Imprimatura: Toning the Substrate

After completing a rough sketch, the canvas was toned with a transparent yellow ochre mixed with a medium and turpentine.

After completing a rough sketch, the canvas was toned with a
transparent yellow ochre mixed with a medium and turpentine.

It doesn’t matter whether you are painting on canvas, a metal panel, Masonite, wood or MDO. If your substrate is white, the stark brilliance of the surface can be overpowering and distracting. For this reason artists have toned their painting surfaces for centuries.   Read more »

Safely Working with Pigment Powders

Making your own paint is a relatively easy process. All you need is powdered pigment and a binder. Depending on the type of paint you are making, you have a variety of choices for a binder, including linseed oil, acrylic emulsion, egg yolk and animal hide glue. The one ingredient that is common in all […] Read more »

More on What You Need to Know About Rivets

Discover the ins and outs, dos and don’ts of installing vinyl graphics over rivets.  What you find out may surprise you. Dealing with rivets is the price you pay for greater profits.  But applying over rivets need not be a nightmare if you have the right knowledge and skills.  Read more »

Avoiding Airbrushed Vinyl Mistakes

Perfecting the art of airbrushing on vinyl takes time but you can avoid beginner’s mistakes with a few insiders’ tips. Before you make big bucks airbrushing on vinyl, you’ll probably make plenty of mistakes.  Find out the common pitfalls so you can steer clear of trigger-happiness, poor lettering and the like. Read more »

Safety and Latex Paints

In my articles on wall graphics I make a few recommendations on painting with latex paint. What I did not do was make any recommendations regarding safety. Who would  think that there are any health concerns when painting walls with latex paint? I never did. After all, latex paint is water-based and that’s safe, isn’t […] Read more »

Gild like an Egyptian

Gilding is an ancient art that dates back to Egyptian times. Get some time-tested tips from modern-day pros.  Gilding with gold leaf is the ancient art Egyptians used to decorate King Tut’s coffin, but 21st century artisans are continuing the tradition on everything from automobiles to store windows.om modern-day pros. Read more »