In the Studio

I have yet to discover a good, affordable brush. I can, however, tell you what brand NOT to buy. Don't buy Blick's acrylic brushes because they are terrible. As soon as you use them they completely lose shape and the hairs get all frayed and look as if they've been used for years. The quality is about the same as a set of student brushes I bought for a children's party. But the Blick brand was much more expensive. In fact one of my favorite brushes to use is a cheap flat brus

When I have some free time, I like to watch art technique videos on YouTube and one of my favorites is Jane Davies. She offers paid online workshops as well but, her long list of free YouTube videos are extremely helpful and cover a wide range of topics. She focuses on everything from mixing colors to collage techniques to mono printing. Her medium is mostly acrylics and her style is very free and abstract. I like how her videos are simple and easy to follow. Even if your sty

If you're thinking of getting your work into an art shows, CaFE is a great website to find one that might fit. It's free for artists and allows you to look through an extensive database for calls for entries all over the country. I usually sort by state because I like to find shows that won't require me to ship my work too far. It helps you keep track of which shows you've entered and which pieces were accepted or rejected. When you submit for a call you upload your images to

When I first started painting, mixing colors was one the most frustrating challenges. I didn't know what I was doing so, I was wasting a lot of paint. I understood the basics of the color wheel but, I couldn't get the more elegant and sophisticated colors that I wanted. Especially when working on a landscape, a particular shade of green or brown could really change the intent of the painting. I started looking for books and classes and over time, every little bit of advice he

If you've never seen one of Teoh Yi Chie's videos, definitely go check it out. He's a youtuber and blogger who puts out tons of videos and blog posts about on-site sketching, reviews of art books and materials, tips for painting and drawing and a variety of other interesting art related videos. His videos are consistent, informative and well-edited. The big bonus is that he's likable and has a calm, relatable personality. I also enjoy that his videos are in Singapore so I get