Techniques
Welcome to our Techniques section, where you can discover various artistic techniques. Whether you're a beginner looking to explore new methods, or an experienced artist seeking to refine your skills, explore a variety of techniques to learn and master.
From traditional approaches like Chinese painting to modern innovations such as digital printing, each technique comes with its own tools, materials, and methods. Learn about the history, essential supplies, and basic steps to get started.
Discover the art of Airbrushing, a versatile, dynamic and precision technique for applying paint.
Learn about Botanical Painting, an art form that captures the beauty and intricate forms of flora.
Learn how to prepare your canvas, ensuring it's tight and ready for painting. Canvas Stretching is the process of creating a taut surface for painting.
Discover the basics of brushwork, ink preparation, and techniques such as freehand painting.
Explore this expressive and textural technique that combines oil paint with cold wax medium.
Collage is a versatile technique that involves assembling various materials into a unified image.
Digital Printing is a modern technique for creating high quality art prints from digital files. Artists can also use it to combine digital design with traditional art forms.
Doodling allows creativity to flow through spontaneous sketches. Discover how to unleash your imagination.
Encaustic Painting is a versatile and luminous technique using heated beeswax and pigments.
Explore this timeless technique, from making a design to producing beautiful prints.
Discover the best paints, brushes, and methods for creating stunning designs on glass.
Mokuhanga is a popular water-based method of Japanese woodblock printmaking.
Lino and Block Printing is a rewarding technique where you carve designs, then ink and press them to create bold prints.
From carving to casting, learn sculpture techniques using a range of materials.
Monoprinting is a direct and spontaneous method for printing one-off images by hand or press.
Mural and Scene painting involves creating large-scale artworks, often on walls or ceilings.
Paper Stretching is a technique used to prepare watercolor paper by keeping it taut and free from warping during painting.
Pour paintings are created by mixing color with a fast-flowing binder. Learn to create fluid, dynamic artworks.
Learn the fundamentals of plein air painting, including selecting equipment for working outdoors.
Discover screen printing methods, including creating stencils and selecting the right inks.
Learn the intricacies of silverpoint drawing, from preparing a ground to mastering subtle shading.
Try this limited color palette to create harmonious paintings using just four colors.
Try this limited colour palette to create harmonious paintings using just four colours.
ARTIST INSIGHTS - TECHNIQUES
Learn oil painting techniques from Will Rochfort. Will is an artist working in oils using an alla prima technique with a limited palette.
Try this limited colour palette to create harmonious paintings using just four colours.
Discover screen printing methods, including creating stencils and selecting the right inks.
Learn the intricacies of silverpoint drawing, from preparing a ground to mastering subtle shading.
Doodling
Doodling is an informal art form that allows creativity to flow through spontaneous sketches. Discover how to unleash your imagination with simple tools, turn scribbles into expressive art, and explore various styles and techniques.
Getting Started with Gouache
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Getting Started with Oil Painting
Pigment is the pure colour used to make paint or ink. It’s a very good value method of making paints that exactly match the way you work.
Getting Started with Pastel
High quality sketching, drawing, and illustration materials - perfect for quick sketches, bold mark making, or detailed studies.
Getting Started with Watercolour Painting
Graffiti Painting transforms urban spaces into vibrant canvases. Learn the techniques and tools used in graffiti, from spray painting to stencilling, and discover how to create stunning murals and street art.
Airbrushing
Discover the art of Airbrushing, a dynamic and versatile technique for applying paint. Airbrushing allows for smooth, even coats and is ideal for both detailed graphic images and soft, seamless gradients. This method is perfect for artists who want precision and the ability to layer thin coats of paint.
Alla Prima Painting
Alla Prima Painting, also known as ‘wet-on-wet’ painting, is a technique where layers of paint are applied without allowing previous layers to dry. This method encourages lively, dynamic painting with a sense of spontaneity. Discover tools and tips for alla prima painting, and learn how to blend and layer colours in a single painting session.
Alcohol Ink Painting
Explore Alcohol Ink Painting, where vibrant colours and fluid patterns create striking abstract effects. This technique is perfect for artists who love experimenting with colour and enjoy seeing spontaneous effects unfold.
Art Collage
Explore Alcohol Ink Painting, where vibrant colours and fluid patterns create striking abstract effects. This technique is perfect for artists who love experimenting with colour and enjoy seeing spontaneous effects unfold.
Glazing
High quality sketching, drawing, and illustration materials - perfect for quick sketches, bold mark making, or detailed studies.
Graffiti Painting
Graffiti Painting transforms urban spaces into vibrant canvases. Learn the techniques and tools used in graffiti, from spray painting to stencilling, and discover how to create stunning murals and street art.
How To Make Ink
Impressionist Painting began in the 19th century and is characterised by loose brushstrokes and a focus on light and atmosphere. Learn the key techniques of Impressionism including colour blending and capturing light to create expressive paintings.
How To Make Oil Paint
Pigment is the pure colour used to make paint or ink. It’s a very good value method of making paints that exactly match the way you work.
How To Make Watercolour
Lettering is the art of creating decorative text, often used in graphic design and calligraphy. Discover techniques and tools to enhance your lettering skills exploring various styles and scripts and the best tools to apply them with.
Illustration
Pigment is the pure colour used to make paint or ink. It’s a very good value method of making paints that exactly match the way you work.
