Have you torn a piece of work and now you are scratching your head on how to fix it? Well, don’t worry I have a solution for you and it’s only going to take 3 simple steps to get there.

1. Cut a piece of canvas that is slightly larger than the torn area
2. Glue the canvas to the back of the painting / canvas . Carefully align the painting when doing so.
3. Once the glue is dry, you can touch up the area if need be. You can even use acrylic gloss medium as your glue.

Have you torn a piece of work and now you are scratching your head on how to fix it? Well, don’t worry I have a solution for you and it’s only going to take 3 simple steps to get there.

1. Cut a piece of canvas that is slightly larger than the torn area
2. Glue the canvas to the back of the painting / canvas . Carefully align the painting when doing so.
3. Once the glue is dry, you can touch up the area if need be.

That’s it. I told you it would be simple.

For Acrylic Paints
You’ll want to rinse your brush in your water container and then blot it dry on a paper towel or rag. Then either push the brush hard into a bar of plain soap or take liquid soap in your hand and throughly cover the bristles and into the ferrule (the metal band that secures a brush’s bristles to the handle). Push the brush around into the palm of your hand and move it in a circular motions to loosen up the paint. Then rinse well and repeat the process a few times to make sure all of the paint is out. Lay the brush flat to dry. If you want to keep your brushes in tip top shape, apply a small amount of hair conditioner to the bristles and leave it on until you are ready to paint again.

For Oil Paints
You’ll want to thoroughly clean the your brush with solvent and paper towel or rags. Once the brush is fairly clean from the solvent, rub the bristles in a glass or plastic jar with either a brush conditioner or a hair shampoo. Give the brush a good final rinse and squeeze out any water. Lay the brush flat to dry. Don’t dry the brush with the bristles up! You don’t want the water to loosening the handle from the ferrule and leaving you with a useless brush.

By Lea Puckett

Have you ever wonder if you could use acrylics with other mediums? Well wonder no more my fellow artist, you can use acrylics with other mediums. With acrylic as your base medium, you can use oil, gouache, and pastels as the top layer with no issues. This is a great way to get some new and unique effects in your paintings. Just make sure your base layer of acrylic paint is dry before you layer over another medium. If the paint isn’t dry you’ll end with more of a mess then a cool piece of art.

by Chris Kaufman

When it comes to shopping for art supplies, you probably feel like you have limited options. Whether you’re picking up a few brushes, a tube of acrylic or gloss varnish, your first (and only) stop is probably your local art supply store.

It’s time to think outside the art supply store.

A couple of my favorite places to shop for supplies for my creative projects are my local hardware and home improvement stores. Not only will you conjure up countless ideas to use the oddities you find while wandering the expansive aisles of the Home Depot, you’ll also discover that home improvement supplies are significantly cheaper than traditional art supplies.

Here are some of my favorite home improvement store and hardware store finds:

• If you’re painting the background of a large canvas a solid color, try a pint or quart of latex house paint instead of expensive tubes of acrylic or oil.

• Want to add a glossy shine to your finished piece? Skip the gloss varnish from the art supply store. Instead, try some polyurethane. It brushes on easy, seals and protects your work, and provides the glossy look you’re going for.

• Instead of art store brushes, give a traditional house painting brush a try. They come in several sizes and varieties and are great for painting large areas of a canvas quickly.

• Looking to add some visual interest to your canvas? Try gluing some washers to your masterpiece. Paint over them to achieve an embossed effect.

• Add texture by applying spackling paste or wood putty directly to the canvas. Experiment with different textures by applying either through a piece of screen or wire mesh.

• Use pieces of wire or twine, or experiment with caulking and other adhesives to add dimension to your canvas surface.

• Gently rub shoe polish onto your piece to add an aged look and add definition to texture. Be sure to seal your canvas if you use this technique since the shoe polish can rub off.

Give your local hardware store and home improvement store a try and see what you can find. Most importantly, think outside the art supply store “box”, and be creative!