the light source is coming from or check your reference whether from a photo or in person. Mine is located on the left and that is where I will add most of the highlights using the lightest color that I have previously pre-mixed.
Be careful not to overdo it with the highlights. This way your tree will look more realistic. Most of the same principles and tips I have shared will apply to painting other kinds of trees as well. I hope this easy step-by-step guide on how to paint trees in oils will be useful during your landscape painting adventures.
Here’s my finished pine tree!
I highly recommend you get acquainted with how to clean your oil paint brushes after painting and how to take care of them. They can last you a long time with the proper care, especially natural-haired ones.
Have you tried painting trees before? Which mediums have you painted them in? Is landscape painting something you find yourself painting more often? Let us know in the comments below! Join our friendly art community Painting Inspiration Daily on Facebook. You can share your art and ideas, watch LIVE tutorials, and be inspired to paint!
Why not explore the different oil painting brushstrokes while you’re at it? There are so many different ways to apply oil paints to your surface and it can be so fun! And here are some oil painting ideas that you might want to explore using those brushstrokes you’ll be trying out.
You’ll find that how to paint trees in oils can be quite fun and easy. Don’t be afraid to experiment and just remember to enjoy the process. Happy painting!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Theodora is the Dynamic Social Integrator at ZenART, resident artist and content creator. She is the one who's been admiring your work through our social media channels and the one who's been motivating you by giving you tips and inspiration. Being born and raised in Athens, Greece, her work as an artist often depicts charming bejeweled and modernized Greek mythological characters rendered on big canvases and inspired by Renaissance aesthetics. When she's not creating content, she fills her days with endless hours of painting.
]]>Anyone who has ventured into oil painting will find themselves a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number and variety of oil painting mediums available. Do you really need them all and what do you do with them exactly? Let’s start with the first question…
Oil painting mediums are additives that you mix with your oil paints to change their consistency or viscosity, drying time (faster or slower), or their surface finish.
Using any medium will affect your paints in one way or another. Knowing how each one affects your paints, how to use them, and when to use them will give you more options with your techniques.
Some mediums hasten the drying process while some slow them down. There are also mediums that thicken your paint, allowing you to do impasto-like finishes without having to use too much of your paint. While some make a too thick or pasty paint more blendable (old paints for example). And some mediums help you achieve beautiful glazing.
Personally, I use oil painting mediums as sparingly as I can. This is what I’ve learned in school and I find that I agree with my teacher’s advice. Anything you add to your paints will change them and sometimes not for the better. The thing to remember is that you should always follow the 'fat over lean' principle.
This means that you should paint the leanest layers first, these usually have some kind of solvent mixed in to reduce the fattiness of the paints. Then, as you add each layer, each succeeding one should be fattier than the last. Fatter means there is more oil mixed in.
Plan out your painting process so you’ll know when to use which oil painting medium and by how much. For my process, I usually mix in some odorless mineral spirits with my first layer where I want to have a very watery mix. Which I then use to sketch and block out the bigger shapes and shadows. Then if I’m in a hurry, I paint the first two layers with some Liquin (lean medium) mixed in with my paint. It dilutes the paint a bit and also hastens the drying time. After I use paint straight from the tube. For the final layer/s I add some linseed oil, but I usually just dip my brush in the oil and mix it with my color/s. I leave the layers that require some glazing for last as they are the fattiest of them all.
Here’s a simple diagram to help you visualize how this works.
The more oil painting mediums you use, the more careful you have to be. Try to stick to one per layer to be on the safe side.
Following the fat over lean process will ensure that your paintings won’t easily crack over time. If you painted with a fat layer first and then followed with a lean one, you’ll most probably end up with a cracked surface as all the layers start to cure.
Why? First, because lean layers will dry first. Fatter also means it has more flexibility because of the oil. Imagine a top layer that’s not as flexible as the layer below it that also dries first. The still wet layer below can still “move” while it’s drying and this will in turn create cracks on the layer above that’s already dry.
Layers below should dry first before the upper layers. To make sure this happens, always paint fat over lean when using oil paints.
Various mediums that I personally use mixed with colors (Cadmium Red Hue, Ultramarine Blue, Yellow Ochre) from ZenART Supplies’ Essential, Portrait, and Impressionist Palettes. Chungking Hog Brushes (Filbert and Flat) and a palette knife from the Renoir Collection to mix and apply the paint.
Artist-grade oil paints have a nice, buttery consistency when used straight out of the tube. But not everyone will want to paint with that consistency all throughout their painting process. Here is where mediums come in quite handy as you can make your paints thicker or very thin and fluid-like.
For a more fluid flow, you can add oils, alkyds, or glazing mediums to your paints. You usually want this when you’re painting fine details, want a smoother finish where the brushstrokes are leveled out, or for some glazing effects. Or for the first leaner layers where you want more transparent or thinner applications.
If you’re looking to paint highly textural impasto work or where you want to retain the brush marks, then wax or gel mediums are your best friends. They come in a range of varying densities. Heavy ones are perfect for those ultra-thick and sharp-edged knife marks or brushwork. Then, there are also softer gels and waxes that are easier to work with and will give you subtler - yet still textured - effects.
All the different oil painting mediums will affect the surface finish of your paints in one way or another. Any medium you add will change the consistency of the paints and this in turn will alter the finish once it dries.
Solvents evaporate quickly but leave a dull or chalky finish. Wax mediums give a more matte finish. Synthetic resins such as alkyds can range from a satiny patina to very glossy. A good ratio of natural resins mixed in will usually yield a high gloss finish. And oils will also give you glossy finishes, too.
The choice will always be up to you. At the end of the day, varnish can be used to alter the final surface finish to whichever sheen you prefer as a final step in your painting process.
Testing out various mediums using the same color, Prussian Blue, from the Impressionist Palette, ZenART Supplies.
Oil paints have varying drying times across different brands as the formulations also vary. And for artist-grade paints, for each color or pigment as well. Some colors dry faster than others and this will be one of the things that you should want to learn and take note of. The good news is, oil painting mediums can help you adjust the drying time whether by hastening it or slowing it down.
This is quite essential for the first few layers and also if you don’t have the luxury of allowing your paints to dry in their normal drying time - perhaps a commission with a deadline where you’re pressed for time.
Driers, solvents, and resin are used in greater amounts while oils are kept to the bare minimum. How fast your layer of paint dries will depend on how much you use and how thick of an application you do. Thinner layers can be dry to the touch by the following day.
Mediums that hasten the drying time can be bought ready-made or you can make your own too.
Now let’s have a quick overview of the most used mediums and solvents by artists below. I’ll divide the list into four: solvents, oils, alkyds, and waxes.
Solvents can be used for cleaning your painting implements and for thinning down your paint. Your mixture will become runnier, more transparent, dry quicker (as the solvent evaporates very quickly), and will dry with a matte finish.
You don’t have to use solvents if you’d rather not. It is quite alright to paint solvent-free, too.
Turpentine - can be used both for cleaning and for diluting your paint. Many artists still favor it as it mixes very well with oil paints. But it is a toxic substance that also releases noxious and heady fumes and should be used with great caution and in a well-ventilated area. Containers with lids are best so they can be kept closed while not in use. Use rubber/latex gloves to avoid direct contact with the skin and keep away from your eyes as well. It’s best to keep these precautions in mind for the next three solvents on this list: turpentine, OMS, and oil of spike lavender.
The good thing about turpentine is that it can be reused multiple times. Wait for the paint sediment to sink to the bottom of the container. Then transfer the now clearer liquid onto a new container and use it again.
Odorless mineral spirits or Artist’s white spirits - can be used similarly to turpentine (cleaning and thinning paint) but is considered to be subpar for thinning down paint compared to turpentine. It’s more aggressive and can cause the paint film to be greatly weakened which might lead to a more brittle surface that’s prone to cracking. I use it mainly for cleaning, then thinned down only for sketching or blocking out rather than as an oil painting medium.
It is odorless but the fumes are still there and will affect your health in the same way as turpentine when not used with care. I also reuse it just like turpentine for cleaning my brushes.
Yellow Ochre from the Portrait Palette of ZenART Supplies’ Infinity Series oil paint sets.
Do not use regular white spirits from the hardware store as those have a lot of undistilled impurities that will affect your painting’s integrity over time.
Oil of spike lavender - is a good alternative to turpentine and mixes almost as well when used as a medium. It is much stronger so you’ll also need to use less, but it’s also less toxic. Many also agree that it has a much more tolerable smell, too. It’ll cost you more (compared to turps) but since you’ll use far less, it just evens things out.
Zest-it Oil paint Dilutant and Brush Cleaner - is an eco-friendly alternative to all of the above. You won’t have to worry about fumes and strong smells as it has a pleasant citrusy aroma. It’s also biodegradable which is always a good thing. You can use it to thin your paint (though it’s on the thicker side compared to the three above), clean your brushes, and mix with other mediums. This is ZenART Supplies’ co-founder, Ardak Kassenova’s personal choice as it’s much safer to use when there are kids (and or pets) around.
Turpenoid (Odorless) - is another odorless turpentine substitute. It can be used in the same ways as turpentine (painting properties and drying time) but is odor-free.
Oil paints from the tube already have some kind of drying oil mixed in them (usually linseed). Adding extra oil makes the paint ‘fatter’ and more transparent, you can get smoother brush strokes, too. But it will slow down the drying time.
Oils dry differently than acrylic paints where the water just evaporates, allowing the paint to dry quickly. With oil paints, the oil gets exposed to the air and oxidizes. The paints then start to ‘cure’ and start to dry through this process. Only use oils that are meant for oil painting (drying oils) as not all oils will be suitable. Almond oil and olive oil for example are non-drying oils, so if you use them, your painting will never dry.
The most popular oil used for oil painting is linseed oil, it comes in several different varieties as well. Other popular oils are safflower oil, walnut oil, and poppy seed oil. There are other painting oils but the ones most used are these.
All oils fall under the ‘fat’ umbrella. Add oil/s to your paint or your medium mixture in small increments and increasing amounts as you layer on.
Refined linseed oil - is from the seeds of the flax plant (all linseed oils are). This is the most popularly used oil paint medium both for mixing with solvents and for creating DIY mediums. When it dries, it creates a strong and durable film because of its high linoleic content. It also contains another acid (linolenic) that causes yellowing over time.
Cold-pressed linseed oil - compared to refined linseed oil, gives you a shinier and harder film when it dries. But it will take longer to dry. So if you’re not pressed for time, it’s a good choice to opt for.
Linseed stand oil - has a much thicker consistency compared to other oils, very heavy-bodied like a very sticky syrup. When used, it will give you a smooth and glossy finish. Due to its thicker body, it’s not as flowy as other oils but levels out very well. You also won’t have to worry so much about areas ‘sinking in’ when using it. This is the perfect fat medium to use when creating your own glazing medium. It also doesn’t yellow as much as regular linseed oil over time.
Safflower oil - is more fluid than linseed oil and allows you to have a runnier mixture. It dries much slower than linseed and dries to a much weaker film. But it doesn’t yellow as much as linseed which is why it’s usually used for painting areas with pale or white colors. When you compare it with linseed oil in the bottle, it is visibly a much paler yellow in color.
I advise you to use it sparingly. If you find yourself using it a lot then mix in a bit of linseed to help with the durability. Then varnishing your painting later will also help with the longevity of your painting.
Poppy seed oil - is much like safflower oil, it’s a paler and clearer oil paint medium that minimizes the change in color over time. Though it’s also on the more expensive side compared to other drying oils. It also dries slower than linseed but gives your paints great flow and a glossy finish. Similar to safflower oil, it’s not as durable as linseed oil in the long run.
Walnut oil - walnut oil is a good substitute for linseed oil if you don’t mind the longer drying time. From the bottle, you can see that it’s a very pale color similar to safflower and poppy. But unlike the two, walnut oil dries to a much more durable and even flexible film.
This is my preferred drying oil for painting light-colored sections. It has been used since the Renaissance and was often mentioned by Da Vinci. It enhances the flow of the paint and gives colors an added depth. You can use it to ‘oil out’ a painting that has dull and chalky parts or for the areas that have ‘sunken in’.
Some artists also use it for cleaning their tools instead of solvents. Just keep in mind that walnut oil can noticeably go rancid. It’s best to store it in the refrigerator and away from sunlight to extend its shelf life. Oils from nuts are more sensitive in general.
Cold wax doesn’t require heat to harden, hence the name. Adding cold wax to your paint will thicken it, allowing you to paint with heavily textured brushstrokes. It will also give your paints a matte finish due to the natural matte finish of the wax but will make them dry faster as well. By adding a little alkyd to the mix, you can bring back some sheen to it. Though it won’t be glossy, more on the satin side.
With this medium, you can achieve impasto brushstrokes without having to use a lot of your paints. You can build layers upon layers using wax without having to worry about the ‘fat over lean’ principle. And it will also be dry in a couple of days even when applied very thickly. Different brands offer their own cold-wax formulations and choices.
Cadmium Red Hue from the Essential Palette of ZenART Supplies’ Infinity Series oil paint sets.
Alkyds are a synthetic medium created from oil-modified resin treated with alcohol to speed up the drying time. There’s a great variety to choose from depending on what you’re looking for. There are formulations that are either thickening or thinning, give a satin or glossy finish, and hasten or slow down drying time. Varying levels of viscosity allow you to have a range of options from light washes to heavily textured strokes.
Alkyd mediums mixed with your paint can be touch dry in 24 hours. If you don’t want to wait for days on end between each layer, then consider adding alkyds into your painting process. I usually use this for painting the first two layers after blocking in my painting. It allows me to paint thinly but without worrying about it being too runny. Most alkyds give a flexible and glossy finish and dry to a durable film, almost enamel-like.
Ultramarine Blue from the Impressionist Palette of ZenART Supplies’ Infinity Series oil paint sets.
Driers work by hastening the drying, curing, and hardening time of the oil paints by acting as a catalyst. You’ll find dark-colored (Cobalt, Manganese) and light-colored driers (Calcium, Zirconium). Dark ones can affect the color of your paints but are very effective. While the lighter ones are less prone to discoloration but also dry slower.
You can mix them directly to your paint but must be used sparingly - just a few drops at a time. This may be necessary when you have deadlines that you don’t want to miss, as the drying time of oil paints varies across pigments and brand formulations.
Experimenting and trying out different oil painting mediums is the best way to find out what works for you and your painting style and process. But don’t get bogged down on them or discouraged when you don’t find what you’re looking for. Personally, I only use a handful and find myself quite content with what I can achieve with them. The important thing is to properly get to know each one you plan to explore and be careful with the more toxic ones. Your health should always be number one.
Before you splurge on said mediums, check out our oil painting supplies list as well and make sure you have all the oil painting essentials that you’ll need.
Which oil painting mediums have you tried using so far? Did you see one from above that you’d like to explore? Comment away below! Join our friendly art community Painting Inspiration Daily on Facebook. You can share your art and ideas, watch LIVE tutorials, and be inspired to paint!
While you’re trying out new mediums, I recommend you explore the different oil painting brush strokes at the same time, too. You’ll never know what special combination of mediums and techniques you’ll come up with that will be your very own. Have fun with your oil painting adventures!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Kathleen is the Wordsmith at ZenART, resident artist and art editor. When God sent a shower of talents, Kathleen made sure she got a basketful of them! She's a visual artist with practical knowledge on various fields from painting and sculpture, to costume and set design which comes in very handy when writing about various art techniques and theories. She also shares her passion for the arts through teaching. She runs her own brand of handmade wirework jewelry designs.
]]>Well, we’re here to spill the secrets. But there’s a catch.
To get better at drawing, you need to put the work in—every day if you must. Think of your artist as an athlete. To play and win the game, you need practice, exercise, and a creative regimen.
So if you want to improve your drawing skills, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some secret tricks to creating great drawings every time!
Ever given up on a work in progress that didn’t meet your expectations? Ever screwed up, thrown in the towel, and just sighed out in defeat, “I can’t draw anymore!”
Look, you’re not alone. Drawing is hard. Rather, it’s hard work.
It’s hard because you need to put in the work and take your time. Drawing is a learning process—and that means learning techniques and learning to be patient with yourself.
The truth is, drawing and creativity are skills.
Anyone can draw. Anyone can learn how to draw. Some people just pick up the skill faster than others.
Many artists started with no talent but a whole lot of conviction. People like Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Paul Gauguin started painting late and faced much rejection by both peers and critics.
Don’t get stuck relying on natural talent. It can only get you so far. A consistent drawing practice will take you from novice to maestro.
Another roadblock every artist must blast through is the fear of failure.
There’ll be lots of it. And that’s okay. It’s all part of the process.
It’s tempting to give up early. But being bad at something is the best—if not only—way to get better at it. It doesn’t matter if your first drawing turns out bad or good. It matters more that you come out on the other side, closer to your creative goals.
You can always do better in other drawings. Always speak kind words to your budding artist.
To get better at drawing, you need to practice drawing. The fastest way to improve is to keep at it every day.
Put in the work. Unlearn perfectionism. Establish a drawing habit. And don’t be afraid to draw things using different techniques.
Even avant-garde artists learned the classic style of drawing before developing their unique style.
They learned from the greats before developing their own techniques. That’s pure creativity. You can’t free dive if you can’t swim. You can’t break the rules if you don’t know them.
Here are some essential drawing skills you need to know before you draw like a pro.
Art and science aren’t so different. Remember your geometry lessons. We all started with lines and simple shapes before progressing to geometric forms.
These are the basic building blocks of any drawing. Any and every scene or complex subject can be broken down into smaller shapes, a series of lines, and three-dimensional forms.
To get a bit technical, here’s what those terms all mean.
Understanding tonal values helps you capture light when you draw.
Values show how light or dark an object is. You can measure this on a tonal scale—with white being the highest value and black being the lowest. The difference between light and dark tones is called contrast.
It’s easier to understand this concept when drawing still life. Practice by drawing and shading simple objects or geometric forms with a light source.
To make a cohesive and masterful drawing, you should know how to compose one. A good composition understands space and dimensions.
Perspective is how you present your point of view on the page. There are a few ways to do this.
Proportion is how you shape your understanding of dimension and size. You need to know this to start accurately drawing people. Proportion also refers to how one element’s size relates to another.
Understanding the proportion of the human body is essential to the study of basic anatomy—and vice versa. Of course, if you’d rather draw anime-style, you can always exaggerate body proportions.
Pablo Picasso's famous line drawing of his muse, Françoise Gilot
Like an athlete, an artist must train every day. With that logic, you need to warm up first.
Start with simple line drawings before starting on a more complex drawing.
Try out continuous line drawing or contour drawing. Pick a subject within your current line of sight. Now start drawing. Try not to lift your pen or pencil off the paper. This isn’t meant to be perfect.
This exercise helps you to better observe, understand, and finally interpret your subject on paper. The result: a perfectly imperfect, modern-looking illustration.
Reminiscent of Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso’s work, don’t you think?
I drew a mug in my B6 Artist's Sketchbook two ways: (Left) using one continuous line, and (Right) with more attention to detail and the subject.
Here’s the most important drawing skill you need to make the most realistic drawings.
To master drawing, you must master observing. Drawing requires hand-eye coordination. Truly look at your subject. Trace it with your eyes.
This trick separates a beginner from a pro. Your eyes will show you the nuances, kinks, and details that your mind hides from you. An object isn’t always that simple. But it can be broken down into simpler shapes and lines and forms.
Drawing people is hard, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. You just have to build up the body in layers.
Start with a skeletal stick figure based on the pose you want to draw. Then flesh it out with geometric shapes and forms—cylinders for limbs, rectangles for the torso, a combined circle and cone for the head. Finally, outline and draw in the details.
This trick comes in handy when you’re figure drawing—that is, the art of drawing a person in various poses. Often, artists get stuck trying to draw as close to human anatomy as possible.
One approach is to sketch different parts of the body alongside your figure. Draw them separately and repetitively. Draw hands in different poses. Draw faces in varying expressions and angles. Just keep an eye out for proportion when you bring the whole body together.
We’ve got more on-hand art lessons you can tune into like how to draw a basic portrait, a face at ¾ view, as well as hands and feet.
It’s much easier to enjoy drawing if you’re not taking yourself too seriously. Approach drawing as if it were a playdate with yourself.
Set your studio up for success. Bring out your fave coffee cup and mix a nice drink to keep you energized while you draw. Light up a scented candle to get you in the zone. Put on some music and dance on the page.
Don’t be afraid to draw outside the box. Experiment with different drawing tools. Make a mess if you must.
Creativity is an artist at play.
The fastest way to get better at drawing is to maintain a drawing routine. Entice yourself to draw daily by carrying a sketchbook with you everywhere you go. Draw just a few lines or shapes a day.
We suggest getting a smaller sketchbook for on-the-go drawing. Here’s a guide to finding the best sketchbooks for artists.
Draw from real life by immersing yourself in it.
Take your drawing pad or sketchbook out on a date. Try out travel sketching. Bring your camera with you so you can take reference photos to draw when you get home.
Practice on a park bench and sketch out the landscape before you. If you work in a high-rise office, that’s a fantastic vantage point to draw city scenes from—during one of your lunch or coffee breaks of course.
It’s okay to look at other people’s drawings for inspiration.
A good artist copies; a great artist steals.
That doesn’t mean you can plagiarize a work. You can’t find your own style if you’re totally emulating someone else’s. Collect and select elements from multiple sources of inspiration. Say, a Pinterest board full of reference photos, favorite artworks, and handy tutorials.
Use your creativity and imagination to combine all these influences to draw something unique. Something you can call your own.
If you still feel like you need to learn how to draw, then why not be taught how to draw?
Go to some of your local art shops or a nearby community college and see if they’re offering art and drawing lessons. A quick Google search around your area may even reveal some live drawing sessions that’ll help refine your skills.
Check out communities online or on Facebook, too. Many of them offer free art classes that you can attend live or take in your own time. Plus, you get to connect with other like-minded artists and find accountability buddies!
Come draw with us every week in our online artist community. Take part in weekly live drawing classes with our resident art teachers and make a few friends along the way!
The secret trick if you want to become a better artist? Don’t stop drawing. Do it little by little, day by day, line by line.
When it comes to improving your drawing skills—or any creative endeavor—you gotta learn to rest, not quit.
We hope this was a helpful article for you to read! Love drawing but feel like you don’t know how? Just read our Toolkit section on the ZenART blog!
- MEET THE AUTHOR-
Belle O. Mapa is a writer and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She believes that everyone is born with an inner creative spirit—we just need to nurture and discover it on the blank page. Currently, she lives out her passion: writing stories, hosting journaling workshops, and advocating for mental health awareness.
]]>Cats are one of the most popular animal subjects people love to draw or paint. And no wonder, they just seem so enigmatic and graceful to me no matter the pose. And of course, they’re awfully cute, too. So let’s tackle how to draw a cat so you can get to paint a clowder of them if you want to!
Watercolor of a cat's face painted using colors from the Sorriso Palette on a 6x8 in cold-pressed watercolor paper cut from a sheet of a bigger Watercolor Pad (12x16 in). Brushes used are #5 Round brush from the Turner Collection and a 0/2 Round brush from the Fine Line brush set. All from ZenART Supplies.
Cats are much simpler because their basic structure is generally the same across many cats. Whether they’re domesticated house cats or wild cats, big or small, you’ll be able to use the same process to draw them all. Even their movements are very similar to each other.
Cats’ bodies are longer than they are taller. Drawing a relaxed standing cat will help you visualize this and here’s a photo of a beautiful grey Egyptian Mau cat that’s perfect for this exercise.
Nothing can be simpler than starting with a simple geometric shape, it will be a square or a rectangle that’s almost square! Then, draw a horizontal line across the center dividing it equally.
Split the top half into two again and extend the outline a little bit beyond the original rectangle. A cat’s shoulder’s point (and many other animals as well) lines up with the middle dividing line that we just previously drew across the body. It extends out from the body, is very visible, and is right above the front toes below when in a full standing position with the front feet together. This is the knob at the end of the humerus bone that connects to the shoulder.
The shape of the legs are in a zig-zag form - more obvious for the back legs than the front legs when the cat is standing still. But with the cat that we’re studying for this exercise, one front leg is bent and in mid-step while the other is straight and firmly touching the ground. The legs nearest to us are drawn in yellow below while the ones away from us are in red.
For the neck, imagine a cylindrical shape that tapers slightly as it connects to the base of the head. Depending on whether the head is facing forward, at an angle downward, or even fully down - simply adjust the direction of the neck. Start from the tip of the triangle where the shoulder point is. Below you’ll see two different head positions to help you better understand this. Then, add the ears and the basic head shape. Finally, add the tail and just like the head, adjust the position as needed.
Now, you can start refining using the guide lines and shapes that you created. Connect and trace the different parts together to create a whole. Add the eye, the actual shape of the ears, the nose, the softly rounded paws, and the whiskers, too!
Draw lightly so that you can easily adjust and render in the areas where the fur is longer and more visible in fine linear strokes.
Here’s the line drawing overlapped with the photo so you can see how it was broken down into the step-by-step guide.
But what about cats that are in more obvious motion? Here’s another step-by-step guide on how you can draw them easily and more accurately.
Let’s start with a simple walking motion. And let’s strip the cat down to its skeleton to see the most basic. Here’s what we’ll be working with:
Start by identifying the head — space-wise on your sketchbook or paper — and the position it holds. Use a circle and a conical shape together to create the basic head shape. Then, add the ribcage. Keep in mind its distance from the head is not too far.
Next, draw in the shape of the spine. This will easily change depending on the cat’s position. But for this exercise, it’s a very long S-shape that starts from the base of the head to the base of the tail. Adding the shape of the spine helps a lot in visualizing the form of the cat for various positions.
