Palette Knife Painting Tutorial

A  Palette Knife Painting Tutorial is the best way to learn palette knife painting quickly. You can watch my palette knife painting playlist on YouTube to see my palette knife painting tips! 

Check out these palette knife painting tutorials on my YouTube channel below: 

Palette Knife Painting Tips - In this short video I show you the difference between plastic and metal palette knives. I show you the basics of painting with palette knives and share my palette knife painting tips with you! 

 Palette Knife Painting Clouds- In this painting tutorial I show you how to paint a sky and clouds with a palette knife. This is an essential step to painting a successful landscape with a palette knife! 

Palette Knife Painting Farmhouse Pumpkin- Paint this cute farmhouse style pumpkin painting is perfect to hang in your home for fall! Learn how to paint a textured background with a palette knife! 

Abstract pumpkin painting by Jackie Partridge. Watch this palette knife painting tutorial!

Palette Knife Painting Winter Landscape (EASY)- Learn to paint snow with a palette knife and create wonderful texture - check out this easy landscape painting to try painting with both a brush and a palette knife! 

Palette Knife River Landscape Painting - Learn how to paint a sky, a river and some grass all with a palette knife!

Palette Knife Sunset Painting Easy- Learn to paint a sunset, clouds and water reflection by painting with a palette knife!

Here are some Palette Knife Painting Tips!

• Invest in different sizes and shapes of palette knives. I love my Liquitex painting knives and metal palette knives! 

• Experiment and practice first - try painting with a palette knife on a canvas board or thick paper to practice before starting on a canvas 

• Watch my palette knife painting tips video if you are completely new to palette knife painting - It’s a lot easier to learn by watching! 

• Try dabbing, scraping and dragging the palette knife on different edges to create different marks 

• Wash and dry your palette knife after use to keep it in great condition for years to come! 

Try this palette knife painting tutorial of an abstract sunset by Jackie Partridge -here!

I love palette knife painting because it creates such a fun abstract texture with the paint. I love the look of abstract painting and the freedom it gives me to paint in a more relaxed manner!

I am constantly updating my YouTube channel - be sure to subscribe to my channel to see when new videos come out - you can do that here! 

If you want to improve your acrylic painting - download my FREE guide where I show you the 10 common mistakes beginner painters make and how to avoid them! Click the button below!

Hope these tips are helpful! Happy Painting!

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10 Skills You Need to Become a Better Artist

10 skills you need to become a better artist - here they are -ready for you to put them into action! As an artist you are constantly balancing producing art and running a business. There are a lot of skills you need to be a successful artist. Here are my list of 10 skills to become a better artist below!

Skill #1 Confidence 

It is easy to think that everything has been done before, that you will never “make it” as an artist and that you are just wasting your time and money. You might even feel like you are not qualified enough or that you shouldn’t even apply to an exhibition because you probably won’t get in. It’s important to have confidence and faith in your artwork and in yourself as an artist. If you aren’t confident you will not want to put your art out there. You will not want to share it and you won’t receive art opportunities or money for your art.

Skill# 2 Time Management 

You need to be able to balance your time with making art and completing admin tasks like updating your website and social media, answering emails, updating photos, buying supplies, applying to artist calls and more. If you aren’t making art then you are not enjoying the reason why you wanted to become an artist in the first place. It is also hard to grow as an artist if you aren’t making any new work!

Skill #3 Patience 

I don’t think it’s possible to wake up one morning and all of a sudden you’re a famous artist and making money without having to do anything. It takes time and it takes work to happen!  Artists face a lot of rejections and disappointments in the art world. Just remember that your time will come! 

10 Skills You Need to Become a Better Artist - pin this image to save it for later!

Skill #4 Consistency 

In order to be good at anything it takes consistency. Consistent applications, social media posts, art making, etc. If you aren’t putting in the time and the consistent effort it will take longer to become a successful artist! 

Skill# 5 Ongoing Learning 

I am a teacher and I love learning. You can learn through YouTube (check out my painting channel), through books, courses and more. Brush up on learning new art techniques or business strategies to make your art business more successful! 

Skill# 6 Risk Taking 

You have to be able to fail and to learn from it. Try new materials, take a chance and step outside of your comfort zone. If you always do the same thing you can become stuck or bored and that’s not good either.

Skill #7 Writing and Communication

You have to be able to talk and write about your art. When you apply for grants or exhibitions often you need to write about your art clearly and concisely. When talking to people it could always lead into a networking opportunity further down the line. It’s important to know what to say when speaking about your art and share it proudly.

Skill #8 Money Mindset 

This relates to confidence but if you have issues with money it will be hard to make money as an artist. If you believe in the starving artist narrative then good luck trying to make consistent sales with your art! You need to start believing that you can make money with your art and that you can make as much as you want! 

Skill #9 Creativity 

You need creative ideas to be able to make something exciting and something that stands out. In the world of social media going viral can help your art. But if you are making art that looks like everyone else’s you won’t stand out. Be creative and do something different that is unique to you! 

Skill #10 Marketing and Business Strategy

In order to make sales you need to share what you are doing. You need to have a plan if you are launching a new piece of art or an art collection. You can’t just post about it once. It’s good to learn more about marketing and business if you are new to it! 

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I hope you found these skills to be helpful! Connect with me on social media for more great tips! 

10 Lessons I Learned in Art School

Here are 10 lessons I learned in art school. While you can be an artist without going to art school I learned so many valuable skills while studying my Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts.  I have also included some help in preparing your art portfolio for art school. Check out my tips for the 10 lessons I learned in art school below! 

Lesson #1 Time Management

In post-secondary education there are a lot of deadlines and the same is true for art school. At the end of the semester there are critiques where you are presenting the art you have been working on and there are also papers and presentations in other classes. It is a lot to balance especially if you are working other job(s) like tutoring or being a teaching assistant on top of that! Art school taught me how to define my priorities, schedule my time, make goals and break down tasks so that I could accomplish everything!

Lesson #2 Listening to Feedback

In art school there are a lot more critiques than in high school. In high school I don’t remember really having any critiques. Critiques are a great chance to present your artwork to your classmates and professors and listen to their feedback. I would take notes in my sketchbook for each critique. Often, I would hear ideas to try, books to read, artists to research or changes to consider. It’s a great opportunity to really refine your listening skills. It’s less about you talking and explaining the work and more about letting the work speak for itself and hearing how people respond to your art. 

10 Lessons I Learned in art school - click the image to pin this for later!

Lesson#3  Art Skills

Of course the main reason for attending art school was to focus on learning new art skills and enhancing existing art skills. While studying, I learned papermaking, printmaking, oil painting, figure drawing, still life drawing, ceramics, throwing pottery, screen printing, fabric dyeing, sewing, hand embroidery, crochet, Photoshop, taking quality photos of my artwork, and the list goes on and on. The more skills I was able to master the more diverse my art practice became and the more interesting my art was.  Naturally I learned how to get better at acrylic painting and other skills! (Check out my FREE guide for acrylic painting at the end of this post!)