Impressionist Painting
Impressionist Painting began in the 19th century and is characterised by loose brushstrokes and a focus on light and atmosphere. Learn the key techniques of Impressionism including colour blending and capturing light to create expressive paintings.
Lettering / Hand Lettering
Lettering is the art of creating decorative text, often used in graphic design and calligraphy. Discover techniques and tools to enhance your lettering skills exploring various styles and scripts and the best tools to apply them with.
Life Drawing
Life Drawing involves sketching the human form from live models. Learn the techniques and tools to capture the anatomy, proportions and movement of the human body, and improve your observational drawing skills.
Masking
Masking is a technique used to create crisp edges and clean lines. Explore different masking materials and methods, from tape to fluid, and discover how to use them in your art practice.
Minature Painting
Miniature Painting focuses on creating small-scale art, often used in models, figurines, and detailed scenes. Learn the best techniques and tools for painting miniatures.
Masking
Masking is a technique used to create crisp edges and clean lines. Explore different masking materials and methods, from tape to fluid, and discover how to use them in your art practice.
Mural and Scene
Mural and Scene painting involves creating large-scale artworks, often on walls or ceilings. Explore the techniques and tools used in mural art from sketching to painting, and discover how to transform large surfaces into immersive scenes.
Mural Painting
Mural Painting focuses on creating expansive artworks on walls and other large surfaces. Learn the skills and techniques needed to design and complete murals, including the use of projectors, grids and scaffolding, to create impactful large-scale art.
Paper Stretching
Paper Stretching is a technique used to prepare watercolour paper by keeping it taut and free from warping during painting. Discover the best methods for stretching paper, ensuring a smooth surface that enhances your watercolour painting.
Photo Realism
Photo Realism, sometimes called hyper-realism, is a style of art that seeks to replicate reality with the highest level of detail. Explore the techniques and tools used by photorealistic artists and learn how to create art that closely mimics the fine details of reality.
Mixed Media
Mixed Media involves using a range of different materials and techniques to create unique works of art. Explore different ways to blend paints, papers, fabrics, and other elements to create striking mixed media works.
Modelling and Sculpture
Modelling and Sculpture involves creating three-dimensional art from a variety of materials like clay, wood, and metal. Learn the basics of sculpture from carving to casting, and find out how to shape and mould your artistic vision into tangible forms.
Mono Printing
Mono Printing is a quick and simple printmaking technique where each print is unique. Discover various methods of mono printing from using a printing press to hand printing, and learn how to create intricate and expressive prints using different inks and surfaces.
Mounting
Mounting is the process of preparing artwork for display by affixing it to a backing or frame. Learn different mounting techniques from matting to dry mounting, and discover how to showcase your art in a professional and aesthetically pleasing way.
Plein Air Painting
Plein Air Painting refers to the practice of painting outdoors, allowing artists to capture the nuances of natural light and the beauty of landscapes. Gain insight into the fundamentals of plein air painting, including selecting suitable equipment and adjusting to evolving weather conditions, and experience the pleasure of creating art in the open air.
Paint Making
Paint Making is the craft of creating your own paints using pigments and binders. Learn how to select pigments, mix colours, and create paints tailored to your artistic preferences, whether for oil, acrylic, or watercolour.
Portrait Painting
Portrait Painting involves capturing the physical appearance, personality, and emotion of a subject. Learn the essentials of portraiture, from selecting the right canvas and brushes to understanding the nuances of facial features and expressions. Explore various styles and techniques to bring subjects to life and master the art of conveying character through paint and brush strokes.
Priming
This ancient art form is a similar technique to calligraphy. Composition is simple and finished work can be highly detailed and intricate.
Resin Art
Resin Art uses epoxy resin to create glossy and durable artworks with unique visual effects. Discover the techniques for mixing and pouring resin, creating abstract designs, and incorporating elements like pigments, glitter, and embedded objects into your art.
Screen Printing
Screen Printing is a technique that involves transferring designs onto a surface using a mesh screen and ink. Discover the tools and methods used in screen printing, including preparing screens, creating stencils, and selecting the right inks. Learn how to achieve crisp lines, vibrant colours and intricate patterns, whether you're printing on fabric, paper, or other materials.
Silverpoint
Silverpoint is a traditional drawing technique that uses a silver wire to create delicate lines on specially prepared surfaces. Learn the intricacies of silverpoint drawing, from preparing the ground to mastering the subtle shading and fine detailing.
Spray Painting
Spray Painting involves using aerosol cans to apply paint in fine layers. Explore the tools and techniques of spray painting from creating clean lines with stencils to achieving vibrant gradients, and discover how to use spray paint for street art and murals.
Underpainting
Popular with sign painters, hardwearing enamels can be applied to glass, metal, plastic, canvas, and wood with ease.
Underpainting
Our decorative arts section offers a variety of colours tailor-made for use on specialist surfaces such as clay, glass, and silk.
Urban Sketching
Portrait Painting involves capturing the physical appearance, personality, and emotion of a subject. Learn the essentials of portraiture, from selecting the right canvas and brushes to understanding the nuances of facial features and expressions. Explore various styles and techniques to bring subjects to life and master the art of conveying character through paint and brush strokes.
Using The Zorn Palette
This ancient art form is a similar technique to calligraphy. Composition is simple and finished work can be highly detailed and intricate.