I use the same technique for quickly sketching people as well. Lines for the bones and small circles for the joints. This can be easily adjusted into any position, just follow the angle of the limbs as needed. I started with a slightly bigger circle for the shoulder point and the hips which will be where the limbs will spring from.
Lastly, mark the neck’s girth and add the tail. From here you can start piecing your various pieces together and finalize your simple cat sketch or drawing.
Here are a few quick sketches of cats in motion that I did in my B5 Artist’s Sketchbook using the techniques I shared with you above.
Quick sketches of cats in motion on my B5 Artist’s Sketchbook. I first plotted out their positions and rough sketched the full form, then used a 0.5 drawing pen to finalize the drawing.
Now that we’ve gone through the step of how to draw a cat’s body, let’s dive into the face next.
Here’s a perfect reference to use as the cat’s face is looking head-on straight at us.
Start by drawing an oval shape, not too long of an oval mind you (1). Then, divide it into four equal parts using a cross-section (2).
Divide the bottom section into three equal parts, I used two short lines to quickly mark them (3). Using the upper short line as a guide, add another smaller oval shape that ends a little below the bigger oval shape (4). This will be the cat’s snout area.
Draw two arches above the middle horizontal line that taper and lead downwards towards the lower short line (5). They will be the upper lines of the eyes. Next, add the lower lines of the eyes. Start with V-shapes for the inner corners and curve them upwards to connect to the ends of the previously drawn arches.
Don’t forget to add the pupils, how small or big they are will depend on the lighting conditions and their moods (6). The eyes should come out almond-shaped and tilted at an angle with the outer corners higher than the inner. For a successful cat sketch, eyes are a big portion of the final look. So, take your time and try to get them as right as you can.
Draw the nose right under the bottom short blue line (7). Here’s a close-up of the step-by-step of drawing the cat’s nose. Two low connecting hills for the top (red), a V-shape with curling ends (orange), a vertical line that divides the tip of the V, and shadowing for the nostrils.
Finally, add the upper mouth opening using two connecting wide U-shapes (8). Use the bottom point of the nose as the starting point and curve downwards below the bigger oval but still within the smaller oval.
Use the section where the middle line (turquoise) intersects the inner arches of the eyes as the starting point. Imagine a line curving upwards and outwards. They will guide you to the ear placements and the curves (9). Then, add the outer areas of the ears. Observe that this will not be one straight line, the bottom parts of the ears have small pockets (10).
Add tiny dots, they are the roots of the whiskers (11). These are fairly visible even with long-haired cats. But make sure not to draw them too dark unless the cat you’re trying to draw has really dark spots.
Now you can add the whiskers springing forth from the spots you’ve already got in place. Most cats will have 12 whiskers on each cheek, usually placed four in a row.
Below are four different ways of adding the halo of hair/fur around a cat’s face.
Cats with no hair will have quite visible cheekbones and jawlines. Short-haired ones will have short hair following the two oval shapes and fur on the ears. Cats with medium hair will have them a little outside the oval shapes and also fur on the ears. A bit fluffier top-of-head hair as well. And for long-haired cats, imagine a beard springing from the ovals shapes. Longer ear and head hair, too.
And that’s how you can do a cat face sketch quite easily. If you’re drawing a kitten, the eyes will be bigger and much rounder, and the snout much shorter.
Here’s the quick final sketch I made using the cat in the reference photo shown above.
And here’s a close-up of the watercolor version of it that I painted. I made use of my 0/2 Round brush from the Fine Line set to paint in very fine strokes to suggest hair, and for the long and ultra-thin whiskers as well. You can use masking fluid to preserve the whiteness of the paper for the whiskers. Or like me, you can use white gouache and paint it on top of the other finished layers as a final step.
I hope you found this step-by-step guide on how to draw a cat helpful and easy to follow. Just keep drawing them and you’ll find yourself getting better and better at simplifying and breaking down their forms. Remember, anything that seems too complicated can always be broken down into smaller and simpler parts.
Have you tried drawing a cat before? What do you find harder to draw, the body or the face? What other animals would you like to learn how to draw? I would love to hear your thoughts, so do let me know in the comments below! Join our friendly art community Painting Inspiration Daily on Facebook. You can share your art and ideas, watch LIVE tutorials, and be inspired to paint!
Meanwhile, have fun with your cat sketches, drawings, and paintings!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Kathleen is the Wordsmith at ZenART, resident artist and art editor. When God sent a shower of talents, Kathleen made sure she got a basketful of them! She's a visual artist with practical knowledge on various fields from painting and sculpture, to costume and set design which comes in very handy when writing about various art techniques and theories. She also shares her passion for the arts through teaching. She runs her own brand of handmade wirework jewelry designs.
]]>“There is always one action you can take for your creativity daily.” - Julia Cameron
If you want to get better at drawing, you’ve got to keep at it every day. Your magnum opus won’t create itself. Your impeccable drawing skills won’t manifest overnight.
Drawing is an essential activity for every artist. It’s fine if you’ve fallen out of the habit. Just like riding a bike, you never forget—just get back up there.
If you’re reading this, it’s a sign that you’d like to improve your drawing practice. You probably just don’t know how, yet. If it’s a lack of skill, we’ve got a ton of tutorials for you to check out. If it’s a discipline thing, well, keep on reading!
Yes, 100 percent. The more you draw, the better you get.
If an athlete must train daily, so too must an artist draw daily.
Practice makes perfect, right? Though we’d argue that it’s better to practice for progress over perfection. Trust the process.
So train your creative brain with a daily drawing practice. But remember, rest and recovery are part of the process. Don’t overdraw or overwork your drawings. Don’t draw to the point of burning out or giving up. Also, you don’t have to finish every drawing in one sitting. Take a break and come back to it the next day.
It’s okay to draw daily, but don’t push yourself too hard. Especially when your artwork no longer sparks joy.
Back to the athlete analogy. Getting fit is a daily choice, but you don’t just head to the gym and heavy lift every day—your muscles will atrophy! I know an artist who drew so much in one day that they got injured.
Take care of yourself.
Refill your creative energy between drawing exercises. Find inspiration outdoors or at a nearby gallery. Watch a calming video or old movie. Check out art tutorials or those draw with me videos—there are tons of those you can search for on YouTube.
You’d be surprised. Drawing has many benefits for your mental and physical well-being. Psychologists have been studying the effects of art as therapy for ages. Drawing, in particular, doesn’t just enhance creative and communication skills. It also reduces stress and anxiety, develops mindfulness, enhances cognitive function, and boosts self-esteem.
Drawing every single day establishes a routine. It’s quite literally an exercise—only it’s your inner creative spirit getting fit and healthy each day.
And also, you get to have fun on the page.
Of course, it’s easier said than done. So how do you draw consistently every single day? By setting limits and boundaries. More on that below!
Honestly, as many as you can without hurting yourself or your work.
It depends on how much time you can afford, too. What’s your daily and weekly schedule like? Where can you carve out time in your day for drawing?
At the beginning of your artist’s journey, it’s good to draw at the same time every day. Easier to establish a creative routine that way. You’ll notice it gets harder to weasel out of this creative activity if your body clock says it’s time for art.
Just ten minutes a day for a year. Watch and wait for beautiful results.
So start with ten or twenty minutes. If you truly want to get into that meditative, flow-like state, draw for at least two hours a day. Nothing beats the feeling of getting lost in your own drawing.
Commit yourself to your drawing journey. Trick your brain into welcoming a daily drawing routine with a little dopamine hit. So head to an art supply shop for some new tools! Use good drawing tools that make art exciting for you.
New tools needn’t come at an extra cost. You can draw beautifully with materials that don’t break the bank. For starters, here are some basic drawing and sketching tools you’ll need.
Those pencils with different grades: 2H, H, F, HB, 2B, etc.
For reference, H means hard, B means blackness, and F means fine. The higher the number, the harder, blacker, or finer the pencil.
You don’t need every graphite grade in your arsenal. Just a handful—I currently have B, HB, 6B, and 8B in heavy rotation. You could also just use a regular school pencil.
They’re not just for coloring in what you draw. Here’s something I learned from illustrators and animators: Red and blue pencils are amazing for under-sketching.
The red and blue tones aren’t as light-reflective as graphite pencils and they help you distinguish layers and details in your sketch. You can also isolate a red and blue under-sketch if you decide to scan your work.
Essential for line work. You could use a gel or ballpoint pen, just make sure it’s smudge-proof.
Want something foolproof? Go for technical pens a.k.a. fine liners or drawing pens. Most already have permanent, waterproof, and archival ink. Like graphite pencils, they come in many sizes and tones—black, gray, sepia, red, and more.
Fountain pens are another versatile and economical drawing tool. You can refill them with whatever color ink you like and switch out the nibs.
Erasers aren’t just for fixing mistakes, they also help you create highlights. Use a kneaded eraser to blend, soften, or add diffused highlights to your drawing. For precise correcting or highlighting, a mechanical eraser pen will be your new bestie.
The paper you use affects what you draw. Again, it’s a preference thing. Some like it toothy, others like it smoother. For archival quality, only get acid-free paper.
For starters, a basic sketchbook works just fine. If you’re going to draw and add color, get a sketchbook that’s compatible with the ink and media you use.
Easier said than done, but first, release your fear of the blank page. Then release your perfectionist tendencies.
“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt,” says poet Sylvia Plath.
The fastest way to get better at drawing is to keep at it every day. Regardless of how you feel or fear about your own work.
Don’t give up just because you doubt yourself. And don’t compare your practice work to other artists’ final work.
Remember you and your drawings are works in progress.
You’re bound to stumble through a daily drawing habit at some point. It’s important to have systems in place at the beginning to help you focus and stay motivated.
So add drawing into your routine and schedule.
Take stock of your regular day. When can you squeeze in some sketching? Are you more energized to draw in the morning, around lunch, in the afternoon, or in the evening?
Already into bullet journaling? Make a drawing tracker in your bullet journal! Create little sections in your bullet journal where you can draw and doodle a few lines a day.
Get yourself a sketchbook you’re sure to use every day. If it helps, start small. Your brain will naturally want to fill up the whole page. A smaller B6 sketchbook is the perfect size for daily drawings! You could also use a larger size and divide the pages into smaller spaces.
Not sure where to start? We’ve got a guide to choosing the perfect sketchbook for artists.
Now make drawing every day a smart goal. Set realistic standards that you can achieve on time.
You’ve already made plans and set a schedule. Now time yourself so you don’t overdo your drawings.
As we mentioned earlier, you can draw for as little as twenty minutes or as many hours as you want.
But you can burn out if you draw too much. And you can get bored if you draw too little.
I find that if I’m drawing the same eye for over one hour, I probably need to call it a day and move on to either another drawing or artistic activity. And if I’ve only been drawing for five minutes I feel shortchanged and need to add some time. My perfect time limit is 30 to 45 minutes. See what works for you.
Just like in sports, you can’t run right into a daily drawing marathon. You’ve got to warm up first. Unless you’re already a maestro at art, you can’t expect a masterpiece at the first line. Don’t go straight into the main drawing without warming up your hands. Stretch those muscles—literally and figuratively.
Casual drawing in the morning can be meditative and energizing! Try following our guide to sketching for beginners and warm up with simple lines, shapes, and shading techniques.
I’m a big believer in creative meditation. Surrealists pioneered this method of artmaking. In particular, Joan Miro was one of the first to practice automatic drawing. He would enter an almost trance-like state and just allow his subconscious mind to move his hand and freely draw or paint over paper or canvas.
So here’s a fun surrealist drawing exercise! Put on some music and let chance and happenstance dictate what you draw. Just hover your pen or pencil over the page and let your hand randomly move. Just dance on the page. There’s no thought, no rhyme or reason to it. You’ll be surprised by the results!
A fun and easy drawing idea that yields beautiful results over time. Trust the process and enjoy your progress. Plus, this is a sure way to get in the zen zone.
For the planner and bullet journal junkies, you can fill up any blank spots in your monthly logs this way. I teach this exercise in my self-care journaling workshops, too. Fill those daily boxes with a different pattern every day. After a month, you’ll have created a whole quilt or mosaic of pattern drawings!
It’s almost impossible to run out of ideas with this exercise. Just look at the world around you. Spot any repeating motifs in your surroundings. Best done in nature!
If you’re stuck in your search for inspiration, just draw what’s right in front of you.
Make a drawing exercise out of it. Get out in the world with your sketchbook and find something to draw.
Look and really look at your subject. Then train your mind’s eye to see it as a combination of smaller shapes, curves, and lines. You’re visually deconstructing the subject so you can easier reconstruct it on the page. You get a more accurate and realistic drawing that way.
Drawing what your eyes see instead of what your mind thinks it sees. Learn to be an observer and you’ll become a better artist.
When you want to focus on finer details and precise lighting for your drawings, it helps to take or find a reference photo. There are loads of them on Pinterest. You can also rely on stock photography websites.
It’s not stealing or cheating to use reference photos. Many artists rely on stock photos of models to draw portraits. Animators draw their backgrounds and scenery from real-life photos all the time. Just remember that the photo is for inspiration, not copying.
When all else fails and you feel like you’re not learning or making any progress, it’s okay to ask for help. Take a drawing class, whether virtual or in person. There are loads of online classes on drawing these days. For instance, we’ve got an easy tutorial on charcoal drawing right here!
Having a drawing teacher is great for increasing your skill and getting constructive feedback on your work. It's also the fastest way to learn and get a better idea of how to draw properly.
Step out of your comfort zone and try to draw something new! Want in on regular art classes at no extra cost? We've got live drawing and painting tutorials plus video replays you can watch. So come visit our ZenART online community!
If you like the content you’re currently viewing, you’ll love our previously published blogs on drawing, journaling, and painting. Find new ideas and exciting ways to fill up your sketchbooks in our Toolkit section on the ZenART blog!
- MEET THE AUTHOR-
Belle O. Mapa is a writer and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She believes that everyone is born with an inner creative spirit—we just need to nurture and discover it on the blank page. Currently, she lives out her passion: writing stories, hosting journaling workshops, and advocating for mental health awareness.
]]>No other way but to try them all!
The fun part about bullet journaling, or the part that really gets your motivation going, is picking out a bullet journal to baptize next. I remember getting my very first bullet journal at a bookstore and rushing home to get started immediately on my bullet journal journey.
Several years and many tried and tested bullet journal notebooks later and I still don’t think I’ve found The One. But if anything, I’m better at discerning quality even if I’m just viewing a dotted journal online.
Here are some tips from a seasoned bullet journalist on how to find the best bullet journal notebook for you!
TL;DR: The one you’ll use.
We’re here to give advice and suggestions on bullet journal features to look out for. Though, if you’re picking your first bullet journal, we have a solid recommendation below. Spoiler: It’s the ZenART journal.
You don’t need to get the official bullet journal notebook to start bullet journaling yourself. Personally, I’d choose a stylish notebook I know I’ll use regularly.
Go for acid-free, premium thick paper. And make your life easier with a bullet journal with numbered pages.
For beginners, I recommend dot grid pages over square grid pages—it’ll make your bullet journaling setup easier and more organized.
The best bullet journals are the ones that are completely tailored to your needs. It’s up to your own personal preference, but here are some features you’ll come across.
How can you tell a good bullet journal from a bad one? Develop a preference and eye for quality in the following factors:
Nobody wants their bullet journal pages falling apart so easily. Know your options for bullet journal binding, know what they look like, and see if the option you’re eyeing fits the bill.
Overall my fave pick from the lot. These are journals with pages sewn together in sections and then glued to a cover. These journals are durable and look high-quality. Though they can be heavy and pricy.
These journals are bound by pasting sections of pages to cardstock or laminated cover. Also known as soft cover paperback binding.
Economic, quick, and common. Pages are stacked and then sewn or stapled together at certain points down the page. It’ll surely lay flat but overall, it feels cheap, flimsy, and a little less durable.
Same binding method as above. However, the threading runs down the whole spine. The firm, threaded binding ensures pages don’t tear or fly right out of your journal.
Overall, the best journals I’ve used are case-bound. It just depends on your preference if you’d like said case to be a hard cover or a more flexible soft cover.
Once you’ve picked binding type, it’s time to choose between soft cover vs. hardcover notebooks. If you like bullet journaling on the go, a hardcover journal can be bulky and heavy. Soft covers offer you better portability and flexibility—easier to lay flat this way.
Then, of course, you ought to choose a bullet journal in a color or design you like. Trust me, you’ll use it more.
I learned this the hard way. Thick paper doesn’t always equate to good-quality paper.
Don’t close the deal at paper thickness. Instead, aim for future inkproof paper and high ink compatibility. That way, your bullet journal can better handle any kind of pen you throw at it.
Make sure to look for acid-free paper. Your journal pages will last longer and keep a better archival quality—you know, for looking back a few years down the line.
Also, look at paper weight. For starters, don’t settle for anything less than 120 gsm. If you’re fond of fountain pens, aim for ultra-smooth, ink-proof paper. This is some seriously premium paper, in my opinion. By ink-proof, it means your pens or markers won’t smudge, ghost, bleed, or feather.
Ah, yes, the age-old debate amongst bullet journalists. What kind of layout would you like for your pages?
Purists will swear by dot grid paper. It’s minimal. In a good bullet journal, the dots should be printed lightly. Just enough to guide your eyes along gridlines. Not too dark to obstruct your page entirely. The traditional bullet journal setup by Ryder Carroll uses dotted pages.
Fans of traveler’s notebooks and more minimalist Japanese stationery (me), vote square grid. Personally, I like a faint square grid. Barely there. I love the straight lines. Others may find this structure too rigid, too evocative of high school math classes maybe.
If you write more than you draw, doodle, or dot your pages, you may prefer ruled journals. Not the most popular choice—you’re deprived of vertical gridlines. But ruled pages are definitely better for longhand note-taking. However, there are ruled notebooks and journals out there with subtle lines at the top and bottom of the page where you can form a vertical grid. They’re mostly Japan-made.
Finally, blank pages. Not for the faint of heart. Great for the artistically inclined. I’ve seen painters and illustrators use blank bullet journal notebooks. It’s easier to plan freehand and doodle or paint around your more planner-y pages.
These little tidbits aren’t deal breakers but are nice to have nonetheless. It shows how much detail went into the brand’s design process when creating its line of bullet journals.
Elastic closure. For keeping your bullet journals closed, neat, and tight. No ephemera fallout here. Can also work as a makeshift pen holder.
Key code page. You could manually create your own key code on the first page of your bullet journal. But for beginners or people getting used to the system, it’s nice to have a premade key code page as a guideline.
Inner pocket. A must-have for hoarders (like me). Great for storing stickers, receipts, loose notes, and memorabilia. For the obsessively organized, a pocket at the back of your journal is a handy spot for a mini ruler.
Pen holder or pen loop. You could DIY or buy, or you could just get a bullet journal with a pen holder built in already. Handy for travelers, so your pen and journal are always at the same place at the same time.
Ribbon bookmark. Better than a cardstock bookmark or sticky tab. Bonus points if your bullet journal has two of these. A must-have for keeping your last page saved and ready for next use.
Pen test page. Not all bullet journals have this. It’s more of a bullet journal spread idea. Pretty straightforward: a log for testing pens to see if there’s ghosting or bleeding.
Built-in index pages. This blank table at the start of your bullet journal will be its backbone. Never lose a page or note again. Never forget to use your index pages.
Numbered pages. Because going through your bullet journal pages and numbering them individually is a pain.
The one that makes note-taking and bullet journaling most comfortable for you. Try out different sizes of bullet journals to find the one that you prefer most.
It’s usually up to your lifestyle. Some people in the bullet journal community swear by A5 size. Others opt for bigger bullet journals.
The best bullet journals are also the ones that invite you to use them. So if I were you, go grab the prettiest design.
And there’s no other way to go than the ZenART Dotted Journal (wink, wink).
If you ask me, it’s the official notebook to beat all notebooks! Mindfully designed without scrimping on premium paper quality. Truly, one of the only notebooks with the highest quality writing paper I’ve seen, at a solid price point.
This here is literally a multi-faceted journal. From the get-go, you have a color selection that’s vibrant whilst being easy on the eyes. Now turn the dotted journal to the side and you’ll find its page edges printed with Japanese-inspired patterns.
ZenART has bullet journals in several colorways: Turquoise with kitsune edging, Vermillion Orange with sea wave edging; Zesty Lime with crane edging; French Rose with chidori edging; and Lavender Blue with dragonfly edging.
Its lay-flat binding makes bullet journaling and note-taking easy even on the go. The elastic closure band keeps your journal shut and safe. Here’s one stylish notebook you can bring anywhere.
Did we mention it’s a vegan leather cover?
The design alone is what sets this one apart from most other bullet journals. Talk about modern and zen!
The printed edges don’t even seep into the paper inside. I love the look of these dotted, numbered pages on ivory paper. It doesn’t glare at you.
This bullet journal notebook ticks off all the boxes for me. Acid-free paper, dotted and pre-numbered pages, plus index pages at the start of the bullet journal. It has not just one ribbon bookmark but two—in colors that match your bullet journal’s design.
Also guaranteed friendly toward fountain pens. See my handy pen test page for proof.
It also has an expandable inner pocket. In it, I’ve placed the complimentary archival sticker labels that come with the bullet journal.
Do you like your bullet journals with blank, lined, or dotted paper? Have you tried out our journals or sketchbooks previously? What do you think about them?
If not, time to overcome your fear of blank pages with us here on ZenART! Find the best bullet journal notebooks you’ll ever use at a solid price in our shop.
What would you like to read from us next? Stay tuned to our blog, and keep reading our Toolkit section for more art guides!
- MEET THE AUTHOR-
Belle O. Mapa is a writer and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She believes that everyone is born with an inner creative spirit—we just need to nurture and discover it on the blank page. Currently, she lives out her passion: writing stories, hosting journaling workshops, and advocating for mental health awareness.
]]>What they don’t know is that your watercolor painting experience is only as good as your supplies. Not all brushes are made for watercolor. And not all brushes marketed for watercolor will work for your style.
A bad brush will shed and lose shape after only a few uses. The worse ones start to look and feel like an old toothbrush after one stroke. That’s why it pays to invest in good quality watercolor supplies.
Building a brush collection isn’t hard. Nor should it be excessively pricey. You just need to learn what counts as good quality. Here’s a quick guide to choosing the best quality brush for watercolor painting.
Good watercolor brushes will last you decades if you care for them well. And they should still hold their shape and point even after repeated use.
The best way to evaluate watercolor brushes is, well, to test them with watercolors. Most stores won’t allow you to do that, though. The next option is to rely on how they feel: sturdy, balanced, soft, and snappy.
If you’re shopping online, research and reviews are key. There’s more to choosing the right watercolor brush than knowing what it’s made of. You should also know how it works.
The main focus should be its head or its bristles. Are the hairs soft? Do they snap back into place when bent and released? What kind of hairs are used?
Here’s what characteristics to look out for:
Watercolor brush bristles are like sponges. How much water and pigment can they hold? Consider the hair type and how big the brush’s belly is.
The fine tip or shape of a brush helps spread pigment on paper. Even while wet, a watercolor brush should still be able to hold its point once you set a stroke upon the paper.
This is how well the watercolors flow from the brush’s tip. Test out a brush by putting down a long stroke of color. Is the pigment steadily and evenly dispersed or does it dump all out?
Do the bristles “snap” back into place quickly after being bent at an angle? When wet, how stiff is the brush on the page—does it “spring” back into shape? These qualities factor into how well the brush can be controlled on the page.
Brushes for thicker paints like oil and acrylic will have longer handles, making them easier to use when standing before an easel. Watercolor brushes will have shorter handles since the medium is more often used up-close and on a flat, horizontal surface.
Brush handles are made from plastic, various types of wood, or metal. Wooden brush handles can be varnished, unvarnished, or raw. Don’t go for brushes with raw or untreated wood if you’re working with watercolors. These are more absorbent and quite literally go bad. The best watercolor brushes have handles dipped in multiple coats of varnish to protect the wood from wear and tear.
A ferrule is that metal part connecting the brush hairs to the handle. It shouldn’t feel loose or wobbly. Look at the crimping or the part where the metal is fastened to the handle. You should see a dip in the metal. Is the ferrule securely compressed into the handle?
Some paintbrush manufacturers simply attach the head with glue and leave the crimping as a mere decorative step. I’ve noticed these brushes fall apart faster.
Most artists tend to base their brush-buying decisions and reviews on their art style and art experience. Many swear by kolinsky sable hair for its softness, absorbency, and snap. Does hair type matter when choosing a watercolor brush? Absolutely.
Your choice here boils down to natural hairs, synthetic hairs, or a combination of both.
The best brushes have pointed bristles and finer tips. For this reason, natural hairs are the best choice. The good ones like sable or squirrel are absorbent and snappy! With recent innovations in brushmaking, however, there are synthetic brushes that even mimic the qualities of natural bristles.
These are the most common types of brush hairs you’ll come across.
The most premium and most expensive type of watercolor brush. They’re pricy because kolinsky sable hair is so high in demand. The bristles are taken from the tails of weasels that are native to Siberia and northeastern China. These super soft and super absorbent brushes have thick bellies, hold fine points, and are extremely resilient.
A cheaper alternative to kolinsky sable brushes. It’s just as good in quality and performance—highly absorbent, soft, and springy.
What it lacks in its snap, it makes up for in its water-holding capacity. Its fine points make it ideal for detail work, while its absorbency is perfect for washes.
Taken from the ears of cattle, ox brushes are a bit stiffer but strong and snappy. These brushes don’t come to a good enough fine point so they’re best for flats or painting textures.
Best if you’re getting an oriental style brush—the ones used in Chinese painting or calligraphy. Not so springy but good for soft blending.
