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Today we’re talking about painting. It’s important to remember to have fun while you’re working. That’s why people go into art, isn’t it? To enjoy their work and to feel fulfilled by it. Whenever I get frustrated I just try to remember Bob Ross telling a story about the bear he imagines living in a cave on the mountain he’s painting, or making one of his famous “happy little trees.”
We discuss types of paint like acrylic, oil, watercolor, gouache, and tempera; types of brushes like round, flat, fan, big, and small; other tools you might use like the palette knife, brush washing cup, canvas or panel coated in gesso, etc. We also mention proper safety when using chemicals requiring good ventilation, sometimes gloves, and proper disposal. (Don’t just dump thinners down the sink. It’s bad for your pipes. Also don’t leave soaked rags and paper towels sitting in the trash, they’re a fire hazard.)
We talk about under drawings, glazing, working wet on wet, sealing paintings when they’re finished, and wrapping paints with saran wrap to save it for later.
James Gurney of Dinotopia has some great blogs on everything from setting up a good taboret to artist palettes through the ages. You should also check out his youtube channel.