Essential Painting Know-How

HowTos Index

How To Prime a Canvas For Acrylics or Oils
When you've stretched a canvas, the next step is to prime it so you can paint on it. With a ready-made gesso suitable for both acrylic and oil painting, priming a canvas is easy.

How To Clean Your Paint Brushes
Your brushes are an investment. By cleaning them thoroughly and properly at the end of a painting session, your brushes will last longer.

How To Take Reference Photographs
Photographs provide invaluable reference for paintings and complement on-the-spot sketching. To get really useful photographs, you shouldn't simply point and shoot a subject, but take a bit of time over it.

How To Paint Realistic Clouds
By careful observation and collecting reference photos, you will be able to paint all manner of cloud, from fluffy bunches of cotton wool to moody storm clouds.

How To Varnish an Acrylic or Oil Painting
Varnish is more than simply a layer to protect your painting from pollution in the atmosphere on and abrasion. It will also bring out the colours to the brilliance they had when you applied them.