Mostly used in scholastic watercolor brushes for kids. Camel hair brushes are cheaper to manufacture. I wouldn’t recommend this since it’s neither strong nor snappy, making for an inferior brush.
These brushes have synthetic fibres made of nylon, polyester, or a combination of both. They point well but are sometimes not as fine as squirrel or sable hair. Synthetic brushes can be absorbent but may risk dumping pigment too quickly. Still, they’re pretty snappy, strong, and much more long-lasting.
Today, more synthetic brushes are designed to perform as natural hairs do. So they’re still a solid option.
You don’t need all kinds of brushes, just a few good-quality ones to start. We recommend a good mix of basic brushes: round brushes, flat brushes, and a wash brush. Note that paintbrush sizes vary per manufacturer. For reference, you can check out our guide to ZenART brush sizes!
The most common and most versatile shape. With round brushes, you can achieve both broad strokes and finer details. Round brushes still come in different variations: thick or thin bellies, pointed or domed tips, and long or shorter bristles.
Another versatile must-have. Great for painting thick and thin straight lines as well as bold strokes. You can get a wider flat brush for larger washes or backgrounds. Other variations of flat brushes include the angled, dagger, filbert, and bright brush.
A round brush with long bristles and a sharp tip. Perfect for long, continuous lines and even calligraphy.
Usually a pointed round brush with short bristles and a short handle. These are essential for those who like to paint up-close and in heavy detail.
You’ll know it for its mop-like shape. It’s a large round with either a domed or soft pointed tip. Used for covering large areas with watercolor paint. A large cat’s tongue also makes for an excellent mop or wash brush.
Get more in-depth with all the brush shapes (and what they do) in our guide to the different types of paintbrushes.
Tailor your chosen brushes and art supplies to your painting style.
My recommendation? Start small and get to know your watercolor style before growing your collection of brushes. Don’t buy too many brushes or overly expensive brushes until you’ve been painting for a while. This way, you don’t waste your time or money on brushes that you won’t even paint with.
In the end, it’s about personal preference. That’s why it’s good to know your brush types and shapes before narrowing down your options to what sizes you need.
Below is my thought process when buying paintbrushes at the store:
Needless to say, paint within your means. But if you’ve got the funds to spare and are confident in your skills, by all means, grab the kolinsky sable brushes and paint like the superstar you are!
Still, an expensive brush isn’t always the better brush. However, really cheap brushes are just terrible to work with—they also don’t last that long. So unless you want to throw money away, don’t bother with the duds.
Natural hair brushes can cost more money. So if you’re a watercolor newbie, you can start with a handful of synthetic brushes. They’re affordable, durable, and pretty decent starter brushes. Once you figure out your style and preference, invest in better brushes from your wishlist.
Here’s where you assess a brush’s quality and longevity. Feel the different hair types with your hands to determine your preferred bristle type. Go back to what we said earlier about spring, snap, point, and capacity. Does the brush tip snap back or hold a good point? Do the bristles feel soft and springy or rough and brittle?
But brush hairs aren't the only part you need to pay attention to. How securely is the ferrule attached to the handle? Does the brush handle feel weighted or properly balanced? A brush works just like an extension of your arm. It should feel good, comfortable, and natural to hold.
Pick the brush shapes according to the style or techniques you want to achieve. For example, I’m a casual watercolorist and my style is abstract, meditative, soft, and expressive. I haven’t reached for an angled brush or fan brush in ages.
If you obsess over the fine details, grab a small round brush with a sharp point. Fancy painting broad strokes? Go for flat brushes. Grab some big round brushes if you need to paint large washes of color. Mop brushes work, too.
As a general rule, the larger your surface, the larger your brushes must be. Figure out the sizes you need for your work. You don’t need to get brushes in every size. Just the ones you need for the paper you prefer. You won’t need large wash brushes if you paint on postcard-sized watercolor pads.
If you’re painting safely from home or your art studio, you should be good to go with a standard set of watercolor brushes.
But do you love to travel journal or paint en plein air like the Impressionists? Regular paintbrushes with their long inflexible handles may prove to be too bulky or heavy.
You’ll be better equipped with small brushes you can easily pack up and stash away in a bag. There’s the ZenART Art Nomad brush set—four travel-friendly brushes just for watercolor. You can also grab a bunch of water brushes. These are watercolor brushes that store water in the handle.
You could buy synthetic brushes and natural hair brushes apiece or you could get them in pre-curated sets. It’s a much easier choice and, more often than not, a more affordable one.
That said, a substandard brush set still isn’t worth it in the long run. Do your research on brush makers and art brands. Invest in high-quality brushes! For instance, the watercolor brushes we have here on ZenART Supplies are handmade and carefully crafted by artisans—designed for artists and by artists.
Concerned with the ethics of buying a natural hair brush? Go for synthetic brushes! With today’s technology, synthetic hairs can easily replicate the characteristics of natural hairs. Our Black Tulip set does just that, mimicking the snap and control you get with sable hair. It’s a good brush set that covers the basics without breaking the bank.
Ready to paint watercolor like a pro? The ZenART Turner Collection, inspired by English Romantic painter and watercolorist JMW Turner, features an extensive range of brushes for all kinds of watercolor painting. They’re made with a combination of squirrel hair and synthetic brush hairs. Designed for watercolor paints, these brushes hold their shape even after painting for ages!
This one’s for detail-oriented artists. Good to use with watercolor paint and even acrylic, the Fine Line Set (coming back soon!) has all the different brushes you need for painting small details. Also, the handles are shaped and weighted for comfort and ease while painting.
Do you prefer natural hair or synthetic bristles when you paint with watercolors? Which shape do you reach for more: a round brush or a flat brush? Let us know in the comments below!
Need help along your watercolor journey? Next up on your reading list is: how to choose watercolor paints and then how to use watercolor paper.
Check out our stories in the Toolkit section of the ZenART blog, too. We’ve got guides on brush types, brush sizes, and more.
Happy painting!
- MEET THE AUTHOR-
Belle O. Mapa is a writer and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She believes that everyone is born with an inner creative spirit—we just need to nurture and discover it on the blank page. Currently, she lives out her passion: writing stories, hosting journaling workshops, and advocating for mental health awareness.
]]>Dogs are just the cutest and sweetest, aren’t they? I've been surrounded with dogs my whole life and I they're just the best part of my day. Maybe you have one that you’d like to draw or maybe you just want to draw dogs in general. I’ll show you how to draw a dog step-by-step: by drawing the whole body and then two different faces to help start you off.
As with drawing anything that seems challenging, breaking it down into simpler forms is always the key. Let’s start by drawing the full body.
A beagle drawn using the steps below and painted in watercolor on my B5 Artist’s Sketchbook. Colors used are from the Vista and Classico Palette, #5 round brush from the Turner Collection, and the #2 detail round brush from the Fine Line set, all from ZenART Supplies.
Dogs have been bred into all shapes and sizes. You’ll find dogs with long bodies, but short legs. Dogs with long legs and with proportional body lengths. There are also dogs with stout bodies and short legs, dogs with more muscled upper bodies, and so on. But they will all have a body, four legs, a neck, and a head.
Depending on which dog you’re going to draw, the step-by-step guide will show you how it can be easily adjusted to fit any dog. I find Jack Hamm’s teachings on how to draw animals very helpful, highly instructional, and very easy to understand and follow.
As children, we start by drawing people and animals in stick figures. Then we slowly add the form and identifying characteristics. We’ll do the same with the dog, based on a greyhound dog’s body type.
Draw a very simple stick figure of the dog viewed from the side. Circle for the head, then lines for the neck, body length, two legs (the other two will be added later), and the tail.
Add the spine from the base of the head to the tail. The spine is curved like a reverse S-shape, no animal will have a straight backbone when the head is up. The tail curve can be modified depending on what you plan to draw.
Draw an oval for the ribcage which usually takes up at least half of the body length and is the bulkiest part. It protrudes slightly beyond the front leg line and is angled towards the middle section. Then a cone-like shape with the tip cut off at an angle for the snout.
Add the bones that connect the spine to the legs, still just using simple lines (in orange above). The pelvic bone and the shoulder-blade when viewed from this angle slant down and outwards from the central area of the body.
And finally, we can add more detail to the structure of the legs. Both the front and back legs are broken into three lines. Most animals' forelegs are shorter than their back legs. The forelegs are quite close to following the previously drawn straight line and serve as the supporting pillars. They support a big chunk of the body’s weight as they are located nearer to the center than the back legs. Animals with bigger central areas usually have even shorter forelegs. While the back legs are angled and function as the animal’s “push-off” legs, much like springs.
Then, using the two legs already drawn as a guide, add the two other legs on the left side of the body that's away from you.
And now we can finally flesh out the dog’s body! Here’s more from Jack Hamm’s superb instructions that are really very useful for simplifying the animal into its various parts and is perfect for learning how to draw a dog.
And when put together, the various simplified parts form a basic whole animal. Each part can be easily modified for any animal. Some animals that have thick long fur/hair will have a body nearer to the oval shape. While other animals that have shorter fur/hair will have more defined torsos.
Legs can be made longer, shorter, thinner, or thicker. And the same with the neck and feet as well. The beauty of the basic simplified structure is that it gives you a solid starting point that you can easily modify to fit any animal.
Here are some drawings by Jack Hamm showing how his method works. As you can see, it can be used to draw all sorts of animals.
Using a mixture of the two ways of simplifying animals, or whichever one you prefer, we can now complete the dog. Here it is fully fleshed out.
It might seem to be a lot of steps on how to draw a dog’s body, but it’s worth it because you can also use the same steps for many other animals.
There are so many different kinds of dogs with different face types: long and short snouts, long and short ears, perky or droopy ears, big bulging eyes, wrinkly skin or not, and the list goes on. But the basic shapes are pretty easy to adjust depending on the dog face type that you need to draw. Here’s a dog with a medium length snout, long drooping ears, and beautiful soulful eyes to start off with.
Just like drawing a human face, we can create a gridline to guide us with the placement of the various features. And use basic lines and shapes to simplify the form before. Let’s start by drawing a circle for the head.
Let’s add a central vertical line to divide the face straight down the middle.
Now, let’s add two more lines on either side of the central line. They all have the same distance from each other.
Then a horizontal line dividing the center of the circle. We’ll be using these lines to guide us with the placement of the eyes, snout, nose, etc.
Draw in the snout shape below the horizontal center line. The snout shape, length, and size will vary depending on the dog you’re drawing.
We can now add the nose, right below the top line of the snout. This will also vary in shape and size. Then the eyes will be placed on top of the two lines on either side of the central vertical line. Sometimes it will be a bit in or out depending on the dog. But it will certainly be around that area. Start with just two small circles for the eyes, and just add the V-shapes to create the almond-like shape. Dogs’ eyes are much rounder than our eyes.
Draw in the shape of the snout connecting from the area between the two eyes down to the front snout shape already drawn earlier.
And finally, we can refine all the other details. Add the brow and under eye demarcations, the mouth opening, the shape of the head, and the ears. If the dog has long fur, the shape of the head will not be too defined. And the ears will greatly vary as there are so many different kinds of dog ear shapes.
Here’s a side-by-side look of the dog and the guide lines:
And here’s another dog with long perky ears, short fur, long and thicker snout. You can see that the placement of the snout is a bit down compared to the first dog. And the eyes are a bit smaller, this can be due to the bright sun that made the dog squint a little.
The face is more defined as the fur is quite short.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how you can draw a dog’s nose. Use it as your basic guide and make adjustments as needed. Bigger dogs will have bigger noses.
For the nose facing front, start with an axis to help you keep both sides symmetrical. Then start with the top part in a wide and short U-shape, curling inwards for the nostrils. And finally add the bottom part. Sometimes you can visibly see that there’s a line connecting the V (at the bottom) to the top of the mouth and sometimes not.
For the nose from the side, I like to start with a triangle to guide the placement and angle of the nose. Then a line starting from the top that gently curves down and slightly inwards towards the top of the mouth. Add the curve for the nostril and then fine fur at the bottom - you don’t see a defined line from this angle.
For the dog’s eyes, just a few easy steps as well. Again, some dogs will have more bulbous eyes than others. While most eyes have lids that cover the upper white outer area of the eyeball (sclera). Below are two eyes, one from the front (big, bulging eyes) and one viewed from the side.
Always start with the circle for the eyeball for any angle. Then add the shape of the lids and finally the pupils - much larger than ours. If the lighting is bright, the pupils will be smaller, and when it’s dark, they will be bigger. Adjust the size and shape of the lids depending on the dog, the angle, and the opening. Dogs squint too or sometimes have sleepy eyes.
And that’s how you can draw an easy dog face. Start with a face that’s head-on and get acquainted with the placement of the features and the different shapes and lengths. Then you can move on to slightly angled faces in the future.
The best way to learn is really to keep practicing. Your sketchbook will be your best friend for learning all the different drawing skills. Have one with you all the time so you can practice anywhere. You can take a walk outside and find different dogs to draw. It’s also great to learn from live subjects.
Practice dog drawings on a B5 Artist’s Sketchbook from ZenART Supplies.
I hope the step-by-step instructions above will help you learn how to draw a dog - any dog and all kinds of dogs! Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, you’ll learn from them, and you can always keep trying again. Just remember to try to visualize the basic shapes and forms first and you’ll find everything else will be much easier to add later on.
Here are our other drawing tutorials that you might find interesting as well:
How To Draw a Reindeer
Sketching Techniques for Beginners
How To Draw a Basic Portrait
How To Draw Feet Properly
How To Draw A ¾ View Face: Step-by-Step
What other animals have you drawn before? What other animals would you like us to show you how to draw? I would love to hear your thoughts, so do let me know in the comments below! Join our friendly art community Painting Inspiration Daily on Facebook. You can share your art and ideas, watch LIVE tutorials, and be inspired to paint!
Up next on our drawing tutorials - how to draw a cat! Meanwhile, have fun drawing dogs!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Kathleen is the Wordsmith at ZenART, resident artist and art editor. When God sent a shower of talents, Kathleen made sure she got a basketful of them! She's a visual artist with practical knowledge on various fields from painting and sculpture, to costume and set design which comes in very handy when writing about various art techniques and theories. She also shares her passion for the arts through teaching. She runs her own brand of handmade wirework jewelry designs.
]]>If you haven’t yet heard of the popular bullet journal—or “bujo” for short—you’re missing out. It’s a journaling style for creativity and organization that went viral in 2013. I’d like to think the dotted notebook became popular because of bullet journaling.
The bullet journal was created by Ryder Carroll to be an “analog method for the digital age.”
Now, more and more brands have popped up with dot grid journals. So you’re spoiled for choice. I’m currently quite fond of my ZenART bullet journal—more on that later.
Have you gotten in on the BuJo trend? If not, this is a sign to start your bullet journal journey. Here’s where to buy and how to pick the best bullet journals you’ll use!
But first, what’s a bullet journal anyway? Simply put, it’s like a diary, planner, notebook, and sketchbook all in one. The bullet journal method was created by Ryder Carroll to be a personal organization system all in one notebook.
Through bullet journaling, you can “track the past, organize the present, and plan for the future.”
Bullet journaling isn’t always about colorful layouts and drawings. When you get down to bullet journal basics, it’s really just a note-taking system using bullet points. A bullet journal is there for you to write diary entries, take note of everyday happenings, keep a to-do list, plan, calendar, and achieve both long and short-term goals.
The community of bullet journalists have contributed to the creative and organized system we know it to be today.
You’ve probably come across beautiful and artistic bullet journal spreads before on Instagram and Pinterest. But in truth, the best bullet journal style is the one that works for you. So it can be as minimal or as decorative as you like.
Again, the best bullet journal is the one that works for you. A dot grid notebook is the most solid choice since it makes setting up your new bullet journal much easier. But I’ve seen people use notebooks with lined or even blank pages.
My advice? Look for a notebook that you’ll write in. Find something that will make bullet journaling most enjoyable.
I never leave home without my bullet journal. So I prefer hardbound bullet journals since they’re sturdier. That or a thread-bound, soft-cover notebook—one that won’t fall apart at the seams so easily. I’m a leftie, so I avoid spiral notebooks like the plague. This is purely personal preference, though. If you like the feel of paperback notebooks, nobody’s stopping you!
Still, something about a dotted notebook with an elastic closure looks super sleek and inviting when on your desk. Choose a cover that appeals to your aesthetic.
Most people who bullet journal prefer dotted notebooks. The blank page is made less scary through squared or dotted pages. It’s also easier for your brain to figure out what kind of bullet journal layout you’ll do next.
The dot grid makes your notebook much more flexible. You have the subtle structure of both a horizontal and vertical guide. No wonky lines or messy indentations here!
I personally prefer a square grid over a dot grid layout. I write a lot and it looks more minimalistic. Again, go with your gut. What looks neater and more appealing to you?
Another thing that may affect your bullet journal buying decision is how many colors the notebook is available in. I’m not too particular about cover design. In fact, I prefer them plain. I just add stickers when I feel like customizing my notebook.
Needless to say, get a bullet journal in your favorite color. You’ll use it more.
Get yourself a dotted notebook with smooth, thick paper. Especially if you like to write with fountain pens and markers. If you’re working with paints, make sure the paper can take it. You’ll usually find the paper thickness on the packaging of your bullet journal, usually measured in gsm or grams per square meter. Thicker paper means less risk of ink bleed-through or ghosting.
Based on past experience, I wouldn’t go for anything below 120gsm. And make sure the pages are acid-free. You bullet journal will last longer.
I usually have a pen test page at the back of my journals to see what art supplies it can handle. Obviously, you can’t do this in-store, so another way to determine the paper quality of a bullet journal is to feel the paper. Does it have grit or tooth or is it smooth? Paper that has more texture or roughness best goes with a ballpoint or gel pen but is an absolute no-no for a fountain pen.
Can’t say this enough: pick notebooks that’ll work for you. Your chosen size depends on your lifestyle and art style.
The standard size of a bullet journal is A5. It’s not too big and not too small.
If you like to journal outdoors or travel often, you might enjoy a pocket notebook. If you’d rather plan, journal, and make art on ample page space, get an A4-size notebook.
For something in between, try B5 notebooks. I love this size since I love note-taking and doodling in the margins.
Here’s where I like to get choosy when picking the perfect notebook. It’s all in the little details.
Of course, go for the affordable option. Bullet journaling to me is an investment, but good quality needn't come at a high price point. Have a shortlist of bullet journals you’d like to buy, compare prices and features, and then make your choice.
You can find bullet journals almost everywhere these days. Shopping online has also made it easier and more convenient to get started on bullet journaling. Here's where to go to get your first or next bullet journal!
Shopping for a journal at a bookstore is a way for creative bookworms to hit two birds with one stone. I often spend hours lost at a book shop well after I’ve chosen a bullet journal to take home with me. A bookstore is a goldmine for spontaneous inspiration. You never know what you’ll find hidden on the shelves. I’ve seen (and done) bookshelf-inspired bullet journal spreads. My layout was inspired by a shelf in one particular bookstore I visited previously.
If you’re looking to start bullet journaling from scratch, make a pilgrimage to the art store. That’s your literal one-stop shop for all things journaling. You can find just about everything you need to start art or bullet journaling. Pick up some colorful pens and starter watercolor palettes while you’re at it.
I love getting bullet journal notebooks from stationery shops as well because most shop attendants know what they’re talking about and know how to give excellent recommendations for your next art haul.
Another fave for many artists. On Amazon, you can find the best bullet journals the world has to offer. What’s great about this massive e-commerce platform is you can rely on user reviews to make a more informed decision. And you have all kinds of journals from name brands, small businesses, and the cheaper options in between.
This wouldn’t be a story on our blog without a little self-endorsement, right? If you fancy a quality bullet journal, grab one from our shop here on ZenART!
Don't go too far looking for your next journaling companion. We've got a bunch of artist and beginner-friendly notebooks and sketchbooks right here and at a great price.
For one, the ZenART dotted notebook was made just for artists and bullet journalists on the go. It’s a solid option for starters. As a seasoned bullet journalist myself, I’m loving this journal—I’ve even decorated it to suit my personality.
What I love most is the extra detail that went into making these bullet journals.
They say don’t judge a book—in this case, a bullet journal—by its cover, but the ZenART dotted journal looks impressive at first glance. There are five color options so there’s a dotted notebook for every personality. Then take a look at the side. There’s an elegant Japanese pattern along the edges.
The notebook has a light dot grid to help you stay organized. It’s easy to customize and adapt the bullet journal method in your own way. With 120gsm ivory pages and premium thick paper, you can even do a light wash of watercolor in this journal! The smooth, acid-free paper is fountain pen friendly, too.
Some other handy little features you’ll love: Four index pages, numbered pages, a roomy back pocket, an elastic band, and two ribbon bookmarks.
Don’t wait, shop here and now on ZenART!
Hope this helped you get started on your BuJo journey! Let us know how you like to bullet journal—and how long you’ve been at it. What paper do you prefer? Are you a fan of blank, lined, or dotted notebooks?
Want more bullet journaling guides? Check out our blog’s Toolkit section for more tips. Tell us what you think of our journals or show us what you've created by joining our ZenART community. See ya online!
- MEET THE AUTHOR-
Belle O. Mapa is a writer and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She believes that everyone is born with an inner creative spirit—we just need to nurture and discover it on the blank page. Currently, she lives out her passion: writing stories, hosting journaling workshops, and advocating for mental health awareness.
]]>You’re ready to try out oils but just looking at the plethora of seemingly endless oil painting supplies that you need to get makes it all a daunting task. Don’t be discouraged, you don’t need all of them especially if you’re just starting out.
Let me guide you through the basic supplies you need that will be more than enough for a seamless painting experience.
ZenART’s co-founder, Ardak Kassenova, painting vibrant flowers on a stretched canvas mounted on a french easel and with her handy trolley on the side for extra surface and storage.
When I was in art school, it was a mix of emotions when it was time to study oil painting. I was both excited and dreading it, it just seemed too complicated and it looked like I had to buy a lot of materials. But you really don’t, there are just a lot of options available. I’ll go through them just so you can understand how to make your choices by the end of this article.
My art teacher for example gave us a list of the things we needed and it wasn’t a long list at all. Just a handful of oil paint colors, a few brushes, a medium, soap for cleaning, other supplies easily found at home, and materials to make our own stretchers. We had to learn how to make one ourselves and stretch our own canvases. But don’t worry, you won’t have to do your own stretching here!
If you’re like me and have this preconceived notion of oil painting as too fussy or complex, then dread no more. Let’s start off our list with the very first thing you need for any painting — some paint.
Of course, the first thing you need will be your oil paints. And you don’t have to get the most expensive ones when you’re still trying to find out if this is something you will enjoy long term. But don’t get the cheapest ones either because you will never be able to appreciate the magic of painting with oils.
You also don’t need a mountain of colors. Here’s a handy guide for the basic oil paint colors you need and the advantages of learning to work with a limited palette as a beginner.
The Essential Palette from ZenART Supplies has all the fundamental colors you need to mix a multitude of other colors. For limited palettes, you’ll need two sets of each primary color – a cool and a warm red, blue, and yellow. White is a must-have and black is useful for deepening your colors.
Tip: You’ll be using your white more than your other colors, so definitely get more than one tube. You’ll often use it for tinting your color mixtures.
Our Box of Whites contains three different whites. It’s a set specifically created for the various color-mixings you need to do. Titanium White is more on the opaque side, while Zinc-Titanium has more translucency, and Naples Yellow is perfect for mixing when you want a warmer tint.
You can always add more colors to your essential colors depending on what you find will be useful to have around. This will depend greatly on what you discover you like to paint more. Will it be landscapes? Still-life? Portraits?
There are also oil paint sets curated specifically for specific painting styles like the Impressionist and Portrait Palettes from ZenART.
This set contains colors inspired by the color palettes of the Impressionists. Eight beautiful and vibrant jewel-like colors: Titanium White, Lemon Yellow, Indian Yellow, Rubine Red, Dioxazine Purple, Viridian, Ultramarine Blue, Prussian Blue.
Oil paint brushes featured are from ZenART Supplies’ Renoir Collection.
And this set has been specially curated for those who like to paint portraits and people as their main subjects. You’ll find all of the earthy and warm colors that you’ll need to mix all the different skin tones: Zinc-Titanium White, Yellow Ochre, Vermillion, Naphthol Red, Chromium Oxide, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Raw Umber.
Oil paint brushes featured are from ZenART Supplies’ Renoir Collection.
There are also water-mixable oil paints available. This was developed specially for people who are allergic to solvents (mineral and vegetable) but still want to be able to take advantage of the handling qualities of painting in ‘oil’.
These paints dry faster than regular oil paints because of the added alkyd (synthetic resin) to the paint formulation. They behave just like the traditional oil paints, but the color selections are much more limited. They’re useful for underpainting as they have a quicker drying time. Don’t use them on top of the regular oil paints as the quick drying time might affect the overall stability of the layers.
They can be used to draw on the support, can also be thinned down with turpentine or mineral spirits, and can be blended by adding mediums to it just like regular oil paints from the tube. Though you will be limited as to how thick you can go with oil sticks compared to paint from tubes.
And now let’s head on to the next on our list of beginners supplies for oil painting.
Chungking hog and badger and synthetic mix oil paint brushes from the Turner Collection of ZenART Supplies.
To apply your oil paints, you will need some brushes. Just like with the paints, you don’t need to have a whole collection of dozens of brushes to start off.
Brushes come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, handle lengths, as well as the type of hair or bristles. The only way to find out which one suits your painting style best is to be able to try them all eventually. But to start out, it’s best to get a couple of flats in at least 3 different sizes and one or two rounds. And maybe it’s just me, but I suggest you also give Filbert brushes a whirl as they are my favorite! I find myself reaching for them a lot, A LOT.
