Painting blog by Masha Eretnova
Masha Eretnova 
Would you like to create thick, textured, expressive acrylic paintings? I’ve been creating textured ad impasto art with palette knives since 2020 and I can share how I thicken my paint with professional and household items to make them thicker and work similar to oil paints. Simply add a small amount of baking soda, cornstarch, … Read more
You’re here probably because it’s your first time, and you’re looking for painting supplies and DIY ideas on how to have the perfect painting date night at home. You may be overwhelmed with things like, “what products should we buy?” or “does painting go with movies or beverages”? Whatever it is, you’ve come to the … Read more
Have you ever wondered how to draw a crescent moon? I have plenty of 10-minute super easy Moond drawing ideas to share. Let me show you how I draw moon and color it. They’re beautiful to look at and relatively easy to paint. So, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, read on for … Read more
Color mixing is so satisfying to me but some combinations are hard to predict. As an artist and teacher, I love sharing color-mixing swatches I make to help you navigate color theory better (and most people hate it! haha). Pink and green are both bright colors but mixed together they make such a variety of … Read more
Have you ever been frustrated with how fast acrylic paint dries? I bet! Especially if you are like me and learned to paint with oils! For my first few paintings, I just wasted acrylics on the palette… On my last trip (Japan) I stumbled on this set of open acrylics and I got it in … Read more
Gouache, also known as opaque watercolor, works so well on paper, yet many beginners wonder if there are other options, like canvas. I tested my Miya gouache on simple gesso-primed canvas and I’ll share what I liked and didn’t quite enjoy in the process. Spoiler: Gouache painting works better on paper, canvas pads, and canvas … Read more
Red and orange are both warm colors that are close to each other on the color spectrum. As an artist, I’m often mixing colors and I will show you my real swatches of red and orange paint. Since both red and orange are warm colors, when you mix red and orange you usually get a … Read more
Choosing acrylic vs gouache? Why not combine?! Acrylic gouache has properties of both! I’ve recently made 4 mini paintings and one portrait with Turner acryl gouache and let me share my thoughts. I also have Holbein gouache and Holbein acryla gouache and I will compare acryla to Turner’s acrylic gouache as well. Is acrylic gouache … Read more
Have you ever looked at beautiful drawings and thought, “I wish I could do that too!” But then that little voice in your head says, “I’m just not talented enough.” Well, guess what? You’re not alone! Lots of people feel that way. They believe that drawing is only for those with natural talent or special … Read more
Did you know that it is quite easy to make your own paints? Pack it in tubes and enjoy painting without paying for brands or marketing? To make acrylic paint, you will basically need 3 components: Acrylic medium or binder, Pigment and Water with a bit of alcohol. You start by adding water and a … Read more