Ideas & Inspiration

How to Get Started with Brush Lettering

September 24, 2020

From personalised cards to beautiful artworks, there are endless applications for brush lettering. Most artists who practice brush lettering use brush pens, otherwise known as brush markers. Brush pens have a flexible nib, allowing you to vary the thickness of the lines produced. By applying different amounts of pressure, you can create a clean dynamic […]

Our Tips On How To Draw Animals

July 16, 2020

Whether you’re looking to become a professional animal painter or you just want to get better at drawing these living creatures, we have some great tips to get you going. We have outlined the basic steps to take in order to achieve a life-like observation of your favourite animal using everyday art supplies, and through […]

How to Paint Portraits in Oil

October 10, 2022

Why not try your hand at portrait painting? A genre many artists attempt, but never master. We're not proclaiming to be masters ourselves, of course, but this step-by-step guide has all the tips you need to start using your oil paints for portraiture! [...]

Best Paper for Gouache Painting

October 24, 2022

Are you keen to try painting with gouache? It’s a wonderfully versatile, water-based medium which is loved by many artists for its rich, saturated colours and fast-drying properties. You may be wondering what surfaces are the easiest to apply this paint to and what paper is going to give you the best finish.

Block Printing Fundamentals

May 30, 2023

Learn the Basics of Block Printing with our range of high-quality, specialised Essdee products.

Lets Talk Oil Mediums

June 09, 2023

Highlighting several options available across our site, we want to demonstrate just how user-friendly and accessible oil colours can really be.

Let's Think Schmincke

June 20, 2023

Originally founded back in 1881, Schmincke have been innovating and producing premium-quality art materials to creatives all over the world. We want to take a moment to highlight several of these ranges & demonstrate just how versatile they truly are.

Stretchers, Crossbars & Making A Canvas

January 16, 2025

In honour of our newly expanded canvas range, let us walk you through a basic breakdown of canvas stretching, step-by-step.