Want to go to art school but unsure how to create an art portfolio that stand out and gets accepted? Click the button below to join the waitlist and be the first to hear about my course!

Lesson#4 Making Money as an Artist 

I went into art school thinking that the only way I could make money as an artist was through selling my art but I learned a lot of other routes artists take to make money like awards/grants, commissions in galleries, art licensing, teaching, art fairs and more! As an artist it is so important to have multiple streams of revenue to be able to count on having a consistent income. Read these tips on pricing your art!

Lesson #5 Networking and Relationships 

Art school is where I made a lot of close friendships with people who really understand what being an artist is. I met wonderful professors that have helped me to get jobs, art sales and grants. The art world like any world is about connections and who you know. Networking is incredibly valuable and it is a lot easier to get opportunities through having some connections.

Jackie Partridge

Lesson #6 Budgeting

Being a student taught me how to budget and save. I lived away from school and learned I needed to save for unexpected and expected costs like art supplies. I became frugal with my money and avoided going out or spending a lot on clothes and entertainment. I also learned about taxes and how to create a budget when applying for an art grant. 

Lesson #7 Presenting Your Artwork

I always thought an art gallery was the only place you could really showcase your art. I learned I could show it anywhere. I have shown my art online, in site-specific installations, outdoors, in rented buildings, on campus, in libraries and more! The possibilities are really endless which is always exciting! 

Lesson #8 Confidence 

Art school made me a lot more confident in my artwork. It allowed me to feel very proud of the art that I have created and it gave me confidence to apply for exhibitions, artist calls and grants. Hearing praise about my art boosted my confidence and helped to diminish my imposter’s syndrome that a lot of artists struggle with. 

Lesson #9 Decision Making Skills

Art is all about decisions. From the title of your work to the materials you use -it all comes down to hundreds of decisions. It’s important to not overthink, trust your gut and be able to not waste time making decisions. I began to see my art as fluid. I could always rework something or install a sculpture differently the next time to truly learn from the experience. 

Lesson #10 Taking Risks 

I took a lot of risks in art school. It’s important to try things, to listen to feedback and to experiment. Art is really a series of experiments and taking your Master of FIne Arts is a learning process where you are learning about yourself just as much as you are learning about what kind of art and subject matter you are interested in. 

Download my FREE guide for 10 Tips to Make an Art Portfolio for School Applications that Stands out!

You can purchase my art portfolio idea prompts

Click here to purchase!

If you need coaching to help you with your art portfolio- answer questions, decide what pieces to put in your portfolio, learn how to make one and have it stand out- check out my coaching.

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For help with your art portfolio -click here to read this helpful blog post! 

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Join the art portfolio course waitlist

If you are wanting to improve your acrylic painting - you can download this FREE 16 page guide by clicking the button below! I show you the 10 common mistakes beginner painters make and what you can do to avoid them!

I hope you found these 10 lessons of what I learned in art school helpful! 

All the best on your path to becoming an artist! 

Click one of the icons below to connect with me on social media!

Winter YouTube Painting Lessons Recap

Practice your acrylic painting for beginners. In my free youtube painting lessons learn my acrylic painting tips and tricks. See step by step painting tutorials to improve your acrylic painting! Learn from artist Jackie Partridge and see acrylic painting tutorials from my YouTube -Jackie Partridge Art channel!

Here is the Winter YouTube Painting Lessons Recap. These are some beginner acrylic painting videos you might have missed from January and February 2021 on my YouTube channel - Jackie Partridge Art. Click the links below to check them out and be sure to subscribe to my channel to see new painting tutorials!

Check the the videos from part one in November and December here!

Reduce the Mess Painting With Kids

Learn how to paint with kids and reduce the mess while painting with children. Learn about aprons and how to avoid the mess in your clean house!

Watch How to Reduce the Mess Painting with Kids- HERE

Video Length: 5 min. 18 sec.

Painting with Stencils (Helpful Tips)

Ever wondered how to paint with stencils? In this video I will show you the technique of painting with stencils and share all of my helpful tips with you!

Watch Painting with Stencils (Helpful Tips)- HERE

Video Length: 15 min. 16 sec.

Love You to the Moon and Back Stencil Painting

Learn how to paint a full moon, stars and the night sky with the stencil Love You to the Moon and Back. In this Love You to the Moon and Back Stencil painting tutorial.

Watch Love You to the Moon and Back Stencil Painting- HERE

Video Length: 18 min. 32 sec.

5 Tips for Painting Snow

Learn how to paint snow in this video! I will show you five tips for painting snow. (It’s more than adding white paint!)

Watch 5 Tips for Painting Snow- HERE

Video Length: 14 min. 25 sec.

Wanting to Improve your acrylic painting? I show you the 10 common mistakes beginner painters make and how you can avoid them! Download the FREE 16 page guide by clicking the button below!

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I hope you enjoyed the videos! You can subscribe to my YouTube channel here!

Follow me on social media to connect- just click one of the icons below!

How to Get Better at Acrylic Painting

How to get better at acrylic painting is a question I get asked all the time! I want to help you and share some of my tips! Ever wondered how you to get better at acrylic painting? You want to improve but are unsure where to begin and what acrylic painting tips to follow?

Learn from artist Jackie Partridge for how you can improve your acrylic painting fast with these acrylic painting tips!

I am a certified teacher and artist with my Master of Fine Arts. I have noticed common mistakes that beginner acrylic painters to make and want to help you so that you can avoid them! I want to help you improve your acrylic painting and transition you from a beginner painter to a more confident painter!

How to Get Better at Acrylic Painting

Mistake #1 -They use the paint straight out of the tube

By mixing your colours and not using them straight from the tube not only can you show off your colour mixing skills but you can create stronger paintings that have more detail, more colour, more variety and are more interesting.

In a painting, it is good to avoid having large solid areas of a plain flat colour especially if you are wanting a more realistic style or to capture something like a landscape. Think about a small patch of grass -there is more than one shade of green. There is light green with green+white, bright green with green+yellow, dull green with green+red, dark green with green+black and even blue green with green+blue. Make sure you practice and experiment with your colour mixing. Read this blog post on colour mixing!

Mistake #2 -They don’t vary their brushstrokes or types of brushes

Just like practicing colour mixing it is important to practice different brushstrokes. In a painting you can use a different brushstroke in a different area. For example you might want a smooth brush stroke in a sky and a textured brushstroke in the grass or leaves. Check out my YouTube channel for tips!

Although you don’t need a ton of brushes it is good to have options. I recommend starting with 1-2 small detail round brushes for fine details, a 1-2 inch flat brush for the painting large areas like backgrounds and a medium round brush size #6 for painting medium sized areas like tree branches and shading. These are the main brushes I use in my painting and they are great brushes to start with. As you continue painting you can add extra brushes to your collection to experiment with.

