While the famous Dutch painter Jan Van Eyck is often credited with the invention of oil paint, pigments mixed with an oily resin have been used since the days when Neanderthals decorated their cave walls. Read more »
Making Oil Paint
Acrylic Glazes
Glazes have been around since the days of the Renaissance oil painters. These painters developed the technique of painting a monochromatic underpainting. Over that painting, they would apply glazes, which are very thin layers of transparent color. Imagine that the glaze is a colored film that you apply over a black and white photograph. The […] Read more »
Acrylic Mediums & Additives
Learn about the variety of mediums, gels and additives that expand the performance characteristics and physical properties of acrylic paint. Read more »
Why Paint Wrinkles
Haste makes waste. I should know that by now. But in my rush to get out of the house, I laid the paint on just a little too thick. When I returned from a week long trip, I discovered that what had been a smooth finish had developed wrinkles. Read more »
Constructing More Persuasive Sales Presentations
Early in my sales career I was taught that the job of a salesperson was similar to that of a lawyer presenting his case. Just as an attorney presents proof in court, you provide your prospect with evidence to support your product or offer. As your jury, if your prospect is not moved by your […] Read more »
Caring for Garments with Heat Transfer Vinyl
I am frequently asked how many times you can wash a garment with a heat transfer vinyl applique before it deteriorates. Durability of this material all depends on the specific type of heat transfer vinyl that you are using and garment care. If you are washing and drying the garment properly, a high quality heat transfer vinyl […] Read more »
Where Social Media Fits in Your Marketing Plan
Selling was so much easier when I first hit the streets nearly forty-five years ago. At my first sales job, I didn’t even need to do any prospecting. Telemarketers unearthed all of the leads. In most cases, they even made the appointment for me. My task was to make the presentation and close the sale. Read more »
Learn the Art of the Graphics Deal
Walk-in business is usually easy money. That’s because it is more about the customer buying than about you selling. Real selling, in which you must hunt for new business, isn’t so easy. It fact, it can be a complex process. First you need to track down viable prospects: those who need your products and services […] Read more »
How to Troubleshoot and Prevent Paint Problems
What makes painting a challenge for sign makers, compared to vinyl application, are all of the variables. And with each variable the chance that what can go wrong increases. In fact, it seems that that guy Murphy has stacked the odds against us. Our only recourse is to identify the causes of our failures and learn how […] Read more »
Essential Solvents for Sign Painters
Here’s detailed information on solvents used in sign painting. Solvents described include Pure Gum Turpentine, Mineral Spirits, Lacquer Thinner, Toluene, VM&P Naphtha and Xylene. Hingst extensively covers solvent safety, the new safety data sheets and the HazCom2012 standards. Read more »
