Banked Brush Bank

Placing narrow strips of tape across the top of a can or jar makes your brushes slope out in different directions. This keeps them from getting paint or medium on each other. Moreover, since they are separated by the tape dividers, they are easier to pick up.

The Painting Center Hosts Two Watercolor Exhibitions

The Painting Center, in New York City, recently played host to two watercolor exhibitions.

Mixing Different Brands of Acrylic Paint

It is not advisable to mix craft and artistic acrylic paints. Craft acrylic paints are not archival and usually dry matte. Craft paint is also thin and not meant to be thinned further with water or a medium; the color strength will diminish.

Acrylic Gesso and House Paint

Priming your canvas with acrylic gesso and then applying a coat of latex exterior house paint will strengthen the canvas. The gesso will “size” the canvas, and the latex will make the canvas silky smooth.

Scrub Pad Paintbrush-Holder

A Tuffy scrub pad can be used as a paintbrush-holder for small paintbrushes. The design of the scrub pad allows you to stick a number of brushes into it.

Size and Ground

The role of size, or sizing, is to protect the fibers of the textile, canvas, or linen from becoming brittle and eventually disintegrating as a result of a reaction with the oil in paints. The role of the ground, on the other hand, is to permit even stronger and more controlled paint handling than the size provides, because a ground is more evenly absorbent.