Mistake #3 -They buy a ton of supplies they won’t end up using

You don’t actually need a lot of art supplies to get started painting with acrylics. Read this blog post for a list I recommend you to use to get started. By purchasing only what you need, you will be able to save money and not have extra supplies sitting around waiting to be used!

10 Tips to Help You Become a Better Painter - click the image to download now!

If you like these tips I have created a FREE 12 page guide for you to download - that includes a list of 10 common mistakes beginner painters make and how to avoid them! I share a lot of great acrylic painting tips with you in this guide!

You can also check out my YouTube channel - where you can see helpful step by step painting tutorials for beginner painters! Subscribe to my channel here!

Helpful Blog Posts

Read this blog post to help with landscape painting

Read this to help with still life painting!

Learn how to paint better clouds

Try painting coaching to improve your skills quickly!

click the image to download this free guide!

How to Stay Motivated as an Artist (5 Tips)

How to stay motivated as an artist is a question I get asked all the time! Here are my 5 tips for how you can stay motivated as an artist. This is what works best for me! It is normal to go through periods during your career as an artist where you feel unmotivated. Maybe you even feel unsuccessful and wonder when things will change. You might even feel overwhelmed and feel like you don’t know where to begin. That’s why I have put together a list of five tips to help you so that you don’t have to give up on your dreams as an artist!

Check out my 5 tips below!

How to Stay Motivated as an Artist

1. Don't compare your art to others

It is easy to compare yourself to other artists and question why did they get that exhibition and not me?

Why did they win the prize? Why did they receive the grant? Why did they get the residency? Why not me? Is my art not good enough? Did I not work hard enough?

Comparing yourself to other artists let alone other people in general can be a dangerous rabbit hole to enter. It’s important to work on your mindset and recognize that there is enough room for lots of people to be successful artists.

That's why I like to stay in my own lane:

I try not to compare myself to other artists to look at their CVs. If I happen to witness a friend or colleague from school win or mention something - I am genuinely happy for them- everyone has a unique art practice. We all make different things that are about different topics. And that's truly great!

Staying in my lane helps me focus on my own practice and not waste time thinking about other people’s practice or entering comparison fatigue.

2. Keep track of deadlines For Your Art Goals

I keep track of my artist deadlines by looking at art deadline websites like Akimbo. I check websites like this daily or every other day. If I see a deadline that I am excited about I will take a screenshot of it and write it down in my agenda later. If there are a lot of deadlines in a certain month I will write them in order of when they are due in a list format on a sheet of paper. This helps me see which ones are due first and focus on that but also look ahead to be able to focus on deadlines that I am most excited about.

3. Make Art goals or deadlines to get things done

I have a goal to apply for 7 applications every month. This goal allows me to be focused and hold myself accountable. Not every deadline takes a lot of time. Sometimes it's as simple as submitting some photos and a copy of my artist statement. Deadlines naturally give myself something to work towards so that I can stay productive.

4. Review your goals and create systems to stay organized

It's one thing to make a goal and it is another to keep them. It is important to review your goals and hold yourself accountable when you don't meet them. Reviewing your goals helps to really prioritize what is important. You can read more about my goal setting process in this blog post.

I also stay focused by creating systems that make it easier when I apply to deadlines-like saving files in PDF, saving different versions of files like a CV that is 2 and 3 pages and saving photos in both 300dpi and 72dpi.

5. Find ways to stay inspired - do what works for you

It's important to listen to your body and if you need a rest- take it. There is no sense beating yourself up about it. If you don't feel like applying to something then think about something that you can do to still be productive or that could save you time when applying to things in the future.

Remember to take care of yourself and support other artists. It's a difficult job but at the end of the day it's what you love to do so it's worth the days where you need to rest- you need that break and you just feel completely unmotivated. Remember that the feeling is temporary and that it will soon pass. Here is a blog post with tips if you are feeling uninspired!

Would you like to improve your acrylic painting?

Download my FREE Guide with the 10 Mistakes Beginner Painters Make and How to Avoid Them!

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For more tips and inspiration - follow me on social media -by clicking on the icons below!

My Top 10 List of Favourite Painting Supplies

Here is my top 10 list of favourite painting supplies to help elevate your acrylic painting! Learn what Jackie Partridge likes to paint with. What I love about art is being able to test and try new materials. I love experimenting with art supplies and often make great discoveries that way! New painting supplies can allow you to feel creative again in your art practice. Here is a look at my top ten list of favourite painting supplies! I wrote a basic list of supplies you need to get started with acrylic painting - you can read that here!

My Top 10 List of Favourite Painting Supplies

1.  Besides a different variety of primary colours it can be nice to have special paint like a metallic gold or silver -these can be nice touches in a painting -buying a smaller amount is fine to try if you want. Metallic paint is usually more expensive than regular acrylic paint. I also love grabbing colours that I am drawn to or colours I love using like yellow ochre or different greens.

2. A good easel for painting - I purchased a wooden table top easel from Michaels that folds away, making it nice and compact. I went for wood because it can be more durable than some of the cheaper metal or aluminum ones out there.

3. Posca Pens - I love using Posca Pens in my paintings and to doodle with. You can learn more about Posca Pens in these videos on my YouTube channel: Posca Pen Introduction and Posca Pen Zentangle Technique

4. Golden Acrylic Fluids- I enjoy using these as inks on paper, or to mix with my paint or gel mediums to make it more vibrant.

5. Golden Matte Gel, Golden Modelling Paste and Golden Crackle Paste - with these products you can really enhance the quality of your acrylic paint you can make the paint thicker or crack like broken glass. Although the brand Golden is more expensive it is great quality and a brand I recommend.

6. A great sketchbook- I prefer something smaller that I can carry in my bag. I usually buy mine at Michaels because they often have a BOGO sale. It’s great to have a sketchbook to store ideas of future art projects.

7. A variety of brushes including plastic scrapers -just like having extra paint it is nice to have other options.

8. Palette knives- I love abstract painting and the texture that palette knives allow you to get. You can see my palette knife painting videos here:

   How to choose a palette knife, palette knife painted sunset, palette knife river painting, palette knife painted poppy

9. Watercolour paper and coloured drawing paper- I love painting on paper. It is a nice and affordable option to painting on canvases. Make sure to browse the paper aisle at your local art supply store to find something that calls out to you! 

10. Handmade Paper -It can be really fun and beautiful to paint on you can check out some I have for sale in my shop here!

Want to Grab My FREE Guide with the 10 Mistakes Beginner Painters Make -and how to avoid them?

Make sure to follow me on social media to stay connected for more ideas and inspiration! 

Improve Your Acrylic Painting by downloading this FREE 12 page guide. Click the image to download!

