Journey Art Supplies Blog
Tips, Tricks, Thoughts, and inspiration from across the art spectrum.
Better Blending with Alcohol Markers
This step-by-step tutorial for beginners is a great place to start learning more about alcohol marker blending techniques. Even if you are familiar with the basics of using markers, if you want to level up your skills, keep reading to discover some of the advanced techniques we recommend. Have you been too intimidated to draw with markers because they feel so permanent? Give these marker techniques a try and you’ll be surprised by how much more forgiving and fluid the drawing process can be. Have you been frustrated by the so-called “blender markers” not working as you expected to blend colors? In this post, we’ll show you better ways to blend and how to really use a blender marker. Before we get to the markers, we need to start with the paper. Successful marker blending begins with the right paper. Because blending techniques require lots of layering, the paper must be able to absorb the ink without becoming oversaturated too quickly. It needs to strike a balance between just enough bleeding to get the inks and alcohol to merge, but not enough to leak past the drawing area. The wrong paper can either not blend enough and cause unwanted streaks or will bleed too much, causing colors to feather. Check out our basic guide to alcohol markers for more detailed information on choosing the right paper for markers and more. Blending and Layering with Alcohol Markers The ability to create smooth blends is one of the main advantages of alcohol markers. The key to blending is to keep the area wet without letting the ink dry between layers. Find that sweet spot of coloring slow enough to let the alcohol seep into the paper but fast enough so that it doesn’t dry out. Once dry, it’s harder to get smooth transitions between colors and values, although you can go back over them to improve the blend later with more layers. Keep coloring out from the wet edge, working fairly quickly to keep that leading edge wet so it will blend well with the next color. It’s helpful to practice different blending techniques so you can get used to the sweet spot, which can vary slightly between marker and paper brands. Before you begin a blend, plan ahead. The best blends come from using a range of values to transition from one value or color to the next. This is why you’ll find that marker brands feature multiple values of markers within one color family: one for dark, one for a step lighter in value, one for 2 steps lighter in value, and so on. Organize the color groups you plan to use in advance. To blend well, you need to work while the paper is still wet with the marker ink, so spending time searching for the color you need can cost you valuable working time. It’s hard to get a good blend between two colors with a big value difference between them, so use enough small steps between the different marker values for best results. It’s a good idea to test blends before you start so you’ll have a game plan. Layering is crucial to successful blending. Work your color layers back and forth over each other until you get the blend as smooth as you want. When they blend, the inks are actually mixing together almost like watercolor, and you can push them towards or away from each other with the marker nib. In this way, the pressure of the nib almost acts like a palette knife, so the more you physically blend the colors, the smoother the blend can be. Be aware that the colors will darken with repeated layering, and the more alcohol gets added to the paper through layering, the more the ink may bleed past where you want it to. Repeated layering is the secret to getting the colors to blend. It’s like making a sandwich of color 1 over color 2 and color 2 over color 1, etc. until the blend is as smooth as you want. It’s best to work in smaller sections instead of all over a large area so that the ink stays wet while you blend, and you’re not having to rush around the image to create all the blends before the paper dries out. For example, if you have 3 flowers on a stem, work on one flower at a time, even if you’re using the same colors in each flower. It might seem like you’ll save time by coloring the lights in all three and then the darks in all three, but the blending may suffer as a result. If you plan to blend, it’s a good idea not to color all the way out to the edge of a shape because the extra alcohol added to the paper can cause bleeds. Stop about 1/16 of an inch from the edge, then wait a few seconds after the blending has been done to see how far out the color will bleed. If, after some time passes, you still see some white areas near the border, you can touch those up while the rest of the ink is still wet. After a while working with the same markers and paper, you’ll become familiar with how much the layered ink bleeds and how much you need to compensate. How to blend a smooth, large, single-color area without streaks With a chisel tip, use straight, overlapping strokes and then go back over it in the perpendicular direction. You can also color in a circular motion. With either technique, you’ll need to repeat the layers a couple of times to get a smooth color. Each time you do, the value will go slightly darker up to a certain point, which may (or not) be desirable. That’s why it’s helpful to have a light-through-dark collection of the color families you want to use. You can use that lightest color to go over the entire area again to blend without affecting the value or color, which gives better results than using a colorless blender for the same purpose. How to gradate a single color from dark to light to white It’s very easy to make a gradation from dark to light with a single color marker. Since layering a color over itself creates different values, you can control the gradation by simply adding more or fewer layers. When blending the color into the white of the paper, a fun trick is to bleach the tip of the colored marker with a colorless blender. Holding the blender marker on top and the colored one on the bottom, kiss the tips together until you see the color fade from the top 1/16th inch or so from the top. You might need to move the colorless blender back and forth along the tip to get an evenly faded area, especially on chisel tips. In a zig-zag motion, begin coloring with the bleached marker tip, starting where you want it to fade from the white of the paper. As you continue coloring, the colored ink will let down into the marker, creating a perfect gradation. You can also do this with 2 colors to get a nice gradation from one color to the next. The colorless blender leaks into the colored marker to create a temporary gradation from the white of the paper to the full marker color. The same technique can be used with 2 different colored markers. How to create smooth blends starting with light to dark Using the lightest color in your color group, begin by coloring the whole area you intend to gradate, even if that color will disappear under the darker layer. This primes the paper with alcohol, which will make the inks blend together more easily. Because it’s a light color, you can go darker as needed without worrying it will be too dark at the beginning, leaving you little room for more variation. With markers, it’s always easier to go darker than to lighten up a too-dark area. Add your darkest color where you want it. Don’t color it as far out as you think you need it because blending will pull some of that dark for you, and it might go farther than you want. Add your middle value in the area between the dark and light colors. While adding it, color over the dark area with the middle value to blend the two together well. Using your lightest color again, color over the entire area between the middle value and the lightest value and color over the entire area of the gradation again, just like you did in the beginning. The lightest color will smooth the blend without adding much extra color or darkening the values. It also helps unify the colors, especially if you’re having to make do with a color that isn’t necessarily in the same color family but is close. How to create smooth blends starting with dark to light Start with your darkest value and color where you want it to be, but not quite as far out as you want it to extend. The subsequent colors will pull it out farther, so you need to account for that. Add the medium value colored over the darker area and out as far as you want the medium value to be. Again, err on the side of less far out than you want it in the end because the lighter value will pull it out a bit. Add the lightest value where you want it to be and color it over the medium value to blend the transition, continuing over the darker area as well to facilitate the smooth blending of all the values. The more you layer the values, the more alcohol you’re adding to the paper, and the more the colors will blend. How to blend different color families It’s easier to get a good blend between different colors of the same value than it is a dark color into a different color family’s lighter color. The transition between values and colors is simply too great to get a smooth blend. Start with one of the colors colored up to the area where you want it to blend. Add the other color and overlap it with the first color. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until a smooth blend is created. Another approach you can use is to create value gradations in one color from dark to light, then light to dark gradations toward the other color. How to create optical blends with overlapping colors You can create new colors and subtle color variations by overlapping the transparent colors of alcohol markers. Also, if you color in a yellow-green that’s a bit brighter than you meant for it to be, you can mute it by adding a very light violet over the top. Violet and yellow-green are nearly opposite each other on the color wheel, so they mute each other. Similarly, if you need a color in the moment that you don’t yet have in your marker collection, you can overlap 2 of its parent colors to create it. For example, if you want a dark blue violet but you only have a violet and a light blue, you can layer the light blue over the violet until it becomes more bluish. Due to the markers’ transparency, any color you draw over another color will become another color. If you have a yellow bush already drawn that you want to give a slight pinkish cast, you can use a light, bright pink marker without fear it will be too bright because it will be dulled somewhat by the yellow underneath. Similarly, you can get a variety of values from one marker color by using gray value markers in the under-drawing. Don’t have a dark green? Color in a dark gray as the first layer, then the green you do have. This technique works best when the gray and the color are fairly similar in value to begin with so that the gray takes on the characteristics of the color layered over it without overwhelming it. The gray undertone will, of course, mute the overlapping color, so you’ll want to account for that. How to create soft edges and hard edges Sometimes you want a softer edge between colors of values, but not necessarily a blended edge. This can be when you want to contrast far-away elements, such as the background in a landscape, with sharper foreground elements. To get soft edges, you can draw in the background sky and mountains, for example, and while that area is still wet, draw in the elements on the mountains, like trees and boulders. The edges will blend together slightly while the paper is still wet. Contrast that softness with the foreground, where you can use the markers directly on dry paper or a dry ink under-drawing. The edges will be crisp and sharp. Left is wet violet on wet pink, right is wet violet on dry pink. Another way to optically soften the appearance of edges when the ink is already dry is to choose colors that are closer to each other in both value and intensity. They won’t contrast sharply with each other and so the edges will appear softer. For optically sharper edges, choose colors that are more different from each other in intensity and value so the edges will appear sharper. Low-contrast areas tend to sit back in space and attention, while high-contrast areas come forward in space and attention. You might use low-contrast areas for backgrounds and parts of the image not intended to be the focus and save high-contrast areas for foregrounds and focal areas. This is basic color theory. Can I lighten a color once it’s down? Yes, you can…somewhat. You can lighten a color a little bit by using either a lighter color in the same color family or a colorless blender and scrubbing it into the area you want to be lighter. It can take some time and several layers for the lightening process to occur, so be patient and wait a bit before overdoing it. Be aware that lightening in this way will leave a dark line around the lightened area where the extra alcohol pushes into the existing color, which might not be desirable. This is one reason working from dark to light is preferable - it’s easier to make a light color darker, but not vice versa. How and when to use a colorless blender Blender markers don’t contain any ink, but they do contain alcohol and can be used to add colorless alcohol to the page for various reasons outlined below. Ironically, colorless blenders are really not the best tool for blending. They work best in that regard when they’re used to prime the paper before colored ink is added. Pre-wetting an area with alcohol is a good way to help the subsequent color layers blend better. Colorless blenders are also useful for blending a light color into the white of the page. For example, if you want to fade a light color into the white of the paper. If used over darker colors or to blend already dry colors, it will create blooms that add a texture that may not be desirable. Therefore, it’s not a fix-all for blending that didn’t exactly go right the first time around. Blenders can act as an eraser to lighten areas where you made a stray mark. Let the stray mark ink dry and then firmly scribble over it with a bullet tip or chisel tip as if you’re pushing the ink back behind the border it escaped from. The color will lighten a bit, although a stain may remain. If you add too much colorless blender, it will cause a bloom with a hard, dark edge, so be conservative. Of course, the lighter the color is to begin with, the better this will work. Dark colors will leave more of a stain. It may take a few passes with drying time in between to lighten as much as necessary. You can also use a colorless blender to pick up a darker color that you want to blend into a lighter color to apply a smooth blend. Scribble some ink from your darker color onto a non-absorbent surface like a plastic or ceramic palette or plate. After you’ve colored the area you want to blend with a lighter color, you can use the colorless blender to grab some of the color from the palette and apply it as if it were the darker marker. As the picked-up ink is colored out, it will fade back to the colorless alcohol. Similarly, if you want to blend a color into the white of the paper but the color you’re blending is dark and you have no pale color to act as the transition, you can scribble the darker color onto a palette, then use the blender to pick up that color and act as the lighter transition color while you blend into the white of the paper. Don’t worry that you’ve ruined your blender with color! Before you put it away, clean it by scribbling on some scrap paper which will remove the colored ink. A colorless blender can be used to make creative textures and patterns within colors. Use a bullet tip or chisel tip to achieve more pressure and carve back into the dry color to lighten it. You can create stripes, plaid, dots, swirls, scales, a tree trunk, etc. that are a lighter color than the background. Alternatively, you can use a brush tip and simply dab instead of scrubbing to lighten. It takes more time to work, so be patient. You can control the contrast by adding more alcohol or less, scrubbing more or less. If you create these effects on wet ink, you’ll get softer edges than if the ink was dry. You can also use this technique to add highlights while the ink is still wet. If you wait until the ink is dry to go back in with highlights, you’ll get a hard, darker edge which may not be desirable. Similar to a blender pen, straight alcohol can be used to create some interesting textural effects. Fill a spray bottle with alcohol and spritz an area of dried ink. Wait a while for the alcohol to dissolve the color, and you’ll see lighter dots appear in the color. Or, use an eye dropper or brush to add alcohol onto a color, and a lighter area will appear. Left shows alcohol spritzed onto ink, right shows alcohol dropped onto ink. Incorporating the versatility and creativity of alcohol markers into your drawing practice is great for planning in your sketchbook, taking visual notes on site, working through the design process, and finished works of marker art. We hope this information inspires as much as it informs. When you’re ready to get started, we have everything you need in our Art Markers and Marker Sets. Artwork by Amanda Chapman, Cheap Joe’s Outlet Manager. Made with Alcohol Markers and Acrylic Paint Pens
Better Blending with Alcohol Markers
This step-by-step tutorial for beginners is a great place to start learning more about alcohol marker blending techniques. Even if you are familiar with the basics of using markers, if...