Flat and filbert brushes are great for covering large areas. Round brushes are essential for the little details and fine lines. You don’t need to fill your oil painting supplies kit with too many that you might not even end up using so much.
The hair/bristle options are quite varied as well. There are natural hair brushes (hog, goat, badger, camel, and more), synthetic hair brushes (nylon), and brushes with natural and synthetic mixes. Natural hair brushes are favored for the effortless textural strokes that you can achieve with them. While synthetic brushes are often much cheaper than natural-haired ones.
Learn more about the different types of paint brushes so you’ll be better informed on which ones might be the best fit for you.
Here’s a great beginner set of 6 Filbert brushes that’s perfect for starting out. The perfect middle ground, a synthetic and natural hair mix.
A Badger and synthetic blend of brushes in sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12.
You can also go for a full and comprehensive set of brushes to cover all the painting styles and techniques that you’ll come across.
A 14-pc brush set mix of Chungking Hog brushes and Badger and synthetic mix brushes in various shapes and sizes. Plus a palette knife!
You can also use other tools besides your brushes for applying paint. The most commonly used one outside of brushes is the palette knife. Just like the brushes, it comes in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and makes.
Other tools used are as follows:
Basically, anything your mind can conjure can be used to add special textural effects. But just be careful when doing this. Make sure that what you use won’t fall apart on your work or leave any residue. To be on the safe side, stick to the usual suspects while you’re still getting the hang of things. Check out these different oil painting brush strokes and techniques that you can explore.
Your paints and brushes will need a surface for you to use them on. Next up on our oil painting supplies list for beginners: the different surfaces or supports you can use.
You’re in luck as there are so many kinds of surfaces that you can use for oils. Some you need to prepare before painting on them, while some already come pre-primed for your convenience. Having constructed a stretcher from scratch, stretching the canvas, and prepping it — I’m so grateful for having the option of buying them done and ready for painting. Though I usually check if I need to add another layer or two of gesso for the surface finish that I prefer to paint on.
Below are the usual surfaces that you’ll come across. I recommend the first three for beginners: canvas paper, canvas boards/panels, and pre-stretched + pre-primed canvases. They are the cheaper options and are good choices for beginners' supplies for oil painting. Too expensive materials can be restrictive if you're just at the exploratory stage. As a beginner, go for the ones that will allow you to keep painting and painting without heavily compromising on the quality. That is the best way to learn after all.
Canvas paper is thick paper with a surface texture similar to a cotton or linen canvas. It usually comes already primed so you can paint on it directly. This is great for creating studies and taking notes of your paintings’ compositions, colors you plan to use, or just for general painting practice. Keep in mind that it’s not suitable support for paintings that you want to last for a long time.
Canvas boards and panels are also cheap alternatives for beginners. They are boards or panels that have canvas stretched or glued over them. They are much cheaper and thinner than stretched canvases. I like to use them for small quick paintings and also for plein air painting as they’re not too bulky to pack and store.
Stretched canvases are easy to source and are relatively cheap, which is great for beginners. There are cotton canvases and linen ones, linen is pricier but considered to be stronger and of better quality. Most of the ones you see at the store come pre-primed, ready for immediate use. Though some stores also carry the option of unprimed ones for those who prefer to prime them themselves.
There are different weaves (which also contribute to the grain: fine, medium, or coarse), weights, and sizes that you can choose from. And make sure to check how it was stretched so you can choose which one you prefer. Some are stretched and stapled on the side and others are stapled at the back. The thickness of the stretching bars also differs. Deep edge canvases have deeper sides that you can also paint on and generally don’t need to be framed – but still can be if preferred. While thinner-edged canvases are more traditional and are much easier to frame.
Unstretched and primed canvases are quite handy to have around as well. I have one in a roll and I use it for studies, painting exercises, and when I’m teaching my art classes. You can cut it down to whatever different sizes you need.
Wood is also a favorite with artists as it has a much smoother surface and feels very solid under the brush. It’s a fantastic surface to paint on when you’re working with a lot of fine details. You’ll need to size and prime the wood before you paint on it if it isn’t yet.
Canvas stretched over wood is another that I’ve been trying out lately. This is great if you like to paint on a canvas textured surface but want the stiffness of the wood for that extra rigid support.
There are other surfaces that you can paint on such as metal and glass, but for now, the ones above are more than enough. The most important thing to remember is that your support must be sized and primed before you paint on it. Otherwise, the oils will seep into the material of the support and cause it to rot. And it will cause the paint on the surface to be brittle and very possibly flake over time.
I also encourage you to start small and try to get acquainted with the medium first. Eventually, you can decide if you want to go bigger or maybe even smaller.
Now you’ve got the three: oil paints, brushes, and supports. But painting will be no fun if you don’t do any color mixing, and for that, you need a palette!
There’s one more oil painting supply you’ll find to be quite essential. Before reaching the canvas, the paint usually goes through your palette. It is where all the color mixing, exploring, and the fun starts! There are many different kinds of palettes that you can choose from. To be honest, I started with cheap party plates as a student – I’m super thrifty like that back then.
You’ll find they come in wood, glass, plastic, and tear-off ones as well. I have all of those, but my favorites are my tempered glass and tear-off palettes because I’m lazy with clean-ups. The tear-off ones are for when I’m really extra lazy. While the tempered glass one is a superb surface for mixing because of its super smooth surface and is quite a breeze to clean up as well. Mine has a grey backing that I like and helps me visualize my color mixtures better. Though this can be on the heavy side and is best just staying put on the table.
Wood is very traditional and beautiful, and has withstood the test of time. It is strong but light enough to be held while painting compared to glass ones. You’ll just need to oil it out with linseed oil and let it dry or varnish it before using it. This is so the porous surface of the wood won’t absorb all the oil out of your paints and will also keep the paint from overly staining your palette.
Most store-bought canvases and other supports come pre-primed with gesso. But sometimes it needs an extra layer or two more to make sure it has perfectly sealed the canvas. Or if you want an even smoother finish to your support before you start painting on it. Lightly sand each layer after it has dried before adding a new layer if you want it to be nice and smooth. Nowadays, acrylic gesso is readily available in stores. If you’re going for the more traditional approach, then there are also oil-based gessos you can get.
I’m quite happy with using acrylic gesso as it allows me to use acrylic for my underpainting if I’m in a hurry for my first layers to quickly dry.
The next step is answering the question…
The answer is no, not really, you can do away with solvent altogether if you don’t want to use it. There are also eco-friendly alternatives nowadays that you can use. You can use your oil paints straight from the tube and that’s perfectly okay.
I personally only use one kind of solvent, OMS (odorless mineral spirits). I sometimes use it for thinning the paint for my first layer. But usually, it’s more often used for my second step in cleaning my brushes. The thing to remember about solvents is that even the odorless ones still emit fumes – they’re just odorless. I always have mine sealed in a jar and only open it when I need to use it.
ZenART’s co-founder, Ardak Kassenova, recommends the Zest-it Dilutant and Brush Cleaner and the Bristle Magic Brush cleaner for more eco-friendly options.
You can also clean your brushes without using any kind of solvent. Wipe off as much paint as you can on your rag or paper, swish and rinse in oil (I usually use linseed), wipe off again as much as you can, and finally use a brush cleaning soap for a thorough cleaning. Here’s an in-depth guide on how to clean oil paint brushes.
Besides solvents, there are other mediums you can use with your oil paints to manipulate their characteristics. Let’s go briefly over them below just so you’ll have a general idea of them.
As I mentioned earlier, oil paints can be used on their own straight from the tube. But there are ways to alter the consistency of the paint if needed. Mediums can be mixed with your paint to make them more transparent, thicker, or to hasten drying time.
Oil paints already come with a mix of oil, hence the name. The most commonly used is linseed oil which dries quicker compared to other oils but tends to slightly yellow over time. White and other delicate colors are sometimes made with poppy or safflower oil. They don’t yellow as much as linseed oil, but dry much slower.
Painting mediums already come in a ready-mixed form that may contain a mixture of various oils, drying agents, or waxes. The type of mediums you need will depend on the finish that you’re looking for.
I personally just use a handful at the moment and find them more than enough for my needs. I use Liquin for the first few thinner layers as it makes the paint dry faster. I also have an alkyd gel medium for when I need a thicker and more textured look. For oils, I use linseed oil, refined linseed oil, and walnut oil. Linseed for the darker colors and walnut oil for the whites and other lighter colors.
I hardly use my solvent, except for the first two layers where I need very thinned out paint for the initial staining of the canvas or for sketching and blocking in my composition. For your beginners supplies for oil painting, you can start with just having one of the oils. Then you can slowly try out the others just to see if you want to add them to your painting process in the future.
Here’s a handy oil painting mixing guide to help you understand the oil painting process much better. Find out what ‘fat over lean’ means and other useful information.
I find that they are quite useful to have around. You’ll definitely need somewhere to wipe off excess paint. Or to wipe off as much paint as you can when switching to a different color or before cleaning your brushes after painting.
Oil paint brushes from the Turner Collection, ZenART Supplies.
You’ll easily have any of these at home. Just cut up any old t-shirt or clothing and you’ll have instant rags.
I have a few metal clip-on pots that are fairly inexpensive to get at the store. I like the small size and the fact that I can clip them on my palette. But you can re-use the jars that you already have at home. My favorites are the jam jars as they are just the perfect size for me to store my solvent in and the lid screws on well enough to keep the fumes in.
If you want to stay away from solvents, having a good brush cleaning soap is a must for deep cleaning your brushes after a painting session. Between painting sessions I just rinse off my brushes in my odorless mineral spirits or my jar of linseed oil. And I leave it at that if I know I’m going to paint again in the next few days.
But if you won’t be painting for quite a while, it’s best to give your brushes some good deep cleaning. And a brush cleaning soap or any other mild soap is the best for me. It can really get a lot more paint out than you thought it would. This way, your brushes won’t stiffen from the leftover stuck paint in between the bristles. And you’ll get to use them for much, much longer.
Don’t forget to check out our step-by-step guide on how to clean oil paint brushes.
This is optional at the start of things but you will find having one helpful over time. I started by just propping my canvas against the wall, but eventually got an easel for a more secure hold and the more convenient adjustments I can make with the height and angles. And since oil takes time to dry, you do want stability so your painting won’t accidentally fall over and get ruined.
The type of easel you get will again depend on the size you like to paint and the location. My first easel was a french easel as I can use it at home and bring it to another location as well if needed. There are many kinds of easels to choose from: table top, studio, and field easels. Here are my three most used below:
Table top easels are usually smaller and portable and are placed on top of a table. They are perfect for those who like to paint sitting down and for painting smaller works. Studio easels come in a variety of sizes and styles and are the best for medium to big-sized works. While field easels are designed to be collapsible and extremely portable, allowing them to be brought on location for plein air painting and such.
A very versatile option as you can open it fully or keep the legs tucked in and place on top of the table. It’s perfect for plein air painting as it has a built in storage for the painting implements you need to bring and usually comes with a detachable shoulder strap. The regular size can be a bit on the bulky and heavy side, but there are smaller and narrower sized options as well.
These are perfect if you’re painting smaller sized works and prefer to paint on the table. They are also very affordable and some even come with storage.
Very compact, portable and can be easily stored. It can be used sitting down or standing up when painting outdoors or at home. A popular choice with beginner artists as it’s also cheaper compared to other easels. You can also find aluminum versions of this if you want to have an even lighter one.
These are not for bringing along and mainly stay in the studio. They can handle small to large sized works and are the most stable for heavier supports, especially the H Frames. Some are even convertible and can be adjusted to lie horizontally if needed.
This is the one to have if you like to do plein air painting. It’s designed to be able to hold your support and some supplies. There are many different designs and it will all depend on the size you prefer as well as the extra accouterments. Below is ZenART’s co-founder, Ardak Kassenova’s very own awesome pochade box complete with panels that open into a brush holder and another side for extra surface.
Painting in oil can get a bit messy, I personally don’t mind it at all. It’s part and parcel of any sort of painting activity after all. But you can also avoid having all your clothes splattered and smeared with paint.
If you don’t want to have a closetful of paint-stained clothing, then you should probably wear an apron when painting. I myself just stick to my good old already-stained house clothes as I find it too hot to wear an extra layer of apron. But if you like to keep all your clothes pristine, then this can even be considered as one of the must-have oil painting supplies for beginners.
With all the different oil painting supplies and whatnots, you’ll need an extra surface near you to have them within easy reach while painting. I find that rolling carts, trolleys, and small side tables with storage or shelving are very convenient. To be able to easily move them to where you want is essential. My painting process varies and sometimes I start out standing, then sitting or vice versa. And I move my easel here and there, so it’s important that I can move my cart easily as well. I also don’t always hold my palette, half the time it’s resting on my side cart.
It also makes it easier to organize your supplies and have a more seamless painting process. Not having to look for where things are every time you need them is a relief. And having a dedicated surface for them means you don’t have to pack up and clear the space for other uses.
You don’t “have to” varnish your oil painting once it’s finished. It’s not necessarily on the list of must-have oil painting supplies for beginners. But varnishing it gives your painting a non-porous layer of protection so dust and grime won’t settle on the actual paint that is porous. Varnishing also helps give your painting a more unified finish. Modern varnishes are especially created to be a protective top layer that can be removed (by an expert) for cleaning and have a new layer applied. Through the years it will accumulate dirt and the color may change as well.
Traditional old school varnish is hard to come by these days, but there are modern ones available that mimic the effect like the dammar varnish. Some painters like to mix this in with their oil for the final glazing layers. There are many kinds of varnishes available in either liquid or aerosol form nowadays. You can also choose the type of finish: matte, satin, or gloss. The choice is yours depending on your own personal preference. Gloss is the most popular choice for those who want to give their paintings an added depth and color saturation.
Before you can varnish a painting, it must be dry. With a lot of varnishes, it must be dry and cured or at the very least hard to the touch (for the very thick applications). Paintings can take as short as two weeks to as long as 2 years to dry. This will all depend on the colors you used (some colors dry longer than others) and the thickness of your applications. I’m quite impatient so I use a specific varnish (Gamvar) that allows me to apply it as long as the painting is dry to the touch and thick layers are firm enough when pressed. It’s formulated in a way that allows the layers below to still dry even with the already varnish on top.
And that’s it for my oil painting supplies list for beginners. All the other extra things like special brush holders, paint organizers, etc. can come later if you decide you want to have them as well. But really you can repurpose a lot of things around the house for such purposes. The four most important supplies will always be your oil paints, oil paint brushes, supports, and palette. So don’t stress about all the other extras and optional supplies. You’ll get to them in due time once you feel the urgent need to have them.
Oil paints from the Essential Palette and the #4 Filbert Badger-Synthetic mix brush from the Artist’s Choice brush set.
I hope this helps you sort out the essential supplies you need to start out. Once you’ve compiled them and find yourself at a loss for what to paint, here are some oil painting ideas for beginners and beyond for you to check out.
Have you tried oil painting before? What made you decide to try out painting in oil? Are you looking for something in particular that we haven’t covered yet? I would love to hear your thoughts, so do let me know in the comments below! Join our friendly art community Painting Inspiration Daily on Facebook. You can share your art and ideas, watch LIVE tutorials, and be inspired to paint!
Have fun compiling your beginners supplies for oil painting and good luck on the start of your oil painting journey!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Kathleen is the Wordsmith at ZenART, resident artist and art editor. When God sent a shower of talents, Kathleen made sure she got a basketful of them! She's a visual artist with practical knowledge on various fields from painting and sculpture, to costume and set design which comes in very handy when writing about various art techniques and theories. She also shares her passion for the arts through teaching. She runs her own brand of handmade wirework jewelry designs.
]]>Drawing is the most essential skill that any artist should possess and continue to hone. And it makes it even easier to do so because all you really need is a pencil and your paper to start off. As a child, I started drawing with my school pencils and used them from basic sketching to more complex shading later on. But I felt limited and always wondered how the other drawings I saw achieved their darkest darks. The not so secret answer was they were charcoal drawings, of course.
I was about 12 when I was introduced to the 6B graphite pencil and needless to say, I loved it so much! A few months later, I started exploring sketching and drawing with charcoal. And it was a whole new experience yet again. I can even go darker and now I can blend using different tools.
Graduating from the basic school pencil to charcoal was a very rewarding experience.
A charcoal drawing is a drawing made using charcoal as the medium, usually applied on paper as the surface. Charcoal can be bought in various kinds, forms, and hardness. There are also various ways of using them, either on their own or with the help of other drawing implements.
Yes, it definitely is. Charcoal lends well to expressive strokes and applications. Since charcoal is on the powdery side, similar to chalk pastels, I find it especially useful for doing easy smudging techniques here and there even with just my bare fingers. The softer willow and vine charcoal is especially suitable for quick sketching.
Before I discuss the techniques, let me go through the types of charcoal and the tools you need for drawing in charcoal. Knowing these will help you better understand and use the techniques that I’ll be showing later.
Willow and vine charcoal are on the softer side and can easily snap or be crushed if you apply too much pressure on them. They look like long and thin sticks and are very light that if you blow hard enough, your stick will roll off your table.
Being very soft and light, they are perfect for those quick charcoal drawings or sketching. For more detailed works, they are best used for lighter applications. It will be very difficult to get a deep, dark shade using them.
Compressed charcoal is powdered charcoal that has been compressed into round or square sticks by mixing the powder with a gum binder. The hardness will depend on the amount of binder used. This is the kind of charcoal used in charcoal pencils.
Because this type can be very hard, it’s quite useful for drawing in fine details. Especially with the pencil ones, that you can really sharpen to as fine a point as you want to.
Powdered charcoal is exactly its name – in a fine powder form. It’s perfect for soft, subtle layering. You can use it to cover large areas of your surface for a light tone, then use erasers to lift off the charcoal in the areas where you want highlights. To apply it, you will need to use a paintbrush or a piece of cloth. This comes in a container and can be quite expensive.
*You’ll also find tinted charcoal available in pencil and compressed stick forms, and powder form. And I just recently discovered that there’s also a paint palette option, but I haven't had the chance to try it out yet.
Here they are applied on ZenART’s B5 Artist’s Sketchbook, side by side for a quick comparison.
Vine charcoal glides very easily and smoothly across the paper, the texture it leaves behind is also on the softer side. But as you can see, the darkest it can go is a deep gray. It’s perfect for mid-dark to very light values. No matter how hard you press you won’t be able to accidentally do dark shading.
The compressed charcoal in pencil form and chunky round stick gives you the blackest of blacks. It can also be rendered, blended, or smudged into the lighter values. Because they are harder than the willow and vine sticks, you can sharpen them to fine points or edges in the case of the round stick. Which then allows you to draw in fine details and textures as darkly or lightly as you want.
With powdered charcoal, the application is obviously quite limited. But it’ll give you the smoothest of all applications if that’s what you need or are going for. It’s all a matter of preference at this point. Personally, I hardly use this as I prefer to draw more textured charcoal drawings with visible strokes.
The most commonly used support for charcoal is paper - toothy and thick paper is best. Charcoal needs a textured enough surface to adhere to and a thick enough paper that will take in several layers of charcoal. Good thick paper ensures that it won’t easily tear no matter the amount of pressure you apply. A sketchbook with thick enough paper is also good to have around for quick sketching and for doing studies.
The fun part is that there’s also toned paper if you want to explore working on paper that’s not white or ivory-colored. They are available in sheets or pad form. Below are just some of the colors that you can play around with, you’ll also find ones in earthen tones. The ones I most often use are white, cream, bluish gray, and black.
A Spotty Grey B6 Artist’s Sketchbook on top of an open B5 Artist’s Sketchbook, on top of multi-toned watercolor sheets.
Here’s a close-up of the texture, this paper is suitable for pastels, inks, and watercolor as well. This is the kind of paper and texture that I prefer to use for charcoal drawings. Many artists like using watercolor paper because of its thickness and texture.
Leftmost is ZenART’s B5 Artist’s Sketchbook, it looks much smoother next to the watercolor paper but actually has just the right amount of tooth for the quick charcoal drawing ideas that you want to record.
Watercolor pads are also quite convenient to have as you can easily bring them along with you if you want to use thicker and more textured paper compared to sketchpad paper.
ZenART’s watercolor pads/blocks in various sizes. They’re all made with 100% cotton, cold-pressed, and acid-free paper. Each pad comes with 20 sheets.
Of the two, the kneaded eraser is the must-have and is quite indispensable when creating charcoal drawings. I use it for subtracting charcoal from the surface, for lightening a too dark rendering and for easily creating highlights. And of course, for a fantastic clean up when needed.
The nice thing about a kneaded eraser is that it’s malleable like clay. But because it’s basically a rubber putty, it stretches and can be molded into any shape you want. I find myself therapeutically kneading it when drawing. Just stretch and knead it around to distribute the lifted charcoal to the whole eraser.
White vinyl or synthetic rubber erasers are great for any hard erasing and lifting you need to do. Just be careful as it can also accidentally smudge areas that you don’t mean to be so.
I’m sure you’ve seen them around, they’re white, round stumps with pointed tips and are usually made of rolled paper. A handy bunch to have around if you don’t like getting your fingers dirty by using them for blending. Use the stumps instead to blend out the marks you make with charcoal for soft textural effects.
You can also use them for pastels, pencils, and other drawing tools that are blendable. They come in a variety of sizes which is awesome. Whether you like to work with big or small charcoal drawings, you’re sure to find the sizes you need.
You can clean them by using your kneaded eraser or by ‘sharpening’ it across a sandpaper block.
This is another way of blending charcoal if you don’t want to dirty your hand. Just like the blending stump, use it to blend areas where you want to soften your charcoal marks. Simply wash it in warm, soapy water when it becomes too dirty to keep it nice and soft.
I just use a paper towel. But other artists prefer to use a chamois cloth (chamois leather) as it blends softly and subtly depending on how you use it. It also won’t leave any unwanted smudge marks that sometimes happen when using your fingers.
You’ll need to sharpen your charcoal — especially the pencils — every so often. A utility knife is best for this as you can control the length of the tip and how sharp you want it to be or not. You can also use it to shave off some charcoal from your compressed sticks if you need some powdered charcoal and don’t have store-bought ones around.
The thing about charcoal drawings is that they can be messy and they can be easily smudged. To avoid this, you can spray your work with a fixative. There are two kinds: a workable fixative and a permanent fixative. Workable means you can still work over the top of the sprayed layer of fixative. Meanwhile, permanent fixatives should only be used at the very end, much like adding varnish on a finished painting. Only apply this type if you’re absolutely sure you’re done with your drawing.
You don’t need to have all the different kinds of charcoal to start studying how to use it. When we learned it in school, we just used charcoal pencils. Then I eventually added compressed charcoal sticks to my kit for quicker and easier coverage over large areas when we started drawing bigger works. You can start with a pencil and start small, too.
And now you’re well prepared to take on the basic charcoal drawing techniques!
Just like when using a regular pencil, you start by sketching your main details in. You can plot out the main value changes with lightly sketched lines for added guidance. Below is a great place to start to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of charcoal.
Start by drawing a sphere, since it’s just a basic form, this will allow you to focus on getting the values right first and foremost. And the techniques you need to use to accomplish this.
First lightly sketch out the circle shape and the cast shadow. You don’t need to sketch much with this one.
Start with the mid values and work your way towards the darkest and the lightest, blending and layering where needed. It’s always much easier to add than to have to remove a much too dark application.
For the lighter values, lightly go over the area with your pencil and then softly smudge it with your preferred tool.
Keep layering and smudging until you reach the desired values. I like to lightly go over the smudge areas with my pencil to add a subtle texture — that’s my own preferred way of doing things. If you want to keep it all smooth, then just leave it at that blended stage.
Leave the darkest areas for when you’re certain of how dark you need to go. It’s quite hard to erase heavily applied and very dark charcoal markings. And your charcoal drawing will look dirty or messy if that happens.
Graphite pencils or pens are much harder which allows techniques such as stippling, hatching, and cross-hatching to be much finer when using them for shading or textural effects. Charcoal, being on the softer side, makes it more challenging to use those techniques. And the sharpness of your charcoal's tip will make a difference on the kinds of marks it'll make. You'll still be able to do them, don't worry! The effect is just very different. The easiest way to use charcoal is to blend, layer, and redact it.
If you found that too easy, then this next one might be more up your alley!
I’ve chosen a photo of a woman’s back with dramatic lighting for a nice contrast between the lightest and darkest values. Choosing subjects with a good range of values makes it easier to achieve very compelling results.
Just like with the sphere above, start by sketching out the form. Then identify the major value changes or differences, already marking where they are making for an easier workflow.
Start with the midtones just like before and again work your way towards the lightest and the darkest values. Work in sections so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Once you’ve added the darkest areas, you’ll be able to adjust all the other values if needed.
Here’s a time-lapse video of my charcoal drawing process so you can better understand my working flow:
You can find the reference photo I used here, if you’d like to give it a try. And here’s the final work:
Drawn on a 9 x 12 inch Watercolor pad/block from ZenART Supplies.
Here are a few that I hope will encourage you to draw with charcoal. There are so many subjects waiting for you to draw and explore. Something as simple as an egg can be quite interesting when properly lit and placed in a good composition.
“A Zandmennik house” by Vincent Van Gogh, 1879, charcoal on paper.
Why not draw cityscapes or landscapes? Or the view outside your window. It doesn’t need to be super detailed or hyper-realistic. Focus on the values and how they play against each other.
“An Elephant” by Rembrandt, 1637, charcoal on paper.
Animals also make for great drawing subjects, you can be more rough and visibly linear with your renderings just like Rembrandts’. This will help add texture or suggest movement to your animal drawings.
“Portrait of an Italian” by Edgar Degas, 1856, charcoal.
