How to Choose Materials

How do you choose the materials that you use in your art? In this week's podcast, I explore my one rule for choosing materials. Really, it's about how to be aware of your materials and what works for you.

Even though I choose materials that work for me, sometimes I find them a little embarrassing. These brushes are a perfect example. I use them and love them, however I would never show then to polite company. I'll make an exception for you, however. ;)

The larger brushes are 2" and they are my go-to brushes. They are easier for me to clean than the 3" brushes (that don't fit well into my cleaning jar) and are bolder than 1". For a while I didn't use the long handled brushes much, but I really like the variety of line they make. It's funny how things like ease of cleaning make a difference when I'm choosing materials. Maybe it shouldn't, but once I realized that it is important to me, I learned a lot about what I should purchase.

I also want to give you a glimpse into some of my paint supply. I like to decant paint into easy to pour bottles. Tubes of paint slow me down when I'm in the groove. Frequently I pre-mix colors. They are usually the ones I really adore using. The colors are much more interesting and complex than paint straight from the tube.I don't want any materials that are going to make life difficult for me...hmm. I think that that says a lot about me and my painting style.

And now, episode 3. (Scroll down below.) I hope that you enjoy this episode. I'll be delving deeper into specific materials in later episodes- but for now think about how your materials make you feel and what is important to you when you work. Not what you think should be important, but what really is.

Thanks for reading, (and listening!)

Liese

#podcast #materials