Tips for colored pencils, oils and acrylics
Colored Pencils Tips and Techniques
I like holding my pencil at a 45 degree angle, except if I need to get inside a crevice of the paper. In that case, I hold the pencil at a 90 degree angle.
To release some of the pressure on your surface, try holding your pencil further away from the tip. Holding the pencil very close to the tip gives you more control, but places more pressure on the surface.
You can test how much pressure you are putting on the surface by sharpening the pencil to a needle point, and then using it to paint on top of your hand. If you are using the right amount of pressure, then you should feel only a soft tickle on your hand.
I prefer to use a circular motion for everything, except for painting bird feathers in which I prefer a linear motion. When you are using your pencil, the point flattens and “moves” to a different place. Thus, while doing circles, I will rotate the pencil when necessary to maximize the use of my point. Rotating the pencil will allow you to use that “new” point and you will need to sharpen your pencil less.
| What is on my easel? Colored Pencils |
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| Sweet Bluebird Surface – Pastelbord |
Oils Tips and Techniques
Choosing the background color for your painting is very important and I like doing it before starting the painting process. I paint my surface with an acrylic color that matches the color I have selected. Sometimes I need to mix several acrylic colors to achieve the color I need. I also paint a piece of mat board with this color. When I am mixing my oil values I paint a swatch on the painted mat board and decide if that color goes well with the background selected.
| Cool Background | Warm Background |
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Note that the roses look brighter and more radiant on the left as compared to the right. I prepare my mixes using the background on the left. I wanted to create more depth in the painting so I glazed it with darker colors but the mix I used was too warm and took away the vibrancy from my painting. I repainted the background using the original colors but at the same time using more values and creating that depth I wanted. However, I had to cover all the greenery that was in the background. I will post a picture when it is completely done.
Acrylic tips and techniques
DecoArt Canvas Gel Medium is an excellent product that helps extending the drying time of acrylic paints and helps you with the blending process.