Charcoal is perfect for creating dramatic monochromatic portraits. You can really create a wonderful drawing by choosing to bathe your subject in dramatic lighting that’ll give you wonderful high-contrast values.
Remember, just keep drawing and practicing. The more often you do it, the more progress you’ll see in your charcoal drawing techniques. And all you need are just a few supplies to get starting! And don’t be afraid to get messy, drawing with charcoal is one beautiful mess of an experience.
If you’re looking to draw some portraits in charcoal but need more guidance with the proportions and such, check out our How To Draw a Basic Portrait and How To Draw ¾ View Face articles. You’ll find step-by-step guides to help you out.
Have you tried drawing with charcoal before? What did you find was the most challenging aspect of it? If it’s your first try, what are you thinking of drawing for your first time? Looking for a topic that we haven’t covered yet? Let me know in the comments below, I’m always looking forward to hearing back from you.
Join our friendly art community Painting Inspiration Daily on Facebook. You can share your art and ideas, watch LIVE tutorials, and be inspired to paint!
Have a fun drawing time!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Kathleen is the Wordsmith at ZenART, resident artist and art editor. When God sent a shower of talents, Kathleen made sure she got a basketful of them! She's a visual artist with practical knowledge on various fields from painting and sculpture, to costume and set design which comes in very handy when writing about various art techniques and theories. She also shares her passion for the arts through teaching. She runs her own brand of handmade wirework jewelry designs.
]]>Sure, taking photos and videos is quicker. But a travel sketchbook turns your experiences into tangible, lasting memories.
When you start to sketch your environment, you appreciate the little things. Things you would’ve missed if you just snapped a pic and moved on.
Keeping a travel journal may seem daunting for a beginner or casual artist. But it’s about the process, not perfection.
Next time you plan a trip, don’t forget to bring a pen and paper. With enough practice, your art and worldview will evolve. Here are some tips and ideas to get into travel sketching!
Simply put, travel sketching is the art of capturing a place through pen and paper. It’s a form of urban or nature sketching since it involves drawing on location. You can sketch anything you find on your trip: interesting buildings, verdant landscapes, lively crowds.
Through travel sketching, you hone your observation skills and see things from a new perspective. A travel sketch isn’t meant to be accurate. Just live in the moment and interpret what you see.
This type of sketching isn’t new. Many artists like Pablo Picasso, Georgia O’Keefe, Gustav Klimt, and Vincent Van Gogh were also travelers who used art to document places they’ve visited.
Upon the invention of the camera and the rise of social media, however, the travel sketchbook became a bit of a relic. Still, there are journal-keepers today who keep the art of travel sketching alive.
Pro-tip: Travel light. Only carry what you can. Be practical. Keep your art supplies relevant, multipurpose, and travel-friendly.
Don’t take your whole studio on a four-day trip. Bring what you can easily stash away in your bag.
If you’re flying, don’t bother bringing oil paints and aerosols. Liquid paints should remain at home, or in your check-in baggage if in small tubes. But trust me, you’re better off with markers and watercolors. Less mess.
Here’s what I usually carry in my travel sketching kit.
You can’t start a sketch without a pencil and pen. To keep things light and to avoid the mess of sharpening them, I opt for mechanical, retractable pencils.
I also like retractable erasers as they’re easy to carry and harder to lose than a regular or kneaded eraser. Still, you do you.
I bring a few archival ink drawing pens for outlining my sketches and writing in my travel journals. You can also use a brush pen for lettering.
Usually, I bring drawing pens in sizes 0.5, 0.3, and 0.1.
Bring pens that are waterproof and fade-resistant. They don’t smudge or bleed when you start coloring in your sketches.
To keep things neat and practical, get a set of brushes made for traveling. Grab a water brush—featured in our Sereno, Allegro, and Prezioso palettes—which stores water in the handle. Or you get our set of four expandable watercolor brushes, which come in a handy leather case.
Some traveling artists like to draw on large surfaces. Others prefer small sketchbooks. You do you, just make sure everything fits in your bag!
Recently I’ve found that a B6 sketchbook is my perfect size. It’s smaller than the A5 sketchbooks I’m used to but not as restrictive as an A6. We have a B6-sized sketchbook here on Zen Art Supplies that I never leave home without. You never know when inspiration will strike.
Designed for art-making on the go, this high-quality journal lays 180° flat. Its acid-free 120gsm pages can withstand ink and watercolor. The recycled leather cover is water-resistant and scratch-proof, with an elastic band to protect your drawings against the elements.
Palettes with dry pans of watercolor are part of my travel essentials. It’s the most practical art medium to take on trips, besides colored pencils and water-based brush pens. You only need the primary colors since it’s easy to mix and blend.
Here are suggestions from our shop for watercolor palettes to pack on your next trip!
No luggage room for an extensive set? The Zen Art Espresso palette is the way to go. This essential palette was curated for travel, with 12 vibrant hues of primary colors. You can even use the tin cover as a mixing space.
Though larger than a travel-sized palette, our warm-toned Allegro palette packs a serious punch. It’s a watercolor studio on the go! With 24 premixed half-pans, you’ve got a full range of colors for outdoor scenery. The palette side has a sponge for better water control. The cover side has ample space for mixing. It also comes with a water brush and flat brush.
Our Virtuoso watercolor palettes are professional-grade and non-toxic. The full range features 48 colors in movable half pans so you can mix and match according to your needs. We recommend the Moderno or Classico for your primary shades. Add the Vista set so you can paint evergreen landscapes and azure seascapes.
These miscellaneous art accessories always come in handy for me:
A mini ruler. Mine’s made of thin aluminum, easy to store in the inside pocket of your travel journal.
Mini scissors and glue tape. For sticking mementos and paraphernalia like tickets, postcards, and polaroids. Small scissors, no more than 4 inches long, will get through airport security.
Binder clip. I hate when I’m sketching and the wind blows my pages around. So I started bringing a binder clip, attached to the cover of my travel sketchbook.
Spray bottle or collapsible water cup. For watercolor on the go. I prefer spray bottles, stashed in my bag organizer. Easier to reactivate my paints when there’s no bathroom nearby.
Drawing on location is the most authentic way to travel sketch. All you need to do to begin is find a subject, any moment or landmark that catches your eye!
Start your sketch by very well getting lost. Walk and look around. Search for ideas in an unfamiliar environment.
Get a sense of your surroundings. What can you see, hear, smell, feel, or taste? What’s happening that interests you? Notice the little details. The people, their expressions, the colors of food, the curves and angles of a structure.
Frame your view. Find a good vantage point. And make sure you’re allowed to sit and sketch there.
One of the techniques you learn while sketching is how to see. We tend to draw based on how we think our subject should look. That’s where frustration arises. Instead, train your brain to break things down into lines and basic shapes instead of images.
Figure out your perspective, point of action, and items of interest. Build up your sketches in layers: background, middle ground, and foreground. Then add detail.
Trust the process and don’t worry about making mistakes. Leave the photorealism to picture-taking. Just have fun and do things in your style.
You may also create thumbnail sketches before your actual drawing.
I like to refine my pencil drawings before finalizing the sketch with my archival ink pens. If you’re working with watercolors, use a pen with waterproof ink.
You might even decide at this point to omit some objects or details. That’s okay! You don’t have to capture everything.
Coloring your travel sketch brings it alive. Your sketch begins to develop into a full image.
I usually do this back in the comfort of my hotel room. But a little plein air painting never hurts to exercise your creative muscles. The most practical medium for travel sketching, as I suggested, is watercolor. It’s easy to carry around and activate.
Pay attention to shadows and lighting. In a hurry? Just take reference images or note down the colors so you can go back in later. Here’s where brush pens come in handy, too.
Create a routine out of travel sketching when you go overseas or out of town. Free up your mornings or late afternoons to draw during the golden hour. And take your time. Unless you’ve got company, then take reference photos.
Here are some tips to make the most of your journey!
Art may be about breaking the rules, but that doesn’t mean you should on a trip abroad. Be mindful. Ask permission. Don’t upset the locals by disrespecting their culture and spaces.
For example, some areas like museums and landmarks don’t allow you to bring permanent writing or mark-making instruments due to the risk of vandalism. Sometimes you’ll want to sketch a curious-looking fellow, but they may not be comfortable. Keep a respectful distance from rituals and ceremonies. Some practices are so sacred that you’re not even allowed to document them.
Skip the tour guides who rush through tourist spots. Go on a self-guided tour. Or sketch during your waiting time. Take your travel sketchbook on a lunch or coffee date!
If you’re planning an itinerary, leave a whole day free. No planned trips or reservations. I relish free days because they encourage spontaneity. Free days are for getting lost or sitting somewhere to people-watch.
This is what completes your travel journal. Plaster your journal pages with postcards, travel tickets, cutouts from museum guides, labels, postcards, and polaroids—tangible records and memories of your trip. Traveling builds experience and sentiment. One day, you’ll look back on your journals with joy.
Some travel experiences can’t be captured in sketches and line drawings. Sometimes you need to write things down. The dialogue you found interesting. A snippet from history. Fun facts you learned from your tour guide.
How did your visit to a different country change your perspective? What does it feel like to see a wonder of the world? Is there a local artist, architect, or cultural figure whose life you’d like to read up on?
Once, I brought out a fountain pen to journal while in-flight. The air pressure caused the fluid ink to start bleeding out the nib. This also happens with certain markers.
Since then, I learned my lesson. It’s fine to keep a fountain pen in your carry-on, just don’t use it when up in the air.
As with any skill, you can’t get any better if you’re not doing anything. Travel sketches needn’t only happen on a trip abroad. Sketch a scene on your commute or the next time you take a walk in the park!
I’ve seen an artist so inspired by the moment, he used whatever was nearby and sketched on paper napkins. That’s why I never leave home without a pen and my journal.
This is your sign to hop on the next flight and take your inner artist on a trip somewhere!
Now we’d like to know: Where’s your dream destination? What art materials do you like to bring on your travels? Have you already started a travel sketching habit? Let us know in the comments below!
For more resources and help with art techniques, don’t forget to check out the Toolkit section in our blog!
- MEET THE AUTHOR-
Belle O. Mapa is a writer and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She believes that everyone is born with an inner creative spirit—we just need to nurture and discover it on the blank page. Currently, she lives out her passion: writing stories, hosting journaling workshops, and advocating for mental health awareness.
]]>But what if you have too much fun while painting? Trusting the process can get a bit too messy at times, even for an artist’s standards. We know how stressful cleaning up after art-making can get, especially when there’s paint everywhere that won’t come off easily.
That’s why we’ve made this guide to getting acrylic paint off just about every surface. Trust us, it can and will be washed off.
Creatives love acrylic paint for its versatility and it dries in minutes. When acrylic paint dries, it dries almost permanently. Which is both a charm and a disadvantage.
To get a bit technical, acrylic paint is water-based and composed of pigments that are suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion. It’s water-soluble in its liquid state and dries by evaporation. The water keeps the polymers dispersed in the paint’s fluid form. But when it evaporates, the acrylic polymer particles interact and form a film or coat on the painted surface. The pigments are essentially trapped on the surface unless otherwise activated by a solvent.
Unless you prep for longevity, nothing truly lasts forever, not even acrylic paint. Over time, exposure to the elements can wear and tear at the layers of paint you’ve worked so hard on.
But say you need to wash it off stat, don’t worry there’s a solution for everything!
Yes—and it’s easiest done while the paint is still wet.
If you’re dealing with paint that’s been dry for a while, however, it won’t be that easy. Your paint removal method depends on both the surface and the dryness of the acrylic paint.
So if you think you’ve ruined your artwork—or worse, your furniture—don’t lose hope. All you need are the right substances and materials, which you probably already have at home. And maybe a bit of elbow grease.
Here are your new best friends when it comes to cleaning up acrylic paint. We’ll walk you through how to use them, too, and on which surfaces.
Short answer: Yes.
When you’re painting, you really can’t help but get it on your person. Lefties know the struggle most. Paint can get all over our hands and arms. I’ve even gotten acrylic paint on my legs and feet before—don’t ask.
Luckily, paint only temporarily stains the skin. So if you’re with kids and using acrylic paint, you’ll be fine. Though, finger painting is all fun and games until someone thinks they can eat the color yellow. Supervision is key!
Now, if paint gets on your skin, a warm wash with soap will do the trick. In a pinch, you can also use some rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer. If you’re dealing with sensitive skin, warm water and a hypoallergenic soap or a gentle wipe of baby oil work too.
This is all fine and dandy if we’re dealing with human skin.
So what if your pet’s gotten itself into a sticky situation?
In the first place, maybe avoid painting with a pet roaming around. But if it can’t be helped—like in my case, I live in a studio apartment—always be vigilant.
Acrylic paint can be toxic to your furry friends! Especially if ingested. It can also dry and cake on their fur or in between their paw pads.
I live with a clingy cat who loves following me around, to the point that he’s fallen asleep on the very table I’m working on. Suffice to say, my furry little demon has gotten his tiny paws in my paint palettes before. This is why I have pet-friendly wet wipes at the ready. And treats to keep him away from my painting.
But if your pet decides to turn itself into a work of art to the point of no return, head to the bath ASAP. Your artwork can wait, but your pet may not. A quick bath with warm water and shampoo and a serious conversation about personal space should do the trick.
When painting, it’s about embracing the mess and letting creativity flow from there. But when acrylic paint gets on your clothes, it can get stressful thinking your garments are soiled for good. Many times, I’ve noticed a dried-up paint stain on my shirt way after I’m done working. But I don’t fret.
Acrylic paint, especially those with a washable formula, will come off easily in the wash. Though a detergent pen, wet wipes, or an instant stain remover are also good alternatives if you’re on the go. For foolproof paint stain removal, handwash your clothing first with warm water and detergent before sending it to the laundry bin. To prevent your clothes from staining, discoloring, or disintegrating, be gentle and don’t use a paint solvent.
For prevention, I can’t recommend an apron enough. It also gets you in the mood to create and work. much like how businessmen wear suits to the office, so too do artists don their art aprons!
Now, how about upholstery? Or carpets?
For a quick fix, dip a cotton bud or cotton ball in some alcohol or hand sanitizer. Dab—don’t rub!—til the paint lifts and disappears. Granted, these furniture fixes work so long as the paint hasn’t been dry for hours.
Make sure to use color-safe detergent or gentle soap to avoid damaging your fabrics. Vinegar is also another cost-effective and gentle solution.
To prevent further mishaps, avoid painting near couches and cushions, or on top of carpets. If unavoidable, cover vulnerable surfaces!
Many artists paint and work on wooden desks. You may already feel the frustration of seeing a paint stain on your workstation. Wood can be particularly tough to clean because it’s grainy and porous—acrylic paint easily absorbs and clings to those crevices in the wooden grain.
If you work on a desk made of finished wood, you’ll have an easier time wiping or scrubbing off paint.
By now, you’ll know that the best way to wash off acrylic paint is when it’s still wet. If this is the case with your wooden surface, grab a dishcloth and some soapy water and quickly get to work. Now if the paint’s dry, see if you can still soften it with the said soapy solution before scraping or wiping off. If this doesn’t work, try gently going at it with some rubbing alcohol.
Now if your paint stain is deeply lodged in the grain of the wood, you’ll need a stronger solution. You may opt to let the soap lather on the wood while repeatedly rubbing at it. A 15-minute soak in a few drops of olive oil may also soften the paint for easier scraping.
With wood, be extremely gentle to avoid scratching or damaging the finish or varnish.
If all else fails, you may need to use sandpaper. If you have one, a heat gun can also melt the paint so you can lift or scrape it off.
Absolutely. You’re better off scraping or peeling off the paint. Unless you’re using permanent acrylic paint specially formulated for industrial materials like glass, metal, or wood, you’ll be fine. Glass surfaces are some of the easiest to clean when paint gets on.
Glass isn’t porous nor is it grainy. So paint can’t absorb into it. Acrylic paint has a harder time sticking on glass permanently without a sealant. So even if the acrylic paint has been dry for days, you can get it off with minimal effort.
The best way to wash or wipe acrylic paint from glass is to use acetone or nail polish remover. The paint almost instantly dissolves so you can scrape it off with a razor, putty knife, or squeegee with no problem! You can also use the rough side of a dish sponge. Just soak it in water and dish soap. A few minutes of soaking the paint in alcohol can also help to loosen the paint from the glass for easy scrubbing or scraping.
The same method works on tiles, too. And that’s why I like using glass and porcelain when mixing acrylic paint.
Similar to glass, plastic is fairly easy to clean. The same goes for metals. Some of the best paint mixing palettes are made of plastic or metal for this reason. It’s quite easy and satisfying to peel off acrylic paint from plastic or metal.
If you’re dealing with paint on your plastic or metal furniture, you’re not in trouble. Acrylic dries quite quickly yet doesn’t fully adhere to these surfaces. You can easily lift it off with a razor or paint scraper—or even just your fingers! When I’m bored, I sometimes use my nails to scratch dried acrylic paint off my palettes. Of course, some alcohol or acetone will do the job fast.
Now if you’re pulling a Pollock and playing around with drip painting, use large trashbags to protect easily stained surfaces like walls and floors. Speaking from experience, my apartment looks like a poorly covered-up murder scene when I go into meditative p[ainting sessions with my fave tube of red paint. In some instances, a mopping solution just doesn’t cut it. So again, putty knife or scraper at the ready. Alternatively, some bleach wipes and elbow grease. You can also get a rough brush or washcloth and scrub with vigor.
But what if you have acrylic paint on your wallpaper? A cotton ball soaked in alcohol then applied and allowed to sit on the affected area will do.
Lastly, the surface you’ll likely work with most. A good ol’ artist’s canvas. Say you’ve made a grave mistake. Or you need to strip the canvas entirely and start over. It may come as a surprise, but getting acrylic paint off canvas is easier than you think.
If you’re correcting a small mistake and the paint is still wet, take a damp tissue and dab or wipe it off—just like using an eraser! And this method won’t lift the layer of paint beneath it so long as it’s fully dried. Now, what if you mess up your background or want to strip the paint entirely off your canvas? You’ll need a paint solvent like turpentine or mineral spirits. With these, proceed with caution and work in a well-ventilated area. Let the canvas soak in the solvents for at least 30 minutes. Once the paint dissolves, bring out your trusty paint scraper or putty knife. You may also use an old toothbrush to scrape the paint away. Repeat the soak-and-scrape process if necessary.
We hope you’ve found these cleanup tips helpful. We’re all about letting go and letting the creativity flow. And we more than understand how tiring the cleanup process can be, especially after your creative energy has been so active.
Friendly reminder: Don’t skip cleaning up those brushes! We’ve got a guide just for you.
Now we’d love to hear from you! What other tips and tricks do you want to learn from us? Let us know in the comments below!
- MEET THE AUTHOR-
Belle O. Mapa is a writer and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She believes that everyone is born with an inner creative spirit—we just need to nurture and discover it on the blank page. Currently, she lives out her passion: writing stories, hosting journaling workshops, and advocating for mental health awareness.
]]>Have you just decided to try out painting in oil but find yourself at a loss for what to paint? Fret not, I've compiled a collection of oil painting ideas for you to look through. I'm sure you'll see one that'll get those creative juices flowing.
There’s nothing more exciting than deciding to start an artistic endeavor like oil painting. From researching which are the best oil paints and the best and long-lasting brushes. Followed by which surfaces you can paint on and everything else you need to get — shopping for supplies is the most fun part of all for me! But rein yourself in, you don’t need to buy them all. Here’s a guide into the basic oil paint colors you need to start off.
And finally, you have your whole set up ready and waiting. Just remember - the good news is that you don’t have to start with a masterpiece. This is the time for you to explore and figure out which subjects you find interesting to paint.
If this is your first time with oils, I suggest you drop by our oil paint mixing guide to understand the basics and the process of painting in oil. As well as the oil painting color mixing guide to have a better understanding of how to mix your colors and how color harmony helps you decide on which color palettes to use.
Once you’ve had a bit of a background, then you’re well-prepared to dive into it. I always recommend to my students to start small and simple. You’re still getting acquainted with the new medium, so don’t overcomplicate things just yet and enjoy playing around with the paints first. I also recommend getting canvas pads so you won’t have to worry about spending so much on your supports when practicing or doing painting exercises. That way, you’ll just keep painting and painting.
Here are some of the easier ones that you can try to slowly ease you into the joys of oil painting. Remember easy doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a ‘too simple’ painting or composition.
Giorgio Morandi’s still life paintings are the perfect example. He was fond of painting simple objects such as vases, bowls, and bottles in very subtle tones and colors, placing them simply next to each other. And yet they are just as beautiful to look at as Van Gogh’s also simple yet more vibrantly colored still life below.
You can clearly see the limited number of colors used in both paintings. So you don’t need so many colors to be able to paint a striking still-life. Instead focus on the composition, color mixing, and the textural effects you can use.
Try painting fruits or vegetables (one or two at a time), a coffee cup, or any random thing at home that you find interesting. Not sure how to place them in your composition for best results? We’ve got that covered with the golden rules of composition explained and illustrated.
Start with even just one kind of vegetable or fruit, alone or a bundle of them like the oranges below. Observe how Paul Gauguin artfully arranged them. They’re piled in a more interesting manner in the bowl, while three are on the surface below. And one of the three has been partially opened. It’s as if we just happened upon this scene where someone has been eating oranges. Still-life is a fount for easy oil painting ideas, the possibilities are endless.
The nice thing about landscapes is that they can go from the simplest of interpretations to very, very detailed ones. You can choose a photograph (copyright free, of course!) to copy or if you’re lucky enough to be living somewhere with awesome scenic views — go out for some plein air painting. Nothing beats seeing the view right in front of you and painting what you see.
Again, start simple and don’t make everything too detailed. Below is a very easy and simple winter landscape painting that I did using just three colors from ZenART’s Essential Palette: Cobalt Blue, Cadmium Red, and Titanium White. And just two brushes to paint this misty winter scene – the Flat hog brush and Fan brush, both from the Renoir Collection.
You can watch the live video replay of how I did here on our YouTube channel:
The Impressionists are the perfect source of inspiration for landscape painting. With the advent of paint that came in tubes, this afforded them more freedom. Moving away from the realistic painting style of Romanticism, they explored the subjective and expressive ways that they see things. There is no longer any need to paint everything in extreme detail. They instead played around with colors. How to use them to evoke the light and weather changes and how this transforms a single view into so many possible and different interpretations.
We’ve got another Toolkit article that’s all about the rainbow colors of the impressionists. It covers the colors that they used, why and how those choices began, and the counterparts for some of those colors nowadays. Fyi, ZenART’s co-founder, Ardak Kassenova, is a great fan of the Impressionist movement that she specifically created an oil paint set inspired from their colors, the Impressionist Palette from our Infinity Series.
You’ll never run out of ideas and interpretations when it comes to landscapes. The same view can have several iterations as the times of day, the weather, or the seasons change.
Don’t want to paint anything too representational? No worries, you can go for abstract oil painting. It’s perfect for exploring color mixing, color harmonies, and the various techniques of creating textures and effects. A liberating path to breaking away from clear depictions of a subject.
Check out our guide to oil painting brush strokes and techniques and try out the various brush strokes that can help you with your abstract painting.
Below is Robert Delaunay’s ‘Le Premier Disque’, a play on geometric shapes and bold color combinations. Why not try something along these lines to start out?
For more shapes to play around with along with the geometric ones, here’s another well-known and well-loved abstract oil painting by Wassily Kandinsky. Though it may not look like an easy oil painting to do compared to the one above, remember it doesn’t have to have as many elements. Use this as a jumping point and have fun with it!
Once you become more familiar with how to use oil paints, I’m sure you’ll be ready to stretch your painting skills even further. Here are more ideas for you to try out.
Another one from the abstract tract that I’d like to include. You don’t need to have any sort of identifiable shape either if you’d want to be even more abstract about things. Here’s Kandinsky’s “Improvisation 7”, one of many of his works wherein he used musical terms for inspiration and for titling them. Music was after all a crucial catalyst for the abstract movement as it perfectly embodies the idea of “abstractness’.
Flowers will always be one of the most favored subjects of artists. And why ever not, their vibrant colors and beauty are a great source of inspiration. There’s just something about flowers that evoke a sense of joy and wonder in us. No matter what century, they will always be appreciated. They are truly timeless.
How about trying your hand at painting a garden-full or a field of flowers à la Klimt’s below? This oil painting project of a garden or patch of flowers is on my list of paintings to do, too. Next time you pass by and see some, snap a few photos for reference or if possible – paint right before them!
“Flower Garden” by Gustav Klimt, 1905-07.
Painting bouquets of them in vases is another classic composition. Keep in mind, you don’t have to paint flowers hyper-realistically. What’s important is to get the essence of them, their vibrancy and delicacy. Here are two fantastic examples of doing your own way of painting flowers. Edouard Manet’s “Bouquet of Flowers” is his impressionistic take on them. Flower paintings were such a big part of him that for the last few months of his life, he only painted floral subjects.
Vincent Van Gogh’s “Still Life of Irises” was one of a few other paintings he did of irises. Another notable series of flower paintings he did depicting the same subject was of sunflowers.
You can also paint in a more abstract or illustrative way, something akin to a modern wallpaper pattern. Check out ZenART’s resident artist, Theodora’s video tutorial on her process of painting this beautiful one below in oils and acrylic.
This can seem overwhelming but you’ll never know if this might be something you’ll actually enjoy painting until you try. I personally really love mixing various skin tones and painting people. And you’re in luck, we’ve got an in-depth article covering the how-tos of oil painting skin tones.
The nice thing about painting people (especially nowadays) is that it doesn’t have to be exact like a photograph. Unless of course that’s what you’re looking to do. The magic is in injecting your own take on things. All the techniques can be learned, but your own vision and interpretation is just as important.
