I have spent the better part of three years working with gold leaf on everything from antique picture frames to resin art pieces, and if there is one thing I have learned, it is this: the adhesive you choose will make or break your project. Finding the best gilding adhesives for gold leaf is not … Read more
When I first dipped my brush into heated beeswax, I had no idea encaustic painting would become my favorite medium. The luminous layers, rich textures, and forgiving nature of wax make it one of the most satisfying art forms for beginners. But finding the best encaustic painting supplies for beginners can feel overwhelming. There are … Read more
Finding the best encaustic hot plates for wax painting can feel overwhelming, especially with prices ranging from $12 to over $300 for professional heated palettes. I have spent the last several months testing different hot plates, griddles, and heated palettes in my own encaustic studio to figure out which ones actually hold steady temperature without … Read more
When I first started making my own watercolors three years ago, I had no idea how much the right binder would change everything. Gum arabic is the invisible backbone of every watercolor paint you have ever used. It is the natural water-soluble binder that holds pigment to your paper, controls flow, and gives finished work … Read more
Struggling with paint that beads up on your watercolor paper or refuses to spread smoothly across large washes? Finding the best ox gall liquid for watercolor can transform how your pigments behave on the page. I have spent months testing different wetting agents, dispersants, and flow mediums to see which ones actually deliver on their … Read more
There is something deeply satisfying about watching a dull surface transform into a gleaming, golden masterpiece. I have spent years working with gilding materials on everything from picture frames to furniture, and I keep coming back to imitation gold leaf for most of my projects. Finding the best imitation gold leaf for gilding can feel … Read more
Few things hurt more than watching a charcoal portrait you spent 12 hours on smear into a gray ghost because you skipped the fixative. I learned that lesson the hard way back in art school, and since then I have tested every major workable fixative spray I could get my hands on. After spraying, layering, … Read more
Impasto is one of the most expressive techniques in oil painting, letting you build thick, textured strokes that catch light and create real physical depth on the canvas. Whether you are channeling Van Gogh’s swirling skies or building abstract texture with a palette knife, the right medium makes all the difference between paint that holds … Read more
Glazing is the technique that separates flat-looking paintings from ones with deep, luminous color that seems to glow from within. When I first started exploring indirect painting, I spent months testing different oils, resins, and alkyd mediums trying to find products that actually delivered on the luminous effects the Old Masters achieved. Finding the best … Read more
I have spent the better part of two years testing every pouring medium I could get my hands on. From cheap hardware store additives to professional-grade acrylic polymers, I have poured, swiped, and flip-cupped my way through dozens of products to find the absolute best mediums for fluid art. The right medium is what separates … Read more