6 Tips for Hitting Your Art Goals

6 tips for hitting your art goals this year! This year you can make your goals come true! How did you do sticking to the goals you made last year? Do you even remember them? Here are some tips about sticking to your goals, so you don’t lose track of them this year! 

I love planning, making lists and achieving my goals. It does take work though..

Here is a list of my 6 tips to help you hit your art goals this year!

# 1 Sticking to Your Goals - check on them

In order to keep my goals I need to review them and to check in on them.

I plan my goals near the end of December a year in advance and I review my goals every four months to adjust them accordingly.

Each month, I check on my monthly goals and put a check mark beside the completed ones. I have a new agenda this year that has a section for goals at the start of each month which really helps! If you don't have this you can always set up reminders on your phone, write on a calendar or create to-do/goals lists.

It's important to check on a goal's progress because if you have many goals you can easily forget.

Pro Tip: If you are working on a larger goal you can break it into smaller chunks that are easier to manage!

#2 Your Goals Aren't Permanent!

Life happens... Before you know it you meet your goal or you decide the timing isn't right. You are allowed to change your mind - because they are your goals! I like to give myself some grace and I'm not hard on myself when I am no longer aiming for a goal. I'm still figuring out what kind of artist I want to become and what I want my life to look like in the future.

#3 You Need to be Invested and Know Why

You have to want your goals- and not believe you should make them because what society is telling you. Part of sticking to goals is figuring out why you want them in the first place. This drive keeps you motivated. So, if you don't know why you want something, think deeper or even try journalling.

A goal needs intention behind it. It helps when a goal has clarity too because it will be something that you can easily visualize.

#4 Does Your Goal Inspire You and Excite You?

Like Marie Kondo says "does it spark joy" if it does, it's something you will treasure something you will continue to work on. If it doesn't you won't - it's that simple! The more excited you are, the more urgency there is to finish it.

A goal should be exciting but still believable to you.

#5 Give Yourself Deadlines for Your Art Goals

I was always an achiever in school and I've found to still be successful out of school it helps to have deadlines. Give yourself a realistic time frame while keeping yourself challenged and accountable! Sometimes, I will make a firm deadline with myself like "If you don't finish this by the end of the day then you can't ..."

The nice thing about applying to different art calls and grants is that they have deadlines associated with them. These deadlines can really help you stay organized.

#6 Reward Yourself for Meeting Your Goals - Make the Process Fun!

Some goals are going to take longer to complete because they require more work and they are bigger goals. I find it helpful to remember to enjoy the journey (although I struggle with this). Don't be afraid to celebrate milestones or to reward yourself with something you want. If the process of goal setting isn't enjoyable you aren't going to be excited about it and it will be harder to stick to your goals.

Here are my art goals for 2021

Now that I am teaching full time I have to consider what goals are realistic for me and my schedule:

1. Post consistently to social media (5x a week to instagram, 1-2x to facebook, every day to Pinterest, twice a month to my email list, blog post 3-4x a month, YouTube 2x a month)

2. Apply to art calls twice a month - I want to have more exhibitions this year!

3. Spend time in nature for inspiration- I find this really helps with my art practice.

4. Make consistent art sales- I would love my art to be my main source of income.

5. Keep my website updated monthly- I like reviewing my website at the end of each month to make sure everything is current.

6. Set boundaries for teaching for more work life balance- no work on Friday nights and Saturdays, no emails past 7pm, no marking on the weekend.

7. Make art during school breaks- Teaching full time has made me really miss having time to make my art.  

Your Art Goals Might Be…

Working on an Art Portfolio

Check out this post on how to prepare an art portfolio for college or university!

Starting a YouTube Channel for Your Art

Check mine out here for acrylic painting!

Improving Your Acrylic Painting

If one of your goals is getting better at acrylic painting - I can help with that! Download my FREE guide where I show you the 10 common mistakes beginner painters make and how you can avoid them!

If you have a goal this year to get into art school and become an artist or an arts-related career- download my FREE guide with 10 Tips to Make Your Art Portfolio Application Stand Out!

Follow me on Social Media for more ideas! And let me know your goals this year in the comments or the DMs!

Winter YouTube Painting Video Recap- November/December

Here are some beginner acrylic painting videos you might have missed from November and December 2020 on my YouTube channel - Jackie Partridge Art. Click the links below to check them out and be sure to subscribe to my channel to see new painting tutorials! Jackie Partridge is an artist and a teacher and she created this YouTube channel during the Covid-19 pandemic so that others would have the chance to practice their creativity and explore acrylic painting in a fun and therapeutic way.

Even if you are completely new to acrylic painting, there are lots of acrylic painting tutorials and acrylic painting tips videos to help you get started and feel confident with acrylic painting today!

Go ahead and give painting a try!!

Abstract Poppy Painting

Learn how to paint an abstract poppy in a poppy field. Perfect project for Remembrance Day to do with older kids! Or as a beginner painter to complete as one of your first painting projects. This is a lovely painting that will have a wonderful pop of red for your home decor.

Watch How to Paint an Abstract Poppy- HERE

Video Length: 16 min. 48 sec.

How to Choose the Right Apron for you!

Learn about different types of aprons and how to choose one that is perfect for you. Hear my thoughts on the pros and cons of cloth and plastic aprons. Learn about my recommendations for choosing the right apron for kids or for beginner painters.

Watch How to Choose the Right Apron- HERE

Video Length: 4 min. 50 sec.

Full Moon Painting

Learn how to paint a full moon, stars and the night sky. Create gorgeous moonlit clouds that add the perfect texture to your painting. This is an easy full moon painting that any beginner painter can paint. You can paint this full moon painting the next time there is a full moon for extra luck! This moon painting can be done be kids age 12 and up!

Watch How to Paint a Full Moon- HERE

Video Length: 16 min. 51 sec.

I hope you enjoyed the videos! You can subscribe to my YouTube channel here! So that you don’t miss any future free painting tutorials for beginner painters!

If you would like to improve your acrylic painting quickly- download my FREE guide where I show you the 10 common mistakes beginner painters make and how to avoid them!

Winter 2020 Exclusive Painting Video

Twice a year, I send my email list an exclusive acrylic painting video lesson to your inbox! Videos include start to finish instructions and are not public on my YouTube Channel - You will have lifetime access to these videos! >>>Enter your email in the blue form below to join! Please note that I am no longer sending the Winter 2020 painting tutorial - however -please join my mailing list by clicking on the grey form so that you don’t miss out on the next tutorial!

You will learn how to paint an acrylic painting from beginning to end with valuable tips. I am a trained artist in acrylic painting and I am a certified teacher. I have my Master of Fine Arts degree and loads of teaching experience to make painting for beginners a simple process where you can feel confident and have fun! I send an email to my list twice a year where I give you a private link to the video tutorial. You will have lifetime access to the video lesson.