Here’s one done by Alexandra @axasgallery that puts all the focus on the face, especially the eyes. The hair, the clothes and the background are all just supporting elements of the whole composition – color and detail-wise.
Painted using colors from ZenART’s Portrait Palette, a set specially put together for an easier skin tone mixing experience!
An always popular theme when painting portraits or people is the ‘mother and child’. The intimate bond between a mother and her child is a beautiful thing to behold and to capture on paint. Here’s one painted by our co-founder, Ardak Kassenova, her own version of Mary Cassatt’s “Little Ann Sucking Her Finger Embraced by Her Mother”.
Cassatt painted scenes evolving around the lives of women both in private and socially, and of course her very many paintings of mothers and their children.
The easiest and most convenient way to practice painting portraits is to start with your own face. It’s the face you see everyday and the one you’re probably the most familiar with. Here’s a selection of self-portraits done by some of the masters. I hope these self-portrait oil paintings ideas will help inspire you to paint your very own, too!
There are many ways to go about it as you’ll see below.
Animals have also always been a part of paintings whether as a small part of a big composition or as the main subject. They have been depicted as far back as the cave paintings, no surprise there as they are such a big and important part of our lives.
The first bird I ever drew was two connecting c-shapes, very simple and yet it is visibly a bird when put in the setting of a vast sky. Here are two birds that have been painted in very different styles but are equally beautiful.
If you’re in the mood for painting one of the most colorfully vibrant birds, here’s an oil painting of a Macaw parrot by Kyra Gill-Ettienne using ZenART’s oil paints.
And of course, this list won’t be complete without our four-legged furry friends! Here’s one by Louis Wain who was well-known for drawing and painting a lot of cats.
This one is titled “The Bachelor Party”, featuring cats sitting in a row on a bar with accompanying ‘bachelor party’ elements.
Another artist known for his paintings of dogs doing all sorts of human activities is C M (Cassius Marcellus) Coolidge. His most popular dog series is Dogs Playing Poker. Here’s one titled “Poker Game”.
You can also go for a more textural impressionistic approach if you’re not keen on painting all that fur-like texture in detail. This is Berthe Morisot’s “Laerte the Greyhound”. Laerte is her daughter Julie Manet’s dog.
The energy of the dog is wonderfully and expertly captured in Berthe Morisot’s confident brushwork and mix of colors.
Painting studies of works done by your favorite artists is a fantastic way to learn and expand your painting skills. It’s a journey of discovery and experimentation trying to replicate their colors, brushstrokes, and painting styles. It will also help inspire you on what to paint next.
Our co-founder, Ardak Kassenova, painted Gustav Klimt’s iconic “The Kiss”. Check out her entire painting process below!
There are sooo many more oil painting ideas I’d like to share, but these are hopefully more than enough to get you starting. The first step is to pick up that brush and just start painting. Don’t let your doubts and fears stop you from discovering your very own artistic voice. Just keep painting! It’s the only way to surmount those second guessing thoughts.
The important thing is that you enjoy doing it. Don’t focus on the end result, instead enjoy the process.
Which theme from above sounds interesting and something you would like to try out? What have you already tried or explored so far? Is there any specific topic you’d like to see us cover in the future? Let us know in the comments below, we’d really love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.
Join our friendly art community Painting Inspiration Daily on Facebook. You can share your art and ideas, watch LIVE tutorials, and be inspired to paint!
Here's an in-depth guide into oil painting supplies for beginners to help you start out. Have a great time painting!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Kathleen is the Wordsmith at ZenART, resident artist and art editor. When God sent a shower of talents, Kathleen made sure she got a basketful of them! She's a visual artist with practical knowledge on various fields from painting and sculpture, to costume and set design which comes in very handy when writing about various art techniques and theories. She also shares her passion for the arts through teaching. She runs her own brand of handmade wirework jewelry designs.
]]>If budget isn’t a problem, it’s easy just to grab every size brush you see at the art store. After all, can you really have enough paintbrushes? Still, we’d recommend purchasing what you need and investing in quality over quantity. You’ll find that cheaper, poorly manufactured brushes are more likely to fall apart faster. That’s not to say expensive is better. There are professional-grade brushes and brush sets out there that’ll cater to both budget and creative needs.
Confused? Overwhelmed? We’re here to make your purchase easier. In this guide, we’ll go over paintbrush measurements and sizes plus some size guides for our brushes here at Zen Art Supplies.
And in case you missed it, we’ve also got a guide to brush sizes specifically for watercolor and a more in-depth guide to the types of brushes you’ll find in art stores.
Usually sizes range from 20/0 to 30. The bigger the number, the bigger the brush size. If you see sizes listed like 10/0, 5/0, and so on—the bigger the fraction, the smaller the brush size.
Some brush sizes refer to the width of the ferrule—that metal part that keeps bristles attached to the handle. You may find sizes in ¾”, or 1”.
Unfortunately, there are no standardized measurements and dimensions for paintbrush sizes.
Artist paintbrushes have numbered sizes printed on their handles. It’s kind of like clothing sizes, too. It all depends on the maker. One brand’s size 10 can easily differ from a size 10 of another brand. Similarly, a size 10 flat brush might seem bigger than a size 10 round brush.
Brushes may also vary in thickness and shape. In these cases, manufacturers may use different bristles or hair combinations to achieve a certain shape like a filbert or a cat’s tongue.
When in doubt, look for a size guide. More on that below.
Let’s talk about that tiny number you see printed on the handle. It’s more a general size guideline than an actual measurement. As we mentioned, paintbrush sizes aren’t regulated or standardized. It depends on the manufacturer.
For the most accurate results, you can measure your brushes with the following dimensions.
As for how we size our brushes here on Zen Art Supplies, we provide size charts with our brush sets.
We understand the confusion that may come with choosing the perfect selection of brushes, so we did the choosing for you! Each of Zen Art’s paintbrush sets is carefully curated and designed by artists, for artists. These brushes were crafted specifically for certain media. There really isn’t one brush to rule them all.
You’ll notice a variation in some of these brush measurements, even if they’re the same size on the handle. A natural-bristled brush and a synthetic-bristled brush of the same size may differ slightly in measure. For example, our brushes for oil and acrylics have longer handles to make vertical painting easier. Our fine liner brushes, meanwhile, have shorter handles and shorter bristles as they’re easier to use when doing up-close detailed work.
We’ve compiled all our brush size guides in this article, to help you choose the right set for your creative needs. You can take a look on our product pages as well for more info!
If you’re looking for only filbert brushes, we highly recommend the Artist’s Choice brush set. The longer wooden handles are made with your fullest expression in mind—the length helps you work at ease on an easel or canvas. Plus, the bristles are semi-stiff, made of a blend of badger and Japanese synthetic bristles to help not only with your brush strokes but also with your blending.
These brushes can handle thicker paints like oil and acrylic. And the set comes with brush sizes from 2 to 12.
This one’s for beginner watercolorists and acrylic painters! Here’s a versatile and vegan-friendly brush set made with the finest synthetic bristles that mimic the qualities of squirrel and kolinsky sable hair. Perfectly snappy so you can paint with watercolor, gouache, and in. But the brushes also maintain their shape well, so they’re excellent—and easy to clean—with acrylics!
The set comes with two round brushes, two flat brushes, a rigger brush, and a large cat’s tongue brush.
Our Turner Collection is another set that’s well-loved by watercolor artists for a reason. Inspired by the British watercolor artist, J.M.W. Turner, this expansive set of handcrafted brushes was designed for use with fluid media like watercolor, gouache, and ink. The handles are tapered, weighted, and shorter than our brushes for acrylics and oil, to aid with horizontal painting.
Eight brushes are made with a blend of 70% squirrel-mix hair and 30% synthetic fiber so they perform like sable brushes. The other five brushes are made with Japanese synthetic bristles for extra snap and smooth flow. You also get a size 2 palette knife.
Sometimes, you do need all these shapes and sizes for detailed work! Especially if you love making small paintings or highly detailed portraits and landscapes. This is a comprehensive collection of synthetic brushes—four round brushes, three rigger brushes, two flat brushes, two filbert brushes, and one angled brush—spanning sizes 5/0 to 2.
Made with high-grade Japanese synthetic fibers, these brushes hold their precise points even after heavy use. Because they’re synthetic, they can work with both fluid water media and heavy paint. Not to mention, the handles are expertly sculpted to improve your grip and comfort. No more hand fatigue after hours of work!
Inspired by the great impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, these brushes were designed to handle heavy paints like acrylics and oils. Like the filbert brush set, the brushes in the Renoir Collection have longer handles so you can fully express yourself upon an easel or canvas.
The set has six brushes made with stiffer, natural Chungking hog bristles in sizes 4 through 1” for painting base coats and adding texture. The other seven brushes in sizes 00 through 10 have a blend of semi-stiff badger and Japanese synthetic bristles which are good for blending and expressive brush strokes! The set also comes with a palette knife for paint mixing or techniques like impasto!
Do you have a go-to paintbrush shape in your arsenal? What brush sizes do you gravitate towards the most? Have you found said perfect paintbrush? If not, come and take a look at our brush sets here on Zen Arts!
Do check out our other useful guides to navigating the paintbrush aisle at your local art store. Read our Toolkits on Watercolor Brush Sizes and how to care for your brushes on the Zen Art blog. Happy painting!
- MEET THE AUTHOR-
Belle O. Mapa is a writer and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She believes that everyone is born with an inner creative spirit—we just need to nurture and discover it on the blank page. Currently, she lives out her passion: writing stories, hosting journaling workshops, and advocating for mental health awareness.
]]>But the sheer volume and variety of paint brush shapes, sizes, and materials are enough to overwhelm any novice at the art store. Choosing an artist paint brush can get confusing if you don’t know what you need, let alone what to look for.
With this dizzying array of brushes, we’ll list the types of paint brushes in four ways: by size, bristle type, compatible art medium, and shape.
You might already be wondering: Can acrylic paint brushes handle watercolor paints or oil-based paints? What’s the perfect brush type for beginners? And do you really need all these brush shapes in all their sizes?!
Don’t sweat, this article is for you! We’ve consolidated everything you need to know about the types of paint brushes out there—and what exactly you’ll need along your creative journey.
Art has been around since time immemorial, and so has the paint brush. Fun fact: There’s evidence that paint brushes were already being made during the Stone Ages.
In the eras preceding the industrial revolution, painters made their brushes painstakingly by hand. They bound soft animal hair into quills or wooden sticks—for this reason, the early paintbrushes were always round. And then the ferrule was invented in the 18th century and thus popularized in the 19th century.
The ferrule changed everything. Artisans could now create new shapes for paint brushes beyond the round brush. No longer limited to the palette knife, painters had flat brushes now to create flat and bold strokes of color.
The artist’s most important tool has evolved alongside mankind. And just like us, the paint brush has specifically named body parts. How many of them do you know?
The part you hold while painting. Brush handles are commonly made of varnished wood, plastic, or metal. Sometimes bone. A good quality paint brush handle should feel comfortable and balanced. Its length will depend on what you’re comfortable with. However, shorter handles are better for painting on flat surfaces or smaller surfaces like a table. Meanwhile, longer handles make working on easels and larger surfaces much easier.
Yes, that metal thing on the brush has a name. As we said, the invention of the ferrule changed art-making forever. This part keeps bristles in shape and keeps them attached to the handle.
Pro-tip: Be good to your brushes. Metal ferrules can fall off the handle, or the bristles may start to shed. This means either your brush isn’t good, or you’re not taking proper care of it.
A ferrule can be further broken down into these parts:
What makes a brush a brush. Bristles hold the paint—pigments suspended in a binder or activated by water. Here’s where choosing brushes gets difficult. There are soft bristles, stiff bristles, short bristles, very long bristles, natural bristles, synthetic bristles, and even combination bristles! We’ll unpack these later.
Also, the brush itself has body parts. Take a look at the bristles and how they’re shaped.
You’ll find the size number printed on the handle. From smallest to largest, these numbers typically range from 000 up to 30. Sometimes, you’ll see the printed size in inches or fractions thereof.
Unfortunately, there’s no standard to paint brush sizes and dimensions. You’ll need to do some research (or bring a ruler to the art store).
Most manufacturers will print their logos and the size of the brush on the handle. And if they have product notes, you can take a look at how they size their paint brushes.
Here at ZenART Supplies, we go the extra mile with our product design. Our brush handles show you the exact size, shape, and bristle type so you know exactly what you’re using. You can take a look at our product pages to see each brush’s size and measurements:
Take a more in-depth look at our paint brush size chart, here!
You can also classify the types of paint brushes by the material that makes up their bristles. Typically, you have synthetic hairs, natural hairs, and combination hairs. Bristles can also be soft and swishy or firm. Which one to choose depends on the different types of paint you’ll use.
Pro-tip: Choose your paint brushes by bristle type first, then shape second. Some bristle types can’t handle certain paints.
Thinner, more fluid paint flows better with soft-bristled brushes. Meanwhile, denser media like oil paint needs thicker and stiffer bristles so the paint moves around easier. Acrylic paint brushes can be somewhere in between—not too stiff and not too swishy—since acrylic paint is softer than oil but less fluid than watercolor.
Paint brushes with firm or coarse bristles can also create textural effects. These types of paint brushes are better for working with layers of acrylic paint or oil paint but not so much with watercolor.
The stiff brushes you normally use for oil paint aren’t ideal for water media since they don’t hold water so well. Also, the bristles tend to leave marks with the paint, so it can leave unwanted streaks or scratches on watercolor paper.
Soft bristles are best for water media because they give you that swishy, smooth flow and control. Some soft brushes have memory—they snap back into their original shape better than others. Snappy brushes give you better control when the brush hits the paper.
When you encounter a paint brush made with natural hair, this means the bristles are made with real animal hair.
We’ll briefly cover the common types of natural hair. You can read more about them in our guide to watercolor brushes.
These bushy paint brushes are commonly used for oil painting and are one of the oldest types of paint brushes.
Contrary to its name, a camel hair brush is made with hair from ponies, goats, oxen, or a combination thereof. Ideal for thinner, fluid media like watercolor and traditional calligraphy.
The Chungking Hog brushes are the ones with white hair. Brushes featured above are form ZenART's Renoir Collection.
The best quality hog hair brushes are sometimes referred to as China brushes, made with hair from Chinese hogs. These brushes are thick and coarse, so they work well with oil paints.
Sable brushes are made with hair from a type of mink or weasel. Known for their softness, absorbency, and ability to hold shape, these are the best types of paint brushes for watercolor. You’ll find different kinds of sable brushes: red sable, black sable, and Kolinsky sable. The latter is the most professional-grade of sable bristles.
Silky with a good snap and strong as the animal it comes from. Ox hair is another good option for watercolor, though it can’t maintain a fine tip. It’s often blended with other natural or synthetic hairs for extra durability.
Mostly used in student-grade brushes since it’s an inexpensive type of natural hair. Pony hairs aren’t as snappy or strong as other brushes.
A close alternative to sable hair, squirrel bristles are taken from a squirrel’s tail so the fibers are thin and fine. Artists love these brushes for their water-holding qualities—perfect for water media and inks.
A mix of different types of natural hairs or a mix of natural and synthetic hairs. Manufacturers combine hairs to enhance different qualities of the paint brush, like resilience, snap, and stiffness.
These brushes are from the Turner Collection.
The brushes above are all from one set, Black Tulip. A squirrel and synthetic mix.
Though manmade, synthetic brushes are just as versatile as natural brushes—plus, more affordable. Synthetic brushes can be designed to mimic the qualities of natural brushes.
These are the best types of paint brushes to use with acrylic paints. The polymers in the acrylic paint can damage natural fibers over time. Common types of synthetic brushes include acrylic, nylon, or polyester brushes. They’re much stronger, sometimes even snappier or springier than natural hairs. And much easier to clean and maintain, too.
There are also foam brushes—synthetic brushes made with whole pieces of foam, good to use as stencil brushes.
Again, choose your bristle type first so you know what will work best with your preferred media.
There are so many brush shapes out there but you probably won’t need all of them. It’s best to just start with the most common shapes: round, flat, filbert, and liners or detailers. Pick one small, one medium, and one large-sized brush per shape. That’ll leave you with an all-around brush set.
Still, it’s worth knowing the different types of paint brush shapes to inform your decision.
Perhaps the most common of brush shapes, the round brush works across all media. There are two kinds of round brush tips: a pointed tip and a more rounded or domed tip.
When watercoloring with round brushes, most of the fluid paint is held in the belly and flows to the tip where the brush meets paper.
With a flat ferrule and straight edges, the flat brush is a versatile must-have for different types of paint. You can create bold strokes and thin lines. A flat brush makes painting long lines and spreading color so much easier than round brushes.
It’s easy to confuse this with the flat brush. The main difference is that bright brushes have shorter bristles and a more inward curving edge. Ideal for acrylic paint, brights give you more control when creating lines of color. They work best with thicker media like acrylic paint or oil paint.
Another flat ferruled brush, this time with an angled or slanted tip. It’s easier to control an angled brush versus a flat one, so you can better paint clean lines and even curved strokes. Angled brushes are helpful for filling corners, too.
Here’s an even more slanted brush with a much finer tip and a curved, angled edge. It looks like a blade, hence the name. You can use a dagger brush like a liner brush—that’s why it’s sometimes called a sword liner brush. It was originally crafted for signmakers, so it’s an excellent choice for calligraphers. You can do a lot with this: curved strokes, thick to thin lines, and various embellishments.
A filbert brush is like a rounded flat brush, with long bristles and an oval-shaped end. It functions like a flat brush but the brush marks are less harsh and straight-edged.
I love using filbert brushes when I want extra paint coverage. Many artists love this brush shape for painting petals, creating soft strokes, and covering more area than round brushes do. Filbert brushes also make blending oil paint or acrylic paint a breeze.
You’ll see artists interchange between calling them liner brushes or rigger brushes—they’re the same. A liner brush is a round, thin brush with a sharp tip.
Rigger or liner brushes and detail brushes are often confused with each other. Riggers have very long bristles. Meanwhile, detailers have shorter bristles, usually with a sharply pointed tip.
Don’t let the thinness fool you! Liner brushes hold quite a lot of water or fluid paint. These types of paint brushes are made for long drags along the page. They’re the best to use for making smooth, continuous lines or even dabble in lettering or calligraphy.
Don’t mistake a detailing brush for a liner brush. Also known as a pointed round brush, a detail brush has a sharply pointed tip with short bristles and a short handle. They’re ideal for painting fine details, spot-correcting, retouching, and adding subtle highlights. Just like a pen!
The cat’s tongue brush—a.k.a. an oval wash brush—gets its name from its distinct shape: flat, but with a pointed tip. It’s like a flat brush and a pointed round brush had a baby. Despite its pointed tip, the cat’s tongue brush can create soft edges! Many artists love this for watercolor and fluid media.
You’ll know one when you see it. A fan brush has a flat ferrule with bristles that spread outward in a fan shape, creating a rounded edge—hence the name.
Though not a necessity in a beginner brush set, a fan brush can prove to be quite useful especially if you love painting nature elements like leaves, petals, clouds, and waves. Its fanned-out shape lets you create beautiful textures and special effects with your acrylic painting. It’s also good for blending, softening harsh edges, and stippling acrylic paints onto your dried work.
Look for fan brushes made with natural hair if you want to use them for blending and softening. Fan brushes made with synthetic or firmer bristles are better for special effects.
Typically a watercolor brush, the wash brush is a large, flat brush with a very wide foot. It’s short-handled for better control since these are used to cover large areas with watercolor.
An acrylic wash brush has stiffer bristles. Another type of wash brush is the hake brush: an oriental style or Japan-made brush often made with natural bristles. It’s got a distinct, short handle that widens toward the ferrule.
Another type of watercolor brush, the mop brush is a supersized round brush, or a round version of the wash brush if you will. These thick, round brushes are designed to lay down large mops of color. When made with natural hair, the mop brush can absorb a lot of fluid paint. Love this for painting backgrounds!
Do you really need all of these different types of paint brushes in your arsenal? Not really. You may need just the essentials. Sometimes the most cost-effective option is to get a brush set. In this case, we’ll walk you through all the paint brush sets we have available here on ZenART Supplies.
Spoiler alert: We’re not like other brushes. We believe that high-quality artist paint brushes needn’t come with high prices. ZenART brush sets are carefully crafted and specially curated for and by artists!
Inspired by the renowned landscape and watercolor artist, JMW Turner, this 14-piece set has all the different types of paint brushes you need to master watercolor! These brushes are made with a combination of natural squirrel hair and synthetic hairs for extra spring and snap.
This comprehensive set also has a palette knife for mixing paint or making textural effects. And it comes in a water-resistant case, so you can continue painting nature elements en plein air while keeping your brushes safe!
The perfect brush set for essentialists is here! This six-piece synthetic brush set is specially designed for water media but can also be used with acrylic paint. Our best-selling Black Tulip set is a vegan option designed to behave like a squirrel brush.
It’s got all you need to start a brush collection: two flat brushes, two round paint brushes, a rigger brush, and a cat’s tongue brush.
Need a comprehensive set of oil or acrylic paint brushes? Check out our Renoir Collection, a 14-piece set comprised of eight different types of paint brushes:
Half of the paint brushes in this set are made with natural Chungking hog hair, perfect for creating texture and base coats with oil paints. The other half uses a combination of 70% badger bristles and 30% synthetic bristles, ideal for blending and brush strokes.
You also get a palette knife for mixing or making textures.
You can't have enough filbert brushes, at least if you're playing with oil-based paints and acrylic paints. This set has six filbert brushes, in sizes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12.
Like some of the brushes in our Renoir Collection, these filbert brushes are made with a combination of 70% badger bristles and 30% synthetic bristles. They're designed specifically for oil and acrylic painting. It gives a lot of paint coverage. As for stiffness, it's semi-firm. That is, it's soft enough for blending but stiff enough to make controlled brush strokes.
The filbert is truly the magic wand of oil and acrylic paint brushes. Compared to other brushes, the filbert brush is perhaps the most versatile. The oval-shaped end can do anything, from softening straight edges, to layering on more acrylic paint, to adding subtle highlights.
These oil-slash-acrylic brushes have long, tapered handles so you can work comfortably while painting on an easel.
Here's a set for detail-obsessed artists. A whopping 12-piece synthetic paint brush set designed for oil, watercolor, and acrylic painting.
You needn't keep searching for the perfect thin brush. Zen Art's top-selling fine line brush set contains different types of paint brush shapes, all at a precise, ultra-fine point:
Paint fine lines, very thin lines, or dot on minute details with these fine liners made with Japanese synthetic bristles. They mimic squirrel and kolinsky sable hair, sans the cost!
The handles are ergonomic and comfortable to grip, too. Detailing and filling corners are a lot easier with these brushes, even after hours of work!
Sure there’s no one-size-fits-all brush set that fits all media, but our latest Verbena Set comes close. It’s an ultimate 17-piece starter set with most of the different types of paint brushes you need.
The Verbena Set has 14 synthetic artist brushes, two paint shapers, and a palette knife. Plus, it comes with a handy woven roll-up case!
Here’s what you get in the set:
Handmade with a blend of synthetic hair that hits the sweet spot between soft and firm, this set is specially designed for acrylic paints. The added tools enable you to have more fun with textures and techniques. So easy to clean, too. Not to mention, the handles are ergonomic—no more hand fatigue after hours of painting!
We'd love to hear from you. How many of these different types of paint brushes have you tried? What brushes do you use the most? Which ones do you tend to overlook?
Bookmark this guide to (almost) all the types of paint brushes so you can avoid confusion next time you hit the art supply store. Or better yet, shop for your next favorite paint brushes only here on Zen Art Supplies!
For more in-depth guides, check out our previous blogs on Brush Care Tips, Cleaning Acrylic Paint Brushes, Cleaning Oil Paint Brushes, and Watercolor Brush Sizes.
Happy painting!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Belle O. Mapa is a writer and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She believes that everyone is born with an inner creative spirit—we just need to nurture and discover it on the blank page. Currently, she lives out her passion: writing stories, hosting journaling workshops, and advocating for mental health awareness.
]]>When I first encountered watercolor paper as a student, I was truly amazed. I thought to myself, “Here’s what I’ve been missing all along”. Using the same cheap, student-grade watercolor paints, painting on regular sketchpad paper vs watercolor paper was an enlightening experience. The difference was so great that there’s just no going back. And this wasn’t even the 100% cotton kind. What is watercolor paper exactly and why is it so important to use the right paper? Let me go through the essential information that’s useful to know below.
It is paper specifically made for artists to apply paint on, most suitable for watercolors as its absorbent property allows the transparency of the said medium to fully shine. Nowadays, it’s also used as a substrate for other mediums as well, such as gouache, tempera, acrylic, pastels, graphite, charcoal, and even oil as long as it’s properly primed.
There are various manufacturing processes for watercolor paper. They can be handmade, moldmade (made using cylinder-mold machines), and machine-made. Handmade being the most expensive, strongest, and comes with four deckled edges due to its manufacturing process. Moldmade paper follows with two deckled edges and is still quite strong, but not as strong as the handmade ones. And machine-made for last and usually comes with four straight cut edges. Though there are some that come with added deckling and there are also ways for you to mimic the deckling if you’re looking for that effect.
Professional grade watercolor paper is almost always made with 100% real cotton and is also acid-free. This ensures that your paper won’t slowly start to yellow and break down as years go by, making it of archival quality. Sometimes also referred to as “rag” or “cotton rag”. Using professional-grade paper makes a huge difference and allows for a wide range of beautiful watercolor effects and can take more water and abuse.
