Wayne Crossland

Have you been wanting to experiment with oil pastels for your next project? Or are you already painting with oil pastels but are struggling to get the results you want? Working with oil pastels, especially when it comes to blending, can be really tricky. If you’re getting frustrated, I don’t blame you!

It doesn’t have to be this way. I’m here to help you learn how to blend oil pastels with detailed step-by-step instructions. You’ll be blending pastels like a pro in no time once you’re done reading this article. Creating whimsical oil pastel paintings will be a piece of cake, even if you’re just a beginner! [Read more…] about How to Blend Oil Pastels: Quick Guide to Improve Your Pastel Skill

The oil painting has been a classic medium dating back as far as the early 15th century. Their versatility and bold colors make them a great choice for artists looking to get into painting, and there really are only a few “rules” you have to follow in order to learn the basics. Once you understand how the medium works, you’ll be able to use a variety of techniques to make your pieces come to life.

There are a few advanced techniques the oil base allows for, such as blending, and scumbling, which I’ll discuss in more detail later. Oil painting can be very relaxing, and it lends itself to a lot of different styles and techniques. While it may sound complicated at first, you’ll soon find that it’ll become surprisingly simple once you practice a little. It can even be an almost meditative experience if you allow yourself to really get lost in your work. With this “oil painting for beginners” tutorial, you’ll have everything you need from start to finish. [Read more…] about Oil Painting for Beginners − Comprehensive Guide

Any artist will tell you that learning to draw hands is one of the hardest skills to learn. However, with enough practice, it is definitely a skill that you can master with ease. I know that when I was just starting out, hands were a nuisance that was next to impossible. I would try anything to avoid drawing them – but that wasn’t going to make me any better as an artist. It took some force, but the more I drew hands, the easier that it became for me to draw hands.

Like all things, progress won’t be instantaneous. It will take time and effort to perfect drawing hands. Also like all learned skills, it is often easier to take the lessons step by step and slowly expand into more complex hand positions. It’s a saying that’s tired but true: the more that you practice, the better that you will be at drawing hands. I find that the easiest way to start drawing hands is to learn how to draw a fist. [Read more…] about How To Draw A Fist: A Series of Step By Step Guides

“Learn the rules like a pro,” Picasso said, “so you can break them like an artist.” That works for the basics of art, but I’d argue there’s one rule you shouldn’t break: Always clean your brushes.

In this article, I’m going to tell you step-by-step how to clean artist oil paint brushes. First, I’ll take you through the process of how to clean oil paint brushes with mineral spirits or paint thinner. Then, we can talk about some natural alternatives, and even how to remove paint that’s already dried.

I’ve been an artist for more than 15 years now, and I haven’t always followed my own advice. I was young when I started painting, and I commonly ended a painting with my self and my supplies covered in paint. I guess you could say I really got into my work. Often, I left them out and found myself with dried up, ruined brushes. In my head, painting was supposed to be low on challenge and high on fun. Well, I was right about one thing: it’s high on fun. However, the challenges I’ve faced over the years while learning my craft have been at least equally as high as the fun.

Thankfully, I’ve matured since then (not having my supplies bought for me seemed to do the trick.) I’ve put in a ton of time honing not only my technique but also the best ways (in my opinion) to clean and care for artist oil paint brushes so that they don’t become covered in dry paint. [Read more…] about How to Clean Oil Paint Brushes