Click on any of the images below to view the article of interest to you. We add new articles to the website every three months. We also like to keep current articles updated, sometimes changing the format of the page entirely to add more information or make it more aesthetically pleasing, so please do visit often. You can SUBSCRIBE to our quarterly newsletter if you want the latest articles sent straight to your email as soon as they are available. Not all articles below are currently available to view. A few may be in progress right now or will be created in the near future. I hope you find these articles very informative and should you wish to request a specific article, get in touch via our contact page.
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If you wish to support the growth of this website, which receives no funding, you can support us by 'Buying us a coffee' from just £3/$3. This helps us to provide more free content, for all artists around the world
Starting out with Oils | Beginners guideAn article written by Welsh artist Chris Chalk. If you feel daunted by oil paints and want to know where to start, this article offers some helpful advice and explains the 3 most important things you will need to begin.
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Faber Castell | Oil-based coloured pencilsThe Polychromos pencils by Faber-Castell are probably the most loved oil based pencil out there. Available in 120 highly lightfast colours and made from high quality materials.
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Winsor & Newton | Artisan oilsWinsor & Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oil Colour is a genuine oil colour made from modified linseed oil and modified safflower oil. This modification means Artisan Water Mixable Oil Colours can be used without hazardous solvents - they can be cleaned up with water.
Currently in progress - article to follow
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Papers and Canvases
Replace with those suitable for oil paints, oil-based pencils and oil pastels
Art Spectrum | ColourfixArt Spectrum® Colourfix™ papers are sheets of acid-free, 300gsm hot pressed watercolour paper with a fine, deep tooth. It is a superb surface for pastels, oils, acrylics, inks, oil pastels, gouache, watercolours and dry media such as charcoal and pencils.
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Art Spectrum | Colourfix smoothFor fans of the Colourfix paper, did you know that the company also has a smooth version too? Find out more about the Colourfix Smooth, compare between other surfaces and see where you can buy some.
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Canson | Mi-tientes 'Touch'A highly innovative and unique surface - this versatile, finely textured paper is perfect for pastel, charcoal, pencil, & acrylic artists and suitable for both dry and wet media techniques.
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NEW! 12 popular black papers for artistsDuring our search for the 12 black surfaces in this article, we found many more, with companies producing their own ranges, in varying shades of black and different textures. The following article provides you with a selection of the most popular brands, including some lesser known.
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St Cuthbert's Mill | Bockingford Not (tints)
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Comparing watercolour papersCompare hot pressed watercolour papers before buying your own preferred paper. See what size, weight and brightness each one is as well as which is vegan friendly too. Suitable surfaces for watercolours, pencils, gouache, acrylic, pastel, pen & ink and charcoal.
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Ampersand Boards
Looking for a high quality canvas for your art? Ampersand have a collection of boards available for artists of all mediums from paint to scratchboard.
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Ampersand | Gessobord
This superior quality gesso ground does not dull colours and the lightly sanded surface provides excellent brush control, perfect for all painting styles with oils, acrylics, airbrush and mixed media.
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Ampersand | PastelbordThis canvas is an ideal surface for many different mediums, not just pastels and in this article I show what is achievable using acrylics & coloured pencils. Suitable for acrylic, casein, charcoal, coloured pencil, graphite, mixed media, dry pastel and oil pastel.
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Why not try one of our tutorials for oil pastel artists
If you are completely new to oil pastels, why not try one of our tutorials. We show you how to create the subject, by following the directions below each image on the page. You will learn how to build your base layers and create fine details which will help add realism in your work. If you are new to oil pastels, you may wish to start with the 'Strawberry' tutorial, and move on to the others marked 'All artists'. Fancy a challenge? Go straight to the 'Intermediate' tutorials and enjoy the process.
Juicy Strawberry | Oil pastel tutorialAre you new to oil pastels or wish to try the medium, but unsure where to start? Oil pastels are so easy to manipulate, which make them an ideal medium for the absolute beginner. We provide a simple step by step guide, allowing you to create a highly effective drawing in just 10 minutes.
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