This is a much cheaper option for those who are just starting out and exploring. They’re usually made of a combination of wood pulp and cellulose, or cotton and cellulose mix (with cotton at just 25%). This kind of paper is NOT acid-free more often than not and will therefore be non-archival. It doesn’t absorb as well either and layers get easily lifted, so it will greatly limit your painting techniques.
You might have heard of this term in passing. So let me briefly go over this. Sizing is the addition of gelatin to watercolor paper. But for what reason? Adding gelatin allows for a more controlled absorption. Without sizing, the water and pigment will spread willy nilly and it would be such a pain to paint if so. How and what amount of sizing is added will differ across brands, so it will be a matter of personal preference which one you would be most comfortable using.
You’ll find that there are three different textures of watercolor paper that you’ll commonly encounter: Hot pressed, Cold pressed, and Rough. They each have their own characteristics and the choice will depend on your painting style.
For comparison, I painted on the three different textures using the same color (Indigo), brush (#5 Round from the Turner Collection), and testing: color gradation, wet-on-wet, and line exercises.
Hot pressed watercolor paper is the smoothest, it still has texture but it’s the least textured of the three. From the term ‘hot pressed’, this paper is made by pressing it between hot metal rollers and as such gives it a smoother finish. This is a favorite choice among illustrators and botanical artists as they like to work with high precision, especially with their highly detailed and delicate painting style. I find that hot pressed paper doesn’t absorb as quickly and as much as the other two. You also need to be careful when layering as you can lift the previous layers much sooner than you think. So just be careful with those brushstrokes.
The smoother texture and great paper thickness make it very suitable for graphite drawing, charcoal, and pen and ink applications as well.
Below is Indigo on hot pressed watercolor paper.
Cold pressed watercolor paper is the opposite of hot pressed. It’s made by being pressed between cold metal rollers. This process in turn gives it its more textured surface. This is the most popular choice among many artists as it’s quite versatile. The added texture allows for more textural painting effects as the water and pigment can pool and sink into the little depressions on the paper. And yet it’s not too textured that it won’t be able to handle the detailwork. It’s also more absorbent compared to hot pressed, though doesn’t absorb the wetness too quickly, allowing you some valuable working time.
You'll also see this labelled as CP or NOT (not hot pressed).
Here’s the one for cold pressed watercolor paper:
Indigo from the Vista Palette painted on a 4 x 6 in (Albert Card) watercolor paper block, both from ZenART.
The main differences between the two are their textures and their absorbent properties. Hot pressed absorbs slower compared to cold pressed. It’s also much easier to lift off the paint on hot pressed paper even when fully dry. They’re both equally good paper. It just boils down to preference and what’s more suited for certain styles and techniques.
The main difference between the two is their texture. Rough is rougher and toothier than cold pressed. Their absorbent qualities are quite similar.
Just like the brushes, the textures of all three papers will vary across different brands. The different manufacturing processes (handmade, mold-made, and machine-made) also affect the variety of textures available.
Most regular paper is made using recycled wood shavings or wood shavings mixed with a very small percentage of cotton. This allows it to be very thin and have an ultra-smooth surface. And that’s appropriate and more than enough for our general use of paper. Regular paper (like printer paper) usually ranges from 20-30 lb while a ‘thin’ or ‘light’ watercolor paper is 90 lb.
But watercolor paper, since it will be used with a great amount of water, needs to be much, much more absorbent than the regular paper. For this to be possible, the watercolor paper contains cotton in varying amounts that are mixed in with the fibers. If you use regular paper for watercolor, it will drastically warp, buckle and even tear or break down. But with the cotton in the watercolor paper, this issue is highly reduced or even eliminated – depending on the thickness and the amount of cotton.
You’ll most likely often see the following weights: 90lb / 190gsm, 140lb / 300 gsm, 300lb / 640 gsm. The higher the weight, the thicker the paper. GSM means the grams per square meter, and lb is for pounds per ream. Sizes of sheets in reams differ across brands. So I usually go for the gsm measurement when looking as I find there’s less confusion for me there.
If you go for thinner paper, you need to stretch it before using it. Stretching requires you to pre-soak the paper. Then place it onto a clean, rigid surface that won’t easily warp or bend and blot out the excess water with a sponge. But not too dry, mind you. And lastly, tape it down on all four sides using gummed kraft paper tape. Leave it flat to fully dry (best to wait till the next day) and you’ll see that the paper will get stretched so tight and flat. So you’ll be able to use more water than usual when painting, the paper will get stretched flat again once it dries.
I find with my usual go-to, 300 gsm, I don’t have to do pre-stretching for my general painting needs. If I’ll be working with a wetter application, then I use my blocks.
For painting with very, very wet applications, I suggest you use 640 gsm paper. Most professional painters paint on this thickness, or at the very least 300 gsm.
Now armed with the knowledge of various textures and paper qualities, it’s time to get to know the different forms you can get them in. You can buy them in rolls (individual sheets too), blocks, pads, panels, and even canvas.
If you’re just starting out you can start with pads and blocks, and not necessarily 100% cotton. But do get the best you can afford as the quality of the paper will greatly limit you and the techniques you can do. Eventually, you can spring for higher-quality paper when you’re more confident that you won’t be wasting it.
Many professional artists opt for buying sheets for their works as they can have the option of using the entire sheet or cutting it up into different sizes. But they also have blocks and pads for general convenience and smaller works. It all comes down to personal preference whichever form you choose.
Sheets can be bought individually or in a pack and are usually 22” x 30” size-wise. While rolls can be as long as 10 meters. 90 and 140lb paper will need to be stretched before you paint on them, otherwise, they will buckle. If you don’t want to go through this extra step, you can get the 300lb paper.
ZenART’s watercolor paper comes in blocks of various sizes with the biggest measuring 12 x 16 in (Pythagorean 4/3) and the smallest 4 x 6 in (Albert Card).
Watercolor blocks are my favorite. They come pre-glued on the sides so you won’t have to stretch your paper beforehand. A block is just like a pad but with all sides glued together. You just paint on the sheet directly, and even if it warps a bit, it’ll straighten out once it dries as the glue will keep the paper stretched.
Once your work is done, you can remove the top sheet by using a palette knife. Just find the small unglued section (usually at the top-middle) and carefully run the edge of your knife all around until you’ve separated the entire page from the block.
The downside to this is you won’t be able to use the sheets below until you’re done with the one at the top. You can of course have several blocks like me since I don’t always get to finish my work right away. And I don’t want to be rushed into finishing it for this reason.
Watercolor pads are very convenient to have on hand for sketchbooking, practice painting, and for plein air painting. Pads come tape-bound or wire-bound. Some wire-bound ones come perforated near the wire so you can easily remove each page if you want. This form makes it very convenient to just flip from one page to the next – provided of course that it has dried. And as such is great for bringing along when traveling.
When buying pads just be careful to check all the details so you know what you’re getting. A lot of them contain student-grade paper and that’s why they’re also cheaper. There are student-grade ones that are acid-free, so just make sure to get those at least. But not to worry, there are pads containing artist-grade paper too. If you’re looking for those, just make sure that it checks all the specifics that you’re looking for.
This is what makes ZenART’s watercolor paper so convenient - designed as a pad and a block in one! Just run your palette knife across one glued side and et voila you have a sheet just glued on one side just like on a regular pad.
The best watercolor paper is the best one that you can buy considering your budget. If money weren’t an issue, there’s no doubt we’ll always choose the best of the best. Especially when it comes to our art supplies.
My personal choice is cold pressed watercolor paper, 300 gsm, 100% cotton, and acid-free. I have it in various forms from pads to blocks and also a few sheets. ZenART’s watercolor paper is the perfect cross between a block and a pad. It’s glued on two sides instead of four allowing for much easier removal. And comes in a multitude of awesome sizes! Coldpressed, 300 gsm, acid-free, and made with 100% cotton - what more can you ask for?
The artworks featured on the covers were painted on the very watercolor blocks they’re placed on by ZenART’s Brand Ambassador, the talented Anastasia Shimshilashvili.
The eagle watercolor painting below is painted on the Square watercolor block (12 x 12 in) using colors from the Art Nomad travel set, both from ZenART Supplies.
There’s so much to consider when choosing which watercolor paper to buy or which is right for your style. But don’t stress too much over it, it all comes down to your own personal preference. I suggest you try them all out so you can fully explore what you can do with each one. Start small or buy in sheets so you won’t be spending so much.
Just keep in mind that the quality of your paper will greatly affect the final quality of your creations. Good-quality paper will allow you to do so, so much more than the cheaper student-grade paper. You’ll be able to achieve effects, techniques, and beautiful granulations and layering that won’t always be possible on cheaper paper.
I hope this will help you narrow down your choices at the very least, or will be a useful guide when you’re ready to invest in artist-grade paper. If you have any questions that I haven’t covered or answered here, please do comment below. I’d love to hear from you and provide more useful advice or information.
Looking for some extra guidance in starting out your watercolor journey? Find out how to choose watercolor paints, what are the essential watercolor techniques to know, and many more in our Toolkit section!
What kinds of watercolor paper have you tried using so far? What do you find is your favorite watercolor paper texture? Comment away below! Join our friendly art community Painting Inspiration Daily on Facebook. You can share your art and ideas, watch LIVE tutorials, and be inspired to paint!
Looking to try out oil painting? Watch out for our next Toolkit sharing some oil painting ideas to help you start out. Until then, good luck on your quest to choose the right watercolor paper for you!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Kathleen is the Wordsmith at ZenART, resident artist and art editor. When God sent a shower of talents, Kathleen made sure she got a basketful of them! She's a visual artist with practical knowledge on various fields from painting and sculpture, to costume and set design which comes in very handy when writing about various art techniques and theories. She also shares her passion for the arts through teaching. She runs her own brand of handmade wirework jewelry designs.
]]>Short answer—yes. No one brush fits with all media. Some brush types handle watercolor paint better than others.
Most artists suggest investing in natural hair paintbrushes, particularly kolinsky sable brushes. Good squirrel or sable brushes can last you decades if well cared for. Yet these can be pricier at times—especially kolinsky sable.
But are natural brushes better than synthetic brushes? Not necessarily.
In ancient times, the first watercolor brushes were made by attaching animal hairs to wood or bone. Today, paintbrush manufacturers aren’t limited to natural bristles. There are manmade, synthetic bristles out there that often prove to be just as resilient—if not more long-lasting!
If you watch or read lots of watercolor tutorials—like the ones we have on our YouTube channel and Toolkit section—you’re sure to hear some of these terms. Here’s what artists mean when they evaluate the types of watercolor brushes:
Flow. Not just a zen state of mind. With watercolors, flow is the capacity of a brush to release color unto the page. Some brushes just dump all the pigment upon first landing. Good quality brushes will steadily flow out the color as you continue to move across the paper.
Point. A point is how finely the end of a paintbrush tapers, whether wet or dry. It also refers to how well the brush holds its crisp point when wet or in use.
Snap. Brushes have memory. A brush is “snappy” if it retains its shape after being bent at an angle. In other words: How well or how quickly can a brush “snap” back into place after use?
Spring. A good brush must be easy to control. Stiffer or springy brushes hold their shape on the page, despite carrying all that fluid paint. A brush lacks spring if it splays once it hits the paper.
Picking your first watercolor brushes can be a very personal choice. As they say, different strokes for different folks. Not all brush shapes are viable for every technique. A watercolor calligrapher would have a separate set of go-to brushes than a watercolor landscape artist. Though it never hurts to have an extensive set.
First, know your brush types so you can narrow down your options, and over time develop a personal preference. Next, pick the brush shapes you need and will actually use! Finally, follow your budget.
Brush hairs are what make a brush, well, a brush. Choose bristle type first then shape second. That way you’re sure to get brushes that are high-quality and high-performing. After that, you can tailor your collection to your painting style.
These are animal-sourced bristles. Since watercolors are fluid, your brush should be soft and absorbent. The best brushes are made with soft, fine natural bristles—typically from squirrel, weasel, mink, ox, goat, pony, and kolinsky sable hair.
Don’t call PETA just yet! Animal-made doesn’t immediately mean animal cruelty. There are ethical and sustainably sourced natural watercolor brushes on the market. Still, you can always go for synthetic hairs that mimic natural hairs.
A sable is a kind of mink or weasel. Arguably the best watercolor brushes are made with kolinsky sable hair, taken from weasels in Siberia or China. Kolinsky sable hairs are soft yet strong, excellently snappy, and can hold a very fine point. Demand for these natural hairs is high, hence the high price that comes with these brushes.
The more affordable alternative to kolinsky sable hair brushes, and still as good in quality and performance. Red sable hair is highly absorbent, soft, supple, and gives you a decent spring and snap.
A squirrel hair paintbrush won’t be as springy as a sable brush, but it’s still soft and fine—and very absorbent. They make excellent mop or wash brushes since they hold a lot of water.
Strong and springy, though a little bit stiffer and rough on the edges. A good type of paintbrush for calligraphy.
Perhaps the most inexpensive of natural bristles. Many student-grade paintbrushes are made with pony hair. These brushes don’t form a good point and can fray easily. Some manufacturers use pony hairs as filler.
What it lacks in spring, it makes up for in holding a point. Great for washes as it’s soft and absorbent, hence why Japanese hake brushes are traditionally made from goat or sheep hair.
A blend of different hairs, whether all-natural, all synthetic, or a combination of both.
A synthetic filament or bristle is made from acrylic, nylon, or polyester. Good synthetic brushes are designed to mimic the behavior of natural hair. That’s why some brushes say “synthetic sable” or “synthetic squirrel.”
If you’re just starting with watercolors, you probably don’t need all these watercolor brush shapes. Still good to know these different brushes so you can gradually add them to your collection.
A good flat brush lets you achieve a wide variety of techniques from thin lines to bold strokes, with straight, squared edges. Wider flats can also help you paint backgrounds and large washes easier.
Arguably the most common and most versatile shape. Round brushes are full-bellied and taper off at a tip. Some round brushes have pointed ends, others have domed ends. Get bigger rounds for broad strokes, and smaller, fine-tipped rounds for detailing.
Flats with a rounded tip. Get these if you enjoy painting floral elements like petals and round leaves. Also great for blending.
Thin round brushes with extra long bristles. It holds a lot more water than you think so you can paint long lines and fine details. Also known as a liner or script brush.
A thick chunky round brush that holds more water and pigment. It’s absorbent and soft, ideal for juicy washes on larger paintings.
Like a flat, straight-edged version of a mop brush. The handles are shorter and widen out at the ferrule. Shorter but absorbent bristles allow for, well, washes all over the paper—a go-to for landscape painters.
Alternatively, a pointed round brush. With its short handle and a sharp point, these are better for up-close detail work.
A flat brush that fans outward. These are good for blending, painting leaves or feathers, and creating smoother edges.
Flat with a slanted or angled tip. These can fill in corners in a pinch. When turned to its thinner side, an angled brush boosts your control when painting thin, straight lines or curved strokes.
This one gets its name from its distinct shape: a flat ferrule with a pointy tip. Its wider belly holds lots of water and you can paint fine details with its pointy tip.
I suggest buying only a handful of starter brushes: round, flat, angled, and filbert. Get these in two or three different sizes. One small for detail work, one medium—two, if you want a second brush for blending or mopping up water—and one large for backgrounds or thicker washes.
Brush sizes aren’t standardized, so check the measurements provided by the brush maker. For Zen Art brushes, refer to our watercolor brush size guide!
Typically, watercolor brush sizes range from 00000 (5/0) to 30. A larger number means a larger brush. Sizes are also shown as fractions (12/0, 10/0, 5/0, etc.). In this case, a bigger number means a smaller point.
We believe high quality shouldn’t cost more money. Our shop has both synthetic options and combination blends that suit beginners’ needs. Check out your next fave watercolor brush set to paint with, only here on ZenART Supplies!
This affordable set of vegan-friendly watercolor brushes is our best seller for a reason! The Black Tulip set is a versatile option for beginners, with six brushes designed to act like squirrel hair.
Sustainability and quality are important to us at ZenART. Again, synthetic brushes can be just as good as natural hair brushes—and without that extra cost or guilt.
This set includes:
A must-have for professional artists and beginners alike! This whopping 14-piece set can help you master many different techniques of watercolor. Made with a combination of squirrel and synthetic bristles, these brushes hold their shape even after a heavy painting session!
Did we mention the handles are shaped and weighted so you can paint comfortably?
This set includes:
For artists who obsess over minute details. Our Fine Line brushes are made with Japanese synthetic fibers that mimic squirrel and kolinsky sable hair.
This set of small brushes includes all the different brushes you need to create smaller paintings!
Need more inspiration to start painting? How about some moral support? Join our ZenART community and connect with other artists, discover new techniques, and receive creative prompts!
Now that you’re familiar with our watercolor brushes, why not check out ZenART’s non-toxic and fade-resistant watercolors? We’ve got a guide on choosing the right watercolor paint that also comes with a free watercolor paint swatching guide!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Belle O. Mapa is a writer and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She believes that everyone is born with an inner creative spirit—we just need to nurture and discover it on the blank page. Currently, she lives out her passion: writing stories, hosting journaling workshops, and advocating for mental health awareness.
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Pro-tip: quality over quantity. Always.
The fun and beauty of watercolor is how soluble it is. You can create a whole rainbow from just the primary colors. Want your shades darker? Add more pigment. Need them lighter but have no white paint? Just add water!
When choosing watercolor paints, it’s not so much about collecting all the colors for your palette. There’s so much more to consider and we get how confusing and over-technical it can get. So don’t fret, we’ve simplified it for you.
Here’s a guide to picking the best watercolor paints. Plus a rundown of our very best watercolor paints from the ZenART shop!
Watercolor is perhaps the most accessible art medium to get into. It’s available in so many forms and at varying price points. You can grab them in individual colors or in curated sets or palettes. There’s no right or wrong option. In art, do what works for you.
Here’s what to consider when choosing watercolor paints.
On the left: Watercolor palettes from ZenART's Virtuoso series. On the right: Watercolor paint tubes from various brands.
The most common types of watercolor are paints in tubes or pans.
Tubes keep the watercolor paint in its fluid form. You can either use the paint straight from the tube or create your own palette by letting it dry in a pan. Either way, watercolor paint in tubes is the more cost-effective option in the long run. You usually get around 15 mL of paint—more volume than if you were to get watercolor in pans.
Now watercolor pans are dried-up “cakes” of paint that you activate with water. These most often come in sets or palettes with 12, 18, 24, and even 48 colors. Though some artist brands also sell pans individually. You’ll find them in either full pans (roughly 3-5 mL) or half pans (roughly 1.5-2 mL). The exact volume can differ per brand.
Watercolor pans offer you better portability. You can find many watercolor palettes with as little or as many colors as you want. On the other hand, with pans sold individually or in movable sets, you have the option of curating your own watercolor palette.
So which one to get? Honestly, it’s up to you. I personally get both. A palette of half pans can last longer than you think—I’ve been using a pocket-size travel palette for years and I still haven’t hit pan! Start with a basic watercolor palette and grab your favorite colors in tubes for when you need to refill.
You'll often find these pertinent information on the tubes or wrappings of the watercolor paints of artist or professional grade paints.
Real talk: What’s the point of spending well-earned money on watercolor paints that won’t even last? You never know when you’ll create your next watercolor masterpiece so you might as well look into your materials’ permanence. In the case of watercolor, we call this lightfastness. It’s the ability of a pigment to keep its color after being exposed to the elements, particularly light.
Low-quality paints and cheaper student-grade paints will fade in color and vibrancy over time because light alters pigments.
Permit us to get a bit technical here. You can find a paint’s lightfastness by looking for the ASTM rating, usually on the packaging. Some tubes, pans, and palettes will also label this as “Permanence.” Accept nothing other than ASTM I (Excellent lightfastness) or ASTM II (Very Good lightfastness).
The beauty of watercolor is how opaque or translucent you can make it. Paint is more transparent if it allows light to pass through. Transparency makes mixing and layering colors much easier.
Most brands will tell you if their paints are transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque. I find that the more opaque a watercolor paint, the more difficult it is to work with. On the other hand, opaque watercolors are best used to apply finishing touches or a final layer of paint.
To test for transparency, draw a line of permanent black ink on a piece of paper. Swatch your watercolor paints and see which colors let the black mark show through.
Watercolor paint is typically made with two main ingredients: pigment and a binder like gum arabic which gives it that translucent, fluid quality.
Artists can get real nerdy about pigments—you’ll find the exact ones used in your paints on the packaging in the form of a color code or index name. Though these color names might differ per manufacturer.
Knowing what pigment is used in your paint gives you a better idea of how it’ll behave or layer unto the paper. For example, a brand can create a Raw Sienna with more yellow or more blue.
You might find that even within the same brand, some colors of paint are pricier than others. Different colors use different pigments, which can be easier or more difficult to source, process, and refine.
It’s a good-to-know, but not a total dealbreaker.
The best way to get to intimately know your watercolor paints is to create swatch cards for each color you have. You can test out and note down all the useful info for each one. Here's a video from one of our lives on how to make watercolor swatches and here's the watercolor swatch sheet template and guide that you can download for free if you don't want to make your own.
Here's the guide on how to go about it:
And below is the full sheet. You can cut it up into individual cards or swatch similar colors in one sheet together to keep things organized.
If you’re on your first venture into the world of watercolor, it’s easy to get sucked into the trap of over-buying watercolor painting supplies instead of refining your skills. You can get so excited about starting a new passion project that you overlook the practical stuff. So let’s be real, not all of us can afford to get every color of paint out there.
Sometimes we think bigger is better, whether by price tag or by the amount of product you get. But that’s not always the case. Here’s how to make better decisions when you’re stuck at an impasse in the art aisle.
Technically you can create the entire spectrum of color just by mixing primary colors. So if you’re on a budget, I highly recommend sticking to a basic palette. Trust me, a mere six to eight colors will give you much versatility.
The best watercolors to start with are a warm yellow and cool yellow, a warm red and a cool red, a warm blue and a cool blue. Optional: earthy tones like raw sienna and burnt umber. Notice we didn’t say black or white? You can easily lighten paint by diluting it with more water. And to create black, just mix all primary colors together.
Again, you have the option of getting your watercolors in tubes or pans. You can make your own palette with empty pans and a tin box—you can also find empty palettes in the art store—with what watercolors you have in tubes as well.
A compact palette has more to offer than being travel-sized. These palettes usually contain all the basic colors you need to paint on the go or in your art-making space!
Watercolor palettes under the Virtuoso line are all of artist grade quality. While those under the Aspiring Artist line are beginner or student grade.
If you’re serious about watercolor, you may want to purchase professional or artist-grade paints. However, if you’re on a budget or just starting out, you can also opt for student-grade paints. The main difference is that student-grade watercolors have less pigment and more extenders whereas artist-grade watercolors contain more pigment—meaning you get better color intensity and permanence.
That doesn’t mean student grade watercolors suck. At the end of the day, look into reputable brands. Sure, they won’t perform the same way as professional paints but they should still mix and flow beautifully on the right paper.
But what if we told you that the best professional watercolor paints needn’t break the bank? Yes, you can get vivid, fade-resistant, and impeccable quality watercolors made for artists by artists—all here on ZenART Supplies!
It’s all in the details as well. Watercolor palettes come with bonus features that can enhance your art experience. If it’s a palette curated for travel, does it come with a brush inside the packaging? Can you move around the pans in their container or are the dried watercolor cakes already in a pre-set order?
I love when a palette has space for paint mixing as I like to reuse colors I’ve mixed in previous artworks. Also, I appreciate it when my paint palettes show clear labels of the different color names.
One detail I love about the watercolor paint palettes here on ZenART Supplies is that they all come with a swatch card! No need for me to keep testing the paints every time I move sketchbooks. And I can see how each color behaves, from translucency to vibrancy.
All of ZenART's watercolor palettes come with labelled color swatch cards
Now without further ado, here are ZenART’s best watercolor paints for beginners and professionals alike!
Don’t let the size of the Espresso Palette fool you. Sure it fits snugly in your pocket, but it packs a colorful punch! With 12 vivid and essential hues in half pans, this palette was carefully curated by artists for artists. You can create so many tones with just these basic colors, which makes it a good beginner watercolor set as well. The same thing goes for the Classico Palette - all the classic colors you need for color mixing if you're looking for an artist grade set.
Again, I highly recommend a palette with basic colors! It’s all about learning through constant practice. You’ll master color theory faster through color mixing versus if you start with a more colorful palette.
Grab the ZenART Espresso or Classico Palette and take it with you on your next coffee break. Go on a walk or go people watching. See if you can sketch and paint some scenes from a cafe!
When was the last time you took your inner artist out on a nature date? By this I mean a walk in the park or a trip to a nearby beach, maybe even a hike. Sometimes finding your creative flow means immersing yourself in the healing wonders of nature.
And the ZenART Sereno and Vista watercolor palettes are the perfect companion for finding inspiration in the great outdoors! You never know when creativity strikes! Many artists create their best works while painting en plein air. Think: JMW Turner and Paul Cezanne!
These palettes were carefully curated with cool colors and earth tones. Perfect for capturing verdant views and serene seascapes. They come in sturdy metal tins with ample space for mixing colors. Plus! A round water brush and flat brush is included in the Sereno Palette, so you can paint anywhere and any time!
This one’s my pick as the best watercolor for beginners and art journalists. The Allegro watercolor palette features warm colors made to lift your spirits and fire up your creative energy.
I truly believe in art as therapy. Keeping a watercolor journal or sketchbook isn’t just for documenting your daily life. It’s also a safe space for self-expression, self-discovery, and self-care. And this palette is perfect for painting and journaling your daily life.
This palette is wonderful for painting in the golden hour, keeping a food diary, or even fashion design. The possibilities are endless! Not to mention, the paints are vivid and fade-resistant—a result of extensive research. It’s a masterpiece in a hefty tin box!