Would you like to improve your acrylic painting? I show you 10 common mistakes beginner acrylic painters make and what you can do to avoid them - click the button below to grab your FREE guide! Grabbing this guide will also put you on my mailing list so you can receive the next seasonal painting tutorial!

These Videos Are Perfect For You If:

1. You love art or painting

2. You want more time to yourself to be creative! 

3. You are interested in learning more about acrylic painting and developing your skills

4. You want a fun project to do by yourself or with friends or family (recommended age is 7 and up!)

5. You are a painter or want to give it a try!

6. You are beginner or experienced painter

7. You want to relax and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of painting

8. You want fun, simple and creative ideas to paint

Enter your email below to get access so you don’t miss this video or the next one!

Close up of the winter 2020 acrylic landscape painting by Jackie Partridge

Check out the What the Other Paintings Have Looked Like in the Past

Fall 2020

Summer 2020

Spring 2021

Summer 2021

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3 Steps to Painting Better Landscapes!

3 steps to painting better landscapes - you are on your way to becoming a better landscape painter! Remember you are on a journey and painting is a skill that takes time to develop! Painting landscapes can be difficult but I will show you my 3 steps for painting better landscapes and loads of acrylic painting tips! You’ve started acrylic painting. You’ve watched countless YouTube painting tutorials of sunsets and palm trees. You have tried painting landscapes but it just doesn’t seem to look good as the landscape paintings you have seen on Pinterest or instagram. Ready to learn how to improve your landscape painting? Let’s go!

Here is the help you have been waiting for!

It’s not as hard as it seems. You are only 3 steps away from painting better landscapes! These are also the 3 common mistakes I see beginner painters making in their landscape paintings.

3 Steps for Painting a Better Landscape

Step 1: Colour Mixing 

A grassy field is not the same colour of green. A cloud is not all white. Water is not the same shade of blue. This is the number one mistake I see beginner painters making is that they use the colours of paint straight from the tube. You need to mix your colours and you need to add a variety of colours to make your landscapes look more professional. I wrote a blog post all about colour mixing - you can read that here!

To see what I’m talking about -check out my video on colour mixing and mixing greens. In this video I show you how to mix a variety of greens and talk about where you should place certain greens to create a sense of perspective in your next landscape painting. 

Check out my FREE resource on mixing green and grey here!

Check out the Mixing Greens Video Here! 

Step 2: Try Again

Another mistake I see beginner painters making is that they finish a painting -usually based off a YouTube tutorial and then move on to the next. But you can learn a lot through spending time on your painting and slowing down. 

It’s not a race and there is no need to rush. You will never complete every painting YouTube tutorial out there! 

Take time and look at your painting. Wait til after the painting dries and ask yourself what does it need more of? What does it need less off? And make those changes. 

Sometimes I think it’s easy to forget that you can fix what you don’t like and try again. Acrylic painting is very forgiving; you can easily cover something up with more paint if you don’t like it.

This sounds obvious but the more you practice painting (especially painting the same thing) the easier it will be! 

Step 3: Experiment and Test 

This is the fun step. I’m sure you fell in love with acrylic painting because it’s fun and it allows you to play and be creative. It’s important to let loose. Keep learning new techniques that you will be able to pull from and use in future paintings you do. Again, you can watch a YouTube tutorial and copy every step exactly but that’s only one way of learning. INSTEAD pause the video and add your own ideas - make changes and play! Don’t see your ugly paintings as mistakes. See them as learning opportunities and go back to step two and TRY AGAIN! 

With any new skill you learn it does take time and practice. I know you probably crave those beautiful paintings you see online and keep wishing that ONE DAY you will be able to paint like that too. 

If you are interested in continuing to learn about acrylic painting and improving your skills with landscape painting you can check out more free resources like my YouTube Channel here! 

Click the image to download this FREE Guide for how you can improve your acrylic painting

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Improve your painting skills with painting coaching!

Want to improve your painting ? Learn the 10 common mistakes beginner painters make - and how you can avoid them!

Click the button to download the FREE 16 Page Guide!

Learn How to Improve Your Colour Mixing with Acrylic Paint with Colour Mixing Basics!

Learn how to improve your colour mixing with acrylic painting - this is a great start to improving your acrylic painting skills. You have to be able mix your own colours! Colour mixing is a skill that takes practice! I have highlighted some FREE acrylic painting tutorials below to help you get better at acrylic painting! Colour mixing can be challenging! It isn’t as simple as elementary school art lessons where you discover the magic of mixing two colours together to get a completely different colour. Check out my colour mixing basics resources linked below!

Learning to mix colours from scratch takes you from a beginner painter to an intermediate painter. If you mix your own colours, you will be able to paint more realistically and your paintings will be more visually appealing to look at!

Using brown paint straight from the tube doesn’t have the same effect as mixing your own brown. There is so much range and possibilities when it comes to mixing your own colours!

It is ESSENTIAL to learn the foundations of colour mixing to be successful at acrylic painting! I will show you how easy it is with step by step instruction with video paint lessons all about colour mixing with acrylic paint!

I have broken down colour mixing lessons into easy to understand paint tutorials perfect for beginner painters! (including children!)

Colour Mixing Basics

• To make a colour lighter (a tint) add white

• To make a colour darker (a shade) add black

• To make a colour dull - add it’s complementary colour

• Experiment and test - try to make as many colour with your primary colours (red, yellow and blue) plus black and white

Learn How to Mix Green

This video is great for developing your skills. Mixing green is not as simple as mixing yellow and blue paint. If you are great at mixing greens and able to mix a variety of greens then you will be able to paint more realistic landscape paintings. Once you have mastered mixing greens - you will be able to paint better landscapes - click here to read more tips on painting landscapes!

Watch the Mixing Greens Video- HERE

Video Length: 13 min. 20 sec.

Learn How to Mix Grey

Mixing grey is not as simple as black + white. The more variety you have in your colours the more interesting your paintings will be! This video is a quick way to develop your colour mixing skills and make more professional looking paintings!

Watch the Mixing Greys Video- HERE

Video Length: 8 min. 15 sec.

Need More Help with Colour Mixing?

You can download my FREE colour mixing worksheets and videos for mixing green and grey here!

Mixing Purple Worksheets and Videos!

Mixing Skin Tones Worksheets and Videos!

Colour Wheel and Value Scale Worksheets and Videos!

OR save 30% and purchase the colour mixing bundle with everything mentioned above!

Want to Improve your acrylic painting? Download my FREE 12 Page Guide - I will show you the 10 common mistakes that acrylic painters make and how you can avoid them to become a better acrylic painter FASTER!!

Click the button below to download the FREE guide!

Learn How to Make a Colour Wheel and Value Scale

If you haven’t painted before and don’t know much about mixing colours - I recommend watching this video. I explain the basics of colour theory. You will learn about primary, secondary and tertiary colours and how to mix them. You will also learn about making a tint or shade with a colour. This is a great educational video perfect for beginners, teachers, parents homeschooling and daycare providers. Colour mixing is the foundation of acrylic painting!