What You Need to Know About Alcohol Markers
Have you ever looked at a display of hundreds of colorful markers and thought how fun they would be to use, but you weren’t sure where to begin? We’ve got a few alcohol marker tips and tricks for you, whether you want to begin creating marker art or just need some basic tips for adding markers to your artistic practice. What Are Alcohol Markers? Alcohol markers are popular art and design markers where alcohol is the vehicle for the color, as opposed to water-based markers where water is the vehicle or xylene-based markers where xylene solvent is the vehicle. If it smells faintly like rubbing alcohol, it’s an alcohol-based marker and can be blended with other alcohol-based markers from different brands. Popular alcohol marker brands include Copic Classic Markers and Copic Sketch Markers, Prismacolor, Ohuhu, Arrtx, Arteza, and our own Koda Art Dual Tip Brush Markers and Sets. They’re easy to use for a wide range of subject matter and styles. The colors are vibrant and clear right off the bat and give great coverage. Because they offer rich results quickly, they’re a favorite of illustrators, manga artists, graphic designers, interior designers, landscape architects, fashion designers, architects, and artists. The transparency of these markers works similarly to watercolor in that colors can be layered to create darker values or optical color mixes, like yellow over blue makes green. Also similar to watercolor, the white of the paper plays a role in the light that comes from the background and through the colors, making them more vibrant and affecting the values. The inks are usually dye-based and therefore not fade-proof, so they’re best for design work where they will be scanned for their final iteration or for planning and sketching, but they’re not recommended for a final artwork for display. What Are the Pros and Cons of Alcohol Markers? Pros: Easy to layer with excellent blending capabilities. Come in a variety of tip sizes and shapes for a wide range of marking possibilities. Most have dual-ended tips, which give you multiple drawing style options in one marker. The colors are vivid and clear. Wide color ranges are available, from intense, highly saturated colors to muted, low-intensity colors. Even more colors can be created through layering. Wide value ranges are available from very light to very dark. Even more values can be created through layering. They allow for quick coverage, so you can cover more ground quickly compared to colored pencils or pens. Most brands smell only faintly of alcohol fumes compared to the dizzying xylene-based marker fumes. They can create hard edges between colors or softly blended transitions. They don’t smear when you’re working because they soak into the paper immediately and are quick-drying. Some brands are refillable and offer replaceable nibs, saving money and waste. Refills and nibs may be compatible between brands. They play well with other media, like pigmented ink pens, Chartpak AdMarkers, acrylic paint pens, and colored pencils. Cons: The inks are fade-resistant but not lightfast - meaning that eventually, they will fade. Best for design work that will be scanned for the final product instead of displayed artwork. You need a wide range of colors to get the best results, from light to dark in the same color family, so it can get expensive. Can be too quick-drying if you want to blend, so timing is important to manage. Not as forgiving if mistakes are made so advanced planning of the layers is a good idea. The ink bleeds through the paper, so thicker or marker-specific paper is required. There are bleed-proof shields you can use, or use an acetate sheet, or use bleed-proof paper like Crescent’s Rendr. Cannot be used on just any paper. The right paper must be used to avoid too much feathering or unintended dulling of the color. Some people can be sensitive to the alcohol fumes. What is the Best Paper for Alcohol Markers? Starting with the right paper is half the battle when using alcohol markers. For best results, look for papers specifically labeled for “Marker” or “Pen and Ink”, but smooth bristol board and smooth illustration board are also good. Heavyweight, smooth white paper that doesn’t bleed or feather is the best paper to use for alcohol markers. Feathering means that the ink spreads out from where you put it down, wicking through the fibers of the paper, which means you lack control over where the ink flows. What you want is a paper that’s balanced between bleeding too much and too little, allowing you the most control. Paper not designed for markers can dull the colors. For example, if you color the same marker on a sheet of printer paper vs a sheet of marker paper, you’ll see the color remains more vivid on the marker paper and isn’t quite as vibrant on the printer paper. You’re better off spending a bit more for better paper so your marker techniques will have more success. Each type of marker paper will react a little differently, so it’s important to do some test sketches so you can figure out how the paper will cause the ink to behave. You can discover its strengths and limitations and work those into your drawing process. You may choose a paper that blends easily for one project and another that leaves strong marks for another. Juicy alcohol markers bleed through paper easily, so you’ll want to use a heavier-weight paper or board. Cardstock, bristol board, and illustration boards are great options. There are some bleed-proof papers available, but they don’t tend to blend as well. Thicker paper is also sturdy enough to withstand the amount of layering and scrubbing of the surface that’s typically required. Thinner papers can disintegrate if repeatedly layered while wet. The smoother the paper, the better the results and the longer your nibs will last. If the paper’s tooth, or surface texture, is rough, it’s more difficult to create controlled lines and fine lines. Your nibs will also suffer and become less sharp as the fibers that make it up are roughened. Smooth paper is also best for scanning your art because surface texture shadows aren’t an issue. Bright white is the best color of paper to use with alcohol markers because it shows the colors at their truest and purest intensity. However, off-white paper or light-value toned papers offer interesting effects, such as a vintage look. You’ll just want to experiment with how the colored background affects the marker colors. Top Row from Left: vellum bristol board, Crescent Rendr, standard cardstock, hot press watercolor paper, Sketchmaker Drawing Pad. Bottom Row from Left: Crescent #310 Cold Press Illustration board, Borden and Riley #116 Drawing and Sketching Vellum, standard printer paper, Borden and Riley #234 Paris Paper for Pens, Koda Marker. Different Marker Tip Types Alcohol marker tips come in different shapes and sizes for various line weights and expressive character. How you apply different pressure on the nib also affects the line quality, so you can be really creative with this tool. Just like a pencil, lighter pressure produces lighter marks, while heavier pressure creates darker marks. Pressure variations when using a brush nib are where these markers really show their versatility. Spend some time testing the different mark-making capabilities of your marker nibs. Bullet TipsBullet tips are bullet-shaped and either slightly pointed or rounded at the end. They can be very fine or broad, but in general, they create consistent fine lines with little variation. They’re commonly used for outlining and laying out the general design before coloring, and for adding details. They’re also great for cross-hatching and adding texture. Different-sized bullet tips will offer thicker to thinner line weights, so having a couple of size options can be handy. Chisel TipsChisel tips are the widest nib type and have an angled edge for covering large areas quickly or drawing bold lines. You can create 3 different line weights with this one tip if you draw with the broad side left to right, the broad side straight down, or the tip alone. They tend to be very durable, so wear down less quickly than a fine bullet or brush tip. They’re also great for hand-lettering and calligraphy with their ability to change width depending on the stroke direction, just like a calligraphy nib. They can also be used for interesting gestural marks. Brush TipsThese tips look like round paint brushes and act in a similar way by creating marks similar to brush strokes. They’re flexible and respond easily to changes in pressure, achieving a fine line with light pressure and a thick line with increasing pressure. They’re the most versatile tip, great for coloring medium-sized areas, creating calligraphic lines, and blending, and they work well for both large and small areas. They’re a bit more fragile than the other tip shapes and can wear down over time. Avoid using too much pressure on the nib to color in a large area and switch to a chisel tip instead. Brush markers tend to lay down more ink, so if that’s not what you want for a particular area, switch to a bullet or chisel tip for less ink. Alcohol Marker Drawing Tips Markers are not considered a forgiving medium, which can make them intimidating. But they can be much more forgiving than you imagine with just a few basic tips. Sketch first in very light colors that can be covered by darker colors later. That way, if you sketch something you end up not liking, you can cover it up, and that light color will blend into subsequent layers. Save the whites of the paper for lighter passages. Draw around them instead of planning to lighten them later. Working from light values to dark values will give you the most latitude to make changes and adjustments as you go. Be aware that using a light color over a dark color can bleach it a little because the alcohol in the light color will dissolve what’s underneath somewhat. Working in layers is a huge part of successful marker art. The misconception is that you lay down one color at a time as if you’re coloring by number, but the truth is that there’s a great deal of layering going on. It can be a very organic expressive process. If you want areas to blend, work wet on wet. If you want them to layer, work wet on dry. Swatch out all your colors to see what they really look like. The marker cap colors are not always accurate and definitely won’t show you the value range available by layering a single marker over itself. In the initial stages, err on the side of less is more. That leaves you more leeway to make changes as you go. In other words, don’t fill in every detail or form right away. You can always add more later, but it’s harder to take away. Use some of the same colors or family of colors across the drawing to enhance unity in the color scheme. Use smaller tips for smaller areas and bigger tips for bigger ones. This will help avoid unwanted streaks and keep the ink from drying out too fast for you to blend effectively. If you make a mark with a color that’s not the value or shade you thought it would be, just go with the flow and add a little of it here and there to make it look like a deliberate choice rather than a mistake. Having many beautiful colors at your fingertips is fun and full of expressive possibilities, but you can get seduced by the color and forget the value. Relative lights and darks are how space is pulled forward and pushed back, and how a form shows its volume. Take the time to do some tests, swatch out your markers, and try different techniques where you can “mess up” without consequences. This is where the best learning is done, which will translate into better marker art. It can be helpful to print the same design on several sheets of paper as you approach it in different ways and see the possibilities. Also, having a little test swatch sheet of scrap paper by you while you work is handy to avoid surprises. Don’t get discouraged in the first stages. Things may look rough in the beginning before all the layering is done. Don’t give up! Keep going and you’ll see your design bloom as the surface becomes richer. Be sure to check out our blog post on alcohol marker blending techniques for more helpful tips and lots of visual examples. How to Store Alcohol Markers Store alcohol markers horizontally so the ink is evenly distributed in the spongy material inside, especially if the marker is double-ended. This keeps the markers from drying out on one end or from depositing too much ink on an oversaturated end. However, if you have a marker that’s getting dry on one end, you can store that marker vertically toward the end you want to use. After a little while, the available ink should seep into that side of the marker. Keep your markers in a dry space away from heat and out of direct sunlight. Keep your markers organized, and you’ll have an easier time making art with them. Organize your markers into color families. If you want to go further, organize them into values within that color family. Want to go further? Organize them from high intensity (bright) to low intensity (muted). This will make it much easier to see your options and compare them to each other in terms of hue, value, and intensity. Once your creative session is over, take the time to put the markers back in their rightful place so you’ll be ready to create when inspiration strikes next. If your markers become messy around the nib or barrel, use rubbing alcohol to clean them off. How to Revive Dried Alcohol Markers Art markers can be an investment, so you want to get the most out of them. If they start to dry out on you, you won’t be able to achieve all the special effects that require lots of juice. Or maybe you’re nearing the end of a drawing and just need a color to last a little longer so you can finish up. There are a couple of ways you can revive a dried alcohol marker. Some marker brands sell ink refills. Hold the marker tip upright at a 45-degree angle and add single drops of the refill ink onto the nib. Wait a second for the ink to absorb before adding more. You’ll see the nib go from shiny to dull. It could take 20 - 30 drops, depending on how dry the marker is. It’s best to underfill than overfill, where ink leaks out of the pen and creates a mess. Lay the pen horizontally for a few minutes to allow the ink to disperse evenly throughout the pen. If the nib is removable, you can carefully pull the nib out using your fingers or tweezers. Drop the ink directly into the hole left behind. Gently squeeze the ink refill to slowly add ink that can be absorbed. A little goes a long way, so don’t flood the marker. Start with less and only add more as needed. Carefully reinsert the nib and let the pen rest horizontally for a few minutes. You may want to avoid using this method on brush nibs since they’re more easily damaged compared to chisel or bullet nibs. Use the ink-drop method above instead. Don’t have ink refills? You can remove the nib as above and drop alcohol directly into the marker. Once the nib is reinserted, let the marker rest horizontally for several hours to evenly redistribute the ink. Left is before adding alcohol into the barrel, right is after. We hope this gives you the inspiration to incorporate these versatile creative tools into your artistic practice. We have everything you need to get started with alcohol markers, plus all kinds of other drawing pens and markers in the Art Markers and Marker Sets on our website. Artwork by Amanda Chapman, Cheap Joe’s Outlet Manager. Made with Alcohol Markers and Acrylic Paint Pens
What You Need to Know About Alcohol Markers
Have you ever looked at a display of hundreds of colorful markers and thought how fun they would be to use, but you weren’t sure where to begin? We’ve got...
