Painting blog by Masha Eretnova
If you are just starting painting, don’t be intimidated by all the different shapes and sizes of paintbrushes. You can easily do a lot with a simple flat brush. Let me show you 9 basic brushstrokes you can do with a flat brush of any size – I use a size 6 flat brush – … Read more
Acrylic paint is a versatile and fast-drying type of paint made from pigment suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion. It can be diluted with water to create translucent washes or used straight from the tube for a bold, opaque color. It can be used on a variety of surfaces, including canvas, paper, wood, fabric, and … Read more
I had a chance to try very affordable oil paints – Van Gogh and it was my second attempt at oils as an acrylic painter. I bought a simple set of 6 colors, only the basics and I was excited to test how oils are different from acrylics and how performant cheap oils can be. … Read more
Over the last 3 years, my painting practice has evolved and I was able to invest in some professional paints, like Golden acrylic paint. I was really intrigued by how praised this brand is, and how they stand out among competitors and never even produce student-grade paints. At the same time, I thought, ain’t no … Read more
Alla Prima is not the first technique and let’s be honest, word, that comes to mind when you start painting with acrylics. But what is this and why is this technique really worth trying? (And it is, I promise!) Alla Prima in Italian means at first attempt or direct painting, and as a painting technique, it … Read more
It is a myth (beneficial for marketing people and brands) that to be successful in painting you need to buy a set of 48 colors. It is not true, there are basic colors and some variations of the basic acrylic paint palette that you can buy and paint absolutely anything. I’ve been painting with acrylics … Read more
Slow-drying mediums can cost anywhere from $14 to $20 and what if we are not sure yet if that’s going to work? Better not to spend money on something we won’t use. Besides there are ways to make acrylic dry slower without such mediums or even a recipe for a homemade acrylic retarder I’m going … Read more
Do you want to keep your paint wet, but without spending money on a fancy palette or retarder? Here are general guidelines on how to make your own, DIY stay wet palette. All of them generally will not require you to buy anything, you probably have all the needed materials in your kitchen. Homemade wet … Read more
Painted on a vase or wine glasses but the paint washed off or got scratched? Not to worry, you can seal acrylic paint on glass to make it permanent and resistant. Selaing paint on your glassware will also allow you to safely wash it on the top shelf in your dishwasher and use it daily! … Read more
I have to confess, I love to hoard art supplies! And also, I love to not overspend. While it is true that Liquitex, Golden and Arteza are popular brands, I find that I have my own preference – Amsterdam paints. And let me show you why – let’s dive in this concise Amsterdam acrylic paint … Read more