Hey there, I'm a signature member of the Oil Painters of America and it's here where I share practical tips and techniques about making art and the supplies I use. I sometimes talk about the business side of art. I've been making my living through my art for the last 35 years and I'd like to share what I've learned along the way about what works for me and what doesn't. If you love painting, drawing, or making art and you want to get better and think you can use a little guidance, or inspiration, then you've come to the right place. I don't know everything, obviously. But I do my best to answer any questions you have for me in the comments section, and if I don't know the answer, there's a good chance someone else here who reads your question will. Watch some of my videos and if you like what you see, consider subscribing and becoming part of your ArtTube family.
Visit www.SteveAtkinsonStudio.com to see my available paintings and to learn more about this guy!
Thank you! I love my studio too 🙃. I'm really glad to hear this helped you. Even if you decide to go a different way, it always helps to hear what other artists look for and find important in their tools. Paint on and best of luck with your search! ~S.
1. Use a macro lens, even though you're not trying to shoot small things. They are WAY less prone to distortion. 2. Get a mirror, place it where the middle of the painting is so that it's perfectly on the same angle / plane as the painting. 3. Point your camera so you see your lens reflected in the mirror. This ensures your sensor is parallel to the painting. Don't take the pics at angles like you did. Resizing it like you did reduces the image quality. Using the mirror technique also helps you eliminate a ton of post-production work. You can also glue a mirror to a white canvas, so you can use that as a template for aligning the camera and setting white balance too, in case you're not using a color grid for calibration (which you should) 4. Ideally your would have 2 sources of light at 45 degrees to the painting, one on each side. Your lights are in the ceiling, that's probably why you have darker shadows than you want. 5. Measure the exposure with the gray card, not auto exposure. 6. Use a color grid to calibrate your colors.
You mentioned JetPens, so you may know about this already, but they have a whole guide for Noodler's inks specifically, and there's a section of it called "partially bulletproof", where there is a base(usually blue or black) of some kind of bulletproof formula mixed with water soluble colors. These inks will still run, but the original lines will still be fully intact in that black/blue/etc bulletproof base color. Black Swan in Australian Roses/Black Swan in English Roses are popular examples where they will run a bright magenta/red, and leave behind fairly crisp black lines. I believe Rome Burning falls under this category too, running yellow while leaving purple lines behind, as well as House Divided whicu runs blue and leaves red lines. If you can't tell, I'm a huge Noodler's fan and love messing with the different properties of the inks!
That's great info @rubyophidian6004 ! I love Noodler's inks too. By a wide margin, most of my FP inks are made by Nathan! You've given us good examples of some of these partially bulletproof inks. A couple of my favorites I'll share with you are Noodler's Blue Black which gives you a beautiful blue wash. Another one (not partially bulletproof) is La Colour Royale, which is a beautiful violet that is amazingly powerful in its saturation. It also gives me those lost edges I love so much... I love me some lost and found edges. Paint On!!!
@@SteveAtkinsonFineArt Dude, you clearly have all the time in the world to post comments, erase them and post them again. Which validates my original point.
@@thehomieJM I don't have any idea what you're talking about. Seriously, I have not erased any comments. I don't know what you're so angry about. I'm only trying to help aspiring artists to be able to do something new to them. If you'd like, email me and I'll give you my phone number and we can talk to clear up any issue you have with me or what I do. I have no issue with you. steve@steveatkinsonstudio.com
Thank you Mr Steve, really enjoyed watching your video. thank you for letting us be in your world. May the Lord bless you yours and your career.❤.. keep them coming.
I do, check out my channel for some I've posted in the past. I haven't done any watercolor paintings lately, but I will again. I'm glad to hear you liked the demo and appreciate you taking the time to comment. Paint On!
@Holyfuckingshit40000 there is play in the support brace that allows you to tighten it straight or crooked if you want to. I tighten the bottom support brace first, put the canvas in place, then lower the top brace into place.