Safety and Hazards in Art Studios
Making art can be such an urgent emotional and spiritual experience that safety can be an afterthought. Plus, art supplies are so much fun that we can forget they may contain ingredients we should use cautiously for the safety of ourselves, those around us, and our environment. Taking a little time to understand and mitigate studio hazards doesn’t have to be scary or present an obstacle to expression. We’ve gathered some basic art studio safety tips and resources so you can create with confidence. 5 Things To Remember When Using Potentially Hazardous Materials Read the Labels: Take the time to read the labels and follow the directions. Don’t use a product in a way it wasn’t intended. Wear Protective Gear: Use gloves or barrier creams, eye protection, and the correct respiratory protection when appropriate. Ventilate: Ensure adequate ventilation. Wash Your Hands: Wash your hands thoroughly after handling hazardous materials. You should also avoid eating, drinking, or smoking when using the products and wash your clothing before wearing it again. Safe Disposal: When you’re all done, dispose of the waste properly. Let’s go through these in more detail. Read the Labels Always read the label before using a product, follow directions, and do not use the product in a way it wasn’t intended. The product label can tell you what precautions you need to take, if any, and what equipment you might need to use to keep yourself safe. It may also outline safe disposal. Even if you think, “I’m only getting a little paint on my hands or washing a little down the sink,” repeated regular usage builds up and can have negative effects in the long run. Even if all your materials are no hazard or low hazard, it’s still a good idea to limit the amount of exposure in case new risks are discovered in the future. Products labeled as natural alternatives may be safer but are not necessarily non-toxic. All solvents, even natural or lower toxicity ones, still pose risks when inhaled or splashed on skin. Be careful not to be lulled into treating non-toxic substitutes as if they’re completely harmless. Always err on the side of caution and read their safety labels too. While potentially toxic materials are likely to be found at some level in all products, the key is to know at what level they become harmful and how can you be safe about using them. The most complete source of information on any product will be its Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), also called Safety Data Sheet (SDS). These are available on the manufacturer’s website or from the retailer and outline the ingredients, hazards, handling and storage guidelines, exposure controls and personal protection, disposal considerations, and much more. The Hazard Communication Standard: Safety Data Sheets from OSHA’s website show the thoroughness of the information you can expect from an SDS. Common Art Supply Safety Labels Explained From left to right, the labels show ASTM D 4236, AP, CL, and Prop 65. Conforms to ASTM D 4236 This means that the label follows the standard practice for the labeling of art materials for chronic health hazards. It helps you make responsible choices about choosing and using art supplies. Required for all art materials sold in the US, the label lists all the potentially hazardous contents and any necessary precautions for use. Even if the product contains no hazardous materials, this label is required to show it has been reviewed. ACMI Certified Product Seals ACMI (Art and Creative Materials Institute) AP or CL Seals on creative materials assure that they are safe for consumers when used as directed. Products with an Approved Product (AP) or Cautionary Labeling (CL) seal from ACMI undergo extensive toxicological testing by medical experts before being certified. Toxicologists evaluate art products for both acute hazards like skin rashes or eye irritation and chronic hazards, or reactions that occur over longer periods of time. ACMI means it has been analyzed for safety by a toxicologist. Again, it’s assumed you’re not going to ingest, inhale, or absorb the product in a way that’s not standard for its use. The ACMI offers lots of useful information about their safety labeling. The Approved Product (AP) designation means it’s considered generally safe and contains no materials in sufficient quantities to be toxic or injurious to humans, doesn’t cause acute or chronic health problems, and is non-toxic when used as intended. The Cautionary Labeling (CL) designation means there are some precautions that need to be taken, but it’s not a major concern if used correctly. Read the product label carefully before opening and do not allow use by children younger than 7th grade. California Proposition 65 Warning You may see this scary label on some art supplies: “This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.” However, this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to avoid the product. The label is required when even trace levels of harmful chemicals can be found in the product and just means that precautions should be taken to use it safely. Updated annually, the list of chemicals requiring the warning is at 900 as of 2023. These fact sheets explain more about the risks and precautions to be taken with each chemical on the list. Titanium Dioxide, for example, is a common ingredient in various paint colors, indicated on a label as pigment number PW6. This Prop 65 warning fact sheet on Titanium Dioxide helps you understand its risks and how to safely use it: “The only form of titanium dioxide on the list consists of airborne particles measuring 10 micrometers or less (about one-seventh the thickness of a human hair), which can be inhaled.” Therefore. “When using art materials containing titanium dioxide, avoid actions that can unnecessarily release the materials into the air, especially indoors. For example, if it is necessary to shake out a table covering or garment after using these art materials, do so outdoors.” For instance, if you sand a painting that used this pigment, or use it in an aerosol form such as airbrushing, then it becomes airborne and can enter the body through the lungs and eventually into the bloodstream and organs where it can build up. Use the appropriate respirator to filter it out. If it’s not going to become airborne, you don’t have to be concerned. Wear Protective Gear Gloves Wear disposable gloves and barrier cream when you’re painting, especially if you like to manipulate paint with your fingers. They protect your skin from toxins or solvents that can be absorbed through the skin. Even if you’re a neatnik, it’s nearly impossible not to get paint or ink on your hands while working. A brush handle accidentally rolls into some paint, you accidentally grab the part of the rag with wet paint on it, or you’re using spray varnish and your index finger gets coated while pressing the spray cap. Not all toxic materials can be absorbed through the skin, and some manufacturers, like Gamblin, even take pains to use versions of pigments that are largely insoluble in the human body. However, it’s always a good idea to be safe, not sorry. Absorbed toxins build up in the body over time, so practicing preventative protection every day in the studio is a healthy habit. Wear latex or nitrile gloves or even nitrile-coated gardening gloves. To keep gloves from compromising your dexterity, avoid one-size-fits-all gloves and go for ones with a more tailored fit. Or, use shielding lotion or barrier cream, which are like lotions that create a protective barrier on your skin. After working in your studio and before eating, drinking, or smoking, remove the gloves and wash your hands thoroughly. You’ll find it even easier to get your hands and nails clean if they never get dirty in the first place. Masks For any art supply that goes airborne, for example spray paint, airbrush color, spray varnishes, fixatives, dry pigments, and wax fumes from encaustics, you need to take care not to inhale it. Wear a snug-fitting NIOSH-approved respirators disposable dust mask or respirator with the correct canister filters and face coverage. However, masks aren’t a good substitute for adequate ventilation, so make sure you’re ventilating properly in addition to wearing a mask. It may not seem obvious to think of hazards when using drawing supplies, but drawing with pastels creates fine particles of pigment and binder that, when inhaled, are small enough to get deep into the lungs. The toxicity of each pigment used to make the stick also needs to be considered since pastels are basically just dry pigments. Charcoal drawing can also create small dust particles, especially if charcoal powder is used. Graphite creates less dust because more of it remains on the paper than in the air, but graphite powder should be used only when masked. It’s important to note that dust masks don’t protect from solvent inhalation. The particles are small enough to travel around a dust mask and into your lungs where they can get into the bloodstream. Even some markers, like Chartpak Ad Markers which are Xylene-based, can have heavy fumes that cause dizziness when inhaled. Aprons Aprons not only keep your clothes clean and free of paint splatters and solvent spills, but they prevent those materials from going through your clothes and onto your skin. Protective clothing and gear can also take the brunt of any sanding, glaze mixing, and other particles that may be flying around your studio, making it less necessary to wash and change your clothes after your studio session. Just leave your apron in your studio when you’re done, so you don’t transport toxins it may harbor into places where you may eat or drink. Ventilate Proper ventilation in your studio is all about airflow and where you set up your workspace. You can either dilute the volume of the airborne materials by removing contaminated air and introducing fresh air, or use local exhaust like a ventilation hood to capture contaminants at the source. Position any exhaust system in a way that draws air away from your face, not up over your head, which will go past your nose and defeat the purpose. When diluting, the bigger the room, the more air there will be to circulate and dilute fumes, creating lower concentrations in the air you breathe. If you’re painting small in a small room, it’s best to ventilate, but if you’re painting small in a big room, there could be enough circulating air to reduce fume concentrations. With materials of lower toxicity, open windows installed with fans that suck air outwards can be sufficient. Position one fan in a window behind you to bring fresh air in, and position the other fan in a window in front of your work area to suck contaminated air out. For higher toxicity materials, you’ll need local exhaust systems to capture the hazardous materials at their source. The degree of ventilation required depends on the medium being used. Oil painting, encaustic wax painting, spray painting, xylene-based markers, and some printmaking processes are examples of mediums that require ventilation. Professional Artist Magazine offers a great guide to ventilating your studio, which lists the risks and proper mitigation of those risks. There are some simple ways to reduce fumes in the first place. When using any solvent, keep it in a lidded container so you can close it off when not in use and reduce unnecessary inhalation. Since fumes are released by evaporation from the surface where the solvent meets the air, you can reduce the surface area of the solvent source by using a narrow jar. If you’re not actively using solvent, keep the lid on. The more you reduce evaporation, the fewer fumes you’ll have to contend with. It’s also a good idea to keep even sealed solvents in a metal cabinet that’s closed at all times. You’ll realize how many fumes they discretely off-gas when you open the cabinet and get hit with a wave of odor! The cabinet is also a good idea for fire safety. Here are some ventilation guidelines with different media: Oil Painting Oil paint itself is not inherently toxic because it consists of pigments bound with natural linseed, safflower, or walnut oil. The solvents used to thin the paint or clean your brushes are what pose the risks. (A few oil paint brands may use solvents within the paint itself, so check the brand website.) Solvents aren’t required for oil painting, but if you use them, choose refined low-odor solvents designed for art instead of the ones from the hardware store. Mineral spirits for artists are distilled to remove more volatile hydrocarbons, giving you Odorless Mineral spirits (OMS). When OMS is distilled still further, you get low-odor solvents like Gamblin’s Gamsol, Weber’s Turpenoid, and Winsor & Newton’s Sansodor. Testing shows that you can tolerate these refined spirits up to three times more than unrefined spirits. Be aware that even these solvents with lowered toxicity or those with no carcinogenic fumes, such as Chelsea’s Lavender Spike Oil Essence, should still be used with adequate ventilation. You can choose to avoid solvents altogether by using water soluble oil colors and/or solvent-free mediums. Manufacturers are developing safer alternatives to traditional oil painting in response to artists' concerns. Gamblin, for example, offers solvent-free oil mediums made from safflower oil and alkyd resin. They’re non-toxic and contain no Gamsol or petroleum distillates. Our selection of M. Graham fine paints and mediums includes solvent-free non-toxic Walnut Mediums and Walnut Alkyd Mediums. When trying to avoid mediums with solvents, look for ‘petroleum distillates’ in the ingredients list, which are basically mineral spirits. Be aware that some water-soluble oils contain cobalt driers so aren’t completely toxin-free, although the amount used may be negligible. Check the manufacturer’s Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for a complete list of ingredients so you can be aware of what you’re exposing yourself to. Waterbased media like watercolor, gouache, acrylic, and casein are good alternatives if you want to avoid solvent use. Slow-drying acrylics like OPEN artists acrylic paints and and sets can perform similarly to oils or can be used for underpainting before you apply oils over top. But if you want to use oil paint throughout the painting, you can try water-soluble oils for the thinner underpainting before overpainting with traditional oils, or apply traditional oil straight from the tube scrubbed in very thin layers that will dry fairly quickly instead of using paint thinned with solvent. Walnut or safflower oil is a great non-toxic alternative for oil paintbrush cleaning while working, followed by soap and water after your painting session. Wipe as much paint off the brush as you can, dab it in the oil and agitate to loosen the paint in the bristles, then wipe again. Or, Weber’s Turpenoid Natural creates a strong solvent action that is non-toxic and nonflammable, and ideal for brush cleaning. The majority of oil painting varnishes do require the use of solvents and the alternatives are few. You can choose not to varnish at all, or use a thin layer of walnut oil well after the 6 month curing time of the painting is finished. One of the only non-toxic solvents out there is Natural Varnish made by Natural Earth Paints. It’s an alcohol-based varnish that only releases minor fumes during its quick drying time. Due to the alcohol, it is flammable, however. Another approach is to reduce your use of solvents to the occasional. For example, clean your brushes with walnut oil most of the time, but use a solvent-based brush cleaner like Winsor & Newton’s Brush Cleaner only every month or so for a deeper clean. Pastel and Charcoal When working with pastel, charcoal, or graphite, avoid blowing the excess dust away and making it airborne. Instead, lift the paper and tap it to allow the dust to fall onto a damp towel, reducing the