Watch the Colour Wheel and Value Scale Video- HERE

Video Length: 25 min. 9 sec.

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If you find these videos helpful please share them with a friend!

Be sure to subscribe to my channel where new videos come out every week!

August 2020 YouTube Painting Tutorials Recap!

I started an acrylic painting YouTube channel >> Jackie Partridge Art << on Sunday July 5, 2020. Here is a list of YouTube videos that were posted to my channel this month as a little recap. In case you might’ve missed some of these painting tutorials on my YouTube acrylic painting channel!

You can read the descriptions of the videos before clicking the link to see the video.

You can watch these videos for free at anytime. If you have a YouTube account you can click the clock in the top right corner of the video to save it to your “Watch List” to watch it for later.

Be sure to subscribe to my channel —you can click the bell beside the subscribe button on YouTube to receive notifications of when new videos are added! - I release NEW videos every month!

If you like a video be sure to hit the “thumbs up” to like it or share it with a friend!

Let’s take a look at the videos for this month!

Painting with Posca Pens - watch here!

Painting With Posca Pens -The Basics!

In this acrylic painting tutorial for beginner artists I show you the basics of working with Posca Pens and incorporating them in your acrylic paintings! This video is perfect for people of all ages - I recommend age 9 and up for this video as having coordination with drawing, fine motor skills will be helpful for this art material. Learn how to use a Posca Pen, What are Posca Pens?, Ideas for using Posca Pens in your painting and more. This is video is for people who have never used a Posca Pen before and to provide them with a basic introduction.

Watch the Painting with Posca Pens Video Here!

Video Length: 12 min. 14 sec.

Palette Knife Basics

How do you use Palette Knives? What are Palette Knives? What Palette Knife is right for you? I will help you answer these questions in this quick video paint lesson. Learn about the difference between plastic and wooden palette knives and find the one right for you. Gain confidence in learning about palette knives to be able to create beautiful and textured abstract acrylic paintings! Fall in love with palette knives and explore the possibilities of palette knife painting.

Watch the Palette Knife Basics Video Here!

Video Length: 5 min. 8 sec.

Palette Knife Cloud Painting

This painting lesson is perfect for beginners with no experience using a palette knife before! Recommended age is 9 and up! This is an easy art technique and painting lesson to try --- learn a new simple acrylic painting technique to add to your skill development today! In this video art lesson -learn how to paint a cloudy sky with a palette knife. Learn about colour mixing with a palette knife, painting layers, creating texture, palette knife technique and how to paint clouds.

Watch the Palette Knife Cloud Painting Video Here!

Video Length: 27 min. 40 sec.

3 Acrylic Painting Tips To Save You MONEY!

3 Tips for Saving Money on Acrylic Painting! Check out this video and learn three tips for saving money on acrylic painting. Perfect tips for a beginner painter or intermediate painter of all ages.

Watch the 3 Tips for Saving Money on Acrylic Painting Video Here!

Video Length: 7 min. 53 sec.

Would you like to improve your acrylic painting? Grab my FREE 16 page guide where you can learn the 10 mistakes beginner acrylic painters make and how to avoid them!

Flower Printing is a great technique to create an abstract painting and is a fun project to try with kids!

Flower Printing

Flower Printing is a fun painting technique for any age! You could even try this technique with toddlers. This is a great technique to add to your painting. You can create a beautiful texture and layer your designs. Flower printing is great for abstract painting, fun experiments, collage or mixed media art.

Watch the Flower Printing Video Here!

Video Length: 16 min. 26 sec.

If you have an idea of a video you would like me to do- let me know in the comments. I appreciate every subscribe, like and comment on my channel - it helps me to make money as an artist!

I release a new video every other week- so be sure to subscribe to my channel so you don’t miss a thing!

Happy Painting!

See other painting lessons on my blog - here!

Fall Exclusive Painting Video

Twice a year, I send my email list an exclusive acrylic painting video lesson to your inbox! Be sure to join my mailing list by filling out the grey form so you don’t miss the next exclusive painting tutorial!

You can Still Access this tutorial by signing up for my free guide - click the button below!

(The video is linked in the guide)

Videos include start to finish instructions and are not on my YouTube Channel - You will have lifetime access to these videos! >>>Enter your email in the blue form below to join!

You will learn how to paint an acrylic painting from start to finish with valuable tips. I am a trained artist in acrylic painting and I am a certified teacher. I have my Master of Fine Arts degree and loads of teaching experience to make painting for beginners a simple process where you can feel confident and have fun! I send an email to my list each season where I give you a private link to the video tutorial. You will have lifetime access to the video lesson.

These videos are perfect for you if:

1. You love art or painting

2. You want more time to yourself to be creative! 

3. You are interested in learning more about acrylic painting and developing your skills

4. You want a fun project to do by yourself or with friends or family (recommended age is 7 and up!)

5. You are a painter or want to give it a try!

6. You are beginner or experienced painter

7. You want to relax and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of painting

8. You want fun, simple and creative ideas to paint

Enter your email below to get access each season -so you don’t miss the next video!

The videos that I send are exclusive videos only for my email list - they will not be shared to Youtube or social media. These videos are special gifts to those who have signed up!

You might be asking what supplies do I need to get started? You can read about the art materials needed in this blog post!

Here is the Fall 2020 Painting Video Lesson for my Email Subscribers!

Interested in Painting and Continuing to Learn and Develop?

Scroll up to the top to join just enter your email address in that grey form! You will receive an email right after you join. Check your junk mail if you don’t receive an email from me right away!

I am always open to suggestions and ideas. If there is something you would like to learn how to paint- you can leave a comment below or send me a DM on my NEW painting instagram account @jackiepartridgeart

If you make a painting from one of my lessons be sure to tag me on Instagram @jackiepartridgeart and use the hashtag #jackiepartridgeartclasses - I would love to see what you create and give you feedback and virtual hugs!

Can’t wait til the next video? Check out my YouTube Channel with lots of acrylic painting options!

Be sure to subscribe - NEW videos are added monthly!

Want to improve your acrylic painting quickly? Sign up for my painting coaching!

Don’t forget to join my mailing list to receive the next video. (enter your email in the grey form -just scroll up)

If you would like to improve your acrylic painting by learning what mistakes beginner painters make - click the button below to download my FREE 12 Page Guide NOW! You will join my mailing list and receive my exclusive painting tutorials every season!

See Other Painting Tutorials We Have Done

Summer 2021

Spring 2021

Winter 2020

Summer 2020

July 2020 YouTube Painting Tutorials Recap!

Check out my Jackie Partridge Art YouTube Channel. Here is a list of YouTube videos that were posted to my channel this month as a little recap. To see some acrylic painting tutorials you might’ve missed!

You can read the descriptions of the videos before clicking the link to see the video.

