Quick Art Tips

Your Tools (tips and tricks)

Raise your ruler- Rulers can smudge ink and pencil across your paper. To prevent this, put one or two pieces of masking tape on the back of your ruler.

Warm and Cool Colors- Always remember that warm colors (red, orange, yellow, etc…) always appear to be in the front of your composition. Cool colors (blue, blue green, violet) appear to be in the distance or background.

Homemade Light Table on a budget- On a sunny day, place your subject and the paper you are transferring it to on a window, then trace!

Pencil Holder- Take an old dried up marker or Sharpie and pull the back off with pliers. Then insert your pencil and wrap with masking tape.

Xacto Knives- When finished with your knife, unscrew the blade and turn it around. Insert it back into the holder (backwards) and tighten. This will save you from cutting yourself.

India Ink- Some brands are being watered down, so leave your bottle open overnight to thicken it up.

Hand lettering- Design your text on a computer, print out then trace.

Texture for Painting- Tie a rope or twine around a paint roller. Use a toothbrush to splatter or make stars in the sky. Sponges or crumpled up paper works great! Add salt to watercolors to create tie-die effects.

Water for Painting- Always use two glasses of water while painting; one to clean brushes in, and one to use for clean water.

Blending Graphite and Pastels- If you find you are out of blenders to smear and smooth your drawings, use a Q-tip or tissue paper, or better yet, tightly roll up a piece of paper.

Use poster putty or blue tack instead of kneaded erasers.

Blending Colored Pencils- Paint on baby oil with a brush (for practicing, not so great for archival pieces you want to keep).

Art Boxes- To store supplies for on the go activity, pick up a cheap tackle box or dollar store tool box.

White left for Watercolor- For clouds, snow and other white areas in your painting, use a white colored pencil. These pencils are waxy, and the watercolor can easily be wiped from the area.

Tape down your paper for colored pencils or watercolor to prevent your paper from buckling.

Protect your Brushes- Take a butterfly clip to the side of your water container and let your brushes dry on the outside. This keeps the tips of the brushes from being bent after setting in the water.

Reshape damaged Brushes- Wet you brush then run it across a bar of soap until it returns to its original shape. Let the brush sit overnight.

Dip watercolor pencils in water for more defined lines.