amount of powder going into the air. Or, you can set up a portable ventilation system that captures dust right at the easel. If you choose to use fixatives on your drawings, do so only outdoors or under a ventilation hood to disperse the toxic solvents in the spray. Avoid breathing in the vapors or getting the spray in your eyes. Spectrafix Pastel Spray Fixative, however, is a non-toxic drawing fixative that can be sprayed indoors, even right at your easel! It’s an alcohol-based spray bottle formula with no toxic fumes. Alternatively, you can negate the need for fixative at all by wrapping your drawing in glassine and storing it horizontally in a storage portfolio or flat file where the delicate surface won’t get jostled. Or, frame the artwork soon after completion. Encaustics or Hot Wax Painting Because encaustic paint doesn’t require the use of solvents, many safety issues are reduced or eliminated. However, venting the fumes created by heating encaustic paints or mediums is important not only for your health but for fire safety. R&F Handmade Paints, a leading manufacturer of encaustics, offers an excellent guide on why venting your studio for encaustic is so important. They explain, "All waxes, when they are melted release a mixture of invisible fumes in the form of tiny particles and gases, such as acrolien and aldehydes. At the proper working temperature of encaustic (below 220°F), the concentration of these fumes and gases is well below any dangerous level. Still, the emissions may cause irritation if they are not vented. It is important to work in a well-ventilated area at all times, regardless of how long you spend in the studio or how sensitive you are to the emissions initially. Respirators are not a good substitute for ventilation because they are not approved for acrolein, and there is no single cartridge that would filter out all the contaminants." To remove fumes adequately, work next to a window fitted with an exhaust fan that sucks fumes away from you and out of the room. If it’s too cold to open a window, set up a portable ventilation fan in front of your workspace that can be vented outdoors. Avoid using solvent-based mediums when heating encaustics, as heating solvents can make them even more toxic. If using dry pigments to create your own encaustic paints, use a dust mask to keep from inhaling the pigment. If using oil paint to create your own encaustic paints, make sure they don’t contain solvent, which should never be heated. Cold wax medium for oils is not encaustic and contains a solvent so it should never be heated. Ceramics Even if you don’t mix your own glaze from powdered ingredients, masking up in a ceramics studio is essential. Fine particles of silicate dust in unfired dry clay float in the air and can be inhaled deep into your lungs where it can cause respiratory problems. If you’ve ever been in a clay studio, you’ll know they’re naturally dusty places. Regular cleaning of the clay studio with vacuums or wet mops - never brooms - is essential to keep harmful dust levels down. It’s best to wet the dry clay to control the dust before it becomes airborne, so use a wet sponge to clean your tools, wheels, and other surfaces. Similarly, unfired glaze is fragile and easily scratches or rubs off and becomes airborne. The dry materials used to create beautiful glaze colors should not be inhaled. Practice safe storage as well by keeping powdered glaze in airtight containers and wiping up spills of liquid glaze. Spray Paint, Airbrush, and Spray Varnish Spray Paint and Airbrush Paint is, clearly, paint in aerosol form, which makes it very easy to enter your lungs and eyes. Spray Paint contains solvent mixed with pigment, making it even more important to mask up and work in a properly ventilated area. Airbrush paint, even if water-based, needs to stay out of your lungs also because it’s mixed with additives that are not safe to breathe into your body. Spray varnishes and spray fixatives for finished paintings and drawings also require the same considerations because of the airborne solvents they contain. The easiest way to ventilate is to paint outdoors in a gentle wind that blows the spray away from your face. If you’re painting on existing fixed structures, of course, you won’t have a choice in positioning. In that case, wear a respirator that filters out the spray and protective goggles or a face shield if the spray is blowing toward your face. If you can’t work outside, even a garage with the garage door open is adequate. Use a fan to blow the spray away from you, but be aware that spray paints use flammable solvents that can ignite if the fan or other electrical item sparks so use explosion-proof fans and lights. This is another reason you don’t want fumes to build up inside your workspace! You’ll also need additional fans to suck the toxic air out of the room. The fans should be large enough to move the air sufficiently. Portable ventilators are available from hardware stores and are a great solution for working in a garage space or large studio. The ideal way to safely use spray paint and airbrush paint is to use a spray booth or ventilation hood. These are designed to capture the paint particulate at the source and exhaust the fumes away from you and out of the space. A similar alternative is a downdraft table that sucks air down through holes in the surface and gets rid of the fumes before they get into the air. If you don’t want to invest in a professional hood or table, there are many DIY spray booth and downdraft table tutorials available online. Remember, if you can smell the paint through your mask or in your workspace, it’s getting into your lungs and you need to take steps to protect yourself more fully. Wash Your Hands Most pigments found in art supplies are not dangerous if not ingested or inhaled, but if you eat a sandwich or smoke a cigarette with a paint-dabbed hand, your chances of exposing yourself to hazardous materials increases. Washing your hands removes hazardous contaminants that you may inadvertently ingest. Better yet, wearing gloves makes it easy to keep your hands clean, down to your pores and fingernails. Contaminants in the air can land in your open coffee cup and you can drink them down. You may have already experienced a mix-up between your drinking water and your wash water! To be safe, it’s best not to eat, drink, or smoke in the studio. And definitely never use your lips to repoint your paintbrush! What pigments should you take extra care with? Whether it’s watercolor, oil, acrylic, pastel, encaustic, etc., the same pigments are used to create the colors - only the binder is different. Artist pigments are mined from the earth, made from rocks that have been ground into fine powders, or created synthetically in a lab. Heavy metals that have been mined, like Cadmium, Cobalt, Lead, Nickel, Chromium, Manganese, and Titanium, make for gorgeous colors with excellent working properties and have been colorants for a long time but must be used with care to avoid health and environmental hazards. The Washington State Health Department has a good safety video on Toxic Substances in Art. However, there are modern alternative pigments that are safer for you, better for the environment, and often more economical. Look for colors with the word “Hue” at the end of the name, such as Cobalt Blue Hue or Manganese Blue Hue. A “hue” can indicate an alternative recipe for a paint without a toxic pigment, a more lightfast version of a color, or a cheaper version of a typically expensive pigment. A common pigment artist seeks alternatives to cadmiums. Most paint brands offer a “hue’’ version of cadmiums which closely resemble the appearance and performance of true cadmiums. Some manufacturers, like Liquitex and Winsor & Newton, offer Cadmium-Free versions of Cadmium Yellows, Reds, Oranges, and Greens. These colors are designed to act like traditional cadmiums without the toxins or cost. They will not have the same type of pigments so will mix slightly differently from what you’re used to, but they’re a good alternative that you will adapt to in no time. While encaustic paint manufacturers sell cadmium paints, it’s not recommended to heat cadmium because you increase the toxic fumes and inhalation risk. If you do use them, make sure to use proper ventilation and respirators. There are also completely different pigment alternatives you can try. For example, use Hansa Yellows instead of Cadmium Yellows. Be aware that any time you substitute different pigments in the paint recipe, the mixing properties with other colors will change. For example, cadmiums are opaque mineral colors that offer more natural, muted mixtures and lower tinting strength compared to Hansas, which are transparent modern synthetic colors that mix brightly and cleanly. You’ll want to test mixtures to get used to the different pigment mixing properties and adjust to get the colors you’re used to, but it can be done! These toxic ingredients in pigments require caution in both use and disposal: Antimony: Naples Yellow, Antimony White, Pigment Numbers PW11, PY41. Arsenic: Cobalt Violet, Emerald Green, Veronese Green, Pigment Numbers PG21, PG22, PY39. Cadmium: Cadmium Reds, Cadmium Oranges, Cadmium Yellows, Cadmium Greens, Pigment Numbers PG14 PR108, PR113, PR20, PR23, PY37. Chromium: Barium Chromate, Lead Chromate, Strontium Chromate, Zinc Chromate, Chromic Oxide, Chromium Yellow, Chromium Orange, Pigment Numbers PG15, PY31, PY32, PY33, PY34. Cobalt: Cobalt Blue, Cobalt Violet, Aureolin, Cobalt Yellow, Cerulean Blue, may be used as a dryer in inks or oil paints, Pigment Numbers PB28, PB35, PY40, PV14. Lead: Flake White Lead White, Naples Yellow, Chrome Yellow, Chrome Orange, Chrome Green, Pigment numbers PW2, PW16, PW30, PR103, PR104, PR105, PO21, PO45, PY34, PY46, PG15. Manganese: Manganese Blue, Manganese Violet, Pigment Numbers PB33, PV16, PBk14, may be used as a dryer in inks. Mercury: May be used in Vermillion, Cinnabar, and Mercadium colors, Pigment Number PG106. Nickel: Nickel Yellow, Nickel Titanate, Nickel Titanium Yellow, Rutile Yellow, Pigment Numbers PY53, PY150, PG10. (Pigment Numbers are listed on the label, usually on the back.) The Color of Art Pigment Database offers a well-researched compendium of information on pigments, including notes on their toxicity level. Safe Disposal Start by consulting your local landfill or water treatment plant for safe disposal guidelines of hazardous material. Even if you’re using products certified as non-toxic or AP (Approved Product), these only apply to health hazards and not environmental hazards. Just throwing or washing away potentially hazardous materials in the secrecy of your home studio may seem innocuous, but be a responsible artist and have a proper disposal plan in place. It doesn’t take much preparation to make it part of your studio routine. It’s always best to dispose of art materials as a solid instead of washing them down the drain. Drying locks pigments in place so they can’t move from the landfill into groundwater. Before washing your brushes or work surfaces, wipe off as much wet paint as you can onto rags or paper towels. Let them dry, then throw them away in your regular trash if they contain no toxic pigments or in accordance with local law if they do. This applies to empty jars, tubes, and paper palettes as well. When using paint with toxic pigments, such as cadmium or cobalt, let the paint dry, then scrape your palette and put the scrapings in a designated lidded jar or metal container. If you use a disposable paper palette, crumple up the used sheet and stuff it in the container. Once the container is full, dispose of it in accordance with local guidelines. Wide-mouthed pasta sauce jars or old paint cans are ideal for this purpose. For oil painting, you can reuse solvents over and over for multiple painting sessions by letting the pigment sludge in your solvent jar settle to the bottom. Then, carefully pour the relatively clean solvent off the top and into a new sediment-free jar. Then, dispose of the sludge-filled jar in accordance with local guidelines. Or, re-use the sludge to tone a new canvas because it’s essentially just pigment and medium plus solvent. Never dump solvents down the drain or toilet because they will go into local water sources and waterways. The same process can be used with water media like watersoluble oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, and ink. Leave the wash water undisturbed until most of the solids settle to the bottom. Then carefully pour the cleaner water into a new container and use for cleaning brushes. Wipe the remaining solids out and let the paper towel dry before disposing of it. Or, let the wash water mostly evaporate before wiping out the solids and disposing of the towel once it’s dry. In the case of acrylics, you should be able to peel the film of dried solids right out of the container. Careful disposal of rags or paper towels soaked with oils or solvents is necessary because they could start a fire. Paint rags that have wet oil paint on them generate heat as they dry (or more accurately, cure through oxidation) and can spontaneously combust. Let the rags dry first by hanging them outside in a safe area and away from each other. Avoid piling them up - spread them out. Keep a metal trash can with a tight-fitting lid in your studio for collecting the dry soiled rags, and then dispose of them on hazardous waste collection day in your area. Acrylics have been seen as a low-risk medium because they’re waterbased, but they do contain fungicides or biocides as a preservative to prevent microbial growth that can both ruin the paint and cause illness for some people due to allergens, although it’s rare. The pigments in acrylics are also the same ones used in other paint media, so cadmium, for instance, will have the same level of toxicity in acrylics as in oils or watercolor. Acrylics are actually made of plastic. When diluted in water, very small particles of plastic, or microplastics, can be released into the waterways. Golden Paints created an easy-to-use Crash Paint Solids Wastewater Cleaning System to make your acrylic wash water safe for disposal. This isn’t required if you try the evaporation method outlined above. Alternatively, you can filter out some of the plastics and pigment by pouring wash water through a coffee filter, letting the dirty filter dry, and then disposing of it in the trash or hazardous waste if it contains heavy metals. You can set up a wash water collection bucket in your studio to collect over time and filter it out just a few times a year. The takeaway here is not to be scared of using art supplies, just be smart about it and use basic common sense precautions. With minimal effort, you can work safely while protecting yourself and your environment so you can make art for many years to come. So don’t feel overwhelmed; just use good products from reputable suppliers who will label them accurately, and then read those labels and MSDS sheets on the manufacturer’s website or call the brand’s product support to ask questions. You don’t have to have an all-or-nothing approach or go non-toxic all at once. You can make a few changes here and there to reduce reliance on the more toxic materials, perhaps with the goal of eventually eliminating as many as you can. Once you know the risks and how to mitigate them, safety practices can become just another part of your standard art routine. Being cautious and taking preventative measures is the best way to stay safe in the studio for the long term. DISCLAIMER Carefully review the manufacturer’s operational and safety procedures for all equipment and art materials. Cheap Joe’s expressly disclaims any liability resulting from reliance upon the views or opinions expressed in this blog article and makes no representations, warranties, or claims of any kind concerning the accuracy or completeness of the information presented here.