Read this blog post about what supplies you need to get started with acrylic painting! Click here to read!

You can watch these videos for free at anytime. If you have a YouTube account you can click the clock in the top right corner of the video to save it to your “Watch List” to watch it for later.

Be sure to subscribe to my channel —you can click the bell beside the subscribe button on YouTube to receive notifications of when new videos are added! - I release NEW videos every month!

If you like a video be sure to hit the “thumbs up” to like it or share it with a friend!

Let’s take a look at the videos for this month!

Art Supplies

I recommend watching this video first! It is a great introduction to acrylic painting and I will show you and explain the different acrylic painting supplies you need to get started. It’s nice to visually see the supplies you need. Buying art supplies can be a bit overwhelming at first but I help guide you to make this process easier!

Watch the Art Supplies Video- HERE

Video Length: 11 min. 40 sec.

In this video I go over basic supplies needed for acrylic painting to get you started! Check it out here:

https://youtu.be/r3LPp25h9mI

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You can also read this blog post here if you prefer seeing a written copy of art supplies you need!

Check out my blog post on my favourite painting supplies here!

Colour Wheel and Value Scale

If you haven’t painted before and don’t know much about mixing colours - I recommend watching this video. I explain the basics of colour theory. You will learn about primary, secondary and tertiary colours and how to mix them. You will also learn about making a tint or shade with a colour. This is a great educational video perfect for beginners, teachers, parents homeschooling and daycare providers. Colour mixing is the foundation of acrylic painting!

Watch the Colour Wheel and Value Scale Video- HERE

Video Length: 25 min. 9 sec.

Grab a FREE Guide to Mixing Green/Grey here!

Mixing Green

This video is great for developing your skills. Mixing green is not as simple as mixing yellow and blue paint. If you are great at mixing greens then you will be able to mix a variety of greens and will be able to paint more realistic landscape paintings.

Watch the Mixing Greens Video- HERE

Video Length: 13 min. 20 sec.

Mixing Grey

Mixing grey is not as simple as black + white. The more variety you have in your colours the more interesting your paintings will be! This video is a quick way to develop your colour mixing skills and make more professional looking paintings!

Watch the Mixing Greys Video- HERE

Video Length: 8 min. 15 sec.

Mixing Brown

You have probably made brown before when mixing a bunch of colours together on your palette. Maybe it was even on accident! There is such a difference between mixing your own brown and using brown straight from the tube. Learn more about colour mixing and improve your paintings with this video!

Watch the Mixing Browns Video- HERE

Video Length: 6 min. 15 sec.

How to Paint a Campfire

Learn how to paint a campfire! This video is a workshop I have ran with kids as young as 7 and adults. This video tutorial is recommended for kids age 7 and up! (it can be challenging for the younger ones but if a child is creative and loves learning -this is for them) Learn how to paint trees, paint a night sky and of course a campfire. This is a great introductory painting for a beginner to try!

Watch the Campfire Painting Video- HERE

Video Length: 40 min. 41 sec.

Painting a Mermaid Tail

This is the perfect video lesson for age 7+ an amazing painting for beginners to try! This fun painting will explore mixing greens, printing with household objects to create texture and more! Learn how to paint this fun underwater mermaid tail!

Watch the Mermaid Tail Painting Video- HERE

Video Length: 28 min. 38 sec.

Painting Clouds

This video is a bit more challenging than some of the other videos. I recommend trying some other painting tutorials first. This video is great for an intermediate painter but of course beginner painters are welcome to give this a try! Painting clouds can be hard! In this video you will learn to paint more realistic clouds, how to paint a sky and creating highlights and shadows.

Watch the Painting Clouds Video- HERE

Video Length: 16 min. 46 sec.

This is a Painting Tutorial all about painting Skies and Clouds - Perfect for an intermediate acrylic painter! Check it out here: https://youtu.be/RNGKfQ2B20k

Painting Round Realistic Forms

In this video I show how to paint round forms and use the example of eggs in a nest. You will learn about brushstrokes and direction of shading. Learn about colour mixing, shadows and highlights to create a realistic round form. This is the perfect video for beginners or youth to try!

Watch the Painting Round Realistic Forms Video- HERE

Video Length: 15 min. 5 sec.

Painting a Lemon

This video is about painting a still life or a lemon in this case. Learn colour mixing, painting texture, highlights and shadows, choosing a background colour and more. This is a great video for beginners or intermediate painters.

Watch the Painting a Lemon Video- HERE

Video Length: 29 min. 41 sec.

If you have an idea of a video you would like me to do- let me know in the comments.

I release a new video every week- so be sure to subscribe to my channel so you don’t miss a thing!

Check out my YouTube Channel and Subscribe to see new video tutorials every week!

Do you want to get better at your acrylic painting? Learn how you can avoid the 10 common mistakes beginner painters make - by clicking the button below and downloading the FREE 16 page guide!

Happy Painting!

Bachelorette Paint Night - Blue Hydrangeas

Blue Hydrangeas Paint Night was a hit! In the summer of 2019 I had the pleasure of instructing an acrylic paint night for a bachelorette party. We painted blue hydrangeas! This is one of my favourite acrylic painting tutorials!

Blue Hydrangeas are my favourite flower, I even had some in my wedding bouquet when I got married. Blue Hydrangeas  are also really fun to paint because there are so many colours in the petals and details of the veins, shadows, highlights and lines. You can create such a nice abstract texture and even if you have never painted before you easily complete this painting and have success with it. 

If you look closely at blue hydrangeas they have so many colours and layers to them. Purples, blue, whites, greens, yellows, pinks, light and dark tones. There is such a variety of colours which makes it such an enjoyable flower to paint! 

You can host a virtual paint night by using one of my painting tutorials or you can contact me to have a private paint night over Zoom or locally in the Waterloo Region, ON. I would love to host another paint night if you have an idea for a painting please contact me @jackiepartridgeart just send me a message.

You can see my acrylic painting tutorials and tips in the link below! Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel Jackie Partridge Art so that you don’t miss new free acrylic painting tutorials that come out! 

Want to develop your acrylic painting skills? Check out my YouTube channel here!

They did such an amazing job painting! Here are the student works below:

Everyone did an amazing job for beginner acrylic painters most had never painted before!

Want to Try Painting with Me?

Try painting an abstract poppy here!

Paint a Galaxy Sky here!

Paint a sunset palette knife painting!

If you love the painting tutorials be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel!

Interested in having a paint night with your friends? - Email me for pricing options- I can do virtual paint nights where you supply materials as well!

Email me at jackiepartridgeart@gmail.com

If you want to improve your acrylic painting -download this FREE painting guide!

Getting Started with Acrylic Painting - the art supplies you need + how to save money!

Getting started with acrylic painting can be overwhelming. It can be challenging when you are new to acrylics and not knowing what supplies you need. Learn from me, Jackie Partridge - I am an acrylic painter with my Master of Fine Arts. I want to help you get better at acrylic painting and feel more confident as a painter!