Just like the Sereno palette, it comes with two brushes and a mixing palette.
What’s life and art without a little sparkle? The ZenART Prezioso palette is my personal fave because it tickles my love for crystals, magic, and shiny things.
With this palette, you’ve got 18 sparkly shades named after precious minerals like pink quartz, pyrite, and blue topaz. In terms of color payoff, these colors can go from opaque metallic to sheer shimmer.
Unlock your inner mystic through art. Try out meditative painting, calligraphy, or Zentangle. These sparkly colors look fantastic on dark paper, too! While they shine like precious stones, they don’t break the bank either.
Have you tried our watercolor palettes yet? They’re all made with love, by artists for artists. And they’re safe to use around kids, too.
We’re rooting for you and your colorful, creative journey! Let us know in the comments below what guides you’d like us to cover next.
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Belle O. Mapa is a writer and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She believes that everyone is born with an inner creative spirit—we just need to nurture and discover it on the blank page. Currently, she lives out her passion: writing stories, hosting journaling workshops, and advocating for mental health awareness.
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Acrylic is a wonderful modern medium that everyone should explore. It’s so versatile that it can be used in so many different ways and on various supports. From a more traditional painting style to acrylic pouring, the possibilities just seem endless. Let’s first tackle one of the basic techniques - blending.
Learning how to blend acrylic paint is an important skill to master especially if you want to achieve a more realistic painting style. To be able to seamlessly transition from one color to another and successfully paint the subtle transitions between different tones and values. Knowing how to achieve soft and blurred edges is essential when trying to create depth and perspective in your paintings. If you’re just starting out with this medium, consider reading up first on our beginner’s guide on how to use acrylic paint to get a general overview.
The fact that acrylic paint is a fast-drying medium makes it even more challenging to take your time with blending. But do not despair, there are ways of slowing down the drying time. Nowadays, there are even paints specially designed to be slow drying called Open Acrylics. Let’s dive into the basics of blending with acrylic paint.
Acrylic paints - I used the following colors: Cadmium Red Medium Hue, Cadmium Yellow Medium Hue, Hooker's Green, and Cobalt Blue.
Acrylic paint brushes - I used brushes from the Verbena brush set of ZenART Supplies.
Canvas pad and masking tape - just a sheet from the pad and divided into three equal parts using the masking tape.
Palette knife - I used one that came from my Renoir brush set.
Jar of water - for rinsing the brushes in and diluting the paints.
Retarder - to extend the drying time of the paints.
Wetting agent - to allow for an even smoother blending.
A small spritz bottle filled with water - can be used to pre-wet a surface or to spray on the paints to keep them from drying too soon.
A rag - for wiping off the excess paint on.
In the video above, I used three different ‘add-ons’ to help with all the blending that I did. Let’s discuss them further below starting with the first add on, using water with your paint.
The answer is, yes! In fact, this is the very first technique I learned for blending acrylic paint. Firstly, I wasn’t sure yet then if I would like painting with acrylic. So I didn’t want to spend on the expensive mediums and retarders just yet.
Adding water to your acrylic paint will make it easier to blend it and quite necessary if you’re using heavy-bodied paints. Dipping my brush every now and then in my jar of water is enough for the most part. If I need more, I use a mini-spritzer filled with water and spray it directly on the paints in my palette - do this sparingly. Be careful not to dilute it with too much water unless you’re looking to use it in a similar way to watercolors. Too much water will break down the binding of the acrylic resin with the pigment and cause your colors to become chalky and easily flake off once dry.
Adding a lot of water to your acrylic paint is fine if you’re looking to use it similar to watercolor and on an absorbent support like paper. So even if it’s very much watered down, the paint will stay on as the paper will absorb it.
Find out the key differences between acrylic and watercolor and know which one to choose for your next project.
Besides water, there are other mediums or additives that you can mix for blending acrylic paint better and with much more ease.
Retarding mediums when mixed with your paint, extends the drying time and makes it workable for a longer period. Allowing a better blending experience and more time to work with when doing wet-in-wet techniques. When using a retarder, use it on its own. It’s best not to use it with water as this can cause unwanted effects. Check the instructions on the bottle or container when using one for guidance on the proper ratio between retarder and paint. On mine for example it says:
“Thoroughly mix small quantity of Retarder into acrylic paint. Do not use alone or as a painting medium. For thicker applications, do not add more than 1 part Retarder to 8 parts paint. For thin applications, do not add more than 1 part retarder to 1 part paint.”
How thin or thick will of course depend on your own personal preferences or what your painting needs. Blending paint colors can be quite subjective. Though it won’t be as slow-drying as oil paints, the extra time you get from the retarder is still a very welcome gift.
Check out this article on acrylic vs oil paint and learn more about the main differences between the two.
A Wetting agent is an additive that when mixed with the acrylic paint, “lowers the surface tension of the water in the acrylic emulsion”. By ‘wetting out’ the pigments, it increases the flow of the paint and further enhances the finish or coating. This medium is very useful when you need to do staining work. I often use this for thin glazing or layering when painting. You can use this to further refine your blending by layering on top of previously blended layers if you feel like it/they need that extra love. Unlike retarders, this one can and should be used with water. Dilute it in water, and again check the container for the correct amount of wetting agent to water ratio.
In the video above, I covered the three different ways that I use to create a smooth blending. And with the help of these three - water, retarder, and wetting agent - you'll be able to explore various ways of blending. All the examples I did will help you learn how to paint gradients, too.
By first lightly wetting the surface I’ll be painting on, I allow the paints to glide more smoothly for an easier blending. Using a small spritz bottle filled with water, I lightly spritz the first box on my canvas pad sheet. For this first blending technique, I used the colors Cobalt Blue and Hooker’s Green. I immediately start painting from the top with the blue paint using a 1½” Flat brush from the Verbena acrylic brush set.
Before I reach the halfway point, I stop and switch to green, leaving a gap between the two colors.
Then I apply the green moving upwards, and side to side, making sure that I paint it as evenly spread as I can. I then slowly blend it upwards towards the blue continuing with my side to side, and now adding an up and down movement to fully blend the two colors together smoothly.
And finally, I switch back to blue for the bottom of the box. Using the same technique as above, I paint the blue evenly and start blending it upwards with the green. The finished blending gradient starts with blue, then turns green, and goes back to blue.
For the next box (center box), I used the colors Cadmium Red Medium Hue and Cobalt Blue. I start by adding some retarder to each color and mixing them thoroughly. Then, I take a bit of blue and red and pre-mix a purple blend on my palette.
This time around I use the 1” Slant brush - a fantastic brush for blending - from the same brush set, Verbena, to do my blending. I start by just quickly dipping my brush in the water to wet it. Then I get some red paint and start painting at the top and applying it evenly while moving towards the center.
Then I switch colors and pick up some of the purple color that I have previously pre-mixed. I apply it at the center and blend it upwards towards the red and mix the two colors together as smoothly as I can. Still using the same technique of side to side, up and down. Add more of whichever color that you think you need to even out the blending finish. Do this in small increments so you don’t have to keep fixing and tweaking your color blending.
Then before the purple starts to dry out, I add the blue at the bottom and blend it upwards towards the purple. Again using the same blending technique. You can relax a little bit with this acrylic blending technique for this box. The retarder in your paints gives you twice the amount of time more than usual before your acrylic paints start to dry.
And finally for the last box, I used the colors Cadmium Red Medium Hue and Cadmium Yellow Medium Hue. I first make sure that the 1½” Flat brush has been thoroughly rinsed off from the previous colors. I load up ½ of the brush with red paint, and the other half with yellow.
Then I proceed to apply it starting from the middle of the box and then blending it upwards and downwards. If you find that the red is too strong, add more of the yellow and blend it in. I drizzle a little bit of the wetting agent on my palette. Then, I lightly dip my brush in it and mix it in with the paint. Use the wetting agent sparingly, you can prepare a mix of wetting agent + water in a separate jar just for this use.
This blending technique starts from the middle, unlike the two previous ones that start from the upper edge. Blending with acrylics is a race against time when using regular acrylic paint. So work quickly before the paint starts to dry as this will leave paint streaks that will be harder to blend or cover once dry. I add red on the upper part and blend it to the top. Then yellow for the bottom part and blend it towards the middle. I keep adding more yellow until I achieve the gradation that I was aiming for.
For the last step, I use the Mop brush to further soften the blending from top to bottom. I first lightly dip it in the wetting agent and just brush it over the whole gradient. The finished result is a much, much smoother blending.
And those are the three different blending techniques that I most often use.
Besides the paint and the additives, mediums, or retarders, using the correct brushes will also help make your blending process go much smoother. Now, this will depend greatly on the size of the surface area that you need to cover with your blending applications. In my experience, I find that flat, filbert, and mop brushes are good for blending.
I also recommend using soft bristled brushes when blending. Synthetic brushes are great because not only are they softer than natural haired ones, but will also be more durable when used with acrylic (and the chemicals it contains). Check out our Verbena set below, a 16-pc brush set made up of 13 synthetic brushes, 2 color shapers, and a palette knife. Designed to be easily carried around with you in a beautiful woven grass roll-up case.
But if you’re looking for a more textured kind of blending, then I suggest trying out our badger and synthetic mix brushes. Badger hair is a lot softer than hog but hardier than synthetic. Brushes from our Artist’s Choice are all Filbert brushes of various sizes that are a Badger and synthetic mix. While brushes from the Renoir brush set are a mix of Hog and Badger and synthetic mix.
I hope you’ll try these techniques and even discover your very own versions. With acrylic paint it’s just a matter of learning how to work quickly and knowing more about the tools that can help you out. Thankfully, technology has given us ways to extend the drying time and even paints that take longer to dry. Don’t be afraid to explore and make mistakes, it really is the best way to learn!
What’s the most challenging aspect of acrylic painting for you? Which acrylic blending technique do you most often use? If there’s anything we haven’t covered yet that you’d like to know more about, don't be shy and let us know in the comments below! Join our friendly art community Painting Inspiration Daily on Facebook. You can share your art and ideas, watch LIVE tutorials, and be inspired to paint!
Ever wondered what is watercolor paper exactly and how is it used? Watch out for our next Toolkit and find out! Until then, have a blast learning how to blend acrylic paint!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Kathleen is the Wordsmith at ZenART, resident artist and art editor. When God sent a shower of talents, Kathleen made sure she got a basketful of them! She's a visual artist with practical knowledge on various fields from painting and sculpture, to costume and set design which comes in very handy when writing about various art techniques and theories. She also shares her passion for the arts through teaching. She runs her own brand of handmade wirework jewelry designs.
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Painting flowers is an all-time classic theme. Every painter wants to capture the beauty of nature in their work and I am sure you do, too. So, I picked two of my favorite flowers, one that I think is very easy and one that is a little more challenging. Thus, I will show you step-by-step how to paint two different gouache flowers - roses and narcissus.
Gouache has proven to be a popular medium, one I am sure you would like to experiment with if you like using water-based media. It can be described as something between watercolor and acrylic. As it is opaque like acrylic when used on its own and behaves like watercolor when diluted with enough water. But keep in mind when using gouache paint that it can be reactivated with water even when it has fully dried. So even if you’ve applied it thickly ala acrylic, it won’t be unmovable like acrylic.
Before we start the first of our gouache flowers, I’ll list down the materials I used to paint this bevy of roses.
Brushes from the Verbena brush set from ZenART Supplies
Jelly Gouache
Acrylic paint
Watercolor paper - from a watercolor block/pad from ZenART Supplies (Cold-pressed, 300gsm, 100% cotton)
Jar/s of water for rinsing brushes and diluting paints
I selected a Deep Cadmium Yellow Hue acrylic paint to paint the background. This step is optional, it’s just my personal preference to paint in the background first when painting with gouache. Orange will complement the color of the roses and give us some contrast as well. I am using the #1 Slant flat brush to paint it as it is always best to use a flat wide brush for such purposes.
Tip: Since gouache reactivates with water as mentioned before, I would not recommend that you use it for painting your background. Instead, you can use acrylic paint that is opaque and will remain firm. However, the acrylic background has its limitations as it works really well when we paint with layers of gouache that are barely diluted and very thick. But if you prefer to use it for painting in a more watercolor effect, you should avoid the acrylic background. In this case, however, it works perfectly well.
Next, with the #8 Angled brush from the Verbena set from ZenART Supplies, we start painting circles. I used a Cadmium Red gouache paint color. Paint them near each other but still keep an even spacing more or less. Don’t worry about making them perfect as you actually want a more organic looking shape for your gouache flowers.
Tip: When you want to paint circles, use an Angled brush - keep the brush straight on the paper and twist it around to form the circular shape. It’s much easier than drawing a circle and then filling it in with paint.
After we finish painting all our circles with the Cadmium Red gouache, we will take some white gouache and the #1 Round brush from the Fine Line miniature brush set from ZenART Supplies. We paint small semi-circles starting at the center of each circle. And as we move to the outside, the semi-circles become bigger and bigger - we do the same for each circle. Some of our semi-circles can interconnect here and there to give an even more subtle illusion of petals overlapping each other.
Here they are all painted with the first layer of white semi-circles.
After we finish our semi-circles, we can apply some more of the same white paint on top to fill in some gaps. This will make our roses look fuller, but keep in mind that we still want some of the red to show.
If you want to add some extra color and detail to your drawing, you can paint some leaves sporadically. You can use a round brush with a nice point to paint them. Here, I am using the number one Round brush from the Fine Line detail brush set of ZenART Supplies. Then switched to the #4/0 Rigger brush from the same set to paint the veins of the leaves. Using a lighter shade of green, start by painting a line at the center of the leaf. Then paint lines branching out from the center line - the main vein - forming a V-like progression from the base to the tip.
Tip: Rigger brushes are very useful to have around as they are great for painting thin, straight lines and outlines.
Painting the narcissus flower may seem too complicated when compared to the roses we just finished. But don’t worry, I’ll show you how it can be broken down into simpler steps that you can easily follow.
The materials to be used are the same as the roses above.
I have used the same Dark Cadmium Yellow Hue acrylic paint to paint the background of this painting as well. This color will also complement nicely with the yellow narcissus that we will be painting. Another one that I would recommend for the background is a light blue color. Once the background is dry, we can lightly sketch our gouache flowers. If you are a beginner, it's best to always have a sketch done in pencil underneath to help guide you along. And it will also help with the composition and placement of the flowers.
I have included a small drawing template that I hope will help you draw the flowers. Narcissus flowers have a soft conical-like shape at the center and the petals are wide and oval-shaped. So we will start by drawing a wide elliptical shape (horizontal), then draw a vertical line across it at the center - dividing it in two. Have the lines go beyond the elliptical shape above and below. Add another smaller elliptical shape above and slightly overlapping the bigger one. The smaller one will be the mouth of the cone-like center shape of the flower with its base just a little under the center of the bigger elliptical shape. Once you have that down, it will be much easier drawing in the petals. Setting up these basic shapes and lines will help us to achieve better proportions and geometry.
You can download this narcissus sketch for FREE and use it as a guide.
We start by applying a light yellow gouache mixture to the petals. I have made a yellow mixture by mixing some Lemon Yellow with Yellow Ochre for the inside of the cone. At the center, we add some Burnt Umber by painting a few lines that will later help with the volume.
When the yellow layer is dry, we will take some orange gouache and paint a few lines near the center of the flower. This will also help us achieve more volume. I suggest using a small round brush for this. I am using a #1 Round brush from the Fine Line miniature brush set from ZenART Supplies.
When the orange at the center of the flower is dry, we will take some Burnt Umber and paint in some even smaller lines on top. But don’t overdo it, we still want some of the orange to show at the edges. Then with a Rigger brush, we will add a light blue outline around the petals. I created this light blue by mixing Cerulean Blue with White, and a little bit of Black.
Tip: You cannot do much blending with gouache especially when you are painting with dry brush strokes on top of a previous gouache layer. It’s best to layer the colors on top of each other to paint the different values, highlights, and shadows. Otherwise, you will reactivate the previous layer and cause it to mix with the layer you are working on. You can end up with muddy colors instead and you especially don’t want that with your gouache flowers.
With the Rigger brush, we also paint a deep red outline around the cone of the flower at the center. To create that shade, you can mix Cadmium Red with a little bit of black to create a deep burgundy color. We also add some Yellow Ochre to the inside of the same cone. Leaving this flower to dry, we move to the one next to it that hasn’t fully bloomed yet. For this flower, we add more white to our Lemon Yellow and Yellow Ochre mix to make it lighter. This will help create the impression that it’s nearer to the source of light.
We paint the same light color on the third flower as well. As we leave it to dry, we add some finishing touches to the first flower. A few highlights to the petals using white gouache, but not too much since this flower is more in the shadows than the others. We also add a few details to the cone at the center of the flower with a Rigger brush, a few white lines, and a little detail of a dark blue cross at the center for depth.
Using some green paint, play around with the mixtures for painting the stems and leaves. I mixed a light green shade with a little yellow ochre and a little bit of black to get this more subdued kind of green.
Tip: Be careful when you add black to your mixtures since it’s a very strong and dark color. You don’t want to inadvertently darken your color several shades darker than planned. You should slowly add by dabbing just a little bit of paint with the tip of your brush and add that to your mix. If you want to go darker, add a little more until you reach the desired result.
Similar to the first flower, we add the same details to our third which is also in full bloom. We add the Orange near the center, the Umber on top of the blue outline, and the outline of the deep red mixture around the cone. However, the third flower has a petal that’s slightly folded inwards. We paint the underside of that petal an orange to give it the shadowing it needs, adding more dimension to it.
With a lighter green mixture than the one we previously used, add a few highlights to the leaves and stems to give them more volume. Making them perfectly complement the gouache flowers.
Here’s a small trivia about narcissus flowers for those who love Greek mythology as much as I do. Narcissus flowers are associated with the god of the underworld, Hades. It was the flower he planted for Persephone to lure her into the underworld. As planned, Persephone picked the flower, and then a portal to the underworld opened. Hades appeared, leading Persephone into the shadows and to his kingdom of the dead. You might have also heard of a young handsome man with this same name who rejected all romantic advances. According to the myth, he fell in love with his own reflection upon seeing it at a stream. As he was reaching out to touch it, he kept trying to reach it and stretched out too far. He tragically fell in and drowned.
And here are my finished narcissus gouache flowers.
And here are the two final works, I hope you found these step-by-step instructions easy to follow and helpful. If you do try them out, don’t forget to share your creations on Instagram using the #zenartsupplies. We’d love to see them and feature them on our social media channels!
For another gouache painting how-to, check out my other article, moon landscape with gouache tutorial.
We’d love to hear back from you!
Have you tried painting gouache flowers? Which flowers have you painted? How do you find painting them in gouache compared to other mediums? What future content would you like to see from us? Let me know in the comments below! Join our friendly art community Painting Inspiration Daily on Facebook. You can share your art and ideas, watch LIVE tutorials, and be inspired to paint!
Looking for some guidance on how to blend acrylic paint? Watch out for our next upcoming article for some useful tips on that and more!
- MEET THE AUTHOR-
Theodora is the Dynamic Social Integrator at ZenART, resident artist and content creator. She is the one who's been admiring your work through our social media channels and the one who's been motivating you by giving you tips and inspiration. Being born and raised in Athens, Greece, her work as an artist often depicts charming bejeweled and modernized Greek mythological characters rendered on big canvases and inspired by Renaissance aesthetics. When she's not creating content, she fills her days with endless hours of painting.
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But first, some oil paint 101
So does oil paint have a shelf life?
How can you tell if oil paint has gone bad?
Can you reactivate oil paint?
How to store oil paints so they don't go bad
Since it's a slow-drying paint, oil paint affords you the luxury of time when blending, layering, and glazing colors over a canvas. Not to mention the rich and true color that doesn't change even after it dries.
But of course, with great paints come great responsibility. You might be wondering: How long does paint last? Do artist oil paints go bad? And how long is my paint really good for? Well, lucky for you, oil paints can last you a long time. Still, there's always a risk of your art materials going to waste if you don't care for and store them properly. Here's a guide to making sure these woes don't become your reality.
Basically, oil paint is made up of pigments suspended in oil. The most popular oil used is linseed oil. Oil paint has a thicker, buttery consistency and it dries much slower without losing its intensity of color. The synthetic or natural oils that bind the pigments lend to the slow drying time-both on canvas or even in a tube. That's why oil paint is such a good option for long-term art-making.
Unlike other water-based paints like acrylic and watercolor which dry by evaporating, oil paints dry by oxidation. This means the oil in the paint reacts to the air, causing it to harden and lock in that color you've put down on your surface. However, over time it can become brittle and crack-as we see in many classical paintings that survived the test of time. This should clue you in on how to store your oil paints: heat and air are the enemy.
We often associate oil paintings with the Renaissance era, when it was most popularized. Notice how beautiful and rich classical paintings still are in color? That's because the pigment stays preserved. But back then, artists had to make their paints by hand, grinding pigments with oil or animal fat to create a paste-like consistency. It was quite a messy affair, so we're fortunate now that we have them in tubes! If you're looking to start on your oil painting journey, we have some curated oil painting palettes for your different painting styles from portraiture to impressionist painting!
In theory, oil paint won't go bad if properly sealed. But oil paints can harden up in their own tubes if left unsealed. And the linseed oil in the paint can expire. On canvas, they can even develop mold or mildew if badly stored.
However, you're granted quite a long life span for your paints. If kept properly, your precious tubes of oil paint can even last you decades. In fact, oil paints can have a shelf life of 15 to up to 40 years! That's why seasoned artists have grown to love this medium for painting!
The main problem you'll likely encounter is your oil paint drying out. This can be a huge pain, having your beloved paint tubes turn hard as rocks with the paint impossible to squeeze out.
Besides that, linseed oil can expire as it's organic matter. It can go rancid, causing your paint to smell different. You'll find that oil paint has quite a strong and distinctive scent, but if it starts to smell off, that's probably a sign that it's gone bad.
Old oil paint can also start to separate. This doesn't mean it's gone bad. In fact, it'll happen from time to time depending on how long you've shelved your paints. If you notice oil leaking out of the tube or the binder separating from the pigment, don't worry. Just remix them once on the palette. But if you notice that, after stirring your paints, the consistency isn't the same as it used to be, or if it separates again quickly then it's time for a toss.
You might be wondering, do artist oil paints go bad this way? Since these are specially formulated for archival quality, you'll find that artist oil paints last much longer.
With its unique chemical makeup, oil paint can "go bad" in some ways, be it hardening in the tube or developing an off smell. But that doesn't mean you've got to throw it right away. You might think there's no more use for oil paint that's gone rock hard. But there is a way to save that tube. You can definitely extend its shelf life with a solvent like turpentine.
If you didn't know, turpentine is a type of paint solvent. It thins and dissolves oil paint, making it a must-have for cleaning your oil paint brushes. Turpentine also speeds up the drying time since it dilutes the oil paint and evaporates from it. You can read more about solvents in our guide to cleaning oil paint brushes!
Since turpentine thins paint, it can work to reactivate and soften dried paint in a tube. Just open up the tube, put the dried paint in a container so you can mix it with the solvent. Work your way up until the paint returns to its normal consistency or close. Start with a small quantity of solvent to paint so you don't overdo it. The key here is less is more. It's easier to dilute than to thicken the paint. Make sure to do this in a well-ventilated space since turpentine is toxic. And don't leave the turpentine container open, get what you need and then seal it right away.
We do caution against reactivating old and hard oil paint, just so you can avoid the dangers of using old paint like inhaling possibly toxic fumes. Alternatively, you can use other non-toxic solvents to reactivate your paints. That, or invest in good quality oil paints that are also non-toxic-our oil paints here on Zen Art Supplies have got you covered!
Again, a tube of oil paint can last you decades if you take care of it properly. And that means making sure you store it well. Properly store your oil paints in a cool, dry place. Double-check that the paint tubes are tightly sealed to keep them from drying out or leaking.
As we mentioned, over time, the oil and the pigment can separate. It's unavoidable. Since pigment is denser than oil, when the two separate the pigment will be at the bottom. So in the long-term, you'll want to store your oil paint tubes cap-side down. That way, you end up squeezing out more pigment than oil.
Do you paint outdoors or in natural sunlight? Once you're done painting for the day, make sure to store your paints away from natural sunlight. Extreme heat can affect the composition of your paint over time.
Say you're done painting but you've still got some leftover oil paint. Obviously, you can't put it back in the tube anymore. So what can you do with unused oil paint? Don't leave it out on your palette to dry. Especially if you've spent a good time mixing unique colors together.
You can put plastic wrap or aluminum foil over your palette instead of just leaving the paint out in the open air-though this can get messy. Some artists transfer their oil paints to air-tight containers and put them in the fridge or even freezer to keep them from drying out.
We'd love to hear back from you! How long have you been oil painting? Are you a seasoned artist or a beginner? If you're just about to start with oil painting, don't fear! Invest in a good selection of oil paints, like the ones we have here on Zen Art Supplies so. Plus, they're non-toxic so you won't worry about the solvent fumes. Make sure to follow the tips we mentioned in this article so they can last you a long time! Read more of our oil painting guides on the Zen Art Supplies blog for more tips and guides!
Don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have and to share your thoughts and suggestions. Just comment down below! Join our friendly art community Painting Inspiration Daily on Facebook. You can share your art and ideas, watch LIVE tutorials, and be inspired to paint!
- MEET THE AUTHOR -
Belle O. Mapa is a writer and artist based in Manila, Philippines. She believes that everyone is born with an inner creative spirit—we just need to nurture and discover it on the blank page. Currently, she lives out her passion: writing stories, hosting journaling workshops, and advocating for mental health awareness.
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