Safety and Hazards in Art Studios
Making art can be such an urgent emotional and spiritual experience that safety can be an afterthought. Plus, art supplies are so much fun that we can forget they may...
5 Tips to Improve Your Observational Drawing Sk...
Observational drawing practice is about more than just making your drawing look like the subject; it’s about improving how well you see and practicing hand-eye coordination. Our eye can trick us into making many assumptions about what we see, leading to distortions, confusion, and frustration. For example, an object may seem taller than its width when it’s actually the opposite. Seeing in 3D with our two eyes stereoscopically but drawing 2D flat shapes on paper is essentially an abstraction. The practices outlined below help check our visual assumptions against the objective reality of the scene before us and allow us to see and draw that two-dimensional abstraction of reality more successfully. Your drawing will become more accurate, and your experience of drawing will be a more fulfilling enjoyment of seeing deeply. These techniques work for still life, landscape, figure, portraiture, and any other subject you’re translating from three dimensions to two dimensions, from the simplest still life to the most complex urban landscape. Experienced artists might use these skills without thinking about them but always need practice. For beginners or those who want to improve their existing observational drawings, consider these tips as training wheels for your eyes. The more you practice them, the more they’ll become second nature. Observational drawing is a valuable skill even if you don’t create realistic representational artwork. Keeping an ongoing drawing practice in your sketchbook will improve any art you make outside of it. Here are 5 techniques guaranteed to improve your drawings from life: Draw the Overall Shapes Before the Details The tendency is to get distracted by the details and dive into those first, but details should be considered the icing on the cake and one of the final stages because details need a solid structure to sit atop. That solid structure is the subject matter's overall shape, scale, and form.Start by positioning the entire scene within the limits of the page so you can include everything you want to include. Many times, we’re so interested in the main subject that we make it larger than it really is, pushing the rest of the scene off the page and compromising our composition. So, to get the correct scale-to-page size to begin with, lightly sketch in the main elements with simple blobs of approximate placement, always with an eye to how each form in the scene relates to the others. Your eye should be dancing back and forth across all the elements and the spaces between them rather than focusing on each element separately. This will ensure the best start to overall proportions. You don’t have to be perfectly accurate right off the bat. Once you have all the blobs in their approximate place, use the sighting techniques below to gradually correct each form's basic outer shapes, scale, volume, and relative placement. Your lines can become darker as you become more confident in the placement. This tweaking process will take several passes over the whole scene and page as you gradually zero in on the locations and outlines of each form. Enjoy the ride! Use Vertical Lines, Horizontal Lines, and Angled Sight Lines Imposing horizontal and vertical lines over the subject from your point of view will help position elements at the correct height and placement compared to each other. When learning this technique, a thin bamboo skewer or chopstick is a great tool. Having this dedicated ‘Sighting Stick’ encourages you to use it, but you can also use your pencil, pen, or brush handle. The point is to use a longish, thinnish, straight tool that you can impose over the scene but that does not block the scene’s elements. How to use Vertical Sight Lines: Holding the Sighting Stick vertically, like a plumb line, put one end on the edge of a form and see where another form falls to the left or right in relation to it. You will be surprised how your eye has tricked you! Holding the pencil vertically at the right-side edge of the vase helps to see how far out the belly of the vase falls compared to its base. The dotted red lines in the images below indicate areas where it would be helpful to use vertical lines. The circled areas indicate comparison points from top to bottom of the scene that will help you correctly locate and size objects in relation to each other. How to use Horizontal Sight Lines: By holding the Sighting Stick horizontally, you can put one end on the edge of a form and see where the tops and bottoms of other forms fall in relation to each other. Holding the pencil horizontally on the edge of the plate's base shows how much higher the vase's base sits on the table. The dotted red lines in the images below indicate areas where it would be helpful to use horizontal lines. The circled areas indicate comparison points from left to right of the scene that will help you correctly locate and size objects in relation to each other. How to use Angled Sight Lines: To find the angles between objects, which also helps find their placement relative to each other, hold the sighting stick at the angle that connects the points you’re trying to find. This works best when your arm is held straight out, not bent at the elbow. Imagine the stick is on a clock face or pane of glass and cannot be tilted toward or away from you. The idea is to keep the stick perpendicular to your line of site so you get the most accurate angle possible. Sighting an angle also helps you see the angle of a form by exaggerating it and showing it to your eyes more clearly. It then becomes easy for you to translate an angled edge to two dimensions. Holding the pencil at an angle on the curved edge of the vase shows the overall angle at which the bottom portion of it curves upwards. This makes a helpful guideline when sketching the curvature. The dotted red lines in the images below indicate areas where it would be helpful to use angled lines to see at what angle forms are in relation to each other, as well as the overall angle of individual elements. The great thing about sighting Vertical Lines, Horizontal Lines, and Angled Lines is that they’re helpful at any scale, from assessing the whole scene to measuring within individual forms. This technique also helps you clearly see the negative shapes, which can help draw the positive shapes. For example, the angle of a roof compared to 90 or 180 degrees, the amount a terracotta pot’s sides slope away from the rim, or how far out that arm the model is leaning on really reaches. Angled Lines even assist when you’re measuring a curve because you can lay the Sighting Stick along the main arc and more easily see the overall direction of the curve. Use the Negative Shapes to Find the Positive Shapes Negative shapes, often considered the background, are the spaces between the foreground subject. Negative space, however, is relative and depends on context. For example, the wall between a potted plant in the foreground is negative space, but so is the terracotta pot behind a plant leaf that’s further in the foreground. The red outline shows a negative space shape in the context of the pot and plant, where the wall between the stem and pot edge creates a shape. The red outline shows negative space shapes in the context of the shadow on the wall, where the wall areas not in shadow create shapes that can be useful for seeing more accurately. The red outline shows negative space shapes in the context of the pot behind the plant stem which can help place the foreground stem accurately. Our eyes are most easily tricked when we only draw the positive shapes without checking the corresponding negative space. Our brain is designed to focus on positive shapes instead of the spaces between them, but they are usually more complex to decode than the relatively simple negative shapes. This makes negative shapes far easier to see and visually measure, so they’re a useful tool in observational drawing as you hone in on more accurate placement of objects and form edges. Once you get used to looking for the negative space, you’ll never see the same way again! Sighting for Scale and Proportion Observational drawing is all about relativity, comparing one area of the subject to another to form a complete whole. Sighting is a way to visually measure the forms in the scene from your point of view and get them in the correct scale and proportion compared to each other and the whole. For this technique to work properly, use your Sighting Stick consistently at arm's length, with elbow unbent, so that the distance from your eye to the stick remains the same. You’ll also want to close one eye, the same eye each time, to eliminate the forms jumping back and forth between each eye’s vantage point, resulting in inconsistent measurements. Keep the stick perpendicular to your line of sight instead of angling it toward or away from you. Finally, keep the same point of view instead of moving left or right, up or down. Decide on your composition's best point of view and stick with it, or your comparisons will have no constancy. All your measuring will be done from this one point of view - not closer or farther away. It’s your source of truth!Once you have your composition and estimated placement blocked in with light blobs, choose one of the midsize to smaller elements as a ‘key.’ The idea is to use this element to measure the other elements and negative spaces against. It’s as if you’re creating your own 'inch'. This will help keep the entire scene in the correct relative proportion.Measure the relative width and height of the key form from your point of view. First, measure the shortest dimension from your point of view by holding your sighting stick’s tip up until it meets the edge of one side and placing your thumbnail at the point where the other side ends. Hold onto that place with your thumb and turn the stick perpendicular to how you just held it. Now, count roughly how many of the shortest dimension fits into the longest dimension. Is it about twice as high as it is wide? Or 1-1/2 times as wide as it is tall? Or maybe there’s no difference at all between the dimensions. Lightly draw in the measurement marks from top to bottom. At this point, you’re just creating a 'fence' to draw within. Don’t worry about the exact outline of the form yet.Now work from the general to the specific in the same key form, keeping within the 'fence' you’ve created to ensure you don’t enlarge or shrink it by accident. Use the same comparative measuring technique above to measure the next most general aspects of the form. For example, how much of the side or top can you see compared to the rest of the form? Is it about 1 part top to 2 parts side? Say there’s a vase that swells near the top and tapers to the bottom. You can see how far up that swell is compared to the tapering bottom and make light outlines to show you where that happens. You can also use a vertical sight line against the side of the swell to see what the negative shape of the tapered bottom looks like. Use vertical, horizontal, and angle sight lines to hone in on the form. Avoid putting in any detail until later in the drawing. After all, you may still need to make adjustments, and you’ll be reluctant to do that if you’ve already drawn in the details.Once you have the key aspects of the key form lightly in place, you can use it as a measuring gauge for the other forms in the scene. How many of the small vases high is the side of that larger bowl? How many of that key tree’s height fit in the space between it and the next tree over? Immaterial forms like shadows and seemingly empty space are forms, too, and can be measured similarly. Remember, this is approximate visual measuring to help your eyes see better - you don’t need to pull out a ruler or do math. Don’t get overwhelmed by exactitude, or it won’t be fun!As you lightly draw in the outlines of the major edges in the rest of the scene, you’ll be dancing back and forth between using vertical lines, horizontal lines, angle sight lines, and measuring. You’ll begin to understand which sight line will help you at the time as you solve each part of the puzzle. The goal is to work all over the entire drawing as you compare and contrast placement, angles, height, width, etc. Be willing to correct and erase during the process and open yourself up to change! There’ll be a point later on where you can pin down the style, expression, and amount of detail you want to include. Measuring the height of the vase with the eraser at the top edge of the pencil and the thumb marking the base edge. Keeping your thumb at the same spot on the pencil, measure the branch's height. The branch is a bit more than 2 vases high. Make this notational mark on your drawing. Measuring the width of the vase with the eraser at the left edge and the thumb marking the right edge at the widest point. Keeping your thumb at the same spot on the pencil, measure the plate's width. The plate is a little wider than the vase. Make this notational mark on your drawing. In this landscape, the height of the tree group in the middle ground makes a useful unit of comparison. Place the pencil eraser at the top of the tree group and your thumb at the bottom. Holding that measurement and comparing it to other areas of the scene both horizontally and vertically, you can see that the width of the tree group is 2 times its height, the highest field's width is only half the tree group's height, and the foreground fence is the same height as the tree group. You can mark these notations in your drawing and use them to keep all the elements in proportion to each other. Draw Through/Follow Through Observational drawing is a process of building from the general to the specific in overlapping layers. In the early stages of the drawing, use longer and lighter continuous and repetitive sketchy lines instead of short sketchy lines. There’s no need to pin down the exact location of a line at first with a dark and final mark - you’re just beginning to map the line, so keep it loose, light, and non-committal as you sketch and resketch back and forth to find the edges. The light repetitive sketching is an active part of the finding - seeing is not just happening in your eyes, but in your hand as well. Follow the lines through with your whole hand and wrist instead of just moving your fingers. Your wrist makes a great pivot point for curved lines. Following through with a line instead of starting and stopping will make your drawing look more confident and less stiff. Remember that if you start light, you can gradually increase the pressure and go darker as you hone the placement and accuracy of your forms. Relax, and don’t put too much pressure on yourself to get it right with the first stroke. Instead of stopping where one form goes behind another, picking up the line on the other side, draw each form as if it’s made of glass and can be seen through. This will help you understand how each whole form exists in the three-dimensional space as you translate it into two-dimensional space. This is especially helpful when drawing volumes like cylinders where ellipses, or circles in perspective, can get too football-shaped. It’s also beneficial with the angles found in buildings or tables. When you start with lighter lines, these see-through guidelines will fade into the background when you gradually draw darker as you get more accurate in the middle stages of the drawing. Draw objects as if you could see through them to gain a better understanding of the overall form and the forms in space. The techniques outlined above are not meant to dictate the level of expression, style, or energy in your drawing. They’re useful to help you see more thoroughly and accurately, but what you do with that visual information is entirely up to you. You’re the artist, the one who will take the information that’s out in the world and interpret it your way. These guidelines are meant to help you see better, not stifle your style with rigid rules. Use them as tools to help you reach your expression, not the dictator of truth that overrides your artistic vision. Whether or not you ever draw from life in the artwork you exhibit, you may enjoy this practice of honing your seeing skills, improving your hand-eye coordination, and engaging the creative problem-solving part of your mind. Your visual acuity will improve, and your ability to see more deeply will positively impact whatever type of artwork you make. You’ll find yourself visually measuring in your daily life as it becomes second nature!