In terms of non waterproof inks that are lightfast, are they considered less valuable. For example if I use an India ink like Higgins non waterproof or Tom Norton's Walnut Drawing Ink that is non waterproof because water can affect it is it considered less valuable than one done with waterproof ink? Especially if it is a delicate line intensive drawing ?
No, a non waterproof ink is no less valuable as a waterproof ink, as long as they are lightfast rated as permanent or archival. That's something you want to make sure of before you do a drawing with it. Higgins ink is not very forthcoming with their lightfast ratings, but on Amazon the description says it is fadeproof, so you should be good to go.
Thanks Steve. There are a huge number of easels out there to choose from. Your video helped me in making a decision for my next purchase. Do you have a setup preference for when you paint outdoors?
Oh sure I do. It's been on my video list to do one about my plein air set up. But to give you a hint, I presently use the Strata pochade box for my outdoor painting setup. It's fabulous!
May I ask what brand of floor easel you use and who the manufacturer is? Also, would you let us know the benefits of your easel? Thank you so much. Love those paintings of yours!!
Hi @NIGEL664 My professional easel is a Hughes Model 3000 and you can find it on this page: hugheseasels.com/products.html It's a large easel that can handle very large canvases. I regularly paint 60" paintings (it can handle much larger paintings) on it and they are manageable because of the counterweight system that enables me to move these large heavy paintings with one finger, up, down, and side to side. According to the Hughes website, it's now retailing for $4,299.00
I feel the need to mention that you might be able to paint with two paintings on this easel, if you are sitting, as you paint on painting on the bottom. This will only work if your painting is not too large since you'll have to almost be on your knees to paint along the bottom of your canvas. But, hey, you do you!
Thank you so much! I love being able to make these videos and share what I've learned in my life spent making art. Have a ball living a creative life and paint on!!
This was absolutely fantasticand an enormous fun to watch. Your relaxed style is exactly to my liking. The result looks great. What is great with this illustrational (urban sketching) kind of art making that it is inherently abstract still figurative looking easy unlike a heavy colorful realistic oil painting which people admire and stand behind 3 meters respecting it.
Regular masonite is just wood chips treated with high temperature, high pressure steam, then moulded into panels. So there shouldn't be any noxious chemicals in it, unlike MDF. It's the lignin in the wood chips that bonds it together.
Wow, this is really nice! I have lot's of fountainpens and even more inks, so I think I'm gonna try this next weekend. I'm really hard to myself, everything I made should at least be perfect, maybe this helps me to let that go a bit.
That's the best way to go about drawing, or any art, really. Start where you're at... but make a start. As the saying goes, progress, not perfection. Draw On!!!
Poor Traeger ,like so many other horses that are contain 24 hours a day, it's like we would be in a situation of incarceration.. their naturalness is to graze all day nice tender green grass .... well so much for that I love the the work in the painting and your color choices. Show me the character of the smart animals. Thank you for letting us watch yout work.. .❤ keep them coming❤
Oh my word, he is absolutely gorgeous! LOL.... I'm so thankful I found your Channel love your paintings love the color of his face , love the colors you used ..thank you, for letting us come along, really enjoyable. Keep them coming !!!!!❤
Thanks @fayee8986 He was a challenge, but then, ain't they all in one way or another... grin. I appreciate you watching and taking the time to comment!
Congratulations for both of you for you that sold the painting thanks for the couple that bought it I'm sure they will enjoy it throughout the ages and their children will enjoy the heirloom it is a very beautiful painting just breathtaking
So beautiful! I do wish we could have watched the whole thing original speed. LOL thank you so much for the adventure, very enjoyable!...❤. I love it from the beginning knowing what you're going to paint ,how many artists keep sending mystery until the end which I don't care for at all.!
Hi Steve, nice piece.😊 Okay, I did post this comment while I was watching your process and I'll have to say, Steve Atkinson is my favorite western landscape painter!
