Acrylic Palette Setup

Acrylic paint dries pretty fast, and I paint for hours- or over a few days. So it is essential that my palette stays wet for as long as possible. This is the set up that I use with my paint so it will last for up to 2 weeks. I recorded a video showing you how I do this setup, this is my first voice-over so bear with me! 

This uses the Sta-Wet Palette  (Around $17), which is marketed with a sponge and some Sta-Wet Palette Paper. I do NOT recommend using those, the sponge molds easily and the paper rips and dries out in some spots. So using it with heavy-duty paper towels (3 pack for $5) and a tempered glass palette (Around $30) works much better for me! If you don't want to spend the money on the glass palette, a tempered cutting board could work as well, you may need to find something for a backing though. 

Also I like to call the piece of paper towel I put on top of the glass, the Moistmaker (if you've seen friends you will get this!)

Caring for your New Painting!

Great so you just got a new painting! But how do you keep it looking its best and care for it?

I try to include a little sheet with a version of the following with the paintings I send out. I thought it would be good to post about it and let everyone know my tips for caring for a painting.

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR PAINTINGS  

It is always a good idea to handle a painting with care, they aren’t the most fragile things, but they are not rock solid either. Try to avoid touching the front surface of your painting. Holding and touching your piece won’t ruin it, but the oil from your fingers can linger on the surface and that’s something we’d like to stay away from.

Your painting is protected with varnish*, so it is okay to blow away the dust from the surface on an as needed basis with compressed air. Another option is to take a soft bristle brush and wipe away the dust.  To clean the sides, use a soft, non-abrasive cloth and apply gentle pressure to wipe. It is best to only clean the front if absolutely necessary.

HANGING TIPS

Keep your artwork away from direct sunlight. The best type of light for your painting is indirect sunlight, recessed lighting, or halogen lights.

It is not advisable to place your artwork above a heat source such as a fireplace. Keep your painting away from Ultraviolet light.

It is not advisable to hang paintings in a moist environment such as a room which has a bath or shower. Try to display your paintings in a place where the relative humidity and temperature levels are fairly constant.

TRANSPORT & STORAGE TIPS

Storing canvases vertically is ideal!

Canvas can be stretched or punctured fairly easy. So avoid stacking or leaning anything with an edge or corner on your painting. Even stacking or leaning one painting against another can leave an imprint. If you need to store your painting, it is best to store it vertically.

If you are needing to ship or move your painting, I would suggest wrapping it in an acid free paper, or if that is not available, wax paper.

---

*Acrylic paintings are protected with a final varnish. Oil paintings have a retouch varnish on the surface. Oil paintings cannot have a final varnish applied until it has been dry for 6 months to a year. If you can get your painting to me to apply a final varnish I would be happy to, otherwise take it to a professional to varnish.

Photo Tips for Getting Great Pet Photos

The photographs I receive and use as references for my paintings are a large part of the painting process as a whole. Since I work from photos, the completed portrait depends on the quality of the photos you send me! When available send photos that are high quality and taken with a digital camera. 

For a close up portrait of your pet, make sure you fill up the viewfinder with your pet, rather than taking a far off photo that you have to zoom in on. This will make sure we can see the details.

Paintings can be goofy! A good photo does not always have to be a serious one. 

•  Take photos outdoors, on a fair day, in early morning or late afternoon, or indoors in a bright and well-lit room. Taking photos in natural light, preferably in the shade to prevent harsh shadows, will help reflect the true coloring of your pet. 

•  Take the photos in a place where your pet is comfortable being themselves, such as in your yard, in the windowsill, etc. 

•  Have someone help. One person should be free to take the photo and someone else to pose or entertain the pet.

•  Get down or up to pet eye-level to take your pet’s photos. Remember that the eyes are the most expressive part of an animal’s face! This is helpful for creating good perspective, and this will translate best to canvas. 

•  Take lots of photos, from many different angles and different poses. 

•  If your pet is dark-colored, try to take photos in front of lighter backgrounds; if your pet is light-colored, try to take photos in front of darker backgrounds. In general, keep backgrounds simple and uncluttered is really helpful. 

•  Photographing your pet on a hard surface such as wood flooring, concrete or windowsills is ideal as it allows us to see their paws. 

•  Use a camera with an automatic focus. Animals move quickly and often, and adjusting the manual focus can take a little time.

•  Let your pet take breaks and act natural, sometimes tiring them out before a photo session makes for some great smiles! 

•  Don’t forget to pay your model! Treats, toys, love and affection are all good payment!