5 Tips to Improve Your Observational Drawing Sk...
Observational drawing practice is about more than just making your drawing look like the subject; it’s about improving how well you see and practicing hand-eye coordination. Our eye can trick...
Watercolor Painting Supplies: Joe’s List of Eve...
“I was a practicing pharmacist in my mid-40s when I took up watercolor. All I wanted to do was paint nice little landscapes, local scenes, barns, homes, the mountains, etc. It didn’t take me long to come to the conclusion that I couldn’t draw a straight line and had no talent. I failed time and time again, partly because I didn’t have good materials. I had dime store paint and paper and I was frustrated. An art professor at our local university helped me. He gave me a list of things I would need telling me, “You’ll never learn watercolor if you don’t have good paper, quality paint, and brushes." The list of things I would need included 100 sheets of watercolor paper. He said if you buy a sheet or two, you will never learn watercolor because you will be afraid you will ruin your paper." - Joe Miller The genesis of Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff began with pharmacist Joe Miller’s love for watercolor as a complete beginner. Cheap Joe’s developed and grew alongside Joe’s art, and he eventually became a teacher himself. For his students, he created a list of the best watercolor painting supplies for beginners, which we want to share with you. Joe’s mission for Cheap Joe’s was to offer artists the best quality art supplies at affordable prices so they wouldn’t be prohibited from reaching their potential by poor materials. The materials he recommended for his classes are ones he developed with that goal in mind. For example, American Journey is a professional quality watercolor paint that comes in larger, more economical 37 ml. tubes, so artists don’t feel they have to be stingy about learning through experimentation. And Cheap Joe’s Kilimanjaro paper is a professional 100% cotton watercolor paper that costs less than similar papers of the same quality, again, so that artists don’t have to feel precious about each sheet. Outlined here is Joe’s last art supply list for the last watercolor class he taught in 2018. If you were ever lucky enough to take a workshop with Joe Miller, you know his generosity of spirit and his contagious enthusiasm for art, learning, experimentation, and fun. His product recommendations below are designed for beginners and experienced watercolorists alike and were developed from his years of experience through trial and error. Interspersed throughout are Joe’s quotes from his beginner watercolor workbook. You can download your own copy of Joe’s last art supply list to print or share. If you’d like to view the art supply lists of other top instructors, you can browse their art supply lists too. These lists are a great way to see what professional artists use and recommend for watercolor, acrylic, oil, colored pencil, mixed media, and more. WATERCOLOR PAINT I use American Journey Professional Watercolors, but you can use DaVinci, Winsor & Newton, Holbein, Daniel Smith, or any professional grade. Listed below are five color groups. Please bring to class at least one color from each group. If you have the colors in your current art supplies, Great! And, feel free to bring any other colors you use. YELLOW Joe’s Yellow New Gamboge Raw Sienna Quinacridone Gold Deep DARK BLUE Indanthrone Blue Ultramarine Blue Any Dark Blue RED Alizarin Crimson Permanent Rose Rich Opera (aka Wild Fuchsia) Quinacridone Red Rose Deep (aka Rambling Rose) BROWN Quinacridone Burnt Scarlet (aka Lucky Penny) Burnt Sienna Burnt Umber Quinacridone Burnt Orange LIGHT BLUE Cobalt Blue Sky Blue Cerulean Blue “The 15 ml size is adequate for starters. However, if you really want to make a rock-solid commitment to yourself that you “will " learn watercolor then buy the 37 ml. size and 25 sheets of watercolor paper… [My palette] changes. I add a color. I take out a color. There are 100’s of colors and you can add them to your palette as you travel this wonderful journey." Joe's Full Watercolor Palette Set-Up (clockwise from top left): Joe's Yellow (Pure - so it's kept clean), Joe's Yellow (Mixing - use this one to mix other colors), New Gamboge, Halloween Orange, Raw Sienna, Quinacridone Gold Deep, Quinacridone Sienna, Quinacridone Burnt Scarlet, Quinacridone Burnt Orange, Burnt Sienna, Quinacridone Red Rose Deep, Permanent Rose, Joe's Red, Cadmium Red Wild Fuchsia, Periwinkle, Sky Blue, Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Joe's Blue, Indanthrone Blue, Royal Amethyst, Andrew's Turquoise, Lamp Black, Titanium White, Joe's Green, Skip's Green, and Sap Green. PALETTE Any that has a good fitting lid such as Cheap Joe’s Piggy Back Palette, or American Journey Porcelain Cavalcade, or Frank Webb Palette. **I fill my palette with warm colors to cool colors. We will go over that when you arrive. (Joe’s video of how to set up your watercolor palette.) “You will need a watercolor palette. My all time favorite is the American Journey Cavalcade, a heavy duty porcelain palette that will outlast us all. However, any plastic palette with a lid will do and they are less expensive. Be sure you get one that has at least sixteen or more wells and two mixing areas like the Cheap Joe’s Piggyback or Cheap Joe’s Original." BRUSHES Any good quality natural or synthetic brush will do. My favorites are the American Journey Interlocked or Golden Fleece brand. *Bring what you have, but the essentials for this class are: Rounds- size 8 or 10 Flats- size 1/2" and 1" Rigger- size 1 or 2 OPTIONAL- 1 1/2" or 2" Golden Fleece Flat Wash old toothbrush “Use the largest brush you can until you can’t stand it any longer, then a smaller one. Save smallest for detail." WATERCOLOR PAPER Only professional 100% cotton rag: Kilimanjaro brand, Arches, Saunders Waterford, Fabriano, etc. Please don’t bring student grade paper! It can be either 140 lb. or 300 lb. Cold Pressed Paper. For a 3 day workshop, bring at least 3 half sheets (22" x 15"). For a 4 or 5 day workshop, bring at least 4 or 5 half sheets (22" x 15"), (or 2 or 3 full-size sheets (22" x 30"). “The essential item is watercolor paper. You MUST buy good paper. … Don’t even think about using “cheap" wood fiber papers. They will frustrate you and you really will be discouraged. The investment in good, high quality cotton paper will pay big dividends." - Joe PAPER SUPPORT Gatorfoam Board - Half sheet size (16" x 23") I suggest bringing two. It is lightweight, waterproof, accepts staples or tape, and will last a very long time. If you don’t have Gatorboard, feel free to bring whatever support you normally use, but be sure it will fit the paper you are using, and is waterproof. FOAM CORE WILL NOT WORK! OTHER ITEMS Painting knife: Cheap Joe’s brand, either of these sizes will work: 22, 30, 45, 50 1" Artist Tape “Always put tape on your clothing before putting on paper. This removes just enough tack to prevent it from tearing the watercolor paper when removing." 8-1/2" x 11" sketchbook with 70 lb. paper or heavier (for notes and sketching). VIVA brand paper towels (this brand is best) Kleenex Tissue 1/4 and 1/2 sheet pre-cut white mats, or at least bring mats to fit your painting size. *The Cheap Joe’s reusable plastic mats (Gem Finders) are ideal for this. Roll of toilet paper (not kidding!) Household stapler Joe will have samples of Cheap Joe’s Paint Eraser Rejuvenating Sponges Joe will provide a #3 drawing pencil and plastic eraser. REFERENCE MATERIAL IMPORTANT- Bring many sketches and/or photos to use as painting references. We will work on lots of these. Also, bring a painting of your current work that you have done, but are not satisfied with. NOT matted or framed, please. **Please bring these on DAY 1** “This is the hard part. If you used a photograph or other reference to do your value study, you must put the photograph or reference away. Do not look at it! Use your value study to complete the painting. This is tough love! The temptation is great. Just don’t do it and you will end up with a painting that has YOU in it and not just a copy of a photo."
Watercolor Painting Supplies: Joe’s List of Eve...
“I was a practicing pharmacist in my mid-40s when I took up watercolor. All I wanted to do was paint nice little landscapes, local scenes, barns, homes, the mountains, etc....