Buying art supplies can be overwhelming -there are A LOT of options! I really encourage you to use what you have and to plan what you need before buying. Start with the basics then add to your art materials!

I have outlined some basic supplies to get you started with acrylic painting- if you have questions feel free to ask them in the comments! If you prefer to see a video of me explaining the art supplies you can check it out here!

Grab my FREE 16 Page guide for beginner painters- providing you with lots of tips to improve your painting!

Get it here!

How to Save Money on Art Supplies

• Use supplies you may already own or try asking friends and family. They might have extra, or old supplies they are looking to get rid of

• Take your time to do research before purchasing online or going to an art supply store. Read reviews and compare prices. Take your time to invest

• Remember you don’t need everything - you can slowly add to your collection over time

• Look for options to buy in bulk (they sell canvases in packs or pads of watercolour paper - buy in bulk for items you will use lots of (like white paint)

Getting Started with Acrylics - the Brushes

Brushes come in natural hair or synthetic. The synthetic brushes are easier to clean and the brushes are less expensive- these are what I recommend for beginner painters! Brushes also come in long or short handles - it is really up to your preference and what feels best to hold.

Flat brush - have a flat edge to the bristles - I recommend getting a brush that is about 1-2 inches wide. These brushes are good for painting larger areas like a background or sky.

Round brush- these brushes come to a point. I recommend getting a small one for details and more of a medium brush like a size 6 for covering more area. The smallest brush will be for painting details like outlines, fine lines or small dots and the medium one is better for other areas like tree branches.

Tips To Save Money on Brushes:

I encourage you to use the brushes you have and look at price points. Usually you can get a set of small detail brushes that have even more types than the basics I have suggested -it’s good to have back up brushes as smaller brushes won’t last as long because they have less bristles. An affordable brand I recommend for brushes is Artist Loft.

Getting Started with Acrylics -Paint

When buying brands of paint consider your budget. If you are just starting out I recommend getting a student grade paint versus artist quality. What’s the difference?

Student grade- cheaper price, still a good consistency, good pigments for the price you are paying, colours will fade over time (hanging a painting in a sunny room for a decade…) however you can apply a coating to help prevent the paint from fading.

Brands I recommend are: Liquitex -Basics, Rheotech, Amsterdam

Artist grade- paint is more expensive, paint is often thicker (less water in the consistency), the consistency is richer/smoother, the paint will not fade as much over time, the pigments are stronger, darker, deeper colours (there’s more real pigments in the paint which is why the price is higher)

Brands I recommend: Golden

Tips To Save Money on Paint:

If paint is too cheap - it might not be the best quality to use - you might need to add more paint/layers and it will probably not be as nice of a consistency to work with. If you are trying a new paint or different brand than what I list -try buying one paint tube from the brand and test it out - buy a smaller sample size and see if you like it. Make sure to do research and read product reviews or ask other artists. 

In my videos I show you how to only use the primary colours and black and white paint. 

With these basic colours you can mix everything you need: (these are the colours I recommend. You want to choose colours that are as close to the primary colours as possible). Sometimes brands will call them primary red etc. as long as it looks close to a real true primary red -that’s fine!

• Cadmium Red

• Cadmium Yellow

• Cobalt Blue

• Mars Black

• Titanium White

Painting Surfaces

You can paint on a variety of surfaces including canvas, canvas board and watercolour paper.

Canvas- you can buy canvases in bulk packs for a lower price. They come already stretched on the wooden frame and primed in a white coating called Gesso. I recommend starting in a smaller size like 9”x12” or 11”x14.” You can buy them from an art supply store- you can get them from the dollar store but the quality won’t be as good.

Canvas board- Canvas board is cheaper than canvases and the boards are flat -if you are doing a lot of painting it will be easy to store them and stack them. Essentially they are the same canvas texture but on cardboard versus stretched over a wooden frame.

Watercolour Paper- if you are painting on a thick watercolour paper (close to 300 lb weighted paper) it will hold acrylics - it is fine to work on paper to save money and gain practice and confidence in your painting. Watercolour paper is one of the most affordable options! Make sure to tape your paper down using painter’s tape to keep the paper from curling. You can also flatten your paper after your painting has dried by placing a stack of heavy books on top!

Other Necessary Materials

•  A container for your water to clean your brushes (an old jar or cup will work) - this container will get dirty and stained over time

• An old rag (old towel or T-shirt is fine) something that you will dab your brushes with to clean them. You can also use paper towel - but I find a rag is a more environmentally friendly and a FREE option 

• A palette - I bought mine several years ago and have been unable to find one similar to it. I use a reusable plastic palette. It’s long and has separate compartments to mix paint. It also has a lid to store the paint and keep it from drying out. Paint usually lasts about a week and half with the lid on. If you have a plastic palette without a lid any leftover paint will usually dry in a day. Using an old plastic container or old plastic lid would also be fine.

• A tablecloth and old clothes- acrylic paints do stain so it’s important to protect the surface you are painting on as well as your clothes. Wear old clothes or an apron. I usually paint in a long lab coat that I bought at a thrift store for $10.

Palette Knife painting with a palette knife and paint palette.

Extras to Have 

I really recommend an easel especially if you have back or neck problems/poor posture. When you are painting it is easy to get in the zone and often you don’t take breaks to stretch which can cause a lot of neck and back pain later on. Having an easel allows you not to be hunching over as much. You can purchase a floor easel that stands on the ground. These easels are adjustable so you can stand while painting or sitting on a stool/chair. You can also get a table top easel, they rest on a table and you can sit while painting. When buying an easel look for something that is not flimsy (some of the aluminum ones are). I find the wooden easels are usually good quality. I like to go to an art store like Curry’s or Michaels to buy easels to see the quality for myself unless there are lots of strong reviews online.

Extra paint - paint comes in a lot of colours and it can be overwhelming to choose. I suggest buying extra colours that you can’t mix like having a second blue or a second yellow or red. Having two different tones of these colours will allow you to mix a wider range of colours. Blues come in Cobalt, Ultramarine (these are two that I recommend) also other blues like Phthalo, Cerulean etc. 

Palette Knife- choose from a less expensive option of plastic or wood and metal palette knives. Palette knives are fun and easy to use and help add abstract texture to your paintings. Watch my popular video on choosing the right palette knife -here.

Watch helpful acrylic painting tutorials and check out my acrylic painting tips by clicking the button below!

There you have it! Your list of basic art supplies to get you started. If you have any questions please leave them in the comment section below. Have fun and Happy Painting!

For More Tips -join my mailing list where I send you an email every two weeks full of tips to keep you inspired and creative. You will also have access to discounts on future courses and exclusive video painting lessons every season! Click the button below to grab a FREE Guide of my 10 Tips to Help Make You a Better Acrylic Painter!

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