20 Stocking Stuffer Studio Staples
If you find yourself struggling to decide what to get the artist in your life this Christmas, we are eager to help with recommendations for gifts artists will love any time of the year, especially during the holidays. With Christmas quickly approaching, some of us may be trying to finish shopping for the perfect art stocking stuffers for our friends and family. Looking for gifts that will be appreciated and cherished by an artist may be a bit of a challenge, and that's why we wanted to share a few ideas with you! As artists, many of us tend to be very particular when it comes to choosing the materials we use. We usually know what brands of paint and brushes work best for us and what paper, canvas, or substrate we love to paint on, and we usually buy these materials for ourselves when we need them. This may make it feel as if purchasing a gift for us at Christmas is difficult, but Cheap Joe's will help make it easier for you to find a universal gift that works for almost every kind of artist. We’ve collected a list of practical stocking stuffers for artists. While these humble art supplies may not be the stars of the show, they’re the unsung heroes of the studio. Any artist will appreciate finding these in their stockings or as little extras within gifts this Christmas. Sketcher Strap - This simple contraption straps around a sketchbook and holds pens, pencils, markers, and brushes It’s an easy and inexpensive solution for carrying art supplies on the road. Brush Soap - This brush cleaner not only clean brushes but brings them back to life. If they don’t have some already, then encourage them to get in the habit of taking good care of their brushes. Cheap Joe’s Crossback Apron - An artist's apron that can house art supplies and protect their clothing is a simple but helpful art stocking stuffer that will save clothing and prevent unwanted stains. With so many pockets, it’s especially helpful for plein air painting. Alumicutter Ruler - We use these rulers often for cutting. It takes less effort to hold it in place than a thin cork-backed ruler, and the blade won’t skip over the protective barrier and hit their fingers. If you know, you know - every artist has an Xacto wound story! Xacto Gripster Knife - Xacto knives are ubiquitous in art studios, and the Gripster is the best version. The soft handle cover makes it soft on the fingers. But the best part is that the blade-tightening screw is at the end of the knife instead of at the grip, so they don’t inadvertently loosen the blade as they cut. Cheap Joe's Tube Wringers - Get every bit of paint out of that tube with these practical but pretty paint tube wringers. It saves money to save paint. The large turn key on these are easy on the fingers. (Plus, they’re made of durable metal – because we’d like to bring less plastic into the world). Works well for toothpaste too. Micron Sets - For writing, sketching, and making art, these fine felt tip points with fade-proof, waterproof ink are super useful and beloved by many artists. They’re one of the best drawing pens out there for detailed work. Thumbnailer Sketching Template - This stencil makes it easy to draw composition boxes in sketchbooks. The windows are sized to standard canvas and paper ratios so they can translate their composition study onto the right size canvas or paper without having to use math! Niji Premier Waterbrush Set - Brushes that have water in the handle are a sketching essential because they’re more portable than a brush and water container, and are simpler for sketchbook drawings. The design of these waterbrushes is a step up from the standard squeezable handle, with an easy-to-control water release button on the grip. Itoya Profolio Midtown Pouches - These small colorful pouches carry along a surprising amount of supplies to encourage a robust sketchbook practice. The divider is helpful for organizing the contents. Cheap Joe's Waterproof Dry Bag - While this bag is commonly used to keep water out, it can also be used to keep water in. For example, to keep leaky paint tubes and water containers from accidentally spilling into the rest of their art kit when they’re out and about. Magic Palette Color Matching Guide - This tool not only allows easy color and value identification to find just the right color to mix but can be used to preview how well a particular color intensity or value will work on works in progress. Stuffit Towel - You’ll often find artists with a towel in hand or nearby when working. Because they’re washable and reusable, these are more eco-friendly than using lots of paper towels. They start out the size of a hockey puck but expand to handtowel-size when moistened, which is just plain fun to watch. Itoya Hikigiri Scissors - These are the kind of scissors they’ll reach for often. They’re a sharp design with sharp blades that make it easy and pleasant to cut with precision. Bullet Pencil Sharpener - With a satisfying heft, ergonomic design, and sharp replaceable blades, this handheld pencil sharpener is a simple yet functional design that makes it easy to hold straight on the pencil, reducing accidentally broken points. Golden Gripr Tube Opener - Instead of chewing up stubborn paint tube caps with pliers or teeth, this paint tube opener grips stuck screwtops with ease. Its simple design fits multiple cap sizes and offers more leverage, preventing stuck cap and twisted tube rages. Canson XL Recycled Pocket Sketch Pad - We love the size of this chunky sketching pad. It has lots of sheets to encourage lots of sketches, and it’s super portable at only 3-1/2" x 5-1/2". The perfect palm-sized pad for dashing off ideas anywhere. Zig Glue Pens - Many artists like to paste inspirational clippings into their sketchbooks or use collage to plan compositions. Zig Glue pens offer more precision and less mess than glue sticks. The glue can be used as permanent or repositionable. Factis Pencil Eraser Stick - This pen-stye eraser is a huge help when sketching in a sketchbook where drawings are smaller so erasers need to be too. With its small tip, it can erase or blend with precision. Frixion Erasable Pens - These are a favorite with Cheap Joe’s staff for both writing and sketching. They offer the clarity and cleanliness of a pen with the reversibility of a pencil. Plus, the ink doesn’t smear when erasing like other erasable pens.
20 Stocking Stuffer Studio Staples
If you find yourself struggling to decide what to get the artist in your life this Christmas, we are eager to help with recommendations for gifts artists will love any...
How to Create a Gift Set for Painting and Drawi...
Step 1: Purchase a Cheap Joe’s Gift Card. (Just kidding, sort of, but it is an artist’s favorite gift!) We know it’s hard to know what to buy for an artist. Artists can be picky people, and you don’t know what they really need or want. So our resident artists here at Cheap Joe’s put together an easy guide to making a gift set that will show that personal touch. Whether you’re encouraging a beginner or gifting a professional, you can DIY a custom gift set within your budget. Pick something to make art on, such as a paper pad, a canvas, a sketchbook, or a panel and/or Add a set to make art with, such as a paint set, colored pencil set, or a marker set. and/or Add tools to apply the art media with, such as a brush set, a colored pencil accessory kit, or a nice palette. We’ve put together a few ideas as examples for different levels of art experience and media in painting and drawing. Simply mix and match art supplies from 2 or 3 of the columns, and you’ll create a set any artist will be happy to receive. (Especially if you also add a gift card to their stocking!) You can call our helpful Customer Service Team at 1-800-227-2788 or visit one of our store locations to get more recommendations. Gift Sets for Beginner Artists Mix and Match from 2-3 columns depending on your budget Fluid Easy-Block Watercolor Paper Block, Cheap Joe's Sketchmaker Watercolor Compact Set, Cheap Joe's Golden Fleece Synthetic Travel Round Brush Set Watercolor Paint On: For beginner watercolor paper, we recommend a paper that has a sturdy surface for the watercolor to move around, even if it’s made from wood pulp instead of the ideal 100% cotton. While you don’t have to spend on professional quality papers for a beginner, avoid bottom-rung quality papers not designed for watermedia that will only frustrate their first paintings. Paint With: For the paint, we chose good quality beginner watercolor sets with brilliant color, balanced color selection, and fun formats. Brushes and Tools: For the brushes, we chose soft absorbent bristles in sets that take the guesswork out of which shapes are useful. Paint On Paint With Brushes and Tools Fabriano 1264 Mixed Media Pad Cheap Joe's Sketchmaker Watercolor Compact Set Princeton RealValue Series 9100 - Set of 4 Synthetic Camel Brushes, No. 9121 Fluid Watercolor Paper Easy-Block Van Gogh Watercolor - Assorted Colors, Set of 12 Tubes Cheap Joe's Golden Fleece Synthetic Travel Round Brush Set Canson Artist Series Montval Watercolor Sketchbook Sakura Koi Watercolor Pocket Field Sketch Box Cheap Joe's Starving Artist White Synthetic Brush Starter Set 1 Crescent Creative No. 114 Watercolor Board Pack Winsor & Newton Cotman Palette Pocket Set Raphaël Mini Travel Brush Set in Bamboo Wrap American Journey Synthetic Brush Set, Joe's Prime Canvas Panels, Sennelier Abstract Acrylic Acrylic Paint On: Beginning acrylic painters can paint on mixed media paper or canvas. Our choices here will give them lots of less-precious options so they won’t be afraid to experiment as they learn. Paint With: Student-grade acrylics usually contain more filler and less expensive pigments but are still a good place to start when learning. You only need a few colors to begin, and with these sets they can learn to mix their own colors. Brushes and Tools: Practical tools for new acrylic painters are a disposable palette and brushes that work well with watermedia. A simple easel for the dining room table would also be a plus! Paint On Paint With Brushes and Tools Canson Artists' Series Mixed Media Sketchbook Joe's Prime Lightfast Acrylic - Basic Color Set Richeson Grey Matters Paper Palette Joe's Prime Canvas Panels Royal & Langnickel Acrylic Painting Box Set Cheap Joe's Travel Table Easel Strathmore 500 Series Heavyweight Mixed Media Pad Sennelier Abstract Acrylic - Primary Colors, Set of 5 American Journey Interlocked Synthetic Brushes - Starter Set 1 or 2 Canson XL Oil & Acrylic Pad Liquitex Basics Acrylic Set Princeton RealValue Series 9100 - Set of 5 White Taklon Brushes, No. 9155 Joe's Prime Canvas Panels, Da Vinci Oil Color Mixing Set, Princeton RealValue Series 9100 Bristle Brushes Oil Paint On: Oil painting takes practice, so it’s best to provide a beginner with several less intimidating options for surfaces to paint on. Canvas panels, pads, and stiff paper-like cartón are perfect for studies yet still framable. Paint With: Just like acrylics and watercolor, these good quality oil painting sets contain the basic colors to get started while allowing them to learn to mix colors as well. We also included an earth palette Pigment Stick Set which is a great introduction to oil paint for artists who are already comfortable drawing. It’s like drawing with oil! Brushes and Tools: Oil paint brushes need to be stiffer than those for watermedia, so we picked some economical sets that offer good bristles and helpful shapes. Oil paint also requires solvent instead of water to thin the paint. A glass palette is ideal for oils because it’s non-absorbent, silky to mix color on, and can be easily scraped clean. Paint On Paint With Brushes and Tools Guerrilla Painter Cartón Plein Air Panels Van Gogh Oil Color Sets Princeton RealValue Series 9100 - Set of 4 Bristle Brushes, No. 9131 Cheap Joe's Sketchmaker Canvas Pad Da Vinci Oil Color Mixing Set American Journey Odorless Mineral Spirits - 4 oz. Joe’s Prime Canvas Panels Bob Ross Master Oil Paint Set New Wave POSH Glass Table Top Palette Joe’s Prime Linen Panels R&F Pigment Sticks - Beginner 3 Color Set Princeton RealValue Series 9100 - Combination Set of 6 Brushes, No. 9148 Artbin Sketch Board, Cheap Joe's Sketchmaker Drawing Pads, Sakura Pigma Micron Pen Sets Drawing & Sketching Draw On: The most commonly chosen paper for drawing is smooth with a little bit of ‘tooth,’ or very light texture, to hold dry media. We chose drawing paper in pads and sketchbooks with lots of sheets to encourage practice. Pads are great for making drawings one by one that can be removed and displayed, while sketchbooks are ideal for sketching ideas and trying out techniques while collecting their progress and development. Draw With: Drawing supplies are so varied and artists routinely use many types for sketching. Colored pencils, art markers, Micron fine line pens, and a variety drawing materials set are useful choices as they discover their particular preference. Drawing Accessories: Drawing is a refreshingly simple and inexpensive way to begin making art, so you could truly stop with something to draw on and with, but we added some nice extras for transporting drawing materials as well as a set of erasers every artist should have. Draw On Draw With Drawing Accessories Fabriano Studio Mixed Media Fat Pad Prismacolor Colored Pencil Set Speedball Canvas Pencil Case Cheap Joe’s Sketchmaker Drawing Pads Koda Art Dual Tip Brush Marker Sets General’s Art Eraser Set Strathmore Visual Journal Cretacolor Urban Sketching Set Artbin Sketch Board American Journey Hardbound Sketchbook Sakura Pigma Micron Pen Set Itoya Profolio Midtown Pouch Gift Sets for Advanced Artists Mix and Match from 2-3 columns depending on your budget Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolor Synthetic Sable Brush, Schmincke Horadam Aquarell Super Granulating Watercolor Tubes, The American Journey Journaling Sketchbook Watercolor Paint On: Every watercolor artist will appreciate a 100% cotton watercolor sketchbook for their studies or travel watercolor. Here, we chose high quality paper in hardback formats. Paint With: We chose unique professional watercolor sets that will add to their existing collection, from popular super-granulating watercolor to QoR’s modern watercolor to a selection of artist-curated sets by American Journey and Daniel Smith. Brushes and Tools: Advanced watercolorists will already have a selection of brushes, but we chose some high quality options we believe they’ll love to add to their rotation. Paint On Paint With Brushes and Tools American Journey Journaling Sketchbook QoR Watercolor Set Raphaël Bamboo Brush Wrap Sets Kilimanjaro Black Travel Journal American Journey Watercolor Set Miller's Pseudo Sable Travel Brushes, Set of 4 Arches Watercolor Travel Journal Daniel Smith Watercolor Set Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolor Synthetic Sable Brush - Quill, Medium Etchr Sketchbook Schmincke Supergranulating Watercolor Set Princeton Neptune Series 4750 Synthetic Squirrel Brushes - Set of 4 Joe Miller Signature Series Stretched Cotton Canvas, American Journey NewBristle Synthetic Brush Set, Liquitex Acrylic Set Acrylic Paint On: Painters always need a supply of surfaces to paint on so we’ve collected some old favorites plus some new options they may not have tried yet, like Aluminum Panels and real canvas pads with lots of sheets for studies. Paint With: Each acrylic paint here is professional quality with high pigment loads and excellent working properties. These paint brands are popular with acrylic painters for a reason! Brushes and Tools: We’ve included traditional acrylic brushes alongside fun scraping tools that might encourage play in a new direction. Painting knives and glass palettes are helpful tools for any acrylic painter. Paint On Paint With Brushes and Tools Ampersand Unprimed Birch Wood Artist Panel - 7/8" Cradle, 6" x 6", 4 Pack American Journey Artists' Acrylic Set American Journey NewBristle Synthetic Brush Set Joe’s Prime Aluminum Painting Panels Da Vinci Fluid Acrylic Favorite Color Set Princeton Catalyst Wedges and Contours Joe Miller Signature Series Canvas Golden Acrylic Set Joe Miller Signature Painting and Palette Knife Set Joe’s Prime Canvas Pads Liquitex Acrylic Set New Wave POSH Glass Artist Palette Gamblin Palette Knives, American Journey Professional Artists' Oil Color Sets, Joe's Prime Linen Canvas Panels Oil Paint On: We’ve collected some classic oil painting surfaces like linen and wood panels, as well as a cotton oil paper that doesn’t require gessoing. Whether they use these for studies or plein air painting, painters always need more surfaces on which to make art. Paint With: Each oil paint here is highly pigmented professional quality and a joy to paint with. We also included something they may not have tried yet, Pigment Sticks, which is like drawing with pure oil pigment. Brushes and Tools: Oil painting requires more accouterments than other paint mediums and so choosing the right ones can be tricky. Instead, we collected some nice-to-have practical brushes and a mediums set plus a fun pochade box and an ergonomic painting knife. Paint On Paint With Brushes and Tools Joe's Prime Linen Canvas Panels American Journey Artists' Oil Color Set Gamblin Oil Painting Must Have Mediums Set Ampersand Gessobord Panels Williamsburg Handmade Oil Set Guerrilla Painter Thumb Box Pochade Joe Miller Signature Gessoed Painting Panels R&F Pigment Stick Set Gamblin Palette Knife Arches Oil Paper Sennelier Landscape Plein Air Oil Set Miller’s Workhorse Brush Set Strathmore 400 Series Toned Sketch Journals, Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencil Set, KUM Automatic Long Point Sharpener Drawing & Sketching Draw On: Many artists already have plenty of paper, so we chose some unique surfaces they may not have tried yet to inspire some adventurous exploration. Draw With: One thing we’ve learned is that every artist draws and sketches, even if that’s not the final form their artwork takes. That means gifting drawing supplies is always a win. From paint markers to pastels, we chose professional quality drawing supplies that are ideal for sketchbook studies up to finished works of art. Drawing Accessories: Since drawing doesn’t require a lot of fussy equipment, we chose some nice-to-have accessories like a travel drawing case, a fantastic sharpener, and some drawing supply organizers. Draw On Draw With Drawing Accessories Ampersand Pastelbord Sampler Sennelier Half-Stick Soft Pastel Set Speedball Canvas Roll-Up Pencil Case Fabriano Black Black Drawing Pad Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencil Set Kum Auto Long Point Sharpener Strathmore Toned Sketch Journal ArtGraf Tailor Shape Water-Soluble Pigment Block Set Artbin Desktop Organizer Shizen Handmade Pastel Paper Posca Paint Pen Set Etchr Field Case
How to Create a Gift Set for Painting and Drawi...
Step 1: Purchase a Cheap Joe’s Gift Card. (Just kidding, sort of, but it is an artist’s favorite gift!) We know it’s hard to know what to buy for an...
Creative Christmas Gifts for Artists: Art Suppl...
What makes a good gift for an artist? You want to spark their creativity and encourage their practice, plus surprise them with something special they might not buy for themselves. To give you some ideas on what artists really want, we’ve asked Cheap Joe’s resident artists what they’d like to receive and why. We divided it into lists according to budgets under $30, $50, and $100 plus a luxury gift section. Art Supplies Under $30 Miller’s Pseudo Sable Quill - “A quill watercolor brush can do anything I ask of it, and to have just 1 really nice one would be a luxury.” - Abby Yasutomo Bokuju Sumi Set - “I don’t necessarily want to do traditional sumi-e, but I love the preciousness of the materials in this set and the versatility of the ink for all kinds of brush sketching.” - Catherine Sennelier Half-Stick 6 Pastel Sets - “I love the 6 color set collections and kind of want to collect them all.” - Bryant Arches Watercolor Travel Journal - “You can’t go wrong with a 100% cotton watercolor sketchbook from Arches. I want 5 to create a journaling theme with each one.” - Taylor Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer Watercolor Marker 5 Color Set - “These are my favorite illustrating brush markers because they can be used wet or dry and layer well to make in-between colors. I always need more.” - Amanda J. Herbin Fountain Pen Inks - “The glass bottles are luxurious and the detail of the built-in pen holder is *chef’s kiss*. I love the French color names and want to collect them all.” - Erin Silver Point Drawing Tools - “I’ve always wanted to try this centuries-old drawing technique but probably need the encouragement to go ahead and do it.” - Nicole Etchr Mini Porcelain Palette Kits - “These are perfect for travel. A customer commented that these are "Annoyingly worth the money," and I couldn't agree more. Yes it's small, yes it's compact, yes it's totally and completely adorable, but it's well made, it's well thought out and it's beautiful.” - Julie Speedball Canvas Pencil Cases - “I have 1 and carry it with me everywhere, and now I want one for each of my collections of pencils and pens.” - Ashleigh Essential Supplies and Gifts for Artists Under $50 Posca Marker Set of 16 - “I use these to draw on anything and everything and can never have enough. I want all the point sizes.” - Amanda Cheap Joe’s Maker’s Crossback Apron - “I’m very impressed with the functionality and style of these. I think it would last me forever. So many pockets!” - Julie Golden SoFlat Matte Acrylic Paint Sets - “Love the idea of these, but I haven’t tried them yet. The matte finish appeals to me more than regular acrylics. The appearance of gouache without the struggle.” - Bryant Etchr Field Case - “I would never invest in this for myself but it would be so nice to have one to carry out all the time. I really like the minimalist style and it would satisfy my organizational obsession.” - Erin Williamsburg Handmade Oil Color Sets - There are some interesting color collections in these sets and it's such a great handmade oil paint.” Etchr Black Graphic Pen Collection - “It’s every line type that I could want and I like that the ink is waterproof and won’t fade.” - Nicole Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer Watercolor Pencil Set of 24 - “Faber-Castell’s Polychromos Colored Pencils are my favorite for their lay-down properties and color range, so I know I would love their watercolor pencils” - Catherine Cheap Joe's Sketchbook Set - “I like the idea of volumes of sketches. I can see myself growing my own library of these over time.” - Donnie Gifts for Artists Under $100 American Journey Field Series Sling Bag - “Ever since I saw Amanda’s that she painted herself, I wanted to make my own!” - Ashleigh Koda Art Dual Tip Brush Marker Set of 48 Classic Colors - “I didn’t know how much I liked drawing with brush markers until we got the Koda markers. All of my recent artwork has been made with these.” - Amanda American Journey Voyager 18 Color Mixed Pan Set - “Such a solid set that I would never buy for myself but could see myself using a lot. I like that it’s easily refillable and I can shift the colors around to suit myself.” - Leslie Etchr Watercolor Starter Kit - “I’ve never done watercolor before but now that I work at Cheap Joe’s, I want to. I like that this kit has all the materials I’d need plus classes.” - James Schmincke Super Granulating 15 ml Sets - “Angels sing when I open these boxes. I already have a few of these colors and want them all now for my abstract watercolors.” - Leslie American Journey Brush Combo Set - “I would like a brush set that comes with everything already, including the brush holder that stands up.” - Amy Cheap Joe's Mighty H-Frame Easel “I would love to graduate from my table easel to a real artists’ easel.” - Aiden American Journey Sidecar Porcelain Palette - “I already have a porcelain palette, but I like the idea of this extra one that I can use for extra colors and mixing up large washes.” - Tippy Escoda Travel Color Brush Sets - “I like the mix and match of different Escoda brush lines in these travel sets. Escoda is one of the best brush makers out there for performance and longevity.” - Leslie $100 and Above Gift Ideas for Fine Artists Schmincke Horadam Half Pan Set in Leather Case - “The leather carrying case is a nice touch. I like that there’s room left to add my own pans of other colors. This is the kind of metal palette that lasts a lifetime.” - Lori Tombow Dual Brush 108 Marker Set - “I want all the colors to print my tiny block prints and illustrations.” - Erin Kilimanjaro All Media Studio Easel - “I tend to go through phases of media. I never know what I’ll want to make in the future and I don’t have much space so this seems like the best easel. I like that it can go completely horizontal and that it can be moved easily on wheels.” - Catherine Cheap Joe’s Legend Kolinsky Sable Brush Sets - “A whole set of real sable brushes would be an amazing luxury.” - Amy Toyo ST-350 Steel Toolboxes - “These make me want to reorganize all my art supplies into these retro boxes.” - Ashleigh American Journey Artists' Acrylic Set - “If I want to learn how to paint in acrylics, this seems like the best set to start. It has everything.” - Mark Holbein Yuko Higuchi Artist Watercolor Sets - “Holbein is my favorite brand of watercolor, and while photographing these sets, I had so much fun looking at the fantasy animal and plant illustrations on each tube. This isn’t your average watercolor set.” - Leslie Unison Handmade Pastel Sets - “These are next-level pastels that I would love to try. The color palettes make me want to draw!” - Abby
Creative Christmas Gifts for Artists: Art Suppl...
What makes a good gift for an artist? You want to spark their creativity and encourage their practice, plus surprise them with something special they might not buy for themselves....
Ways to Reuse Your Watercolor Paper
Ever have a painting that just didn’t meet your expectations of a masterpiece? Well, we all have, yet discarding a full piece of watercolor paper is just out of the question. With the price of watercolor paper rising every year, you should never have to throw it away. So what do you do with it? Here are a few ways to recycle your unsuccessful paintings.
Ways to Reuse Your Watercolor Paper
Ever have a painting that just didn’t meet your expectations of a masterpiece? Well, we all have, yet discarding a full piece of watercolor paper is just out of the...
Your Guide to Stretching Watercolor Paper
People tell me all the time they have a hard time finishing the watercolor without getting all hard edges. Let me show you an old method--stretching paper--that also prevents hard edges.
Your Guide to Stretching Watercolor Paper
People tell me all the time they have a hard time finishing the watercolor without getting all hard edges. Let me show you an old method--stretching paper--that also prevents hard...
Art Presentation Tips: Cost-Effective Matting a...
As artists, we create art to be viewed and enjoyed. We do not paint to hide our art in a closet or under a bed. In some cases, we may be painting to sell to clients who want to enhance their home or business with wonderful works of art. Whether you paint for yourself, just for fun, or as a business, your art should be preserved properly to be enjoyed for years to come.
Art Presentation Tips: Cost-Effective Matting a...
As artists, we create art to be viewed and enjoyed. We do not paint to hide our art in a closet or under a bed. In some cases, we may...
Capturing the Beauty of Fall Foliage with Trave...
For those eager to capture the ephemeral beauty of this season on canvas or paper, a well-prepared travel art kit and sketchbook are essential companions. In this guide, we hope to inspire you to slow down and capture North Carolina's fall foliage with a sketchbook in addition to your camera.
Capturing the Beauty of Fall Foliage with Trave...
For those eager to capture the ephemeral beauty of this season on canvas or paper, a well-prepared travel art kit and sketchbook are essential companions. In this guide, we hope...
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